They only took three minutes to agree on the plan.
The plan was simple, which was to have Wang Yunxiao and Lv'er pretend to be fooled, feign compliance and build a good relationship, so they would have the chance to meet the financial backer behind Lv'er. Once they could confirm the person's identity, the school would immediately call the police and arrest these ill-intentioned individuals.
The war had just ended, and the country was in need of major reconstruction, with a scarcity of labor force; it was guessed that even sewing machines in prisons were probably being overused (of course, this was just Wang Yunxiao's guess, as sewing machines weren't cheap at that time and not every household could afford one, it was more of a rhetorical metaphor).
However, to speak realistically, based on the information he collected in these days, the government's attitude toward social evils had always been very tough.
Principal Zhou was firm in his words, and even more so with his connections. As long as he made the phone call, the police station wouldn't dare to neglect their duties, so there was no need to worry about a scenario like in the movies, where police show up at the very end to "clean up the mess."
But after confirming the plan, Wang Yunxiao was lectured by Principal Zhou, spittle flying, for a full hour.
As for his capability, Principal Zhou was not too worried.
Anyone who could be called "Big Brother", no matter at what level, couldn't be said to be without skill.
What he was mainly worried about was Wang Yunxiao getting on the wrong path.
As the old saying goes, it's hard to learn the good but easy to slip into the bad.
This was especially true for gangs like Wang Yunxiao's, which had already mixed with society for a while before being caught and sent back to school to study.
In the eyes of other schools and teachers, they might have already been considered beyond redemption.
An ordinary teacher's monthly wage was only thirty to forty yuan, so why bother fretting over those dealing drugs?
Back at the dormitory, Wang Yunxiao called Youbing and Guozi together to start planning.
Speaking of these two's nicknames, to outsiders, they may not seem different. At breakfast, one could hear locals saying, "Master, give me two sticks of Guozi and a bowl of soy milk!" and then sit down with Youtiao.
But in reality, they are not the same thing.
Guozi refers specifically to pastries that haven't been fried and isn't limited to breakfast stalls; the mung bean cakes, osmanthus cakes, and pea yellow found in snack shops are also called Guozi, which is why in the locality they are also termed "Guozi shops."
The locals are particular about their breakfast, they insist on watching the chef take fresh dough and fry it on the spot, turning out golden-brown, crispy, and delicious Youtiao.
To put it simply, it's like the relationship between potatoes and fries.
Guozi got his nickname not only because he was thin but also because his real name was Zheng Nanguo, which was a pun.
His grandfather was considered a renowned and honorable man in Tianmen City, possessing excellent martial arts skills, having fought life and death matches, and battled the enemy, his imposing presence alone could keep thirty to fifty men at bay. His father's generation switched to business and no longer engaged in conflicts.
On the other hand, Guozi had enjoyed practicing martial arts since he was young and learned the expansive and forceful Tongbei Fist from his grandfather.
However, apart from having the financial means, the most important aspect of practicing martial arts is perseverance. One must train during the coldest of winter days and the hottest of summer days. However, these past two years of destitution had probably led to the neglect of his family's martial arts legacy.
There was certainly no good outcome if he were to compete on the stage, but if it were just a street fight, he had more than enough ability to handle it.
Don't be fooled by his skinny frame, resembling a stick; when he swings those fists, the average person really can't hold up against them. If it weren't for his impulsive nature and not so clever mind, it wouldn't be Wang Yunxiao's turn to be the boss of this little gang.
After listening to Wang Yunxiao's explanation, Guozi blinked and asked bluntly, "Boss, you just tell me how we're going to take him down?"
It didn't matter who they were going up against; he just wanted to know the time and place.
Wang Yunxiao quickly waved his hand and said, "Don't get excited. Here's what I'm thinking. You bring Loach with you, and come with me to see exactly what they're up to. Youtiao will lead Matuan, Youbing, and the rest to back us up. When the time comes, you follow my lead, and Youtiao will adapt to the situation on the spot depending on what happens."
The main reason for bringing Guozi and not Youtiao was because Guozi could really fight. If the other side dared to get tough, he could show his skills to take control of the scene.
As for Loach, as the saying goes, there are no wrong nicknames, only wrong names. This kid was as slippery as his nickname suggested, with ancestors who ran a large carriage shop—that is, the kind you'd find in a transport hub. Always greeting people with a grin, his mouth was sweet as honey, making him likable.
Youtiao was smart but not good at talking. He usually carried an air of scholarly aloofness and harshness. If it weren't for Wang Yunxiao's protection, he would have been beaten to death by now. That's why Wang Yunxiao had him stay behind this time.
If everything went smoothly, fine. If some chaos broke out halfway through, it was only Youtiao who could decide whether to rush over with the guys to rescue someone or to run back and call the police.
After the discussion was settled and arrangements were made, the night passed without incident.
The next day at noon, Wang Yunxiao brought Loach and Guozi out to look for Lv'er.
Lv'er didn't dare hang around the school gate; that Wolf Fang Club in the security room was no joke. When Wang Yunxiao found him, he was hiding in a nearby alley, sneakily peeking around with a sleazy look on his face.
"Yo! Isn't that Brother Guozi!"
When Lv'er saw Guozi following Wang Yunxiao, his eyes lit up, and he rushed to greet them with a smiling face and a clasped fist bow.
Street loafers might not know much, but if you asked them who was good at fighting, they were sure to have a clear idea—borne out of hard-earned lessons from being beaten up.
Who could be provoked and who couldn't be—if a loafer didn't grasp these basic life skills, they would have long since been wiped out.
Although Wang Yunxiao was the leader of their small gang, Guozi had a bigger reputation in the loafer circle because he was good at fighting and ruthlessly vicious.
Having been robbed of five taels of silver and having waited in vain for a whole night, Lv'er was resentful but didn't dare to show it. He still had to speak softly, inviting Wang Yunxiao and the others into a courtyard in the small alley.
It was a fairly spacious courtyard, almost fifty square meters, tidy and clean, not looking like a common household's. The east wing backed onto the riverbank and there was a small side gate.
Lv'er whispered mysteriously, "Brother Yuanxiao, guess whose house this is?"
Wang Yunxiao couldn't care less about entertaining him. Whose house is it in relation to me? I don't know any of them anyway.
Seeing that Wang Yunxiao had no reaction, Lv'er's expression grew even more sleazy. He pointed at the locked main house and whispered, "Let me tell you, this is Old Blind Meng's extramarital residence; he set up his young wife here back in the day. You see that side gate? The goods Old Blind Meng used to transport were hidden in this courtyard. They would row across the river quietly, unload the goods, and move them out without a sound... Damn, he really hid it well, no wonder he made so much money!"
If it's hidden so deeply, then how did you manage to find it?
Wang Yunxiao kept a straight face on the surface, but inwardly he laughed coldly.