Chapter 990: Trouble

Huanghe Road, the fifth day of the New Year, this day is to welcome the God of Wealth, and it is also the opening day of the new hotel that has been mysterious for a long time.

People were crowding at the intersection, competing to look at the woman at the entrance of the hotel with fluffy short wavy hair, bright red lips, wearing a purple-black tight-fitting dress, and wrapped in a mink shawl.

On one hand, people had long heard that this woman was beautiful, and on the other hand, they were also very curious about how this woman took over this shop. After all, this can be said to be one of the most profitable places on Huanghe Road, especially in the best location on this street, so there will always be business.

And today is the opening, of course, people also have to pay extra attention to the guests and the business on the first day of opening. This is especially important for the bosses of other hotels.

The time had come. Li Li untied the rope. After a series of transmissions, the red cloth covering the signboard was pulled down vigorously. Amidst the fluttering red cloth, the three big characters "Zhen Zhen Yuan" were revealed.

Bang...

With the unveiling of the signboard, it officially opened for business. In the cleared space, fireworks worth over ten thousand were set off, blooming over Huanghe Road, and firecrackers also crackled and popped at the same time.

People were not bothered by the smoke from the firecrackers. Reporters specially found were taking pictures and recording videos, and some people who received invitations also stepped forward to communicate with the beautiful landlady simply, and then were led in by the hotel's waiters to take their seats.

"Wang Laoban is here, these fireworks are not bad, right? I heard they cost over ten thousand each, and this Zhen Zhen Yuan set off three today."

Wang Yan spat out a cigarette and laughed: "I heard the government is going to introduce policies to strengthen management, and it is likely to be implemented in these two years."

"Then isn't today even more rare." Jingxiu asked, "Is Wang Laoban also here to attend the opening of Zhen Zhen Yuan? You are here, but they didn't promote it?"

"I'm not a big star, who knows me?"

"Oh my, Wang Laoban is just too low-key. If people knew Wang Laoban's strength, the whole Huanghe Road would be blocked, all wanting to do business with Wang Laoban. But Wang Laoban doesn't rely on these to do business. Boss Bao is different, he is unparalleled when he comes to Huanghe Road."

"When we first met in 1990, wasn't I also very glorious?"

Jingxiu was stunned for a moment, then nodded and laughed: "That's for sure. I still remember clearly to this day, back then Wang Laoban relied on a tricycle, a barbecue box, and some barbecue seasoning to stir up the whole Shanghai Bund."

"You are too exaggerated, what stirring up the Shanghai Bund, it was just smelling up the whole Huanghe Road."

The two laughed together.

Wang Yan extinguished the cigarette butt and said to Jingxiu: "Do you want to go together? They said they arranged a private room for me, just Tao Tao and me, let's go together and be lively?"

"I won't go, to tell you the truth, Wang Laoban, Zhen Zhen Yuan actually sent me an invitation. Although it's not a private room, at least there is a seat, but I didn't go, I have to make a living."

It was just a casual question, and since the other party didn't go, there was no need to force it. Wang Yan waved his hand and walked through the crowded crowd, crossed the road, and came to Zhen Zhen Yuan.

Manager Pan was standing with Li Li to receive guests, because Li Li was new here, and many people didn't know her, so she still needed Manager Pan to remind her. So the sharp-eyed Manager Pan saw Wang Yan stepping on the steps to the door and hurried to Li Li's side to remind her: "Wang Laoban is here."

Li Li was radiant, stepped forward to greet him: "Hello Wang Laoban, I am Li Li, thank you for coming to support Zhen Zhen Yuan."

She smiled and observed this Wang Laoban. He had such a big industry, but he was still very low-key. He was in his thirties and still single, and the only rumor was that he was very close to Miss Wang. People's understanding of Wang Laoban all came from Tao Tao. But what the real Wang Laoban was like, I'm afraid even Tao Tao didn't know. After all, even if Wang Laoban was friends with Tao Tao, he was not at the same level, so Tao Tao couldn't explain it clearly.

She saw this Wang Laoban's deep eyes, his gaze was upright and peaceful, and there was a just-right smile on his face, making people feel kind and easy to get along with at first sight. The overall feeling he gave was very natural, and there was a kind of "it should be like this" on him.

But she knew that Wang Laoban was definitely not as simple as he looked. She believed the rumors Manager Pan told her, because she believed that there is no smoke without fire...

