LWDC Chapter 182

Chapter 182: Midnight Gunfire

Chapter 182: Midnight Gunfire

Chapter 182: Midnight Gunfire

The next day, Duan Yunhong indeed sent something to Qiao Li.

However, of course, he didn’t go himself. He sent a driver and called Qiao Li aside for a private chat.

“Our boss’s surname is Duan, and he’s here on behalf of Mr. Ning to replace that cigarette holder for Miss Qiao.” The driver first presented a slender little box and a kraft paper package. “This is a cigarette holder and a book from the boss’s collection, to help Miss Qiao pass the time. If Miss Qiao doesn’t like it, you don’t have to go to the pawnshop to sell the book, you can take it to scholars, they might buy it. Also…”

The driver then took out fifty yuan: “I heard Miss Qiao has a daughter, this is for the child to buy winter clothes.”

Fifty yuan was actually enough for an average family to make two cotton-padded coats, one large and one small.

“Thank you boss for taking care of me and my daughter.” Qiao Li generously accepted the money and gifts. She hadn’t met Duan Yunhong face-to-face, but she had seen the man who was always with Ning Fei yesterday. She thought about it and added, “Thank you also, master, for making this trip. By the way, I heard people in Yucheng like to play cards. My sisters and I often play cards in a nearby card room. The place is clean and warm, welcome boss to come and sit down when you have time.”

The driver was noncommittal. He wasn’t qualified to respond to this, so he simply acknowledged it and left decisively.

Qiao Li then took the things back to the makeup room and opened them one by one to inspect them. The cigarette holder was wooden, with exquisite craftsmanship and detailed carvings. It looked valuable at first glance. Qiao Li held it up to the mirror and struck a pose. It did suit her very well, much more tasteful than the flashy jewelry other bosses sent. Qiao Li immediately took a liking to it, so she carefully put it away.

The kraft paper package contained a translated book about art. Inside were also miniature illustrations of the paintings discussed, which certainly made it a fine book. Qiao Li liked it even more than the cigarette holder. After casually opening it, she couldn’t help but read it seriously. It wasn’t until someone called her from outside that she hurriedly re-wrapped the items and put them in the drawer of her dressing table.

In the drawer were fans given by other bosses, and she also wore gemstone rings given by patrons. Looking at them now, Qiao Li actually felt a sense of disgust.

But she quickly adjusted her mood, closed the drawer, and stood up. As she turned to leave, she took the opportunity to check her smile in the mirror.

——A boss from Yucheng, huh…

*

On the other side, the driver returned home and recounted Qiao Li’s words to Duan Yunhong in detail.

“It seems she sincerely thanked you for the money, and wasn’t very interested in the book.”

After listening to the report, Duan Yunhong looked at Ning Fei, who was also sitting in the room: “Guess when she’ll sell that book? Just don’t sell it to Liang Zhiming. That ‘non-local’ Liang Zhiming might not appreciate it.”

“What do you care what she does with it?” Ning Fei lazily replied, “It was collecting dust on the bookshelf here anyway, so just give it away, are you regretting it?”

“The way you phrased it, saying ‘give it away,’ makes it sound like I was the one who said to give it away.” Duan Yunhong didn’t answer whether he regretted it or not, but simply said, “How about we make a bet, and guess when she’ll sell the book.”

“Sure, how long, and what are we betting?”

“Three months, each of us comes up with something to bet.”

“No way, I won’t even be staying in Pingdu for three months, who’s going to bet with you for that long.” Ning Fei retorted, “Just until the day we leave, wherever that is.”

“Qiao Li is still hoping we’ll go back to spend money on her again, how could she sell it so soon, wouldn’t that be disrespecting the boss?” Duan Yunhong immediately saw through his plan, “So eager for me to lose?”

Ning Fei shrugged: “Then don’t bet.”

Duan Yunhong pondered for a few seconds: “If I win, I want…” He leaned close to Ning Fei’s ear and said something. Ning Fei sneered when he heard it, “I’m afraid of you?” then grabbed the man’s collar and whispered something in his ear.

Boss Duan raised an eyebrow, Boss Duan narrowed his eyes, Boss Duan was silent for two seconds before nodding: “…Okay.”

Honestly, Duan Yunhong didn’t think the request was too excessive. Even if they weren’t betting, if Ning Fei got worked up and pestered him, he’d probably agree anyway.

But, Boss Duan wasn’t going to be so kind as to remind him, he’d just treat it as a wager.

