Chapter 19: Pressure
Chapter 19: Pressure
Upon hearing Jiang Cheng's words, the young man froze, his head nodding like a chick pecking at rice.
He straightened up, his legs still in a kneeling position, and his hands frantically searched through his pockets.
After a while, he took out a pile of loose change.
"Grandpa," he said, raising his head with a fearful expression as he looked at Jiang Cheng. "This is all the money I have on me. Can I, can I owe you for the money I took earlier? I'll repay you once I have enough money."
As he spoke, his mind had already made up its decision.
From now on, he would stay far away from wherever Jiang Cheng appeared.
Jiang Cheng stared at him silently.
Unable to withstand the pressure, the man lowered his head.
Jiang Cheng spoke, "Never mind. Don't think I don't know where you got this money from. If I let you repay me, you'll only go and rob more people."
"It's just that..."
The man gave an awkward laugh, "Grandpa, it's not that we don't want to work and earn money, but there really aren't any jobs around here. Maybe it's better in the city, but we just can't get in."
"Is that so?"
Jiang Cheng let out a cold laugh, "So, you're going to rob others?"
The man had no words in response.
"I can let go of what you took from me, but if I find out you continue to rob others in the future, this will be your fate."
Jiang Cheng pointed at the man on the ground with the stick in his hand.
"I understand, I understand!"
The man quickly nodded, feeling relieved inside.
As long as they didn't have to pay compensation, it was good enough.
Otherwise, they would have to leave this neighborhood.
But even so, their future days wouldn't be easy. If they were discovered by the person before them, the consequences were unimaginable.
"Put the money on the ground, and then search him for more money."
"Yes, yes, Grandpa."
The man reluctantly placed the money in his hand onto the ground.
Then, he slowly stood up and walked towards his severely injured companion, step by step.
For a moment, he felt an urge to escape, but in the end, he didn't have the courage.
He crouched in front of his companion, who looked at him pitifully.
"Sorry, you heard it too," the man said. He searched his companion and, after a minute or two, found another handful of loose change.
"Put it on the ground, and then you can take him and leave."
Jiang Cheng's voice came from behind.
"Yes, Grandpa."
Feeling relieved, the man put down the money and carried his companion, who had been beaten like a squealing pig, and left.
In his heart, he knew that his companion's fate was grim.
With such severe injuries, even if they had the money, they wouldn't willingly pay for his treatment.
After the two men left, Jiang Cheng walked over and picked up the two piles of loose change from the ground.
He didn't count carefully, but it probably didn't even add up to a hundred.
"No wonder you were waiting here; you don't have any money left," Jiang Cheng muttered with a cold snort. He then picked up the two daggers that had fallen to the ground.
In the blink of an eye, he now had four daggers...
"Having too many knives isn't a good thing," Jiang Cheng muttered to himself.
Hiding them at home also carried the risk of being discovered.
He decided to look for an opportunity to sell some of them.
These spring knives could fetch a good price; each could sell for several dozen to a hundred yuan.
He scanned his surroundings; it seemed empty, but in reality, many eyes were watching through the cracks of the houses on both sides.
Jiang Cheng wiped the blood off his short stick with dirt, smelled it to ensure there was no scent, and then placed it behind him as he pushed his tricycle towards home.
Having consecutively repelled two waves of people, and this time during the day, with many witnesses, it was unlikely that anyone would dare to stop and rob him in broad daylight from now on.
After a while, people gradually came out of the house.
"That young man is so fierce, he fought off three of them off on his own."
"Yeah, but he's brutal. One of them is lying on the ground, unable to move, and bleeding heavily."
"He's so badly injured, even if we carry him back, he won't make it."
"Those bastards, they have hands and feet, but instead of earning money, they come to rob us."
"Exactly!"
The crowd was indignant, feeling no sympathy for the man's plight.
"Speaking of which, that tricycle-riding youth looks familiar, like I've seen him somewhere before," someone said, remembering something.
"Now that you mention it, I think I've seen him somewhere too, but I can't quite place it."
"Hey, who cares? That young man looks like a tough one too, let's just stay away from him."
...
Upon returning home, Jiang Cheng took out two large chunks of pork from the oil drum, causing the elderly woman to stare wide-eyed.
These two pounds of meat would cost sixty to buy.
Although she knew that Jiang Cheng had just recovered from a serious illness and needed nutritious food,
Pork was a luxury beyond the family's means at this time.
"Grandma, Chen Sao lent us three hundred yuan and treated me to a meal. I want to buy some meat and eggs to show my gratitude, it's the least I can do."
Jiang Cheng placed the two pounds of meat on the table and then took out two bags of eggs, saying,
The elderly woman nodded, approving of Jiang Cheng's actions.
But now, the money from selling sweet potatoes for the past few days was almost gone.
"Don't worry, Grandma."
Jiang Cheng said, "The roasted sweet potato business has been good these days. I bought these, and I still have over a hundred left. After selling these sweet potatoes in the afternoon, I'll earn a good sum again."
As he spoke, he placed the money he had just taken from the two thugs on the table.
In reality, he still had over five hundred on him,
From selling sweet potatoes a few days ago and taking money from the thugs, he spent over a hundred on charcoal, and after repaying Chen Sao's three hundred, he still had over two hundred left.
It seemed like a lot, but with only ten days until the end of the month, the stall fee and management fee added up to three thousand yuan.
If his previous savings of over eight hundred were still there, he would have just enough by the end of the month. But now, unless Jiang Cheng could sell over two hundred sweet potatoes a day, it would be difficult to reach this goal.
The good news was that his roasted sweet potato proficiency had improved, and the sweet potatoes he made now tasted much better than before, perhaps he could sell a few more.
But if, in the end, it still wasn't enough...
Jiang Cheng sighed inwardly.
Actually, he could afford the stall fee.
But the management fee, he really didn't want to pay.
Robberies could happen in broad daylight, let alone at night. The Wild Wolf Gang's management was a joke.
But if he didn't pay, it would be going against the Wild Wolf Gang. Those who dared to resist had grass three feet high on their graves.
"I understand, Grandma. I'll deliver these to Chen Sao and the others." The elderly woman spoke, glancing at the pork on the other side, "This meat, I'll cook it for you tonight. If you're in a hurry, I'll start now."
"No rush, Grandma. Let's eat it tonight. I'll deliver these and come back to wash the sweet potatoes."
Jiang Cheng smiled, carrying the eggs and pork he had just bought, and left the house.
The elderly woman watched Jiang Cheng's departing figure, her eyes filled with concern, and she sighed heavily.
She didn't blame Jiang Cheng for spending money on meat; after all, who didn't love meat? She only blamed herself for her lack of skills, unable to earn money. Even eggs had to be eaten sparingly.
(End of Chapter)
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