Chapter 19 The Highly Popular Cassette Tape

"That's right, two thousand yuan—enough for each of your brothers to buy a coffin!"

"You…" Wolf was just about to speak, but the mention of coffins made him realize he’d been played by Jiang Yetong.

"You’re really asking for trouble!" Wolf sneered, furious.

Before Wolf could react, Jiang Yetong raised his hand, landing a resounding slap across Wolf's face.

"Brothers, get him!"

Wolf staggered, stars dancing before his eyes, his head spinning. The thugs behind him immediately rushed forward.

Just then, Jiang Yuan arrived, bringing five or six men with him.

Jiang Yuan’s face was grim. He seized a thug by the hair, yanked his head down, and slammed his knee into the man’s face.

The thug struggled, but after a few blows, blood trickled from his mouth and nose, and soon he collapsed onto the ground.

Wolf snapped out of his daze to find that all his men were blocked by Jiang Yuan’s group.

This was no ordinary street fight.

The men brought by Chen Yuan struck fast, accurately, and ruthlessly. Within moments, Wolf’s underlings were beaten and crying out in pain.

Panic gripped Wolf’s heart. He hadn’t expected the other side to have their own force.

He began to back away, planning to return and find Hou San.

Jiang Yuan let go of the thug and fixed his gaze on Wolf. He remembered how he’d suffered during their last brawl because he lacked men; now, one-on-one, no one could stand against him, especially after days of relentless training under Chen Sheng.

As Wolf tried to flee, Jiang Yuan grabbed a brick and hurled it.

Wolf stumbled and crashed to the ground. As he struggled to rise, Jiang Yuan arrived, planting a boot firmly on Wolf’s back.

Jiang Yuan yanked Wolf’s hair, his eyes cold and menacing. "Do you remember how you beat me two days ago?"

Wolf was terrified. He’d never seen such a look, not even from his boss Hou San.

Dragging Wolf by the hair, Jiang Yuan headed for the abandoned building.

Jiang Yetong saw the remaining thugs scatter. He told Chen Pan’er to watch the stall and walked toward Jiang Yuan.

"Be careful," Chen Pan’er urged.

Jiang Yetong nodded and entered the derelict building. Four or five of Jiang Yuan’s men surrounded Wolf.

"Yetong, what should we do with him?" Jiang Yuan asked, seeing Jiang Yetong.

Jiang Yetong regarded Wolf calmly. "Did Hou San send you?"

Wolf, dumbfounded, nodded rapidly. "Yes, Boss Hou sent me. I’m just a follower—it’s not my fault!"

He knew his odds of surviving were slim in Jiang Yuan’s hands and clung to his desire to live.

Jiang Yetong understood: Hou San was indeed behind it.

Since conflict was now inevitable, any softness would only invite future trouble.

"Yuan, you decide. You’re the boss," Jiang Yetong said. It was best for Jiang Yuan to establish his authority, as he would be leading the brothers from now on.

Jiang Yuan saw the chill in Jiang Yetong’s eyes and knew what he had to do.

"Hand it over," Jiang Yuan said to his men.

One brother passed him a steel pipe.

"Boss, boss, I’m sorry! Spare me… spare me, I’ll never dare again…"

Wolf broke down, sobbing. He’d never been so afraid, especially faced with such calm, indifferent faces—not something petty thugs like him could fathom.

Jiang Yetong left the abandoned building.

He hadn’t wanted the situation to escalate, but there was no choice. These thugs were like flies; if you didn’t hurt them, they’d forever buzz around and bite.

Since enmity had already been forged, there could be no retreat.

Jiang Yetong was not a merciful man. If he wanted to set up his stall in this wholesale market, he must remove the thorn of Hou San.

Chen Pan’er saw Jiang Yetong emerge and breathed a slight sigh of relief.

Suddenly, a scream echoed from the abandoned building.

Chen Pan’er’s eyes widened as she looked at Jiang Yetong. "Inside…"

Jiang Yetong smiled gently and said, "Don’t worry. From now on, we can set up our stall here as we please."

