CHAPTER 94: THE WARM OLD LIQUOR

"Why the sudden change of heart?!" Luo Yanyu protested, her voice rising sharply.

The sudden outburst caused everyone nearby to pause their activity, ears perking up as the tension in the air thickened.

"You were full of fire just a week ago!" she continued, stepping forward.

"You said you’d humiliate them in court and make sure every last one of them was punished! So why are you backing out now?"

The gathering fell completely silent, all eyes on the confrontation. Everyone in Lianwu Street knew the case—how much suffering Madam He endured, how much they’d all rallied behind the old couple. They wanted justice too.

"Luo Yanyu is right," Han Queying added, her arms crossed and voice firm.

"We have solid evidence. We even managed to link Golden Earth’s involvement in trying to monopolize this district. Dropping this now means all our efforts go to waste."

"Then let it be wasted!" Mr. Wu huffed, standing his ground. "Did I ever ask for your help in the first place? No, I didn’t."

The table fell quiet again. The truth of his words stung. They had all done it of their own will. He never begged anyone.

But then, Wang Shouye, Zhenhua’s father, suddenly slammed his cup on the table and stood up from his wheelchair which was rare.

"Wu Taisheng! You dare belittle those who risked their safety and resources to help you?! How shameless can you be?!"

"Hmph! Mind your own business, old man!" Mr. Wu snapped. "I just want to live a quiet life with my wife, is that so wrong?!"

"Hah!" Wang Shouye scoffed. "You’re not quiet, you’re scared! Don’t even call yourself a husband and a man if you’re going to hide behind cowardice!"

Mr. Wu’s face flushed red as he rose from his chair, fists clenched, ready to throw hands. But Madam He reached out, grasping his wrist with trembling fingers.

"Stop," she said softly, her voice quivering, yet firm.

"My husband and I... we just don’t want Lianwu Street dragged into danger. These people—Golden Earth—they’re dangerous. We’ve seen it."

"Tch! That’s not what I meant!" Mr. Wu growled, averting his gaze. "Don’t twist my words like that!"

He took a step back and muttered under his breath.

"And more than that..." Madam He continued, her eyes turning to Zhao Yiming.

"We don’t want you, Zhao boy, to keep putting yourself at risk for us. You’ve already done so much. We don’t want to keep owing you."

Zhao Yiming blinked, stunned by her sincerity.

"You don’t have to worry about any of that, Madam He. Mr. Wu," Zhao said with a soft laugh, scratching his cheek.

"Honestly, I’m just doing this because I don’t know what else to do with my money."

A few chuckles rippled through the crowd.

"And more importantly," Zhao continued, "I can’t stand watching good people be humiliated and stomped on like that. I didn’t do this expecting anything in return. I did it because it was right."

He smiled, eyes calm but resolute.

"Even if you drop the lawsuit, I still plan to crush Golden Earth. That’s why I built my company—New Dawn Inc.—to help people like you, Mr. Wu. If anything... continuing the lawsuit would be a good way to say thank you."

Mr. Wu stared at him for a long moment, lips twitching. Then he huffed and spun around, disappearing into his shop without a word.

The awkward silence returned... until the sound of a bottle being uncorked echoed across the gathering.

Mr. Wu came back out, holding a dusty old bottle. The crowd gasped.

"Woaaah! Isn’t that the legendary liquor Taisheng’s been saving since 1945?!"

"He’s really bringing that baby out now?!"

"Wait! I’ll grab some glasses!"

As people began to stir, Mr. Wu barked, "This isn’t for you greedy geezers!"

He marched over to Zhao Yiming, shoving a small glass into his hands.

"Oi! Don’t just stand there like a fool. Take this!"

"Ah, yes, sir!" Zhao Yiming quickly took the glass, and Mr. Wu poured the rare liquor until it was full to the brim.

"Drink it. That bottle’s older than most of you punks here. I love it like my own baby."

Zhao Yiming smiled and raised the glass to his lips, savoring the warm, rich bitterness and hidden sweetness that came with age and pride.

"It’s good, right?" Mr. Wu muttered. Then his voice turned warmer, "Thank you, Zhao Yiming."

He turned toward the crowd and announced, "Alright, alright! I’ll give everyone a small sip—but just a sip, you hear me?!"

The crowd burst into cheers, the older uncles and aunties lining up like kids, laughter filling the air once more.

That night, Lianwu Street felt alive in a way it hadn’t in decades. People celebrated not just survival, but unity—and a future that finally, truly, belonged to them.

***

"WHAT?! THEY DIDN’T WANT TO DROP THE LAWSUIT?!"

Boss Chi slammed the table with a thunderous bang, his bloodshot eyes wild with fury. The veins on his temple bulged, his whole face twisting in rage.

Golden Earth was collapsing.

One of their key accomplices was dead, the black ledger gone with him. They’d lost Lianwu Street—and with it, the trust of a major client who had been eyeing that land.

And now? Now they were facing a lawsuit... all because of one stupid underling who couldn’t keep his hands clean.

Ma San flinched, head lowered, unable to meet Boss Chi’s gaze. He stared at the cold marble floor like it could swallow him whole.

Alone now—his partner-in-crime Guo Tie had fled the city, leaving him to take the full brunt of the fallout.

"I—Forgive me, Boss!" Ma San fell into a 90-degree bow, voice shaking with a mix of fear and regret.

"Tch! Useless bastard!"

Boss Chi grabbed the heavy glass ashtray on the table and hurled it with a snarl. It smashed into Ma San’s head with a sickening thud.

Blood began to drip down his temple, but he didn’t move, didn’t even flinch.

He just clenched his fists, pressing his lips shut to stop himself from crying out.

"You’re going to admit everything. Everything! Except anything involving Golden Earth!"

Ma San’s eyes widened in horror. That meant... they were cutting him loose.

"B-But Boss!"

"Shut it!" Boss Chi snarled, standing now, towering over him like a beast.

"You’ll only rot in jail for a few years. That’s a hell of a lot better than ending up six feet under, don’t you think?!"

Ma San’s breath caught in his throat. His hands trembled as the fear sank deep into his bones.

"I-I understand... I won’t say a word about Golden Earth! I swear!"

"Good." Boss Chi grunted and waved him off like filth. "Now get out of my sight. Your dirty face is making me sick."

Ma San staggered up, clutching his bleeding head, and stumbled out of the room in shame and despair.

Boss Chi sank back into his chair, spinning it around to face the tall window overlooking the city. Neon lights flickered, mocking him with their brightness.

"Tch... Everything’s gone to hell ever since that bastard Zhao Yiming showed up..." he muttered, clenching his jaw.

"He bought up the entire shopping district, just like that. Like it was pocket change to him..."

His fists curled on the armrests.

"I won’t let it end like this."

His voice dropped low and dark, venom oozing from each word.

"I’ll make him regret ever crossing Golden Earth. I don’t care if I have to destroy everything in the process."