The game's heroine has come true? The aloof school beauty is in tears.

At the takoyaki (octopus ball) stand.

A five- or six-year-old girl, who looked like a piece of porcelain, was pouting and trying to peek through the crack in the stall door.

Lu Yuan, who was about to leave work, slapped his forehead when he saw her.

"Oh, I forgot about her."

The instant he saw the little girl.

The little girl saw him too.

The round, chubby thing came running over, saying as it ran:

"Brother Xiaolu, aren't you selling takoyaki today?"

"For sale."

This is the child of the family who sells pepper cakes at the night market stall.

The couple had no one to help take care of their child, so they often came to Lu Yuan's place to play.

Her name is Xiaobingzi, a name that comes from Lu Yuan's genius for naming things.

"My parents said you got into a fight."

The chubby little pancake pulled out a gun from behind his back and pulled the trigger hard.

The gun barrel hissed and spewed water.

water gun.

"I'll avenge you!"

"Go away, you're the kind of player who betrays the enemy with just a lollipop, and you're even helping me get revenge?"

Lu Yuan returned to his stall.

I turned the stove back on to prepare to make some meatballs.

The cast iron mold has neatly arranged round holes.

Lu Yuan's technique was very skillful. He scooped up the golden batter and slowly poured it into each groove, then added chewy octopus pieces, crisp cabbage pieces, and a few carrot pieces. With a sizzling sound of hot oil, the aroma instantly rose. Once the bottom was set, he deftly flipped it with a thin steel skewer. The half-cooked batter gradually puffed up into a round ball, rolling and dancing on the hot plate, turning an enticing golden brown.

The little pancake vendor muttered to himself in front of the stall, "We really have to get our revenge!"

"With your water gun?"

Upon hearing this, Maruko pouted, clearly unconvinced.

But she wasn't even as tall as the stove.

So when she was standing outside, Lu Yuan couldn't see her at all.

She tried her best to stand on tiptoe.

It tried to stick its little head out over the stove, but it still couldn't be seen.

She was stunned when she suddenly rose into the air and looked down.

I was picked up and carried.

"Thanks, beautiful lady."

"You're welcome."

Huang Zhiyi, who picked up the little pancake, said, "You're welcome."

Xiao Bingzi thanked him with a touch of江湖 (jianghu, a term referring to the world of martial arts and chivalry).

Then he said to Lu Yuan, "Why don't we go find the Crown Prince?"

"Who is the Crown Prince? His name is quite arrogant."

"The prince is incredibly powerful; all the bad guys in the underworld listen to him."

"If a bunch of bad guys all listen to him, isn't he the leader of the bad guys?"

"No, the Crown Prince is good."

Xiaobingzi shook his head, denying Lu Yuan's statement.

She said, "After the prince became the boss, the gangs stopped charging us protection money."

"Huh? Gangs collect protection money?"

I really didn't know about this because I was far away.

Because of those financial reports and such.

He couldn't understand it, so he didn't bother looking at it.

So he looked up at Huang Zhiyi.

Huang Zhiyu nodded to him, indicating that it had indeed been cancelled.

She did it.

"This prince is quite a nice person."

"There are far fewer fights on the streets now, and those gangsters don't dine and dash anymore. I have a friend named Hei Zai who was often bullied because he didn't have parents. But ever since a photo of him with Prince was taken, no one dares to bully him anymore."

Little Bingzi spends every day in the environment of the night market.

What you hear most often are conversations between small vendors.

This is really thanks to Lu Yuan.

Because protection fees and local security are strongly correlated.

If the area has a large number of idle unemployed youths, petty thieves, or thugs who run rampant.

Then it needs to be handled by privately-run security agencies like gangs, and protection money should be paid.

So the ultimate reason for not collecting protection fees was that the Five Lakes Gang underwent a generational change, with all the old guard being kicked out and a large number of unemployed youths being recruited.

And they guide this group onto the right path.

As for what will happen to the next generation of young people as they grow up, Lu Yuan doesn't know.

But in any case, he got off to a good start.

Lu Yuan boasted that he didn't blush or pant.

He only said one thing:

"I think Blackie should pay some protection money."

"If I could take a picture with the Crown Prince and wear it around my neck every day, I'd be willing to pay some protection money."

"It's a pity I heard the Crown Prince is going to die." Little Bingzi looked regretful.

"Wow, what a waste of talent! He died young."

Lu Yuan arranged the freshly baked meatballs into a cardboard box, squeezed on snow-white salad dressing, drizzled on a brownish-red special sauce, and finally sprinkled on emerald green seaweed flakes and light pink bonito flakes. As the steam rose, the bonito flakes trembled gently, as if dancing.

Lu Yuan took out some takoyaki and put it in Xiao Bingzi's hand, then took off his apron.

