Chapter 7566
I've got your back
Zhang Ziren's legs went weak instantly, and he almost collapsed to the ground. He pleaded desperately:
"Brother Su, I really don't have that much money! My little shop just opened and I haven't earned a single penny yet. Please give me a few more days, or ask for less money, I beg you!"
"No money?" Su Daqiang sneered, his tone full of disdain and threat. "If you don't have money, then close down and get out! Don't occupy this space and stop me from making money!"
As he spoke, he pulled a switchblade from his pocket. With a "snap," the sharp blade sprang out, gleaming coldly in the light. He toyed with the switchblade, twirling it in his hand, and said in a sinister tone:
"I'll give you three minutes to think it over. Either you hand over 100,000 yuan now, and I'll leave immediately, paying protection money on time from now on; or..."
Holding a switchblade, he slowly brought it close to Zhang Ziren's face, the blade lightly tracing patterns near Zhang Ziren's cheek. The threat in his tone was unmistakable: "Either I cripple you, smash up your shop, and make sure you can't survive in this area anymore!"
Zhang Ziren trembled with fear, quickly closed his eyes, his face filled with despair, and even his breathing became rapid... He knew that Su Daqiang meant what he said, and he had no room to resist.
The atmosphere inside the store instantly became extremely tense. The air seemed to freeze, and everyone held their breath, waiting to see Zhang Ziren's fate. Some people were also secretly worried for Xiao Chen and Zhou Keying, fearing that Su Daqiang would take his anger out on them.
Just at this critical moment, a faint voice suddenly rang out in the store. The tone was calm, but it carried an undeniable aura that instantly broke the oppressive atmosphere.
"Put the knife down."
Everyone was stunned and looked in the direction of the voice. The speaker was none other than Xiao Chen, who had been standing calmly in the corner.
He stood there casually, hands in his pockets, expression indifferent, eyes calm as still water.
As if he were simply saying, "The weather is nice today," he was completely unaffected by the fierce-looking man before him, exuding an aura that could crush everything.
Su Daqiang whirled around, glaring fiercely at Xiao Chen, his brows furrowed, and roared menacingly:
"Who the hell are you? How dare you meddle in my business? Are you tired of living?" No one in this area had ever dared to speak to him like that before, and Xiao Chen's actions had completely enraged him.
Xiao Chen didn't speak, but just quietly looked at Su Daqiang. His gaze was calm and without any ripples, but it was like an invisible sharp blade, piercing straight at Su Daqiang, making Su Daqiang feel a chill inexplicably rise in his heart.
Su Daqiang stared at him for a few seconds, then suddenly, his expression changed...
From initial ferocity and anger, it gradually turned into shock, and then from shock into extreme terror and fear, with the hairs on his body standing on end.
The switchblade in his hand clattered to the ground, and he felt as if his bones had been removed; his legs went weak, and he collapsed to his knees with a thud.
He was trembling uncontrollably, his head was bowed low, and he didn't even dare to breathe.
"Mr. Xiao..." Su Daqiang's voice trembled violently, filled with deep fear.
"Mr. Xiao, I... I didn't know you were here... I was wrong, I was blind, I shouldn't have caused trouble here, I shouldn't have made things difficult for Boss Zhang, please forgive me this time!"
As he spoke, he raised his hand and slapped himself hard across the face, "slap! slap! slap!" each slap harder than the last.
The crisp sound of slapping echoed in the quiet shop. Clear red marks quickly appeared on his face, and even blood seeped out, but he did not dare to stop and continued to slap himself.
A deathly silence fell over the entire room; you could hear a pin drop. Everyone stared in disbelief at the scene, their mouths agape, jaws practically dropping to their sides.
Just moments ago, Su Daqiang was a fierce and arrogant thug who dared to follow even Master Wan and bully merchants. Now, he was kneeling on the ground, slapping himself repeatedly in front of Xiao Chen and begging for mercy.
Xiao Chen, whom they had mocked for three years and treated as a "gold digger," simply stood there calmly, looking down at him with an indifferent expression, as if it were all perfectly natural.
Zhou Keying covered her mouth, her eyes filled with shock and disbelief. She stared at Xiao Chen's retreating figure, her mind swirling with questions… Who was he? How did he know Su Daqiang? Why was Su Daqiang so afraid of him?
Jiang Xuanxuan's eyes widened, her face filled with shock, and she murmured:
"Impossible... This is absolutely impossible... How could Xiao Chen be so powerful? Why is Su Daqiang so afraid of him?"
She had been gloating, thinking Xiao Chen would be proven wrong, but now she realized how ridiculous she had been.
Zhang Ziren was completely stunned. He stood there, mouth agape, speechless, forgetting his fear and his pleas. Only one thought occupied his mind…
Mr. Xiao? Xiao Chen is actually Mr. Xiao, whom even Su Daqiang respects? Just who is he?
Jiang Lanting's gaze toward Xiao Chen completely changed... from the previous disdain and contempt to the current awe, curiosity, and even a hint of barely perceptible admiration.
This man was like a mystery; the more she learned about him, the less she could understand him. His aura and his strength far exceeded her imagination.
Su Daqiang slapped himself more than a dozen times, his face a bloody mess. He raised his head, his face covered in blood, his eyes filled with fear and pleading, looking pitifully at Xiao Chen:
"Mr. Xiao, please forgive me this time! I will never dare to do it again, and I will never dare to act so arrogantly in front of you again!"
Xiao Chen continued to look at him quietly without saying a word. But that calm gaze made Su Daqiang increasingly panicked, and he trembled even more violently, fearing that Xiao Chen might cripple him in a fit of anger.
Su Daqiang quickly crawled a few steps on his knees to Xiao Chen's side, kowtowing repeatedly until his forehead bled, pleading incessantly:
"Mr. Xiao, please spare me! I'll protect your friend's shop, for free! If anyone dares to cause trouble for Boss Zhang in the future, I, Su Daqiang, will be the first to stand in and deal with them!"
Xiao Chen finally spoke slowly, his tone still calm and without any emotion: "Get up."
Su Daqiang felt as if he had been granted a pardon. He struggled to get up, but dared not stand up straight. He remained hunched over, head down, hands at his sides, like a child who had done something wrong. He didn't dare to breathe, his eyes filled with awe.
Xiao Chen glanced at him indifferently and said calmly, "Don't come to this shop again. Whether it's to collect protection money or cause other trouble, you're not allowed to step into this place again."
"Yes, yes, I won't come, I absolutely won't come!"
Su Daqiang nodded repeatedly, his head bobbing like a rattle-drum, his tone extremely respectful. (End of Chapter)