After my divorce at thirty, I developed an intelligence network.

Old Yu looked up and chimed in, "That's right! Old Niu was bragging to me this afternoon, saying that working with Brother Gong is so easy, the money comes so fast. He's got so much energy!"

The atmosphere in the courtyard was lively. Widow Qin hung the clothes up quickly, and Lao Yu was focused on threading a needle. Everything seemed normal.

But Gong Yuelong's inner nerves tightened slightly.

It's so ordinary that it's almost unusual.

Old Niu loves to show off, but he loves drinking that liquor even more.

Normally, if I have a little income, I can't wait to come back early, cook some side dishes, and chat with the people in the yard for half a day.

It's so late today; even if there were any odd jobs on the Gold Coast, they should have finished work long ago.

He recalled the slightly trembling voice in Lao Niu's voice when he talked about Zhao Siyan and Liu Heita on the phone.

"Oh, being diligent is a good thing." Gong Yuelong didn't ask any more questions, and his expression didn't change. He just nodded.

"Let's talk about it when he gets back. Sister Qin, Uncle Yu, you should get some rest too."

"Oh, you must be tired after a long day. Go back inside and rest," Widow Qin said hastily.

"Thank you, Sister Qin," Gong Yuelong said, and walked towards his small house.

I pushed open the door; the lights were off.

I hope Old Niu doesn't really cause any trouble.

……

Gong Yuelong was not asleep; he was leaning against the headboard smoking.

The window was open, and the night was quiet; even the slightest sound outside the courtyard could be heard clearly.

First, the iron gate creaked very softly, as if someone had pushed it open with their shoulder. Then came the dragging and somewhat awkward footsteps as they entered the courtyard, pressing down as if they didn't want anyone to hear.

It wasn't Widow Qin, nor Old Yu. Her steps were heavy, yet unsteady.

He stubbed out his cigarette, didn't turn on the light, got up, and pushed open the door to go out.

The moonlight in the courtyard was dim and hazy.

A figure was moving stiffly along the wall toward his small room.

Upon hearing the door open, the figure froze, instinctively trying to shrink into the shadows.

"Brother Niu?" Gong Yuelong asked.

The figure remained motionless for two seconds before slowly turning half its body around—it was Old Niu.

He was standing sideways, his right arm hanging awkwardly at his sides, and his left hand holding a dented and worn-out tool bag.

Gong Yuelong walked over. Now that he was closer, he could see clearly in the dim light coming from inside the room.

Old Niu's face wasn't bleeding, but his left cheekbone was bruised and swollen, and the corner of his mouth was also broken.

His entire right side was tense, his right arm was pressed tightly against his ribs, his forearm was slightly curled up, he dared not move, and his forehead was covered in cold sweat, which reflected the moonlight.

Looking behind him, the tricycle was vaguely visible parked at the gate of the courtyard. Its front wheel was flat, the handlebars were crooked, and the side panel of the cargo bed had collapsed.

"What happened?" Gong Yuelong asked, his voice lowering.

Old Niu's lips moved, as if he wanted to grin, but the movement pulled at his wound, and he gasped.

"N-nothing, I just tripped and fell on the way back..."

"You tripped and fell?" Gong Yuelong interrupted him, taking another half step forward, his gaze fixed on his immobile right arm.

"Can a wrestling accident really damage your arm like that? Or damage your car like that?"

He raised his hand, not to touch Old Niu's injured arm, but to pinch Old Niu's left shoulder. Old Niu trembled, but did not dodge.

Gong Yuelong used a little force to straighten his body.

Now it's clearer; there's dirt on the old ox's right sleeve, and half a blurry footprint.

The clothes on my elbow were torn, revealing a patch of abrasions and a large swelling; it was definitely not a simple fall.

The moonlight shone on Gong Yuelong's face, which was expressionless, but his eyes looked as if they were covered with a layer of ice.

He stared into the old ox's evasive eyes, and squeezed out each word through clenched teeth:

"Who did it?"

Old Niu shuddered. He didn't dare look at Gong Yuelong, lowering his head even further and muttering, "No... I really fell. It was dark, I didn't see the road clearly..."

"You fell?" Gong Yuelong took a step forward. "Falling and leaving a shoe print? Brother Niu, do you think I'm new to construction sites?"

The old ox's lips trembled; he wanted to laugh, but it looked worse than crying.

"Brother Gong... don't ask anymore, it's really nothing. It was... I was careless and blocked someone's way, and I got hit a few times... It's nothing serious, I'll be fine after a couple of days of rest. As for the car... I can fix the car myself."

Gong Yuelong remained tight-lipped. "Whose way were you blocking? Over at the Gold Coast, or on the way back?"

Old Niu quickly glanced at Gong Yuelong, then hurriedly looked away, "No... Brother Gong, we... we can't afford to offend him."

Seriously, it's better to avoid trouble. I'm thick-skinned, a few hits won't hurt me.

You've just started to make things a little easier outside, you can't... you can't let this little thing of mine ruin everything again.

His voice was numb: "People like us, living on this ground, are often beaten and mistreated."

In the past, at the labor market, people would push and shove each other to get a brick-laying job, and even if they got punched a couple of times, they had to accept it.

The contractor is withholding wages, do we dare to make a scene? If we do, we won't get any work next time. My wife and kids are waiting for us to put food on the table...

Old Niu kept rambling on, as if he were talking to Gong Yuelong, or perhaps trying to convince himself:

"I know that life has been better since I started dating you. I can earn clean money and I feel like I can stand up straighter."

But... but that confidence comes from you. If we really run into those local bullies, those ruthless and vicious people... what do we have?

All we have is our strength and two worthless lives. They're different; they have brothers, connections, and influence... What can we possibly compete with them on?

His lips twitched in pain, and he grimaced.

"In the afternoon... I came out of the Gold Coast and was stopped by someone."

They weren't Chen's men, but... the leader was called Liu Heita, a big, burly guy, and... there was also a guy with glasses who spoke slowly and deliberately, called Zhao Siyan.

They...they said that the waste disposal on the Gold Coast will be taken care of from now on, and that I should be sensible and stop making those trips back and forth, lest I cut off my source of income.

Old Niu's voice trembled violently: "I said I'm just a driver, following the boss's instructions. They...they said I didn't know the rules, and they started shoving me."

They smashed the car too... Liu Heita hit the wheels with a wrench, and Zhao Siyan was watching from the side.

He even laughed... saying that if I wanted to stay in this area, I'd go back and tell him that some meat is too much for one person to eat alone, so we have to discuss it."

As he said this, he grabbed Gong Yuelong's arm, "Brother Gong! They're not after me, they're after you! I can tell! They know who I work for!"

They're... they're marking the road! Shall we... let's just let it go? Huh? We won't haul the Gold Coast stuff anymore, okay?

"The work at the sports center is done. Let's find another job somewhere else quietly... okay?"

Old Niu's eyes were filled with pleading. "I, Old Niu, am useless. I've been a coward my whole life, used to being beaten and bullied."

But you can't get hurt! You just stood up... If you get into trouble with those people because of me... I... I...

He hesitated for a long time, but the rest of his words got stuck in his throat and he couldn't say them.