Chapter 332: Residual Evils

Bolihua cursed: "Stinking bitch, you dare to threaten me? I'll go smash up Xueru Clothing Store right now!"

Xiaoli said: "Our Boss's business is huge; you'd better not provoke her, or you won't have a good end."

Bolihua went up and slapped Xiaomei and Xiaoli each across the face, cursing: "You wait. Once I'm done with Chen Xueru, I'll come back to deal with you!"

Bolihua took five brothers and ran toward Qianmen, cursing and swearing.

Xiaomei covered her burning face and said urgently: "We can't stay in this courtyard for now. These bastards are too ruthless; let's hurry to Xu Damao's place to hide!"

Xiaoli rubbed her cheek, her voice trembling: "Do you think we caused trouble for Boss Chen?"

"Why think so much? We aren't going to be streetwalkers anymore; we'll just work for Boss Chen. It's better than living in fear in the back-alley brothels!" Xiaomei said.

As soon as the five burly men burst into Xueru Clothing Store, they started smashing things.

With a "clang," the glass counter was kicked over, and shattered glass splashed everywhere.

Seeing the situation was bad, Chen Xueru immediately raised her voice and shouted: "All staff, hurry out and hide!"

In an instant, clerks and customers ran toward the door, and clothing racks fell to the ground with a "clatter."

People shouted as they rushed out of the clothing store; pedestrians on the street heard the commotion and stopped to watch, whispering and discussing, but no one dared to step forward to stop them.

Chen Xueru quickly ran to the second floor of the shop, closed the wooden door behind her, and immediately grabbed the black bakelite telephone hanging on the wall, her fingers dialing hurriedly: "I'm looking for Tian Dan."

"Sister Dan is away on business. Who is this? Is there anything I can pass on to her?" a young woman's crisp voice came from the other end of the line.

"I am Chen Xueru, the Boss of the Xueru Clothing Store in Qianmen. Sister Dan is my friend! Five thugs have broken into our shop and are smashing things up. You must send someone over to handle this!"

"I will notify the comrades at the nearby police station to go over immediately. You keep an eye on what those people look like and if they have any obvious features!" the young person's voice turned serious instantly.

Chen Xueru hung up the phone and pushed open the window, just in time to see the clerk Shunzi looking toward the shop anxiously.

She poked her head out and shouted loudly: "Shunzi, forget about the shop! Hurry to Nanluoguxiang 95 and find He Yuzhu. Tell him my shop has been smashed and to get here immediately!"

Shunzi took off running.

Cai Quanwu was passing by the shop entrance on his tricycle. He caught a glimpse of the chaos inside, immediately pulled the tricycle to the side of the road, rushed into the shop, and shouted: "Stop! Whatever the matter is, let's talk it out face-to-face. I'll act as a mediator for you!"

When Bolihua saw it was Cai Quanwu, his triangular eyes slanted, and he immediately cursed: "A stinking rickshaw puller, and you're fit to mediate? Get lost, or I'll beat you too!"

Ever since he became a Plainclothes Police, Cai Quanwu felt he was no longer that timid person who feared trouble. He was full of fighting spirit: "I know you're called Bolihua. You hung around Badahutong in your early years. This is a new society now; the government has just finished suppressing counter-revolutionaries. That era of yours where you could act fierce and bully others is long gone. If you remain stubborn, you'll be eating a bullet sooner or later!"

"Oh, ho! You stinking rickshaw puller, you've got quite a way with words. Beat him!" Bolihua ordered.

A big man clenched his fist and rushed up, punching Cai Quanwu right in the face. With a muffled "thud," Cai Quanwu fell to the ground instantly, and blood seeped from the corner of his mouth.

Two other big men followed closely, punching and kicking Cai Quanwu, their shoe soles making dull thumping sounds against his body.

Just then, someone outside shouted: "Wuye, the Patrol Police are here! And there are quite a few of them, run!"

Upon hearing this, Bolihua immediately shouted "Retreat" and took his brothers and ran for it.

Chen Xueru hurriedly opened the door and ran downstairs. Seeing the shelves toppled, the glass shattered, and the clothes trampled into a mess, she was trembling with rage and cursed: "Fuck your mother, a bunch of bastards, I won't let you off!"

Cai Quanwu wobbled as he stood up from the ground, wiped the blood from his face with his sleeve, and said: "Xueru, how did you offend someone like Bolihua?"

Chen Xueru looked at Cai Quanwu's blood-covered face, her heart tightening, and she said hurriedly: "Cai Shu, you're badly hurt, I'll take you to the hospital to get it treated!"

Cai Quanwu shook his head: "I'm fine, just superficial wounds."

No sooner had he finished speaking than several Patrol Police in dark blue uniforms ran over. They quickly surveyed the scene, questioned Chen Xueru and several customers who hadn't gone far, and after noting down the situation, they split up to chase the fugitives.

Chen Xueru watched the backs of the departing Patrol Police and asked with a frown: "I've seen almost all the big and small hoodlums around Qianmen, how come I've never seen Bolihua?"

