Chapter 7425
An Unexpected Encounter with an Old Acquaintance
There was a moment of silence on the other end of the phone, then Liu Jianming's voice carried a hint of doubt: "Mr. Xiao, I've never heard of this name before. Should I use all my connections to investigate? Even underground channels, I'll dig up some clues for you."
"Keep an eye on it. Report any relevant clues, no matter how trivial, to me immediately." Xiao Chen's tone was calm, yet it conveyed an undeniable sense of importance.
"clear."
After hanging up, Xiao Chen dialed Zhuang Yuan's number again. Zhuang Yuan had previously worked in a special department, and his connections and information network far surpassed that of ordinary people; perhaps he could gain something from him. But the reply on the other end of the phone was still disappointing.
"Imperial Biopharmaceuticals? I don't recall it. I'll ask a few old friends still in the system, but don't get your hopes up too high... A name I've never even heard of is either a front or has an incredibly high level of secrecy."
Zhuang Yuan's voice was tinged with helplessness.
Even the line about Zhuang Yuan is completely untraceable.
Xiao Chen stubbed out the last cigarette, his brows furrowing even more deeply.
Li Changcun appeared flustered, clearly indicating an emergency, making it highly unlikely he was lying. Could this Imperial Biopharmaceutical Company truly be so secretive?
He stopped worrying about it and got up to leave the park.
He had only taken a few steps when he suddenly stopped.
Out of the corner of his eye, he caught a glimpse of a familiar yet unfamiliar figure under the bridge not far away, causing his pupils to shrink slightly.
It was a middle-aged man struggling to drag a huge, bulging woven bag off an old tricycle.
The man's movements were somewhat awkward; he dared not exert full force with his left leg, and his knee was noticeably stiff as he dragged it, with fine beads of sweat appearing on his forehead.
He dragged the woven bag to a relatively dry corner under the bridge, unzipped it, and deftly placed the small items inside, such as screen protectors, charging cables, and phone cases, onto the spread-out plastic sheet.
It was just dawn, and many early-morning commuters were already hurrying past under the bridge... This is a transfer station for multiple bus lines and has always been a gathering place for street vendors.
Not long after, two young men squatted down and pointed at the phone case, asking about the price.
Xiao Chen stopped in his tracks, simply because he recognized the man who was setting up the stall.
Li Daguo was a native of the ancient city. Back when he was still the God of War, he had once helped this man out, enabling him to successfully obtain a small business license.
He was a typical down-to-earth person, with a loud voice, a love for chatting, and a warm personality. The two had met a few times before, but they weren't close friends. Xiao Chen never revealed his identity as the God of War, only pretending to be a neighbor living nearby.
Back then, Li Daguo was agile and his business was thriving; he always had a kind smile on his face. But now, not only is he lame, but he also has to make a living by setting up a breakfast stall under a bridge, his situation has deteriorated to such a state.
Wasn't he always setting up his stall near the university town? How did he end up under the bridge in this remote park? And that leg... it's clearly not right.
Xiao Chen suppressed his doubts and slowly walked over. Just as he approached the stall, Li Daguo, without even looking up, habitually called out in his slightly rustic voice, "Screen protectors ten yuan, data cables guaranteed genuine! See what you need, little..."
His words abruptly stopped. He looked up sharply, and upon seeing who it was, he froze on the spot, his mouth agape. After a long while, he rubbed his eyes in disbelief, his voice trembling: "Xiao...Xiao Chen? It's you, kid?"
“Uncle Li.” Xiao Chen smiled and squatted down, picking up a patterned phone case and running his fingertips over the rough material.
"I live around here, just popped in for a look. Why did you switch to setting up your stall here? Wasn't business always pretty good at the university town?"
A fleeting shadow crossed Li Daguo's face, so quick it was almost imperceptible, before he forced a憨厚 smile, his tone deliberately light:
“Hey, they’re cracking down on things over there lately, they’re raiding stalls every day. It’s a bit more relaxed here. Your aunt found a job on an assembly line in the industrial park up ahead. I set up my stall here so it’s close to her, and we can have a hot meal together at noon.”
Despite saying that, his eyes unconsciously darted away, unable to look Xiao Chen in the eye.
Xiao Chen didn't expose him, but just nodded, his gaze falling on the left leg that he still dared not put full weight on, and his tone became a little more serious: "Uncle Li, what's wrong with your leg? It looks terribly swollen, and you can hardly walk."
Li Daguo's face paled instantly. He instinctively pulled his left leg back, frantically covering his ankle with his trouser leg, and waved his hand dismissively, trying to appear unconcerned.
"It's nothing, nothing! It was just that I was packing up my stall the other night, and it was dark so I couldn't see the road clearly. A tricycle grazed me, and I twisted my leg. It'll be fine in a couple of days..."
Xiao Chen didn't press further, but his eyes quietly darkened.
He has seen countless people and has long since developed a discerning eye...
The swollen marks and the bruised and purple patches that were visible where Li Daguo rolled up his trousers were not the result of a simple sprain; rather, they resembled the marks left by repeated blows from a blunt object.
Just then, a sudden commotion came from the other end of the bridge arch. Someone shouted in a low voice, "Quick, pack up! Yellow Hair and his gang are back!"
Li Daguo seemed to have been struck by lightning; his face turned deathly pale, and his whole body began to tremble.
He practically lunged forward, frantically shoving the screen protectors and data cables he had just laid out into the woven bag, not even bothering to zip it up properly, just gritting his teeth and trying to carry the heavy bag.
The bag was too heavy, and his left leg couldn't support it. His body swayed violently, and beads of sweat instantly appeared on his forehead. But he still gritted his teeth and staggered to run in the opposite direction.
That hunched back, shrouded in the panic and humility of a lowly person crushed by both life and evil forces, every step exuded bitterness...
This is an ordinary father who, with his scarred shoulders, bears the weight of his entire family.
With his leg injury and the added weight, he hadn't run three steps when his left leg suddenly gave way, and he and the woven bag crashed heavily onto the concrete ground. His forehead hit the edge of the bridge arch, and blood immediately seeped out. Scattered phone cases and data cables rolled all over the ground.
Xiao Chen's eyes turned cold, and he quickly stepped forward to help him up.
At the same time, several shady-looking figures surrounded them, cursing and swearing. The young man in the lead had a head of bright yellow hair, a cigarette dangling from his mouth, a short rubber stick as thick as his wrist in his hand, and an empty wine bottle was kicking at his feet.
"Damn it, that cripple runs pretty fast! Haven't you learned your lesson from last time?" Yellow Hair spat out his cigarette butt, ground it with the sole of his shoe, and said in a vicious tone.
He stepped forward, and before Li Daguo could struggle to his feet, he raised his foot, clad in a Martin boot, and kicked Li Daguo hard in the shoulder!
"Ugh!" Li Daguo groaned in pain, his body, which he had just propped up halfway, fell heavily to the ground again, clutching his shoulder and curling up, his face as white as paper, cold sweat mixed with blood streaming down his forehead.
"Letting you set up your stall here is an honor! You don't understand the rules, you don't pay the management fee, and you dare to run away?"
The blond-haired man angrily rebuked him. (End of Chapter)