BPIFC -Volume 1 – Chapter 56 One-Third

The moment Meng Qiqi recognized Che Qianzi, she forgot all about where they were and shouted:

“Kid! Give me back my bag! Zhang Zhiyan, what are you standing there for? Beat him up!”

Zhang Zhiyan had already been prepared. The instant he heard Miss Meng’s command, he charged toward Che Qianzi.

Seeing the stammering man rushing over, Che Qianzi raised the lobster claw he had been eating—a thick thing as big as an arm—and smashed it down at Zhang Zhiyan.

Having suffered at his hands earlier, Zhang Zhiyan hurriedly dodged. But just as he straightened himself and prepared to fight back, Che Qianzi had already grabbed a bottle of red wine from the table and swung it at his head.

Had that blow landed, Zhang Zhiyan would have been lucky not to die. At the very least, he would have spent months in the ICU.

At the same moment Che Qianzi attacked, Meng Qiqi arrived beside him. She also picked up a wine bottle and smashed it toward the little Taoist’s head, looking fully prepared to take both him and Zhang Zhiyan down together.

Despite fighting like a rabid dog, Che Qianzi wasn’t stupid.

He immediately released the bottle in his hand and hurled it toward Zhang Zhiyan instead. At the same time, he raised his other arm to shield his head and hurriedly retreated.

The flying bottle struck Zhang Zhiyan squarely on the nose.

Although it didn’t break the bridge of his nose, blood gushed out, leaving his entire face covered in red.

Seeing Che Qianzi retreat, Meng Qiqi stepped forward again, determined to crack open his skull.

Just as her bottle was about to come down—

Bang!

The wine bottle in her hand exploded by itself.

Scarlet wine splashed everywhere.

Che Qianzi seized the opportunity and retreated all the way to a corner of the room.

The object that had shattered the bottle was a gold-plated sandalwood chopstick.

Picking it up from the floor, Meng Qiqi whirled around and shouted:

“Yang! Are you looking for death? Do you really think your aunt here—”

She stopped midway.

Yang Xiao was sitting there with two chopsticks in his hand, smiling shyly.

Not Yang Xiao?

Then it had to be Sun Desheng…

But did that fat man have such skill?

At that moment, another fat man in the room, Huang Ran, spoke:

“Qiqi, why make such a fuss the moment you meet? This little brother is Great Sage’s younger brother. We’re practically family.”

Meng Qiqi had a temper fiercer than many men, and when she got angry, she didn’t give anyone face.

Pointing at Che Qianzi, she said: “So being family means he can rob me? Huang Ran, our… talisman was stolen by this brat!”

“Talisman…”

Huang Ran smiled faintly, then turned toward Sun Desheng, who had already moved to stand in front of Che Qianzi.

“Great Sage, what’s going on? Why joke with Qiqi like this? We used to be like one family. If you wanted something, you could’ve just asked. Why go to such lengths?”

Before Sun Desheng could speak, Che Qianzi spoke up first.

“Robbed? Bullshit! Those two dog lovers attacked me first! I took that lousy bag for self-defense!”

He pointed at Zhang Zhiyan, who was wiping blood from his nose.

“Stuttering Boy, tell them yourself! Weren’t you and that woman trying to vent your anger on me and ended up getting beaten instead? Tell the truth! If you add even one extra word, may heaven strike you with lightning!”

Huang Ran turned to Zhang Zhiyan.

The latter dared not lie to him. But with so many people present, he couldn’t bring himself to explain everything either.

In the end, he could only nod slightly.

Huang Ran gave a bitter smile.

“Great Sage, children are hot-blooded. Things got out of hand. Let’s each talk to our own people and leave it at that. But the bag your little brother took must be returned. Inside is a talisman personally drawn for me by Master Shangshan. I treasure it and cannot afford to lose it.”

Sun Desheng smiled.

“So my brother fought with Miss Meng and Zhiyan? No wonder he came back covered in bruises. Looks like the Dragon King Temple was flooded and family members didn’t recognize each other. He did bring back a bag, but we haven’t had time to look through it. It’s still in the Mercedes that picked us up.”

Hearing this, Huang Ran signaled with his eyes.

Meng Qiqi and Zhang Zhiyan immediately understood and left the private room to retrieve the bag.

Not long afterward, Huang Ran received a call.

In front of everyone, he answered.

“Good that it wasn’t lost. You really can’t keep your cool…”

After hanging up, he smiled at Sun Desheng.

“Great Sage, let’s stay out of the children’s quarrels. No need to hurt our friendship over such a trivial matter. Come, little brother, let me drink a toast with you. Consider it an apology on behalf of Qiqi and Zhiyan.”

Although he claimed not to interfere in their affairs, Huang Ran had lowered his own status and personally toasted Che Qianzi.

Then, as though nothing had happened, everyone resumed eating and drinking.

Neither Ma Xiaolin nor Chairman Wan Changluo understood what had happened.

Afraid another fight might break out, the two men only ate a few bites before excusing themselves, claiming they still had business to attend to.

Soon, only Sun Desheng’s group and Huang Ran’s four people remained.

Sun Desheng cracked open a hairy crab, peeled out the crab roe for Che Qianzi, and said with a grin:

“Old Huang, let’s stop dancing around each other. No point trying to outscheme one another—neither of us can really fool the other.

I’ll start us off…

Hehuan Sect. The Lu family. Right?”

Hearing Sun mention the Hehuan Sect and the Lu family, Huang Ran glanced at Yang Xiao, who was idly spinning a wine glass.

Then he smiled.

“Old Yang figured it out, didn’t he? Since we’re being straightforward, I won’t hide anything. Great Sage, do me a favor. Keep the Miniao Bureau out of this matter. When it’s over, no matter what benefits I obtain, one-third of it will be yours.”

Everyone had assumed Sun Desheng would refuse.

Instead, he burst out laughing.

“Since you’ve spoken, Old Huang, we’ll leave first thing tomorrow morning. Honestly, I’d have been satisfied with one-fifth. Didn’t expect you to be so generous. When you get back to Beijing, drinks are on me. Same old place—Shaguoju.”

Relief flashed through Huang Ran’s heart, though his expression remained unchanged.

He laughed and said:

“I was actually planning to give you half. Looks like I saved myself quite a bit. Thinking of changing your mind? Too late.”

Seeing that it was already one-thirty in the morning, Sun Desheng yawned.

“That’s enough. Time for bed. By the way, Chairman Wan never told us where we’re staying.”

Huang Ran smiled and pulled a key card from his pocket.

“He left that favor for me. A District, top floor, Presidential Suite. Chairman Wan has pinned all his hopes on you. Since the resort opened, you’ll be the first guests to stay there.”

“Nice suite, but it’s a little too plain for three old men.”

Sun laughed.

“Old Yang, brother, let’s go sleep. We’ll leave tomorrow morning after waking up.”

Taking the key card, Sun Desheng left the room with Che Qianzi and Yang Xiao.

Once outside, Che Qianzi asked:

“Great Sage, that’s it? You’re satisfied with one-third? That doesn’t sound like you.”

Sun Desheng smiled mysteriously at his little brother.

“One-third is already pretty good. Old Huang isn’t an ordinary man. If we really fought him, both sides would suffer. Why bother? Without lifting a finger or breaking a sweat, one-third of the treasure falls right into our hands. Is there any easier deal than that?”

He yawned.

“Let’s go sleep. We’ll leave after breakfast. And I still need to have a little chat with Yang Shuji. Old Yang, this time you can’t just sit on the sidelines. You’ll have to get involved too…”