Chapter 83: A Weekend of Revelations

Su Yao had people investigate Wang Fanran’s information, so it was only natural that she knew the appearance of his accomplices.

Now that the surveillance team had drawn the tail out into the open, Lin Qing knew in his heart that they were not far from reeling in Wang Fanran.

Su Yao had surmised that Wang Fanran would make his move on the weekend, and it seemed her prediction was about to come true.

After Lin Qing and Su Yao walked away with the dog, the man who had been standing behind them, pretending to make a call, ceased his surveillance. He quickly turned and left the complex.

Upon cycling back to his residence, he looked up at the layers of illegal structures ahead. They twisted and turned like a winding mountain path, intricate and complex, housing all manner of people.

Anyone with the ability to work would have no reason to live in such a wretched environment.

Thus, aside from the numerous dilapidated empty houses, some individuals of unknown identity resided there, making the area extremely dangerous.

Wang Fanran and his gang of dog thieves lived in this very place.

Even if the police were aware of this location, attempting to extract Wang Fanran from it would prove futile.

Beyond the complex terrain and numerous buildings, the open layout also offered convenient escape routes.

“Haozi, didn’t I tell you to keep an eye on the complex? Why are you back?”

Wang Fanran lay sprawled on a filthy bed, its original color indistinguishable. One leg of the wooden frame was broken, and even with makeshift props, the entire bed swayed incessantly.

Compounded by Wang Fanran’s considerable weight, the wooden bed groaned and creaked under the strain.

It sounded as if it might collapse at any moment.

Wang Fanran watched Haozi return, panting heavily, his eyes filled with disdain. He then spat the chicken leg bone from his mouth directly onto the floor, shifting his now heavier body to face Haozi.

In just a short time, Wang Fanran had not only grown noticeably plumper, but the youthful naivety that once marked his face had been replaced by a hardened, more worldly expression.

“Shike, didn’t you ask me to confirm if those two were boyfriend and girlfriend? I saw them! They’re definitely a couple!”

Although Wang Fanran’s group all worked under Chen Sen, they referred to each other by code names.

When Wang Fanran first joined, he was young and lacked significant skills. Even though he chose the codename ‘Shike,’ the others mockingly called him ‘Fat Pig.’

However, no matter how arrogant these individuals were, ultimately, it all came down to efficiency.

Despite Wang Fanran’s seemingly clumsy appearance, he was surprisingly adept at petty theft, succeeding repeatedly.

He had now become a rising star within the organization, transforming from a nobody to someone with a minor reputation.

Even Chen Sen began to look at him differently, leading Wang Fanran to gain a few followers within the small gang.

Haozi was one of them.

“Oh? How did you confirm it? Tell me.”

Upon hearing Haozi’s words, Wang Fanran’s interest was immediately piqued, and he urged him to stop prolonging the suspense.

Even though Wang Fanran was thriving within the small gang, he lacked both money and power. Coupled with his poor living conditions, it was a far cry from the comfort he enjoyed at home.

The thought that he had fallen to such a state, all because of that fellow Lin Qing, festered within him.

The flame of vengeance in Wang Fanran’s heart had never extinguished; instead, it grew more intense with each passing day.

Chen Sen had previously promised him that if Wang Fanran proved his potential, dealing with a minor figure like Lin Qing would be trivial.

However, despite having stolen numerous dogs since then, Chen Sen had offered nothing more than encouraging words.

He seemed to have completely forgotten his promise.

Clearly, relying on Chen Sen for revenge was an unrealistic prospect; ultimately, he would have to depend on himself.

Consequently, Wang Fanran set his sights on the complex where Lin Qing resided, stealing dogs while simultaneously seeking an opportunity for retaliation.

Unfortunately, Lin Qing, that sullen fellow at school, never seemed to leave his home once he returned.

Staking out the complex proved utterly useless.

This infuriated Wang Fanran, who had not anticipated such trouble in dealing with Lin Qing.

Fortunately, he had acquired quite a few dogs, which continued to elevate his standing within the gang.

Nevertheless, the more Wang Fanran learned, the more he suspected that Chen Sen, this bizarre individual, was not normal.

He discovered that besides his own dog-stealing crew, Chen Sen commanded four other similar small gangs.

All specialized in stealing dogs.

‘Even if they were stealing giant pandas, they wouldn’t need to be this professional!’

Remembering a rumor he’d overheard yesterday from a drunk old timer, Wang Fanran’s heart sank. He resolved to leave the organization as soon as he successfully exacted his revenge on Lin Qing.

‘This is no place to stay long.’

“Earlier, I saw a man trying to flirt with Su Yao, but Lin Qing just stepped in and drank the yogurt the guy had offered her… Heh heh, so childish.”

“That’s impossible. Lin Qing isn’t like that.”

As he listened to Haozi’s chuckling words, Wang Fanran’s brow furrowed.

‘Was the Lin Qing Haozi described truly the Lin Qing he knew?’

“Love makes people blind, so even big changes are normal. Anyway, I’m telling you now, if those two aren’t a couple, you can take my head and kick it like a ball.”

Seeing Wang Fanran’s skeptical expression, Haozi spoke with absolute conviction.

Despite being in his thirties with nothing to show for it, he had now descended to petty thievery.

However, he had dated many people over the years and had observed countless couples.

Lin Qing and Su Yao, in his eyes, were no different from any other ordinary couple.

“I said they were involved from the start, but nobody believed me… Heh heh, we don’t need to wait any longer. Tomorrow, we’ll steal the Samoyed that Su Yao gave Lin Qing.”

Hearing Haozi’s assurance, Wang Fanran recalled catching Lin Qing and Su Yao in what seemed like a clandestine affair before. He had long suspected their ambiguous relationship, and now it was simply confirmed.

Since that was the case, he would steal Lin Qing’s dog, torture it to death, and then send photos.

Imagining Lin Qing’s face contorted in agony, and Su Yao’s subsequent disappointment and resentment towards him, Wang Fanran felt a surge of pure delight.

He wished tomorrow would arrive sooner.

****

“Brother Liu, didn’t you say you suspected Lin Qing and Su Yao weren’t siblings? I went to Lin Qing’s complex a couple of days ago and ran into an auntie walking her dog. She said they’re boyfriend and girlfriend.”

In the pool hall after school, Wang Jian spoke, not forgetting to nudge Zhou Lin, who stood beside him, signaling for him to add something.

In response, Zhou Lin awkwardly scratched his head, glancing at Liu Hong, who played pool in silence. Ultimately, he decided to keep quiet.

Whenever Su Yao was involved, Liu Hong seemed to lose his rational judgment.

Therefore, it was better to remain silent; speaking more would only lead to more mistakes.

Even though he had accompanied Wang Jian and personally heard what the auntie in the complex said.

As for why they suddenly went to Lin Qing’s complex…

It was because after school that day, they had seen Lin Qing and Su Yao pulling at each other, sensing something amiss. They had then followed them.

Who would have thought they would actually uncover such crucial information? However, Zhou Lin recalled that when they were tracking her a couple of days ago, Su Yao had clearly met his gaze.

Yet, she showed no reaction, only an ambiguous smile playing on her lips.

It was as if she were anticipating something.

‘No matter how he thought about it, it was truly strange!’

“Alright, whether it’s true or false, let’s just ask them directly! Tomorrow’s the weekend, let’s go find Lin Qing and ask.”

Liu Hong’s posture at the pool table remained unchanged, yet his expression was exceedingly serious.

With a ‘clack,’ the cue ball dropped into the pocket.