novelonline Chapter 1505 How to Start a Business in the Underworld
Chapter 1505 How to Start a Business in the Underworld
Chapter 1505 How to Start a Business in the Underworld
At the prison gate, the autumn wind rustled the fallen leaves. The towering, iron-gray walls, topped with barbed wire, exuded an oppressive aura. Inside the guard post, uniformed prison guards stood ramrod straight, their eyes scanning the surroundings warily.
Cui Guomin paced back and forth at the prison gate, his leather shoes making a rapid "clack-clack" sound on the cement ground. He would occasionally look up at the tightly closed iron gate, his brow furrowed and his face filled with anxiety.
"Stop spinning! If you keep spinning like this, I'm getting dizzy." Qin Hao reached out and grabbed Cui Guomin's arm.
Choi Kookmin stopped in his tracks, scratched his hair, and his once neat hairstyle became a mess: "Why have you been in there for so long? It's been more than half an hour!"
Qin Hao glanced at his watch.
"Don't worry, there are strict standards for visiting hours. Even if Erpang wants to stay longer, the prison guards will still send him out."
Choi Kookmin sighed, looking at the towering iron gate of the prison with a complicated expression.
Although Erpang is nominally his nephew, in reality, he practically raised Erpang from birth. Erpang's father, Huo Dongfeng, was imprisoned during a crackdown when Erpang was less than a month old. His mother, Cui Xiaohong, who is also his older sister, soon left for Japan alone because she couldn't bear the gossip.
Erpang lived with his maternal grandparents since he was a child, but his uncle, Cui Guomin, took on most of the responsibilities of a father.
"Don't worry, Erpang is smart and knows what to say," Qin Hao comforted him. "Besides, that's his own father; he wouldn't harm him."
Cui Guomin nodded, but the worry in his eyes didn't lessen. He took another drag of his cigarette and suddenly asked, "Ji Qiang, do you think there's any hope for Guo Dapao's case...? What if we can't find that master, or..."
"It's all up to us," Qin Hao interrupted him. "Thinking about it now is useless. Let's wait until Erpang comes out and see what Huo Dongfeng has to say."
Just then, the small iron gate of the prison creaked open.
Erpang walked out, head down, shoulders shrugging. A prison guard said something behind him and then closed the door.
"Erpang!" Cui Guomin walked over quickly.
Qin Hao followed.
Erpang looked up, his little face streaked with tears, his eyes red and swollen, his face a mess of snot and tears. When he saw Cui Guomin, he burst into even louder sobs.
"What's wrong, Erpang? Did someone bully you?" Cui Guomin hugged his nephew tenderly and patted his back. "Don't be afraid. Tell your uncle who bullied you. Your uncle will go and settle the score with them!"
Erpang shook his head while wiping away tears, sobbing as he said, "No...no one bullied me..."
"Why are you crying if no one is bullying you?" Cui Guomin breathed a sigh of relief, but was still puzzled.
Erpang was sobbing uncontrollably, and it took him a long time to finally manage to say a complete sentence: "My dad... my dad said he'll be out in half a month... I can... I can see him every day..."
Cui Guomin was stunned for a moment before he understood. It turned out that Erpang was crying tears of joy. This child had no parents since he was a child, and although he had the love of his maternal grandparents and uncle, there was always a piece missing in his heart.
"Alright, alright, stop crying." Cui Guomin's eyes were also a little red. He rubbed Erpang's head and said, "This is a good thing, why are you crying? When your dad comes out, we'll all have a good family reunion."
Erpang nodded vigorously, tears still streaming down his face.
After Erpang calmed down a bit, Qin Hao pulled him to sit down on a stone bench and took out a handkerchief from his pocket, handing it to him: "Wipe your face."
Erpang took the handkerchief, wiped his face, and then wiped his nose, making the handkerchief immediately wet.
"Did you tell your dad about the things we asked you to ask?" Qin Hao asked.
Erpang nodded, his voice still trembling with tears: "I told... I told my dad about Uncle Guo's matter."
"My dad said you should go directly to Ermei and just say... just say you're his brother." Erpang recalled his father's words: "But my dad also said that he hasn't seen Ermei for many years and doesn't know if Ermei still recognizes him as his older brother. He said... when he went to jail, Ermei was just a small-time hoodlum, but now he's doing quite well and is a big shot. Once a person becomes successful, their heart might change. He told you to be careful and not to have too high hopes."
