051 Vicious Dog Attack (Please Add to Favorites and Vote!)

The phone call to his old classmate Bai Wen was quickly connected. Chen Anquan recounted everything that had just happened to Bai Wen.

Over the phone, Bai Wen explained that he knew this Chen Long, who mainly took on construction contracts and had once overseen the building of Bai Wen’s family factory.

“Don’t worry, old friend,” Bai Wen assured him repeatedly, thumping his chest through the phone. “Chen Long and my father are quite close. He’ll definitely give me face. With me around, you can be sure the problem will be solved.”

“Thank you for your trouble, old friend,” Chen Anquan replied with a smile. Having someone to help resolve the conflict peacefully was the best outcome; he certainly didn’t want things to escalate to the point where he’d have to use force. That would be a real mess.

Just over half an hour later, a black SUV sped into the village and came to a stop on the basketball court. The door opened, and out stepped a round-faced man in sunglasses. Removing his shades, he pulled out his phone and dialed Chen Anquan’s number.

Standing in place, Bai Wen glanced around at the surroundings. “Who would have thought? After just over a year away, they’ve built a basketball court here. And these two ponds have been renovated, complete with marble railings. Not bad at all.”

As he strolled toward the pond, sighing to himself, he suddenly noticed that one of the doors to a ramshackle mud-brick house at the edge of the basketball court was wide open, clearly still inhabited. “Damn, someone actually lives in such a rundown place!”

But in the next instant, his short, dark eyebrows slanted in surprise: on either side of the open doorway, the large character for “Demolition” was boldly scrawled. “Could this really be my old classmate’s house? This is far too shabby!”

Just as he finished complaining, a young man stepped out of the so-called dilapidated house—none other than his old classmate, Chen Anquan.

Chen Anquan greeted him with a warm smile from afar. “Old friend, I didn’t expect you’d get here so quickly!”

Bai Wen walked over, saying, “Your problem is my problem. I happened to be home, so I came straight away.”

Chen Anquan calculated that it had been about half an hour; Bai Wen must have dropped everything and come over as soon as he finished his affairs.

Bai Wen patted Chen Anquan’s shoulder. “This house of yours is really in bad shape. Do you want to—”

He stopped mid-sentence, suddenly remembering that Chen Anquan was an orphan. It was already impressive that he’d managed to attend university on his own—how could he possibly afford to build a new house?

Embarrassment flickered across Bai Wen’s face. “Never mind, old friend, don’t take it to heart. If you ever want to build a new house and you’re short on money, just ask me.”

Chen Anquan smiled. He’d had a good relationship with Bai Wen since childhood, but ever since starting middle school, they’d lost touch. Unless absolutely necessary, he wouldn’t borrow money from Bai Wen.

“It’s alright. Once I have some money, I’ll build a new house. Who doesn’t want to live in a new place these days?”

Seeing that Chen Anquan didn’t seem to mind living in his old house, Bai Wen finally relaxed. “Come on, let’s go see Chen Long.”

“Alright.”

The two walked side by side. Glancing at Bai Wen out of the corner of his eye, Chen Anquan noticed that Bai Wen’s short hair was now flecked with white, and his face was marked by new worries.

As a student of medicine, Chen Anquan was well-versed in traditional diagnostic methods: a person’s face reflects their heart, and man and nature are interconnected. Clearly, Bai Wen had encountered some troubles recently.

But, since Bai Wen hadn’t volunteered the information, Chen Anquan thought it best not to pry—it was better not to be accused of meddling.

They soon arrived at the entrance of Chen Long’s courtyard. Just then, a pit bull’s fierce barking shattered the air.

“Be careful, old friend. Chen Long’s pit bull is vicious,” Chen Anquan warned.

“Don’t worry, I’ve been here before. That dog only looks fierce—it won’t bite.”

Bai Wen approached the gate and called out, “Uncle Long! Uncle Long!”

Woof, woof, woof!

Inside the Western-style house, in the main hall, two staff members sat on the rosewood sofa, glancing at Chen Long, who sat nearby.

One of them suggested, “That kid Chen Anquan seems to be back again. Brother Long, your dog is really fierce. Aren’t you worried it might accidentally bite someone? I think you should tie it up—it’d be safer.”

“That’s right, Brother Long. Dog bites can cause a lot of trouble these days,” the other chimed in.

The pit bull stood at the doorway, not rushing out to attack. It seemed to be waiting for Chen Long’s command.

Just then, a woman in a black wool coat smiled, her sharp, caustic tone cutting through the room: “That poor orphan Chen Anquan lost his parents young. Brother Long, why not just let the dog out to bite him? At worst, we’ll pay a bit for his medical bills—after that, he’ll finally learn his lesson and stay out of our way.”

This speaker was Chen Long’s wife, Wang Lixia, infamous in the village for her shrewish ways.

“Sister-in-law, isn’t that a bit much?”

Wang Lixia grinned, unable to hide her satisfaction. “What’s the big deal? A couple of rabies shots cost a few thousand at most—consider it a gift!”

With that, she glanced over at Chen Long, who was quietly steeping black tea.

The final decision, of course, lay with Chen Long.

A cigarette dangling from his lips, a clear water bottle in hand, Chen Long rose, stooped slightly. The water bottle still steamed—it had just been boiled.

He filled the teacups of the two staff members, then his own, and turned to the self-satisfied Wang Lixia. “Lixia, do you want a cup?”

She rolled her eyes, lightly tapping his shoulder. “Let’s get back to business. Are you going to let the dog bite that poor kid or not?”

Chen Long sank back into his chair, answering carelessly, “Do as you please.”

Wang Lixia stood and looked at the still-barking pit bull. “Go, bite him!”

The pit bull, already eager, sprang into action at its owner’s command, its powerful legs launching it toward the courtyard entrance.

The two staff members exchanged nervous glances, too intimidated to say anything. Chen Long’s notorious domineering attitude was on full display.

“Uncle Long! Uncle Long!” Bai Wen continued to call outside.

And then, a vicious pit bull burst out.

“Damn! That’s intense!” Bai Wen was instantly terrified, stumbling back two steps and colliding with Chen Anquan’s chest.

“Lixia, that voice outside sounds awfully familiar. I don’t think it’s Chen Anquan,” Chen Long frowned, looking at his wife.

Wang Lixia chuckled, whipping out her phone and pulling up a short video app. “Brother Long, that’s definitely that poor kid’s voice.”

The two staff members stared at each other, not daring to make a sound.

The pit bull, with its coffee-colored, oiled-looking glossy coat, powerful limbs, and ferocious muzzle, circled slightly before charging at Chen Anquan’s right side.

A menacing howl split the air.