"Hello." Wang Yan shook hands with her lightly: "You invited me to dinner, of course, there's no reason not to come."

"Wang Laoban, come often when you have time, there is plenty of wine and food. Wang Laoban, go up with Manager Pan first, I'll come to toast Wang Laoban after I'm busy for a while. I'm sorry for the poor hospitality, Wang Laoban, please forgive me."

"Easy to say, easy to say."

"Wang Laoban, please this way."

Manager Pan stepped forward, led Wang Yan to the private room upstairs, "Wang Laoban, please drink tea and wait for a while, the wine and food will be served immediately. The landlady specifically explained that she must serve wine and food to Wang Laoban at the first time, and must entertain him well."

"Good, you go and get busy, don't worry about me. If Tao Tao comes, you bring him over."

"Good, Wang Laoban, find me anytime if you need anything." Manager Pan nodded and said goodbye politely.

Wang Yan sat by the table with his legs crossed, pouring tea and drinking tea. It was special grade Qihong, which was not bad. Li Li entertained him very thoughtfully.

This private room was very large, and the decoration was not bad. There were two large oil paintings in the room. On the way up, Manager Pan had already introduced that this was the best one in Zhen Zhen Yuan except for the private room on the top floor that was being renovated, and he also said it was Li Li's specific instruction to serve him well...

At the same time, the phone booth opposite Zhen Zhen Yuan, Jingxiu.

"Miss Wang is also here today." Jingxiu poked his head out of the small window and asked, "Are you here to find Wang Laoban? He has already gone in, I guess he hasn't been served yet."

Miss Wang shook her head: "I'm not looking for him, I'm here to talk business, and made an appointment with Boss Bao at Honglu."

"Miss Wang, are you having a disagreement with Wang Laoban?"

"Nonsense, do I have a relationship with him? It's not me saying you, Jingxiu, don't be like others, following the crowd."

Jingxiu nodded busily, and Fan Zong leaned over: "Miss Wang, I just heard you mention Wang Laoban, isn't it Wang Laoban?"

"It's him, don't play dumb, okay? Who on Huanghe Road doesn't know, Wang Laoban used to sell lamb skewers right here."

Miss Wang had been annoyed by Fan Zong for a while, and her tone was a bit unpleasant, "Isn't it agreed with Boss Bao to be at Honglu? You still called me so many times? It's been half a month, Boss Fan, I've said many times, Boss Bao is not a person without credibility."

"It's five o'clock now, Boss Bao will bring the contract over in a while. The private room at Honglu is already booked, you go and drink tea patiently, wait for Boss Bao to come over, sign the contract, drink old wine, and everyone will get rich."

"Oh my, I didn't expect you, Boss Fan, to be so greedy for vanity. A private room made you, Boss Fan, stand up."

"Oh my, Miss Wang, you're right, I was really stood up. Look, so many people, aren't they all greedy for vanity? If you aren't greedy for vanity, who would come to Huanghe Road to mix? People gave me such a big battle to invite me yesterday, if I go there dejectedly today, it won't be easy to mix in the future.

Miss Wang, I'm not talking about you, you come to Huanghe Road to work, you are a person from 27, and you don't have to look at anyone's face. I, old Fan, can't do it, I have to flatter everyone, otherwise the rice bowls of thousands of people in our Huxi Knitting Factory will not be guaranteed.

Miss Wang, help me, call Boss Bao, it's all eating, it's the same everywhere. Besides, Boss Bao is mixing on Huanghe Road, and he will have a lot of dealings with Zhen Zhen Yuan in the future."

"Alright, alright, stop talking, I'll help you ask Boss Bao now, but I don't guarantee it."

Miss Wang naturally couldn't withstand the flattery of an old Jianghu like Fan Zong, and agreed to this matter in a few words.

Watching Miss Wang go to Jingxiu to call Boss Abao, Fan Zong took his bag and went to Zhen Zhen Yuan. As expected, just like in the original drama, he was fooled by Li Li.

However, what Li Li said was indeed correct. The goods were in Fan Zong's hands, and he hadn't signed a contract with Boss Abao. As long as Fan Zong's goods were good, under the competition of people snatching them, it would naturally be more beneficial to him. It's just that the situation was a bit unexpected, his goods were too many.

