Chapter 63: Bro, you could even bring yourself to be that ruthless to your own flesh and blood?

Lin Jingyu carefully observed the person in front of him.

He looked to be in his forties, quite tall—at least a head taller than himself—and solidly built.

Underneath, he wore a somewhat proper suit, over which he had draped a long overcoat. His hair was slicked back with pomade, glistening with grease, and on his feet were a pair of leather shoes. His entire outfit was clearly a copy of the styles worn by stars from Hong Kong.

Yet his face was remarkably dark, clashing terribly with the attire, making him look utterly bizarre.

Adhering to the principle that harmony brings wealth, Lin Jingyu took a deep breath, forced a dry smile, and explained, "Business is business, right? It relies entirely on mutual willingness. You think twenty is too expensive, but some people directly hand over red envelopes worth hundreds."

Old Liao, standing opposite, nodded along. "Exactly, exactly! Our young man here has genuine skills. Do you even understand that he can save lives?"

Yu Gangqiang curled his lip in disdain, pulled out the chair in front of the stall, and sat down with a thud. "I came here today to..."

Before he could finish, he was interrupted by Su Chen.

"Make trouble!"

Yu Gangqiang froze, a look of startled suspicion in his eyes.

Lin Jingyu instantly turned vigilant.

Old Liao, along with Aunt Li who did paper-cuttings, all wore grave expressions.

Making trouble?

On Chunming Street?

This was trying to cut off their livelihood.

Running a street stall meant earning money day by day.

If someone came to make trouble, not only would the stall likely be smashed and goods destroyed, resulting in heavy losses, but they might also be hauled to the police station to make statements, ruining the entire day's earnings.

"No, what..." Yu Gangqiang's mind raced, and then he stiffened his neck, adopting a sarcastic tone. "Oh, so if I don't believe it, that means I'm making trouble?"

Su Chen put down his brush and handed him a yellow talisman. "Then do you have the guts to stick this talisman on yourself?"

"I... why wouldn't I?"

Yu Gangqiang snatched it through gritted teeth. The moment the yellow talisman touched his hand, its golden patterns flashed, his eyes turned glassy, and he slowly stood up, beginning to walk.

In circles, around and around the front of the stall.

Seeing this, Lin Jingyu burst into laughter and gave Su Chen a thumbs-up.

"My friend, you really have a way with things."

The corners of Su Chen's mouth lifted.

So the talismans he had invented in his past life to play pranks on people worked in this world as well. It seemed he could take some time to study more talismans.

Behind him, Ah Peng’s eyes went wide as he stared in disbelief at Yu Gangqiang walking in circles, then looked up at his father.

Coming back to his senses, he threw his picture book aside, ran over to Su Chen, and grabbed his arm tightly.

"Daddy, I want one too! I want one too!"

"You want to spin around in circles just like this uncle?"

Ah Peng nodded repeatedly, though he seemed to sense something was amiss.

Su Chen replied, "No problem, just wait a moment."

He drew a talisman and handed it to Ah Peng. The little fellow finally reacted, hesitating to take it and shrinking his neck back.

"Ah Peng, today Daddy is going to teach you: when you speak, you must be clear and explicit, otherwise the consequences can sometimes be very serious."

Without waiting for a reply, Su Chen unceremoniously slapped the yellow talisman onto Ah Peng's arm. Ah Peng’s eyes began to glaze over, and he started spinning in circles...

Lin Jingyu was dumbfounded.

"No way, my friend, you can bring yourself to be so ruthless to your own child?"

"It's just a little prank talisman. Don't worry, it will stop in half an hour at most, no harm to the body."

"Oh, oh, oh."

Lin Jingyu's eyes suddenly lit up. "Hey, my friend, can you give me one?"

"Who are you trying to prank?"

"Biao Ge, of course."

"And then Biao Ge will come over to get a talisman to prank you? Then you'll go prank him back?"

Lin Jingyu: "...Uh!"

"Stop messing around. Yellow paper and cinnabar both cost money, don't waste them."

