Chapter 3: Misunderstandings Not of My Intention

  Liu Ying'er was in a great hurry, rushing forward two steps and grabbing the iron ring on the back seat of Xue's car with her hand, as if it were a lifesaving straw. The original "thug leader" seemed not to be so despicable after all, it seems that among thugs, there is also good and bad to compare, Liu Ying'er thought. Apparently, Xue won out in this comparison, earning the honorable title of high-quality thug.

  Xue Xiang felt the cart tighten, and when he turned his head back, he saw that Liu Ying'er's face was pale with fear, her eyes full of pleading. He glanced behind Liu Ying'er and immediately understood what was going on. Xue Xiang nodded slightly towards the front, indicating for her to move in front of him. Liu Ying'er looked like she had been granted a great pardon, and quickly ran to the front wheel of Xue Xiang's cart with her basket. Xue Xiang straddled his legs and pushed the cart back a step, then steadied it again.

  The burly man saw the beautiful woman's child run away and was in a great hurry, opening his legs to chase after. Xue wouldn't let him have his way, planting her left leg on the ground, lifting her right leg straight up, twisting both hands on the handlebars, instantly turning the bicycle sideways, and sitting back down with her right leg still stretched out across the bike rack, smiling ambiguously at the burly man.

  The burly man blocked the way, his eyes gleaming with ferocity, staring fixedly at Xue Xiang. He rolled up his sleeves, assuming a posture as if he would start a fierce fight at any moment. "You dare to ruin our good deed?" he bellowed. "Are you looking for trouble?" As he spoke, he raised his thick palm, the long black hairs on the back of his hand clearly visible.

  The crowd around saw the commotion on this side, and a certain inferiority complex of the nation suddenly broke out. The people in line didn't squeeze anymore, but instead dispersed into a semicircle, watching the commotion with relish.

  This kind of bluffing trick, Xue Xiang has seen a lot. A dog that knows how to bark doesn't bite people, the louder it barks, the more timid it is.

  The loud shout of the burly man had already startled Liu Ying'er, but Xue Xiang remained unmoved, with a cigarette dangling from the corner of his mouth. He took a deep drag, blew out a large smoke ring, and before it could dissipate, he puffed out another smaller one, which pierced through the center of the larger ring.

  What a person, always remembering to sell and manipulate. The "favor" of "saving color" just now has been thrown away by Liu Ying'er to the ends of the earth, and she begins to secretly resent her own "benevolent master".

  The burly man saw that his usual trick had no effect, so he didn't play tricks anymore. He rolled down the sleeves and made a fist to salute: "I haven't asked this brother which part he is from?"

  The half-black, not quite black Jianghu slang matched his movements, and that sloppily worn yellow military uniform was really laughable. Poof, Liu Ying'er couldn't help but burst out laughing, hurriedly covering her mouth, only then remembering that the muscular man in front of her wasn't exactly a kind person.

  The half-black, not black gangster slang of the horizontal meat man sounds ridiculous to others, but in fact, it has its own rules. Xue Xiang knew that he was "pan dao". At that time, all the young people in the 49 cities loved to wear military uniforms, and from their attire, they couldn't tell whether the other person was a "veteran" or a "rogue", so they needed to use "pan dao" to clarify each other's background. Although the term "old soldier" has faded away, "pan dao" has been passed down.

  In the circle of cadres' children, who is from which mountain stronghold is very important, as it relates to the question of what kind of background you come from. For example, when two previously unacquainted children of cadres meet for the first time, they need to "ask about each other's background", and basically, they ask which faction you belong to. This usually refers to which army their parents belonged to during the Anti-Japanese War period. The reason why the children of cadres set the timeline at the Anti-Japanese War period is reasonable, because there were few survivors from the Red Army period, and those who survived until 1955 were basically high-ranking generals. Although these people had high ranks, they were relatively few in number, and scattered across the country, their influence in the circle of cadres' children in Beijing was actually less than that of the Anti-Japanese War period. During the Anti-Japanese War period, there were not many army numbers, but the actual number of people was quite large, and those who survived until now are basically mid-to-high-level cadres, so they have a great influence in the circle of cadres' children. Cadres who joined the workforce during the Liberation War are not worth mentioning, because by then the ruling party had already passed its most difficult period, and its scale had become established, with an army of over 10 million people.

  Xue took a deep drag on his cigarette, burning the last wisp of smoke to nothing but the filter. With a flick of his mouth, the filter flew forward, and with lightning speed, he pinched it into a flower shape with his right hand, his middle finger accurately plucking the filter from mid-air. The filter shot straight towards the trash can not far away, hovering above it before suddenly plummeting downwards, hitting the side of the can and sinking to the bottom. This move was incredibly impressive, leaving the crowd that had gathered to watch in stunned silence.