Fan Zong was fooled by Li Li and decided to ride a donkey to find a horse to sell at a high price. He made up his mind and asked: "I heard Wang Laoban also came?"

"Wang Laoban? Which Wang Laoban?" Li Li didn't know.

"Landlady is really joking, there are many surnamed Wang, and there are not a few who are Wang Laoban, but if you really want to say it, there is only one Wang Laoban." Fan Zong raised a finger and compared it to Li Li's eyes.

"I'm still used to calling him Wang Laoban. I heard that everyone is more accustomed to calling him Wang Laoban, it seems because he joked with Jingxiu opposite Zhen Zhen Yuan, and little by little Wang Laoban spread like this."

"I'm still used to calling him Wang Laoban. In fact, the title of Wang Laoban has another saying in Night Tokyo, it was the landlady there who called him that first, and later everyone defaulted to it."

"That's my negligence. I know Wang Laoban and Boss Bao are friends for many years, but I don't know that Boss Fan is also friends with Wang Laoban?"

"Oh my, how can we be friends? It's Wang Laoban who is approachable. The first time I went to Night Tokyo to find Boss Bao to talk about cooperation, it happened that Wang Laoban went to eat, and it was the landlady of Night Tokyo who introduced us. That day I drank a bottle of Moutai with Wang Laoban, it's quite embarrassing to say, it was the wine Wang Laoban stored in Night Tokyo."

Li Li raised an eyebrow: "Is that so? Then what do you think of him?"

"That goes without saying? Big boss. Li Li, you don't know, Wang Laoban is very low-key. If he doesn't say it, no one knows he has so many industries. And Wang Laoban will never look down on people, talking to people as if they were old friends for many years. This person, he dislikes others being polite to him the most, and dislikes listening to polite words.

Wang Laoban has a sentence that makes me remember it fresh, at that time I said... Wang Laoban said 'I made my business big first, then I became straightforward', this sentence is too right. Li Li, where is Wang Laoban's private room? I have to toast him."

"I also want to find Wang Laoban, Boss Fan, let's go together."

Saying so, Li Li took Fan Zong upstairs to the private room where Wang Yan was.

In the private room, Wang Yan was dealing with a large table of dishes by himself, drinking a little from time to time.

"Wang Laoban is truly in a good mood, what was that word? Yi... something..."

Having said that, Li Li took Boss Fan upstairs with her to the private room where Wang Yan was.

"Ah right, it's at ease and content. Others are everywhere making friends and climbing relationships, only Wang Laoban you are here to eat."

Li Li followed up: "I heard from Manager Pan that Wang Laoban brought Tao Zong together, where is he?"

"Didn't Boss Fan say it? Making friends and climbing relationships, right?" Wang Yan turned and asked, "Why is Boss Fan here? I heard from Miss Wang that you made an appointment with Boss Bao to sign a contract at Honglu tonight?"

"Oh my, eating, where you eat is eating, it's all the same, all the same."

Wang Yan said with a smile: "Old Fan, your intentions are not pure."

Fan Zong honestly pretended to be stupid: "Is Wang Laoban talking about Li Li? Oh my, I'm about to retire. Hey, speaking of this, Wang Laoban and Li Li are truly a match made in heaven, Wang Laoban, you must come often in the future, contact Li Li more, maybe you will win the beauty, haha..."

Women mixing out, one point that is not easy is here, there will always be people like Fan Zong, making such jokes between men and women, or telling some dirty jokes.

"Boss Fan is right, Wang Laoban must come often in the future, making friends is always good."

Li Li didn't care at all, and what she said was ambiguous, as if she had accepted Fan Zong's "winning the beauty", and as if she hadn't, leaving a lot of ambiguous room for imagination.

Speaking of which, this is also an old acquaintance. It's just that in the distant past, Li Li played with a Miao knife, saying she would chop people, and she didn't blink when killing people. Now this one is full of style and has a feeling of hooking people.

Wang Yan nodded with a smile: "The chef's craftsmanship is not bad, and the landlady is a great beauty. Beauty is food, not to mention that she opened a hotel with good taste."

"Come, come, come, Wang Laoban, I toast you a glass. It's just that I heard you were here, so I let Li Li bring me over to toast you. The timing is really not right today, I will invite Wang Laoban to drink next time."

