I looked mysterious and was wearing sunglasses. The examiners didn't know what I did for a living, hesitated for a moment, and then no one said anything.
On stage, a white girl I didn't recognize was playing the violin. I listened for a while and thought she played quite well. Then I listened to several other children perform, all of them seeming very skilled. But the little girl hadn't come on yet, and I couldn't help but feel a little impatient, so I coughed.
Hammer was the most aggressive. He walked straight to the front row and approached one of the examiners. Without saying a word, he grabbed a test order list from the examiner's desk, ignoring the examiner's exclamation, and respectfully handed it to me.
I glanced at the list and numbers; the little girl was second from the back. I looked at the examiners in the front row. They were somewhat agitated, and some even stood up and looked at me. They probably noticed me as an outsider and were preparing to call me over to ask me to leave.
I whispered to Xiao Zhu, "Go and tell them to do what they need to do."
Xiao Zhu nodded shrewdly, walked over, and whispered a few words to one of the examiners. With just those few words, the people in front of him immediately fell silent, and some even glanced at him with wary eyes.
After sitting for a while and listening to several students take their exams, the little girl finally made her appearance.
As I watched a thin, small figure emerge from backstage, my eyes lit up.
Regardless of her current piano skills, her appearance is already quite interesting. Her hair, which was thin and yellowish due to malnutrition years ago, has transformed into a cascading black fringe after six months of luxurious living. After some styling, it looks like black satin, the straight hair falling smoothly against one side of her face, giving her a rather delicate and charming appearance. Her face is also extremely clean and pretty, with large eyes and a small mouth. Wearing a clean school uniform and black leather shoes, she clearly comes from a well-mannered family. Carrying a piano case, she walks onto the stage and bows to the examiners below.
Regardless, it looks quite interesting.
I leaned back in my chair without thinking, ignoring the theater's no-smoking rule, and lit a cigarette. I watched as the young girl on stage opened her violin case, took out her violin, and hugged it to her arms...
……Um??
etc!
I almost dropped the cigarette from my fingers...
Holding the violin in my arms?
I rubbed my eyes. Yes… I was holding him in my arms! The most classic erhu-playing posture!!
Just as I opened my mouth wide, unable to utter a sound, the little girl had already solemnly picked up the violin and started playing...
A long, drawn-out note... and as she played it for two measures, I broke out in a cold sweat!
Without a doubt! I'm very familiar with this piece!!
This...this is clearly the famous erhu solo "Moon Reflected in the Second Spring"!!!
The examiners below were all pale-faced, but with Xiao Zhu standing beside them, and having likely already given them some "tips," none of them dared to utter a sound. They all bravely endured it, pretending to listen attentively, stubbornly waiting for the little girl to finish playing the piece...
Even when the young girl broke a few long notes, creating a piercing sound that could almost shatter glass throughout the opera house, the row of examiners remained calm and not a single person spoke.
a long time……
Snap, snap, snap snap snap...
I stood up and led the applause, while gritting my teeth and ordering Hammer, "Remember, buy this girl an erhu when we get back!"
**************
On the car.
"How did I do?" the little girl asked with a smug smile.
I looked at her coldly: "You don't know the difference between an erhu and a violin, do you?"
"Of course I know," the little girl said, making a face at me.
"Then why don't you study the violin properly?"
"...Well, I once saw a handsome guy at school who played the violin." The little girl revealed the reason without any attempt to hide it.
Hmm... I see. I then asked, "Then why didn't you study properly?"
"Tch... Later I found out that guy was handsome, but a total sissy." The little girl pouted. "I was too lazy to learn it, but this piece... I've known how to play it before. Back in Kunming, one of our group of people was an old man who often played this piece on the street while begging." She paused, then deliberately frowned and said, "But, I tried for a long time to play this piece on the violin."
...I really don't know if this girl is smart or a jerk.
"Master, please don't make me learn music anymore, okay?" The little girl suddenly pounced on me, grabbing my arm and shaking it a few times.
"What do you want to learn?" I asked, looking at her.
"I want to learn your skills! Real skills! I want to learn your skills, whether it's doing business or being a boss. I want to learn all of these!" The little girl looked at me earnestly.
Actually, this girl is really smart. After coming to Vancouver with me, she learned English in just three months. After I got her into that private high school, I was initially worried that she would fall behind because of the language barrier, but later I found out... I was completely overthinking it! This girl was already singing rap songs in English with some black guys in just three months!
