Chapter 763: Chapter 748: Dawn Before Darkness (Part 1)
"Hey, what are you spacing out for? Hurry up and respond!" the person in the back seat impatiently reminded him.
Yao Ruyi was clearly flustered, and almost instinctively blurted out, "Say... what should I say?"
"Ah, give it to me!" The driver could no longer bear watching and, without further ado, rudely snatched the phone from Yao Ruyi’s hand, quickly pressing the call button. "Mr. Liu, it was all Yao Ruyi’s fault for being too nervous earlier. Do you want us to go back to the designated location and meet you? Over!"
Liu Fugui placed the hand-held radio gently on the round table, leisurely picked up the teacup from the table, and took a few sips of Tieguanyin before picking up the radio again.
In those short seconds of pause, Yao Ruyi and the others felt as if they were sitting on pins and needles. This was where Liu Fugui’s experience came in; everything he said and did was an act, with the ultimate goal of probing the other’s stance toward him.
Not responding promptly was meant to make the others feel that their previous reckless actions put him in a difficult spot.
Sure enough, Liu Fugui started with a long sigh: "Sigh, I’m telling you, Xiao Yao’s shooting has made the villa side very displeased with your actions. How do you want me to explain your motives to them? Listen up now, when you arrive, everyone gets out of the car and gathers at the entrance; all weapons must be thrown into the factory. Stop playing tricks, or it will make things very difficult for me, understand? Over!"
Weak words, but with an undeniably strong tone. The driver, upon hearing Liu Fugui’s agreement, responded without hesitation: "Understood, Mr. Liu, rest assured, we won’t let what happened earlier occur again. It was purely a misunderstanding, and we will do as you require. Over!"
"Thanks for the trouble, Mr. Liu!" As soon as the call ended, Old Xu hurriedly refilled Liu Fugui’s teacup with hot water, saying as he did so, "I’m sorry to trouble you later, Mr. Liu. When Yao Ruyi and the others arrive, to ease their worries, you’ll need to personally greet them. I can’t show my face, but if Yunpeng supports you, would that be okay?"
"Yunpeng?" Liu Fugui refused without hesitation: "Mr. Liu, you should have noticed too that the other side’s attitude isn’t too clear. So, it’s enough for me to take the risk alone. Yunpeng is still my only son; I don’t want any accidents befalling him."
"Dad, how can you go out alone in your condition?"
"Shut up, stay put in the room!" Liu Fugui firmly interrupted Liu Yunpeng’s words and said to Old Xu, "Captain Xu, get me a cane or something to support myself as I go out alone."
Nobody expected Liu Fugui to agree so readily, which surprised Old Xu. It seemed Liu Fugui was indeed a man of character.
Since Liu Fugui was willing to go alone to meet Yao Ruyi, there was no longer any worry about being shot by the other side. No matter what, any injuries or death would be Liu Fugui’s concern, and though it seemed unethical, at the moment, Old Xu couldn’t afford to care about such things: "Mr. Liu, whether or not Yao Ruyi follows our instructions is still unknown, so be extra careful on your trip. If any unusual situation arises, find cover immediately, and we will assist you promptly."
Old Xu looked serious, and Liu Yunpeng stared at the former, indicating that if anything happened to Liu Fugui as a result, he would not let him off.
Liu Fugui noticed everything and patted Liu Yunpeng’s shoulder: "Yunpeng, go back to your room. It’s a critical time, and the villa has its rules. If you stay here, Old Xu has to assign people to look after your comfort. Go back!"
"No, Dad, I want to stay here!" Liu Yunpeng stubbornly raised his head. The man before him was his world, and he could not bear the thought of losing him.
Liu Fugui looked at his son in front of him, sighing helplessly: "Old Xu, take care of Yunpeng for me. If anything happens, ensure his safety."
"Rest assured, Mr. Liu, since you’ve moved in, we’re all family. We always do our utmost to protect family members. Also, Mr. Liu, we will also do our best to guard your safety on your trip. Until the other party hands over their guns, you’d better not leave the villa. Wait until we confirm they have no hostility before going out!"
"Hahaha!" Liu Fugui laughed heartily: "Old Xu, I’m not worried at all! I’ve been roaming the world for many years and braved many storms! So, Heaven is on my side, and King Yama dares not take me!"
Soon Old Lin brought a cane for Liu Fugui. It was temporarily made from the leftover camphor tree branches by Yue Guishan. Though a bit rough, it functioned well as a cane. Liu Fugui tested it under his shoulder and gave a satisfied OK gesture.
Time ticked by second by second. Old Xu and the others waited silently in the living room while outside, the heavy snow continued, and the fierce north wind howled in the sky.
"Lei Tong, any movement at the intersection?"
"No, Captain!" In this situation, the binoculars had long lost their usefulness. Lei Tong could only rely on his ears to identify any approaching vehicles.
"Dahu, Guishan, how about your end, any unusual activity around the villa?"
"No, Old Xu!"
This was strange; 15 minutes had already passed, far longer than the time it should have taken for Yao Ruyi and others to return, something must have happened.
With this question lingering in their minds, everyone at the villa continued to wait for another 10 minutes. Then Old Lin spoke up: "Old Xu, should we have Mr. Liu contact the other side to find out what’s going on? Over."
"Hmm, I’ll arrange it right away! Over." The sky was getting increasingly dark, making this endless wait meaningless. Ending the call, Old Xu placed the hand-held radio in front of Liu Fugui: "Mr. Liu, contact Yao Ruyi to inquire about the situation!"
Right now, Liu Fugui was like an honest farmer, doing whatever he was told. Whatever Old Xu told him to do, he did, so that no matter the outcome, he could distance himself from responsibility.
"Xiao Yao, where are you now? Everyone at the villa is waiting for you for dinner! Hurry and reply, over!"
Silence filled the room as everyone in the living room focused their gaze on the unremarkable phone in Liu Fugui’s hand.
"It looks like they’re not coming!" Old Xu put the radio back into his waistband. Another 10 minutes had passed, and if the other party truly intended to return to the villa, there was no reason for such a long delay without any response.
Either they were scared off by the request to hand over their weapons, or something happened on the road. However, regardless of the outcome, it indicated that they were not coming back.
"Alright, it’s getting late, and there’s no need to wait here in vain. Old Lin, make arrangements on your end. Aside from necessary guards, have the other brothers prepare so we can have dinner later! Over!"
"Okay, Old Xu. I’ll check on Wei Yang’s side to see how the food’s coming along! Over!"