"Next time it will be at Zhen Zhen Yuan, I also want to have a good chat with Wang Laoban, but it's the opening today, I really can't get away. Come, Wang Laoban, I'll have this one, you do as you please."

While talking, the two had already poured three glasses of wine, which were larger one-tael glasses. Li Li was quite straightforward and drank it in one gulp. Fan Zong behind was also the same, none of them were bad at drinking.

"You both drank, can I do as I please?" Wang Yan said so, and also drank that tael of wine.

Li Li controlled her facial expression and didn't pick up food, waiting for the wine to be suppressed, she laughed: "Wine should be drunk slowly."

Wang Yan shook his head and laughed: "You still know that?"

"No way, everyone is making a living. Alright, Wang Laoban, you eat slowly, find me if you have anything. Boss Fan?"

Fan Zong didn't stand on ceremony with Wang Yan, and had already picked up chopsticks to eat: "I'm suppressing the wine, Wang Laoban don't see it as an outsider."

"Li Li's dishes, what do I see as an outsider?"

Fan Zong honestly laughed: "Then I won't disturb you, Wang Laoban, see you again."

He put his hands together, bowed to Wang Yan twice, and walked out with Li Li who was still smiling...

No one is a fool, and of course Wang Yan is not. He had drunk with Fan Zong, and had drunk quite a few times at Night Tokyo. Fan Zong was old and strong, and his drinking capacity was quite good. Two taels of wine went down and his face didn't change. How could he come to pick his Wang Laoban's food on such an occasion? Looking reckless and ignorant, he was showing his closeness to him, Wang Laoban, to Li Li, and raising his status in Li Li's place.

Li Li was obviously a person who understood things, and she naturally saw it. No matter what, she was indeed a little more polite to Fan Zong. Of course, it was limited to this, there was no more interest relationship, but Li Li was helping Fan Zong raise the price.

Wang Yan smiled and continued to eat and drink by himself.

Outside was the confrontation between Li Li and Boss Abao, but it had nothing to do with him. However, speaking of which, in fact, the impact of Boss Abao coming to Zhen Zhen Yuan was greater than him coming. After all, Boss Abao's name was big, his self-marketing was good, and he had just been hit into the hospital, so the heat was greater. There were fewer people who knew him, and there was no heat, of course, his energy was obviously greater...

Tao Tao couldn't stay idle, and just as Fan Zong said, he didn't come to eat. After eating two bites of food with him and confirming that his cooking skills were stronger than the little monk's, he went out to socialize. Of course, different from the original drama, he was now handing out business cards in the private room of Zhen Zhen Yuan, getting to know people everywhere.

Of course he knew that no one looked down on him, but he was still handing them out. Joking, he had Wang Laoban behind him. In terms of strength on the surface, Wang Laoban had many industries and thousands of employees. In terms of unclear strength, Wang Laoban's employees could find the son of Fagen who hit Boss Abao in one day. Looking further ahead, there was also facing the muzzle of a gun without changing his face, and even turning around to knock on a car. He, Tao Zong, had a very hard backbone...

"Oh my, Miss Wang, Wang Laoban is eating in the private room upstairs, you have something to go in and find him, why call me?" Tao Tao was helpless.

Miss Wang was even more helpless: "Doing things for Boss Bao, find you or find Wang Laoban?"

"That's of course finding me, I'm his brother. Uh... but my ability is small, if I can't do things well, I still have to find Wang Laoban."

"Always thinking about being brothers." Miss Wang rolled her eyes at him, and said, "You know Fan Zong, right? Boss Bao made an appointment with him to sign a contract at Honglu tonight, but Fan Zong ran to Zhen Zhen Yuan and wouldn't come out. You go and call him out, let him come over to Honglu to sign the contract."

"Oh my, Boss Abao is also true, Zhen Zhen Yuan is very good, he should have come directly."

"Are you going or not?"

"Definitely going, Boss Abao not coming must have his reasons."

"You don't go?"

"I'm not going, you're not going, I'm not going, I'm not going." Miss Wang was impatient to urge.

Tao Tao responded, turned around and walked straight to the deepest part of the same floor.

It was not unexpected that Tao Tao had no deterrent power. Even if Wang Laoban came, there was no deterrent power, after all, no one knew who he was.