Upon hearing this, Cui Guomin frowned, a look of hesitation on his face. Er Mei was a big shot in the underworld, and although he was said to be loyal, her background was still special. Cui Guomin had received a traditional education and didn't want to get involved with such people.
Qin Hao noticed Cui Guomin's hesitation and patted him on the shoulder: "If you feel it's difficult, let's leave now. Let's pretend we never came today, and we'll think of another way to deal with Guo Dapao's matter."
Cui Guomin looked up at Qin Hao. He recalled Guo Xiaoxue's tear-streaked face, Guo Dapao's bedridden father, and Guo Dapao's usual honest and simple nature.
With gritted teeth, Cui Guomin said, "Save them! We must save them! Let's go find Ermei!"
"What's the rush?" Qin Hao stopped him. "Let's take Erpang home first. Are you comfortable letting him go home alone?"
Cui Guomin slapped his forehead: "Look at my brain!" He quickly pulled Erpang onto the back of his bicycle: "Come on, Erpang, let's go home first."
Erpang sat in the back seat, tightly hugging Cui Guomin's waist. The autumn wind blew in their face, a little chilly, but their heart was warm. Dad was coming out, and their uncle was beside them; everything was getting better.
When they dropped Erpang off at Grandpa Cui's house, the old man was pruning grapevines in the yard. Seeing them return, he put down the shears and came over.
"How is it?" the old man asked.
Choi Kookmin explained the situation, including his plan to go find Er Mei.
After listening, Old Master Cui remained silent for a few seconds. He looked up at his son, his eyes filled with complex emotions. Throughout his life, the old man had lived an honest and upright life, and he despised anything dishonest or shady. But now, to save lives, he couldn't care less about such things.
"Be careful." The old man only said one last thing: "Don't get yourself involved. If it really comes to a head... come back, and we'll think of another way."
"Understood, Dad." Cui Guomin nodded.
As Cui Guomin pushed his bicycle out of the yard, a question suddenly occurred to him. He turned to Qin Hao and asked, "Where are we going to find Er Mei?"
Qin Hao knew he couldn't count on this guy, so he thought for a moment and said, "Come on, follow me!"
"Where to?" Cui Guomin asked.
"You will know when you go."
……
Half an hour later, Cui Guomin covered his nose, his brows furrowed: "Weren't we looking for Ermei? Why are we at the fish market?"
Before me lay the largest aquatic product wholesale market in the west of the city. Although it was afternoon, the market was still bustling. Tricycles came and went, fishmongers called out their wares, and the air was thick with the pungent smell of fish and blood. The ground was wet, covered with fish scales and entrails, making it sticky to walk on.
Qin Hao kept walking, his eyes scanning the market as if searching for something.
"Let me ask you, how do people like Ermei, who are involved in the underworld, usually make their fortunes?"
Choi Kookmin thought for a moment, then said uncertainly, "Collecting protection money? Lending money at exorbitant interest rates? Or... running a casino?"
Qin Hao shook his head: "What you're describing as small-scale operations is fine, but if you continue doing this once it reaches a certain scale, you'll be heading to jail. Those who can truly establish themselves in the underworld and do well definitely have legitimate businesses as a cover."
Cui Guomin was stunned for a moment, then realized: "You mean... Ermei started her business in the fish market?"
“It’s not just the fish market,” Qin Hao said as they walked. “There are also sand pits, beer wholesale, and building materials markets—these are all businesses with particularly high transaction volumes. Once a market is monopolized, the profits are enormous. Moreover, these industries appear to be legitimate businesses on the surface, and can be disguised as normal market competition, making them less likely to be targeted.”
He paused, then added, "If I were to get involved in the underworld, I would definitely start with these industries. First, I would seize territory through violence, then monopolize the market, and then slowly launder the money and make the business legitimate. That's the way to go in the long run."
Cui Guomin clicked his tongue and muttered under his breath, "That's why they say scholars shouldn't do bad things. With your brain, if you really went into the underworld, you might be even more vicious than Ermei, and you could still extricate yourself completely."
