"Ah Jing, is this your brother?"
Tangyuan saw someone shouting for Chang Jing to help, and upon closer inspection, realized it was some thugs collecting protection money. He wondered if he should get into a fight.
"No, I did not push my brother so hard that he bled and then framed him in front of my relatives and friends."
"Huh? So shameless? After what he did to you, how dare he ask you for help? So confident."
Liang Yi looked incredulously at Chang Jing, then at Chang Decheng, who was crying for help. His skin was so thick even a bullet couldn't penetrate it!
Scarface's two henchmen had both witnessed Chang Jing's fighting prowess before. Last time, when so many of them were beaten, they couldn't even touch the hem of Chang Jing's clothes. Now, seeing Chang Decheng cry for help, the two of them remained silent and observed.
As expected, Chang Jing had previously said he didn't get along with his cousin, so it seemed they wouldn't be getting beaten up today. Once they were sure Chang Jing wouldn't make a move, the thug swiftly slapped Chang Decheng several times across the face.
"You dare to complain? You want to scream for help? They might not even know you!"
"Chang Jing, you can't just stand by and watch me die, or I'll tell Grandma and Uncle when I get home that you had someone beat me up."
...Kid, you've got it all figured out. These people really were hired by him.
"Chang Decheng, today I'll teach you a lesson: those who follow the right path receive much help, while those who stray from it receive little. If you hadn't pushed me and caused me to bleed, if you hadn't framed me for stealing gifts and money, you wouldn't be getting beaten up and having nowhere to turn for help now."
After saying that, Chang Jing left with his two classmates without looking at them. Chang Decheng, who had not only failed to get help but was also ridiculed, was furious and cursed Chang Jing.
"What are you cursing for? Trying to attract more people? Looks like you haven't received enough education today."
Scarface's men breathed a sigh of relief when they saw that Chang Jing had really left. But then they heard Chang Decheng cursing in their ears. This wouldn't do. If they angered Chang Jing, they would get another beating.
Given the choice between being beaten and beating someone, the thugs decisively chose the latter. They would hit Chang Decheng for every curse he uttered, and only stopped when Chang Decheng was in so much pain that he no longer had the strength to speak.
Liang Yi led Chang Jing and Tang Yuan through the alley, where several second-hand mobile phone shops were hidden side by side.
"The second-hand mobile phones here are the most complete and newest in the whole county. I asked around for a week before someone told me the address."
Chang Jing surveyed the surroundings. It was secluded and remote, with two high schools nearby and close to the market. It was indeed a good place to sell stolen goods.
In the late 1990s, mobile phones began to become very popular. These phones, which cost several thousand yuan, attracted the attention of pickpockets. After stealing them, pickpockets could resell them for a thousand or a hundred yuan, which was much more profitable than stealing wallets.
"What if a secondhand item breaks? Is it under warranty?"
Tangyuan's father is wealthy and runs a jade business, so mobile phones are a necessity for him. From the old-fashioned brick phones to the current Nokia, he always insists on using the best mobile phones available.
Tangyuan told me that he bought his dad a rough stone that turned out to be a good investment, so he rewarded him with the latest Nokia phone.
Tangyuan took the phone to school and showed it off for a whole week, playing Snake every day, which made Liang Yi restless.
“Young master, my dad isn’t as generous as your dad. I bought the phone with my own money from my red envelope. Buying a second-hand one is a good deal. I heard that second-hand phones also have a three-month warranty.”
From a distance, it looks like a few small bungalows and shops, with a few young people sitting at the door. But once you go inside, you see a large glass display case in the shop, which is only a few square meters in size.
Although it's a small secondhand mobile phone shop, it's quite busy with customers, which shows how thriving the industry is.
"Boss, do you have the latest Nokia phone?"
"Yes, a Nokia 8130, 90% new, 2,300 yuan, with a three-month warranty."
"Boss, how about two thousand? Look, I'm still a student, and two thousand is all the money I have."
After some back-and-forth bargaining, Liang Yi bought the so-called latest Nokia for 2,100 yuan, and the shop owner even threw in a new SIM card.
As Tangyuan walked out of the store, he muttered to himself, "His new phone costs over four thousand yuan, while the price difference for a secondhand one is so huge. If I had known, I would have bought a secondhand one and saved two thousand yuan. How great would that have been!"
In the mid-1990s, the first generation of mobile phones, known as the "Big Brother," cost over ten thousand yuan, later skyrocketing to twenty thousand. Now, in 1998, mobile phones have developed significantly, with more brands to choose from and prices more affordable.
"Come on, Tangyuan, quickly take out your phone. Let's add each other's numbers so we can call each other if needed."
Seeing his silly classmates all having cell phones, Chang Jing wondered if he should buy one for his mom too! But he wasn't going to buy a used one; he'd rather get a brand new one!
Just then, a figure darted out from behind, snatched Tangyuan's phone, and ran forward without stopping.
Chang Jing was stunned, he really didn't expect the pickpocket to dare to snatch it directly, but he quickly reacted a few seconds later and flew out like an arrow.
"Damn it, my phone!"
Tangyuan cursed and chased after them, while Liang Yi, clutching her phone tightly, also ran after them, shouting "Stop thief!"
"Thief! Stealing my phone!"
The pickpocket was very fast; an ordinary person might not have been able to catch up. However, after several months of hard work, Chang Jing had developed his qi sense. With a burst of qi, his stride was as long as two steps for others, and he quickly caught up.
Chang Jing slapped the pickpocket's junior, first hearing the pickpocket scream "Ah!" and then "Thump!" the pickpocket was already lying face down on the ground.
This chapter is not finished yet. Please click on the next page to continue reading the exciting content!
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
