Chapter 3 Getting on the Bus as a Gangster

Chapter Three

"Longyang Village?" Hearing Long Xiaoshan say his home was in Longyang Village, a strange look flashed across Shen Yuerong's face.

"You know about Longyang Village, are you also from Lotus Township? Which village?" Long Xiaoshan asked.

"Oh, I'm just from the township..." Shen Yuerong replied vaguely.

She knew about Longyang Village because, before taking up her post in the township, she had done a lot of homework, and Longyang Village was quite famous in Lotus Township. Despite its masculine-sounding name, it was known as Widow Village for miles around.

Because there were few men in Longyang Village and accidents were common, causing an imbalance of Yin and Yang, there weren't many men, and the village had grown even poorer, becoming the poorest village in Lotus Township.

Niu Y County was a poor county, and Lotus Township was one of the lowest-ranked townships in Niu Y County. Longyang Village was the poorest in Lotus Township, which showed just how impoverished the village was. It was said that the village didn't even have a complete electricity supply.

The poverty alleviation work in Longyang Village was also one of the key projects that she had identified this time.

So, upon hearing that Long Xiaoshan was from Longyang Village, Shen Yuerong planned to ask more about the situation.

However, when Shen Yuerong asked about the recent situation in Longyang Village.

A trace of discomfort appeared on Long Xiaoshan's face as he said, "I've just been released from prison, I'm not clear about the village's situation."

Shen Yuerong inwardly cursed herself for being so insensitive. She had already noticed that Long Xiaoshan was likely an ex-convict, yet she had still asked the question, making the atmosphere turn awkward immediately.

However, she hadn't expected Long Xiaoshan to be so "honest." Couldn't he have simply told a little lie?

Just as Shen Yuerong was about to say something to alleviate the awkwardness.

Screech!

The minibus came to a sudden halt.

The door opened, and three young men, covered in messy tattoos, wearing flashy shirts and flip-flops, walked on, cursing loudly.

As soon as the three of them boarded, the inside of the bus quieted down immediately.

These three youths, hands in their pockets, cigarettes dangling from their lips, lounged about as they slapped the driver on the head a few times, clearly thugs. This caused everyone on the bus to lower their heads, not daring to look at them.

"Fuck, what a crap bus, stinks like hell! Brother Qiang, let's get off," a youth with dyed red hair complained, covering his nose.

The hulking man walking in front, with a face full of flesh and weighing at least 180 pounds, grunted, "Get off your mom, there's nowhere to go around here. If it weren't for your damn car breaking down, I wouldn't be caught dead on this bus."

Brother Qiang was sweating profusely, his temper flaring.

Another youth, with shifty mouse-like eyes, scouted the bus and suddenly his eyes lit up, fixing on a spot at the back on the right by the window.

"Brother Qiang, Brother Qiang, look at that chick, hot, isn't she?" Mouse Eye exclaimed excitedly, patting Brother Qiang's shoulder.

Following Mouse Eye's gesture, Brother Qiang saw Shen Yuerong sitting in the back row and immediately swallowed hard, thinking to himself, my oh my.

Such a gorgeous woman on this broken down minibus.

Even Black Lily, the number one beauty of the county town, was probably no better than her.

A lewd smile spread across Brother Qiang's face as he led his two underlings hurriedly towards the back of the bus.

Seeing the three hoodlums approaching her with that lecherous glint in their eyes, Shen Yuerong furrowed her brow, but as someone who had been around, she didn't panic.

When the three men reached the last row, Brother Qiang gave a signal, and the two underlings glared at the people sitting in the double seats in front of Shen Yuerong, bellowing, "You two, scram!"

The two men, simple farmers, had already been terrified by the thuggish trio and quickly got to their feet, heads down, vacating the seats.

Occupying the seats, the two henchmen leaned back in their chairs, making lewd faces as they ogled Shen Yuerong's chest.

Being unabashedly stared at by a few punks, Shen Yuerong also felt a surge of shame and anger. She bent her arms, hugging her chest, and said coldly, "What are you looking at?"

"Oh, a fiery one, eh? My eyes are on my face, where else am I supposed to look?"

The two punks, upon hearing Shen Yuerong's scolding, not only did not show a trace of shame but instead burst into sneering laughter, their gazes becoming even more brazen.

