Chapter 46 Jinjiang's Exclusive Backer

The two gang leaders talked back and forth, and Su Ruyi understood what was going on.

This group of teenagers, who were considered cool by novels and movies, started their own gang. Although they took it seriously, it was actually just a hobby, much like how girls at this age like to form sisterhoods and families. They weren't a real gang.

This is a rebellious age. These people don't want to study hard and want to get involved in society. After forming a gang, they go to find other young people in the underworld, wanting to join them in the underworld.

You can imagine how cool it is to fight and kill, to become the boss, the coolest kid on the block, just like the gang leader in the novel, it sounds really exciting.

Reality is not like novels and movies, filled with bloodshed and cruelty; it is about oppressing the lower classes and exploiting the vulnerable.

The oldest in this group was only eighteen or nineteen years old, and the youngest was only thirteen or fourteen. Although they were prone to fighting, they felt that using their fists to gain the right to speak made them seem particularly manly.

But when they actually entered the adult world and saw the harsh reality, they backed down.

But once they've entered, retreating isn't so easy.

They were all a group of immature children, and they were immediately frightened.

Therefore, upon hearing that Su Ruyi had single-handedly defeated Brother Dao and his four most capable henchmen, they all came to seek Su Ruyi's protection.

Su Ruyi raised an eyebrow: "Aren't you worried that I'll lead you all astray too?"

"At least you won't go around harming young girls!" Li Datou, the leader of the Green Dragon Gang, said angrily.

He also has a younger sister, and he particularly can't stand this kind of thing; he finds it extremely vulgar and disgusting.

Fang the Bald, the leader of the Axe Gang, said, "We've investigated. You're a respectable businessman who doesn't do anything illegal or disorderly. Besides, your mother has even been received by a high-ranking official!"

"You all said it yourself, I'm just one person, no matter how strong I am, I can't fight against a group of people. If I become your backer, wouldn't I be asking for trouble?"

Su Ruyi wasn't blinded by the constant calls of "master." She just wanted to make a quick buck here and didn't want to cause any trouble.

If it weren't for that guy, Brother Dao, running into her line of fire, she wouldn't have taken the initiative to punish evil and promote good.

She has gained power that allows her to do many things she couldn't do before, but she is not a Super Saiyan.

“We won’t cause you any trouble; we can protect ourselves,” Li Datou said.

Baldy Fang: "We just want to join your ranks and work with you."

Old Li watched for a long time before finally understanding what was going on. He put away his stick and walked over to Su Ruyi.

Old Li said in a deep voice, "You're coming to my door like this, affecting Boss Su's business. Is this how you ask for help?"

"We didn't do it on purpose, we just wanted the master to see our sincerity."

The group of immature teenagers finally realized what was happening and were immediately at a loss.

Su Ruyi: "Everyone, disperse. I'm a legitimate businesswoman. I don't run any gangs or organizations, and I don't take on apprentices."

Li Datou and Fang Tuzi, these two sworn enemies, exchanged a glance, and then very tacitly dismissed their men, leaving themselves behind.

"Master, no, Mr. Su, we're here to help you!"

"Mr. Su, we've heard that your business is doing well, so we've come here to learn from you."

The two men were exceptionally attentive. When Su Ruyi opened the shop, one of them took the initiative to pick up a broom and help sweep the floor, while the other asked Old Li where there was water so he could boil water and make tea for Su Ruyi.

Su Ruyi couldn't get rid of them no matter what she tried. Seeing that they were quite perceptive and knew how to treat customers when they came to her door, she decided to leave them alone for the time being.

Old Li pulled her to a corner and whispered:

"They're all kids, it would be best if they could be managed, otherwise who knows what they'll become in the future."

These kids still have a conscience and know what they should and shouldn't do, but if they keep hanging around outside and associate with shady people, then who knows what will happen in the future.

Su Ruyi understood this as well. At this age, it was the time to be fierce and fight. Fighting and brawling were common, and people would fight one-on-one or in groups at the slightest disagreement.

But that doesn't mean they'll become hooligans and scoundrels in the future, but it's hard to say what will happen if they're left unchecked.

