Chapter 86: Something’s Up

"What's with all the talking? Are you buying or not? If not, I'll find someone else," one of the ticket scalpers said impatiently.

Xu Fei thought for a moment. If he didn't get a ticket from this man, it might be three or four days before he could leave, and even then, there was no guarantee. These scalpers were ruthless; if he waited a few days and came back, they'd probably have bought up all the later tickets as well. It was a vicious cycle.

"Enough, brother. If you really don't want it, you won't find another chance like this," the other scalper chimed in. The two of them sounded like a well-rehearsed double act, ready to deceive anyone lacking self-control.

Xu Fei glanced at the more aggressive one. "Of course I'll buy it, but..."

"But what?"

"Cheaper. Look at the time—it's almost departure. If you don't sell it, the ticket is wasted, isn't it?"

Xu Fei actually dared to haggle, which left the two scalpers momentarily speechless.

"You don't see many like you," the one playing the 'good cop' said, smiling. "All right, you're a first for me too. I'll give you a little discount, but don't go telling others."

Xu Fei understood their rules. If someone on the same train bought from them and found out they paid more, they'd come looking for trouble. After all, these scalpers made their living here.

Xu Fei nodded. "Don't worry, I won't say a word."

A train ticket that should have cost three yuan ended up costing Xu Fei five. He paid, took the ticket, and headed home. The train would leave at five in the afternoon; he had less than six hours. He needed to prepare, and he still had to find Zhang Mingyang.

The walk home was uneventful.

When Xu Fei reached his door, he heard a woman's shrill scolding from inside.

"You little tramp, tell me, how exactly did you seduce my man?"

He didn't need to look; the voice was all too familiar. It was Guo Suhua, who had come by that morning—why was she here again?

He pushed open the gate. Guo Suhua stood in the yard with two men. The door to the house was shut tightly. Du Man sat on the bed inside, sulking.

What a mess.

When Guo Suhua saw someone enter, she turned and shot him a glare. "So it's you, you useless good-for-nothing!"

"Who is he, sis?" one of the men asked.

"He's the man of that little tramp inside," Guo Suhua replied.

"Oh, it's him." The two men beside Guo Suhua immediately looked at Xu Fei with open contempt.

Xu Fei sized them up. One resembled Guo Suhua and had just called her 'sister'—probably her brother. The other had a sly, shifty look, the sort no one would trust.

"Suhua, stop talking to her. Let's break down the door and go in," the shifty man said, pointing at the house.

"You dare?" Xu Fei was genuinely angry now. He could help Chen Da keep up the lie, but that didn't mean his own family had to suffer humiliation.

"What did you say?" Guo Suhua sneered.

"Jianguo, break it down!"

This woman was truly mad. Her brother, Jianguo, picked up a brick and smashed it against the glass in the door.

Crash! The glass shattered.

"Ah! Xu Fei!" Du Man screamed from inside, her eyes full of anger and grievance. Xu Fei's heart ached—what had they done to deserve this disaster?

"What do you think you're doing?" Xu Fei strode forward and grabbed Guo Jianguo by the collar, then swung a fist.

Smack!

"How dare you—" Guo Jianguo cried out in pain, staggering and landing squarely on Xu Fei's night bucket. Xu Fei hadn't had time to empty it last night; it was still half full of urine. Jianguo fell right into it, getting it all over himself, hands and all.

"What the hell is this smell?" Guo Jianguo sniffed and cursed, "Damn, it's piss!"

Hearing this, Guo Suhua grimaced. "Deng Yu, aren't you going to do something? Go on!"

Seeing her brother humiliated, she urged the other man on.

Deng Yu nodded, raised his fist, and aimed it at Xu Fei's face. Xu Fei merely glanced at him. The man was short—standing before Xu Fei, who was over six feet tall, he looked like a monkey.

Xu Fei lashed out with his foot, kicking Deng Yu in the gut. Deng Yu stumbled back several steps and crashed into the wall.

"Ow!" he groaned, clutching his stomach, unable to straighten up.

"Guo Suhua, what is the meaning of this? Didn't we agree you'd take this up with your own man? Why come to my house causing trouble?" Xu Fei demanded, pointing at her.

"Xu Fei, your wife seduced my man. Why shouldn't I come here?" Guo Suhua retorted, standing her ground and shouting back.

"Sis, why bother talking?" Guo Jianguo, climbing out of the puddle, pulled a switchblade from his back pocket. With a flick, the blade snapped open, gleaming in the light. He waved it threateningly at Xu Fei, who took a few steps back.

Just then—

"Xu Fei, watch out!" Du Man shouted from inside.

Xu Fei sensed movement behind him. He didn't have time to look; instinctively, he swung his fist backward. But he was a moment too slow. Before he could complete the motion, Deng Yu had grabbed him around the waist from behind, spinning him halfway around.

"Jianguo!" Deng Yu yelled, still holding Xu Fei.

Guo Jianguo, face twisted, charged with the knife. "I'll kill you, damn it!" he shouted, stabbing wildly at Xu Fei's stomach.

Xu Fei saw it coming. He couldn't dodge—Deng Yu held him too tightly. So he stomped hard on Deng Yu's foot. Deng Yu screamed, loosening his grip. Xu Fei seized the moment, twisted violently, and threw Deng Yu forward.

Thunk!

"Ah, damn it!" Deng Yu shuddered violently, then let out a pig-like squeal, clutching his backside as he collapsed to the ground, howling in pain.

Xu Fei looked back. Guo Jianguo's knife had stabbed Deng Yu.

He let out a cold laugh. "Serves you right!"

Guo Jianguo was stunned.

"Deng, are you all right?" Guo Suhua shrieked, rushing to Deng Yu's side as if she were tending to her husband, wiping the sweat from his brow.

Xu Fei frowned. The way Guo Suhua hovered over Deng Yu, so intimate, was suspicious.

Something was definitely going on here.