I hurriedly packed up my tools.

Little Bingzi, like a storyteller, muttered, "It's alright, there's still the Crown Princess."

"And who was the genius who gave the Crown Princess her name?"

"She's the current leader of the Five Lakes Gang, a heroine among women! Her love story with the prince is incredibly complicated..."

"You've never even read a book, where did you learn idioms?"

"It was spread by someone else!"

Lu Yuan was taken aback; he had never even considered this possibility.

It's not surprising that he hadn't thought of it.

What you think about in what position.

Lu Yuan's starting point was being Huang Feiyang's illegitimate son, so he would never realize how attractive such underworld stories are to ordinary people.

Not to mention the tragic storyline of the Crown Prince.

"Stop talking, it's getting sick of me."

The person who wrote this story probably watched too many soap operas.

They can bring up love in everything.

Lu Yuan carried several large cardboard boxes from his stall to the doorway.

He picked up the small padlock and locked the door.

"Brother Xiaolu, where are you going?"

"I'm going back to the mainland."

This is the last day the takoyaki shop is open.

Lu Yuan carried the large cardboard box outside, and Xiao Bingzi chattered away, asking:

"How is the mainland? Brother Lu Yuan."

"It's a very beautiful place."

"But I heard on TV..."

Xiaobingzi hesitated, clearly indicating that she watched a lot of TV and that the things said on TV weren't very pleasant.

But she was a well-mannered child and didn't repeat what she saw on TV.

Lu Yuan smiled and picked up the conversation: "Then do you think anyone would say the Crown Prince is a bad person?"

"Yes! They say all gangsters are bad guys!"

"So, do you think the Crown Prince is a bad person?"

"Of course not."

Lu Yuan took the lead and walked into Xiao Bingzi's family's shop.

He handed over the large cardboard box he was carrying.

"I'm going back to the mainland. You can have these oils and seasonings."

"Oh dear, I'm so sorry."

Little Biscuit's father wiped his hands and quickly took the box.

Little Biscuit's mother glanced at the takoyaki in Little Biscuit's hand.

She said with a hint of reproach, "Why did you go and eat your brother's takoyaki again?"

After saying that, she looked down and started looking for change in her apron pocket.

"No need to give it to me."

Lu Yuan waved to Xiao Bingzi's mother.

Then she turned back and stuck out her little finger at the little pancake.

He said, "Little takoyaki, this takoyaki is on me. You have to make a promise with your brother."

"What agreement?"

"Don't listen to what others say. When you grow up, go and see your brother's hometown for yourself."

Will my brother's hometown welcome me?

"Your hometown welcomes not only you, but everyone here."

Lu Yuan smiled but didn't say anything more.

He took the "For Sale" sign he had prepared beforehand and pasted it on the door of the takoyaki shop.

Then we went to the betel nut shop next door and saw the betel nut beauty crying her eyes out.

He began by saying, "Buy one hundred packets of betel nuts, and that will be considered compensation for emotional distress."

Lu Yuan waved to Huang Zhiyu, signaling her to pay.

Then he waved to the crowd, and a few of his underlings came out.

This was all arranged by Ah Jie to keep an eye on him at all times.

"Thank you for your hard work. You can share the betel nuts, but remember to eat less of them."

A group of underlings gathered around Lu Yuan, attracting the attention of a group of merchants.

Everyone gathered together to discuss his identity.

Some say he's a prince, that he speaks with a mainland accent, and that gangsters frequently patronize his shops.

Some people say he's not the crown prince, because they don't believe the crown prince would come here to sell takoyaki.

"Everyone, I am Lu Yuan, you can also call me Huang something. I am about to pass away, so I am preparing to return to my hometown to rest in peace."

Lu Yuan faced the crowd and pointed to Huang Zhiyu beside him.

"If there's any more protection money to be collected, you can contact her; she often eats here."

Then she waved her hand and walked over to the little pancake.

They gestured for the little biscuit's mother to take a photo of the two of them together.

"Take it and show off."

The little biscuit's tiny brain simply couldn't process this information.

He could only speak out of instinct: "Brother Xiaolu...Prince...you're not a bad guy."

Lu Yuan smiled.

I left with my back to the dimly lit Ximending.

...

News began to spread that the Crown Prince was dying and would soon return to the mainland to settle down and live out his days.

The nights here are always ambiguous yet sharp. The neon lights of the Xinyi shopping district never go out, and the crowds in Ximending surge all day long. The streets and alleys hide a blend of old and new, as well as a deeply entrenched underground order.

The news spread faster than a summer night's downpour.

