Chapter 47: Are These Renovation Workers? They’re Tougher Than Gangsters!

“All right, Old Yu, there’s no need to be so formal every time. I’m not your boss,” Zhou Zheng waved his hand at the hulking men before him, showing not a trace of a patron’s airs.

“You’re too modest, Young Master Zhou. Our brothers owe everything we have today to your help. Otherwise, who knows where we’d be scraping by now,” replied the leader of the construction crew, Yu Dongshan, with a serious expression and genuine gratitude in his eyes, not a hint of obsequiousness.

This crew was made up of veterans, many of them former special forces. Among them, Yu Dongshan was the most skilled, once a champion in the military district’s hand-to-hand combat competitions.

After leaving the service, they struggled to find their footing. Years in the barracks had left them out of touch with society, and lacking technical skills, they could only find work as security guards or laborers on construction sites.

Luckily, Yu Dongshan happened to meet Zhou Zheng while working as a hotel security guard. Zhou Zheng was nothing like the arrogant, domineering heirs one often heard about; he was approachable and, while waiting for someone, struck up a casual conversation with Yu Dongshan.

During their chat, Zhou Zheng learned of his predicament and suggested he join one of the Zhou family’s renovation companies to learn a trade.

At the time, the property market was just beginning to surge nationwide, and demand for renovations was skyrocketing—a real opportunity. Yu Dongshan gladly accepted.

Within two years, Yu Dongshan had mastered the skills and started his own crew, with Zhou Zheng frequently sending business their way. In just a few years, most of them had bought homes, cars, and started families.

It was no exaggeration to say Zhou Zheng was a great benefactor to these men.

When Zhou Zheng contacted Yu Dongshan about a renovation project, they didn’t hesitate to put their current work on hold and rushed over.

“All right, enough with the formalities. Here’s the situation: I need you to renovate a milk tea shop. The deadline’s tight—five days to finish—so I called you because I trust you,” Zhou Zheng said.

“Don’t worry, Young Master Zhou. Five days is plenty. We’ll work around the clock and guarantee top quality,” Yu Dongshan replied.

Zhou Zheng nodded approvingly. This crew was now well-known in Hangzhou for their efficiency and reliability.

“Good. Take some measurements first. I’ll go grab some drinks. The owner hasn’t arrived yet, so just wait here for now,” Zhou Zheng instructed before heading out. At Yu Dongshan’s command, the men set to work immediately.

While they busied themselves, upstairs in a teahouse overlooking the commercial street, Liu Feng sipped tea with a middle-aged man whose arm bore a fierce tiger tattoo.

“Tiger Bro, I’m counting on you for this. I want that shop destroyed beyond all hope of repair,” Liu Feng said.

“Relax, Young Master Liu. It’s a minor issue. My Tiger Gang brothers can handle it in no time. Otherwise, how could we maintain our reputation in this area?” replied Wang Hu, leader of the Tiger Gang, oozing confidence.

Liu Feng poured Wang Hu another cup of tea, smiling with satisfaction. “Tiger Bro, if you pull this off, I’ll give each of your brothers ten thousand as a bonus. Your own reward will be ten times that.”

The Tiger Gang was a syndicate his father had secretly supported, handling the dirty work the Liu family preferred to keep their hands clean from.

Though the Tiger Gang was at best a third-rate outfit in Hangzhou, deploying them against a university student from an ordinary family was like using a sledgehammer to crack a nut.

“All right, brothers, let’s go,” Wang Hu declared, rising to his feet. Instantly, more than a dozen rough-looking youths stood at attention.

“Yes, Tiger Bro!” they chorused, following Wang Hu downstairs with menacing energy.

Liu Feng got up as well, eager to watch the show unfold. At that moment, Tang Xiwei emerged from a corner of the teahouse.

She had taken a day off specifically to witness what kind of miserable face Chen Luo would show.

“Darling, make sure to watch closely. When the shop’s smashed to bits and Chen Luo rushes over in a panic, I can’t wait to see how hopeless he looks,” Liu Feng said, reaching for Tang Xiwei’s waist, but she sidestepped him deftly.

“Look, Tiger Wang is about to go in,” she pointed out.

—

Outside the milk tea shop, Wang Hu tore down the “Under Renovation” sign and barged in, leading the charge.

“Where’s Chen Luo? Get your ass out here!” he roared.

His gang stormed in behind him. At his shout, everyone inside stopped what they were doing and turned to look.

“Uh, Boss, something’s not right,” one of the youths whispered nervously in Wang Hu’s ear.

He wasn’t the only one sensing trouble—even Wang Hu felt it. The room was filled with sturdy men in denim work uniforms, each exuding an intimidating presence. At their head, Yu Dongshan fixed Wang Hu with a cold stare.

“There’s no one here you’re looking for. Leave now, and don’t interfere with our renovation work,” Yu Dongshan said icily.

Initially cowed by their aura, Wang Hu quickly regained his swagger upon realizing these were just construction workers. What did he have to fear from a bunch of laborers? He was a gangster, after all!

“I’m smashing this place today. All you lousy workers, get lost, or I’ll beat you up too! Smash it up, boys!” Wang Hu bellowed. His crew raised their clubs, ready to wreak havoc.

“So it’s just a bunch of punks. Brothers, looks like we have some work to do. Make sure to record everything for evidence,” Yu Dongshan instructed calmly.

“Got it!” one of the men replied, pulling out his phone to record as the rest flexed their fists and advanced on the intruders.

—

Bang! Bang! Bang!

Screams echoed through the shop, mingling with crashing noises.

Upstairs, Liu Feng and Tang Xiwei exchanged delighted glances as the racket reached their ears.

“Hahaha! Tiger Wang’s making his move. Sounds like they’re putting in some serious effort,” Liu Feng remarked.

“Indeed. That shop must be in ruins by now—no way they’ll ever do business again,” Tang Xiwei agreed.

“Chen Luo, hurry up and come see the devastation. I can’t wait to see you cry,” Liu Feng gloated.

Just as they were about to send someone to inform Chen Luo, the shop door burst open.

Click!

Thud! Thud! Thud!

A dozen dark figures flew out of the store—or rather, were hurled out—crashing heavily onto the pavement.

“Aaagh!” Wang Hu, the last to be thrown out, landed face-down and struggled to his feet, howling in pain.

“Ow! My nose is broken!”

“Are you really just construction workers? You’re the real gangsters!” he wailed.

Yu Dongshan led his men out, leveling a cold gaze at the groaning heap. “If you dare come back, I’ll break both your legs.”

Seeing Wang Hu’s miserable state, Liu Feng and Tang Xiwei were both stunned, their minds grinding to a halt.

What? How could Wang Hu, the notorious boss of this district, end up beaten so badly?

What was going on? Since when were renovation workers this bold—daring to beat up gangsters in broad daylight?

They stood frozen for nearly two minutes before Tang Xiwei snapped out of it.

“Liu Feng! Call the police—have your friends at the station charge them with gang-related violence! If we smear the shop’s name before it even opens, let’s see how Chen Luo does business then!”