Of course, he also brought his own deterrent skills, that is, to restrain his smile slightly, and use the eyes of looking at a dead person to scan the audience, which could still scare people. After all, that was the murderous aura condensed in the real mountain of corpses and sea of blood, which could arouse people's most original fear.

Fan Zong pretended to be confused, Wei Hongqing wouldn't let him go, and seeing that it was about to make trouble, Li Li, who wanted to match the business here, pulled Tao Tao out, but because of Wang Yan's existence, she spoke very politely, of course.

"Tao Zong, you are a supplier on Huanghe Road for many years, including our Zhen Zhen Yuan. Before opening, I specifically explained that seafood must be ordered from Tao Zong first. Besides, you are Boss Bao's friend, and also Wang Laoban's friend, I respect you very much. But you should understand the rules, Boss Fan is a guest of our Zhen Zhen Yuan, he doesn't want to go, you are not good at dragging people away, right?"

"Yes, yes." Tao Tao blushed a little, because Li Li was really polite.

"I don't know what business Boss Bao and Boss Fan are doing, but I don't want to fight in Zhen Zhen Yuan, it's not good for you, for me, for Boss Bao, for Boss Fan, you say so, Tao Zong?"

"Sorry, landlady, I didn't mean it." Tao Tao still cared about face, and he continued, "But landlady, let me tell you, this room of people, added together, is not as good as one finger of Boss Bao, you know?"

Li Li was unhappy when she heard this. After all, she sent invitations to the Peace Hotel for many days to invite him, but now he didn't come, and he wanted to take people away, and he had to say how awesome Boss Bao was. Even if Boss Abao looked a bit like Mr. A, it was useless.

She said: "Even if Boss Bao has six fingers, it has nothing to do with me. I only care about doing business on my territory."

After saying that, she turned and returned to the private room.

Li Li wanted to make friends with Wang Laoban. But based on what she knew, she couldn't make money from Wang Laoban, because Wang Laoban did business from the upstream, perfected the industrial chain, and relied on himself, leaving no room for others to intervene. The only thing that needed to ask others was that the logistics company wanted to buy a large number of trucks, which she couldn't handle.

But in Fan Zong and Wei Hongqing here, she saw the opportunity to make money, so naturally she had to entertain well here, striving for a good start. As for Wang Laoban, just worship him, he is a very practical person.

Looking at her returning, Tao Tao breathed a sigh of relief. Just as he was about to step away, several rogue-like people came out from behind. The leader was naturally the little rogue called "Yangpu Xiao Liuzi" who had some conflicts with Tao Tao just now.

He wore a floral shirt, a watch, and a bag, speaking with full confidence, and had to stretch out his hand wearing a watch to point at people: "Selling fish! Don't go!"

"Who is selling fish? I am selling seafood!" Although he was a bit empty in his heart, Tao Tao still explained.

"Fine, fine, fine, I don't care what you sell, go, take me to find Boss Bao. I want to see if it's like you said, you can represent Boss Bao."

"You say go, go? Who do you think you are?"

Tao Tao was very empty, but he didn't look empty. He was telling himself that he had experienced scenes...

"Remember, fish seller, I am Yangpu Xiao Liuzi, and some people still give me some face. Go!"

While speaking, Xiao Liuzi held Tao Tao with his bag, and another person also held Tao Tao's arm, limiting Tao Tao's actions.

Tao Tao struggled hard, but it was in vain.

He didn't scold anyone, rolled his eyes: "Xiao Liuzi, right? You have the guts to follow me, and then I will take you to find Boss Bao, do you dare?"

"Oh my, the fish seller has a backer? Provoking me? Then go, I'll see what kind of character it is." Xiao Liuzi patted Tao Tao's face with his bag and let him go, "Lead the way!"

"Good, don't regret it."

Tao Tao pointed at the group of people, and also counted silently in his heart, one, two, three, four, five...

"Hurry up."

Xiao Liuzi swung his bag, intending to slap him, Tao Tao subconsciously shrank his neck, then straightened his chest, sneered, turned around and walked towards the end of the same floor with big strides.

Xiao Liuzi and the others were not afraid at all, I don't know if the little rogue was bold, or because he knew Wei Hongqing's background and could cover things up, in short, they followed Tao Tao's footsteps closely.

In just two minutes, Tao Tao stood in front of the private room with big double doors, he turned back and said: "Xiao Liuzi, I'll give you one last chance, apologize to me now, and it's still in time, otherwise I guarantee you won't have a place to cry."

