Chapter 120: Trouble at the Apothecary

"What does it have to do with you whether I have a girlfriend or not?" Yang Fan glanced at Li Qiuya and said.

"Pfft, just looking at your cold demeanor, you definitely don't have a girlfriend," Li Qiuya said with disdain. "And you, you're probably frigid, too."

"Whether I'm frigid or not, why don't you try and see?" Yang Fan stared at her. "That is, if you have the guts to try."

"Get lost! This beauty isn't that desperate," Li Qiuya rolled her eyes at him.

Yang Fan couldn't be bothered to pay her any more mind and simply continued eating. Seeing that Yang Fan had nothing more to say, Li Qiuya stopped talking and began to eat as well. She had been so busy these past few days that she hadn't been able to come home for meals, and she had been missing his cooking. She had specifically taken the day off today just to get Yang Fan, the master chef, to cook for her.

Once the meal was finished, Yang Fan didn't care whether Li Qiuya wanted to leave or not—he kicked her out. Li Qiuya complained indignantly that Yang Fan lacked any sense of human warmth.

With her gone, Yang Fan felt a lot more at peace. Just then, his phone rang. He checked the screen and saw it was Zhang Weihong, the owner of the pharmacy.

"Brother Zhang, what's up?" Yang Fan asked after answering.

"Yang Fan, some people are at the shop causing trouble. You'd better come over," Zhang Weihong said, sounding quite anxious.

Hearing that someone was making trouble at his pharmacy, Yang Fan frowned. His shop was under the protection of the Black Tiger gang; surely no one would dare to cause a scene there? Without overthinking it, Yang Fan immediately left his house and headed toward the pharmacy.

Upon arriving, he found five young men in the shop, speaking loudly and arrogantly to Zhang Weihong. Each of the five had tattoos on their arms and dyed hair in garish colors; they were clearly hoodlums. Seeing these thugs daring to court death, Yang Fan sneered inwardly.

"What's going on here?" Yang Fan walked over and asked.

"Who are you?" A young man with yellow hair looked Yang Fan up and down and asked with a sour expression.

"I am the owner of this pharmacy," Yang Fan said indifferently.

"Oh, so you're the boss, are you? Well, you've come at just the right time," the yellow-haired youth said with a mocking smile.

Seeing Yang Fan arrive, Zhang Weihong let out a sigh of relief. He knew that Yang Fan had a deep background and impressive skills; dealing with these five thugs should be a breeze for him.

"Boss, they came here to sell some medicine, but I can't say much for the quality of what they're offering," Zhang Weihong told Yang Fan.

"What kind of medicine?" Yang Fan asked, puzzled.

"Ginseng. Ginseng as thick as an arm. But your shop staff here doesn't know a good thing when they see it—they called it fake, and that really pissed me off," the yellow-haired youth said with a cocky attitude. "If you don't buy this ginseng from me, I'll tear your shop apart."

"Where is the ginseng?" Yang Fan asked, dismissing the youth's threat as nothing more than hot air.

"Right here. Look, but don't you dare damage it," the yellow-haired youth said, handing over an object wrapped in a bag.

Yang Fan took it, had a look, and immediately burst out laughing. It wasn't ginseng at all; it was a large white radish, about the thickness of an arm. If it had actually been ginseng, that would be one thing, but it was just a radish—it didn't even qualify as a medicinal herb. It was obvious these people were here specifically to stir up trouble.

"Hmph, trying to pass off a radish as ginseng? That's ridiculous. Take your stuff and get out, or don't blame me for getting physical," Yang Fan said coldly, his voice brooking no argument.

The five youths were annoyed by Yang Fan's arrogance.

"Damn it, you really are looking to die, kid. I'm going to break your bones today!" the yellow-haired youth cursed and lunged at Yang Fan with a kick.

A cold glint flashed in Yang Fan's eyes, and his right leg struck out like lightning.

"Thud!"

"Agh!"

With a scream, the yellow-haired youth was sent flying by Yang Fan's powerful kick, crashing into the wall. He didn't even have time to react. He felt as if his bones were about to fall apart, and pain radiated through his entire body. The force of the kick was so savage that he felt like he was about to vomit bile.

The other four youths were stunned by the sight.

"Damn it, what are you standing there for? Get him! Beat him to a pulp!" the yellow-haired youth shouted at his men.

The four rushed toward Yang Fan, grabbing stools to smash against him. Yang Fan let out a cold snort and moved with lightning speed. Before they could even see how he moved, they all took heavy blows to the chest and were sent flying. In less than three seconds, all four were sprawled on the ground, wailing in pain and looking up with terror in their eyes.

"Get out now, or I'll break your legs," Yang Fan looked down at the five of them and barked coldly.

Terrified out of their wits, the five thugs didn't dare stay a second longer and scrambled away on all fours.

"Who exactly are these people?" Yang Fan asked.

"They claimed to be from the Black Water Association. This street is their territory now," Zhang Weihong replied.

The Black Water Association?

Hearing the name of a new gang, Yang Fan felt suspicious. This street had always been the territory of the Black Tiger gang; how had it become the domain of the Black Water Association?

He dialed Huang Ma's number.

"Mr. Yang, do you have any orders?" Huang Ma asked, feeling nervous upon receiving the call.

"I want to know what's going on with the Black Water Association," Yang Fan asked coldly.

"Mr. Yang, the Black Water Association is a gang that emerged recently. Word is they have someone powerful backing them; their roots run deep," Huang Ma said with a bitter frown. "My Black Tiger gang lost the territory dispute, and the street where your pharmacy is located is now under their control."

Listening to Huang Ma, Yang Fan understood the situation. The Black Water Association was a new power that had clashed with the Black Tiger gang, and the relationship between them had reached a breaking point.

"Find a time to arrange a meeting with the people from the Black Water Association. I'll handle it for you," Yang Fan said to Huang Ma over the phone.

"You're willing to step in?" Huang Ma was excited. If Yang Fan were willing to act, he would finally have an edge. He had always believed that Yang Fan was no ordinary man and possessed extraordinary means.

"I can make you the sole power in Yuan City," Yang Fan said calmly. Though his tone was flat, it carried a killing intent that made Huang Ma shiver.

"Understood. I'll notify you as soon as the time is set," Huang Ma said, having no reason to refuse. If Yang Fan was willing to take care of his rivals, that was the best possible outcome. He knew he couldn't handle it on his own—he simply lacked the strength.

After hanging up, Yang Fan said to Zhang Weihong, "Don't open the shop for the next few days. Keep it closed for a while; I'll call you when it's safe to open again."

Zhang Weihong nodded. He knew things were about to get turbulent. After all, Yang Fan had beaten up members of the Black Water Association, and there would surely be repercussions.

After making sure Zhang Weihong had closed the shop, Yang Fan left. Since the Black Water Association had come looking for trouble with him, they would have to pay the price. He had his own agenda as well; Huang Ma was now effectively his subordinate, and by helping him, he was also serving his own interests. As for the Black Water Association, Yang Fan didn't think much of them at all.