*

The next evening, Duan Yunhong and Ning Fei went to see a movie.

Ning Fei, of course, had no interest in the movies of this era, but Duan Yunhong said that he used to use this method to meet people in secret, and it was also part of “reviewing the past.” Ning Fei had nothing else to do anyway, so he went along with him.

The movie was a foreign film, about love during a war in another country. The plot was still quite novel for the Pingdu audience of this year, but Ning Fei was drowsy while watching it, and simply fell asleep for the second half. Even when the audience in the back row, who had already seen it, were commenting on the plot, he wasn’t awakened. When the movie ended, Ning Fei got up and stretched contentedly.

After leaving the cinema, the two didn’t get into the car right away, but strolled slowly down the street. It was after ten o’clock in the evening, and there weren’t many pedestrians on the street anymore. Although there weren’t many streetlights, and they weren’t very bright, the moonlight was clear tonight, and the streets were quite bright.

The only problem was the night wind. Ning Fei was already wearing a scarf, but the low temperature at night still gave him a jolt.

“This is what you call ‘not much wind tonight’.” Ning Fei complained, “The movie was mediocre, and now I have to walk in the cold wind. Boss Duan, how come your dating arrangements are so inconsistent?”

Duan Yunhong simply took off his scarf, unfolded it, and draped it over his head: “You didn’t even watch it for a few minutes, and you have the nerve to write a review?”

Ning Fei didn’t refuse, and just used his cashmere scarf as a headscarf: “Even the ‘old’ you wouldn’t have liked this kind of film, right? Is this a battlefield? Is this an officer?”

“It’s just artistic exaggeration. Besides, the rear of the battlefields in foreign countries might be like this. Each country has its own national conditions.” Duan Yunhong said, “If you don’t like it, the two in the back row who were seeing it for the second time liked it very much, commenting on the whole thing, turning it into a commentary track for the movie.”

“It’s your fault for not reminding them to be quiet, who’s to blame?” Ning Fei sneered, “But these days, people who go to the cinema mostly like to show off, not letting them talk is probably worse than killing them…”

Bang!

A loud bang suddenly came from the end of the street, echoing into the distance. The two stopped in their tracks and exchanged glances: “Gunfire?”

“Probably. Let’s not go forward, find some cover.” Duan Yunhong pulled Ning Fei into a doorway of a nearby building, and lowered his voice, “Although gunfights aren’t unusual, it’s rare to have a shooting in the city center of Pingdu. Has the situation in Pingdu deteriorated faster than I thought?”

“It’s late at night, and there aren’t many people on the street. Shooting allows for a quick resolution.” Ning Fei leaned against the door and poked Duan Yunhong’s chest, “Boss Duan, I don’t have any special abilities now, and I didn’t bring a gun. If I die on this ‘homecoming trip’ of yours, I…”

“I won’t let you off even as a ghost?”

“Dream on.” Ning Fei said quietly, “Then I’ll just have to lower your credit score.”

“There’s such a thing?” Duan Yunhong heard about this new setting for the first time, so he asked, following his words, “What happens if you lower it?”

“Yes, it’s floating above your head, can’t you see it?” Ning Fei was talking nonsense, “Lower it and I’ll kick you out. I only play with people with high credit scores, our management bureau is that strict.”

“Then right now, I…”

Bang bang!

Two more gunshots, and much closer. Ning Fei lost the mood to joke, and narrowed his eyes slightly: “Tsk, it’s because you had to park the car over there, and had to take this broken stroll, in a moment a stray bullet will go right through your car. I just remembered your off-road vehicle with no windows, I don’t want to ride in that kind of broken car.”

Duan Yunhong said: “I’m just unlucky once or twice, and you happened to be there each time. I saw you getting showered with dog blood, why don’t you mention that?”

Ning Fei opened his mouth to retort, but suddenly glimpsed two figures approaching quickly in the distance. They were moving together, or rather, one was supporting the other as they jogged over. Ning Fei could recognize them from their silhouettes at a glance, and said in a hushed voice: “One of them was shot in the arm.”

Duan Yunhong, of course, also saw it, and replied: “Ignore them.”

Ning Fei didn’t intend to get involved, but when the two people were close enough to see their faces clearly, he raised an eyebrow slightly.

At that moment, the uninjured person among the two happened to look over, and their eyes met Ning Fei’s face, and he was also stunned.

——It was Liang Zhiming.

