CHAPTER 52: CHAPTER 52: FACING DANGER WITH A SMILE

Lin Li: "..."

Alright, alright, I’ve got a better understanding of my new buddy’s quirks now.

I really do have a knack for reading people.

Of course, Lin Li wouldn’t let it show on his face, so he said, "You’re absolutely right, bro. So, where are we going for some late-night snacks?"

"You asked the right person. I know a nearby place that has great food! Follow me!" The man thumped his chest.

"Then let’s go!"

They hadn’t walked far before the other guy led him to a BBQ restaurant.

For some reason, even though there were seats inside, people still preferred sitting outside at the BBQ place during summer, eating meat and drinking beer with their shirts off.

If this were a big city instead of a small town like Xiling, these folks would definitely end up on Xiaohongshu.

Naturally, Lin Li didn’t sit outside, because their conversation content would probably not be suitable for kids, and it wouldn’t be good if others overheard. So they picked a relatively secluded spot inside the restaurant.

"Want some Maotai?" The man asked Lin Li while ticking items off the menu with a pen.

Lin Li: "..."

You darn old bug, I’d rather drink your brain juice right now.

Even though I’m paying, isn’t ordering Maotai going a bit overboard?

This guy, you probably can’t find any info on him on Baidu, but just switch browsers to Sogou, and boom, there he is.

"Bro, I’m a student, not a beast. Be easy on me when you’re ordering, don’t go overboard, alright?" Lin Li looked at the other guy with an indescribable expression.

I can’t just spend my bonus like this.

"Oh, oh, sorry, my bad. When you mentioned you had connections at the firm, I thought you were some rich kid." Upon hearing this, the other guy sincerely apologized and promptly crossed out some of the expensive items he had just marked.

"Alright then, now take a look. I’ve ordered enough for two people. You probably don’t need the kidneys, so I just got one serving. It’s around sixty bucks. See if you can handle it or if you want to add anything."

Lin Li breathed a sigh of relief; this was still somewhat reasonable.

Though he seemed pretty unscrupulous, he was actually quite decent.

The price Lin Li could still accept. After taking a quick look and adding a few skewers he wanted, he handed it over to the server.

"Here, have a cigarette." Knowing that Lin Li "smokes" from last time, the man didn’t ask and just placed a cigarette in front of Lin Li before lighting his own.

This guy is quite something; his lighter is hanging on his keychain.

His friends must have a hard time since they can’t even swipe his lighter.

"Hey, why aren’t you smoking?" he asked when he noticed Lin Li hadn’t picked up the offered lighter.

Lin Li easily found an excuse as he pointed to his school uniform: "I have to wear this uniform to school tomorrow, and if the teacher smells it, it wouldn’t be good. I’ll pass, you go ahead."

"My bad, my bad."

Hearing this explanation, the man first took a deep breath, then aimed his mouth at the cigarette and inhaled like a whale, the wind sweeping by rapidly shortening it until it burned out completely.

After exhaling a thick cloud of smoke behind himself with satisfaction, he tossed the butt into the ashtray.

What a speedy smoker, I bet smoking a cigarette gives you ten Gold Coins. At this rate, a pack a day wouldn’t be enough.

"Is that Nansang Middle School’s uniform? It was dark outside so I didn’t recognize it. A top school, impressive, kid. I thought you were from some community college. Didn’t expect students from a top school to go to such places." After his satisfying smoke, he examined Lin Li’s uniform and remarked in surprise.

"Haha, that’s how our school is." Lin Li gave a dry laugh.

Apologizing internally already.

Sorry, Principal Wang. Sorry, Teacher Xue Jian. Sorry to all students of Nansang Middle School past, present, and future.

"Jeez—I’d better advise my nephew to choose another school. He’s in third grade and about to take Nansang’s early entry exams." The man shook his head slightly.

"It’s not really about the school; it’s about the people." Lin Li, not wanting to dream tonight about the principal standing over his bed measuring his neck circumference, felt compelled to defend Nansang.

"True."

"Here’s the beer you ordered." The server came by, and a chilled beer arrived before the BBQ.

"Do you drink?"

"I gotta drive later, so I won’t." The man turned to look at the bicycle at the entrance, nodded in agreement. A bicycle counts as a vehicle too.

He then said, "I’ll just drink from the bottle, then?"

"Sure."

The man chugged down a third of the beer in one go, letting out a loud burp.

He was the type to turn red quickly, and with his slightly flushed face, he asked Lin Li, "Call me Brother Ping, kid. And how should I call you?"

"Brother Ping, my name’s Bai Bufan, just call me Xiaobai." Lin Li introduced himself.

"When you’re out, don’t give your real info so easily. Especially folks like us. Never tell your full name. Even calling yourself Xiaohai would be fine, but Xiaobai and Xiaohai sound like dog names, so I’ll call you Xiaofan instead."

Brother Ping advised Lin Li, whom he saw as overly naive, with a frown.

Lin Li blinked; his demeanor was surprisingly decent.

"Lesson learned, bro." In future, his alias would be Zhou Baowei, real name Bai Bufan—double safety.

"But we’re brothers on the same road, so there’s no need to be overly cautious. You’ve bared your soul to me; it’d be pointless for me to be secretive. My name’s Song Luping, just call me Brother Ping."

Bro, is it possible you’re even more naive than I am?

"Xiaofan, let me tell you, last Friday was definitely strange." Song Luping lowered his voice slightly, speaking seriously:

"Lately, Xiling hasn’t initiated any crackdown campaigns, plus Qingjue should have their own sources, more informed than even I am. Last Friday when the cops came, it’s clear it wasn’t a situation they’d pre-rehearsed."

As expected of the old bug, he saw through the whole thing immediately.

"Makes sense." Lin Li nodded.

"Damn, I’d bet my life—someone tipped them off that day. It’s that bastard’s fault the cops showed up. Damn scumbag, harming others without benefitting oneself."

The scumbag himself pressed his left hand against his lips, slightly embarrassed.

Encore.

Getting cursed at to the face again.

Damn, I need to find a way to aruba Song Luping too, give him the same treatment as Bai Bufan and Zhou Baowei.

The still-venomously-cursing Song Luping, noticing Lin Li’s silence, asked puzzled:

"Xiaofan, curse with me! Damn, you need to know it’s because of that bastard you got caught! Come, curse him with me fiercely! Believe me, the more we curse, that prick will get his just desserts! Justice prevails!"

If I believed that, I’d be even less inclined to curse.

But at the moment, Song Luping was looking at him expectantly, and not cursing didn’t seem like an option.

Sorry, me.

"Brother Ping, you’re absolutely right, curse him! How could I not? I’m furious! That snitching pile of crap!" Lin Li indignantly exclaimed!

"Must be some fatherless bastard!"

"I bet he doesn’t even see his mom more than a few times a year!"

"Even if he has family, he’s living like an orphan!"

"Curse him—have his yang energy drop by 50%!"

"Every morning he wakes up, he can barely stay hard for a moment before going soft again!"

Lin Li cursed viciously.