Chapter 1458: Setting Out Without Victory, The Little Bastard

Luo Yun looked around and asked curiously, "Apart from that one just now, I don't see any of your accomplices here. Why aren't you running quickly?"

"A defeated subordinate under my hand; what is there to fear?" Wang Yan said with a smile.

"Because of what?" Luo Yun pressed curiously.

"I see that both Xiaobai and you are as bright as ice and snow. Tell me, what is my identity?"

Luo Yun snorted, "What else could it be? A child of workers and peasants, of course."

Wang Yan nodded with a smile, "I see that you two are children of cadres from the compound. So how do you view someone like me, a child of workers and peasants?"

"It's glorious; how else should we view it?"

That was what Luo Yun said, but Wang Yan saw no sincerity in her eyes, only correctness.

"Xiaobai, what about you?" Wang Yan nodded toward Zhou Xiaobai, signaling her to speak.

Zhou Xiaobai said, "Everyone is the same; what is there to 'view'?"

"They look down on me."

Wang Yan smiled and pointed at that group, "See that one wearing the sweater? His name is Li Yuan Yuan. They say he has great prestige among the veteran groups and is quite a figure among the ruffians of the Four-Nine City.

The cause of the matter wasn't complicated. That one named Zhang Haiyang heard I could fight, felt unconvinced, and wanted to spar with me. That one named Li Yuan Yuan, with an air of superiority and a tone of 'naturally so,' issued orders for me to fight that Zhang Haiyang."

"So what? Don't you people just love fighting?" Luo Yun said as if it were only natural.

Wang Yan glanced at her sideways, "It's true I have my eye on Comrade Xiaobai, but this is called pursuing love, free love, not what they call 'picking up girls.' Even if I were truly a hooligan, I wouldn't want to be watched like a monkey. Just because he tells me to fight, I fight? Who does he think he is?"

"So then you beat up both that Li Yuan Yuan and Zhang Haiyang?" Zhou Xiaobai looked at Wang Yan.

"It was quite effective." Wang Yan raised an eyebrow at her.

"Aren't you afraid they'll retaliate?"

"Let me introduce myself again. My name is Wang Yan. I am eighteen years old. My parents sacrificed themselves for public duty when I was twelve. When I was sixteen, the state assigned me a job at the Fengtai Furniture Factory. I live on Nanheng Street... You say I eat my fill and the whole family goes hungry? What do I have to fear?"

"You're a carpenter?" Luo Yun asked, somewhat surprised.

"Don't I look like one?"

"Then why aren't you at work? What are you doing running around here?"

"See that person supporting Li Yuan Yuan? His name is Zhong Yuemin. He said that two days ago, while picking up girls on the street, he got into a fight with Zhang Haiyang. He said today would definitely be lively here, that Zhang Haiyang would certainly come, and asked me to come lend a fist, giving me and my brother one ticket each. Isn't this just us enjoying ourselves a bit, watching a show?

Doesn't that turn the tables? My brother and I earn fifty cents for this fight, and I also wanted to watch the show, so didn't I come for nothing? Besides, look at that Li Yuan Yuan; making me fight as if he were bestowing a favor, giving me a chance to perform—how arrogant."

Hearing the name Zhong Yuemin, Luo Yun turned her head to look at Zhou Xiaobai, "Xiaobai, why does the name Zhong Yuemin sound so familiar to me? Wasn't he part of that group from two days ago?"

"It was him." Zhou Xiaobai had seen him long ago but simply hadn't spoken.

Wang Yan let out an "Aiyo," "Just look at it; how small the world is. Turn around once and everyone knows each other."

Zhou Xiaobai expressed her disgust, "He's just a hooligan!"

"Hey, look, a crowd is coming over there," Luo Yun suddenly called out.

Wang Yan and Zhou Xiaobai looked over together, only to see six people coming from over there, heading straight for Li Yuan Yuan and the others who were collapsed on the ground, still not recovered...

