"Bufan, do you know where you went wrong?" Song Luping asked seriously.
That gaze, that presence.
Lin Li suddenly felt like he was facing Xue Jian.
"Bufan doesn't know. Please teach me, Brother Ping!" Facing a true expert, Lin Li wouldn't be arrogant.
Humility makes one progress. He immediately lowered his head slightly, respectfully listening to the teaching.
Too bad Song Luping wasn't a teacher at Nansang.
Otherwise, Lin Li believed Task Three about seriously listening in class would gain progress right now.
"Intelligence gathering is indeed something we must do, but you absolutely shouldn't gather intelligence at this time." Facing the studious Lin Li, Song Luping naturally wouldn't hold back, seriously beginning case analysis:
"Bufan, what time is it now? Others can forget, but you shouldn't make such a basic mistake: this is right after the Light Earl Health Club side suffered total defeat!
"Just now, during my post-service chat session with the lady, she told me they suspect higher-ups have secretly issued quotas again - the kind that strikes without warning.
Xiling Town is entering another dark purge era. Now all Xiling chicken farms are in constant fear, worrying every moment that divine soldiers will descend from above.
At times like this, they're extremely sensitive to any disturbance from the outside world.
And you chose this exact time to conduct secret investigations. Once they notice you, they absolutely won't think a sneaky person like you is a potential new customer with development prospects.
Instead, they'd rather kill the wrong person than let one go. They'll prioritize treating you, this unfamiliar face, as an informant for the cops, as bait for entrapment operations!
How long have you been staking out here? Maybe you're already being watched.
Once they identify you, you'll immediately be added to their service blacklist.
If you think this is just being blacklisted by Tianhong alone, you're gravely mistaken.
Many chicken farms share information with each other. That means Tianhong will spread your information to all the chicken farms they're connected with. The news will only spread more and wider until you're completely shut out!
Bai Bufan, tell me loudly - are you an informant for the cops? Are you that bait?!"
Song Luping grabbed Lin Li's shoulders, shaking him back and forth, his words unconsciously becoming intense.
Good thing there weren't many pedestrians on the road at this hour.
Lin Li: "..."
How was he supposed to answer this question?
...Bro, I am. I totally am.
If he didn't know Song Luping wasn't exactly normal, Lin Li might even suspect the other party knew his identity and was deliberately mocking him.
Fortunately, it was Song Luping.
"I, Bai Bufan, am not!" Lin Li had to steel his expression and respond loudly.
"Exactly! Of course you're not! For people with aspirations and ambitions like us, being mistaken for a police informant and blacklisted would be an enormous humiliation!
So Bufan, do you realize the severity of your mistake? Wanting to be a leech during dangerous times is certainly brave behavior, proving your love for this industry - I support you.
But taking action during such times requires being cautious, cautious, and more cautious. Think thrice before acting. One careless move ruins the entire game."
"I understand. My thinking was indeed too shallow. Sorry, Brother Ping, for disappointing your expectations and teachings." Lin Li had to admit he hadn't thought of any of this.
"This isn't your fault - it's a mistake all newcomers make. If it promotes your growth, it's actually a good thing." Song Luping shook his head.
"Moreover, even if you hadn't been discovered, what you did was useless work. During this special period, for safety reasons, Tianhong and others aren't accepting new customers anymore - only old customers, and they have to be familiar regular customers."
Song Luping's voice carried a hint of pride when saying this.
Lin Li's head shot up. This wouldn't work.
"Brother Ping, you mean during this period until the heat dies down, I'm completely out of luck with this place?" Lin Li asked quietly.
If so, he'd definitely need to change locations. Hopefully other shops weren't this cautious.
If this situation lasted over a month, his task would time out.
"Fate is such a magical thing. Perhaps your ending was once truly destined, but now - little Fan, you've met me.
That destined ending has already been rewritten! You have no fate with this shop? Remember, I'm here. With me here."
Song Luping gently shook his head, then directly turned toward the shop's main entrance.
The flickering orange neon light illuminated Song Luping's figure, dyeing half of it in sunlight, revealing divine radiance. He waved his hand, his voice gentle yet firm:
"God said let there be light, and there was light in the world. I say you have fate, and Tianhong will have fate with you."
That slow, peaceful sentence made Song Luping's kidney-deficient silhouette instantly appear magnificent in Lin Li's eyes.
Tears welling up.
So inspiring! Thank you, mentor!
Nobody's allowed to say my Brother Ping isn't normal - he's the most reliable!
"Bufan, don't just stand there. Come over."
"Coming, Brother Ping!" Lin Li immediately followed.
...
"Welcome— eh, Brother Song, did you forget something?" The receptionist naturally recognized Song Luping, who had just finished services at the shop. Seeing him return, she immediately smiled and spoke.
"No, Xiao Wen, let me introduce a customer. Bufan, come here."
Though Lin Li was taller than Song Luping, Song Luping still wrapped his arm around Lin Li's shoulder, having him stand beside him.
"Is this your son? What a fine young man." The receptionist immediately flattered.
