Chapter 251 - 184 Puppet Map_2

Words : 1192 Updated : Oct 3rd, 2025

Chapter 251: Chapter 184 Puppet Map_2"Right, we also need the singing machine. Our shop doesn’t have one; can we borrow one from East Market Street?" "Do you know how expensive a singing machine is? That’s something only the rich can afford..." "Senior Brother Five, it’s really possible to borrow one; Lao Yang has one at home." Zhou Xuan reminded. The wealthiest person on East Market Street was surely the big landlord, Lao Yang. "Then we might just be able to get it today. Lao Yang should still be playing mahjong at this hour." As a regular at the card table, Yun Ziliang was very familiar with Lao Yang’s schedule. ... At the Great Four Joys Mahjong Parlor, when Zhou Xuan’s group found Lao Yang, he wasn’t playing mahjong but was in a corner scolding Lao He. "Lao He, do me a favor, huh? The kidnapper hasn’t settled scores with you for ten days now; you better run and stop renting my house." "Hurry back to your hometown, hide in the mountains, and don’t come out. Forget the kidnapper—no one will find you there." Lao He lowered his head, not daring to speak, looking thoroughly scolded. "Lao Yang." Zhou Xuan greeted Lao Yang. "Yo, Brother Zhou, you guys still haven’t gone to sleep? Lao Yun, what are you doing here? Get home quickly." "I go wherever I please; mind your own business." Zhou Xuan couldn’t help but be puzzled. How did Yun Ziliang and Lao Yang start getting heated within seconds of running into each other? Aren’t they card-playing buddies? But soon, he figured it out. These two had a rivalry! It’s hard to say who the King of Cards on East Market Street was, but being the dead-last at cards? That title was fought over fiercely between Lao Yang and Lao Yun. Where there’s rivalry, there’s unfiltered resentment. Their fierce competition spilled over into unrelated encounters, leading to bickering whenever they meet. "You two, stop arguing." Zhou Xuan intervened in time, then asked Lao Yang about borrowing a singing machine. "A singing machine, huh? Who’s borrowing it?" "I’m borrowing it!" Yun Ziliang patted his chest bravely, the sound reverberating. Lines of frustration appeared on Zhou Xuan’s forehead. Lao Yang obviously couldn’t get along with you, yet you insist on asking him? Now the chances of borrowing the singing machine seemed slim. "Oh, you’re borrowing it? Fine, come to my place and take it. It’s a Victory brand singing machine, cost me a lot, and I can’t even bear to use it often." Lao Yang was visibly excited as he sent Lao He away: "Remember what I said, Lao He. It’s for your own good." After finishing his admonition, Lao Yang led Zhou Xuan’s group to his house to retrieve the singing machine. On the way, Zhou Xuan asked, "Lao Yang, I don’t get it. You don’t get along with Lao Yun, so why are you lending him the singing machine?" Lending it is one thing, but giving him the best one? "The ancient saying goes: indulgence leads to decay. Let Yun Ziliang, that old guy, sink deeper into his obsession with listening to music, while I use the time to improve my card skills. When the time comes, I’ll beat him to death in game!" Zhou Xuan: "..." Never heard of academic rivalry getting competitive in this way. You two manage to turn failure into an arms race? "Why were you advising Lao He to go back home?" Zhou Xuan asked further. "Didn’t Lao He offend the kidnapper earlier, selling the kidnapper’s information to Liao Ghost? The kidnapper wants to settle scores with him! It’s been a while, though, so with no sign of the kidnapper, I figured Lao He might as well head back home. Maybe the kidnapper’s memory is so bad, he’s forgotten him." Lao Yang explained. Zhou Xuan shook his head, saying, "I meant why you didn’t advise him to go home earlier." "The kidnapper had previously warned that if Lao He dared to run, he’d be dead immediately. At the time, how could I dare to tell him to leave? Now that the heat’s passed, it’s time for him to go." "You’d better stop advising him. The kidnapper’s petty-minded—they’re definitely keeping tabs on Lao He even now but are busy with other things for the moment." Zhou Xuan knew that Lao He had Liao Ghost backing him, meaning the kidnapper would need to rally some resources before making a move. "Either way, I’m in a bind. If I advise him to leave and the kidnapper catches him outside, he’ll get killed. Then people will blame me for encouraging him to leave—neighbors will claim he’d be alive if not for me. If I don’t advise him, and the kidnapper storms in, Lao He will still die, and East Market Street would get wrecked. All that damage would cost me money since it’s my property." Lao Yang sighed deeply. "You just stay here and sulk. I’m taking the singing machine home." Zhou Xuan carried the machine in both hands. "Take it, take it. Once you’re done, send it back." Lao Yang said. "I’ll order a new one tomorrow. When the new one arrives, I’ll return this one." Zhou Xuan replied. ... The singing machine was moved back to the shop. Zhou Xuan, having used singing machines before, quickly removed the kraft paper wrapping, placed the record inside, and turned the handle. The machine began playing Gu Ling’s passionate, fiery singing voice. "Gu Ling’s older songs were this bold and vibrant, huh?" "More soulful indeed." Yun Ziliang lounged with his legs crossed while lightly tapping his knee to the beat. Little Fuzi and Lv Mingkun were also quietly listening, accompanied by the music that seemed to transport them into a truly wonderful world. ... At daybreak, Zhou Xuan woke up. Not naturally, but woken up by Gu Ling’s voice. He got dressed and went downstairs, grumbling to Yun Ziliang: "Lao Yun, have some compassion, will you? Playing this music so loud so early in the morning." "Hehe." Yun Ziliang chuckled sheepishly. He really had fallen into obsession. Zhou Xuan opened the shop door and greeted Sister Cui, who was cooking broth, before getting back to tattooing in the shop. The previous night, he had worked on two tattoo pieces back-to-back under constant burning incense, and now, the pace at which the incense burned had finally slowed significantly. At this point, the incense had burned down to nearly four inches. Compared to regular Tattoo Hall progress, Zhou Xuan’s work could already count as having reached four sticks of incense, close to five sticks. He held Bone Teeth in his hand, feeling a strange sense of familiarity with it. "Four sticks already, me and Bone Teeth..." Zhou Xuan placed Bone Teeth half a meter away and reached out his hand with a beckoning gesture. Whoosh! Bone Teeth moved, flying directly into Zhou Xuan’s hand. "Slap!" Zhou Xuan was overjoyed. Finally, he could summon Bone Teeth as effortlessly as Senior Brother Lv’s Bamboo Leaf Blade. He placed Bone Teeth a meter away and beckoned again. Whoosh! Bone Teeth flew back into his hand. "Pretty fun."

Chapter 251 - 184 Puppet Map_2

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