The Thief Gang (Part One)

May I ask what you would like to purchase?" 

Although the girl before Fang Yi was breathtakingly beautiful, years of self-cultivation prevented him from displaying the same foolishness as the plump man beside him. After over a decade of tranquil living, Fang Yi found it difficult to let external influences disturb his composure.

"I'll take a look first..." 

The girl exchanged a curious glance with Fang Yi before lowering her head. She noticed that this boy, seemingly of similar age, looked at her with a gaze devoid of the usual desire or greed, but rather one of pure appreciation—his eyes were as innocent as a newborn's.

"Alright, take your time..." 

Upon hearing the girl's words, Fang Yi returned to his seat, unaware that he had left such an impression on her. He had been diligently learning and believed he was now quite grounded in reality.

However, what Fang Yi did not realize was that while his actions could change, his gaze could not. As the saying goes, the eyes are the windows to the soul, and Fang Yi's eyes remained as untainted as they had been on the mountain, free from worldly corruption.

"Excuse me, may I ask if you have any finer beads?" The girl lowered her gaze for a moment, seemingly unsatisfied, then raised her head and said, "I don't know much about these things, but I want to buy a string of beads for my elder at home. Do you have anything of better quality?"

Having wandered through the antique market for some time, the girl had encountered many vendors who were adept at promoting their wares. Yet, for some reason, she felt an inclination to purchase something from Fang Yi's stall. Perhaps it was that earlier glance that influenced her decision.

"May I inquire what price range you are considering for the beads?" 

Fang Yi thought for a moment, gesturing toward a string of beads he was toying with. "A bracelet like this one is priced at 200 yuan. There are also better options ranging from three to four hundred yuan. Additionally, we have strings of 108 beads that can be worn around the neck or wrapped around the wrist. Which type are you interested in?"

"It's for my uncle, so I would prefer a bracelet..." The girl's brow furrowed slightly as she responded, "Is there anything better? It's my uncle's birthday, and I want to buy him something special..."

"Something better?" 

Fang Yi chuckled wryly upon hearing her request. "I'm afraid the finest I have is a bracelet made of small leaf rosewood. If you're looking for something more valuable, I would recommend bracelets made from Hainan Huanghuali or agarwood, but I don't have those available here..."

"What is Hainan Huanghuali?" The girl clearly lacked knowledge about the items Fang Yi mentioned.

"Hainan Huanghuali is a rare and precious wood; a quality bracelet made from it typically starts at over ten thousand yuan..." 

What the girl did not know was that the young man before her, who spoke so confidently, had only learned about Hainan Huanghuali a few hours prior, merely regurgitating the information imparted to him by Man Jun that morning.

"Money isn't a major concern, but I don't know where to buy it." 

The girl frowned slightly. Although she was not well-versed in antiques, she understood that the more expensive an item was, the more likely it was to be a counterfeit. The thought of inadvertently purchasing a fake was troubling—losing money was one thing, but gifting a fraudulent item would be quite embarrassing.

"Um... I don't know either..." 

Upon hearing her words, Fang Yi scratched his head. Today was his first day at the antique market, and aside from Man Jun's shop, he had not visited any other stalls, leaving him unaware of what else was available.

"Alright then, I'll keep looking. Thank you..." The girl, despite her beauty, displayed a pleasant demeanor and no airs about her. After hearing Fang Yi's response, she smiled and prepared to leave.

"Wait, what are you doing?" 

Just as the girl turned away, she suddenly felt someone tugging at her backpack from behind. Turning around, she saw a figure sprinting away, clearly clutching her wallet.

"A thief?" At that moment, Fang Yi also noticed the long slit in the girl's white backpack, clearly made by the person attempting to merge into the crowd.

"Trying to escape?" 

Fang Yi sprang to his feet, almost instinctively reacting. He pushed off from the tricycle seat and leaped over his stall. The girl barely had time to register the movement before Fang Yi darted past her.

The antique market was bustling with people, yet Fang Yi maneuvered through the crowd like a slippery eel. In just a couple of breaths, he had closed in on the thief.

"Hey, stop right there..." Fang Yi reached out, seizing the pressure point at the back of the thief's neck. With a slight squeeze, the thief's body went limp.

"Hey, Fang, don't be rash..." Old Ma, from a nearby stall, shouted a warning, but Fang Yi's actions were too swift; as soon as the words left Old Ma's mouth, Fang Yi had already subdued the wallet-snatching thief.

