Rebirth 03: Starting a Business After Giving Up a Secure Job

Chapter 28 Searching in the Shadows

As Lin Feng and his two companions walked out of "True Colors Bar," the night breeze helped them clear their heads considerably.

Lin Feng patted Lin Xiaoqiang's arm: "Brother Qiang, don't think about it. They outnumber us, and we'll only suffer if we try to fight them head-on."

Lin Xiaoqiang calmed down: "So what do we do next?"

Lin Feng hadn't really thought it through either.

Neon lights flashed on Dongyuan Road, taxis drove by one after another, and several night food stalls steamed on the roadside.

"Let's find a place to sit down, get something to eat, and think of a solution while we're at it."

The three of them crossed the road and came to a barbecue stall.

The owner was a middle-aged man wearing an apron, greeting them in Sichuan dialect.

Lin Feng found an empty table and pulled over a few plastic stools to sit down. Lin Xiaowen hadn't fully recovered from the tension from earlier, and her face was deathly pale.

Lin Feng noticed this and asked her to order some food.

"Xiaowen, order whatever you like. It's on me!"

"Okay! I'll go check." The little girl went to order food, and her mood improved a bit.

While the boss was grilling, Lin Feng looked across the street at the True Colors Bar: "Tang Lei is being watched too closely in the bar. We can't just barge in. We need to think of another way."

Lin Xiaoqiang nodded.

Lin Feng looked around: "They can keep an eye on the bar, but they can't follow Tang Lei 24 hours a day. People need to eat and sleep, and they need to go back to their own place."

"you mean?"

"Brother Qiang, do you know any taxi drivers around Luohu?"

"You mean...?"

"Find out where Tang Lei lives."

Lin Xiaoqiang thought for a moment: "I know an old guy who works the night shift. I can ask him for advice."

At this moment, the barbecue owner brought over a plate of grilled meat skewers.

Lin Feng's appetite was whetted: "Let's eat first. After we eat, we'll split up. You go contact Old Ghost, and I'll go explore the surrounding area. We'll meet here in an hour."

"Okay." Lin Xiaoqiang picked up a roasted chicken wing and started taking big bites.

After finishing their barbecue, Lin Xiaoqiang took his sister to contact Lao Gui.

Lin Feng went to the grill, asked the owner to add another grilled eggplant, and then slowly asked, "Boss, where in Xichuan are you from?"

The owner, while flipping the skewers, answered, "From Leyang. And you?"

"It's from Rongping." Lin Feng handed him a cigarette. "How many years have you been in Shenzhen?"

The boss took the cigarette and tucked it behind his ear: "It's been four or five years. It's easier to make money here."

Lin Feng pointed in the direction of the True Colors Bar across the street: "Are you familiar with that bar over there?"

The owner looked up and glanced at the bar: "What? Want to go have some fun?"

"No. A friend of mine sings there, and I wanted to find him, but I was stopped. They wouldn't let me in backstage."

The boss didn't respond.

Lin Feng deliberately sighed: "My friend has had a tragic life. His former lover passed away, and he wrote a song to mourn her. The song is called 'Lilac Flower,' and it's sung with deep emotion, truly moving..."

The boss turned and glanced at Lin Feng again, seemingly wanting to say something but then stopping himself.

Lin Feng noticed the other person's expression and pressed, "You know him?"

"I wouldn't say I know him, but that young man has long hair and has eaten skewers here a few times," the owner said in a low voice as he flipped the skewers.

Lin Feng deliberately said, "I wonder how my friend is doing at the bar? It's so hard for me to even see him now."

The bar owner looked around and leaned closer: "I'm only telling you this because you're from the same hometown. That bar owner is not someone to mess with; his nickname is Tiger. He used to hang out in Luohu. Your friend sings there and has a contract, so he can't go to other places."

A few months ago, another bar tried to poach his talent, but Tiger led his men there and beat them up badly. Tang Lei himself was terrified.

Lin Feng had a good idea of ​​what was going on, and then asked, "Do you know where he lives?"

The owner shook his head: "I don't know about that. He always comes here for barbecue, we haven't talked much."

Lin Feng thanked the owner and ordered two more skewers of grilled chicken wings.

An hour later, Lin Xiaoqiang and his sister returned.

Behind him followed a lean man in his thirties, smoking a cigarette and wearing a jacket.

"Brother Lin, this is Lao Gui. He's a seasoned pro; you can't go wrong asking him anything."

Old Gui chuckled, sat down opposite Lin Feng, and casually picked up a skewer of beef.

Lin Feng poured him a beer: "Brother Gui, do you know someone? Tang Lei, the guy who sings 'Lilac Flower' at the Ben Se Bar?"

Old Gui chewed on his beef, squinting at Lin Feng, but didn't answer immediately.

Lin Feng took out an unopened box of Hongtashan cigarettes from his pocket and handed it over.

Old Ghost chuckled as he put the cigarette in his pocket before speaking:

"I know him. He comes out after singing in the evening, sometimes walking, sometimes taking a taxi. He's ridden in my car a few times."

Lin Feng's eyes lit up: "Where does he live?"

"That old residential area behind Luohu Hospital, a fifteen-minute walk. What, are you looking for him?"

Lin Feng nodded: "I'm his friend, I'm here to see him. It's not convenient to talk in a bar."

Old Ghost chuckled twice: "Then you'd better be careful. Tiger is keeping a close eye on things; anyone who tried to poach Tang Lei to sing at another venue got beaten up."

"You're not thinking of poaching him to sing elsewhere, are you?"

Lin Feng waved his hand, "Of course not."

Lin Feng was silent for a few seconds, then asked, "What about Tang Lei himself? What's his attitude?"

Old Ghost shook his head: "I don't know about that."

Lin Feng poured Lao Gui another glass of wine and asked the owner to add some meat skewers. "Brother Gui, could you please take us to Tang Lei's place later?"

Old Gui took a sip of his drink and nodded.

After he had eaten and drunk his fill, Lin Feng and the other two got into Lin Xiaoqiang's van and followed behind Lao Gui's taxi.

After driving for a few minutes, we arrived at the entrance of an old residential area behind Luohu Hospital.

Old Gui pointed into the residential area and drove away.

It was still before midnight, and Lin Feng figured Tang Lei hadn't returned yet. The three of them decided to stay in the car and wait for him.

Time passed second by second.

Lin Xiaowen leaned against the car window, gazing in the direction of the residential area entrance.

Lin Feng lit a cigarette and slowly smoked it, his gaze sweeping across both sides of the street. The chill of the autumn night seeped in through the cracks in the car window, and Lin Xiaowen wrapped her coat tighter around herself.

Outside the car window, most of the streetlights were broken, with only a few still lit. There were few pedestrians, and occasionally a few taxis sped by.

Around 12:40, a taxi stopped at the entrance of the residential area, and a tall, thin figure carrying a guitar stepped out of the taxi.

"Here it comes." Lin Feng stubbed out his cigarette.

Tang Lei walked to the entrance of the residential area, glanced back warily at his surroundings, and then walked into the residential area.

"Let's go." Just as Lin Feng was about to open the car door, Lin Xiaoqiang suddenly stopped him.

"etc."

He pointed behind Tang Lei.

Not far away, a motorcycle slowly approached. The two people on it slowed down as they passed the gate of the residential area, glanced into the area, and then sped away.

The motorcycle turned into a side alley, and the sound of its engine gradually faded into the distance.

Lin Xiaoqiang said in a low voice, "Someone is following him."

Lin Feng stared at the direction where the motorcycle had disappeared, his brows furrowing.

"Walk."