Chapter 184: Fish Dies, Net Breaks

When He Yuzhu saw several soldiers enter, his heart skipped a beat. This was bad; he feared the restaurant wouldn't be saved! He hurriedly found Chen Qingshan and Chen Daya, and whispered, "Siqiang, Daya, the situation is bad. You two must quickly leave through the tunnel in the storage room. I will deal with those soldiers outside."

Chen Qingshan asked in a low voice, "Are these people sent by Mr. Shen? Why have you suddenly turned against each other?"

He Yuzhu nodded heavily: "This matter cannot be explained in a moment; I will tell you another day. Remember, don't go home yet; find a safe place to hide. Once you are settled, just tell Wang Jiazhi the address."

Seeing He Yuzhu's firm attitude, Chen Qingshan dared not delay. He pulled Chen Daya and walked quickly into the storage room, lifted the camouflaged wooden board in the corner, and the father and daughter crawled into the tunnel one after the other.

He Yuzhu steadied himself, straightened his clothes, and walked calmly back to the main hall.

He saw an officer leading five soldiers barging in aggressively. The officer put his hands on his hips and shouted loudly at the customers eating: "Stop eating! This shop has committed a crime and is now being sealed! Everyone else, get out!"

He Yuzhu walked up unhurriedly, asked with a smile, "Officer, I don't know what crime my small shop has committed that warrants you mobilizing so many people to seal it?"

The officer squinted and looked him up and down: "Who are you?"

"He Yuzhu."

"Heh! I was just worried I couldn't find you, and here you are delivering yourself to my doorstep!" The officer sneered, "You are suspected of assassinating Mayor Tian; come with us!"

He Yuzhu scoffed and said unhurriedly, "Wasn't Mayor Tian killed by Feng Qingbo, who was sent by Mr. Shen? Why are you splashing this dirty water on me?"

The officer's face changed instantly, and he shouted sternly, "If you dare to spout nonsense again, I'll shoot you right now!"

"You're not being reasonable here. Do you want me to give the photos to the newspaper to see?"

The officer said in a low voice, "We can discuss anything; let these people eating leave!"

"That's more like it!" He Yuzhu looked around at the terrified diners and raised his voice: "Neighbors, I'm sorry about today. This meal is on me, He Yuzhu. Everyone, leave quickly and don't get into trouble! Staff, hurry back to the kitchen and don't come out until I call you!"

Upon hearing this, the diners scrambled toward the door.

A few soldiers wanted to stop them, but the officer raised his hand to stop them: "Let the unrelated people go."

He Yuzhu cupped his hands at the officer: "Officer, do me a favor and let me go to the kitchen to pay the staff their wages. I can't let them work for nothing."

Seeing that everyone had left, the officer stopped giving He Yuzhu any face. He glared: "Give you an inch and you take a mile. Not a single person in the shop is allowed to leave. Take them all back for interrogation to see if they are accomplices of the Communist Party!"

"Fuck you, Shen Shichang! You are trying to drive me to my death! Then don't blame me for being impolite!"

Upon hearing this, the officer reached out to strike, but He Yuzhu was quick-witted and fast-handed; he grabbed the officer's wrist and gave it a shake.

With a "Crack!", the arm was dislocated on the spot.

Just as the officer's other hand was about to draw a gun, He Yuzhu kicked down hard, and the officer's wrist was instantly broken.

Seeing this, the five soldiers hurriedly raised their guns, but He Yuzhu flicked his sleeve, and the five men vanished into thin air.

The officer widened his eyes, looking at his empty surroundings in disbelief, his whole body trembling like chaff.

He Yuzhu leaned into his ear and whispered, "Those who have seen this ability of mine never live."

After He Yuzhu put the officer into his space, he hurriedly ran out to check if these six people had any reinforcements.

When He Yuzhu saw that the truck was empty, he couldn't help but smile; it turned out that Shen Shichang didn't have many people at his disposal either.

He returned to the shop, gave the staff two extra months' wages, and told them that the closure was only temporary and that he would find them again once it reopened.

After everyone had left, he moved his mind and collected all the grain, tables, chairs, benches, pots, and pans in the entire shop into his space, leaving only the empty four walls in the restaurant.

When it was almost dark, he arrived at the Front Gate Grocery Store.

The wind chime on the door rang with a "ding-a-ling." Wang Jiazhi was standing on tiptoe organizing the shelves. When she turned around and saw him, she was stunned for a moment before smiling: "You've grown so fast; you're almost taller than me!"

Seeing her beaming, He Yuzhu teased, "It seems you've encountered some good news?"

Wang Jiazhi leaned into his ear and said, "I am now the same kind of person as your uncle."

He Yuzhu's eyes narrowed slightly, and he whispered, "Your speed of progress is something I can't even catch up to!"

"I've never felt so at ease in my heart." Her eyes shone, "I always feel there is something to look forward to in life."

He Yuzhu lowered his voice even further: "You didn't drag Xiangxiu into this too, did you..."

"Xiangxiu is already a probationary member," Wang Jiazhi said with pride in her tone.

He Yuzhu shook his head with a bitter smile. Remembering that he and his father had both become soldiers, he changed the subject: "I have completely broken with Shen Shichang, and He Ji Restaurant has closed. This grocery store was already in your name; from today on, you and Xiangxiu will split the shares equally. From now on, this shop has nothing to do with me."

"This shop cost over a thousand Big Ocean to open; you're just giving it away like that?"

"When I have no food to eat one day, I will naturally come to you to beg for food."

Wang Jiazhi looked at him without blinking and said firmly, "As long as I have a bite to eat, you won't go hungry."

"With those words from you, I am satisfied." He Yuzhu felt a warmth in his heart.

After leaving Wang Jiazhi's place, he drove around to Liugongguan.

He saw over a hundred soldiers surrounding the White Building tightly, with a sentry every five steps and a guard every ten, so that not even a sparrow could fly in.

After He Yuzhu figured out the situation here, he turned around to find Jin Hai.

The two found a restaurant near his house and ordered a few dishes.

The two sat face to face drinking.

After a few cups of wine, He Yuzhu got straight to the point: "I've broken with Shen Shichang, and the shop at Qianmen is closed. For the one we partnered on, you should change the name; my shares have already been transferred to my Siqiang. In a word, if you feel that shop will implicate you, I'll give you my shares."

Jin Hai drank the wine in his cup in one gulp and patted his chest: "I can protect the shop. The shares still belong to Siqiang Chen. If I couldn't even withstand this little bit of wind and waves, I, Jin Hai, would have lived in Si Jiu Cheng for nothing. Once the limelight passes, I'll take over the Qianmen shop in my name and open it as usual!"

"Good, it's settled then. You take care of the matters on the surface, and leave the matters in the dark to me," He Yuzhu said.

"It's a deal!"

The night was deep and quiet, and the moon was covered by dark clouds.

He Yuzhu hid in the shadows of the alley opposite Liugongguan, watching the strict guards, a cold light flashing in his eyes. Tonight, we go down together.