Chapter 22: Following and Approaching

The next day.

Jing Xi went straight to town.

The town’s market was open every Tuesday and Saturday, and Saturdays were especially crowded.

Besides buying some food and snacks, Jing Xi also planned to look around and see if she could get a new set of clothes made.

After all, she had just received 300 yuan in fresh compensation—she could spend it however she liked.

The original owner’s clothes were in terrible condition. Aside from two bellybands that were still usable, the rest had been patched and mended for years. In her memories, the original owner had never bought any new clothes.

Actually, she simply couldn’t afford them.

Since the economic reforms had been in place for several years, more and more people had started small businesses. Even the goods sold at the market had increased significantly compared to previous years.

After wandering around for a while, Jing Xi spotted a tailor shop. Having clothes made was cheaper than buying them.

“Boss, do you take orders for custom-made clothing?”

The shopkeeper, a middle-aged woman, saw her enter and greeted her warmly. “Of course! What kind of clothes would you like to make, young lady?”

“I want cotton thermal underwear in dark brown, gray, or black. It has to be pure cotton, with an elastic waistband and tapered pant legs.”

“Alright, but don’t you want something in brighter colors? Most people prefer red in the winter.”

“No, thank you.”

“Alright, as you wish. But are you sure you only want pure cotton? Cotton fabric tends to stretch out of shape easily, and most people prefer nylon these days. Would you like to try that instead?”

Jing Xi shook her head. “I prefer cotton. Just cotton is fine.”

“Alright, I do have some pre-made options in gray and black. You can take a look. If none of them suit you, I’ll take your measurements and make a new set.”

Jing Xi browsed through the options and found two sets that looked good. The fabric was soft, and the texture felt nice.

The shopkeeper smiled and explained, “Darker colors are usually preferred by men, so these sets are a bit larger. They might be a little loose on you. Each set costs 20 yuan.”

“No problem. The pants don’t seem too long. Can I try them on?”

“Of course.”

Seeing how straightforward and decisive Jing Xi was, the shopkeeper quickly took out the pre-made thermal sets and led her to a small fitting room in the back.

After trying them on, Jing Xi found that aside from the pant legs being slightly long, everything else was fine. The fit was loose and comfortable—just how she liked it.

She bought both sets for 40 yuan. Now she had extra thermal wear to rotate through for the winter.

“You look great in them! Come back anytime, dear! We also sell outer pants, underwear, socks, gloves—everything you need!”

“Got it, thanks!”

She continued browsing the market and bought a cotton-padded jacket and a pair of outer pants for 50 yuan.

Clothes in this era were expensive, but there were cheaper options available. However, she preferred buying good-quality ones she actually liked—otherwise, if they wore out quickly, she’d have to buy new ones again.

A few steps away, she caught a whiff of freshly baked sesame seed pancakes. The aroma was irresistible, making her mouth water.

Each pancake only cost 5 cents. Feeling indulgent, Jing Xi bought ten of them and immediately ate two while standing by the roadside. She stuffed the rest into her pocket for later.

Just then, the market suddenly became noisy.

The bustling crowd stirred, and people started looking in the same direction. Soon, even the patrolling police officers rushed over.

Jing Xi perked up when she heard what had happened—someone had been caught stealing.

Curious, she found a higher vantage point where there were fewer people.

From a distance, she spotted a disheveled young man who had stolen money from an elderly woman.

A peanut vendor had seen him and alerted the woman, and a few kind-hearted bystanders had surrounded the thief, preventing his escape. That’s how he got caught.

The police stepped in.

Looking closely, Jing Xi recognized one of them—it was Officer Li!

Truly a busy man.

She had no intention of lingering.

With so many people at the market, there was no way this was the only thief around. Since she had already bought everything she needed, she figured she might as well head home early.

But sometimes, unexpected things just happen.

On her way to the bus station, she noticed Wu Dazhuang standing in front of a hotel with a few middle-aged men.

The men looked completely dejected—their faces pale, their expressions lifeless. One glance was enough to tell they had been “eaten like sheep.”

Wu Dazhuang was speaking to them in a low voice.

Jing Xi listened in.

He was persuading them to take out high-interest loans.

“Brothers, it’s only 3% interest, and the first week is interest-free. Once you win, you can just pay it back.”

“Boss Hong is very easy to talk to. Just sign an IOU and leave a document as collateral—your work permit or ID card will do.”

“Brother Wu, but what if we can’t pay it back and keep losing more?”

“Don’t worry! Boss Hong owns several restaurants in the county and city. Even if you can’t pay back the loan, you can work at his restaurants to pay it off little by little.”

