The country entrusted me to buy an aircraft carrier, Hou Liangping, do you dare to investigate?

"It tastes good, the owner's cooking skills are excellent." The man grinned, a hint of appreciation in his tone.

Huang Feipeng smiled and asked casually, "You come to this area often, right? This alley used to be deserted, but it's been quite lively lately."

The man chuckled and said in a low voice, "Yeah, lately a lot of people like to come here to have a few drinks and some skewers. Everyone says your place is delicious."

Huang Feipeng's heart skipped a beat, sensing a deeper meaning in those words. However, his face remained impassive as he smiled and said, "Well, this business is all about keeping customers entertained with your words. I'm just hoping things will get better."

The man nodded silently, eating with relish, occasionally letting out a sigh of appreciation. Huang Feipeng, busy grilling skewers, observed him out of the corner of his eye. He knew that such a person was likely not simple, especially appearing in a place like this at night, usually with a ulterior motive. He casually inquired about the man's work, his words tinged with curiosity, trying to learn more through casual conversation.

"What do you do?" The man looked up, his eyes flickering for a moment, but then he regained his composure and said casually, "Just doing odd jobs to make a living, that's life." His tone was slightly perfunctory, as if he didn't want to reveal too much.

Huang Feipeng nodded, not pressing further, and turned back to his work, inwardly analyzing the other person's words. This person was clearly intentionally withholding some information about him, and coming here at night seemed to indicate that he was secretly observing something. Huang Feipeng was alert, but acted as if nothing was amiss. He knew that this person might be one of those testing him, and he needed to be even more cautious.

As night deepened, the guests gradually left, leaving only a few still chatting and laughing quietly. Huang Feipeng saw off the last table of guests and was about to close the door when a deep voice came from behind him: "Boss, excuse me."

Huang Feipeng turned around and saw his "friend" from earlier that day standing at the door, looking nonchalant, as if he had just happened to be passing by. His appearance instantly tensed Huang Feipeng, but he remained calm on the surface, smiling as he said, "Why are you so late? Haven't you eaten yet?"

The man stepped forward, glanced around the shop, then sat down at the counter and smiled faintly: "I was just passing by and thought I'd try your signature dish and chat a bit."

Huang Feipeng understood that the other party's so-called "passing by" was not simple, but he still smiled and served him a plate of lamb skewers, asking in a relaxed tone: "Do you remember the last game? I feel like you went easy on me."

The other party smiled slightly and said meaningfully, "Brother Huang is no pushover. But if there's a chance, I would really like to have another match." His tone was probing, and his eyes held a hint of inquiry.

Huang Feipeng sneered inwardly, but replied calmly, "Then we must arrange a time another day. I can't let you win this time." He picked up a glass of water and handed it to the other man naturally, but in his mind, he was quickly analyzing the other man's intentions. He knew that the other man was probably observing him secretly, or trying to find out more information.

As they ate barbecue, the two probed each other with seemingly casual conversation. Every word Huang Feipeng uttered carried a hidden wariness, while the other's words held a subtle probing. They carefully maintained a distance in their conversation, like a contest between hunter and prey.

"Recently, I've heard there have been quite a few new faces in this area," the man said casually, his eyes sweeping over Huang Feipeng, his tone carrying a subtle but profound meaning.

Huang Feipeng smiled and said casually, "Since I opened this barbecue restaurant, there have been a lot of people coming and going, and I don't even know them all." His words carried a hint of self-deprecation, as if he were just an ordinary businessman living unknowingly in this bustling alley.

The other person nodded slightly, looking at Huang Feipeng thoughtfully, seemingly analyzing the credibility of his words and actions. Huang Feipeng knew in his heart that the other person would never believe everything on the surface; he had to continue to hide his true thoughts, remain calm, and pretend to be an ordinary barbecue restaurant owner. Throughout the conversation that night, neither side truly let their guard down, their words subtly laced with hidden barbs.

Late at night, the other party finally stood up, seemingly about to leave. He glanced at Huang Feipeng and smiled slightly: "Then let's talk another day, boss. I hope your business gets better and better."

Huang Feipeng responded with a smile, his tone polite: "Sure, come again when you have time. Let's have some skewers tonight, it'll be more lively." He secretly breathed a sigh of relief as he watched the other person leave, but his eyes remained calm and deep.

Huang Feipeng locked the shop door and stood at the entrance, gazing into the alleyway in the night, a surge of anger welling up inside him. He had been suppressing his emotions and remaining calm, but the man's probing tonight had thoroughly enraged him. These frequent "encounters" and suggestive words were like needles pricking his nerves, almost giving him the urge to rush up and confront him.

"What exactly do they want to know?" He gritted his teeth inwardly, almost feeling a suffocating sense of being hunted. He had carefully left his past life, hiding in a remote corner of the city, pretending to be an ordinary barbecue restaurant owner, even enduring the monotony and mediocrity day after day, but those people just wouldn't let him go.

Huang Feipeng's fists clenched involuntarily, his knuckles turning white and the veins slightly bulging. The anger in his heart surged like the undercurrent of a volcano, but he knew that this anger could only be buried deep inside, not revealed. He knew that all of this was silently forcing him to be drawn back into a dangerous vortex, and he had to remain rational and calmly consider his next move.

Huang Feipeng strode down the quiet alleyway, his heart filled with anxiety and resentment. He knew he couldn't afford to be careless; he had to proceed with extreme caution. But this caution only amplified his unease with a sense of powerlessness. He walked to a convenience store on a street corner and peered through the glass at rows of neatly arranged goods. The neon lights shone on the ground, creating an atmosphere of utter tranquility, as if the entire world continued to turn without regard for him.

He pushed open the door and went inside. The clerk nodded politely to him, but he remained silent. He simply walked to the beverage section, grabbed a bottle of chilled beer, and then picked up a few packs of cigarettes. This was a rare indulgence for him; the smell of tobacco allowed him to temporarily sink into a kind of tranquility, and it seemed to suppress the fire in his heart. He paid, walked out of the convenience store, tore open the beer tab, and took a large gulp. The cold liquid relaxed his tense nerves slightly, but anger remained burning like a ember in his heart.