"Stop!"
A slightly plump middle-aged man suddenly appeared from the back of the crowd, wearing black sunglasses and a thick gold chain around his neck. He strode forward with an imposing gait.
"Boss Song, are you unwilling to give me even this little face?"
As he spoke, he waved his hand, signaling his henchmen behind him to put away their weapons.
Song Qiao glanced at the other person indifferently, his expression calm. "What? You're already back on your feet after only a few days."
He recognized the man instantly. It was Qi Yun, the boss who had been stabbed by Brother Kun a couple of days ago, and Song Qiao was the one who had sent him to the hospital.
Qi Yun's face instantly showed a hint of embarrassment.
"Just some superficial wounds. I have a strong recovery ability."
"Boss Song, do me a favor and join me for a casual meal, how about it?"
Song Qiao nodded without hesitation and turned to Ah Wei and Li Lili. "You two go back first. I'm going for a casual meal with Brother Qi here."
Ah Wei was surprised that his boss had agreed, and his expression changed dramatically.
"Boss, those people clearly don't have good intentions. I'll go with you."
"Yes, boss. These people all look unfriendly. You absolutely must not go with them."
Li Lili also said with a worried look on her face.
Song Qiao shook his head and said softly, "Don't worry. I saved his life that day. He won't do anything to me."
"Besides, with so many of them, if they really wanted to deal with us, having one more person wouldn't make much difference."
He then glanced at Qi Yun and said calmly, "Then please, Brother Qi, lead the way. Remember to choose a decent restaurant."
"Boss Song truly has courage. I, Qi Yun, admire that."
Seeing that Song Qiao had agreed so readily, Qi Yun couldn't help but look at Song Qiao with increased respect.
"The two of you need not worry about your boss. I, Qi Yun, will not do anything to him."
With that, he motioned for Song Qiao to get into the car with him.
The dozen or so henchmen behind them also dispersed.
"What should we do? Should we call the police?" Li Lili looked at Ah Wei somewhat flusteredly.
"No. The boss is involved in the underworld. The most important thing is his reputation. If we call the police today, his reputation will be completely ruined," Ah Wei mused.
"It's this critical, and you're still worried about that superficial reputation? What if that Qi fellow does something to the boss?"
"Since the boss agreed so readily, it means he has judged that there is no danger. We should trust him."
After saying that, Ah Wei no longer thought about explaining anything further and pulled Li Lili away from the factory.
The two did not belong to the same circle, and their ways of thinking were diametrically opposed.
...
Qi Yun chose a farmhouse restaurant on the outskirts of the city for their meal.
"Boss Song, order whatever you like. I'm treating today."
Qi Yun said as he handed the menu to Song Qiao.
Song Qiao was not polite. He casually ordered a few of the restaurant's signature dishes and looked up at Qi Yun. "I wonder, Boss Qi, what brings you to find me, Song Qiao, today?"
Qi Yun chuckled and said, "Since Boss Song is a straightforward person, I won't beat around the bush."
"This meal today is first to thank you for saving my life that day. I heard from the nurses at the hospital that you even donated blood for me."
As he spoke, he had already poured a glass of wine and handed it to Song Qiao.
"However, if I'm not mistaken, you should be allied with Duan Kun. But why did you suddenly turn around and help me?"
His words were already laced with a palpable killing intent, and the temperature in the room seemed to drop a few degrees.
Song Qiao showed no fear. He had expected Qi Yun to investigate him.
He calmly took the wine glass from Qi Yun's hand and said coldly, "The enemy of my enemy is my friend. Since Brother Qi, you have a grievance with Duan Kun, then I, Song Qiao, will naturally lend a hand."
"Duan Kun has wronged me once. We are not on good terms, and I can't wait for him to be killed by someone one day."
Upon hearing this, Qi Yun's originally gloomy expression suddenly turned from anger to joy.
"Brother Song is indeed a ruthless character. I, Qi Yun, admire you."
He then raised his own glass and drained it. He continued,
"My old feud with Duan Kun is not over, and now he owes me another debt. One day, I will take his dog life."
"Why don't you and I cooperate, Brother Song? We can deal with Duan Kun together."
Song Qiao was slightly taken aback. He hesitated internally. This Qi Yun was a ruthless character who would devour others without spitting out bones. Cooperating with him was no different from approaching a tiger for its skin.
But he thought of his daughter's death in his previous life because of that scoundrel Duan Kun, and his desire for revenge could no longer be suppressed.
He immediately raised his wine glass and drank it down, gritting his teeth. "Then I wish my cooperation with Brother Qi a happy one in advance."
Qi Yun was surprised that Song Qiao had agreed to his proposal so readily, and he was overjoyed.
"Brother Song is indeed a dragon among men. I, Qi Yun, recognize you as my brother."
"And don't call me Brother Qi anymore. It's too formal."
"I'm a few years older than you, so I'll take the liberty. Call me Brother Yun. If you have any difficulties in the future, Brother Yun will never falter."
As he spoke, he refilled Song Qiao's wine glass.
Song Qiao was secretly pleased. He had already fallen out with Brother Kun, and now with Qi Yun as an ally, it could only be beneficial.
Moreover, as his business expanded, he would inevitably have to deal with people from the underworld. Making friends with people like Qi Yun was not a bad idea.
After a few glasses of baijiu, both their faces were flushed. The meal ended with both parties satisfied, and their relationship had deepened considerably.
Just as Song Qiao was about to leave, his pager suddenly rang.
When he picked it up, he saw it was the number of Xia Yuqing's colleague. His expression immediately changed.
Xia Yuqing was working at the factory. If nothing was wrong, she would never call him. Unless she had encountered a major problem.
"Brother Yun, could I borrow your phone for a moment? I need to make a call back."
Saying that, he took the phone from Qi Yun and dialed the number.
"Song Qiao, is that you? Hurry to Xu Ji Restaurant. Yuqing is being bullied." As soon as the call was connected, Xia Yuqing's colleague's anxious voice came through.
"Boom."
As soon as the words fell, Song Qiao had already punched the table. A surge of anger rushed into his heart.
"This is the second time."
He hung up the phone and looked at Brother Yun.
"Could Brother Yun give me a ride to Xu Ji Restaurant? My wife is in trouble there, and I need to get there quickly."
His eyes were red, and he had lost his composure.
Dragons have scales that, if touched, lead to death. In this world, Xia Yuqing and their daughter Xixi were Song Qiao's unassailable limits.
Anyone who dared to harm them would pay a heavy price!
Qi Yun also understood the seriousness of the situation and quickly called for a car to take him to the restaurant they had mentioned.