Chapter 138: I’ve Seen Plenty of Women Like This
"To go," Jin San said, his tone gratingly superior. "I want one of everything. Three orders to go."
He was just unlucky. He’d lost at rock-paper-scissors against Jiang Hua and Liu Wei and had been sent to buy food.
When you run a shop, you’re bound to meet all sorts of customers.
Shen Lu took Jin San’s bafflingly bossy attitude in stride, but ordering three meals to go was out of the question.
Not even an ally could break this rule.
"I’m sorry, but we have a purchase limit. Each customer may only buy one meal. If your friends or family would like to eat, you’re welcome to invite them to dine in."
He was actually rejected.
Jin San froze. He never imagined Shen Lu would refuse his order.
His temper flared instantly. He slammed his fist on the counter, making everything on it jump.
"Hey! Don’t push your luck!"
Shen Lu’s smile vanished in an instant. ’What the hell is wrong with this Gale Mercenary Corps member, coming here to cause trouble?’
"Fighting is prohibited in this establishment. Furthermore, threatening or assaulting the manager or staff is not allowed. Violators will be permanently blacklisted and refused all future service. Please be advised."
Jin San pointed at Shen Lu. "You bitch, you think I’m easily scared? Don’t think you can act all high and mighty in front of me just because you have a few tricks. I’m doing you a favor by eating here, so don’t make me do this the hard way!"
’Good. Very arrogant.’
The next second, Ye Fan and Lin Zhou were hauling Jin San out of the shop.
Ripples emanated from Lin Zhou’s Tong, firmly controlling Jin San’s arms and legs. Ye Fan slapped him on the back of the head and scolded him, "Did you get your fucking head caught in a door? Coming to Boss Shen’s place and screaming your head off? Forget you—even the boss follows the rules when he eats here. Who the hell do you think you are?"
Jin San craned his neck and yelled, "Xue Can is just chasing a girl. I’m not!"
"Chasing a girl, my ass! The boss isn’t like that."
"Pah! Only you guys would believe that."
"If you don’t believe it, then why are you here buying food from Boss Shen?"
"I came to see if her food could really soothe the Spiritual Sea. For all we know, she only added some special ingredient last time to suck up to Xue Can."
Ye Fan couldn’t help but smack Jin San on the back of the head again. "You’re really asking for it!"
The usually quiet Lin Zhou spoke up. "According to Boss Shen, you’ve been blacklisted. Don’t come back."
"Fine by me! You think I wanted to come?" Jin San retorted stubbornly. "I’ve seen plenty of women like her—she’s just a gold digger. Just you wait, Xue Can is going to crash and burn because of her!"
"Get lost, get lost, get lost." Ye Fan had Lin Zhou release his hold, then kicked Jin San in the ass.
Jin San left, cursing and muttering.
Ye Fan and Lin Zhou returned to their guard posts, and Ye Fan reported the incident to Xue Can.
Xue Can was slow to reply. Ye Fan paid it no mind, simply going back to his security duties after sending the message.
But unexpectedly, about ten minutes later, Xue Can appeared in front of him.
Ye Fan was stunned. ’Is the boss really this concerned about Boss Shen?’
’Was he afraid he couldn’t get the full story over his Light Brain, so he came all this way in person?’
"I came to eat, and figured I’d get the details from you while I was here," Xue Can said, seeming to read Ye Fan’s mind and offering a rare explanation.
’Oh, right. He just came to eat. Never mind, then.’
It was true that Xue Can came to eat here every day.
Ye Fan recounted the incident with Jin San again. Xue Can nodded slowly. "I understand. I’ll apologize to Boss Shen in a bit."
Such was the life of a corps leader. What Mercenary Corps leader hadn’t had the thankless job of cleaning up his members’ messes?
Xue Can entered the shop, but Shen Lu wasn’t at the counter; she was leading another customer to the fast-food area to make a purchase.
He wasn’t in a hurry, so he waited in line, paid for his food, and only went to find Shen Lu after he had finished eating.
"I’m sorry. My corps member caused you trouble."
Shen Lu leaned on the counter, her cheeks puffed with anger. "Mr. Xue, even if you apologize for him, he’s still permanently on my blacklist. I will not allow him to set foot in my shop ever again!"
’The customer is always right, sure, but that depends on the customer.’
She’d rather not do business with a customer like Jin San at all.
"That is your right," Xue Can said.
Only then did Shen Lu’s anger subside. Xue Can paused, took half a step closer to her, and said in a voice only they could hear, "Did you send someone to an underground clinic a couple of days ago?"
Shen Lu was instantly on guard. "Why do you ask?"
She wasn’t surprised that Ye Fan would have reported the matter to Xue Can, but that was as far as it went. She wouldn’t reveal anything more.
The fewer people who knew about Zeng Xiaodao, the better.
"No need to be so tense," Xue Can said, his gaze dropping to Shen Lu. She looked just like a little hedgehog that had gone on the defensive. "I got word. The person who was sent over is out of mortal danger for now, but there’s no telling if they’ll wake up."
’They’re alive!’
’Zeng Xiaodao didn’t die!’
Shen Lu couldn’t help but let out a sigh of relief. As long as they weren’t dead, that was enough. With current medical technology, their chances of waking up should be quite high.
’Worst case, she could just bring Zeng Xiaodao back here.’
’After all, hadn’t Fu Cheng been half-dead, comatose day after day, before she nursed him back to health?’
Practice makes perfect, and Shen Lu was quite confident in things she had experience with.
"Thank you for telling me. But... shouldn’t they have contacted Ye Fan?"
’Ye Fan had been the one to take them in, so he would have been the natural contact. Why was Xue Can telling her this?’
"When you’re in the mercenary business, you naturally build up a few connections at the underground clinics."
"Some wounds can’t be treated at regular hospitals, but the underground clinics will fix anything for the right price. Over time, you’re bound to make some contacts."
Shen Lu shrugged. "Fair enough."
When Xue Can returned to their base, he glanced around but didn’t see Jin San. He asked the other members and was told he had gone out with Liu Wei and Jiang Hua.
Xue Can lit a cigarette and sent Jin San a message, telling him to return to the base immediately.
An hour passed before Jin San sluggishly replied with a simple, "Got it."
Another half hour later, a flushed and drunken Jin San was dragged back, propped up on either side by Liu Wei and Jiang Hua.
With a lift of his palm, Xue Can sent three Fire Blades flying. They grazed Jin San’s scalp and embedded themselves in the door behind him.
The flames from the Fire Blades ignited Jin San’s hair, leaving three charred furrows across his scalp. By the time he had patted out the fire on his head, Jin San was completely sober.
"Boss, what’s the meaning of this?"
’Not very damaging, but incredibly humiliating!’
"To sober you up," Xue Can said coldly. "Can you talk to me clearly now?"
"We’re not on a mission! Can’t I have a couple of drinks?" Jin San protested loudly.
"Looks like you’re sober now." Xue Can leaned a hand on his desk and lifted his chin. "As of today, you’re fired."
"Fired? On what grounds?!"
"No reason. Get out."
Jin San was defiant. "Xue Can! I call you Boss out of respect, but that doesn’t give you the right to do whatever you want! I joined Gale before you did! I’ve bled for this corps! I’ve earned my keep! How can you treat me like this? Aren’t you afraid of alienating the other members?!"