Chapter 697: No Making Trouble in the City

The child, who had been sitting on the ground leaning against him, immediately stood up too. The little one hugged his leg, hiding behind him as a pair of dark eyes stared at her in terror.

"Want some?"

Ye Qianning offered him the cloth bag of fruit.

The man’s gaze was fixed on her, his expression unchanging.

"Make way, make way..." a voice called out from the crowd.

"Miss, miss, you should get out of here. Qi Mazi is coming..." a woman saw who was approaching and whispered urgently to her.

Ye Qianning turned to look. Not far away stood a large, burly man with a full, bushy beard. He had a fat head, big ears, and a murderous look in his eyes.

"Miss, Qi Mazi has killed people before. You’d better be careful."

"Thank you, Auntie. It’s all right." Ye Qianning nodded with a smile.

"Miss..."

The woman wanted to say more, but in the blink of an eye, Qi Mazi was in front of her stall. He shot her a vicious glare, and she immediately snapped her mouth shut in fear.

"Well, well, if it isn’t Aunt Wang. Haven’t seen you in seven years. Looks like life’s been treating you better and better." Qi Mazi’s eyes swept over her stall.

Aunt Wang was terrified, but she forced a pale smile. "It’s all right, it’s all right."

"All right? Aunt Wang, we’ve been neighbors for years. Didn’t you know that I, Qi Mazi, got out of prison?"

"I knew, I knew." Aunt Wang nodded.

"You knew, but you didn’t do anything to welcome me back? Are you looking down on me?"

"No, no! Tomorrow, tomorrow I’ll buy some fine wine and good food to welcome you back," Aunt Wang stammered.

"Fine wine and good food can’t compare to the Immortal Sea Building. I’ve been out of prison for ten days and haven’t eaten there yet. Why don’t you host me at the Immortal Sea Building tomorrow, Aunt Wang?"

Aunt Wang was on the verge of tears. "Qi Mazi, the prices at the Immortal Sea Building... I can’t afford it..."

"Hm?" Qi Mazi’s fierce eyes glared.

Aunt Wang trembled and quickly nodded. "Alright, alright..."

"That’s more like it." Qi Mazi withdrew his gaze and picked up a bunch of black grapes. "I’ll be waiting for you tomorrow, Aunt Wang."

With that, he walked away, popping the grapes into his mouth as he went.

Aunt Wang’s face was ashen, sweat beading on her forehead. ’The Immortal Sea Building... a single meal there, with Qi Mazi’s appetite, will bankrupt me!’

Qi Mazi walked over to Ye Qianning and stopped. His vicious gaze swept over her, then landed on the three children by the wall.

"Brother Mazi, those are the ones. They came from a fishing boat that was attacked a few days ago. Probably shipwrecked, no adults," said the skinny man following Qi Mazi, pointing to the people in the corner.

"No adults is good. No adults means they’re homeless. From now on, these kids are my sons," Qi Mazi’s voice boomed.

"Yes, yes." Skinny Monkey got the hint. He walked over, glared at Ye Qianning, and raised a hand to shove her. "Move it... OOF..."

Ye Qianning dodged.

Skinny Monkey had put all his strength into the push, so when he hit nothing but air, he stumbled forward and face-planted on the ground, his head ringing.

Seeing this, Qi Mazi’s eyes turned vicious. "You damn bitch, are you looking to die?"

"Did you eat shit this morning? You reek."

"You bitch..."

"Brother Mazi, Brother Mazi, don’t cause trouble!" Skinny Monkey scrambled up from the ground and grabbed Qi Mazi’s raised arm. "Dayu City isn’t what it used to be. We can’t make a scene on the street."

"I ain’t afraid."

"Brother Mazi, we have to focus on our business."

Qi Mazi was fuming, but he shot Ye Qianning one last glare. "You damn bitch, we’ll see about this."

Skinny Monkey pushed Qi Mazi away, afraid he’d start something. After a few words of caution, he turned back toward the three children in the corner.