Ning Fei’s appearance clearly startled him for a moment. He wanted to say something, but the situation was too urgent, and there was no time to stop. He could only shake his head desperately as he walked past, saying “Don’t say it! Don’t say it!”, and quickly helped the wounded man turn into an alley not far away.

“It’s him.” Duan Yunhong naturally recognized Liang Zhiming as well, “That means the person who was shot might be someone from the organization… someone is chasing them.”

Ning Fei tilted his head and glanced at him.

Sure enough, a few seconds later, another group of people chased after them. Their footsteps were much louder and more chaotic. They forcibly pushed aside and kicked over all sorts of large objects along the way, making a lot of noise, and the scene was quite frightening.

When they ran to where Duan Yunhong and Ning Fei were, someone shouted “Turn around and look up!”, and then pulled Duan Yunhong and Ning Fei apart without explanation. Duan Yunhong frowned, staring at this group of fierce-looking people, and wasn’t intimidated by the several dark gun muzzles pointed at him: “What are you doing?!”

“…Boss Duan?” Someone in the back row of the pursuers actually recognized him, came forward and said in a questioning tone, “What are you doing here?…Put the guns down, you guys go ahead and chase!”

“Yes!” Half of the group ran forward.

“Secretary Cui is very impressive.” Duan Yunhong also recognized him, it was the person he had met at the ball at the newspaper office that night, and said in a cold voice, “What, I can’t even take a walk with my friend after watching a movie? Is that something you have to control?”

“Friend?” Secretary Cui, wearing glasses, leaned closer to examine Ning Fei in the shadows, and muttered, “Two big men going out to see a movie late at night, and taking a walk on this street…”

“What are you being so rude for, huh?” Ning Fei suddenly opened his mouth, put his hand on Duan Yunhong’s shoulder, and said in an aggressive tone, “Has Pingdu reached the point where you can’t watch a movie or go out for a walk at night? Our car is still over there, you know. If Pingdu is so tense, I might as well go back to Yucheng sooner.”

This sudden accent stunned Secretary Cui, and the tense atmosphere of suspicion instantly dissipated.

He didn’t know if he heard that Ning Fei was doing it on purpose, but he asked Duan Yunhong: “Boss Duan, this is…?”

Duan Yunhong didn’t actually understand what Ning Fei was up to again, but it wasn’t the first time he had inexplicably started a little theater, so Duan Yunhong cooperated very well: “Secretary Cui is so forgetful, this is Ning Fei, from Yucheng, his father is the president of the Southwest Chamber of Commerce. We went to ‘Night Pearl’ together the night before last, Secretary Cui, you can’t recognize him?”

What could Secretary Cui say? Ning Fei had already slipped away when he was talking to Duan Yunhong, and later he only saw Duan Yunhong staying with another young man from afar, he couldn’t see that person’s face clearly. So it was this one in front of him, and he also had the identity of the eldest son of the Southwest Chamber of Commerce. With this layer, Secretary Cui couldn’t say anything more about the two men’s intimate behavior.

So he could only ask: “Did you see two people run past here just now?”

Ning Fei interjected: “What one person, two people, there were people coming out of the cinema, who knows who you’re talking about?”

“It’s just that one person was shot, and was bleeding, running from over there.” Secretary Cui explained patiently, “They are criminals, if you obstruct our arrest, I’m afraid you won’t be able to bear the responsibility.”

“Running that way.” Duan Yunhong finally interrupted Ning Fei’s attempt to “cast a spell” again, pointing to the other side of the street, “Didn’t your people go over there? I didn’t see where they went after that. By the way, my car is in the direction you guys came from, it wasn’t hit, right? Is it still dangerous over there?”

Ning Fei continued to chime in: “I don’t want to ride in a broken car…”

“It shouldn’t have been hit, you can go over there. I have important matters to attend to, excuse me.” Secretary Cui really didn’t want to face Ning Fei, the troublemaker, anymore, casually threw down a sentence, and turned to leave.

Ning Fei and Duan Yunhong watched them go, and waited until everyone’s figures disappeared before Duan Yunhong turned back and asked: “What’s with that accent? How did you learn it so quickly?”

“Just imitating a little.” Ning Fei shrugged, “I even learned a rhyme.”

“What?”

“Ni lang ge leng ge lei ge ai?”

“…”

Duan Yunhong was silent for a few seconds: “Don’t play that when we’re alone in the future, it’ll make me soft.”

——————–

Please help me correct Ning Fei’s dialect lines, I’ve been laughing while writing, but will everyone be able to understand them?

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