Chapter Thirty-One: Xu Yun's Counterattack

Chapter Thirty-One: Xu Yun Strikes Back

When Qin Wan’er led her team back to the station, her anger was barely contained. She slammed her hand down on the desk. “No more standing around! All of you, come with me right now—we’re arresting Wang Shunxi!”

“Chief Qin, don’t be so rash. Wang Shunxi isn’t someone we can just pick up like that.”

“That’s right, Deputy Chief Qin. This isn’t as simple as it looks. I think we should come up with a better plan.”

Their words only fanned the flames of Qin Wan’er’s fury. “Are you all really willing to stand by while the Four Wolves Gang runs rampant? Fine! If you can stomach it, I can’t! If you won’t go, I’ll go alone!”

There was a reason she was known as the fierce rose of the force—once her temper flared, not even ten oxen could hold her back. All the officers rushed forward to stop her. Sensing things were getting out of hand, Xiao Wu quickly slipped away upstairs to find Chief Liu.

“Out of my way!” Qin Wan’er glared at the crowd. “Don’t you care about the honor of your badges?”

At that moment, Liu Guangming pushed through the group and entered. “Xiao Qin, who’s got you so riled up?”

Qin Wan’er faltered for a split second. She was angry, yes, but Liu Guangming was still the chief—she had to show a little respect. “Chief Liu, I want to know why we’re not arresting Wang Shunxi. The Four Wolves Gang he runs is infamous in our district—preying on the weak, trampling the good! Why are we turning a blind eye?”

Liu Guangming’s expression grew grave; he sighed. “Xiao Qin, do you even know who Wang Shunxi really is?”

“Of course I do!” Qin Wan’er huffed. “He’s a villain—a mob boss running illegal casinos!”

“That’s not all.” Liu Guangming shook his head. “Set aside the fact that he leads the Four Wolves Gang, and look at his public persona. He’s the most well-known dog breeder in our district! That Tibetan mastiff breeding and training center in the development zone? That’s his. He’s a respected businessman, with a legal operation breeding and training Tibetan mastiffs. We have no grounds to arrest him.”

Qin Wan’er’s righteous fury began to waver.

“You say he heads the Four Wolves Gang—where’s your proof?” Liu Guangming’s tone sharpened. “You say he runs illegal casinos—again, where’s the evidence? We’re police officers, not street thugs! We act on evidence, not on sentiment!”

“But it was his gang that smashed up the medicinal restaurant—I’d stake my life on it!” Even facing Chief Liu, Qin Wan’er refused to back down.

Liu Guangming slammed his hand on the desk. “I don’t want your life—I want evidence! With proof, we can make an arrest! Without it, no one’s life is worth a thing in this office!”

Qin Wan’er’s fists clenched. Fine, I’ll get you your evidence! She refused to believe Wang Shunxi had covered his tracks completely—surely his mastiff breeding center hid secrets yet uncovered. If they wouldn’t go, she would go alone.

...

With the medicinal restaurant in ruins, business was impossible. Xu Yun called Qiangzi to ask if he knew any contractors. Qiangzi showed up an hour later in a battered sedan, bringing Xiao Fei and Xiao Fei’s uncle, who was a foreman.

When Qiangzi saw the state of the restaurant, he couldn’t help but exclaim, “Brother Yun, this... Was this the work of the Four Wolves Gang?”

Xu Yun didn’t bother with small talk. “Let’s talk renovations first.”

Xiao Fei grinned, “Brother Yun, this is my uncle! He runs a crew that’s done a ton of renovation work—his guys are pros. I already told him, we’re all family here!”

“Nice to meet you, I’m Pang Gang,” the burly but kind-faced uncle introduced himself.

“Xu Yun,” Xu Yun replied with a smile. “Since you’re Xiao Fei’s uncle, I’ll leave everything to you—design, construction, all of it. Payment’s not an issue, as long as the work is meticulous.”

Pang Gang thumped his chest. “You can count on me, brother. You’re a friend of Xiao Fei’s—that’s good enough for me. I’m not in this for money, just enough to pay the guys on the crew.”

Xu Yun liked his straightforwardness. “When can you start?”

“Any time. I’ll get my guys down here this afternoon to haul out the debris—won’t even charge you for the half day!” Pang Gang really was a man of action.

Xu Yun grinned. “Great! Brother Pang, whatever you guys want to eat, just tell the lady boss—eat your fill!”

Hearing voices, the three upstairs came down. Ruan Qingshuang was startled. “What’s going on?”

“Renovations,” Xu Yun shrugged. “Can’t run a business without fixing the place up.”

Ruan Qingshuang was deeply touched by how quickly Xu Yun had found help. “So... how much will the renovations cost?”

“Mom, don’t worry about it! Dad will settle it!” Guoguo, always ready to defend her mother’s purse strings, tugged her upstairs. “Let’s go try on your new lingerie! You’ll look so sexy, Mom!”

