Chronicle of the 70s
Chapter 177 - 173 Hei Se Hui monthly ticket additional - 870

Chapter 177: 173 Hei Se Hui monthly ticket additional Chapter 870

On the seventh day of the new year, except for Grandpa Li who stayed at home, Li Xianglu and the Qin brothers all went to the train station to see off Li Jianqing. He had one more suitcase and a big bag than when he arrived, all prepared by Li Xianglu—some for a few people in the Li Family Village, some for Li Jianqing, and some food for him to eat on the road.

Farewells are heartbreaking. As soon as she saw people boarding the train, Li Xianglu’s eyes turned red, and she pouted sadly, about to cry. Seeing this, Qin Xi quickly pulled her into his arms, soothing her: "Don’t cry. Jianqing has been performing well; he might even be able to test into the capital next year. Then you can see him every day if you want."

With tearful eyes, Li Xianglu sniffed and asked, "Really?"

Qin Xi hurriedly nodded: "Of course it’s true!"

Li Xianglu expressed belief but confusingly asked: "Why don’t you call my third brother ’Third Brother’? We’re married now, and you still call him Jianqing."

Qin Xi wiped his forehead even though there was no sweat, sighed, and said: "I’ll change it later." His wife was in grief now; he’d better agree first.

Seeing him agree so readily, Li Xianglu hummed in acknowledgment: "I’ll remember this."

Right after they sent off Jianqing, Qin Zhen walked towards the exit, shaking his head. Because he turned around too sharply, he bumped into someone who had just come in, resulting in both of them hurtling backward. Qin Zhen exclaimed in pain as he fell on his buttocks and immediately cursed: "You bastard! How dare you bump into your lord!"

The other person was a punk too, wearing bell-bottom pants with long hair, but his cool and handsome look was marred by the big, hairy mole on his round face. Upon hearing Qin Zhen’s words, he immediately scrambled up, ready to slap him.

Qin Xi quickly pushed him away and looked over coldly: "What are you trying to do?"

Seeing Qin Xi’s height and imposing manner, the man with the big mole hesitated.

In the meantime, Qin Zhen got up from the ground; how dare someone hit him? He immediately aimed a kick.

With a big push from Qin Xi and a cold snort, he said: "What, itching for a fight?"

Hearing his brother’s cold snort, Qin Zhen felt a shiver and shrank back toward where Li Xianglu was, then bared his teeth at the man with the mole.

Seeing Qin Xi block both of them, the other person felt somewhat relieved, bowed his fists in a gangster-like gesture, and said: "I didn’t know which path you were on."

Qin Xi casually brushed off the gesture as if deflecting the courtesy: "Brother, don’t be so formal. I don’t mix in those circles. I just know some friends from there. Conflicts are bound to happen when you are out and about. My little brother is just brash, don’t mind it."

The man with the mole felt even happier, a smile spreading across his face: "I’m Lao Ba, I hang around near the train station. If you need anything, just call me. You’re a good guy; look scholarly but reasonable, not one to cover up mistakes. I like that!"

Qin Xi smiled in response, waved, pulled his younger brother aside, and the three of them left.

Once out of the train station, Qin Zhen murmured: "Bro, why didn’t you let me hit that mole guy? He dared to think of hitting me!"

Qin Xi knocked on his brother’s head in annoyance: "You still want to fight? That guy is a local snake at the train station. He could call a hundred or so people with just a whistle. Could you fight them all by yourself?"

Qin Zhen, with eyes as wide as a bull’s in disbelief, said: "That guy can call a hundred people?"

Qin Xi sighed, earnestly explaining to his brother: "That Lao Ba has got a master. His master used to be a branch leader of a major gang in the late Qing Dynasty. It’s not as simple as you think. Among them are university students."

What! Qin Zhen was even more incredulous. Gangsters going to university? Mixing in the underworld and still studying, that was a joke—why bother with university if you could get by with underworld dealings? Wasn’t this what Chou Xiang once said about being ’an educated hoodlum’? So, does the underworld also need talents?

Qin Zhen felt the world had become fantastically complex, beyond his understanding.

The three of them had come by bus, which clattered along and soon arrived. After getting off, they had a walk before returning home. Qin Zhen said he was meeting a classmate and ran off, leaving Li Xianglu and Qin Xi to go back alone.

Back home, after greeting Grandpa Li, they huddled in the kitchen. The steamed buns prepared before the New Year’s had all been eaten; they needed to steam more.

As the dough was ready, Qin Xi skillfully kneaded it. Li Xianglu curiously asked, "Was what you said to Qin Zhen at the train station true?"

Qin Xi raised his eyebrows: "Which part?"

Li Xianglu, slightly annoyed, slapped his arm and said: "About gangsters going to university."

Qin Xi kneaded the dough a few times, set it down on the table to let it rest, wiped his hands, and found a stool to sit down: "Sit down, let’s talk about this."

Pulling her close, Qin Xi held Li Xianglu’s hand and said: "Actually, many people think that after the founding of the country, all the underworld was wiped out. Not really. Many large gangs are hidden within the city with another regular identity, while some smaller ones, collecting protection fees, just cause minor disturbances. Above them, there are even bigger leaders."

Li Xianglu nodded: "But why would gangsters go to university nowadays?"

Qin Xi chuckled and gently tapped Li Xianglu’s nose: "What’s so strange about that? Nowadays, which field doesn’t require educated people? Within the underworld, some visionary people can foresee the country’s development trends. In preparation for the future, they need to place their own people in various industries."

Ah, Li Xianglu opened her mouth slightly, feeling like it was similar to the "Infernal Affairs" she saw in the past. So such things really do happen.

Qin Xi continued: "The country will also notice this matter. Hence, for special industries like the police force, political background checks are needed. Military enrollment even more so requires scrutiny of three generations back. So, it’s not as terrifying as you think. Qin Zhen is impetuous, so I intentionally exaggerate to keep him cautious."

Li Xianglu nodded but felt that Qin Xi seemed to be hiding much. However, the country is in control, what’s there for her to worry about?

Qin Zhen didn’t return until the afternoon, excitedly saying that he and some friends were going ice skating the next day and asking Li Xianglu and Qin Xi if they would join. Qin Xi wasn’t too keen on going, but seeing Li Xianglu looking eager, he agreed.

The next morning, after breakfast, the three of them set off. The ice rink was at an old gymnasium, long unused, so the gymnasium opened it up for people to use while someone was on duty. A bit of money was charged as maintenance fees.

The cost was ten cents per person for three hours. Each had a numbered tag, and when the time was up, an announcement would be made over the loudspeaker. If you paid more, you could continue skating.