"This bastard used to guard the brothels in Badahutong. Now that the brothels in Badahutong have all been banned, those thugs have no way to make a living, so they gathered together and started running back-alley brothel businesses in the hutongs."

Chen Xueru shook her head: "I don't even know who I offended."

Cai Quanwu said: "Xueru, you'd better hire a few Bodyguards to watch the shop. With the shop smashed up like this, you've definitely lost a lot of money."

Chen Xueru sighed: "A few days ago, the government just executed a batch of bullies who dominated the market. I thought things would be quiet for a few days! I didn't expect these bad people to be like chives; you cut one crop and another grows."

Cai Quanwu smiled bitterly: "There are good people and bad people in every era, and bad people can never be completely rooted out. You just have to be more on guard yourself."

Just then, a Jeep drove over at high speed and stopped at the shop entrance. He Yuzhu got out of the car, saw Cai Quanwu covered in blood and the shop in a mess, and immediately walked up quickly, asking urgently: "Xueru, Second Uncle, what on earth happened? Who is so bold as to dare to smash your shop in Si Jiu Cheng!"

Chen Xueru said angrily: "Just as it was getting dark, a group of people rushed in, smashed the shop without a word, and ran away after they were done... Cai Shu said that man is called Bolihua..."

"Aren't there Patrol Police patrolling the streets? How could they just watch them smash the shop?" He Yuzhu said.

"By the time the Patrol Police arrived, they were long gone," Chen Xueru stamped her foot and said indignantly.

Cai Quanwu said: "This Bolihua's real name is Sun Yan, and he is the fifth in his family. When he was young, he fought for territory and had one eye poked out. Later, he found a foreign doctor to install a glass eye, which sparkles in the sunlight, so everyone calls him Bolihua. Before liberation, he was always a thug in Badahutong. After Badahutong was banned, he was quiet for a while. In the last half-year, Bolihua gathered some old brothers, controlled some girls, and secretly started running back-alley brothel businesses. A few days ago, Tian Dan asked me to investigate them secretly. I know one of his underlings, which is how I found out this information."

After listening, He Yuzhu said: "Second Uncle, take me to find that underling you know."

Cai Quanwu nodded.

On the walls on both sides of Piaotiao Hutong, red slogans like "Suppress Counter-revolutionaries" and "Ban Illegal Activities" still remained.

Cai Quanwu pointed to a large courtyard in front and said: "Huang Yuan lives in that courtyard. Later, just say you're here to talk business with Bolihua."

He Yuzhu asked suspiciously: "Second Uncle, what business could I possibly talk about with Bolihua?"

Cai Quanwu leaned into his ear and whispered: "Just say you're a human trafficker, that you have a few girls abducted from the south on your hands, and you want to transfer them to Bolihua."

As soon as they walked into the courtyard, they saw a person leaning against a wall corner smoking. This person was short, with a round head, thin arms and legs, looking just like someone whose body had been ruined by smoking opium, his eyelids drooping, looking listless.

It was Huang Yuan. He raised his eyes, caught a glimpse of Cai Quanwu, flicked the cigarette ash lazily, and asked: "Old Cai, why are you here? And which deity have you brought along this time?"

Cai Quanwu hurriedly stepped forward with a fawning smile and said: "Brother Huang, this is someone introduced by a friend of mine. He has a few girls from the south on his hands and wants to transfer them to Bolihua. See if you can help bridge the connection; there will be plenty of benefits for you once it's done."

Huang Yuan narrowed his eyes, looked He Yuzhu up and down, and said: "Bridging the connection is fine, but what benefits do I get? You can't expect me to work for nothing, right?"

Seeing this, He Yuzhu hurriedly took out 200,000 in paper currency and handed it over, saying: "Take this small amount for tea first. Once the matter is done, I'll make up another 500,000 for you. I will never break my word."

Huang Yuan took the money, deftly tucked it into his inner pocket, and said: "Alright, come find me at this time tomorrow, and I'll take you to see the boss."

Cai Quanwu hurriedly interjected: "Brother Huang, this little brother is in a great hurry. Do you think you could take us for a trip now?"

Huang Yuan waved his hands repeatedly: "That won't do. If we go over without giving the boss a heads-up beforehand, we'll definitely get beaten up!"

Seeing this, He Yuzhu took another 500,000 from his pocket and stuffed it over, saying: "Is this enough to cover the cost of getting beaten up? You also know that Si Jiu Cheng is checking strictly now, and I have several girls on my hands; I'm afraid of complications arising from delay!"

Huang Yuan weighed the banknotes in his hand, and the smile on his face grew wider: "Alright, follow me!" He turned his head and waved at Cai Quanwu: "Old Cai, you don't need to come along. Remember to invite me for a drink another day!"

Cai Quanwu nodded repeatedly: "No problem, definitely, definitely. Once this is done, I'll treat you to the best strong sorghum liquor!"