Free Web NovelChapter 208: Chapter 208: A Run-in with the Vietnamese
Whatever they each felt that night, whether they were too excited to sleep or not, they were all up very early the next day.
After eating, they left with Qu Shui.
Qu Shui had them take a car, and after getting out, they walked a short distance to a street.
This street was unlike the others Gu’er had seen. It seemed to specialize in commerce, with both sides lined with shops and a fair number of people milling about.
"This place is a bit like the wholesale markets back home. It’s cheaper than the regular spots, but the goods are the same. You don’t have to worry about the quality."
Qu Shui explained.
Gu’er nodded in understanding. ’If Qu Shui hadn’t brought them, they never would have known a place like this existed.’
"What you buy is all up to your own judgment. I won’t tell you what to do there. Just buy whatever you think will sell well back home. I’ll keep my mouth shut."
Qu Shui chuckled. He was afraid of being held responsible. If they took his advice and bought things that didn’t sell well back home, they would surely blame him.
Gu’er and the others understood, so they went from shop to shop, asking for prices.
There wasn’t much difference in price, but the merchandise in each shop varied.
They definitely had to buy some woolen coats. There were also dresses, and even though they weren’t in season, someone was bound to buy them.
Gu’er also looked at many small items like nail clippers. They were small but would surely sell well back home.
There were also wool scarves and the like, which were sure to be hot sellers back home.
Gu’er’s group found a more out-of-the-way shop. The selection inside was quite complete, and the prices were a hair cheaper than at other stores. Every little bit counted. Gu’er picked out everything she thought was good but not exceptionally expensive, and Li Zhi and the others also selected quite a few items.
Qu Shui chose a good amount as well.
The shop owner seemed accustomed to customers like them; he didn’t offer any recommendations, simply letting them choose for themselves.
Gu’er grabbed several more boxes of small items like the nail clippers.
Just then, three men walked in from outside.
Gu’er paid them no mind at first, but when she saw their faces, her heart seized. ’They look Vietnamese.’ The three men weren’t especially tall, but they were solidly built. They also had some sort of... were they tattoos on their faces? Gu’er didn’t know anything about that.
’I’ve seen stuff about Vietnam on TV,’ Gu’er recalled. ’They say it’s chaotic over there, that life is cheap. People will get violent over the slightest disagreement. They’re supposed to be tough, especially the soldiers. For not much money, you could hire them to put their lives on the line for you.’
’Of course, this was all just stuff I saw on TV. I have no idea what it’s really like.’
Since arriving, she’d heard Qu Shui mention that there were a lot of Vietnamese people around here. He’d warned them not to provoke any Vietnamese, because they were fearless.
’So, I subconsciously want nothing to do with people like this. Even though I’ve been reincarnated, I’m still just a regular person. I don’t have peerless martial arts skills or a pocket dimension or anything like that.’
As soon as Dingzi saw them, his body went rigid.
The three Vietnamese men entered the shop and looked around. Then, one of them walked over to Gu’er.
He saw the box in Gu’er’s hand, gave her a smile, then reached out and snatched it away.
Gu’er’s brow furrowed slightly, but she said nothing and took a step back. She didn’t want to start trouble in an unfamiliar place.
The Vietnamese man said something, but Gu’er didn’t understand a word.
The shop owner acted as if he hadn’t seen a thing, making no move to step forward.
Li Zhi frowned and pulled Gu’er behind him. He could tell these Vietnamese men were looking for trouble.
Qu Shui frowned too. ’I’d heard that some Vietnamese on this street cause trouble,’ he thought. ’Their goal is money, and they specifically target people from China. If you don’t pay up, they might beat you half to death. In the worst cases, people get killed. Can’t believe we ran into them today. What rotten luck. Looks like we’re going to have to bleed some cash.’
When the Vietnamese man who’d snatched Gu’er’s box saw Li Zhi pull her behind him, he let out a sinister chuckle. He didn’t seem to care, but his smile was unsettling.
After chuckling, he pulled out a dagger and began toying with it in his hand.
This wasn’t an ordinary dagger. It looked much longer than a typical knife and was incredibly sharp, with one serrated edge. ’If that got stabbed into someone...’ Gu’er didn’t dare imagine the consequences.
’They’re just trying to scare us with the knife,’ she realized. ’Their goal must be money.’
"He wants two hundred US dollars from us."
Dingzi’s gaze was placid, but Gu’er thought his voice sounded different than usual. His tone was so calm it was unnerving.
"Let’s give it to him."
Gu’er made her decision quickly. ’Even though Dingzi is supposed to be a good fighter, there are three of them, and they’re armed. If we can solve this with money, I don’t want any other trouble.’
’Two hundred US dollars is a lot, but it’s nothing compared to our lives. If one of us got hurt, that’s something money can’t fix.’
Li Zhi gritted his teeth. This wasn’t China; his status meant nothing here. Besides, these Vietnamese men were desperados, the kind who lived on the edge. This wasn’t a fight they could afford to take.
"Pay them."
Li Zhi nodded as well. ’It’s only two hundred US dollars,’ he thought. ’We can earn it back later.’
Since Li Zhi also agreed, Gu’er took out two hundred US dollars.
The man with the dagger took the money but didn’t leave. He glanced at his two companions. Perhaps because Gu’er’s group had caved so easily, they weren’t satisfied. freewёbnoνel.com
He barked a few more sentences.
"Brother Dingzi."
Gu’er called out, unable to understand what the man was saying.
"He says he wants two hundred US dollars per person. There are four of us, so they want eight hundred US dollars."
Dingzi’s voice was almost completely flat.
Gu’er was furious. ’I’ve never seen a robbery like this! A few more demands like this and we’ll have nothing left to our names.’
Before Gu’er could say anything, she heard Dingzi start speaking to the man in that same language. She couldn’t understand a word of it.
Qu Shui’s face was a mask of bitterness. ’Two hundred US dollars... I don’t want to give it to them, but I have no choice. I want to live.’
The man who had been listening to Dingzi glanced at him and Li Zhi, then let out a loud laugh. He took a step forward, still muttering something. With the dagger in one hand, he actually reached out with the other to grab Gu’er, as if trying to pull her toward him.
Gu’er hadn’t expected him to be so brazen. Her eyes went cold as she dodged back, avoiding his hand. Li Zhi flew into a rage. The man clearly had sinister intentions for grabbing at Gu’er. Li Zhi seized the Vietnamese man’s arm, intending to twist it behind his back.
The Vietnamese man seemed to have expected Li Zhi to fight back, and he wasn’t concerned. ’How could some ordinary guy beat me?’ With a flex of his arm, he neutralized Li Zhi’s force and lunged at him with the dagger.
But the instant Li Zhi moved, so did Dingzi. He was lightning fast. Before the Vietnamese man could even react, the dagger was in Dingzi’s hand.
The Vietnamese man was stunned, not expecting Dingzi to be so skilled. But he didn’t retreat. Instead, he broke into a savage grin, and the other two Vietnamese men advanced with matching expressions.