Su Chen reminded him, "Go to the police station and call someone over to drag him away and find out who sent him."

Lin Jingyu snorted. "Does that even need asking? It's definitely the Black Horse Billiard Hall."

"My brother said earlier that since those people got arrested last time, they were bound to come make trouble. I had already warned everyone to stay alert, I just didn't expect him to target your stall. Talk about kicking a steel plate!"

With that, Lin Jingyu grew cheerful again. "Friend, with you on Chunming Street, we won't have to fear troublemakers ever again. Next time, draw more of these talismans so we can keep a stock. One comes, I slap one on; two come, I slap a pair. It doesn't hurt people and we don't have to pay medical bills, how wonderful is that?"

Su Chen chuckled dryly. "I'm just afraid that before you even get a chance to slap it on, they'll knife you."

Lin Jingyu: "!!!"

"Won't they learn their lesson after falling for it once?"

Lin Jingyu forced a smile. "Right, right!"

Su Chen picked up his brush, swiftly drew two more, and handed them to him. "Here, one for you and one for Biao Ge. You can use them if you ever run into someone stubborn who isn't carrying a knife or club."

"Hehe, only my friend understands me."

Lin Jingyu reached out to take them, then paused, narrowing his eyes suspiciously at Su Chen. "Friend, you aren't trying to prank me right now, are you?"

"Relax, I'm not that idle." He beckoned. When Lin Jingyu leaned in closer, Su Chen lowered his voice. "When you use it, chant: Infinite Celestial Lord."

"So there's an incantation! I thought it activated upon contact."

Lin Jingyu chuckled as he took them. "Alright friend, I'll come back to find you in a bit."

Instead of returning to the Ye Family Noodle Restaurant, he slipped into a small alley, quickly wheeled out his bicycle, and mounted it. A moment later, he returned, leading two police officers.

Yu Gangqiang suddenly felt a lightness on his hand and snapped back to complete clarity.

He shook his head, only to find himself face-to-face with familiar official caps.

Startled, he turned to run, but bumped right into another official cap.

"Hehe, hehe, I, I, I was just... borrowing their clothes for a moment. Th-this really isn't stolen, truly!"

Holding up the talisman he had pulled away, Lin Jingyu looked at him with utter disgust. "No wonder he looked like a patchwork mess—turns out he stole the clothes."

Old Liao was even more contemptuous. "So young, yet instead of working hard to earn an honest living, he goes dabbling in crooked, wicked ways. Officer, lock him up longer! Preferably right through the New Year!"

"Hey, you old geezer..." Yu Gangqiang flared up, only to be instantly pinned down by the two officers.

"What are you doing? Thinking of hitting someone?"

Yu Gangqiang cowered in a second. "No, no, I, I was just... making a little joke. Yes, yes, just a little joke."

Even as he was being dragged away, he didn't dare look toward Su Chen's direction, though he shot Old Liao several vicious glares.

Old Liao spat. "You think I'm scared of you? A coward who only dares to petty-thieve. My ancestors are from Xiangnan—if you've got the guts, let's go."

Not long after Yu Gangqiang was taken away, a man and a woman approached the stall.

"Master, may I ask—without a birth date, can you figure out where someone's remains are?"

Su Chen raised his head, carefully observing the complexions of the pair. Recognizing them as a husband and wife, he narrowed his eyes.

"Without a birth date, it's very difficult. However, if you have personal items they used close to their body, perhaps that might work, or... hair and nails?"

The woman's face clouded with sorrow as she slowly shook her head.

The man asked anxiously, "Would his approximate date of death work, Master? Boss Zhang told us you possess great abilities, you simply must help us!"

Zhang Yugui?

Recalling Zhao Dongsheng's daily chauffeuring over the past few days, this favor still had to be granted.

Su Chen smiled at the man, turned around to pull over Lin Jingyu's chair, and invited the two of them to sit.

"Tell me the situation in detail."

Only then did the woman speak, her eyes red, "He was my father's platoon leader!"