Rebirth: He Decides to Lie Flat
Chapter 253 - 253 250 Trouble

Chapter 253: Chapter 250 Trouble Chapter 253: Chapter 250 Trouble The unfortunate thing was that just as they had smashed the damn device to pieces, the “beep beep” sound paused for only three seconds before a louder “beep beep” sounded off from another unknown corner.

The three of them looked at each other with dumbfounded faces!

“Damn it!”

“Boss, let’s pull out.”

The tall and skinny one nervously looked around and said to the shorter one, “Let’s go, it won’t work if we continue like this.”

“Go!”

The shorter one stuffed the tool in his hand into his backpack and reluctantly glanced at the computer store, which they had just managed to pry open a little.

Lou Jin had said there were a lot of laptops inside, that the university student from Beijing University could assemble them, and there were also many high-end computer parts.

They had thought this fat sheep would be easy to slaughter, but it turned out to be such a thorny task.

Just as the trio turned to leave, a police car with its lights flashing stopped at the closed main gate of the community, and two police officers in uniform got out of the car and walked towards the open side gate.

The three of them were shocked, and after realizing what was happening, they turned to run into the neighborhood. However, the first to lift his foot, the tall and skinny one, suddenly flew up and then “bang,” he crashed into the computer store’s doorway not far behind him.

The impact made the “beep beep” sound more enthusiastic, and not only did Lou Dad from the second floor hear it, but even the neighbors across the street were disturbed and turned on their lights, followed by someone on the third floor who turned on their lights and opened a window to peer down curiously.

The two police officers, hearing the commotion, hurried over. The second brother stepped out from the shadows with a stick thick as a rolling pin and pointed at one on the ground as well as the two stunned individuals, telling the police, “I’m the one who called the cops, they’re the ones who entered my computer store to steal.”

…

Jiang Yan received the news after breakfast, and when he rushed to Xinyu, Xiaotie had already returned from the police station.

“It was the three professional thieves that Lou Jin, that bastard, had found. The police said they all had a record, each one in and out three times, dumb as hell, still stealing and thinking they’re so great. The cops can’t do much to them; right now, they’re just being detained temporarily.”

Jiang Yan asked in astonishment, “Lou Jin is that brainless? Why would he recruit such people?”

“They agreed to split the money from the stolen computers fifty-fifty with Lou Jin. The other crews only agreed to a seventy-thirty split, so in the end, Lou Jin chose these three, just for that extra twenty percent.”

Jiang Yan was speechless; it looked like Lou Jin’s brain had been muddled by gambling.

“As the mastermind, Lou Jin should have been arrested and put in detention, but didn’t he get beaten by those debt collectors? He is still lying in the hospital, immobile, so the police just took a statement from him without arresting him.”

Jiang Yan asked Xiaotie, “Did you go to the hospital?”

“I did. One of his legs is broken, his face swollen and blue, and his arm in a sling. He conned those thieves into paying his hospital fees, saying that he’d offset his share with the money they’d get from selling the stolen computers.”

While saying this, Xiaotie shook his head with a trace of pity, “It’s said that Lou Jin is a graduate from a prestigious university, was originally a procurement officer at a state-owned enterprise. But ever since he got addicted to gambling, first he embezzled company funds and got fired, then after his divorce, he even mortgaged his house for a loan. Now he’s been beaten to the point of breaking his arms and legs… sheesh, can you believe that he ever went to university? Did his education go to the dogs?”

Jiang Yan glanced at him, “That’s why I say gambling is something you must never touch. Once you can’t quit, you end up with a broken family and a life in ruins. Xiaotie, I seem to recall that when you were running the internet cafe, you had the idea of setting up a gambling den in town, didn’t you?”

“No, no, no, absolutely not!” Xiaotie gesticulated vigorously like a rattle-drum, “I was just bragging. Look at me, how could I have the capability to do that? It was just that period when I watched the ‘God of Gamblers’ movies, thought it looked cool to flick cards, and just said it off the cuff.”

Jiang Yan knew he didn’t have the guts for it, and it was just a reminder to scare him a bit.

The main door’s lock had been cut, and of the several automatic alarm devices installed, two were broken.

The two took down the broken ones and installed new ones. While they were busy, residents of the community passed by, asking what had happened.