Because Lu Yuan publicly shared this information, it escaped internet censorship and bypassed information screening, rapidly spreading from the high-end, secretive underworld circles to every corner of Taipei. In less than half an hour, the atmosphere of the entire city completely changed. Commuters at the Zhongxiao Fuxing MRT station, after scrolling through their phones, became solemn, whispering amongst themselves, their eyes filled with astonishment; trendy shops and food stalls were eerily quiet, the once bustling streets instantly becoming mostly silent, vendors hastily packing up, pedestrians hurrying along, not daring to linger; in the old alleys of Datong District, neighbors whispered through the stairwells, their voices filled with barely concealed fear.

Because of past experiences with gangsters, many ordinary citizens are apprehensive, fearing that the prince's death will cause their recently calmed lives to be thrown into turmoil again.

Unexplained brawls erupt on the streets, damaging cars recently purchased on installment plans; traffic control measures are implemented inexplicably during my commute to work...

But even past midnight, the entire city remained eerily quiet.

Even in many entertainment venues, you can't see those gangsters making those famous hand gestures. On a night destined to be bloody and violent, the security is much better than usual.

Perhaps it triggered the underlying code that people always remember after death, and many people actually felt a little sorry for the crown prince's death.

At least he's alive and still the boss, which is much better than the others.

A representative of the people may not necessarily represent the people's will. Huang Feiyang was desperately pursuing street prestige and public prestige.

And so, it was quietly obtained by Lu Yuan.

"If it were Huang Feiyang, he would definitely order his underlings to walk around the streets, creating the impression that he would still be a big name even in death."

"Times have changed, sister." Lu Yuan took a sip of wine, his face contorted in pain as if wearing a mask.

He said, "The old-fashioned gangster mentality of instilling fear is outdated."

"If they don't scare people, are they still a gang?"

"So traditional gangsters are already a sunset industry." Lu Yuan pointed to the Five Elders not far away and said, "This is the consequence of not standing with the people."

"Can't you really stay?"

"cannot."

"it is good."

The refracted neon lights shone on the two people's faces, making them look like surging whales.

This bar is called Tail.

It's a bar that Xiao Xu took over.

The dampness from the alleyways seeped slowly into the building's ventilation openings, keeping the indoor air consistently cool and humid.

The atmosphere here carries a unique blend of aged liquor, woody scents, and subtle coolness, shedding the gloom and deathly stillness while retaining a private and restrained ambiance. Old-fashioned ceiling lights are interspersed with flickering, dim red LED strips, creating a stark contrast between light and shadow. Most of the space is bathed in soft, dim shadows, with only the bar and booth areas receiving scattered, cool light.

Xiao Xu's bar is essentially competing with the Wuhu Gang for business.

But no one said anything about her, because everyone felt that she and the Crown Prince had a somewhat ambiguous relationship.

Xiao Xu was also happy to see others spread such stories.

She frowned as she looked at Lu Yuan's grimacing expression:

"Back at the host club, you said this was your favorite cocktail. 45ml blended whiskey, 30ml cold brew black coffee, 10ml orange peel liqueur, 5ml yellow rock sugar syrup, 1 large block of ice, 1 strip of fresh orange peel."

"I was just making this up. I don't like drinking, so I'm just trying to mask the taste of alcohol with something sour."

"I even want to call this recipe the Crown Prince; I've prepared all the drinking toasts."

"What are drinking etiquette terms?"

"I'll send you into a colorful dream."

Cyber ​​lights illuminated the neon sea, and a young man sat at the bar, grinning widely. You could see the movement of his tongue and the folds of his sleeves.

But he's about to disappear.

Some people exist solely to transport you into a colorful dream.

Until I woke up.

"Too artsy, the drinking words are so sour they'll make you sick of it."

"OK."

Xiao Xu nodded and picked up his phone to take a picture.

She's not short of money; she's just doing this bar as a hobby.

So there are currently only two types of wine here: Prince and A-Qiang.

"You'd better stay dead as long as possible, or I'll turn you into wine and sell you for money."

Xiao Xu raised his camera.

The viewfinder shows the Five Elders, who can't drink alcohol because they're taking blood pressure medication, arguing about whether drinking milk will raise their blood sugar.

Ah-Jie stood coldly to the side, his bangs cascading down at a 45-degree angle as he gazed up at the sky. Ah-Zhen, who had been summoned by someone, sat silently in the corner.

Lu Yuan sat properly and upright in the middle of the bar, took out his pocket watch and opened it. A-Qiang looked at the camera with a grin.

Huang Zhiyu wasn't looking at the camera; he was looking at Lu Yuan's profile.

At the edge of the frame is a figure wearing a hat. When he saw someone taking pictures, he tried to hide inside a booth, but he still made it into the shot. The dark hairline on his forehead indicated that he was a refined man.

"A precious group photo of the Five Lakes Gang," Lu Yuan said with a smile.