Ma Dali explained: "Ma Weiba is not very old, only about 30 years old. But he has been hanging around the dock since he was in his teens, and is considered a well-known boss there."
Chen Xingling asked curiously, "Are you familiar with him? Are you someone you can talk to?"
"Of course." Ma Dali smiled naively and whispered, "We are from the same village. We meet each other every now and then. We are not very close, but we all know each other. His family is relatively young, so he has to call me 'Uncle'. He is very disciplined. Although he is older than me, he will call me 'Uncle Dali' whenever he meets someone. I used to go to the dock often. Although I didn't work with him, he would nod and say hello whenever he met someone."
After hearing this, Chen Xingling secretly felt relieved.
"People who follow the rules... that's good, that's good!"
I'm afraid that my mother-in-law will run into a vicious gang that doesn't follow the rules, does things recklessly, and does whatever it takes for money. People who follow the rules are bound by the folk customs of their fellow villagers and won't do anything reckless.
"He's a loan shark?" Gu Yi couldn't help but ask, "Isn't anyone trying to catch him?"
Ma Dali shook his head: "The docks have their own rules. As long as it doesn't get out of hand, they generally won't intervene, and they can't intervene. Ma Weiba is too bold. In addition to legitimate business, he also runs some small gambling houses. However, he is very loyal and a very righteous person. He has a good influence in several docks, and he has dozens of younger brothers working for him."
Chen Xingling winked at Gu Yi, signaling him not to talk nonsense.
"Great gift, why don't you take us over to meet this ponytail and see if you can be so kind as to release my mother-in-law first."
Ma Dali answered without hesitation: "I will take you there, no problem. But... it's just that the two hundred thousand interest is not so easy to get rid of. The most I can do is to ask for mercy and ask him to give me some face and ask for less."
Chen Xingling smiled bitterly: "The less the better. If there is nothing left, there is nothing we can do."
Gu Qi said in a gentle voice: "Great gift, I can only trouble you."
Ma Dali said generously: "Don't worry, your business is my business, I will definitely do my best. I will definitely find a way to persuade him to release Bo Li first, so that she won't worry and be scared, and let him give you more time to raise money."
Chen Xingling stood up quickly and said, "Okay, let's go."
"Wait." Ma Dali hurriedly stopped them and whispered, "We can't go like this... I don't know if the grocery store outside is still open? I have to buy a few packs of cigarettes first, and then ask my uncle for help."
Gu Qi nodded and said, "Just now on the road, I saw a small grocery store that was still open. You guys sit down first, I'll go buy a few boxes and bring them back right away."
Ma Dali reminded him, “Buy the Meiyi brand! At least three boxes!”
Gu Qi answered yes, got on his bike and set off in a hurry.
Chen Xingling asked curiously, "Your uncle knows ponytails, right? It's a little late now. I wonder if it would be inconvenient to trouble the old man now?"
"No." Ma Dali explained, "Uncle Hai is older than me, but he is only ten years older than me. He and Ma Weiba grew up together, and they have a very close relationship. It's perfect to ask him to help. He opened a small noodle shop at the dock, and usually dock workers come in and out to eat noodles there. When Ma Weiba's group is not working, they will stay in the noodle shop to play mahjong."
Chen Xingling understood and said, "So, let's go directly to the noodle shop first."
"Yeah." Ma Dali looked at Gu Yi and lowered his voice: "There are all kinds of people at the dock. There are several factions. It's not good to offend any of them. You are from the north and have not been here for long. You probably don't understand the atmosphere of the dock here. We will be there in a while. Try to watch more, listen more and talk less."
Gu Yi became even more worried after hearing this, and couldn't help asking, "If we go there rashly like this, will we get into trouble too?"
"No." Ma Dali comforted him, "You may be wrong. They are not extravagant and evil people. They are just a group of men who work together at the dock."
Gu Yi was still very skeptical and looked at Chen Xingling anxiously.