"Cough cough cough—"
Both Lin Li and Song Luping choked on their own saliva simultaneously.
In their exchanged glances, one read "How could this be my son?" and the other "How could this be my dad?"
"Xiao Wen, do I look that old? How old do you think I am exactly?" Song Luping was indignant.
The receptionist called Xiao Wen thought for a moment, hesitated briefly, then told the truth: "Brother Song, we're familiar, so I won't use the polite flattery we give customers. Honestly, though I can't tell how long you've already lived, I can tell you won't live much longer."
Song Luping: "?"
Lin Li immediately took mental notes. What a sharp receptionist.
Also, she was quite right.
"Brother Song, you should really rest. We're genuinely worried you'll drop dead in our shop one day, and taking so much medicine isn't good for your health."
Xiao Wen's aggressiveness was really strong, but perhaps she was genuinely caring for Song Luping.
Considering Song Luping was an ambitious leech who would empathize with ladies during consumption, thinking from their perspective and respecting every chicken, Lin Li could understand why Xiao Wen could treat him with this 'seemingly harsh but actually caring' attitude.
Honest advice sounds unpleasant, but perhaps this too was a kind of genuine emotion and bond.
Song Luping's face flushed red, "Xiao Wen, how can you slander my reputation out of nowhere! I actually don't take medicine!"
Xiao Wen pulled out half a blister pack of pills from the drawer, saying quietly, "Brother Song, Sister Wu brought these over just now. You left them at the shop after your massage. I thought that's what you came back for."
Sildenafil Citrate Tablets (Super Super Super Enhanced Version).
Lin Li turned his head away to suppress laughter.
Song Luping frantically patted his pockets, then his face went through shades of green and white.
Damn, he really had forgotten to take them.
No wonder Xiao Wen wasn't surprised at all when she saw him return after finishing - it was because of this.
People couldn't give up money for dignity - these pills cost dozens of yuan each, and this remaining half pack was worth several hundred.
Song Luping snatched the medicine back into his pocket with lightning speed, then immediately pushed Lin Li in front of him, laughing dryly: "Haha, Xiao Wen, these things aren't important. Almost got off topic there. Back to business. Xiao Wen, this is my newly acknowledged little brother. You're not accepting new customers lately, right? But he wants to patronize your establishment. With my introduction, there shouldn't be a problem, right?"
Only then did Xiao Wen truly observe Lin Li. Though she and Song Luping had just discussed special matters, nothing was explicitly stated, normal customers hearing it wouldn't matter. But now Song Luping meant to speak openly.
"Someone Brother Song introduces? Of course no problem." How could there be any issue with a customer personally introduced by such a super VIP quality regular? So Xiao Wen didn't hesitate long before giving her answer.
Hearing this, Song Luping winked at Lin Li.
The meaning was obvious - see that? This is the personal charm of me, the current Xiling Prostitution King.
The future is yours, but the present is still mine!
Lin Li cooperatively showed an admiring gaze.
Seeing Song Luping turn his head and chuckle, Lin Li also smiled.
Humoring fools was quite fun.
In the mirror embedded in the lobby, Lin Li caught a glimpse of his current expression in his peripheral vision.
Eh - seemed familiar?
How did this expression feel like something he'd seen on Chen Yuying too?
Hmm?
"Still Xiao Wen giving me face. Don't worry, though I've only known Bufan briefly, this kid is absolutely trustworthy." This gaze and expression from Lin Li pleased Song Luping. He immediately spared no effort in praising Lin Li to Xiao Wen:
"Don't let his young age fool you, he's still underage. I personally witnessed him being arrested, and you know what? That cop who arrested him had an especially bad attitude toward him, physically pushing him into the car. I saw the cop almost kick Bufan, though he held back in the end."
Lin Li blinked. What Song Luping said was actually true, Uncle Yang's face had been full of frustration then.
"I almost couldn't bear to watch. Tsk tsk, this kid is completely at odds with the cops, he's absolutely someone we can trust. He couldn't possibly have problems. If he does, I'll never be able to get it up again in this lifetime, not even with medicine!" Song Luping laughed.
"..."
Lin Li's expression remained unchanged.
Speaking of which.
If he became completely impotent, wouldn't Song Luping completely give up on such thoughts? Would that count as reforming?
He wouldn't be able to think dirty thoughts even if he wanted to.
Hopefully the oath would come true.
"Bro, thank you for trusting me. Don't worry, the outcome of trusting me will never change, from past to present, from present to future, never changing! I also swear viciously, if I change, medicine won't work either!"
Lin Li also looked sincerely at Song Luping, declaring loudly.
Hearing this, Song Luping stared blankly at Lin Li.
Though the oath sounded the same, the subjects were completely different. He himself suffered from yin and yang deficiency plus urinary stream splitting, while Lin Li was a hot-blooded youth full of vigor. The stakes of this punishment couldn't be compared!
Therefore, his eyes moistened.
This was absolute trust!
This was the bond between kindred spirits!
(End of Chapter)