Bully 04

The next moment, the axe in Fang Zhiyi's hand grazed past his face and thudded into the wall.

Then, a fist the size of a sand pot connected with his face.

Liu Acai could swear he would remember today's experience until the day he died. He had always known the boss was skilled, but he never imagined he was this good! In just half a day following Fang Zhiyi, they had swept clean all the major and minor forces in the western suburbs.

Liu Acai felt a good life was waving at him. Honestly, if the boss hadn't stopped them before, he would have wanted to do this a long time ago!

One word: satisfying!

Shopkeeper Li was very apprehensive, but since he was already here, he had to take the gamble.

But, as expected, he lost everything.

Liu Acai left that skilled young ruffian there to continue working for them. The boss had said this was, after all, the guy's specialty.

The next day, the sun rose, and everything in the western suburbs went on as usual. The streets still carried a foul, fishy stench, and Fang Zhiyi, stretching his limbs, walked out the door.

"Foster father..." Nian'an, with dark circles under his eyes, greeted him cautiously. He had worried all night, afraid his theft of the money would be discovered. If it were found out, he would surely get a vicious beating, just like those commoners who couldn't pay up.

But he froze for a moment when he looked up at Fang Zhiyi. Today, Fang Zhiyi wasn't wearing his usual sleeveless jacket but had changed into new clothes—a dark red robe that looked quite expensive.

Instinctively, Nian'an looked down at his own clothes, and a wave of resentment surged in his heart.

So, all that talk about doing what was best for him was fake. He finally couldn't keep up the act, could he? He wears fine clothes, while I can only wear homespun cloth.

But however resentful he felt, he knew he couldn't turn against Fang Zhiyi now.

Fang Zhiyi just grunted in response and walked out. This was the original host's daily "work": patrolling his territory.

The common people didn't know they had taken over all the underground businesses here. Seeing Fang Zhiyi, they still obediently greeted him.

Fang Zhiyi also acted like the original host, collecting money as usual, only he did it even more harshly than before.

"You say you have no money?" Fang Zhiyi sneered. "Yesterday you were still visiting the girls at Slumber Moon House, but when it comes to me, you're broke?" He waved his hand, and his subordinate behind him understood, stepping forward to shove the stall owner.

Watching all this, Nian'an felt indignant, his fists clenching and unclenching.

Fang Zhiyi noticed his little movement and couldn't help but let out a cold laugh.

"Shove, shove, shove, what's the point of shoving? Hit him!" Fang Zhiyi ordered.

The subordinate was stunned. The boss hadn't been this violent before? But they only hesitated for a moment before actually starting to beat the man.

"Everyone, watch closely. This is what happens if you don't pay up in the future," Fang Zhiyi announced to the surrounding crowd.

Everyone shrank their necks.

He couldn't play the kind of good guy the original host was. A bully should look and act like a bully.

The morning passed with Nian'an following behind the whole time. He had figured it out: Fang Zhiyi must be taking out his anger over losing those two strings of cash on these innocent people!

But this wouldn't stop his own steps toward doing good deeds.

Taking advantage of Fang Zhiyi going out again, he slipped into the storeroom. Chen Huaimin was dozing off. Nian'an quietly opened the cabinet and took some money.

He didn't notice that Chen Huaimin had cracked open an eye to look at him before closing it again.

This kid, is he really the ungrateful wretch the boss said he was?

Chen Huaimin didn't know why the boss said that. After all, they had all watched Nian'an grow up. But since the boss said so, he must have his reasons.

Take it, take it. Times were a bit better now anyway. There was still plenty of the official grain they had seized last time, enough to eat.

Chen Huaimin always felt like something was about to happen.

Nian'an made his rounds, distributing all the money and receiving plenty of grateful words. Naturally, he didn't see the scornful looks people gave his retreating back.

He also didn't notice that someone had been following him at a distance the whole time, all the way until he returned home. Later, after Liu Acai woke up and went out, he was still followed by a few brothers.

"Brother Liu, noted. Five families today," the man who had tailed Nian'an reported, stepping forward.

Liu Acai yawned and nodded. "Our young master sure knows how to make money. Come on, brothers, time to work."

That day, five more people inexplicably found themselves in debt, having signed promissory notes and pressed their fingerprints.

Over the next few days, Nian'an continued his "good deeds." Seeing that no one seemed to notice at all, he gradually grew bolder. He greatly enjoyed the sight of people thanking him profusely. The only strange thing was, lately some people refused to take the money he offered, and they looked at him with annoyance.

"Pah! Like the dog that bit Lü Dongbin—not recognizing a good heart when they see one," Nian'an just cursed.

He had no idea what was happening.

Because he was so immersed in his own "righteous acts," he completely failed to notice that his foster father seemed particularly busy lately.

Actually, it wasn't just Fang Zhiyi who was busy; everyone was. Even Chen Huaimin had started keeping the lamp lit at night to do the accounts.

Inside Slumber Moon House, all the courtesans looked at Fang Zhiyi. Some had emptiness in their eyes, some seemed indifferent, and others wore panic on their faces. They all knew the former boss had "disappeared." Everyone wisely kept their mouths shut, knowing that sometimes saying too much could bring death upon oneself.

Fang Zhiyi looked at them and clapped his hands. His subordinates behind him led in a few people: an old man in a clean long gown, a woman holding a handkerchief to her nose, a stern-looking middle-aged man, and a peddler carrying his wares on his back.

The girls started chattering noisily.

"Who I am needs no introduction; I suppose you all know," Fang Zhiyi said. As he spoke, the girls quieted down.

"Starting today, Slumber Moon House will not be receiving customers anymore." Fang Zhiyi's words shocked all the women.

They started clamoring again.

"If we don't receive customers, what will we eat?"

"Are you telling us to go straight?"

"Wah..."

Some were anxious, some worried, and some wept for joy.

Fang Zhiyi waited for them to finish arguing before speaking slowly. "Your deeds of sale are here." He threw down a thick stack of papers. All the women stared eagerly. Those flimsy pieces of paper represented their entire lives.

"If you want to leave, you can take them and go now," Fang Zhiyi continued. The women looked at him in astonishment. Someone tentatively stepped forward, and seeing Fang Zhiyi make no move to stop her, grew bolder.

But soon, someone stopped their restless companion.

"Don't rush. Let's wait and see."

Fang Zhiyi watched the girl rummaging for her deed and continued, "Do you think taking this paper means you're free?"

His words made all the girls freeze.

Free? Such a strange word.

The girl who had just found her own deed looked at the paper in her hand, her mind a whirl of thoughts.