Seeing the three cars drive out of sight, Yang Jian went downstairs and let Dan Wei in.
With the boss present, Old Ma and his son felt a bit constrained and quickly fetched him a stool and poured him tea.
Seeing the three of them squeezed into such a small space, Dan Wei didn't show any disdain. When he and his wife first started their business here, they also lived in such cramped quarters. It was only after their business grew in recent years that they bought a house and a car.
"Uncle Wei, why are you here so late?"
Yang Jian feigned ignorance, not mentioning the three cars from earlier.
"Little Yang, it was Master Fo who wanted to see you just now, but after he saw you appear at the window, he changed his mind. I don't know what's going on, did something happen between you two?"
Dan Wei was a businessman. The news of Cheng Guang being beaten and what happened in Liuqiao Village that afternoon had not yet reached his ears.
Yang Jian pretended to be surprised: "Master Fo was looking for me? What misunderstanding could I possibly have with him?"
"Then what were you doing this morning? Master Fo specifically asked about your whereabouts earlier."
"Uncle Wei, to tell you the truth, this morning on our way to work, we were surrounded and intercepted by six cars. Fortunately, Xiao Ma is a good rider, and we managed to escape."
Dan Wei was greatly surprised: "Who did you offend to warrant such a large operation against you?"
"I suspect it was Ah Liang, because I haven't offended anyone else here."
"That's possible. You gave him quite a fall that night, not only injuring him but also embarrassing him. It's normal for him to hold a grudge. But Master Fo personally promised me that he wouldn't make a move against you; in fact, he hoped you would work with him. So why is he looking for you tonight?"
"I don't know either. After being attacked this morning, we didn't dare to go to your place to work, but we didn't leave either. We stayed around the trading company, observing. Only after confirming that no one went to the company looking for us did we go in to meet you and start work. After work, we didn't dare to go out and just stayed home watching TV."
Yang Jian didn't dare to tell him about the attack on Cheng Guang. Firstly, he didn't want to involve this businessman in the dispute, and secondly, he didn't fully trust him, as he was quite close to Master Fo.
"Ah, it's good that there's no misunderstanding. I'll talk to Master Fo again tomorrow and ask him to keep Ah Liang in check. That was a minor incident that day; there's no need to dwell on it."
Dan Wei liked Yang Jian a lot. The young man was very diligent in his work, never made mistakes with deliveries, and never missed deadlines. This afternoon at the trading company, he also observed the situation and acted accordingly without slacking off. If nothing major happened, he didn't want to replace Yang Jian.
There was nothing else to discuss, so Dan Wei finished his tea and left.
Ma Yuan, however, was a bit nervous. He observed from the window for a while before returning to bed.
"Brother Yang, you think Master Fo came looking for you because he suspected you about what happened this morning?"
"It's possible. I've seen the young man who was with Cheng Guang this morning. He was one of the participants in the attack on you and your father that day, but he managed to escape. Today, he was with Cheng Guang but didn't attack me, so he must suspect me."
"What should we do? Being targeted by Master Fo is not a good thing. He's the boss of the entire Yu Nan Gang, and his power is not comparable to Cheng Guang's. Brother Yang, why don't we move? It's not difficult to find work in the towns and villages along the Dongjiang River."
Ma Yuan had spent a long time with Yuan Hai and others, so he was naturally aware of Master Fo's reputation. No matter how skilled Yang Jian was, he couldn't possibly fight Master Fo. Moving away from this area was the best option.
Yang Jian smiled and said, "Didn't you say this place will be the territory of the Xi Chuan Gang from now on? What are you afraid of?"
"Brother Yang, even if this is the Xi Chuan Gang's territory, it doesn't mean Master Fo's influence can't come here to bother us. Territory is just an abstract concept. It only means that some of the illicit and highly profitable industries in this location will be taken over or monopolized by the Xi Chuan Gang, but it doesn't prevent people from the Yu Nan Gang from operating in this area."
"You're right. This place is a mix of all sorts of people. No one has a label on them. But don't worry, we'll continue to go to work tomorrow and make plans based on the situation. Even if we have to leave, we should at least get our wages first. Otherwise, where will we get the money to rent a place elsewhere?"
"Okay, I'll listen to you, Brother Yang. Wherever you go in the future, I'll follow. Don't leave me behind."
Ma Yuan now regarded Yang Jian as an idol, not only admiring his combat prowess but also being impressed by his bold and decisive personality.
The scene at the entrance of Wanke Lai that morning had deeply shaken him. In that situation, daring to launch an attack single-handedly was something no one he knew possessed the nerve and courage to do. Even Yuan Zhicheng, a formidable figure in the Xi Chuan Gang, wouldn't dare to act like that.
Therefore, he vaguely felt that this Brother Yang was no ordinary person and would eventually become a prominent figure. Following him would also lead to a better future.
Little did Yang Jian know his thoughts. He smiled and said, "What future is there in following me? It's just changing places to work. After the New Year, you should learn a trade, or raise some capital to open your barbecue stall. By then, I'll be working for you."
Ma Yuan quickly waved his hands: "No, no, no, Brother Yang. As soon as I open my stall, I'll definitely want you to be involved. You'll be the boss."
"Alright, let's earn more money now and open the barbecue stall as soon as possible. We'll both be bosses."
Yang Jian didn't take his words too seriously. Master Fo's actions today had given him a strong sense of crisis, and he needed to be even more careful in the days to come.
The next morning, Yang Jian and Ma Yuan rode their motorcycles to work as usual. There were no incidents along the way, indicating that the actions taken yesterday afternoon had been effective.
Upon arriving at the trading company, there was nothing unusual. The two loaded goods, ate lunch, and then made deliveries, all proceeding smoothly as before.
At noon, after finishing their deliveries, the two returned to the trading company. Just as they were about to have lunch, a series of car brakes screeched. Over a dozen cars and vans completely blocked the entrance to the trading company.
This terrified the boss and workers inside the trading company. They had never seen such a large display of force before.
Dan Wei, trying to remain calm, walked to the entrance to see what was happening. At that moment, a large group of young men, numbering forty to fifty, emerged from the cars, completely surrounding the three large entrances of the trading company.
"Brother Yang, these people must be here for us. What should we do?"
Ma Yuan's legs trembled with fear. With so many people, Yang Jian couldn't possibly break through, no matter how skilled he was. Today, they might have to lay down their lives here.
Yang Jian also felt the pressure. This was the biggest crisis he had faced since entering the martial world, but he remained calm. If he couldn't break through, he would take a hostage. He was already a wanted man, so he didn't mind escalating the situation further.
Another car arrived. Master Fo and Ah Chao stepped out.
Dan Wei tried to step forward to greet them but was stopped.
The young men quickly cleared a path, and Master Fo, with his corpulent body, walked unhurriedly into the trading company. His face remained smiling, much like the Maitreya Buddha seen on television.