  "I'm from the 229th division, which part are you from?" Xue rubbed his hands together, flicking off the remaining cigarette ash, and asked solemnly. When it came to their own roots, many cadres' children wouldn't joke around, as this was their parents' pride and something they took great pride in. During the Anti-Japanese War period, the Anti-Japanese National United Front was established. The Red Army was reorganized into the Eighth Route Army of the National Revolutionary Army, with Old Chiang assigning a small number of troops at the time, only three divisions were formed: the 215th, 220th, and 229th divisions. These three divisions, along with the remnants of the New Fifth Army, made up the main force of the later Four Great Field Armies. When two groups of people got into a conflict, if they were from the same division, unless there was a deep-seated grudge, both sides would absolutely not come to blows. Soldiers had always been the most cohesive group, and this trait continued in their descendants. If they weren't from the same division, minor conflicts could usually be resolved through mediation, and that was okay too.

  Xue Xiangbao revealed his roots. The burly man was immediately intimidated, he was originally a timid and cowardly guy. Pan Dao thought that this move was still learned from observing top gangsters exchanging blows in the past, he had seen many times when both sides exchanged blows and immediately turned hostility into friendship. He also saw one side revealing their roots, while the other side immediately retreated, admitting defeat and apologizing.

  Later, these two moves were used by him to great effect and became his two most powerful finishing moves. The first move was to intimidate with a fierce appearance, and this look combined with his exaggerated gestures often scared many timid children. The second move was to ask about the other person's background, usually when the first move didn't work. He would always ask about the other person's roots first, making people think he was a big shot in the gangster world. If the other person didn't have any backing, they usually wouldn't dare to ask him back and would choose to retreat instead. If the other person did report their background, he would immediately yield and look for an opportunity to make peace, and the other person also wouldn't make things difficult for him.

  He appears to be rough and careless, but in reality he is cunning and won't foolishly deceive himself into thinking he's some kind of master. This is a taboo among the children of cadres, and if someone dares to fake their background, those spoiled brats will find out and absolutely won't let it go. They'll gang up on him to protect the group's honor. This has become an unspoken rule in their circle, and no one dares to break it easily. With these two tactics plus his quick wit, the rough-looking man is thriving in the western part of the city.

  As expected, the burly man immediately put on a smile: "Misunderstanding, misunderstanding, brother offended, offended." The words were spoken extremely quickly, with saliva flying from his yellow teeth in all directions. While apologizing, the burly man reached into his breast pocket and pulled out a pack of "Worker-Peasant" cigarettes, took a few steps forward, intending to offer one to Xue Xiang. Just as he pulled out the cigarette box, he realized something was off, hastily stuffed the box back into its original pocket, ripped open his military uniform, and pulled out a pack of cigarettes from inside his clothes - precisely the "Jade" brand that Xue Xiang smoked.

  This gang of rascals is indeed a virtue.

  Xue Xiang saw the rough man being gentle and didn't want to entangle too much, after all, everyone has a love for beauty. Xue Xiang's personality changed greatly after his rebirth, originally the young master's arrogant and generous personality combined with Xue Xiang's introverted and shy personality into a generous and heroic, steady and heavy personality. Xue Xiang took over the rough man's cigarette, put it in his mouth, just about to light it up, but the rough man was the first to light the fire and helped him ignite it.

  "Haha, the girl just now was really beautiful, brother is so lucky. Let's get to know each other, my name is Hao Yunlai, you can call me Haozi, what's your surname and full name, brother?" The muscular man stretched out his right hand for a handshake with Xue Xiang.

  Xue Xiang took the hand he handed over, shook it and said: "Xue Xiang, nothing happened, no fight no friendship." He didn't explain that he and Liu Ying'er were not familiar with each other.

  Aren't all men like this? Those in the 70s were the same, who would want to sever ties with a beautiful woman?

  Xue Xiang, this name sounds familiar. Hao Yunlai couldn't think of where he had heard it before for a while.

  Liu Ying'er saw the two people who were still glaring at each other just now, and they were laughing and chatting. She frowned slightly. It was indeed the leader of the gangsters, such a ferocious person could also get along with him. Liu Ying'er didn't care about this side anymore, turned around and went to line up.

  The sky gradually brightened, and the entrance of the vegetable market became increasingly crowded, with people chattering and the four queues growing longer.