"sister in law……"
Chen Xingling made a shushing gesture and whispered, "Ayi, you have to sing the right kind of play. When we go to the dock, we have to follow the dock rules. Don't be afraid, and don't talk nonsense."
Gu Yi has always trusted his elder brother and his wife. After hearing what she said, even though he was hesitant and nervous, he still nodded obediently.
After a while, Gu Qi came back after buying cigarettes.
Four people and two bicycles quickly went to the pier.
The pier is wide, with gusts of cold sea breeze blowing, and occasional tinkling and banging sounds coming from the dark.
The noodle shop had closed long ago, the door was shut, the windows were half open, and a bright light could be vaguely seen inside.
It was cold and deserted outside, with only the howling of the cold wind, but the house was bustling with noise and shouting, which was deafening.
Ma Dali asked them to wait outside, then he ran to the window and climbed in.
After a while, the door of the noodle shop opened a crack, and Ma Dali walked out with a short and fat man in his thirties.
The man had two packs of cigarettes between his ears and another in his mouth. He squinted his eyes and puffed calmly.
"The weather is really bad tonight, and Maweiba didn't come. Dali has already told me about your matter, and I've kept it in mind. Okay, you all go back first."
Gu Qi and Gu Yi were a little overwhelmed.
Chen Xingling stepped forward quickly and took the initiative to say with a smile: "Hello, hello! I am a good friend of Dali. Uncle Hai, right? Hello, hello! I'll leave the matter of my mother-in-law to you!"
Uncle Hai glanced at Chen Xingling and asked, "A local accent? Where are you from?"
Ma Dali on the side hurriedly introduced: "She is my good student and also my best friend. Uncle Hai, the ones behind are her lover and brother-in-law."
"I'm from Huiqiao Fishing Village in the south of the city." Chen Xingling said with a smile, "My family are all traditional fishermen. We have been fishing in the waves for generations."
When Uncle Hai heard that he was from Udi, his expression eased a little.
"I've already said what's wrong with your mother-in-law. Don't worry, I'll be home tomorrow morning. As for the money, I can at most give you a few more days."
Chen Xingling smiled bitterly: "Uncle Hai, a few taels are not a small amount of money. We are all ordinary workers. If we can squeeze out, we will definitely use the money to redeem the person now... It's not a matter of time."
Uncle Hai exhaled smoke and made two clicks of the tongue.
"Well, it's only natural to pay back debts, isn't it? If you can ask for a favor and build friendship, and not pay back the money, how can you brothers live? I'm a big honor to be your guarantor and let the old woman go back first. You guys, don't push your luck. If it weren't for the gift, I wouldn't bother to get involved in such a matter."
Ma Dali smiled awkwardly, leaned forward and whispered a few words in a low voice.
Uncle Hai glanced at him and said, "More than two hundred yuan in interest is not accumulated in a day or two. It's already said that it's usury, and the interest is compounded. Since I borrowed it, I have to pay it back. If you just bring the money now, maybe I can help to plead for you. I've already given you a few more days, what else do you want?"
Ma Dali lowered his voice and said a few more words.
Uncle Hai shook his head again and again: "Don't do it, kid! You only ask for a dollar a piece! We work at the docks for a month and don't even make ten cents! You used to work every day, you should know how it feels to be weighed down by a few cents!"
Ma Dali stopped talking awkwardly.
Chen Xingling was not afraid and walked forward.
"Uncle Hai, please don't be angry. The gift is for my mother-in-law and for us. He told us that you and Brother Ponytail are close friends. You are a very righteous and loyal person. You braved the cold wind in the middle of the night to bring us to you for help. Uncle Hai, we also know that debts should be repaid, and we must never default on them. My mother-in-law disappeared suddenly, and it was cold and rainy outside. We were very worried. We went out separately and borrowed all the money we could, but my wife is from another place and doesn't know many locals. We borrowed from more than a dozen places and only got a few yuan... It was really not easy."
Uncle Hai narrowed his eyes and raised his thick eyebrows.
"How many years? How many years have you had?"
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