Seeing the miserable state of affairs here, the leader of this group scanned the area and spotted Li Kuiyong at the ticket office, cutting in line to buy tickets.

Normally speaking, Li Kuiyong would naturally not cut in line. But just now, the people queuing to buy tickets had clearly seen Wang Yan's imposing manner. Moreover, wanting to show off in front of the Miss, Li Kuiyong naturally had to cut in line.

"Hey, Kuiyong, come over!" the leader shouted loudly.

Hearing the call, Li Kuiyong looked back, but still finished buying the ticket, stuffed it into his pocket, and only then walked over quickly.

He asked, "Little Bastard, how did you come over here?"

"How fresh! With such a big spectacle, how could I not come over to take a look? What's the situation here? Who beat up this bunch of veterans?"

"My Brother Yan," Li Kuiyong turned his head and nodded in Wang Yan's direction.

"That kid you mentioned?" The Little Bastard looked at the situation again and said in surprise, "So awesome?"

"You think I'm lying to you?"

The Little Bastard looked in Wang Yan's direction, waved his hand, and said, "Brother, come over here!"

Wang Yan saw it and heard it, but didn't move, remaining seated there.

"You're not going over?" Luo Yun asked.

"Just because he tells me to go over, I go over? Who does he think he is?" Wang Yan shook his head. "This bunch of people; with just two men under their command, relying on bravery and ferocity, they think they are invincible under heaven and that everyone should listen to them. If you don't listen, it's not giving face, and they want to retaliate against you. It's meaningless."

Seeing that Wang Yan seemed not to have heard and was still chatting with the young ladies there, Li Kuiyong, who knew the Little Bastard's temper well, quickly spoke up.

"Little Bastard, don't act foolishly right now; don't ruin everyone's friendship."

The Little Bastard stared straight at Li Kuiyong, "Kuiyong, are you taking his side? What, do you think he's more formidable than me?"

Feeling unnerved by the Little Bastard's stare, Li Kuiyong still said, "What's this about more or less formidable? What are you comparing that for? Didn't I tell you before? Brother Yan is a carpenter; he's not out mixing in the streets, nor has he established himself as a pillar."

"I want to get to know some heroes and brave men!"

The Little Bastard snorted and walked straight toward Wang Yan.

"See? Thinking himself quite a character; I didn't go over, so it's not giving face, and now he's coming over to cause trouble. Xiaobai, Luo Yun, tell me, is this interesting?"

Wang Yan shook his head, and without waiting for them to speak, actively stood up and went to meet him.

Under the gaze of Li Yuan Yuan, Zhang Haiyang, Zhong Yuemin, and the rest, Wang Yan met that person.

"Brother Yan, this is the Little Bastard I told you about," Li Kuiyong ran over to introduce him to Wang Yan.

The Little Bastard, short in stature, craned his neck and bared his teeth fiercely, "Brother, not giving face, huh."

Wang Yan looked at Li Kuiyong, "Didn't you tell him that those people were knocked down by me?"

"I did," but it was the Little Bastard who answered. "They're all a bunch of trash; they wouldn't dare to stab even if given a knife. Brother, since you can fight so well, I think you're not bad. Follow me, and I'll guarantee you eat well and drink spicy soup. I won't hold today's matter against you."

"Brother Yan!" Li Kuiyong shouted loudly, looking at Wang Yan with a hint of pleading in his eyes; give him some face...

The Little Bastard glared dissatisfiedly at Li Kuiyong, "What the hell are you yelling about? You scared me!"

The Little Bastard was largely hyper-aggressive, with low cognition, valuing face greatly and his reputation even more. Robbery and murder were sources of pride for him; the fear of others was the source of his happiness.

Wang Yan gave Li Kuiyong a look of pity, then suddenly lifted his leg and delivered a straight kick, sending him flying. Without waiting for the reaction of the Little Bastard's subordinates, within three punches and two kicks, he beat them all until they lay on the ground, unable to rise.