  "Ding, ding, ding...", countless bicycles emerged from every alleyway and street corner, converging into a sea of steel on the streets in front of the market, as if the crimson gate was a giant magnet drawing all the bicycles to it.

  At this time, most of the people who came were wearing military uniforms and carrying military bags. They were all sent out by their fathers to work as porters. Each and every one of them had a look full of provocation and disdain in their eyes, and they rode their bicycles very fast. From time to time, someone would greet Xue Xiang, calling out from afar, saluting with their hands, and Xue Xiang would occasionally nod his head or return the salute with two fingers together, touching the brim of his hat. As more and more people came to greet him, Xue Xiang was a bit overwhelmed, so he clasped his fists in greeting, which served as a general response.

  Hao Yunlai suddenly became solemn and respectful, what kind of person is this?

  Third Brother

  Third Brother

  Third Brother

  “………”

  “………”

  Xue Xiangzheng was socializing when he heard a few familiar voices calling out to him. Xue Xiang's uncle had two children, both older than Xue Xiang, and in the family, Xue Xiang was known as "Third Brother". Due to his chivalrous and generous nature, his bravery and fearlessness, and his strong sense of justice, he was well-known in the underworld. His connections were extensive, and his reputation was great. Whenever two groups of gangsters had a dispute, they would often seek Xue Xiang's mediation, and he never refused. Some people gave him the nickname "Eastern City Timely Rain, Northern Sea Protector of Righteousness", also known as "Chivalrous Song Jiang". This nickname quickly spread throughout the underworld.

  Xue turned his head to see Lei Xiaotian, Zhu Shijun, Kang Tong, Li Hongjun, Liu Yuan Chao and Sun Qianjin walking towards him with smiles. These six 16- or 17-year-old youths were dressed in different military uniforms, each full of energy, tall and robust, and their presence was quite overwhelming when they stood together.

  "Haha, Ma Lei Zi, Lao Zhu, Xiao Kang, Hong Jun, Yuan Chao, Qian Jin, you guys are all here! " Xue Xiang called out their names one by one, laughing happily. The familiar and intimate figures made him suddenly feel that the world had become more vivid and warm. Xue Xiang took out a pack of cigarettes from his pocket and tossed it over. Lei Xiao Tian caught it in one hand, scattered the cigarettes, and was about to toss the pack back when Xue Xiang waved his hand to indicate he didn't need to return it. Without hesitation, Lei Xiao Tian stuffed the pack into his own pocket.

  "Ma Lei Zi, don't be in a hurry, there's another friend here." Xue Xiang patted Hao Yunlai and said.

  "Hey, isn't this Xi Cheng's Oil Swallowing Boy? When did you become our Third Brother's friend?" Lei Xiao Tian walked straight to Hao Yun Lai's side, unbuttoned his outer garment, and effortlessly pulled out "Fei Cui". He was truly skilled at it, apparently he had known about this person's habits for a long time.

  Hao Yunlai didn't dare move a single step, obviously having dealt with Lei Xiaotian before and knowing his ferocity.

  Xue Xiang couldn't help but laugh and said: "You were asked to give him a smoke, but instead you rummaged through his stored goods."

  "Everyone smokes, right? You say so too, Hao Yunlai." Lei Xiaotian looked at him with a sly smile.

  "Brother Lei, I'm telling you, it's really true. I just met Third Brother and learned that his name is Chong Songjiang, which is indeed a name that matches reality. Today, as soon as I went out, I heard the magpie calling, and it turned out to be an auspicious sign. Third Brother's great name has been on my mind for a long time, and today I'm lucky enough to meet such a great figure... Haoyun came over and gave him a big slap on the back, not feeling that he had said anything wrong at all, nor did he feel embarrassed about flattering someone two or three years younger than himself, Xue Xiang. He was able to turn a loss into a gain, and was indeed a flexible and adaptable person."

  Lei Xiaotian and the others had just called San Ge when Hao Yunlai knew who this person was. Earlier, he had thought of calling him out, but now it seemed really annoying, and thinking about it still made him a bit angry.

  "Stop it, stop it! You're wasting your talent if you don't go to Tianqiao to perform cross-talk!" Xue waved his hand to stop Hao Yunlai's flattery.

  "Third brother, why did you come alone today? Don't you usually get off work late and have your brothers send you home?" The speaker was Kang Tong, a young man with a thick face and dark skin.

  "From now on, I'll buy it myself. You're still young, Xiao Wan, and lack of sleep is not good for you." Xue Xiang replied.