Qin Hao smiled but didn't reply. His gaze was fixed on a group of burly men smoking together deep inside the market. The men were wearing leather jackets or denim jackets, with dragon and tiger tattoos on their bodies and gold chains around their necks; they were clearly not ordinary fishmongers.
They're the ones.
Qin Hao strode over, and Cui Guomin hesitated for a moment before following him.
Several burly men looked up when they saw someone approaching, their eyes filled with wariness and hostility. The leader, a bald man with a scar on his face, stood with his arms crossed and stared at Qin Hao and Cui Guomin: "What are you looking at?"
Qin Hao didn't waste any words and went straight to the point: "Do you know Er Mei?"
The group exchanged glances. The bald man at the head sized Qin Hao up and down, his tone unfriendly: "So what if we know each other? So what if we don't?"
"If you know him, pass on a message for me. If you don't, just pretend we were never here," Qin Hao said calmly, his gaze fixed on the bald man without flinching.
The bald man at the head of the group frowned upon hearing this. He'd seen all sorts of people over the years. Of the two before him, one looked refined and scholarly; the other, though somewhat nervous, didn't seem to be there to cause trouble, nor did he appear to be seeking refuge.
"Brother, what's your name?" the bald man asked.
“Ji Qiang,” Qin Hao said.
Choi Kookmin quickly added, "Choi Kookmin."
The bald man turned to his henchman and asked, "Have you heard of these two people?"
"I do not know."
"never heard of that."
"The surname Ji... I don't remember him."
The bald man looked Qin Hao up and down suspiciously: "What do you want with Ermei?"
"You don't need to know that," Qin Hao said.
These words immediately angered several thugs. A young man with dyed yellow hair stepped forward, pointing at Qin Hao: "Kid, who do you think you are! Can't you talk back?"
Another chimed in, "Looking for death, huh? Do you know whose territory this is?"
Qin Hao ignored the thugs and continued speaking to the bald man, "This is a matter of life and death. Brother, if you know Er Mei, could you help me contact her? Just give me her phone number. Consider it a favor I owe you."
The bald man looked at Qin Hao, a hint of hesitation flashing in his eyes. Logically, one shouldn't bother with someone of unknown origin. But the other man said it was a matter of "life and death," and although his attitude was direct, it was neither servile nor arrogant, not seeming like he was lying.
He hesitated for a moment, then winked at one of his underlings. The underling immediately pulled a black briefcase from behind his back.
The bald man pulled a black, brick-sized mobile phone from his briefcase, its antenna sticking out long. It was a Motorola 8900, commonly known as the "brick," costing over 20,000 yuan—more than a few years' wages for an average worker. Anyone who could afford this was definitely not an ordinary person.
The bald man dialed a number and pressed the mobile phone to his ear.
"Hey, Second Brother, someone's looking for you. They say their name is Ji Qiang. Do you know him?" the bald man said into the phone.
A lazy male voice came from the other end of the phone: "Ji Qiang? I don't remember him."
Just as the bald man was about to hang up the phone, Qin Hao immediately shouted, "Huo Dongfeng sent me to find you!"
There was a half-second silence on the other end of the phone, then the languid voice suddenly turned serious: "Give him the phone!"
Upon hearing the change in Er Mei's voice, the bald man was startled and, not daring to be negligent, quickly handed the mobile phone to Qin Hao.
Qin Hao answered the phone, and the person on the other end immediately asked, "What is your relationship with Huo Dongfeng?"
"I have nothing to do with him; it's his brother-in-law's business," Qin Hao said.
"Brother-in-law? You mean Cui Xiaohong's younger brother?" Ermei paused on the other end of the phone, as if recalling something.
“Yes, that’s him,” Qin Hao said.
"What do you want?" Ermei's voice softened a bit.
Qin Hao then recounted Guo Dapao's story in detail.
“Saving a life is better than building a seven-story pagoda. Guo Dapao has elderly parents and young children to support. His father is paralyzed in bed, and his daughter is still in elementary school. If he goes to jail, his whole family will suffer. If you save him, it's like saving three lives.”
There was a silence of about ten seconds on the other end of the phone. You could hear the sound of a lighter being lit, followed by the sound of smoking.