"Your wallet..." Fang Yi held the thief by the neck with one hand while offering the wallet back to the girl with the other. "Check to see if anything is missing."

"How dare you steal from me?" 

To everyone's surprise, the girl did not reach for the wallet. Instead, she stepped in front of the thief and delivered a swift kick to his groin, eliciting a pained yelp as he doubled over, clutching his abdomen.

"Wow, she's quite violent!" Fang Yi and the onlookers, including the plump man, were momentarily stunned. No one expected this seemingly refined girl to exhibit such aggression.

"Hey, I say, stop! If you keep this up, you'll really get into trouble..." 

Seeing the girl prepare for another kick, Old Ma quickly intervened. Having spent many years in the antique market, he knew that these thieves often operated in groups. Fang Yi's bold move to catch one would likely lead to repercussions in the future.

"Brother Ma, how should we handle this?" Although Fang Yi had instinctively caught the thief, he lacked experience in dealing with such situations.

"Well... if it were up to me, I'd suggest letting him go..." Old Ma hesitated before speaking.

"Let him go? Absolutely not!" 

Before Fang Yi could voice his thoughts, the girl interjected, pulling out her phone from the slashed bag. She dialed a number and spoke a few words before hanging up. Turning to Fang Yi, she said, "Thank you. I've already called the police; they'll be here shortly..."

"Calling the police? Isn't that inviting trouble?" Upon hearing her words, Old Ma's expression grew grim.

Old Ma understood well that the thieves in the antique market were ruthless. In the past, a vendor had helped a customer catch a thief and brought him to the police station, only to be stabbed three times that very night on his way home. He barely survived after hours of surgery.

The police had no trouble solving the case, as the next day, a boy under sixteen turned himself in, and everyone in the antique market knew he was part of that thief's gang.

According to national law, individuals aged fourteen to sixteen who commit crimes are subject to leniency, and the perpetrator was ultimately sentenced to one year of rehabilitation without facing criminal charges.

After such an incident, no one in the antique market dared to meddle in others' affairs. The thieves, however, learned to be cautious, knowing whom they could provoke and whom they could not. For several years, no major incidents occurred.

"Ah, trouble is brewing..." 

Just as Old Ma was about to speak up to dissuade the girl, his face suddenly paled. He lowered his voice and said to Fang Yi, "Quickly call Old Man Man; he has some influence in this market. Otherwise, today will surely end in disaster..."

After speaking, Old Ma retreated to his stall. He was merely trying to make a living and could not afford to provoke the thieves. The fact that he had said so much indicated he considered Fang Yi a friend.

"Hmm?" Hearing Old Ma's words, Fang Yi furrowed his brow slightly, as he had noticed five or six young men pushing their way through the crowd toward him and the girl.

"What are you doing? Why are you attacking people for no reason?" The leader, a young man in his mid-twenties with a scar beneath his eye, approached and pushed Fang Yi. The others surrounded Fang Yi and the girl.

The onlookers were forcibly pushed aside, and the thief, who had previously pretended to be incapacitated on the ground, seized the opportunity to stand and attempt to flee.

"Don't let him go..." 

Incredibly, despite being surrounded, the girl kicked out once more, and with a sharp crack, the thief crumpled to the ground, clutching his knee. Now, escape was impossible.

"Hey, everyone saw that! This woman is committing assault in public!" 

Witnessing this, the scarred man's lips twitched in disbelief. He had intended to intimidate Fang Yi and create a diversion for his companion's escape, but he did not anticipate that the girl would be so relentless, injuring one of his own.

"That man is a thief; you aren't in league with him, are you?" 

Surrounded by five or six men, the girl appeared unfazed. Her words prompted the crowd to shake their heads in disbelief. As the saying goes, even a brave man would avoid unnecessary trouble. This girl seemed to have been overly pampered at home, unable to grasp the gravity of her situation.

"Who is the thief? Is there anyone willing to testify?" The scarred man glared menacingly at those around him. Anyone who met his gaze quickly averted their eyes, including Old Ma, who lowered his head to avoid confrontation.

"This woman and this boy are slandering us..." 

Seeing that no one was stepping forward to help, the scarred man's eyes glinted with malice. He declared, "I never strike women, but since this boy has harmed someone, you should seize him and take him to the police station..." 

With one of his men caught in the act of thievery, the scarred man knew he had to teach Fang Yi a lesson; otherwise, their business would suffer. Initially, he had considered attacking the girl as well, but fearing public outrage, he directed his aggression solely at Fang Yi.