North Pass Street, Boss Ze

The saying "East is poor, West is rich, South is prosperous, North is chaotic" from the Tai'an Metropolitan Area is widely known.

The "East is poor" refers to Old Factory Street, located in the Eastern Suburbs of Dangyang.

As industries relocated and factories closed one after another, this seemingly forgotten old district, like a weakened patient who had lost too much blood, struggled to breathe and barely survived.

But just like weeds growing in the cracks of rocks, the harsher the environment, the more tenacious the life force it ignites.

Old Factory Street did not become desolate and lonely because of this; instead, it developed a richer, more vibrant atmosphere.

A little past seven in the evening, the streets and alleys gradually became lively.

Elderly folks in sandals, fanning themselves with palm-leaf fans, strolled around. Individual vendors selling fried skewers and spicy snacks pushed their carts out to set up shop, and a loudspeaker repeatedly blared the catchy tune, "Bobo chicken~ ah bobo bobo chicken~ one yuan per skewer bobo chicken!"

"Qin Shi, let me treat you to a roasted chicken rack! This place has the best flavor; I used to pester my mom to buy it every day!"

Li Yuan stopped in front of a cart with wire mesh, charcoal underneath, and chicken racks being flipped.

Seven or eight chicken racks were being turned back and forth, roasted to a slightly charred golden brown, their aroma making mouths water.

"Thanks, Brother Yuan. I was just getting hungry. I haven't been to North Pass Street in ages; I almost forgot what roasted chicken racks taste like!"

Qin Shi didn't stand on ceremony and directly told the vendor:

"One spicy, no vinegar, extra cumin, please."

Li Yuan, at first glance, seemed aloof and difficult to get along with, but once you got closer, you'd find he was quite straightforward.

He was a bit like the chivalrous figures Qin Shi had encountered in his previous life, believing in the principle of "righteousness first" from old movies.

"Brother Yuan, I want chicken too..."

Xie Yucheng grinned and sidled up.

"Get lost! You stuff half a box of Nutritional Paste into your stomach and can still gnaw on a chicken rack? What a glutton!"

Li Yuan cursed him verbally but paid the vendor for three portions.

Xie Yucheng, emboldened, deliberately said:

"At this point, a bottle of Hongbao Soda would make it even more satisfying."

Li Yuan pulled out a few small bills:

"Stop nagging. Go buy it yourself! If you win a prize, remember to give me the bottle cap, don't hide it!"

Xie Yucheng put on an innocent face:

"You wrong me, Brother Yuan! How could I do something so inhumane!"

Not long after, Qin Shi was handed a bottle of orange-flavored Hongbao Soda. He bit down on the straw and took a long sip. The icy coolness shot straight to his brain, and paired with the piping hot roasted chicken rack in his hand, it was a perfect match!

"My mom used to work at the slaughterhouse. Every few days, she'd bring home frozen chicken racks for my sister and me to fry,"

Xie Yucheng said with a smile, happily recounting.

"Later, the factory wasn't doing well, and she got laid off. She had to sweep floors, do laundry, and it became hard to get them again."

Li Yuan let out a cold laugh:

"When my dad worked at the steel mill, he was a production model every month! The factory gave out benefits, apples, and hairtail fish by the case, brought home. For the New Year, we even got soap, towels, and big calendars... But once the 'New Star Development' ended and everything was moved to the new Tai'an City for the large metropolitan area, no one remembered Dangyang!"

Qin Shi stood by, listening with emotion. At that time, the Eastern Suburbs of Dangyang were bustling with large-scale production. Workers swarmed in groups, and when work ended, they'd pour out in a dense mass.

Factory machines ran 24 hours a day without stopping. Every corner was plastered with banners like "Grasp production firmly, do not relax, advance steadily," "Quality first, strive for excellence," and "Sprint and strive for increased output and efficiency."

The reason chicken racks were chosen as the number one commoner's delicacy in Old Factory Street was that Hengzhou's largest chicken farm and slaughterhouse were located there back then.

Workers and machines would split and package the chicken meat and other parts, sending them to the metropolitan area.

The remaining chicken racks were very cheap and tasted great after frying, thus becoming popular as a side dish with drinks.