Especially since they've already said they've been targeted by real thugs.

If she didn't know, that would be one thing, but they came to her door and she still trusted her so much. Su Ruyi inexplicably felt a sense of responsibility.

That damn sense of justice.

However, she really didn't know how to deal with it on her own, as she had no experience in this area.

When in doubt, call for Mom.

Su Ruyi decided that she was going to find her strongest external helper.

To be honest, she hasn't spoken to Ms. Su Ying on the phone since she arrived here.

At first, she was a little confused about her own identity and didn't dare to face Ms. Su Ying in this life.

Later, they simply lost contact. Although their village had installed telephones, their conditions were poor, and the power would go out whenever it was windy or rainy, or even when the sun was too strong. When the power went out, the phone would also go unreachable.

Ms. Su Ying likes to travel around and will never stay in one place.

As a result, they could never get together.

Moreover, Ms. Su Ying is not the type to worry excessively; she is content as long as she knows that Su Ying is well and will not ask or worry about her in various ways.

Su Ruyi hadn't made a name for herself back then, so she wasn't in a hurry to contact anyone, always feeling insecure. Now she can call her mom!

Su Ruyi was still a little nervous when she called home.

Just when Su Ruyi thought she was going to be disappointed again and had to make an appointment, a familiar voice came from the other end of the phone.

"mom!"

Su Ruyi's tears fell inexplicably; she felt extremely wronged.

"Who bullied my Niu Niu!" A deep, powerful voice came from the other end of the microphone, making people feel especially safe.

"No, I just miss you."

A soft laugh came from the other end of the phone: "Niu Niu is still so sweet. I knew someone would be so bold as to bully my Niu Niu."

Su Ruyi originally wanted to act coquettishly, but upon hearing these words, she couldn't help but recount her great achievements.

"Mom, I've made a fortune!"

"Wow, my Niu Niu is amazing! I knew she could do anything."

The constant praise coming from the other end of the phone made Su Ruyi even more proud and happy, filled with a sense of accomplishment that she had never felt before.

"Looks like you're doing really well over there."

"But you're not here," Su Ruyi said dejectedly.

After a moment of silence on the other end of the phone, Su Yingcai slowly said, "Young eagles always leave the nest to soar when they want to grow up."

Su Ruyi understood what she meant. The night before she left home, Ms. Su Ying had a deep conversation with her.

The reason Su Ruyi was brought here was twofold: firstly, to check on her father's situation; and secondly, to allow her to leave Su Ying's protection and venture out on her own.

In Su Ying's words, you can live under my wing, but you also need to try to fly outside. Only in this way will you know what you really want.

As long as Su Ruyi stays in the local area, she subconsciously relies on others and never thinks about being independent.

Now that Su Ruyi has been out for so long and has gained memories of another life, she still often says things like "my mom is like this and that." It would only be more serious when she was in her hometown. She's definitely a mama's girl.

Su Ying hopes that Su Ruyi will find what she truly wants in her heart, so she needs to go out and see the world.

Everyone is an independent individual. Su Ying has her own things to do, and Su Ruyi also has her own life to live.

"Once things settle down here, I'll go see what my little girl's new world is like."

Su Ruyi's eyes lit up when she heard this.

"Really!"

"Are you welcome?"

"Of course! Mom, I'm going to buy you a big villa, and an SUV for you to race in!"

Su Ying laughed heartily on the other end of the phone: "My little girl is so ambitious and filial! Just like me."

Once Su Ruyi's desires were satisfied, she brought up the matter of that group of immature teenagers.

"They need to be properly managed; we can't let them harm society," Su Ying said seriously.

“A while ago, a group of people were arrested in the county next to ours. They were all kids this age, and they all became drug addicts. They didn’t know anything, they just hung out with people and didn’t even realize when they got involved. By the time they realized it, they were already addicted.”

When they ran out of money, they resorted to selling cigarettes to support their addiction, and even gave adulterated cigarettes to innocent people in order to "expand the market," causing extremely bad influence.

Su Ruyi was startled by these words; this was the thing she feared most.

She has seen similar cases around her; once you get hooked, you can't quit, and it ruins your life.

"Mom, I know what to do!"