Brother Qiang then shifted his gaze to the seat beside Shen Yuerong, where Long Xiaoshan was sitting. He let out a small sound of surprise. He was standing right in front of Long Xiaoshan, yet Long Xiaoshan sat there without even lifting his head.

However, Brother Qiang had also been around the block, and seeing Long Xiaoshan's buzz-cut and the scar on his face, he immediately knew that this guy had also done time.

Normally, Brother Qiang would have no reason to clash with a "fellow traveler" who had been through the system.

But today, he was utterly captivated by Shen Yuerong.

Such a top-grade beauty was not someone you'd come across every day, and even if you did, it wasn't someone he was in a position to mess with. Since this beauty was sitting in such a broken down vehicle, she clearly didn't have any backing. How could he let her slip away?

"Buddy, scoot over and give me your seat," Brother Qiang said, eyeing Long Xiaoshan.

Long Xiaoshan slowly closed the book in his hands, looked up at Brother Qiang, and the other two menacing punks, and said, "There are no seats left here. Find somewhere else to sit."

Shen Yuerong looked at Long Xiaoshan with a mix of surprise and gratitude.

She did not expect Long Xiaoshan to be so gallant.

The three punks were clearly up to no good, and although Long Xiaoshan had only met her by chance, while anyone else would have ducked out of sight already, Long Xiaoshan had actually dared to talk back.

"Fuck off, be smart and scram. Don't fucking think that just because you shaved your head, you can act tough. Do you know who our Brother Qiang is?" Red Hair and Mouse Eye, pointing at Long Xiaoshan, shouted aggressively.

"Hey!" Brother Qiang waved his hand, silencing his minions, and said indifferently, "Buddy, you just got out, right? Do Brother Qiang a favor, and if you need anything in Niu Y County in the future, you can come to Brother Qiang."

Long Xiaoshan cocked his head and then slowly stood up.

Seeing Long Xiaoshan get up, Shen Yuerong inevitably felt a twinge of scorn and disappointment. She thought he had given in, and although it was a common human reaction, Long Xiaoshan's image in her mind plummeted.

Long Xiaoshan appeared lean, but standing up, he was about the same height as Brother Qiang, both around 1.8 meters tall. Brother Qiang smirked internally upon seeing Long Xiaoshan stand; Fu Qiang might not be a big shot in Niu Y County, but he had a bit of a reputation on the streets, and when he dropped his name, who wouldn't give him face?

"Scram!"

A voice, neither light nor heavy, hit Brother Qiang's ears.

After a moment, Brother Qiang, seeing the disdain in Long Xiaoshan's eyes, finally realized his ears were not deceiving him. Long Xiaoshan had not stood up to give up his seat, but to tell him to scram.

Brother Qiang's face instantly turned dark, his eyes flashing with a savage glint.

Without any warning, he bent his knee and aimed for Long Xiaoshan's lower body.

The knee strike was quick and vicious; he almost saw the image of Long Xiaoshan flying back and wailing on the ground, and a twisted excitement passed through his heart.

However, before his knee could touch Long Xiaoshan, a colossal force struck his abdomen, sending Brother Qiang, with his weight of over 180 pounds, flying from the rear of the vehicle to the front, crashing against the engine compartment.

Red Hair and Mouse Eye were dumbfounded.

With their boss's size, to be kicked from the rear to the front of the vehicle with a single blow, was that even human strength?

As they saw Long Xiaoshan looking in their direction, both shuddered.

But Long Xiaoshan quickly reached out, grabbed them by the necks, and lifted them from their seats. With one kick each, he kicked them to the front as well, and snorted coldly, "Get off."

Shen Yuerong watched Long Xiaoshan's tall figure, a flash of admiration in her eyes.

Although she was not afraid of a few punks and didn't like men who were aggressive and quarrelsome, when someone threatened and invaded her, having a stranger willing to stand up and protect her stirred a touch of emotion in her heart.

Moreover, Shen Yuerong also felt a bit guilty. This was the second time she had misunderstood Long Xiaoshan. At first, she mistook Long Xiaoshan for a voyeuristic pervert, and now she had thought he was a weakling.