"That passionate and glorious, unforgettable era can now only be heard from the older generation at the dinner tables of roadside restaurants,"

Qin Shi mused inwardly, catching up to the two men who were chatting ahead.

Stepping into the deep night, they entered the liveliest part of North Pass Street.

The planning and construction of Dangyang's old urban area were very complex.

Various factories, dormitory buildings, and residential areas were densely packed, resulting in narrow alleys and cramped passageways, forming a winding, spiderweb-like layout.

Elderly residents of Old Factory Street usually referred to north-south lanes as "streets" and east-west lanes as "roads."

North Pass Street was a bit special. Its original name was Xingshun Road, and it was located right at the intersection of north-south and east-west routes, divided by a pedestrian overpass.

Due to the huge flow of people, numerous shops and storefronts had opened, attracting the fun-loving men and women of Old Factory Street with their trendy clothes, the latest electronic products, and various entertainment venues.

Qin Shi, holding his straw, shook the empty bottle and asked softly:

"How did you guys meet Brother Ze?"

As a model student known throughout Baogong Street, he naturally didn't have time to wander the night market late at night.

Arriving at North Pass Street for the first time, everything around him seemed unfamiliar.

Qin Shi scanned the bustling crowds passing by. Many young people were wearing sailor shirts and carrying small green bags slung across their shoulders.

They gathered in small groups, either leaning against the curb smoking and drinking, or standing by the entrances of karaoke bars and nightclubs, handing out flyers to anyone they met.

Before he started school, his parents always told him to stay away from these people.

Later, Qin Shi overheard neighbors chatting and learned that these groups were called the "Cleaver Gang," street thugs who roamed the area.

Their army-green shoulder bags were often stuffed with bricks or cleavers, making it easy to grab weapons when trouble arose.

Compared to the lively atmosphere of the food stalls and small shops in the residential area, where old folks listened to the radio and cooled off in the evenings.

This place exuded a intoxicating vibe, similar to alcoholic beverages, like a different, more down-and-out side of the vibrant metropolitan area.

"How did I meet Brother Ze? Of course, it was because I got into a fight."

Li Yuan didn't hide anything, saying slowly:

"Ah Cheng and I had just started high school. During summer vacation, we went to Baogong Street looking for part-time work. A labor contractor took advantage of our young age and sent us to work as waiters at a karaoke bar, serving drinks. We were promised daily pay of fifty yuan, with commissions for selling drinks.

But the contractor skimmed twenty yuan from each of us and also withheld our drink commissions. I couldn't stand it and hit him on the head with a beer bottle."

Xie Yucheng picked up the story, a wry smile on his face:

"The labor guy was an old hand at finding work for people. The moment Yuan Ge made a move, I knew we were in trouble. I tried to pull him and run, but we didn't get away. We were blocked by some thugs at the entrance and dragged into a private room, where they beat us like two dead dogs.

That old geezer demanded ten thousand yuan for medical expenses from Yuan Ge and me. If we couldn't pay, he threatened to cripple one of our hands each."

Li Yuan shrugged:

"Later, Brother Ze stepped in. When he found out we both went to Ninth Middle School, he let Ah Cheng and me work at a place he managed. Before it was Banana Karaoke, but recently we moved to Midnight Palace, next to Hongxia Hotel."

Qin Shi tossed his soda bottle into the trash can:

"Brother Ze is quite righteous."

Li Yuan nodded:

"Brother Ze also studied at Ninth Middle School for a year. Later, his family faced hardship, and he went with relatives to work on a boat, I think it was one of those sand dredging ships. They could earn over a hundred thousand in a single night! Now he's guarding a venue for a big boss.

Brother Ze takes good care of his subordinates, so everyone is willing to work for him. Otherwise, why would they say, 'West of Baogong Street, Boss Ze is number one'?"

So he really was like "Brother Chen Haonan of Causeway Bay."

Qin Shi smiled, wondering if that Brother Ze also had flowing long hair and a group of brothers who played with lighters.

"We're here, Ah Shi. Midnight Palace is up ahead. It's the most glamorous nightclub on Baogong Street. I heard many rich people from the metropolitan area secretly come here to have fun."

Li Yuan took the lead, guiding Xie Yucheng and Qin Shi into a dark alley piled with various black trash bags. He raised his hand and knocked on the locked iron gate.