Return to the 1982 Staff Compound

Chapter 24: Return of Carriage

A busy day of study finally ended. Gu Xiaoran went back first, leaving Ding Yu and Qiu Huoming behind to clean the classroom.

After cleaning, it was still early, so the two of them went to the Xinhua Bookstore at the west gate to hang out.

The second floor sells audio-visual products and some books. There are many promotional brochures on the wall next to the tape counter.

Qiu Huoming searched for a long time but couldn't find the tape he wanted. He asked the salesperson, but she didn't know anything. "I haven't heard of the ones you mentioned. Some of them are on the counter. When will they be available? I don't know..."

Perhaps because Qiu Huoming looked pleasing to the eye and was polite, the salesperson said a few more words: "It's available in the provincial capital, and it will take at least a week for it to arrive here."

Qiu Huoming sighed, memorized the prices, and would think of other things later.

Ding Yu has long been accustomed to it. "They have good business, of course they are not in a hurry."

"Last time I went to a state-owned restaurant with my brother, we waited for an hour for the food to be served. Business was particularly good, but the food was really delicious." Ding Yu smacked his lips.

The bookstore is located at a fork in the road at the west gate. There is a small square in front of the door and an alley next to it.

By the time we finished our tour, it was almost dark.

"Now I miss your car. It can take me home in no time."

Ding Yu was still wearing his older brother's ski jacket, which was thinner and lighter than a cotton jacket and made him look thinner, and he treasured it very much.

"Walking can also keep fit. It's great that I can gain some weight and you can lose some." Qiu Huoming also changed into a thin cotton jacket. This was discarded by Qiu Jianshe and was modified by Chen Suniang's skillful hands. She replaced it with a blue cover and it looked like a new piece of clothing.

It will be hot after every rain in spring. The weather has been very mild recently, and it feels like spring with flowers blooming. After taking off my old cotton pants, I feel as light as a swallow.

The two men took a shortcut and went straight from the square to the alley on the right. Not long after they walked into the alley, they heard the metallic shaking sound of a bicycle behind them.

Turning my head, I saw two shabby-dressed men rushing in on a tattered bicycle. The one riding the bicycle had a cigarette in his mouth and a shallow scar between his eyebrows.

Qiu Huoming's eyebrows jumped. The person riding the bike was Tian Ge, whom he had met once before at school. When he saw someone inside, he didn't slow down at all and rushed straight towards Qiu Huoming.

He recognized himself!

Qiu Huoming's heart was in his throat, and he pulled Ding Yu and ran forward.

Ding Yu understood what was happening. As a kid who grew up in Wucheng County, he had seen gangsters fighting. It was clear from the looks of the two men behind him that they were looking for trouble.

"Fuck, you dare to run? I'll catch you and break your legs!" Tian Ge's hoarse voice sounded behind him. Qiu Huoming became more certain that they were indeed coming for him, and he ran faster.

This alley is not very long. It has already darkened and some of the houses behind the wall have already turned on the lights. Through the dim light, I can see that it is still several dozen meters to the exit.

There were many obstacles inside, such as flower pots and blue bricks. People could run, but the bicycle was not so agile to dodge. Before Qiu Huoming ran to the exit, he heard the "clang clang" sound of the bicycle behind him stopped and was replaced by hurried footsteps. The two of them abandoned their bicycles.

"Fuck, Huozi, where did your enemy come from?" Ding Yu asked breathlessly with his cheeks flushed red.

"It was Chen Yong's grandson who came here!" Qiu Huoming's condition was not much better.

"Can we escape?" Ding Yu felt his adrenaline rising rapidly. He asked while looking at the exit not far ahead.

Qiu Huoming suddenly stopped and said, "I can't run away. There is a slaughterhouse next to the street ahead."

There was almost no one there after work, and the view was open, so there was nowhere to hide.

It would be better to stay in this alley and catch them off guard.

"There are only two of them, and we are two brothers too. What is there to be afraid of?" Qiu Huoming lowered his head and picked up two green bricks from the ground in the alley. This kind of brick has a high density and is not easy to break.

He handed a piece to Ding Yu, "You hide behind me, take advantage of every opportunity, and take the shot when you are surprised!"

Ding Yu took the brick and said in a trembling voice, "Huozi, how about I stand in front?"

"I understand. Step back and hide." Qiu Huoming stuck to a patch of ivy at the corner, not caring about his clothes getting stained by the moss on the wall. He half-crouched, calmed down, and tried to calm his breath.

Ding Yu was convinced. He took a few steps back and followed Qiu Huoming's example by sticking close to the wall. The dense ivy covered half of his body. At the moment, except for the sound of his heartbeat like a drum, his mind was blank.

There were chaotic footsteps in the alley. The opponent's physical condition was not very good, and he could already hear panting. "Fuck, Huzi, run faster, don't let them run away."

The voice was hoarse, it was Brother Tian's voice.

"Don't worry, the person who can escape from me has not been born yet." It was an unfamiliar voice, and the breath was very steady. It should be the Hu Zi mentioned by Brother Tian.

They rushed into Qiu Huoming's field of vision one after another, almost defenselessly.

They never expected that these two weak students would dare to surround them and even launch a surprise attack on them.

In the dim light, Hu Zi, who was running in front, only saw green leaves flying and shadows flashing in front of him. He felt a sharp pain on his forehead and staggered towards the wall beside him. "It hurts! It hurts!" Blood dripped along his fingers. The brick hit him so suddenly that he hadn't reacted yet.

When Brother Tian saw Hu Zi suddenly attacked, he staggered and stopped moving forward. In just a moment, the situation on the scene reversed and he turned from a hunter into a prey.

"I don't know you, why are you chasing me?" Seeing that he was on guard, Qiu Huoming stopped his sneak attack and asked, holding the green brick tightly in his hand.

Ding Yu behind him was holding a brick, trying hard to suppress his trembling, and put on a ferocious look.

Brother Tian gritted his teeth and took out an iron rod from his waist, "I don't care if he recognizes me or not, you are an eyesore to me."

This man was still loyal and did not reveal Chen Yong's identity.

The iron rod came whistling towards Qiu Huoming's head. Qiu Huoming lowered his body and quickly lowered his head to the side to avoid the attack.

Then he did not retreat but moved forward, arched his body and crashed into Tian Ge's arms.

Brother Tian had just swung the iron rod in his hand and had not yet retracted it when he felt a heavy object hit his chest. His back slammed against the wall and before he could catch his breath, he felt a sharp pain in his wrist again.

"Snap" the iron rod fell to the ground as he lost control.

Under the light outside the wall, Qiu Huoming's face flickered, and his expression was ferocious, like a young beast about to eat people.

"Tell me how we should resolve this matter." Qiu Huoming threw away the brick, picked up the iron rod that fell on the ground, and pressed its sharp end against Tian Ge's chest.

Brother Tian felt inexplicably nervous. He was about to say something polite when suddenly his eyes flickered and his body tensed up.

Ding Yu's voice suddenly came from behind Qiu Huoming, "Ahhhh!"