"That's right, I was wondering what kind of background you had to be so good at cards. Quick, did you cheat during that last turtle-draw?" Sonia put on a deliberately stern face. I scratched my head in embarrassment, neither confirming nor denying.
If I denied cheating during the turtle-draw now, no one would believe me. So, I let the misunderstanding continue. It didn't harm me in any way, and looking at Charles and the others, their respect for me grew even stronger!
As we enjoyed the lively atmosphere, a black sedan pulled up near the barbecue stall. Several tough-looking individuals stepped out, cigarettes dangling from their lips, surveying the area.
Silence fell around them as they got out of the car. Just looking at them, it was clear they weren't friendly. Tattoos adorned their bodies, and they had a certain swagger in their gait. I focused on my skewers and beer, avoiding their gaze, lest I invite trouble.
My uncle used to say that in the lower echelons of society, there were people who roamed the streets with nothing better to do than to pick fights. Some did it to boost their courage, some to make a quick buck.
What surprised me was that the group of tough individuals headed straight toward us. They were fixated on Shirley's group.
"Eating, huh? You pretty ladies are quite attractive. You kids can leave now," one of them said as he grabbed Charles. Bill immediately stood up and moved aside, obviously frightened. But Charles didn't budge.
"We just got here..." Charles began, only to receive a slap across the face. Another guy grabbed his head, but he didn't dare to retaliate.
"Get lost, quick!" someone cursed. Charles reluctantly stood up, but he didn't say anything more.
In the past, I would have discreetly stepped aside, but not now. Their target was Shirley's group, and I had just been bragging about my connection with Dirk. If I backed down now, I'd be losing face.
Adrian stood up with a smile, offering the tough guys a pack of soft cigarettes. "Gentlemen, care for a smoke? We'll leave after we finish our meal."
The tough guys were momentarily taken aback by the soft cigarettes in his hand. Their eyes not only lit up with interest but also greed. I thought to myself, this isn't good; trouble is about to escalate.
My uncle used to say that being low-key and not flaunting wealth was important. Anytime you flaunt your wealth, you attract attention, especially in this day and age where money-obsessed people abound. They're capable of anything!
I once had a classmate whose family owned a fruit business. He went to an internet café, flashed $1000 in front of everyone while getting a temporary card. The result? He was ambushed outside the café at night. scoundrel not only took his money but beat him so badly that he ended up in the hospital for a week...
"Didn't expect you young fellas to have some guts. Are you all from the same school?"
"Yeah, so what? If we're not?" Monica remained calm, and Shirley quickly reached for her hand, looking somewhat fearful.
It would be a lie to say that we weren't afraid in this situation. I was sweating profusely, but Monica and the others didn't stand up. As a guy, I'd be the first to stand up, even if it meant enduring the situation.
But Monica didn't seem scared at all. She calmly looked at the tough guys, and I couldn't help but feel a bit nervous for her. Regardless of whatever connections she had, stirring up trouble now would surely lead to losses!
Several of them immediately sized up Monica. One of them, rubbing his hands together with a smirk, said, "Little lady, you've got quite the temper. Do you even know who I am?"
"I'm not interested in knowing, nor do I want to know. He's Dirk's little brother," Monica pointed casually, sending shivers down my spine. However, I did my best to maintain a composed demeanor.
The group of tough guys immediately fixed their gaze on me. I gave a faint smile as a greeting. Truth be told, I didn't avoid standing up because I didn't want to; my legs had simply turned to jelly!
"Dirk from the Flying Dragon Casino?"
"That's right. I wonder who the big shots here are..."
Before I could finish, they burst into laughter, and their expressions turned fierce. I stood there somewhat bewildered.
What were they laughing about? Was being Dirk's brother such a funny thing? Did they know I was making up stories while riding on Dirk's name?
At that moment, my anxiety increased. I feared they would uncover my fabricated tale. If anyone found out that I was pretending to have a connection with Dirk, things wouldn't end well. Even my uncle wouldn't spare me.
The tough guys stared at me, tears of laughter streaming down their faces. I couldn't hold my expression anymore, genuinely puzzled by their intentions and growing increasingly nervous.
"Did you hear that? Even the Dirk idiot is recruiting young underlings now. Impressive, damn impressive, hahaha!"
"I wonder what Boss Duane will think when he finds out. That Dirk deadbeat who owes money everywhere has actually turned out like this. Damn, hahaha!"
Hearing this, my heart sank. I suddenly thought of the name "Duane." I hadn't expected them to be Duane's people!
In an instant, my heart was in my throat. Although I didn't know Duane, I knew he had a feud with Dirk. During the fight in front of the casino last time, he had been shouting about owed debts and splashing paint...
I couldn't sit still any longer. Carefully, I asked, "Could it be that you guys are Duane's people? Oh, no, are you Boss Duane's people?"
"Exactly. How the hell do you know? Do you know our boss?" The guy in front tilted his head and looked at me, his gaze still fixated on Shirley and her group.
My heart grew cold! Since doing radio calisthenics in elementary school, the first thing we learned was to "line up." If you lined up in the wrong place, the consequences were clear...
Cold sweat dripped down my forehead, and I didn't know what to say. If I claimed to know Duane, they could easily verify with a phone call. If I pretended to be someone I wasn't, I'd face even worse consequences. What should I do now? My scoundrel of an uncle was never reliable...
But I couldn't just leave the girls and slink away. I couldn't do that. Men were meant to protect women, no matter the situation. If I backed down, I'd never be able to hold my head up in front of a woman again.
"I don't know him. I've just heard of Boss Duane's name before." I answered truthfully, watching as Adrian and Charles were dragged aside and searched. Their cigarettes were taken away.
We were just enjoying drinks and skewers earlier, and now we were being treated like this. We were even being openly harassed in front of the girls. I felt angry, but I couldn't vent my frustration. I remained where I was.
My uncle had said that we needed to have dignity. Taking a beating was one thing, but taking a beating to protect women wasn't a shameful act.
If these thugs dared to touch Shirley and the others, I would strike immediately. Whether I could win or not, I had to fight. Even if I ended up looking like a pig's head, I'd accept it. I'd always been stubborn.
Next to me, Monica seemed to realize something. She casually dialed a number and made a call, speaking briefly before hanging up. It seemed like she was calling someone, but she didn't mention trouble or anything.
Charles and the others were being searched by a skinny guy. They found about $100 on them. The skinny guy walked over to me, grabbed my shoulder, and made me stand up. He whistled at Monica and headed toward her.
I struggled to free myself and said in a difficult tone, " boss. I really don't have any money on me..."