Ruan Qingshuang blushed at Guoguo’s teasing and hurried off with her.

Qiu Yan glanced at Xu Yun and the others, said nothing, and went upstairs.

Qiangzi and Xiao Fei were practically drooling with envy. Brother Yun really had it good, living with two beauties...

“Didn’t realize you had such a grown kid,” Pang Gang laughed.

Xu Yun could only chuckle awkwardly—there was no explaining this, so he let them think what they wanted. “Brother Pang, I’ll leave it all to you.”

“Will do! I’ll call my crew right now!” Pang Gang wasted no time—seven or eight workers arrived within half an hour, all greeting Xu Yun as “Boss Xu.”

Xu Yun gave Xiao Fei two hundred yuan to buy a carton of premium Yuxi cigarettes, then handed out packs to every worker.

“Thanks for your hard work, guys—just do a good job and you’ll be paid fairly.”

The workers, unaccustomed to such generosity, gladly accepted the cigarettes—they usually smoked cheap brands, never the twenty-yuan-a-pack Yuxi.

Xu Yun gave the remaining two cartons to Pang Gang, who accepted them with a smile.

Guoguo, unable to sit still while Ruan Qingshuang cleaned upstairs, slipped down again with Qiu Yan following anxiously behind her.

“Qiangzi.” Xu Yun pulled him aside. “Where’s the Four Wolves Gang’s base?”

He was done playing games. After what they’d done to the restaurant, Xu Yun was determined to root them out and extinguish the source of his rage.

Qiangzi’s usual grin vanished. He asked cautiously, “Brother Yun, you’re not thinking of... but the Four Wolves Gang is seriously dangerous!”

“Do I need your permission to make my own decisions?” Guoguo marched over, hands behind her back. “Those bad guys destroyed Mom’s hard work, Dad—we have to make them pay!”

Qiangzi could only laugh helplessly—children simply didn’t understand how ruthless and poisonous the Four Wolves Gang truly was.

“You only need to tell us where they are,” Qiu Yan added, her voice as cold as frost.

She knew exactly what Xu Yun intended, and since she could never repay him for saving her life, she’d do what she could to help.

Qiangzi swallowed hard, intimidated by Qiu Yan’s icy presence. “Wang... Wang Shunxi’s got a dog farm—specializes in training Tibetan mastiffs, out in the eastern development zone...”

“Tibetan mastiffs?” A cold, bone-deep smile curled on Xu Yun’s lips.

“I’m coming with you,” Qiu Yan said calmly.

Xu Yun paused, then smiled knowingly and nodded. “All right.”

He understood Qiu Yan’s character now—she was someone who always repaid kindness and vengeance alike. Otherwise, she wouldn’t have stayed by Guoguo’s side after the Feng family was purged.

Guoguo pumped her little fist. “I’m coming too!”

“What would you do there?” Xu Yun was exasperated. “Unless your mother agrees, you’re not going!”

Guoguo huffed, “If you don’t take me, I’ll tell Mom you peeked at her in the shower!”

The threat left Qiu Yan and Qiangzi open-mouthed—Qiu Yan in surprise, Qiangzi in envy.

“What?” Xu Yun was stunned. “When did I ever do that?”

Guoguo wore a triumphant, mischievous grin. “Kids don’t lie! If you take me, I’ll even help you sneak a peek.”

Qiu Yan rolled her eyes and sighed—she’d never understand Guoguo’s antics.

Xu Yun stroked his chin in thought. “Really?”

“Of course!” Guoguo raised her eyebrows proudly. “So—what do you say?”

“Deal!” Xu Yun relented. That little troublemaker was coming, whether he liked it or not—she was capable of anything if crossed.

Qiu Yan said nothing. She knew there was no persuading Guoguo; with Xu Yun along to watch over her, at least nothing too terrible would happen.

When Ruan Qingshuang noticed Qiu Yan and Guoguo were gone, she came downstairs. “What are you all doing by the door?”

“Qiu Yan and I are taking Guoguo out for a bit—we’ll be right back.” Xu Yun invented a reason, knowing Qiu Yan wouldn’t lie.

Guoguo chimed in, “Yes, we’ll be right back. Mom, you wait for me at home—don’t get distracted by anyone else!”

“If you don’t know how to use idioms, don’t use them at all!” Ruan Qingshuang wanted to bang her head against the wall. “Be back soon. Qiu Yan, keep a close eye on those two!”

Qiu Yan nodded, though she doubted she could control either of them.

Xu Yun quickly flagged down a taxi, and the three of them slipped away. Ruan Qingshuang had no idea where they were headed, so she wasn’t worried.

Qiangzi, on the other hand, was beside himself with anxiety. The Tibetan mastiff training base was a veritable den of wolves! And Xu Yun was taking a woman and a child—just the three of them?!

Did they really think they could take down the Four Wolves Gang? It was sheer fantasy, as good as marching to their deaths.