Chapter 6: Do you really have to push yourself onto a dead-end road?

On the other side.

Leaving the apartment building.

Li Qinglan then returned to school.

Even standing outside the school, far away from there, she still felt chills run down her back.

She could feel that when Li Jiaci pinched her neck, he truly intended to kill her.

She also couldn't figure out how he knew she had told someone about her plan to go find Zhao Pangzi to avenge Zhang Shiqiang, and how he managed to escape back under a dragnet.

Could it be that he never went to find Zhao Pangzi to avenge Zhang Shiqiang?

Just then.

A Santana sedan pulled up beside her.

Immediately, a man in his thirties jumped out of the car and slapped her.

Li Qinglan didn't react at all and was knocked flat to the ground.

"Lin, Team Leader Lin?"

After she came to, Li Qinglan looked at the newcomer with eyes full of panic.

"Damn, you slut!"

Team Leader Lin grabbed her hair and pulled her up, saying: "Because of your words, I waited all night eating northwest wind, and they just strolled past the Wildfire Gate and left—so you're basically colluding with them to mess with me, right?"

Hearing Team Leader Lin say they had just turned around at the Wildfire Gate and left, Li Qinglan also felt a bit dazed.

As Li Jiaci's girlfriend, she knew clearly that Li Jiaci and his crew had been watching Zhao Pangzi for a long time to avenge Zhang Shiqiang, and they had finally waited for the chance when Zhao Pangzi was alone.

Given their hotheaded nature, they should have rushed in to tear Zhao Pangzi apart—so why did they suddenly turn back?

But before she could figure it out, Team Leader Lin slapped her again.

"Listen to me."

"The state-funded overseas slot—forget about even thinking about it."

"Besides, tomorrow I'll go to the school and tell them to cancel your enrollment."

"No, Team Leader Lin!"

Li Qinglan panicked, grabbed Team Leader Lin's leg, and cried: "You, you can hit or scold me all you want, but please don't mock my enrollment, and please don't take away my overseas slot."

"And I really don't know why they suddenly turned back, truly."

"Even if you lent me courage, I wouldn't dare mess with you, Team Leader Lin..."

Team Leader Lin growled: "Only you and I know about this—if you didn't leak it, could it be that I'm the one who told him?"

"Or maybe he discovered something."

Li Qinglan, grasping at straws, said: "Yes, maybe he discovered something; he's actually quite sharp—perhaps he found something and then took his people away."

Hearing that,

Team Leader Lin also froze, recalling the state of their people at the time—it really seemed possible.

He lowered his head and looked at Li Qinglan for a while.

Then Team Leader Lin pulled her up from the ground.

"I'll trust you one last time."

"If I find out you lied to me, forget about the overseas opportunity."

Team Leader Lin threatened in an icy voice: "I'll blacklist your enrollment just as I said before, making your years of study pointless."

"Okay, okay..."

Li Qinglan nodded repeatedly: "I promise to cooperate with Team Leader Lin—I'll do whatever he says."

"That's more or less enough."

Team Leader Lin looked at her for a moment and added: "Find out their next move; if they still plan to act against Zhao Pangzi, tell me right away."

"Huh?"

Li Qinglan lifted her head, about to speak.

Team Leader Lin's gaze swept over: "What 'huh'? Is there a problem?"

Thinking about her overseas slot and her enrollment,

Li Qinglan suddenly bit her lip: "No, no problem."

"Then that's good."

"Behave from now on."

Team Leader Lin got straight into the car and drove off.

Only Li Qinglan was left standing alone on the spot.

Watching the car fade into the distance, her eyes filled with tears, she almost bit her lip until it bled.

……

Sunday

Li Jiaci was awakened by a knock on the door.

When he opened the door, he saw Li Yihu and Liu Jiang, among others, standing there.

"Brother, breakfast!"

Li Yihu grinned and handed over the bag containing breakfast to Li Jiaci.

Although Li Jiaci was a bit annoyed from being woken up, he felt mostly resigned.

He stepped aside and said to them, "Come in."

Li Yihu and the others, however, didn't move.

Seeing this, Li Jiaci found it strange, frowned, and asked, "What are you standing around for?"

Sister-in-law left?

Li Yihu peeked in and asked, "Is it convenient for us to go in?"

……

Li Jiaci, somewhat at a loss, said, "She's already gone; come in."

He heard those words.

Li Yihu and the others stopped hesitating and all walked into the room.

Li Jiaci also went to a small wooden table and started eating his breakfast.

The others also found seats without ceremony.

Sensing something, Li Jiaci slowly raised his head, his eyes meeting Li Yihu's.

If you're hungry, come eat; why are you staring at me?

Li Jiaci said, also pushing the bun toward him.

No, no...

Li Yihu scratched his head, a troubled look in his eyes.

After a moment, he said, "Brother, can you stop being vague? Just tell us what good idea you've got."

After all that.

Is that all this guy wanted to ask?

Li Jiaci glanced at the few people there; they all had a similar expression.

Seeing this.

Li Jiaci was also at a loss for words.

You lot.

Can't you even figure out such a simple thing?

Zhao Pangzi has been around this circle for years; how could his enemies be just us?

Before Li Jiaci could say anything.

Li Yihu said, "You mean we should go straight to Zhao Pangzi's enemies and get them to help us clean up the aftermath after we take him down?"

Damn! Big brother's still quick on the uptake.

Zhao Chen rose, delighted, and said, "If someone helps us deal with it, what's there to fear? We can just take him out!"

As soon as he said that,

Everyone present became excited and eager.

Especially Zhang Chuqiang and Wang Lan, the two younger ones, clenched their fists, eager to give it a go.

So when do we move?

Wang Lan asked, "Should we first find people, then go after Zhao Pangzi for revenge?"

Or I could go ask Zhang's friends now.

Zhang Chuqiang said, "Their information is reliable; they should know who Zhao Pangzi's enemies are."

So what are we waiting for?

Li Yihu said, "Hurry up and go!"

Stop!

As Zhang Chuqiang rose to run out,

The usually silent Li Jiaci suddenly spoke, calling him to stop.

And at that moment, his face had darkened to the extreme.

He fixed Zhang Chuqiang with a cold stare and said, "Just how many people do you know? I don't even know those people!"

And you lot too!

When faced with issues, can't you learn to use your head to solve them?

Do we have to just brute-force it, driving ourselves into a dead end?