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Chapter Nine: Kissing in Public
The White Day Fire fell into darkness, and Zhang Qiu urgently sent someone to buy light bulbs. At ten o'clock at night, almost all the grocery stores were closed, and the Brothers he sent out returned empty-handed. Yang Yu, anxious and ignoring his injury, paced back and forth, occasionally glancing into the distance to see why Biao Ge had not yet arrived with anyone.
"You guys, go to the places our club covers, especially the restaurants; they shouldn't be closed at this hour. Just one from each place will do—oh, no! Buy one light bulb from each place. That should be enough. Hurry up."
At this critical moment, Zhang Qiu came up with an idea. The priority was not to investigate who was responsible or to prevent revenge but to restore order first. Zhang Qiu looked at the Brothers in the bar, all looking dispirited, then glanced at the pairs of eyes peeking from nearby shops, equally anxious about why Biao Ge's people were delayed.
"Yang Yu, Rui Rui, organize the uninjured Brothers for security. I'm worried there might be problems on the road since Biao Ge's group is late; we could also be in danger here."
As soon as Zhang Qiu finished speaking, a taxi screeched to a halt in front of the White Day Fire. The Brothers on alert due to Zhang Qiu's warning tensed up, raising their steel pipes in front of them. Zhang Qiu's attention was drawn as well when the taxi door opened and a white figure rushed out.
Zhang Qiu instantly dropped all caution and ran over to grab the medical kit, shouting, "All injured Brothers come with me."
The people sent out to buy light bulbs had not returned yet; the White Day Fire was pitch black inside. Zhang Qiu left some people waiting for Biao Ge and took the injured Brothers straight to the nearest restaurant. The Boss looked panicked at these unexpected guests covered in blood. The last two tables of diners stood up to leave when Zhang Qiu said, "Sorry for the intrusion; we just need some light to bandage wounds. You all can continue your meal; we won't disturb you."
The diners hesitated but eventually sat back down, glancing around nervously, unsure whether to stay or leave. Wang Jinghan had already opened the medical kit and taken out medical alcohol and cotton pads. Although she didn't know what had happened, seeing the situation at the bar made her realize it was serious; otherwise, they wouldn't have come to a restaurant for bandaging.
"What are you doing here?" asked the Shop Owner, who had seen enough in life to recognize what this group was about. Moreover, he could tell that Zhang Qiu was the leader among them.
Zhang Qiu clasped his hands together and said, "Boss, I'm sorry; our lights are broken inside. My brother is injured and needs bandaging. Please rest assured that we mean no harm."
The Shop Owner scanned everyone but ultimately saw nothing alarming.
While Zhang Qiu negotiated with the Shop Owner, Wang Jinghan kept busy along with Jiang Xue and Rui Rui; occasionally an injured Brother would wince in pain. Fifteen minutes later, all the injured Brothers were wrapped in bandages and stood smiling in front of Zhang Qiu, bowing together and saying, "Thank you, Brother Qiu." This was the first time they felt so valued.
"You're welcome."
After another round of apologies to the Shop Owner, Zhang Qiu led the Brothers out. Once outside the shop, he pulled Wang Jinghan aside and said, "Thank you for coming out so late."
Wang Jinghan smiled lightly and said, "With me, let's not use such formal words."
"Alright."
Returning to White Day Fire, it was no longer shrouded in darkness. The Brothers who went out to buy light bulbs had nearly all made successful purchases, quickly bringing light back to White Day Fire. Although they were just ordinary incandescent bulbs, they were certainly better than nothing. Abiao had already arrived with his people; the hall was filled with a crowd, and the debris scattered on the ground was being cleaned up.
Wang Jinghan had sneaked out; she initially intended to return directly to the hospital, but for some unknown reason, she ended up following Zhang Qiu into White Day Fire.
Seeing Zhang Qiu enter with his group, Abiao immediately asked, "Are the Brothers' injuries all bandaged up?"
"They're bandaged," Zhang Qiu replied, glancing at the scar on Abiao's face, which crawled across like a centipede, moving with every word he spoke.
"Thank you for your hard work." Abiao raised his voice, "Brothers, our Stone Dagger Gang has never suffered such humiliation. This time, no matter who it is, we will fight to the end and take revenge!"
"Revenge! Revenge! Revenge!"
Abiao's gaze was fierce, and his heart burned with anger. It had been a long time since something like this happened. The last time was when he first entered the scene; everyone was friendly and focused on making money. Who in Beilan County didn't know that White Day Fire belonged to the Stone Dagger Gang? This matter must be addressed properly. It could be that someone deliberately targeted them during a time of instability; such behavior could never be forgiven!
"Zhang Qiu!"
Abiao shouted loudly, and Zhang Qiu stepped forward from the crowd. Seeing Biao Ge's expression, it seemed he was about to assign him a task.
"Zhang Qiu, since I plan to leave White Day Fire in your hands, I will entrust this matter to you. No matter who the other party is or what methods you use, make sure they remember that the Stone Dagger Gang is not to be trifled with. Can you do that?"