“Really? You’re not lying to us, are you?”

“Of course not! Look at me—I used to gamble here too. I lost 500 yuan! That’s no small amount, right? I worked at Boss Hong’s restaurant for a year, and I paid it all off.

“Boss Hong saw that I was reliable, so he let me help with lending money. Trust me, this is all legitimate!”

“But…”

“Brother, I understand your concerns, but look at me—I’m proof that it works. Besides, we’re all from the same town. Would I really deceive you? Boss Hong has been in business for years—he has a reputation to uphold. You all—”

Jing Xi didn’t need to hear more.

Wu Dazhuang was tricking these desperate men into even deeper debt.

She smirked.

It seemed Wu Dazhuang was more deeply involved in this business than she had thought.

“If you don’t believe me, you can ask around in town or even go to the county and check whether I’m lying to you.”

What a silver tongue.

After Wu Dazhuang’s relentless persuasion, the group finally agreed to take the loan.

Wu Dazhuang grinned brightly, looking nothing like the thug he was back in the village.

Some people just seem born to do bad things.

“Come with me, everyone. We can get the money today. Once you have it, you can hit the restaurants, enjoy some ladies, or party at the disco—whatever you want! And for the first week, there’s no interest! Where else would you find such a great deal?”

Once a person gets involved in gambling, drugs, or prostitution, the other two are never far behind.

Jing Xi shook her head. Could this “Boss Hong” be the man behind the casino Wu Dazhuang visited?

Running a casino on one hand and lending high-interest loans on the other—who’s to say he didn’t also dabble in the flesh trade?

A true social parasite.

Jing Xi quietly followed them and saw that their destination was an apartment building across from the bus station.

She memorized the building and unit number before turning to leave.

Just as she stepped out of the residential area—

“Hey, young lady!”

Jing Xi turned around and saw a man in a tailored suit calling out to her. He had a slight southern accent.

“Miss, you dropped something.”

The man held out a black bag. Jing Xi didn’t take it. “That’s not mine.”

“It’s not? I thought it was yours.”

“It’s not.”

“Oh, my mistake, my mistake. I saw you carrying so many bags and thought you might’ve dropped it. By the way, did you just finish shopping at the market?”

Jing Xi’s guard went up. “If you have something to say, just say it.”

“Don’t be so tense, I mean no harm. Oh, right! I’m the manager of a nearby karaoke lounge. My last name is Huang. You have a great look and fit our hiring standards perfectly. If you’re interested, we’re hiring waitresses. Fifty bucks a month, with meals and accommodations included.”

“Fifty?”

“Yeah! A really high salary!”

“As a waitress?”

“Exactly! Are you already working, or are you still in school?”

“Sorry, I can’t do it. I’ll be going now.”

“Hey… don’t rush, miss! You’re so pretty—don’t waste that beautiful face! If one of the bosses in the lounge takes a liking to you, you won’t even have to go to the market for clothes anymore. You could shop at high-end stores instead!”

Jing Xi kept walking, but the man followed beside her, persistently persuading her. He even reached out and grabbed her arm.

That was the last straw.

Jing Xi forcefully yanked her arm free. “Mr. Huang, your face looks sickly yellow, your eyes are swollen, your steps are weak, and your breath stinks when you talk. Have you not been resting well? You’d better take care of yourself, or you’ll be bedridden in three days.”

The man was caught off guard. “What… what do you mean by that, miss?”

“Exactly what I said. You should get your heart, liver, spleen, lungs, and kidneys checked. You don’t look normal at all.”

Even if he was slow, Mr. Huang could tell that Jing Xi was being sarcastic.

“Hey now, miss, I was just being kind and offering you a job. Why are you cursing me? You’re so rude!”

“Rude?” Jing Xi narrowed her eyes and smirked.

“I’ll give you a fair warning—if I ever set foot in your karaoke lounge, it’ll be out of business in three days. Stay away from me.”

Before the man could think of a response, Jing Xi bolted away at full speed.

A karaoke lounge?

Too messy.

Fifty bucks a month? That kind of money wouldn’t be easy to earn. They called it a waitress job, but who knew if “special services” were involved?

She moved quickly but still found a hidden spot to observe Mr. Huang’s movements.

Sure enough, after muttering a few curses in a dialect she didn’t understand, the man headed straight into the same building that Wu Dazhuang had entered.

Her interest in this “Boss Hong” had just skyrocketed.

She was determined to find out exactly what Wu Dazhuang was up to.