“My Niu Niu is amazing. If you encounter something you can’t handle, just call me and I’ll come right away.”

With these words, Su Ruyi felt much more confident.

Su Ruyi lingered on the phone for a while before finally hanging up reluctantly.

She felt she should get a pager so that Ms. Su Ying could contact her anytime, otherwise they could never connect.

The mobile phone was too expensive, and Su Ruyi was reluctant to spend the money. These things were developing rapidly, and the price would drop in a few years. Or she could just get a regular mobile phone.

She also needs to apply for a landline phone. Although she will be leaving in the future, this is where she started her business, so it's not bad to leave a branch here.

When Grandma Sun returned at noon, Su Ruyi gave her extra money to buy groceries, including the lunch for the two uninvited workers.

It has to be said that with someone's help, Su Ruyi's life became much easier.

Now more and more people know about the storefront, some come to buy wholesale, and others come specifically to buy individual items.

Because her place is spacious and has plenty of hula hoops, you can come here to try them out.

Some clever people, who couldn't afford to buy so many hula hoops to compete, came over and tried using her hula hoops.

You can play with a hula hoop as long as you buy one, which is also cost-effective for those who want to participate in competitions, so there are quite a few customers.

Moreover, she has to answer the phone from time to time. The convenience store where she answers the phone is two or three hundred meters away. When she goes to answer the phone, she has to ask the neighbors nearby to help keep an eye on things.

Now that there are two boys guarding it, it's quite convenient.

However, Su Ruyi did not completely trust them, and the warehouse in the back was still locked.

When Li Datou and Fang Tuzi saw the lunch, their eyes almost popped out of their sockets.

This is such a feast! It's much more lavish than their family's Chinese New Year celebrations, with huge chunks of meat.

There was pork, beef, and chicken—all in huge quantities, a whole big bowl full.

The steamed buns were bought from outside, a whole basketful.

"This, this is a meal?" Li Datou asked incredulously.

Baldy Fang rolled his eyes at him: "How could that be?"

Su Ruyi calmly said, "It's just one meal, so hurry up and eat. You all did a good job today, so feel free to take whatever you want."

Both of them were shocked, but they weren't the type to be shy, otherwise they wouldn't have become the boss.

After exchanging a few polite words, they started eating. After only a couple of bites, they stopped hiding their food and began picking up pieces of meat.

It's not that they don't know what's good for them, but other families pick the meat from the vegetables, while they pick the vegetables from the meat. They just grab whatever they can and it's all meat. They pick it up with their chopsticks and then throw it back instead of throwing it away.

So the two of them quickly finished eating until their mouths were covered in oil.

It's been so long since I've felt this good!

"Boss, we'll all follow you from now on!" Li Datou said sincerely.

To say that he did it out of necessity was to find a powerful backer.

Now I'm truly in love; the benefits of following Su Ruyi are just too good.

Baldy Fang nodded quickly, "Boss, from now on you'll be closer to me than my own sister!"

Old Li and Grandma Sun both adored the two lively young men. Their greatest wish was for their grandson to be just like them—healthy, lively, and playful.

However, none of them interfered with Su Ruyi's decision. After finishing their meal, they quietly put away their chopsticks and left.

Xiao Bao's condition has stabilized a lot, and he will be able to leave the hospital and come back in a couple of days, but he will need surgery to be fully cured.

Old Li and Grandma Sun have recently saved a lot of money because of Su Ruyi. When Xiao Bao comes home, Grandma Sun will also go to sell hula hoops. They think that if they continue like this, it's not impossible to save enough money for the surgery.

Even if they can't raise enough money, they still need to sell the house. Having some savings means they won't be as embarrassed and passive as before.

"What are your names?" Su Ruyi only knew their nicknames.

Li Datou quickly introduced himself: "My name is Li Guangqian! My home is in the fifth alley, not far from here."

"My name is Fang Yongnian, and my family owns a match factory." Fang Yongnian was annoyed, wondering why he was always a step behind and Li Datou had beaten him to it again.

Who are the members of your family?

Li Guangqian fell silent. Fang Yongnian remained silent for a moment before saying:

"There are only three people in my family: my dad, my mom, and me."