"Go to your mother, I want to see who is so awesome."

While speaking, he kicked Tao Tao's butt. Tao Tao's body leaned forward involuntarily, pushed open the big door, and faced Wang Yan's eyes.

Tao Tao's staggering steps didn't stop, he rushed in along the trend, ran behind Wang Yan: "Wang Laoban, save me, they want to find Boss Bao's trouble, but Miss Wang is with Boss Bao. Look at these people, they don't look like good people, I'm afraid of hurting Miss Wang, so I brought them over. No... problem, right?"

Wang Yan raised an eyebrow, if he didn't know the plot development, he would have believed it, he could really make up lies...

Tao Tao's voice was not small, Xiao Liuzi and others heard it very clearly, but seeing Wang Yan alone, eating a large table of dishes in such a large private room, drinking wine, he was somewhat unsure, but he should be a person with status. But in his heart, he couldn't help but doubt, a broken fish seller, who can he know? If he was really a big figure, the landlady of Zhen Zhen Yuan was so beautiful, why didn't she guard here?

No matter how he thought, he didn't want to cause more trouble, Xiao Liuzi leaned slightly: "This one, sorry to disturb. But what this fish seller said is too fake, we don't want to find trouble, we just want to invite Boss Bao to come over and finalize the business with Boss Fan, everyone drink old wine, make friends. This fish seller exaggerates the facts and wants us to conflict, this friend of yours is not very good."

Wang Yan glanced at this rogue-like Xiao Liuzi and asked Tao Tao: "Did he hit you?"

"At the door of that Wei Zong's private room, they held me up, and he also used his hand to pat my face. Just now at the door, I said... and he said... and then kicked me in, I didn't want to cause trouble for you, Wang Laoban. Boss Bao just came out of the hospital not long ago, his body hasn't been raised well, and Miss Wang is a delicate girl, they can't handle it."

Tao Tao seemed to have found the adult at home, very aggrieved.

Wang Yan is a very good friend, and also very reasonable.

He said to Xiao Liuzi: "Like this, you go there and stick your butt out, let Tao Zong kick you in the butt, and today it will be as if nothing happened."

"Friend, things can't be done like this."

"I'll say it again, you go there and stick your butt out, let Tao Zong kick you in the butt, and today it will be as if nothing happened, do you understand?"

Before Xiao Liuzi could speak, a younger brother behind him opened his mouth first: "Go to your mother, you..."

The sudden change happened between such a sentence. When this younger brother was scolding, Wang Yan had already stood up, walked over in a few steps, swung his arm, and gave a big slap, directly flying the person away, losing most of his teeth.

Then, he kicked Xiao Liuzi who wanted to attack him, controlling his strength and kicking him in the stomach, kicking him away. The remaining three looked at each other, and without saying a word, turned and ran.

"Beat him."

Wang Yan said such a sentence to Tao Tao, and sat back to continue eating.

"Ah? Oh..." Tao Tao responded in a daze.

He carefully leaned over, looked at Xiao Liuzi who was lying on the ground holding his stomach and groaning, looked at another younger brother who was full of blood but unconscious, and looked at Wang Laoban who had continued to eat and drink.

"What are you looking at me for? Beat him. Don't worry, he won't die easily, don't hit the back of the head, don't kick his crotch, don't move his lower back, basically no problem."

Tao Tao looked at Xiao Liuzi who was gritting his teeth and staring at him, swallowed his saliva, and said: "What are you staring at me for? I told you, and gave you a chance, it was you who found trouble. I remember, you patted my face four times and kicked me once. Wang Laoban kicked that kick, and I also patted you four times, we are even."

While speaking, he leaned over, stretched out his hand, learned the strength of Xiao Liuzi just now, and patted four times lightly...

"Is that okay, Wang Laoban?"

Wang Yan shook his head: "If you think it's okay, then it's okay."

Tao Tao laughed awkwardly, explaining by himself: "I won by unfair means, I really can't get my hands down."

At the same time, dense and rapid footsteps sounded outside... ===== CHAPTER 991 =====

Tao Tao gave an awkward laugh and explained to himself, "My victory was dishonorable; I really couldn't bring myself to strike."

At the same time, the sound of dense, rapid footsteps rang out from outside...