Chen Pan’er didn’t quite understand what had happened, but she sensed it was connected to the men brought by Chen Yuan.

After a while, Jiang Yuan came out with his brothers.

Jiang Yetong took a hundred yuan from his pocket and handed it to Jiang Yuan.

"Yuan, it’s hot—get the brothers some drinks."

"Yetong, I have money."

Jiang Yuan didn’t take it. He waved his hand at his men and left.

By afternoon, workers from nearby factories were finishing their shifts.

Jiang Yetong inserted a cassette into the player and let the music play.

Once again, it was "Boundless Oceans, Vast Skies" by Wong Ka Kui.

The distinctive rock and magnetic voice drew many bystanders.

Some curious people asked about the price of the tapes.

Upon hearing they cost ten yuan, many were deterred.

Chen Pan’er watched Jiang Yetong with interest. In a short while, she’d sold several pieces of jewelry, while Jiang Yetong hadn’t sold a single tape.

"I told you your tapes are too expensive—no one will buy them," Chen Pan’er remarked.

Jiang Yetong pondered. He didn’t think price was the issue. Ten yuan wasn’t cheap, but it depended on the clientele.

Just then, a middle-aged man in a suit approached Jiang Yetong’s stall.

"Young man, how much for the tapes?" he asked.

"Ten yuan," Jiang Yetong replied.

The man crouched down and began to select.

"You might want to listen to this—‘The Ocean’ is newly released," Jiang Yetong handed him a cassette.

"Play it," the man said.

Jiang Yetong inserted the tape into the player.

The gentle melody began to flow.

From that distant seaside… you slowly disappeared…
A once-blurred face… gradually becomes clear…
…
If the ocean could call back love once lost…
Let me wait a lifetime…

The soaring, lingering tune, paired with the sharp, unique voice, brought the song to life.

The middle-aged man’s eyes brightened; he’d never heard this piece before.

Many young women busy picking jewelry at Chen Pan’er’s stall were drawn in, and passersby paused to listen.

When the song ended, the man asked Jiang Yetong, "Do you have any other tapes?"

"Yes, here’s this one—Jacky Cheung’s ‘I Waited Until the Flowers Withered’."

Jiang Yetong inserted the tape and let the man listen.

The man closed his eyes in contemplation, then opened them and asked, "Where did you get these tapes?"

Jiang Yetong scrutinized him, trying to discern whether he was here to cause trouble or to buy.

The man saw the wariness in Jiang Yetong’s eyes, smiled, and handed him a cigarette.

"Don’t misunderstand, young man. I’m the manager of a nearby factory. I love music, but I’ve searched all the local music shops and only found old songs. Your tapes are a breath of fresh air."

Hearing the explanation, Jiang Yetong relaxed a bit. He smiled, "A friend from Hong Kong sent these. I thought they sounded good, so I decided to share them."

The worldly man understood Jiang Yetong must have a source for tapes. He didn’t expose the lie—after all, it was business.

"I’ll take this one, that one, and this one—six tapes in all," the man selected, handing over sixty yuan.

As he left, he handed Jiang Yetong a business card. "By the way, I’m Zhou Jianliang. If you get any new tapes, set them aside for me—I’ll definitely want them."

"Of course, of course. It’s a deal!" Jiang Yetong accepted the card and shook his hand.

Chen Pan’er was stunned. In a few short words, Jiang Yetong had closed a sixty-yuan sale.

Thirty yuan profit—a day’s earnings for her small business.

Jiang Yetong waved the bills at Chen Pan’er.

"Hmph…" Chen Pan’er pretended not to notice and began promoting her earrings.

Listening to customers haggle over a few coins, she felt a distinct sense of disparity.

Meanwhile, Jiang Yetong turned up the volume on the player, letting "Boundless Oceans, Vast Skies" echo again.

Once the crowd dispersed, Chen Pan’er glared at Jiang Yetong, "Can’t you lower the volume?"

Jiang Yetong looked innocent—he only wanted to share good music.

As the flow of factory workers reached its peak, more and more people lingered at Jiang Yetong’s stall, most drawn by the unique melodies.