Li Guangqian finally spoke up: "There are three people in my family too: my grandma, my sister, and me."

Su Ruyi raised an eyebrow; just hearing about the family structure, she knew there was a story behind it.

However, she didn't ask any further questions. It was the other person's privacy, and Li Guangqian clearly didn't want to say more, so she didn't press him.

How old are you?

Li Guangqian puffed out his chest and declared, "I'm eighteen!"

Su Ruyi looked at his still youthful face. She hadn't noticed before, but now she realized that he was just tall and probably not very old.

"You're eighteen? You graduated from high school?"

Li Guangqian shrank his neck: "I graduated from junior high school and am eighteen years old (by Chinese reckoning)."

Fang Yongnian: "Boss, he's lying to you. He hasn't even turned sixteen yet. I'm already seventeen and will be a junior in high school next semester."

"My household registration book says I'm already seventeen, two months older than you!"

"That's because your family added a year to your age; you're clearly a year younger than me!"

The two of them suddenly stood up and stared at each other.

Visually, Fang Yongnian was completely outmatched; he was half a head shorter than Li Guangqian.

"Alright, you're comparing heights with me now."

The two of them sat down again, looking rather timid.

Su Ruyi looked at Li Guangqian: "Aren't you going to continue your studies?"

"I'm not going to study anymore. My grades aren't good, and my family doesn't have any money."

Li Guangqian uttered the last sentence with great difficulty; for a boy of that age, it was something very difficult to say.

He would never admit it to others, only saying that he wasn't cut out for studying.

In fact, only he himself knew that even if he had good grades, he didn't have the money to continue his studies, and he was less regretful if he had to leave school with poor grades.

He is willing to speak now because he knows that only by being frank with Su Ruyi can he possibly gain her approval.

"I don't want to study anymore, but my mom won't let me," Fang Yongnian said, head down, tugging at his trouser leg.

"Are you planning to get involved in the underworld if you don't study?"

Fang Yongnian remained silent.

Su Ruyi looked at Fang Yongnian and asked him a probing question: "School starts in a few days, have you finished your summer homework?"

Fang Yongnian lowered his head even further.

"Hehe, you didn't write a single word, did you?"

"I... I wrote a little bit."

Su Ruyi sneered.

“Go back to your studies and behave yourself. You dare to hang around in front of me without finishing your homework. If anyone bullies you, come find me. I’ll take down anyone who tries to stop you from going to school.”

Fang Yongnian suddenly looked up: "Boss, you're willing to take me in!"

"What do you mean by taking on apprentices? I've already said I don't run gangs or take on apprentices. I just can't stand seeing people hindering others from making progress."

Fang Yongnian still smiled broadly, his eyes barely closing; such a promise was enough for him.

Su Ruyi couldn't stand it anymore and said, "Don't bring up Axe Gang or Green Dragon Gang again, they're so tacky."

"Let's go back and disband immediately!" the two said in unison.

Su Ruyi then looked at Li Guangqian: "What are your plans? To go to work or something?"

"Boss, what can I do with you?" Li Guangqian said hesitantly. "I can't find work in the county. My grandma is old and my sister is still young. I don't dare to go out to work. I'm afraid they will be bullied if I leave."

There are very few job opportunities in Liulin County, and there are hardly any private enterprises. Even privately owned shops usually employ their own relatives.

Li Guangqian was young, and no one in his family had any experience, so he had no idea what kind of work he should look for.

He formed the Axe Gang for two reasons. First, it was indeed because of his immature thinking; he had read too many novels and watched too many movies and thought that being a gang leader was very prestigious, which made him feel hot-blooded. Second, he also wanted to make money from it.

Anyone who is bullied can go to him and he'll go and fight for them.

He became the gang leader, accepting tributes from others while also protecting them.

After working for a while, he felt that the money was coming in too slowly, so he thought about joining those real gangs. Those people were all richer than the last, eating and drinking well every day, and he wanted to get a share of the pie.

He hadn't expected those people to be so ruthless. If he followed them, he might end up working as a sewing machine operator one day. He suddenly felt scared and wanted to leave.