“Okay.” Ermei finally spoke, her voice decisive: “Leave this to me. As long as he’s still within our city limits, I’ll definitely find him for you! A blind fortune teller, bald, big nose, small eyes… those features are obvious enough, he’ll be easy to find.”
"Thanks." Qin Hao breathed a sigh of relief.
"Hey, I've spent half my life fighting and killing, I should at least do something good, right?" Ermei chuckled on the other end of the phone. "How do I contact you once we find them?"
“There’s a cake shop across from Dingqinglou, which is my business. I spend most of my time there,” Qin Hao said.
"A cake shop?" Ermei's voice carried a hint of surprise: "Okay, I'll remember that. Give the phone to Da Ge, I'll say a few words to him."
Qin Hao returned the cell phone to the bald man. The bald man took the phone and repeatedly agreed, "Yes, yes... I understand, I'll arrange it right away!"
After hanging up the phone, the bald man's gaze towards Qin Hao completely changed. He nodded to Qin Hao, then immediately called over a few thugs beside him.
"Listen up, all of you!" The bald man's voice was stern. "Second Brother said everyone put down what they're doing and go find a blind fortune teller! He's bald, has a big nose, small eyes, and is probably in his thirties. Find him by any means necessary! Second Brother will reward whoever finds him handsomely!"
The thugs' eyes lit up when they heard that.
"Just you wait and see, bro! Finding someone is a piece of cake!"
"Alright, bro! I'm an expert at finding people. I know these places like train stations, bus stations, and under overpasses like the back of my hand!"
"I know a few fortune tellers who run stalls, I'll go ask them!"
In an instant, several thugs rubbed their hands together, eager to try their luck.
Choi Kookmin watched in stunned silence. He hadn't expected that a single phone call from Er Mei could mobilize so many people. This kind of energy was beyond his imagination.
Qin Hao nodded to the bald man: "Thank you for your help."
"Of course, we must do what Second Brother asked us to do." The bald man said politely, "I will go to the cake shop to inform you as soon as I have any news."
"it is good."
Qin Hao turned and left, and Cui Guomin quickly followed.
Leaving the fish market and stepping onto the street, Choi Kookmin was still in shock: "That's...that's all it took?"
Qin Hao shook his head: "Why do you think Er Mei is willing to help? It's because of Huo Dongfeng's influence. Huo Dongfeng was known for his loyalty and kindness to his brothers back in the day. Er Mei's success today must have been due to Huo Dongfeng's help. Now that Huo Dongfeng is about to be released, Er Mei is repaying that favor and paving the way for the future."
Cui Guomin nodded as if he understood, then asked, "So what do we do now?"
"Wait," Qin Hao said.
"Wait?" Choi Kookmin blinked. "No, you really trust that Er Mei that much?"
"What else can we do?" Qin Hao stopped and looked at Cui Guomin. "Are we going to search for a needle in a haystack with just a few of us? Do you know how many blind fortune tellers there are in the city? Do you know where they might be hiding? Ermei has a lot of people under her command, a wide network of connections, and people in both the legal and illegal worlds. Her efficiency in finding people is more than ten times that of us."
He patted Cui Guomin on the shoulder, his tone softening: "We've done everything we can. Now, it's up to Guo Dapao's fate."
Choi Kookmin was still unwilling to give up. He felt he couldn't just wait around like this.
After leaving Qin Hao, he went out into the street alone and asked everyone he met, "Do you know where I can find a fortune teller? Bald, with a big nose and small eyes."
I ran from the south of the city to the north, from the east to the west; my legs were practically giving out. I asked dozens of people, and the answers were all over the place:
"Blind fortune tellers? There are a few under the overpass, but they don't seem to be bald."
"Big nose, small eyes? Never seen that before."
"There are plenty of fortune tellers, but it's hard to find one as specific as this."
"I think I saw one near the train station a few days ago, but I don't know if she's still there now."
He had been running around all afternoon without success. Cui Guomin was exhausted and hungry, his legs felt like lead. He looked at the sky; it was almost dark, so he had no choice but to head home.
He went in for a look when he passed by Qin Hao's cake shop. Only the young girl, Xiao Li, was there, tidying up the shelves.
