"Who are you?"
Old Jia mustered his courage and asked.
A powerful beam of light shone on him, blinding him.
The newcomer held a dazzlingly bright flashlight, shining it directly at him.
Just as Old Jia was about to step closer to inquire, several more people rushed in from the doorway.
"Surround it, surround the entrance! You guys go there, you guys go there, room by room, call everyone out!"
Old Jia had seen scenes like this many times.
"I say..."
He wasn't panicked at all. He even proactively stepped closer to the leader, cautiously asking,
"Less nonsense, stand aside. We'll call you later."
Old Jia understood immediately upon hearing this.
He had been through countless situations like this; he was even registered with the authorities. Usually, they would give him a heads-up beforehand. This time, however, there wasn't a whisper of information, which was unusual.
But it wasn't a big deal. They would bring them in for questioning and then release them. The only thing that needed to be sorted out was the matter of bribes.
Immediately after, many people were escorted out of their rooms. From some rooms, sounds of crying and shouting could be heard.
In a short while, quite a number of people were standing in the courtyard.
Men in one line, women in another.
"Where's the boss? Who's the boss here!"
Someone shouted loudly. Old Jia immediately smiled, bowed, and stepped forward to answer, "I am, I am. What are your orders, sir?"
"You're the boss? Then open the door to that room for me!"
The person said, pointing to the room at the very back of the courtyard.
That was a room Old Jia had specially built. It had the best equipment and soundproofing. The door itself was custom-made at a great expense for security, especially when entertaining special guests.
Even several strong men might not be able to break it down, let alone the search party currently present.
"Alright, alright. I'll get the key."
Although there were people inside that room, it was just a small boss. He had paid some money upon entering, and he had that woman Qian Shumei accompanying him. Otherwise, he absolutely would not have let him do this.
The owner of the mahjong parlor was currently engrossed in his illicit activities. Not only could he not hear anything from outside, but he wouldn't have heard if someone knocked on the door.
His attention was entirely focused on the woman on the bed, completely oblivious to any danger.
When the power was switched on, the lights in all the other rooms turned on, but the light in this particular room, which had been on earlier, did not. Liu Sandao had intentionally broken it. The mahjong parlor owner didn't want to miss his chance. Whether there was power or not, it was all the same to him.
"Click!"
With a sound, the door opened.
The mahjong parlor owner, enraged, cursed, "Damn it, Old Jia, are you even human? I'm not saying I didn't give you money, I gave you hundreds of times what you deserve, don't be so greedy!"
"Turn on the light!"
Someone commanded sternly.
"Yes, yes!"
Old Jia quickly reached for the wall. He was very familiar with this place.
"You! Stand still, and put on your clothes!"
Upon seeing the situation, the mahjong parlor owner immediately became compliant and quickly started looking for his clothes.
There was still a woman sleeping on the bed, her head facing down, completely motionless.
"Hey! Get up, can't you hear me?"
The person walked to the head of the bed and shouted at her.
"Who is it? Leave me alone, I'm sleepy!"
"Get up! I told you to get up, and put on your clothes!" The person's voice became even more stern and louder.
The woman heard the voice and reluctantly got up, mumbling to herself, "Goodness, Old Jia, why are you playing such games with me so late at night?"
Old Jia heard this and felt something was wrong. "Qian Shumei, why is it you? You weren't..."
Qian Shumei was drunk and dizzy. She only knew she had fallen asleep on Old Jia's bed. How did the bed suddenly get bigger?
Being suddenly yelled at, she sobered up by half.
"I, how did I get here?"
"Less nonsense, get dressed, and come out!"
Upon hearing this, she immediately started tidying her clothes, trembling as she replied, "Okay, okay, I'm coming!"
Amidst the shouting, scolding, and commotion, many people were now densely packed in the courtyard.
"Have you checked everywhere? Are there any rooms left unchecked?"
"No!"
Someone replied.
Old Jia stood there and scanned the crowd. He couldn't find Liu Sandao anywhere.
"Strange, his room is right next door, and no one searched it? Fine, let him have his luck. One less person means less money to pay."
Old Jia muttered to himself. He had clearly arranged for someone to go in, but he didn't see her come out, nor was she in the courtyard.
"Report! There's one more room here that won't open!"
Someone shouted.
The leader naturally turned his large flashlight towards the door, shining it directly at it.
"Smash it open!"
"No, no, no!"
Old Jia immediately panicked. That was his door. If it got damaged, it would need repairing, and that cost money.
"I have the key here!" he said, making a gesture as if to take out a key.
"Go open it!"
Old Jia quickly took out his key and walked towards the door.
"You brat, it seems you can't escape this time either! To be honest, you're unlucky. Not only will you lose your girlfriend, but you'll also go to jail."
As he walked, Old Jia mused about Liu Sandao's fate, sighing.
The reason he paid so much attention to Liu Sandao was largely due to Bai Suxiang. Just like a thief coveting another's possessions, one pays close attention to every move of that family.
The distance wasn't far. Old Jia reached the door in seven or eight steps.
"Hey! I'm telling you, kid, hurry up and come out! With all this commotion, can't you hear it?"
Old Jia shouted.
If Liu Sandao could hear him, he would have voluntarily come out, and it wouldn't have been so troublesome.
"Is there anyone inside?" a voice asked.
"Yes, yes, of course, there is. I wouldn't dare deceive you, sir!" Old Jia replied with a fawning smile.
After a long while, there was no sign of the door opening! Old Jia had no choice but to do it himself.
"Jingle jingle!"
The key jiggled, accompanied by the clinking of the key chain against the door, which sounded particularly harsh.
This door was a simple wooden one, and the lock was an ordinary bolt. As long as the key was inserted, it would open.
To put it simply, a kick with the foot could open it.
Old Jia, under the light, found the room's key and inserted it without even looking.
"Click, click!"
After two clicks, the door should have opened. Old Jia pushed it with a natural motion.
"Tsk! Eh!"
Old Jia couldn't help but sigh. The door didn't open. Had he turned it too far and then locked it again?
He turned it in the opposite direction again. To be safe, he turned it all the way, then started from the beginning. This was to ensure it would open.
"I don't believe you still won't open!"
Old Jia held the doorknob with one hand and twisted the key with the other.
"Click!" With a sound, everyone at the door stared at the door.