I took out a piece of paper with my phone number written on it, gave it to him, patted him on the shoulder, and left with my entourage.
I was surprised to see my senior brother today, whom I hadn't seen for many years. Although there are still many questions I don't understand, at least he didn't say he wouldn't see me again, which means I still have a chance.
Thinking about this made me feel great!
Back at the repair shop, I immediately sent people out to buy various things. I noticed that my senior brother's place was quite dilapidated, so I figured the pharmacy and martial arts school probably weren't making much money. I sent people out to buy some furniture and a lot of fitness equipment, and had them transported there.
But the next day, those things were sent back by the eldest brother's disciple, Di Bao.
When he came to see me, he looked miserable: "Uncle-Master... you'd better not send anything over... I know you mean well, but Master won't accept it. As a result, we had to go through all the trouble of carrying all this stuff back for you... and we even had to spend extra money renting a car to transport the goods... Sigh, now we probably won't have any meat to eat this week."
I frowned upon hearing this: "Is your martial arts school facing such financial difficulties, Senior Brother?"
“Originally, although we weren’t well-off, we were at least able to break even, but now…” He hesitated for a moment and glanced at me.
"What now? You tell me."
“Now…sigh…” Di Bao smiled bitterly: “That day your men came and fought with us, injuring Master’s son, and the medical expenses cost a lot of money…”
I sighed inwardly and thought for a moment: "Di Bao, do you want to help your master? Then tell me, which hospital is your master's son staying in?"
Di Bao hesitated for a moment before finally saying, "Um, I'm staying at... XXX Hospital... This, Uncle-Master, I'm telling you, you can't tell Master that I told you! Otherwise, I'll get a beating!"
I chuckled when I heard that: "Getting a beating... hehe, when I was a kid learning martial arts with your master, I got a lot of beatings from him... sigh, don't worry, I won't say anything."
Then I had someone bring Xiluo over. Xiluo was still in a wheelchair. I looked at him and smiled, "Brother, I want to ask you for a favor... I'm afraid it will be too much of a burden for you."
Xiluo smiled and said, "Little Wu, I know what you're up to..."
At the very hospital that Di Bao had told us about, I found my senior's son, Lei Ren, without any difficulty.
It was a small hospital, and I found the boy in a regular ward. Seeing the rudimentary medical equipment, I immediately ordered someone to move him to a different room.
In Canada, social security and welfare systems are quite comprehensive and robust. An average Canadian citizen with health insurance doesn't have to pay a single penny for medical expenses. However, my senior's son clearly doesn't have health insurance.
Therefore, this medical expense became a burden for my senior, who was already struggling financially!
I arranged for the hospital to move my senior's son, Lei Ren, to a different ward. Through my efforts, he got a double VIP room, and I hired the best VIP nurses and a professional nutritionist. I also approached the hospital administration, offering to donate money to them and requesting that their most outstanding doctor be assigned to his care…
Finally, I moved Ciro into that ward too!
Part Two: The Road to Success, Chapter Ninety-One: Deep Brotherhood
When Lei Ren was wheeled into the ward, he looked bewildered. Seeing the high-end and comfortable facilities in the ward, he was probably a little dizzy and obviously did not understand what was going on—the hospital only informed him to change wards, but did not say anything more to him.
But as soon as he entered the ward, he saw two beds, one empty, and on the other bed, Xiluo was lying there... Lei Ren naturally recognized Xiluo... The two had fought, and Lei Ren was injured by Xiluo, so how could he not recognize him?
He was startled, then became alert, his eyes filled with hostility as he stared at Xiluo: "What are you doing here?"
He then shouted, "You're the ones who brought me here? What tricks are you trying to pull?"
He struggled to stand up.
I had been standing by Xiluo's bed, so I quickly went over and held him down to prevent him from moving around, otherwise his injuries would get worse.
"Your name is Lei Ren? Is your nickname Lei Xiaohu?" I held him down, preventing him from moving, and looked at him with a smile.
"Who are you!" He squinted at me.
“I…” I smiled and carefully examined the young man in front of me.
He was only about seventeen or eighteen years old. Judging from the contours of his eyebrows and eyes, he did resemble my senior brother somewhat. He looked very strong and was clearly a great young man. He had thick eyebrows, big eyes, and a heroic air about him.