"Kuiyong, this has nothing to do with you; don't blame yourself. Someone like him would sooner or later get stabbed to death anyway. I'm just doing a good deed by sending him off early. He's done too many bad things; letting him live would truly be a sin."

Patting Li Kuiyong on the shoulder, Wang Yan waved to Zhong Yuemin in the distance, and once he approached, ordered, "Go, fetch the police. Tell them the Little Bastard is here, and send this kid off to be executed by firing squad."

"Brother Yan!" Li Kuiyong tugged at Wang Yan's arm.

"Dayong, you did your part; you pleaded for him, but I didn't listen and didn't give you that face. It's not your fault. In this life, one must still distinguish between right and wrong. Go, call the police."

"Got it." Zhong Yuemin dared not utter another word; he immediately hopped on his bicycle and headed to the nearby police station.

He was quite relieved now; fortunately, their brotherhood was decent enough that they hadn't acted too arrogantly, otherwise he would be lying on the ground right now too.

"You attacked by surprise! That's an unfair victory!" The Little Bastard recovered from the pain and began to clamor.

"What nonsense are you spouting? When you stabbed people, you didn't announce it to them either. Dayong, give me the tickets; chat with him a couple more sentences. Once he goes, we probably won't see him again. You certainly wouldn't be able to watch when they shoot him."

Someone like the Little Bastard would inevitably be paraded through the streets, with representatives from various units coming to witness the execution.

Taking the tickets Li Kuiyong handed over, Wang Yan lit a cigarette, walked over to Zhou Xiaobai, checked the seat numbers, and gave her two tickets.

"Here, tomorrow afternoon. We'll meet there, no matter what."

Snapping out of her daze, Zhou Xiaobai took the tickets and asked, "Are you okay?"

"I'm doing a good deed. That guy is called the Little Bastard; he's stabbed several people to death. I'm just removing a hazard for the people, contributing a brick or two to the public security environment of our Four-Nine City."

"You smooth-talking rascal." Zhou Xiaobai rolled her eyes at him.

"Wang Yan, have you practiced martial arts?" Luo Yun also came to her senses.

"I have indeed practiced a few moves; it's just for exercise."

"You're really impressive. I watched you fight them; they couldn't even react."

Wang Yan looked at her strangely: "Fighting is bad; harmony is precious. Why are you so excited? Do you wish for chaos under heaven and want an even livelier brawl? Are you treating me like a monkey? Unlike Xiaobai, she only cares about me and asks if I'm alright."

"What nonsense are you spouting? Who cares about you?" Zhou Xiaobai glared, tugged at Luo Yun, and said, "Are you leaving or not? If you're not, I'm going."

"Let's go, let's go." Luo Yun chuckled, then turned back and said, "Wang Yan, we plan to go ice skating at Beihai tomorrow. Are you coming?"

"Of course I'm coming. I'm pursuing love; how could I not go? What time?"

"Ten o'clock."

Wang Yan nodded: "Alright, so tomorrow morning we skate, at noon we hit a restaurant, and then maybe take a stroll or something."

These tickets were pre-sold; the event wouldn't happen until next week.

Zhou Xiaobai glanced at Wang Yan: "Are you leaving or not?"

"Going, going." Luo Yun answered with a smile, and together with Zhou Xiaobai, rode away on their bicycles...

Watching the two women depart, Wang Yan sat there with a cigarette dangling from his mouth, watching Li Kuiyong talk to the Little Bastard, watching Li Yuanzhao and the others put away their knives and limp away, supporting each other.

After all, since the police had been called, these people would have to be taken away too. Although nothing severe would happen to them, they would still have to call their families, and upon returning home, a thorough beating would be inevitable.

In no time at all, Zhong Yuemin pedaled his bicycle back, bringing the police with him...

