I observed the place for a while. The economic level here was similar to the nineties of the previous century. It couldn't be compared to the big cities, but compared to the three small countries at the border, it was considered quite developed.
Moreover, the income here was much higher than theirs. That was why many young people from the three small countries came here to make a fortune. It was a typical place where crooks mixed with honest folk.
According to Shangguan Guoqiang, he wanted me to meet up with the soldiers directly. However, after learning about the situation in Meng County from the driver, I changed my mind. After all, it was only half an hour's drive from Meng County to the meeting place.
Since the driver was from Meng County, and his nephew was infected with drugs, his family was in a foul state. They had lost all their money. That was why when he explained the situation to me, he was full of righteous indignation.
Although he didn't ask me directly, I could see the begging in his eyes. That was why I decided to stay in Meng County for a while to observe the situation.
The driver was excited when he heard my decision. He didn't hurry to go back. Instead, he followed me around and became a local tour guide.
Since I hadn't eaten anything in the morning, I was a little hungry. The driver took me to a restaurant, but the environment was ordinary.
"Brother Xiao Zhuang, I'm not mocking you, but the food here is really good. Moreover, there aren't many high-class restaurants in Meng County. I hope you can understand." The driver was a little embarrassed.
"It's okay. As long as it's delicious, I'm not picky."
I shook my head. At least this restaurant had a decent facade. In our village, there was only a small restaurant that had been renovated from a private house. Most of the dishes were farm-grown dishes.
In comparison, the environment here wasn't bad. The driver ordered some local specialties, and I ate them happily. I couldn't help but drink with him.
Although Meng County didn't have drunk drivers, the driver was a soldier, so he didn't break the law. After dinner, he took me around the area and introduced me to the local customs.
After walking for a while, we heard someone cursing in front of us.
"Damn it! Stop right there!"
Then, we saw a group of people chasing a middle-aged man. He was holding a black bag in his hand, and he was gasping for breath. After a while, he was caught. They punched and kicked him, and he screamed in pain.
Although there were pedestrians on the side of the road, they were very indifferent and did not step forward to stop them.
"You bastard, I didn't catch you when you stole my brother's battery last time. Today, you're eyeing my battery car. See if I don't kill you!" The young man who took the lead looked furious and cursed in Chinese.
The middle-aged man lying on the ground kept apologizing and begging them to stop. However, these young men didn't seem to hear him and beat him hard.
"Stop!"
The driver suddenly roared. He was a soldier, after all. Although he didn't know any martial arts, his swift and decisive aura was not just for show.
The group of people looked over with some fear. The young leader curled his lips. "Why should we stop? This person stole our battery. He deserves to be beaten!"
"Alright, I'll compensate you."
The driver didn't waste any time. He took out his phone, added the young man on WeChat, and transferred 10,000 RMB to him. After receiving the money, these people weren't greedy. They warned the middle-aged man and left leisurely.
"Ah Xiang, how did you end up like this?
Didn't you say that you used the demolition money to open a small factory?! "The driver asked with a face full of doubt. It seemed that he knew this middle-aged man.
At first, Ah Xiang refused to admit it. However, after the driver mentioned all kinds of characteristics, he could only admit it.
It turned out that this person was his neighbor and also a playmate who grew up together with him. However, ever since the driver went to the army, they didn't have much contact. After all, they had their own lives. Now that they met in such a situation, it was really a pity.
The driver didn't think that his playmate would be reduced to stealing batteries for a living. How down and out was he?
The driver didn't question him. Seeing that he was sallow and skinny, he randomly found a food stall and ordered a box of beer. After three rounds of drinking, Ah Xiang started to talk. It turned out that he was addicted to gambling two years ago. His small factory was not doing well, and he was also in debt. In the end, he had to close down his business. Because he owed high-interest loans, his bank cards were all blocked. He couldn't show his face at home, so he could only rely on stealing batteries to survive.
"You're really muddle-headed. What's there to gamble about? As a local, don't you know that the casinos in Meng County are run by those people?!" The driver said angrily.
"Sigh, I know. But when I first won a few hundred thousand, I thought that it was too easy. I thought that I had found a chance to make a fortune. Then, not only did I lose the money I won, but I also sold the factory. Every day, I think about making a comeback. I even lost all the money I left for my son. I'm really inhumane!"
After saying that, Ah Xiang gave himself a tight slap. The crisp sound of the slap shocked the surrounding customers.
A bright red handprint appeared on Ah Xiang's face. His sunken eyes were filled with tears of regret. I couldn't deny that I saw the shadow of my cousin in him.
However, my cousin hadn't completely woken up until the moment he died. At least, Ah Xiang had a conscience. I could only say that he was unlucky.
Of course, just like he had said, he had won a few hundred thousand. This amount of money was equivalent to three to five years of income for the people of Meng County. Once he had tasted the sweetness, it was hard to stop.
Ah Xiang was just a microcosm of the people of Meng County. I sighed inwardly. Money was a good thing, but if you couldn't control your desires, you would be blinded by greed and suffer the consequences of your actions.
"Ah Dao, you know, sometimes I want to find a tall building and jump off. It's too tiring to live." Ah Xiang patted the driver's shoulder.