Chapter 128: One pit deeper than another

Li Jiaci fell silent for a long time.

Wang Zhen looked at his solemn expression and teased, "What, you're still hiding things from your brother?"

Li Jiaci snapped back to reality, forcing a faint smile.

I have nothing to hide from you!

This is actually simple: Zheng Degui and I are both in the timber trade; he found out my supplier is a Bei Bang person, and I found out his supplier is a Bei Xiong Guo person.

Know yourself and know your enemy, and you will win every battle.

Otherwise, you think you could run such a big factory in Pingzhou without any ability?

He heard these words.

Wang Zhen pondered and said, "Not bad; knowing your opponent is also a business strategy."

He then lit a cigarette and moved the ashtray nearer.

So you already knew about Zheng Degui defaulting on his bank loan!

Li Jiaci nodded, topped up Wang Zhen's tea, then said: "No matter how reckless Zheng Degui is, his factory can't take this kind of strain; Bei Xiong Guo demands high profits, and I know exactly how much cash he has left."

You little brat, you're really good at staying hidden!

Wang Zhen let out a low laugh.

Fortunately, they're friends.

No, more accurately, it's fortunate that they're in different businesses.

Otherwise, if Li Jiaci directed such thoughts at him, the consequences would be unthinkable.

Li Jiaci replied: "You're not bad either; in just a few years you monopolized Pingzhou's liquor trade and became the emperor of its underground city!"

Ah, it's all life's doing!

Wang Zhen's smile was bitter.

The more prosperous he is now, the more destitute he was before.

It's not that rising to prominence erases the memory of past suffering.

Those dark, gray memories will always linger.

Just like the scar on his left leg from a stabbing ten years ago, it fades over time but never truly disappears.

Wang Zhen patted Li Jiaci's shoulder.

Little brother, I underestimated you!

In the future, when your factory grows big and strong, I'll still have to rely on you to look after me!

Li Jiaci said humbly: "Brother Wang Zhen, stop teasing me; when it comes to business, you're the one!"

Saying that, he gave Wang Zhen a thumbs-up.

Wang Zhen laughed and accepted.

……

Nian Yong Mu Cai Chang

Office

Bang bang bang!

Zheng Degui, get out here!

You owe us a month's wages; it's time to pay, right?

I know you're in there; have the guts to open the door, don't hide like a turtle!

When you were urging us to work, you were so tough; now why are you pretending to be mute?

If you don't pay today, we'll burn your factory down!

Right, give us back our hard-earned money!

The workers outside demanding wages kept arguing.

Shadows of restless figures lurked beneath the windows.

Zheng Degui hid behind the sofa, afraid to even breathe.

Afraid that the people outside would hear him.

Not long ago he was incredibly prosperous.

Even the dogs by the road would lower their heads and call him "Boss Zheng."

But now he's become a street rat that everyone shouts at.

He doesn't even have money, let alone a full pack of cigarettes.

Just as Zheng Degui was cursing Li Jiaci's ancestors to the eighteenth generation in his mind.

A group of people suddenly burst into the factory.

These people are the furniture factory bosses who just signed a cooperation agreement with Zheng Degui last month.

The workers of Nian Yong Mu Cai Chang, whose wages were withheld, chose to strike and protest.

So no one was processing timber, so these furniture factories didn't receive materials and all came to demand an explanation.

The clamor outside rose wave after wave.

Bang!

Someone kicked the office door hard.

Zheng Degui, you really are a birth!

You dare not follow the terms written in black and white!

If it weren't for your low price, I wouldn't bother with you!

The sensible ones should hurry up and spit out the penalty!

Otherwise, I'll burn you to death with a fire, you untrustworthy merchant!

Why does everyone want to burn him to death?

Because this is Mu Cai Chang, there's nothing else, just a lot of timber.

Just tossing a cigarette butt can ignite a raging fire.

Zheng Degui listened to the threats outside the door, clenching his fists tightly.

Damn it!

If it weren't for Li Jiaci, that bastard!

How could he possibly end up like this!

As for money, I didn't make any!

And there's always the risk of being burned to death by fire!

If anyone should light this fire, it should be him!

Now no one has a fire in their heart bigger than his!

Thinking of that,

Zheng Degui wasn't afraid either.

He staggered to his feet, walked to the coffee table, grabbed a handful of newspapers, lit them with a lighter, and swung the flames as he rushed out.

"All of you, damn it, get out of my way!"

Everyone saw Zheng Degui holding a ball of fire rush into the woodpile.

Then, raging flames ignited before their eyes.

Zheng Degui, acting like a madman, stood before the flames and shouted: "You bunch of dog‑like bastards, if I had money would I still need you to urge me? Delay you a few days, what then? Are you waiting for money to buy coffins when someone dies at home?"

"Holy shit? He actually dares to curse us!"

"Zheng Degui, you damn well are asking for death!"

"If you've got the guts, come over, come on!"

Several Furniture Factory bosses waved at him.

But Zheng Degui didn't dare go over; pretending to be crazy, he lifted a piece of wood burning red‑hot and threw it into the crowd.

In an instant, frightened, everyone scattered and fled.

Seeing that this tactic worked, Zheng Degui grabbed the burning wood and chased after them.

"Come on!"

"Wasn't the goal to kill me?"

"If you've got the guts, just come up!"

"Let's see who gets fucked first!"

After a round of threats,

Everyone fled the Mu Cai Chang in droves.

Zheng Degui's hands were also badly burned by the flames, the skin scorched raw.

He winced in pain, limping back to the office.

Just then the phone rang.

After glancing at the caller, Zheng Degui forgot the pain and gritted his teeth in anger.

"Damn it, you little bastard!"

"Zheng Degui grabbed the phone, picked it up, and roared: 'Li Jiaci, you damn well wait for me—I'll kill you, you bastard whose name matches your surname!'"

On the other end of the line,

There was no sound of Li Jiaci's mockery.

"Instead, Liu Yanxi spoke coldly: 'Zheng Degui, are you serious?'"

The memory of that seven‑day detention center trip surfaced again.

Zheng Degui involuntarily shuddered.

He swallowed a mouthful of saliva and asked suspiciously: 'How is it you?'

"Mr. Li went to the police station to file a report, saying you showed no remorse after your release and continued to threaten and intimidate him—it looks like it's true!"

Upon hearing this, Zheng Degui was dumbfounded.

When did he ever threaten Li Jiaci, that little bastard?

During this period, aside from the price war, he's done nothing else!

"Officer Liu, don't listen to that brat's nonsense—I damn well never threatened him!"

Zheng Degui explained.

"However, Liu Yanxi asked: 'Was what you just said spoken by a dog?'"