Chapter 81: Harassment by Gangsters

Chapter 81: Harassment by Gangsters

Out of concern for Xu Qingyao and gratitude toward Li Yi, Ji Qinghe took this matter seriously.

After thinking for a moment, Ji Qinghe suggested, "Mr. Li, how about this? I'll call the students who are on good terms with Xu Qingyao, and we can ask them one by one. Maybe we'll get some clues."

Li Yi immediately agreed. At the moment, this was the best approach.

Ji Qinghe smiled, then stood up. "Please follow me, Mr. Li. You can rest in my office in the meantime."

Li Yi nodded and followed her toward an office nearby.

Observing Li Yi

Ji Qinghe had heard rumors about Li Yi before. He was known as a street thug, despite working at the meat processing factory. People said he barely showed up for work, spending most of his time idling around.

But after meeting him in person, Ji Qinghe realized those rumors might not be true.

Li Yi was calm and composed, speaking neither too humbly nor arrogantly. Unlike the rough, reckless man she had imagined, he carried himself with an air of confidence.

What intrigued her even more was the look in his eyes—a deep, almost world-weary gaze, filled with a sense of experience far beyond his age.

This was a man with a story.

Arriving at the School

Li Yi, however, was focused on the school itself.

The campus had changed significantly. Gone were the old bungalows; they had been replaced with a five-story teaching building. The students' school life seemed much livelier now—there were even a few billiard tables in the playground's corner.

The building's fresh yellow paint suggested recent renovations.

It was currently break time, and students filled the playground, chatting and playing. However, one thing caught Li Yi's attention—he didn't see Xu Qingyao among them.

Just then, Ji Qinghe turned to him and pointed. "Mr. Li, see those two girls standing under the tree?"

Li Yi followed her gaze and saw two young girls engaged in conversation.

He nodded. "Are they Qingyao's friends?"

"Yes," Ji Qinghe confirmed. "The girl with long hair is Chen Qing, and the one with short hair is Li Yue. They're very close to Xu Qingyao. They might know something."

Li Yi's expression grew serious. "Could you ask them to come over? I need to talk to them."

Ji Qinghe smiled. "Let's go to my office first. It's just ahead."

In the Office

Once inside, Li Yi sat on the sofa, taking in the room's simple but old-fashioned decor. A wave of nostalgia washed over him.

The early 1990s marked a transformation for Longguo's interior design industry. Before 1990, most people were still struggling with basic necessities. But with economic growth, people were beginning to focus on improving their quality of life.

Li Yi knew he had to act fast.

His current priority was resolving Xu Qingyao's troubles, followed by acquiring the meat processing plant. The factory was about to enter a reform phase—an opportunity he couldn't afford to miss.

Meeting Chen Qing and Li Yue

After a few minutes, Ji Qinghe returned with the two girls.

Li Yi gave them a warm smile.

The girls hesitated for a moment, exchanging glances. They were clearly curious—why was Xu Qingyao's brother here?

Ji Qinghe broke the silence. "Chen Qing, Li Yue, you both know Mr. Li, right? He's Xu Qingyao's brother."

The girls nodded. "Yes, we know him."

Ji Qinghe continued, "Good. The reason I called you here is to find out if something has been bothering Xu Qingyao lately."

Chen Qing and Li Yue hesitated again, their expressions uneasy.

Li Yi immediately noticed. These two definitely knew something.

He spoke gently. "It's okay. Just tell me what you know. Qingyao hasn't been herself lately, and we need your help to understand what's going on."

Hearing this, the girls seemed to relax.

Chen Qing finally spoke up. "Yes… Qingyao has been in trouble lately. But she didn't tell her family."

Li Yi leaned forward. "What happened?"

Chen Qing took a deep breath before explaining:

"A while ago, some gangsters started hanging around near the school. They would harass us every now and then. One day, as we were leaving, a guy tried to grab Li Yue. Qingyao stepped in to stop him, but the guy pulled out a knife."

Li Yi's eyes narrowed. "And then?"

"Qingyao reacted quickly," Chen Qing continued. "She picked up a brick and hit the guy on the head. He backed off, but ever since then, he's been harassing her—demanding money for his 'medical expenses.'"

Li Yi's expression darkened. "How much is he asking for?"

"A thousand yuan," Chen Qing said anxiously. "He gave her five days to pay up. If she doesn't, he threatened to report her to the police and have her arrested!"

Li Yi clenched his fists.

Gangsters extorting high school students in broad daylight?

Unacceptable.

Ji Qinghe looked equally disturbed. She hadn't realized this was happening near the school. This was a serious issue—one that needed to be addressed immediately.

She made a mental note to speak with Uncle Li, a local officer, about tightening security around the school.

As for Li Yi… he had other plans for these gangsters.

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