“Hiring you is the same as hiring a child laborer?” Su Ruyi suddenly realized something.

He's not even sixteen yet!

I'm not sure if I should go to the pediatrics department at the hospital.

Upon hearing about the child labor, Li Guangqian looked as if he had eaten excrement, his face turning extremely ugly.

Fang Yongnian laughed heartily without any restraint, almost knocking himself over.

Li Guangqian blushed and said, "My ID card says I'm seventeen!"

The 1.8-meter-tall man shrunk to the size of a shrimp.

“He’s not an adult yet.” Su Ruyi clicked her tongue, and before Li Guang could flee in shame and indignation, she said, “We’ll see how you behave.”

Li Guangqian immediately perked up again: "Boss! I'll definitely do my best!"

Now it was Fang Yongnian's turn to stop laughing; he felt incredibly bitter inside.

"I'll come and help when I have time."

Su Ruyi glanced at him sideways: "If you really want to work with me, then go to university. I'm going to do big business in the future, and I need talented people."

If I get into university, will you accept me?

"Of course, I'm begging for highly qualified talent."

Even if Su Ruyi doesn't start a company or do big business in the future, and just becomes a landlady, she will still need someone to help manage things.

Having multiple properties makes managing them quite tiring.

Decades later, things would be better; a mobile phone could solve many problems. Now it's different; you still have to go out and do things yourself.

Moreover, if she continues like this, she might be able to rent out even more houses than before, which would mean she would have to take charge of various property-related matters.

Even if she doesn't need help, college graduates these days don't have trouble finding jobs, so she's not exactly a con artist.

"Okay, I'll give it my all!" Fang Yongnian clenched his fist.

The next morning, Li Guangqian was already waiting at the store entrance. When Old Li saw him, he asked him to come inside and wait, but he didn't go in. Instead, he borrowed Old Li's broom and started sweeping in front of the store.

No cleaners come in to clean this area, so the area in front of the door is quite dirty.

Fang Yongnian didn't come over, but he sent a henchman. Su Ruyi was familiar with this man; he was the model student.

The "model student" is named Gao Zongming. He looks clever and is different from the stereotypical good student. He is very active and curious about everything.

Although both Li Guangqian and Fang Yongnian were perceptive, they were also honest and helpful.

Gao Zongming, on the other hand, liked to ask all sorts of questions, such as why the wholesale prices varied so much, why the hula hoops were arranged the way they were, and where the Hongxing Plastics Factory was located.

However, he knew his limits. If Su Ruyi didn't want to answer, he would skip it and not keep asking.

"Have you finished your summer homework? You seem to have a lot of free time."

Gao Zongming laughed and said, "I never have to do homework. I can sleep on my desk in class as long as I always get first place."

Su Ruyi gave a thumbs up, "What a genius!"

Gao Zongming is not old, only fifteen years old this year, but he will be a senior in high school when school starts.

He came from a well-off family; both his parents were government officials, and his family worked for the local tax bureau. They lived in a detached villa.

In the entire Liulin County, the housing standards of the local tax bureau are top-notch.

"Why are you joining a gang?"

“It’s fun,” Gao Zongming said matter-of-factly.

Su Ruyi was speechless: "Someone like you should be sent to the village to farm. You're too idle."

"Farming in rural areas is too inefficient now. If only we could use machines like we do abroad. I've even thought about how cool it would be if remote-controlled airplanes could help spray pesticides."

Su Ruyi gave him a deep look. Wasn't this just a drone?

Decades later, drones will not only be cheaper and more efficient than manual spraying of pesticides, but will also be more even and economical.

"You could try to work in this direction and apply for a major like aircraft control."

Gao Zongming's eyes lit up: "You think this is feasible? I told people before, and they all said I was talking nonsense, trying to make something out of a toy."

"Anything is possible. Perhaps in the near future, we'll all have a mobile phone with a screen, so we can see the other person when we make a call."

Gao Zongming exclaimed, "You're even more daring than me!"

Su Ruyi snorted inwardly, "It's not that I dare to dream, it's that it will be a reality soon!"

Before anyone could even be surprised, it became widespread across the country, and everyone just accepted it.