"Xiao Li, where's your boss?" Cui Guomin asked.
"The boss went out this afternoon, saying he's going to perform at some bar tonight and asked me to watch the shop." Xiao Li said, "Uncle Guomin, do you need to see the boss? Or should I pass on a message for you?"
"No need," Cui Guomin waved his hand.
……
Meanwhile, Qin Hao arrived at Nightfall Bar at 7:40 PM. He was ten minutes late.
"Sorry I had something to do today, so I'm late," Qin Hao said to Yang Xiaoyun, who was waiting at the door.
Yang Xiaoyun was wearing a black dress with a white blazer over it, her hair styled in a bun, looking very capable. When she saw Qin Hao, she visibly relaxed: "It's alright, there's still plenty of time. The guests have just started arriving."
"Then I'll go backstage to prepare," Qin Hao said.
"I'll take you there." Yang Xiaoyun turned around, her high heels making a crisp sound on the polished marble floor.
The Nightfall Bar is luxuriously decorated. Upon entering, you're in a large hall with dozens of tables and a circular stage in the center, surrounded by lighting equipment. Opposite the stage is the bar, behind which are various kinds of drinks. The second floor has private rooms, and through the glass, you can see that some are already occupied.
The backstage area was a small room to the side of the stage, containing a dressing table, coat racks, and a sound system. Qin Hao handed his backing track to the sound engineer.
"Ms. Yang, everything is ready." After the sound engineer finished adjusting the equipment, he gave Yang Xiaoyun an OK sign.
Yang Xiaoyun nodded and said to Qin Hao, "Mr. Ji, please take a rest first. The show will start promptly at eight o'clock."
"it is good."
Qin Hao sat down at the vanity and looked at himself in the mirror. He was wearing a white shirt with a black vest over it, and his hair was neatly combed, making him look clean and sharp.
At 7:55, the bar was already packed. Yang Xiaoyun's advertising had indeed paid off, attracting quite a few customers. Some came because of her "Karaoke Champion" title, some were friends invited by Yang Xiaoyun, and others were regulars at the bar.
At eight o'clock sharp, the lights dimmed, and a spotlight shone on the center of the stage. Qin Hao walked onto the stage and took the microphone.
"Welcome everyone to Nightfall Bar. I hope you all have a wonderful evening." His voice, clear and magnetic, resonated throughout the bar through the speakers.
A round of applause and whistles erupted from the audience.
"I'll dedicate a song called 'Go with the Flow' to everyone!" Qin Hao nodded to the sound engineer.
The intro began, "Go with the Flow" by Deric Wan. Qin Hao closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and then spoke:
"The deeper the love, the more genuine the laughter, in the end, everything fades away as fate dictates, nothing can be held onto..."
His deep, emotional voice perfectly conveyed the helplessness and resignation in the song. The changing lights on his face made his profile appear exceptionally profound in the interplay of light and shadow.
Yang Xiaoyun sat at the bar, a glass of red wine in her hand, her eyes fixed on Qin Hao on stage. She had seen many singers, professional and amateur, but few were like Qin Hao. When he sang, he was completely immersed in the music; his focus and dedication were incredibly infectious.
"Looking up blankly at the heavens, who is hiding behind me? All that I dreamt of has been forgotten..."
When the music ended, there was no reaction from the audience.
At first, Yang Xiaoyun thought that these customers didn't know how to appreciate or didn't like this style of song.
However, after about ten seconds, thunderous applause suddenly erupted!
"it is good!"
"One more song!"
"You sang so well!"
Two stylishly dressed women excitedly called over a waiter: "Send us two flower baskets for this guy on stage!"
The waiter quickly brought over two flower baskets—baskets made of colored paper filled with plastic flowers, each costing one hundred yuan. The flower baskets were placed beside the stage, and soon, they surrounded Qin Hao.
Yang Xiaoyun breathed a sigh of relief, a smile spreading across her face. It seemed her judgment was correct; Qin Hao was indeed capable.
Next, Qin Hao sang "Wild Wolf Disco." When that catchy intro started, the entire bar erupted in cheers!
"The flower in my heart, I want to take you home, to that late-night bar, where I don't care if it's real or fake..."
