Fights were common occurrences in those two years, and everyone had grown accustomed to them. When they encountered one, they would pretend not to see it and walk away, as no one wanted to invite trouble.
As they passed by, they instinctively glanced into the alley and were surprised to see two familiar figures.
Jin Kun and Zhao Liang were outnumbered. Even though they were seasoned fighters, their fists were no match for so many hands. They were quickly beaten to the ground.
Sun Liu’er and his men delivered a barrage of punches and kicks, showing no mercy. They taunted them, saying, "Where did all that ferocity go? Weren't you so capable? Damn it, you knocked out one of my teeth, and today I’m going to teach you a lesson so you know who I am."
Sun Liu’er kicked towards Jin Kun's face. Zhao Liang struggled to his feet and lunged forward, taking the kick for Jin Kun. With a grunt, he asked Jin Kun, "Brother Kun, are you okay?"
Jin Kun lowered his eyes, concealing the killing intent within, and shook his head, saying softly, "I'm fine."
"Tsk tsk, still putting on a show of brotherly love at a time like this?" Sun Liu’er raised his club and swung it wildly at them.
"Stop!" Just as the fight was in full swing, a clear female voice rang out. Sun Liu’er and his men stopped their actions and turned to look.
Three people stood at the mouth of the alley. Leading them was a beautiful woman in her early twenties.
"Damn it, what a rare sight! Someone’s actually playing the busybody. Get lost, or don’t blame us for being impolite." One of them brandished his club and swung it menacingly towards the three.
"So capable, you haven't even grown a full beard yet, and you're acting like a big shot here." Gu Xingdong delivered a kick, sending the man sprawling to the ground.
Seeing this, Sun Liu’er and his men released Jin Kun and Zhao Liang and charged towards Gu Xingdong.
"Sister-in-law, stay back, be careful not to get hurt." Wang Da Zhu said, then rushed to help.
Although Sun Liu’er and his men had weapons, they fought without any strategy, relying solely on brute force and numbers to overwhelm their opponents.
But they were unlucky to encounter Gu Xingdong and Wang Da Zhu. Even if they had twice as many men, they would still be no match for the two of them.
Looking at the scattered figures before him, Gu Xingdong bellowed, "Get lost!"
Sun Liu’er and his men knew they had run into a tough crowd. Not daring to delay, they quickly got up from the ground, abandoning their weapons. They scurried along the wall, their heads ducked, and fled.
Jin Kun and Zhao Liang had already gotten up and dusted themselves off. They then said to Gu Xingdong and Chen Li Shu, "Thank you. We owe you one for stepping in today."
Chen Li Shu looked at the bruises on their faces and asked with concern, "Are you alright? Do you need to go to the hospital?"
She had decided to help because she had always had a good impression of Jin Kun. Although he was involved in shady dealings, he was loyal and righteous. Especially during the incident where Sun Ling held Rui Rui hostage, it was thanks to his help that Rui Rui was safe. At that time, she was pregnant, and if anything had happened to Rui Rui, she and her two other children might have also been in danger.
Jin Kun wiped the corner of his mouth, looked at the crimson on his fingers, and said indifferently, "It's nothing, just superficial wounds. They'll heal in a couple of days."
Zhao Liang spat on the ground and said fiercely, "That bastard Sun Liu’er, we absolutely cannot let today's matter slide."
Seeing their expressions, Chen Li Shu had an idea. "If it’s convenient, let’s find a quiet place to talk."
Surprised that she wanted to speak with them, Jin Kun paused for a moment before nodding. "There's a teahouse on the next street. It's not crowded at this hour. How about we go there?"
Soon, they all headed to a teahouse not far away.
As Jin Kun had said, there were indeed few customers at this hour. Only two or three people were in the main hall. After they entered, a server warmly ushered them to the second floor.
"I heard a little about your situation. Zhao Hong, she..."
Mentioning that bitch Zhao Hong filled Zhao Liang with anger. Before Chen Li Shu could finish, he interjected, "That bitch, Brother Kun treated her so well, but she was ungrateful and hooked up with that陆 guy. Hmph, Brother Kun was too kind to her, which is why she betrayed him. But that woman didn't have a good ending either. Who knows where she is now, begging for scraps in some forgotten corner."
Zhao Hong and Mei Qiu had caused them to spend half a year in the detention center. They were only released because of insufficient evidence. Zhao Liang sighed, "If it weren't for her, Brother Kun and I wouldn't be in this situation. Our original business has long been taken over by others, and restarting now, even finding staff is a problem. Most of our old brothers have scattered."
Chen Li Shu thought for a moment and asked, "Are you still planning to do demolition work?"
Jin Kun gave a self-deprecating smile. "I’m not like you all. I don’t have any outstanding skills. The money I made back then was easy, and I spent it just as easily. I don't have much savings, so I have to stick to my old trade."
Chen Li Shu pondered for a moment and said, "I think if you have the ability, it's best to change careers. The social order is getting worse and worse, and the authorities will eventually crack down heavily. Once you step out of line, your past actions could also come back to haunt you."
Chen Li Shu couldn't directly mention the crackdown, so she could only suggest it in such an oblique way. "To intensify the rectification efforts, some stringent measures may be taken. You know about that dark period a few years ago, right?"
Jin Kun and Zhao Liang’s expressions turned startled. "You mean we're going to experience that again?"
Chen Li Shu shook her head. "That period is completely over. What I mean is the intensity. Take your current situation for example; you were released because of insufficient evidence. But if the authorities are determined to rectify things, as long as someone reports you, you could be sentenced. Moreover, you have a criminal record. It’s fine now, but who knows if old matters will be brought up again later. For example, fighting. In the past, you might get a few days in custody for re-education. But during a severe crackdown, you could be sentenced. Three to five years would be considered short."
This was certainly not Chen Li Shu exaggerating. She later heard many people say that a charge of hooliganism could result in a life sentence, or even the death penalty.
If someone else had said this, Jin Kun would have scoffed, thinking they were talking nonsense. He had been in the underworld for so many years for nothing; he wouldn't leave any evidence for what he did. Otherwise, he wouldn't have come out of the detention center unscathed.
But Chen Li Shu was different. They had known each other for quite some time. Although they hadn't interacted much, Chen Li Shu was a decisive person. If she were a man, they might have become brothers.