Chapter 80: God of Gambling? Chess King? Love Sage? The Bodyguard Squad!

Heavenly City.

Previously, this was the Renhe Street where Li Shixin lived.

Inside the community activity center.

Mahjong section.

Renhe Street’s newly crowned God of Gambling, Li Dafu, gently lifted his insulated cup. He wasn’t really planning to drink the once-hot, now-cold goji berry tea. Instead, he wanted to casually reveal the 76 yuan pressed under his arm, as a subtle reminder to the three companions at the table that they’d already lost four rounds in a row.

Seeing the aggrieved, pained, and gritted teeth expressions of his friends, he smiled faintly. With what he fancied was an elegant gesture, he smoothed the thinning hair atop his head.

Thinking of how tomorrow would be just like today—another day without a worthy opponent—he took a delicate sip of the tea and sighed softly. Ah, life without Shixin is so plain and tedious.

Chess section.

Renhe Street’s new Chess King, Guo Wanlu, straightened his back and tapped his old waist, which had accompanied him for sixty-five years. Truth be told, his waist wasn’t sore; he just wanted, in passing, to display the fifteen red chess pieces stacked beside the board.

Watching Old Wang across from him erupt in fury, still shouting about a comeback with the help of a chorus of amateur strategists, Guo Wanlu chuckled. Casually, he broke up his own knight’s chain and blocked the adversary’s general’s last escape. He smiled faintly.

Seeing Old Wang’s face transform from rage to shock, and finally to despair and silent sobbing after thirteen consecutive losses, Guo Wanlu sighed softly. Ah, without Shixin, there’s just no challenge, and everything is so dull.

Social lounge.

Renhe Street’s newly minted Casanova, Qin Zengshou, crossed his legs as he watched Old Zhang, the self-proclaimed King of the Dance Floor, striking poses for a group of elderly ladies. Casually, he let a wad of supermarket vouchers slip from his pocket onto the floor.

The moment a flock of grannies abandoned Old Zhang and flocked to him, eagerly pleading with the son of Renhe Street’s supermarket owner for a few vouchers, Qin Zengshou smiled faintly.

Seeing Old Zhang, trembling with rage, cursing him for relying on his son’s shabby supermarket, Qin Zengshou smiled again. With a subtle lift of his hand, he let slip a bombshell: tomorrow at 8:30 a.m., the supermarket would be offering pork ribs at a five percent discount.

Watching Old Zhang leave in despair, defeated by the almighty power of money, and listening to the affectionate cooing of the women around him, Qin Zengshou gazed out at the night sky and let out a long sigh. Ah, since Shixin left, the life of the wealthy elderly has been nothing but plain, unadorned, and dull!

Just as the trio, now known as the Iron Triangle of Renhe Street, let out a simultaneous mournful sigh, a sudden scream came from one of the old ladies in the activity room.

“Oh my! Shixin! Shixin’s on the news!”

Li Dafu: ?

Guo Wanlu: ??

Qin Zengshou: ???

At the joyful shout, the three old friends froze, then scrambled to their feet in perfect unison.

“Where?! Where’s Shixin?!”

“The news… Of course! Shixin must have died far from home on the street, and someone found him, right? Are there photos? Did he… did he pass peacefully?”

“Shixin, your life has been so hard! Ohhh…”

Seeing the Iron Triangle’s faces twisted with grief, the old lady holding her phone gave a spirited shout, “Why do you always assume the worst for Shixin? He’s not dead!”

“Not dead?!”

The three elders, Fulu and Shou, were stunned.

That didn’t make sense!

With that, the old lady thrust her phone in front of the three men.

Seeing Li Shixin on camera, looking more energetic than he had a month ago, the trio clapped their hands in excitement.

“Ha! That old rascal, he’s still alive!”

As Li Dafu cheered, the rest of the old friends gathered around.

Watching Li Shixin talk confidently in front of the camera, the roomful of elders was beside themselves with excitement.

“When Shixin left, he told us to wait and watch him on TV. I was worried no one would look after him, and he’d die alone somewhere. But that old guy, look at him! He really made it onto television! And he looks even better than before!”

“That’s right! He looked as old as eighty when he left, just after a serious illness. But look at him now, standing there in a dress shirt—he looks younger than me!”

“Wanlu, come off it. You’re seventy, have some self-awareness! You can’t compare yourself to someone who’s sixty-five.”

“Tch, you know what I meant, you old scoundrel! Not going to argue with you! Shixin’s really something. Looks like he’s found his path!”

The Iron Triangle bickered happily as they watched Li Shixin on the phone, their faces alight with joy.

Thinking back on their old friend’s situation a month ago, all three felt a great weight lifted from their hearts.

Just then, the video reached the part where Li Shixin received a call from his son.

Watching their once spirited friend break down in tears, all the elders in the activity room frowned.

“That unfilial son!”

Li Dafu was so furious that the last three strands of hair on his balding head stood up. “I told Shixin before, a son like that should’ve been nipped in the bud. He didn’t listen! Now look at him, even after all he’s been through, that brat still won’t leave him alone!”

“Dafu, that’s pointless talk. You’d end up in jail for that,” said Chess King Guo Wanlu. While the others fumed, he was already plotting the next move.

“Second Brother, you’re the clever one—what should we do?”

At Qin Zengshou’s question, Guo Wanlu pondered for a moment, his eyes brightening. “From the video, it looks like Shixin just got a role. This is a crucial time for him. We need to shield him! We can’t let that brat at home cause him trouble!”

“But how? That brat’s legs and mouth are his own. How can the three of us old fossils stop him?”

Faced with Li Dafu’s question, Guo Wanlu chuckled, darted over, and sat down grandly at the chessboard.

Glancing at the dozen or so old friends in the room, he waved his hand expansively.

“Why can’t we stop him? Tell me, what do we have that the little bastard doesn’t?”

“Emphysema, arthritic knees?”

“Vitiligo, glaucoma?”

“High cholesterol, high blood sugar?”

“…”

Watching his clueless friends, Guo Wanlu, who fancied himself the brains of the group, clutched his forehead. “Time! Time, you fools!”

“Yeah, right,” Qin Zengshou scoffed. “We’re all practically one foot in the grave…”

“But we have nothing else to do all day!” Guo Wanlu slapped his thigh and waved his hand again. “Listen up, from tomorrow on, we’ll take turns staking out near that brat’s house! Old Qin!”

“Here!” Qin Zengshou snapped to attention instinctively.

“You’re in charge of logistics—hot water, box lunches, fruit, all that.”

“Got it!”

“Dafu!”

“Yes!”

“You know everyone. Tomorrow, head over to Dagemen and find some professional crashers. Pay them to throw themselves under that brat’s car! One isn’t enough—get several! Tell them it’s long-term work: for the next year, whether he’s driving, cycling, or walking, keep pestering him. No private settlements—make it as troublesome as possible. Make sure he can’t go anywhere but the police station or the courthouse!”

“No problem at all! Old Guo, you just watch!”

Seeing his two brothers accept their orders, Guo Zengshou clasped his hands behind his back and gazed in the direction of Rongdian.

“Shixin, brother. Do your best in Rongdian. Your home front is in the hands of your old friends!”