Chapter 41: Why Did Xu Le Cheng Run to Town to Find Thugs?

"Husband, look, is that Xu Lecheng?" Yan Ziyue asked in a low voice, carefully pointing toward the diagonal left. "Why is he acting so suspiciously?"

Xiao Heshuo looked in the direction she indicated. On the opposite side of the street, Xu Lecheng was glancing around left and right, moving in a furtive manner. His face was covered in various bandages, and large patches of his hair were missing, giving him a truly wretched appearance that drew several curious gazes from passersby.

"It is Xu Lecheng," Xiao Heshuo said, eyeing the direction Xu was headed. There were many places that way; what could he possibly be doing in town?

"Husband, can I follow him to see?" Yan Ziyue asked, looking at him imploringly.

Knowing full well that she no longer held any affection or attachment toward Xu Lecheng, Xiao Heshuo felt no jealousy. Instead, he was concerned about a potential trap. "It might be dangerous. I suspect Xu Lecheng is trying to plot against us."

After some deliberation, Yan Ziyue decided she still wanted to follow them with Xiao Heshuo, as long as they kept a safe distance. She needed to know what he was up to by sneaking into town. Unable to refuse her, the couple quietly trailed him.

Xu Lecheng truly did not notice them. For one, the town was crowded, and they used the flow of people to shield their movements. Secondly, because many people were staring at Xu or following him out of suspicion that he might be a hoodlum, he didn't dare to skulk or look around anymore. He held his head high, walking at a steady pace toward his destination, though he remained wary of those behind him.

After about five or six minutes, when the onlookers saw that Xu was not causing trouble and no longer acting suspicious, they stopped following him. Seeing this, Xu quickly ducked into an alleyway and broke into a run, glancing over his shoulder as he went.

After running for another seven or eight minutes, he arrived, breathless, at a secluded alley on the northwest side of the town. The area was sparse, with almost no houses, shops, or pedestrians in sight. Waiting in the alley were six young men dressed like hoodlums. They looked visibly impatient when they saw him.

"We’ve been waiting for ages. You’re only showing up now? Do you want to die?"

"Sorry, sorry, I was held up on the way," Xu Lecheng said with a fawning smile. He pulled a pack of cigarettes and a lighter from his pocket, lighting them for each of the men. "Let me treat you boys to a smoke."

Under the influence of the cigarettes, the young men’s anger subsided slightly.

"What do you want with us?" asked the leader, who wore his hair down to his shoulders and his clothes loose and disheveled, as if he thought it gave him a special, edgy flair.

No matter how much Xu despised these men, he didn't show a hint of it on his face. "Boss, I want to ask for a small favor. Once it's done, I'll pay you one hundred yuan."

The leader was no fool. He looked at Xu and said, "Tell me first what this 'small favor' is." He had managed to live comfortably in town for so long without getting caught by the police precisely because he used his head.

Xu rubbed his hands together and chuckled. "There are two households in Damu Village that live very well. I want to squeeze some profit out of them. Boss, you know how it is—these things happen in villages all the time, and no one ever does anything about it afterward."

The leader was intrigued. "Is there really that much profit?"

"The kind where you can eat meat often," Xu promised.

At the mention of meat, the henchmen grew ravenous. "Boss, let's do this job! Once we have the money and the meat, we can live the good life."

"I haven't had meat in a while; my mouth is watering just thinking about it."

The leader, also craving meat, said to Xu, "Fine. We’ll meet you at Damu Village in three days. You’ll lead the way." He figured that after pulling off one big job, he would take his men and leave Dalan Town for a place where no one knew them, where they could live a comfortable and carefree life.

Hidden outside the alley, Yan Ziyue and Xiao Heshuo exchanged a look before quietly slipping away. Once they were far enough, they spoke in hushed tones.

"Husband, the two households Xu Lecheng mentioned—he means our home and the Yan family, right?"

"Yes. I suspect he isn't just using these thugs for robbery; he likely has other motives."

Yan Ziyue paused, a bold and terrifying thought forming. "Do you think he wants to use these thugs to kill the Yan family and us?"

These thugs were not the same ones from before—it was said those men had already met their end by firing squad.

Xiao Heshuo was uncertain. "If that were the case, the thugs would expose Xu Lecheng if caught, and he wouldn't fare well either."

Yan Ziyue frowned deeply. "What if they pull the job and just run away? It's very difficult to catch fugitives these days."

Xiao Heshuo, understanding this better than anyone, said gravely, "Regardless of what Xu Lecheng is planning, we will inform the village chief when we return and stay vigilant."

Yan Ziyue still couldn't fathom his motive. "Why would he do this? If things escalate or he gets caught, he won't have a good ending."

"Perhaps he simply wants to destroy both families," Xiao Heshuo said coldly. "Given his current state, it’s in his nature to hold a grudge against us."

Yan Ziyue felt there was more to it, but unable to piece it together, she kept her worries to herself as they caught a ride back to Damu Village.

Upon returning, they went straight to Village Chief Luo’s house. The chief was just having lunch. He asked his wife to bring two clean sets of utensils and invited them to join. "It’s just simple fare, but sit down and eat with us."

Yan Ziyue politely declined. "Chief, we have an urgent matter. Can we talk in the courtyard?"

The chief picked up his long-stemmed pipe and followed them outside. After wiping his mouth, he took a puff. "What is it?"

Yan Ziyue spoke in a low voice, recounting their encounter in town and emphasizing what Xu Lecheng intended to do. "Chief, we aren't sure of his exact plan, but we have a gut feeling he’s plotting something terrible, so we wanted to warn you."

Fury rose in Chief Luo, and he puffed hard on his pipe. "That wretch! To think he would dare such a sinister thing!"

"Don't get angry, Chief, it's not good for your health," Yan Ziyue urged.

Xiao Heshuo stepped in, "Chief, we don't have concrete evidence yet. Besides, if he fails this time, he’ll just try again. I suggest we wait to see what his next move is so we can catch the thief red-handed."