Naturally, all relevant personnel had to go to the police station to register the situation. From start to finish, Li Kuiyong remained deeply dejected; even after leaving the station, he still lacked any spirit, staring blankly and unwilling to speak.

"Brother Yan, we'll be heading off first," Zhong Yuemin said, bidding farewell to Wang Yan.

"Hold on a second. You owe me fifty cents; debts must be paid."

"Oh my, look at my memory."

Zhong Yuemin slapped his forehead, pulled out ten yuan from his pocket without any complaint, and said, "Brother Yan, let me apologize. Today it was all Yuan Jun's loose tongue, and my own big mouth too. I truly admire a man like you; we must associate in the future. I'm willing to hang out with heroes and brave men like Brother Yan."

"Take this money, Brother Yan. Today you went through trouble; consider this my treat for you and Kuiyong to eat and drink. There were too many incidents today, and there are still matters to resolve with Li Yuanzhao's side; I'll see if I can smooth things over. When I find some free time later, I'll treat you and Dayong to a meal at Lao Mo."

Wang Yan glanced at him, then looked at Li Kuiyong beside him, and finally accepted the money: "I'm doing this for Dayong's sake."

"Right." Zhong Yuemin nodded happily. "Then the three of us brothers will be off first. See you later, Brother Yan."

Patting Li Kuiyong on the shoulder, he said, "Stop standing there blankly; let's go too, just the two of us. We got ten yuan for free; let's buy some pig head meat, get a roast duck, slice some meat—no, let's buy some sheep offal, make some mutton soup, bake some tendon pancakes, drink a little wine. Hey, now that's authentic~"

With that, Wang Yan tucked his hands into his sleeves and strolled off ahead.

Li Kuiyong hurried to keep up, still remaining silent.

"Brother Yan, the Little Bastard..."

"Tsk, can't you still see it clearly? A life for a life; is there any problem with that? If he didn't have lives on his hands, why would I call the police? Dayong, helping people depends on the situation. The Little Bastard is a true bastard; executing him ten times wouldn't be enough."

Wang Yan shook his head repeatedly: "Didn't I already say it? You pleaded for him, I didn't agree, so it has nothing to do with you. Don't overthink it."

"How can I not think about it, Brother Yan!"

"You're just being foolish; what is there to think about? Haven't you figured it out yet? He told me to follow him; I didn't, so he stabbed me. If he had stabbed me to death, and you started spouting all sorts of nonsense to him, his temper would flare up, and he'd stab you too. Would you be obedient then?"

"No, but calling the police is just too..."

"Get lost; you're just asking for a beating; I should have thrashed you." Wang Yan kicked him. "I'm not a 'Wan Zhu' gangster, and even if I were, wouldn't I still be Chinese? Can't the law handle this? What nonsense are you spouting?"

"There are rules now; this isn't the old society anymore. Do you think those chaotic stories you hear are all about good people? In the past, there was no place for your sense of loyalty; your parents would be hacked to death, your sister violated, and you yourself would be burned alive in a sky lantern. Do you think the three years of bandit suppression were all against heroes and brave men?"

While speaking, Wang Yan slapped the back of his head again: "If you don't want to talk, then don't. Don't mention the Little Bastard to me again."

Li Kuiyong grimaced in pain from the slap but obediently fell silent, tucking his hands into the sleeves of his newly acquired woolen coat and following closely behind Wang Yan.

After buying the wine and dishes and returning home, following a busy period of preparation, Li Kuiyong took a roast duck home for his younger siblings to eat, then returned to Wang Yan's place, holding a duck tail in one hand and grabbing a tendon pancake with the other, sipping mutton soup from the side of the bowl.

"Brother Yan, this smells so good!"

With grease dripping from his mouth, he chuckled foolishly. One could call him honest, or one could call him a fool; the Little Bastard was now forgotten completely...

?? Daily thanks to the good brothers who generously donate, cast monthly votes, recommendation votes, and silently read the book for their strong support!

? (End of Chapter)