"Do you know how many junior brothers your father had when he was in China?" I pointed to my nose: "I was one of your father's junior brothers."
Lei Ren still looked at me warily: "You're my father's junior brother? But how old are you?!"
I smiled. I gestured for the nurse behind me to leave, then personally pushed the wheelchair to the side, sat down, and sighed. I briefly explained what had happened.
Although Lei Ren's temper inevitably carried some of the impetuousness of youth, it also possessed the unique curiosity characteristic of young people. At first, he was somewhat suspicious and wary of me, but as I continued talking, his brow gradually relaxed.
"That's how it is." I smiled and said, "Look, this is my brother. He's the one who injured you, but it was just a misunderstanding. Besides, he was also injured by my senior brother. We're all on the same side, so let's let bygones be bygones."
Lei Ren was still staring at me: "You really are my father's junior brother... um. So you're my senior uncle?"
"Yes," I said with a wry smile, "but my kung fu is the worst among my fellow disciples."
"But you said you are...you are the famous Fifth Master of Vancouver?" Lei Ren still looked astonished: "You are the boss of the Big Circle?"
"I am."
“Sigh, I didn’t expect you to be so young.” Lei Ren shook his head and sighed. He looked at me deeply again and shook his head again: “I originally thought that Fifth Master should at least be about the same age as my father… but you look too young.”
Lei Ren was clearly a clever young man. He suddenly smiled and said, "I understand. You want to use me to ease the tension with my father, right? But that might be difficult. My father is a very stubborn and inflexible man. You're in the underworld now, so he probably won't acknowledge you."
I patted him on the shoulder: "Where there's a will, there's a way. Besides, even if you don't acknowledge me, it doesn't matter. I just want to help you as much as I can... Sigh, you know your father isn't well-off right now. You were injured because of us, and these medical expenses have added a lot of burden to your father. So please don't refuse my kindness. At least it can help reduce some of the pressure on your father."
Young people are generally more progressive and less rigid than their seniors. He thought about it for a moment and then agreed.
Then I gave Xiluo a wink, and Xiluo immediately understood. I made an excuse and left first, leaving the two young men in the room.
I sat in the corridor for a while, then went downstairs to smoke a cigarette. I checked the time; my senior should be arriving at the hospital around this time.
Sure enough, a moment later, I saw my senior brother walking over. He was carrying a thermos and his forehead was slightly sweaty. When he saw me at the hospital entrance from afar, he frowned and walked over: "What are you doing here?"
I smiled wryly and remained silent. My senior brother looked at me suspiciously for a moment, then finally understood and sighed, "You..."
He shook his head and strode into the hospital, and I had no choice but to follow behind.
My senior brother quickly found out what was going on at the hospital and learned that I had transferred his son to a VIP ward. He didn't say anything, but just frowned as he went upstairs, with me following behind the whole time.
When they arrived at the ward door, as soon as they pushed it open, they heard a burst of laughter coming from inside. It seemed that Xiluo and Leiren had gotten along quite well.
The two were close in age and had no deep-seated hatred for each other, so injuries during a fight were inevitable. Furthermore, after I clarified our relationship, they chatted for a while and opened up to each other.
Xiluo was a martial arts fanatic, while Leiren possessed a family-inherited martial arts skill. The two chatted for a while, mostly about their duel that day. They saw Xiluo lying on the bed, while Leiren sat at the head of the bed, both of them beaming with excitement. Leiren was gesturing with his hands, clearly explaining some moves and techniques.
When my senior brother and I came in, Lei Ren was laughing and saying, "That punch you threw the other day really hurt me, but I didn't expect you to have such a powerful move... Hehe, but I was caught off guard. Actually, I can use that kind of powerful move too. If I had used it from the start, you wouldn't have been able to beat me..."
He's absolutely right. He's my senior brother's son, and he's been personally taught by my senior brother for so many years, so his kung fu is naturally superb! How could he compare to Xiluo, who's only been training with me for a year? Xiluo was only able to defeat him because he caught him off guard.
Moreover, when the two fought before, Lei Ren had been holding back his strength and was just playing around with Xi Luo, without using his real skills!
