CHAPTER 383: CHAPTER 383: NIGHTMARE

After the meal, Mo Weidong suggested they go for a stroll.

Mo Weidong and his three companions each bought a new outfit, with Xie Quan paying begrudgingly. However, thinking it might curry favor with Mo Xiaoyu, Xie Quan endured the expense.

Mo Weidong exchanged glances with Tang Jun and others, then pulled Xie Quan towards the Gold Store, affectionately calling him "brother-in-law" and said, "Brother-in-law, when my sister married you, she didn’t get any gold jewelry, right? Let’s buy some for her this time."

"My cousin got a gold ring and a gold necklace from her husband when they married, it was really flashy."

While Mo Weidong was checking which ones looked nice, Tang Jun reminded, "Weidong, if you are buying, you should buy the biggest and the best."

Tang Jun casually pointed at a golden bracelet. The bracelet was thick and large, and very... expensive.

That large golden bracelet, nearly a hundred grams, and that one bracelet alone cost over 8,000 yuan.

"Just one bracelet is not enough, add a gold ring and a necklace too," Mo Weidong seriously picked.

Xie Quan, watching from the side, was frightened by the prices, knowing that with Mo Weidong’s choices, it would easily surpass 10,000 yuan and he wouldn’t have enough to cover the cost.

Previously, spending over 10,000 yuan to please her was nothing for Xie Quan, but now he only had about one thousand yuan on hand, having spent several hundreds just recently, leaving very little left. If he were to buy that large gold bracelet...

The four youths discussed which pieces to buy, Xie Quan pulled Mo Weidong aside: "Your sister won’t like this, how about we go back to your place so I can see your niece? You haven’t seen Tiantian yet, right? She’s grown up now and looks lovely."

Xie Quan was trying to leave with Mo Weidong.

But Mo Weidong wanted to trick Xie Quan, so there was no way he’d leave without making the purchases.

Out of options, Xie Quan finally said, "Weidong, actually, I, I, I have divorced your sister."

"What?" Mo Weidong put on a shocked expression, sneering inside. He thought he was going to reconcile with my sister after just spending a few hundred, and he spilled everything.

"I made some mistakes, so your sister got angry and divorced me," Xie quickly continued while watching Mo Weidong’s reaction, "Actually, I hope to reconcile with your sister, but she won’t forgive me, Weidong, I know I was wrong, but it’s been over half a year, surely your sister has cooled off."

"Men can get impulsive sometimes," Xie Quan said, pretending to bond, though in his mind, Mo Weidong was just a teenager prone to impulsiveness, perhaps he could understand his thinking.

Mo Weidong gave him a deep look and called Tang Jun and the others to leave.

Xie Quan hurried to catch up with them, watching as they headed to the alleys. Mo Weidong asked a few familiar aunties and quickly learned the whole story.

Even though he’d heard Mo Xiaoyu speak nonchalantly about it at home, hearing those aunties speak fueled a burst of anger from within him.

Tang Jun and the others also felt uncomfortable listening.

They all had sisters; Mo Xiaoyu was Mo Weidong’s sister and their sister too.

Xie Quan had just caught up, without time to speak, when Mo Weidong threw a punch at him.

Tang Jun seized the opportunity to drag Xie Quan into a nearby alley.

The alleys were numerous and winding, and this one was quiet, especially at this afternoon hour when there weren’t many people around.

Xie Quan was cornered against the wall by the four of them, yelping in pain as Tang Jun stuffed Xie Quan’s sock into his mouth and they beat him fiercely.

"Xie Quan, I’m warning you, if you dare to bully my sister again, I’ll break your legs," Mo Weidong said viciously as he beat Xie Quan until he couldn’t even stand up.

Of course, the four had trained with Zhu Yuanchao for several years, skilled enough to take on two men each, ensuring their hits were painful yet wouldn’t cause real injury.

Xie Quan repeatedly agreed out of fear; previously beaten by Mo Siyu and now by Mo Weidong and his group, Xie Quan dare not even think about approaching Mo Buyu again.

Mo Weidong and his friends left in high spirits after teaching the scum a lesson, which greatly improved their mood.

"Weidong, I think we still need to get rid of him," Tang Jun spoke up.

Jiajie immediately chimed in: "Exactly, otherwise, once we leave, what if he goes to harass Sister Xiaoyu?"

Zhang Qiang’s eyes flickered, suggesting, "How about we beat him up again? Beat him until he dares not approach Sister Xiaoyu."

"No," Tang Jun shook his head, "that would backfire. If it triggers resentment in Xie Quan, he might actually go looking for trouble with Sister Xiaoyu and keep pestering her, which would just make things worse despite our good intentions."

Mo Weidong had been silent all along, but upon hearing Tang Jun’s reminder, the joy from earlier felt like a bucket of cold water had been dumped on him in the depth of winter.

Mo Weidong asked seriously, "Xiao Jun, what do you suggest we do then? How can we make Xie Quan leave?"

"He’s not from Sea City, right?" Tang Jun broke the silence after a while.

"It seems not; he came here to study and then stayed after graduation," Mo Weidong replied uncertainly.

"Does he have any family here?" Tang asked further.

Mo Weidong shook his head.

He had only visited Sea City once, and when he was younger and ignorant, he hadn’t paid attention to these details.

Jiajie suddenly said, "Why don’t we make it so unbearable for him in Sea City that he can’t stay?"

"I think that might work," Tang Jun agreed, and the four youths huddled together, beginning to plan their strategy.

The night was late for them; after thinking all night, they left the house early the next morning.

What followed were nightmare-like days for Xie Quan.

Stepping out the door to mysteriously trip, finding an insect in one dish while eating,

experiencing continual frustration at the factory, getting kicked out just as he entered a place to negotiate business,

getting accosted by a gang of thugs demanding money during a late night at the factory,

Xie Quan called the police, but it only complicated things for him; his small factory was barely legal and was ordered to shut down.

Xie Quan was nearly driven mad, as if bad luck had possessed him.

What drove him to consider leaving were those thugs, who found him several days in a row, sticking to him like glue.

After being robbed for the third time, looking at his shuttered factory, Xie Quan finally entertained the thought of leaving.

The factory was gone.

His home, gone.

His child, even more so.

Now, Xie Quan regretted everything deeply; initially, life in Sea City was not wealthy but comfortable, the factory was prospering, he had hot meals at home and a daughter.

Although a daughter wasn’t as preferred as a son, at least she was his own flesh and blood.