"Grace period? Sure!" Brother Huang Mao spat the cigarette butt directly at the entrance of the noodle shop: "The daily interest is one thousand yuan. If you don't pay after ten days, don't blame us for being rude."

"One thousand?" Li Xiaoqin smiled apologetically, "Brother Huang Mao, my small noodle shop doesn't even make a thousand yuan a day. Plus the protection fee, it would cost tens of thousands. Can you make it a bit less?"

"Fuck!" Brother Huang Mao glared and grabbed Li Xiaoqin's collar, shouting, "Li Xiaoqin, don't be ungrateful! How much you make has nothing to do with me; I'm just here to collect the money. And don't make it sound so bad; we're not collecting a protection fee, it's the security management fee you willingly pay!"

"Brother Huang Mao, Brother Huang Mao..." Li Xiaoqin didn't dare to dodge, she just pleaded with a face full of sorrow.

The street was bustling with people, and now a crowd had gathered.

Most people just sighed and didn't dare to come forward to help.

"How can we do business like this? Every month we barely make some money, and it all goes to the protection fee. Plus the rent, we have to subsidize it out of our own pockets!" One of Li Xiaoqin's neighbors sighed lightly, face full of worry, murmuring quietly.

"That's right, last month my father-in-law was hospitalized, and I almost couldn't come up with the money."

"What can be done? I've heard these Huang Mao guys are Brother Gang's people. Not only do they control our street, but also several other streets. We can't afford to provoke them!"

"Ugh..."

A series of sighs narrated the hardships of life.

A middle-aged man seemed to be moved by compassion. After hesitating for a moment, he stepped forward and smiled apologetically: "Brother Huang Mao, one thousand is really too much. They've really had a tough time lately, can you make it a bit less?"

Brother Huang Mao glanced at the man sideways: "Mao Xuewang, are you trying to play the gentleman and get involved in a twilight romance? Haha, fine, Li Xiaoqin's fee can be less. Why don't you pay it for her?"

"No, no, no, that's not what I meant." The small business owner named Mao Xuewang hurriedly waved his hand, "Brother Huang Mao, you've seen our business; it's really..."

"Fuck! Stop the nonsense, I'm just here to collect management fees. If you keep talking, yours will double!" Brother Huang Mao shouted, and a young man behind him kicked Mao Xuewang, "Get lost if you have nothing to do. If you dare meddle again, we'll smash your store!"

Mao Xuewang was kicked and stumbled backward several steps, a deep fear flickering in his eyes. He didn't dare say a word, turning around and fleeing.

Brother Huang Mao pushed Li Xiaoqin back: "We'll be back tomorrow; it won't be today's price then."

After shouting, he was about to head to the next shop when someone blocked his way.

Brother Huang Mao didn't expect anyone to dare block his path at this moment and instinctively cursed: "Get lost! Don't block my way."

Ye Guichen stood a step away from Brother Huang Mao, smiling and looking at him: "Clearly you're the one blocking my way, how do you figure I'm blocking your way?"

"Hey, a tough guy?" Brother Huang Mao was amused seeing Ye Guichen's tough talk: "You mean to pick a fight?"

Ye Guichen chuckled: "If that's what you think, then so be it."

Li Xiaoqin, though not falling when pushed, stumbled. After steadying herself with difficulty, she saw Ye Guichen confronting Brother Huang Mao and seemed about to start a fight, scaring her badly.

Disregarding her fear, Li Xiaoqin hurriedly stepped forward and said to Brother Huang Mao: "Brother Huang Mao, it's a misunderstanding, a misunderstanding. He's just a customer at our place and didn't mean to offend you."

Li Xiaoqin had heard from Zhao Erdan that Ye Guichen could fight, but she hadn't seen it herself.

In her view, despite being the head of Chen Group's Security Department, Ye Guichen was undoubtedly tied to Chen Ziran.

People like Brother Huang Mao were street thugs, like flies, and getting noticed by them inevitably brought trouble.

Ye Guichen had already helped her family a lot. If she were to offend Brother Huang Mao because of herself, it would be a loss.

Moreover, Li Xiaoqin had also heard that there was a bathhouse owner backing Brother Huang Mao. Such people were beyond her reach.

If worse comes to worst, Li Xiaoqin was prepared to use the ten thousand yuan Ye Guichen had given her to pay Brother Huang Mao's protection fee.

Brother Huang Mao cocked his head and looked at Li Xiaoqin: "Oh, Li Xiaoqin, seems like you know him?"

"Knowing or not isn't important, what's important is you blocked my way." Before Li Xiaoqin could speak, Ye Guichen already said: "I just walked this path, if you want to pass, leave some passage money. Not much, just two thousand yuan."

"Hey, you're turning into a bandit!" Brother Huang Mao was initially stunned, quickly understanding Ye Guichen's intent.

The guy in front was actually trying to extort money.

But his extortion skills were even better, asking for toll money just by blocking the way.

"Fuck your mother, you're looking for death!" Brother Huang Mao hesitated, then cursed, and without wasting words, swung his fist towards Ye Guichen's face.

Li Xiaoqin gasped but it was too late to stop it.

However, before she could react, Brother Huang Mao was sent flying away.

"Wham!"

He landed heavily on the ground with a loud crash.

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