Xiluo understood that his skills were indeed far inferior to others, but he wasn't annoyed by it. The two chatted and laughed, showing no signs of misunderstanding.
However, the laughter and conversation in the room immediately stopped when the eldest brother pushed open the door. Lei Ren's expression changed instantly when he saw his father enter, and he quickly lowered his arms with a look of fear.
The eldest brother was initially a little angry, but when he saw his son wearing a hospital gown, with injuries, and looking at him with fear, his heart softened... The hearts of parents are all the same!
Seeing this scene, I quickly came in and said, "Senior brother, don't blame Xiao Hu... He didn't know anything when he was transferred to another ward. I tricked him into coming here."
The senior apprentice raised an eyebrow, turning to look at me: "Chen Yang, I know what you're thinking... I also know you're rich now, this kind of high-class hospital room is nothing to you..." He sneered: "But where did your money come from? Did you collect protection money? Or did you do illegal and criminal things?"
Lei Ren's expression changed as well. He turned pale, glanced at his father, and struggled to get off the bed.
I had been holding back my anger for a long time, and finally I couldn't hold it in any longer. I yelled at Lei Ren, "Little Tiger, sit still and don't move!!"
I looked up at my senior brother and said, "Senior brother, I have something to say... Let's go outside for a bit!"
The eldest brother looked at me, put down the thermos in his hand, and said, "Fine, let's see what else you have to say to convince me."
The eldest brother strode out with his head held high, while I turned back and gave Lei Ren, who looked panicked, a reassuring gesture.
In the courtyard outside the hospital, my senior brother and I sat on a bench. After we were settled, I immediately asked, "Senior brother, can't you really accept me? You really won't acknowledge me as your junior brother?"
The senior brother was silent for a moment, then glanced at me and said, "Chen Yang, you're on the underworld."
"So what if it's the underworld?!" I retorted angrily. "Didn't you understand what I said yesterday? Yes, I'm the biggest underworld boss in Vancouver now!! But I also told you, I'm practically the manager of the underworld here! Under my management, the harm caused by the underworld will be much, much less than before!! Without me, the harm caused by the underworld will only be greater!! Don't you understand this simple truth? Are you just stuck in those rigid concepts of good and evil?!"
My fury was met with my senior brother's calm. He waited until I finished speaking before slowly saying, "Chen Yang, I know you're right." He then sighed, "After you left yesterday, I thought about it for a long time, barely sleeping a wink. At first, I kept thinking about what you said… whether your involvement in the underworld was right or wrong. In my opinion, the underworld is definitely wrong. But what you said does make sense… However, to control the underworld, you can become a policeman; you don't necessarily have to join the underworld yourself!" He waved his hand, signaling me to be quiet. "Of course, what I'm saying is indeed a bit old-fashioned… Chen Yang, I'm forty years old now. Although I know my own flaws, I'm not young anymore, and it's probably very difficult for me to change. I know you've suffered, you've had a hard time, you have your difficulties, your own views, and your own path. It's not like when you were a child; if you made a mistake, I could give you a beating and you would obediently listen. What you said yesterday did make sense, but… ultimately, it doesn't meet my standards of conduct, do you understand?"
He looked at me and said slowly, "To put it simply... you can understand your predicament, but I cannot accept that you are a gangster boss. Understanding is one thing, acceptance is another."
"Then... you don't recognize me anymore?" My heart skipped a beat. I had finally found a relative again. Was I really going to lose him like this?
The eldest brother looked at me and said slowly, "Chen Yang, your eldest brother is over fifty years old, it's not that he doesn't understand reason. It's just that I need to think about everything slowly."
He sighed, "You came today to change Xiaohu's ward, trying to help me. But it makes me uneasy. I can tell you're rich. But where did you get your money? I'd feel uneasy spending your money."
"Senior Brother, stop being so old-fashioned!" I sighed heavily and said in a deep voice, "I'm asking you, you said you wouldn't accept this money... Hey, I admit, a lot of my money did come from illegal businesses. But so what? Do you think that just because you don't spend this dirty money, others won't spend it?"
I pointed casually at the patients walking around the hospital courtyard and sneered, "Do you see these people? There are many patients like this in the hospital, and they don't pay for their own treatment! Many of them have received donations from charities! And this hospital, many hospitals! They all receive donations from charities!! But do you know where those charitable donations come from??? Do you know???"