Zhang Qiu did not respond like a soldier in a movie accepting a mission with bravado; instead, he calmly replied to Abiao, "Biao Ge, I know what to do."
Abiao stared at Zhang Qiu for a moment before nodding. He did not linger and left with his men. White Day Fire had already been damaged; it would take at least a week to resume operations. Staying there served no purpose. Moreover, Abiao worried that problems might arise elsewhere. Although he had already notified the Brothers at various venues to stay alert, he still felt uneasy; he sensed that something big might happen.
Biao Ge has left, and before departing, he left a message. In name, Zhang Qiu has officially become the highest leader of White Day Fire. Rui Rui walked up to Zhang Qiu and said, "Congratulations."
"Congratulations for what?"
"Biao Ge means that he is completely handing over White Day Fire to you. You are definitely not here just to oversee things. Work hard, endure this experience; I have faith in you." In the end, Rui Rui couldn't help but throw a flirtatious glance at Zhang Qiu, even though Jiang Xue was watching nearby. Although Jiang Xue didn't show any reaction, Zhang Qiu could clearly sense her jealousy.
Zhang Qiu didn't have time to think about these things. He had only been at the bar for a short while when this unexpected event occurred, and he had inexplicably taken over the place. Although he didn't have to worry about renovations and other matters, he still had to handle security and trace leads himself. An invisible pressure settled on Zhang Qiu's shoulders.
Zhang Qiu commanded, "Close the bar. Except for the Brothers on duty, everyone else go upstairs to find a room and rest. Remember, do not lock the door; if anything happens, come down immediately."
Yang Yu had practically turned the bar into his home, so he naturally wouldn't leave. Zhang Qiu also planned to stay here tonight.
"Give me the key!"
Yang Yu tossed him the key, and Zhang Qiu caught it in his hand. He turned to Jiang Xue and Wang Jinghan and said, "Let's go; I'll take you two home."
Wang Jinghan was naturally going home and obediently followed Zhang Qiu. However, Jiang Xue stood still.
"Xue'er, aren't you going back?"
"I want to stay here with you."
"Go home. Even though there's only half a class tomorrow before vacation, you still need to attend. When May Day comes, I'll stick to you; you won't be able to escape from me." Zhang Qiu took the opportunity to pull Jiang Xue into his arms, and they shared a kiss in front of everyone in the bar lobby.
Surprisingly, no one made a teasing remark; everyone quietly watched the kissing couple. The man was about to lead them in revenge, while the woman was their Sister Zhang.
Zhang Qiu sat on Yang Yu's Black Yamaha Motorcycle, holding Jiang Xue in front of him. He rested his head on top of hers and comfortably rubbed against her twice as she giggled. Wang Jinghan sat behind Zhang Qiu; after hesitating for a moment, she still didn't wrap her arms around his waist. But as soon as Zhang Qiu started the motorcycle, Wang Jinghan let out a scream and instinctively wrapped her arms around his waist.
Jiang Xue felt a pair of hands wrapped around her boyfriend's waist, occasionally brushing against her as they bumped along. She pouted but ultimately said nothing.
Zhang Qiu initially intended to take Wang Jinghan back to the hospital first and then accompany Jiang Xue home. However, Wang Jinghan wanted to stop by the Old County Hospital on the way, and going to Zhang Qiu's house first before heading to the hospital was the most convenient route. Thus, it was decided.
Zhang Qiu did not take the road through the Red-Light District; instead, he went south from White Day Fire, riding straight to his middle school before turning onto another road that passed through rows of houses in the village, eventually arriving at Zhang Qiu's home. The three of them tiptoed inside, and Jiang Xue invited Wang Jinghan to sit down, taking on the role of a hostess.
This was Wang Jinghan's first visit, and she curiously looked around, pointing at the chandelier, running water, and air conditioning while whispering, "These were all set up after you moved in, right?"
"Yes."
"You really know how to enjoy life." Wang Jinghan admired the room's decor and sat down by the heated bed. She felt as if she had accidentally pressed down on something and instinctively reached for it. A square box appeared awkwardly in Wang Jinghan's hand, instantly creating an extremely awkward atmosphere.
Jiang Xue blushed and lowered her head, too embarrassed to look at Wang Jinghan. Zhang Qiu wanted to reach out and take it but felt it was inappropriate; not taking it would be even more awkward. Wang Jinghan laughed, putting down the box and saying, "Is it really that big of a deal? We're all adults here; there's nothing to be embarrassed about. It's fine, it's fine, don't be shy."
At this, Jiang Xue's face turned even redder. Zhang Qiu walked over and gently patted Jiang Xue's head, softly advising her, "I'll take her home and then head back to the bar. You should get some rest; I'll call you in the morning to wake you up."
Jiang Xue nodded and saw Zhang Qiu and Wang Jinghan out the door, watching their figures blend into the night. A gust of wind blew by, causing the tall bushes to rustle ominously. Jiang Xue felt a chill run down her spine and hurriedly closed the door before running back to her room.
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