Because one of the sliding doors was visibly dented in a large area, as if something had smashed into it, and Xiaotie, holding a hammer, was banging away, he turned his head to reply. But the neighbor from the second floor across, Auntie Zhao, was quicker with her words, “Don’t you know our neighborhood was burgled last night? The cops came and all. They said the thieves first hit a few empty homes inside, then on their way back, they thought they’d nab a few computers from the computer shop. But Xiaojiang and Xiaoli had installed alarm systems on the door, and as soon as the lock was opened, the alarm went ‘beep beep beep beep,’ woke me up. Xiaoli called the cops, and they arrested them.”

“Oh my goodness, there was such a thing?”

That person was taken aback and asked, “Did they scout the place before coming to steal? Knowing that old Wu’s family had gone down south for the New Year, and Xiaoli’s place across was also empty, they just had to pry the lock to steal…..”

Auntie Zhao nodded. “Isn’t that right? Thankfully, the police were patrolling nearby and arrived incredibly quickly—they didn’t have time to take anything.”

“That was also thanks to Xiaotie calling the police.”

“Exactly, hey do you know why Old Wu’s family went to the south for the New Year?”

“Isn’t it because it’s warmer there, and his daughter wants to show filial piety by letting them travel at the same time?”

“Where did you get that from… his daughter showing filial piety…”

A group of people chatted excitedly, discussing topics ranging from their computer shop to the thieves, then to Old Wu’s family not spending the New Year locally, and gradually drifting off topic, each person animatedly gossiping…

Jiang Yan and Lou Er exchanged glances, then both turned their heads to look at Auntie Zhao.

Auntie sure is interesting!

Others might not know the inside story of last night’s incident, but Auntie Zhao, who was woken up by the noise, did know some of it. And because she knew, she chose to help cover it up.

After all, ordinary people tend to seek benefits and avoid harm. If they knew the thief was brought by Lou Jin specifically to target the computer shop and Xiaojiang and Xiaotie, well, let’s not discuss who’s right and who’s wrong for now. First and foremost, they would think about the impact on them and the trouble it could bring. And then, what if the thief turned to enter their homes while at it?

Just the thought of it was scary and dangerous.

So Auntie Zhao helped sweep it under the rug with a gentle touch, preferring the two kids next door to that bastard Lou Jin.

The main door was repaired and the alarm system was reinstalled. At first glance, the computer shop’s shelves were full, but in truth, there wasn’t much of value—these were old computers collected during the New Year season, all cheap desktops.

Since the New Year was approaching, Jiang Yan didn’t ask Lou Er to dismantle them but just cleaned them up and placed them on the shelves, planning to deal with them after reopening on the sixth day of the new year.

As for the valuable laptops and components, Lou Er moved them all to the second-floor study room.

Knowing they had provoked a ruffian like Lou Jin, how could they possibly leave those items downstairs.

After tidying up and locking the door, they were about to head upstairs when they turned and saw Elder Lou with his hands in his pockets, returning from outside the neighborhood.

“Eh? Didn’t Elder Lou say he was going to buy fruit? Where’s the fruit?”

Jiang Yan frowned. Surely he hadn’t gone to the hospital again?

They really didn’t want to meddle in Elder Lou’s business; as long as he was determined to cut ties with his son, they would only be inconvenienced for a while.

But if it was a case of lingering attachments, the result would be that whenever his son ran out of money or got into trouble, he would still seek out his father, knowing that the father wouldn’t abandon him. Consequently, the son would become even more reckless in causing trouble.

And most importantly, he wouldn’t give up gambling!

Elder Lou hadn’t gone to the hospital. He had run into his niece who had come looking for him.

Lou Jin, knowing his father would not help, and unable to reach him by phone, had the hospital call his cousin sister for money.

To be honest, although they were related, they didn’t communicate much normally. So out of the blue, why would his cousin sister spend that money for him?

After all, with such severe injuries, the hospital bills were quite a hefty expense.

But the hospital kept calling to press for payment and his cousin sister was getting annoyed, so she came over today to discuss the matter with Elder Lou.

What was there to discuss?

Elder Lou had lost all hope for his son and only had three words for his niece: Don’t bother with him!

He added immediately after, “When he gets beaten to death, I’ll just claim his body, making sure he departs with dignity. I’ve even purchased his grave plot already.”