The guests in the audience all stood up, swaying and clapping to the rhythm. The two older women were especially excited and almost jumped onto the stage, but thankfully a waiter stopped them.
The number of flower baskets surged from single digits to double digits, and the area around the stage was piled high.
"Miss Yang, this Ji Qiang is really something!" The bar manager leaned close to Yang Xiaoyun and said with a smile, "Your money was well spent. Look at the atmosphere tonight, it's so much better than usual. We've made quite a bit of money just from the flower baskets."
Yang Xiaoyun looked at Qin Hao, who was shining brightly on the stage, and nodded, but felt a strange unease in her heart. Especially when she saw the way those older women looked at Qin Hao—the kind of look that seemed to want to devour him—it made her very uncomfortable.
She couldn't quite describe the feeling. Was it the fear of others coveting her "reputation"? Or something else entirely?
……
The performance ended at 1 a.m. Qin Hao returned backstage, his forehead covered in sweat. Singing for over two hours straight was exhausting, but also incredibly rewarding.
Yang Xiaoyun pushed open the door and came in, holding a thick red envelope. She gave Qin Hao a thumbs up: "Mr. Ji, today's performance was absolutely fantastic! I've been running a bar for so long, and I've never seen such a lively atmosphere."
Qin Hao smiled, took the towel and wiped his sweat: "Praise should be based on something tangible."
Yang Xiaoyun covered her mouth and chuckled, handing over the red envelope in her hand: "I've already prepared it for you. Here's three hundred yuan for the performance fee, and the other eight hundred is for the flower basket split—there are sixteen flower baskets tonight, and we'll split them in half, so you get eight hundred."
Qin Hao took the red envelope, squeezed it, and found it to be quite thick.
"Then I won't stand on ceremony."
He put the red envelope away and prepared to change his clothes and leave.
Yang Xiaoyun hesitated for a moment before saying, "You must be tired after performing for so long, right? Let's grab some late-night snacks together, it's on me. I know a wonton stall nearby that's really good."
Qin Hao glanced at his watch and shook his head: "It's getting late, I'll go back to sleep first. I have to get up early to make cakes tomorrow. There's only one young girl working at the shop, I'm worried about leaving her there, so I need to go there early."
A flicker of disappointment crossed Yang Xiaoyun's eyes, but she quickly masked it. She smiled and said, "Then...see you the day after tomorrow?"
"Yes, I'll be there on time the day after tomorrow," Qin Hao said.
“Okay, I’ll wait for you,” Yang Xiaoyun said.
……
The next morning, Qin Hao was woken up early by urgent knocking on the door. Since opening the cake shop, he had moved out of Grandpa Cui's house and rented a room in a private house. The house was small, with only one bedroom and a small kitchen, costing ten yuan a month, but it was enough for him alone.
He rubbed his sleepy eyes, opened the door, and saw that it was Cui Guomin.
"Aren't you afraid of getting fired for not going to work so early?" Qin Hao yawned, turned around and went into the house to start getting dressed.
"You can fire me, but not anyone else!" Cui Guomin followed into the room, his tone urgent. "With all those old, outdated machines in our factory, who else but me can operate them?"
As he spoke, he asked anxiously, "Any news from Ermei? I didn't sleep well all night; every time I closed my eyes, all I could see was Guo Dapao in prison, his face covered in blood. Do you think he might be being bullied in there?"
While washing up, Qin Hao said, "How would I know? I haven't even been to the cake shop yet. I performed until 1 a.m. yesterday and didn't get back until 2 a.m. I only slept for a few hours."
After a quick wash, Qin Hao and Cui Guomin went to the cake shop. Just as they reached the street corner, they saw a young man who looked like a thug loitering outside the shop. The man was in his early twenties, wearing a floral shirt and bell-bottoms, with curly hair, a cigarette dangling from his lips, and looking around suspiciously.
Qin Hao's heart skipped a beat, and he quickly walked over.
The man looked Qin Hao and Cui Guomin up and down, his gaze settling on Qin Hao: "You're Ji Qiang?"
"Hmm, have you found the person?" Qin Hao asked.
The thug spat out his cigarette butt, stomped it out, then pulled a slip of paper from his pocket and handed it to Qin Hao: "Big Brother sent me. We've found the person. Here's the address."