The eldest brother was stunned for a moment.
I continued with a cold laugh: "Let me tell you, the biggest mob boss in all of Canada, the head of the Hells Angels, throws away at least ten million dollars every year, all to these charities! If my money is dirty money, then the Hells Angels' money is a hundred times dirtier!! That money, donated to charities, is used to whitewash their image and build their reputation!! But at the same time, this money is also invested in hospitals, sponsoring many patients! So, these hospitals, these patients, they're spending dirty money every day!!"
I looked at my senior brother: "You say you won't spend dirty money, that you feel uneasy! Well, let me tell you, this hospital definitely has charitable investment! And many of the people who donate to these charities are definitely using dirty money!! You say you won't spend dirty money! But when Lei Ren was admitted to this hospital, he was already spending it!!"
At this moment, I made no attempt to hide anything. I was even deliberately undermining my senior brother's confidence; I was attacking his beliefs! I stared at him, gritting my teeth, and said, "Do you think the line between black and white is that simple?"
After I finished speaking, I looked at my senior brother. He was already stunned, with a somewhat blank look in his eyes.
After a long, long silence, the eldest brother sighed. His tone was extremely complex: "Chen Yang, Chen Yang... why... why did you have to go down this path... I know these reasons, I can't argue with you, and I know what you say might actually make sense. But, you are my junior brother, and for me to watch you walk down the dark path, it's truly hard for me to let go... so very hard!"
This time, I actually laughed!
My face was contorted in a ferocious expression, and my eyes were filled with murderous intent! But I was clearly smiling!
This was a maniacal laugh, a maniacal laugh filled with indignation and sorrow!
"Why did I go down the wrong path? Why did I go down the wrong path... Hahahaha!!!" I laughed loudly. Then I angrily shouted, "Do you think I wanted to be like this?! Do you think I wanted to become like this?"
I suddenly stood up, pointing to the sky: "Blame this damned heavens!" I turned around, looking down at my senior brother who was still sitting there, and shouted: "Back then, Master passed away... I dared not forget his teachings before his death for a single moment! Not even a moment!! I returned to Nanjing, and with my skills, I could have made a name for myself in the underworld long ago!! But I didn't! I'd rather earn a few hundred yuan a month as a lowly waiter! As a laborer! Later, a boss appreciated me, thought I was capable, and promoted me, letting me work my way up to supervisor!" I took a deep breath: "I swear to heaven! In those years, I, Chen Yang, did not do a single immoral thing! Not a single one!!"
Then I paused, my voice turning somber: "Although there were some ups and downs later, I've been doing quite well. For some reason, I left that boss, found a job at a company with a good income, and I have a beautiful, kind, and gentle girlfriend. I have my own good friends, my own life, peaceful and happy! Do you think I didn't want to live that kind of life? Do you think I like being like this now?"
In my excitement, my face turned bright red, and even the veins in my neck bulged out. I clenched my fists and roared at my senior brother!
Then, with a whoosh, I ripped open my shirt with both hands! The buttons popped off, and I tore my shirt apart, revealing my body underneath!
Under the sunlight, my chest, back, arms, and shoulders bear scars from knife cuts, gunshot wounds, and bullet holes…
The eldest brother was stunned!
He stared intently at the scars all over my body, opened his mouth as if trying to speak, but couldn't utter a single word for a long time!
Finally, his voice became hoarse: "Chen Yang... how did you... get like this?"
"It turned out like this?" I laughed, but my eyes were cold. "This is the price I paid for wanting to be a good person!!"
I began my story, starting from when I was in China, promising Huan Ge that I would take care of his daughter out of a sense of responsibility and goodwill. Then, in order to protect his daughter, I got into big trouble! After that, I fled with Ni Duoduo, enduring countless hardships and suffering, before finally handing Ni Duoduo over to her father!
"A true man keeps his word, that's exactly right." The eldest brother nodded and said in a deep voice, "Since that Brother Huan helped you back then, it's only right that you stepped in to eliminate the evildoer who harassed his daughter, a weak woman. You persisted and handed the girl over to her father. You're a real man!"