  "Hey, brothers, don't you think that Third Brother is acting strange today? I keep feeling like something's off." Zhu Shijun exclaimed, tugging on Sun Qianjin's arm.

  "I think so too. Usually San Ge speaks straightforwardly, but today he's being ambiguous and roundabout, it sounds awkward." Li Hongjun echoed.

  They were chatting happily, and Xue had already moved forward by a section, revealing a large empty space. Xue didn't move, and the people behind him saw that such a group of burly men were stuck here, no one dared to urge Xue to move forward, let alone insert themselves in front of Xue.

  Xue Xiang noticed the situation and interrupted the several guys who were chatting enthusiastically: "You guys scatter, each go back to their own home, each find their own mom, hurry up and go help your aunts carry dishes, if you're late, be careful of your skin."

  "Alright, let's disperse, Third Brother. I'll come to your place at noon to drink with you. I just found a bottle of 30-year-old Chenmao in the old man's wine cabinet. This is going to be a treat!" The speaker was Li Hongjun, whose father was Xue Xiangbo's chief of staff. He had a cold and taciturn personality, rarely speaking, and was cautious and prudent, which allowed him to escape unscathed during the Great Movement. Secretly, he also took care of Xue Xiangsi and his siblings.

  As Lei Xiaotian and the others dispersed, Xue Xiang pushed his cart forward. Hao Yunlai took two steps forward and shouted to stop Xue Xiang: "Third Brother, I'll head back first, next time I'll treat you to a meal, I'm really glad to have met you." Hao Yunlai's face was full of sincerity, he truly admired Xue Xiang, the big brother who called the shots in the gang.

  "Huh? You're not buying vegetables?" Xue asked in surprise.

  "I, that, that......" Hao Yunlai rubbed his forehead, feeling a bit embarrassed and unsure of what to say.

  "Alright, you go first, shout if anything happens, and we'll be friends from now on." Xue Xiang had already figured out that this kid's buying vegetables was fake, but taking advantage of the situation to get a free ride was real, it was simply an upgraded version of a bus wolf.

  He didn't think this behavior was particularly sinful, as there were hardly any entertainment activities at that time. Except for going to the Beihai Ice Rink to ice skate or watching movies which could pack out the cinema, it really made these young people feel like they had reached the legendary realm of boredom - Egg Pain Realm.

  Hao Yunlai nodded excitedly and left. Xue turned his left foot on the pedal of the bicycle, his right leg kicked the ground, and he got on the saddle. The bicycle slid forward quickly. The people behind were already impatient and hurried to follow. Just as the front wheel was about to touch Liu Ying'er in front, Xue lightly squeezed the brake, and the bicycle stopped steadily in place. Who would have thought that the person behind was following too closely? As soon as Xue released his hand from the brake, he felt a strong force coming from behind, and without paying attention, the wheel rushed forward again, lightly bumping into Liu Ying'er's buttocks, which were about to squat down. The wheel pressed out a small dent on Liu Ying'er's elastic and round buttocks. Xue quickly turned the front wheel away, separating it from contact, and the shape of her buttocks quickly returned to normal. This scene, which made one's blood rush, couldn't help but make people wonder who had more elasticity between the tire and her buttocks.

  Liu Ying'er felt that today was truly a day of bad luck, with everything going wrong. First, she encountered a small thug, and then another big one. Just when she thought she was clever and resourceful, having set the two thugs against each other, who knew they would suddenly become friends? Fortunately, neither of the thugs bothered to look for her trouble again, keeping a safe distance from her. Finally, Liu Ying'er let out a sigh of relief.

  Just as Liu Ying'er was about to pick up the red thread that had been handed over, Xue Xiang's car wheel rubbed against her buttocks.

  Ps: Old Soldier: Refers to the first three years of the great calamity, with the children of cadres from various big institutes as the backbone, forming a group of young generals. After the young generals were disbanded, they lost their appeal on ZZ and began to mingle in the streets, calling themselves old soldiers, arch-enemies of commoner children. At this time, the term "old soldier" has faded away, and those who mingle in the streets, whether from big institutes or commoner families, all call themselves hooligans.

  The term "wan zhu" originated from the Eight Banners' young masters in the late Qing dynasty. They were skilled at flying hawks, walking dogs, biting hedgehogs, and playing with crickets. Although they did not engage in proper occupations, they were not uneducated or untalented. They were meticulous about their own obsessions and researched them deeply. This group of people called themselves "wan zhu" (play masters), which later extended to "wan zhu" (stubborn masters). The term was then passed down as a self-designation for this group of people who did not engage in proper occupations and mixed with the common folk.