"Master, are you really going to marry Sister Yandi?" the little girl suddenly asked me.
"Hmm." I took out a cigarette. The little girl immediately and cleverly came over, took out a lighter from the car, lit it for me, and pleaded, "Can I ask you for a favor?"
"Speak."
The little girl said slyly, "After you get married, it won't be convenient for me to live with you... I don't want to be a third wheel in your newlywed life... Let me move out! I... I can go live with Boss Xiluo, or I can go to Attorney Zhou's place... I'm fine with anywhere, just don't let me live in your house."
I sneered, "You're so young, and you already want to learn how to do things from Xiluo and Attorney Zhou? That's impossible now." But I hesitated for a moment, "Since I adopted you, I won't mistreat you. How about this... when you have time off, you can go and visit Huaxing Company."
The little girl pouted and muttered under her breath, "Sigh... Do you think I'm a child? Don't think I don't know that all those businesses in Huaxing Company are just a front for your real business."
How should I put it? I'm increasingly feeling that this girl is really like me... We both have a restless spirit deep down. And she's really smart. I looked at her for a long time before whispering, "Little girl, I'm going to teach you something else today... Remember, what your master is doing now isn't exactly good. But the general trend in this world is that if you want to grow big and strong, then whitewashing and aligning yourself with the mainstream are essential. Huaxing Company is still small now. But in the future, it will be the center of our business! Do you understand?"
Looking at this girl, I suddenly felt that perhaps she really could become very capable in the future.
********************
I've set my wedding date for August 2nd. The reason is simple... because August 2nd is also my birthday. So it's a double celebration, I guess.
I'm not Western, and I'm not religious, so my wedding won't involve a priest or vows. But this is the West, and it wouldn't be convenient to have a completely Eastern-style wedding. In the end, we decided to have a buffet-style reception and invite a few guests.
Despite my best efforts to control the impact, how could Vancouver's various gang leaders, big and small, possibly miss my wedding? And then there are the officials, the police…
Finally, old Thorin explained that he was unwell and unable to attend in person, but he sent someone as his representative to congratulate me—his beloved daughter, Princess Thorin. This choice left me rather displeased. I just hoped the wanton and flirtatious princess wouldn't cause any trouble. Old Thorin's other representative was a young man named Allen, supposedly his godson!
If it weren't for that deal I made with old Thorin, forming an alliance and promising to support the princess in inheriting the Hells Angels' cause—old Thorin originally intended for this Eren to be his successor! He's said to be a very capable young man.
Although Old Thorin didn't come in person, he was very thoughtful. He specifically asked around and, following Chinese custom, gave me a great gift: two racehorses that supposedly had a noble European bloodline! He also arranged a horse trainer for me.
Ciro went even further. I don't know how he did it, but he actually managed to hire a pastry chef from London, England, to make a nine-tiered wedding cake just for me! Apparently, this pastry chef has served the British royal family! But I've seen that pastry chef before, and he looked terrified—hmm, could it be that Ciro kidnapped him?
As for Zhou with the buck teeth, that guy is the stingiest. He actually gave me a box of condoms! I was so angry I almost strangled him on the spot, but then he grinned and said, "Boss, you pay my salary, you give me everything. Even if I give you a million-dollar congratulatory gift, it's just returning your money. What's the point?"
Part Three: The Peak, Chapter Three: The Wedding
All preparations are proceeding smoothly, but the only thing that makes me sigh is that there is no news from the Yang family, and Yang Wei has not called since the day we said goodbye at the airport.
Regarding the wedding, I'm completely keeping the news under wraps from the media—of course, news of my marriage can't be completely shut down, after all, I'm now the famous "Chen." But I refuse any reports or interviews related to the wedding. On the wedding day, I will also have people cordon off the venue and refuse any media visits.
Of course, there was one exception: the beautiful female reporter, Ms. Phil, whom I met briefly during the hostage crisis.
The day before the wedding, business at the port and docks was temporarily suspended. I recalled almost all of my staff—I take security at the wedding very seriously. I know very well that having risen to my position, I likely have many enemies! I don't want this once-in-a-lifetime event to be disrupted by any of them!
Being a mob boss is one of the deadliest and most dangerous professions in the world! It can be said that 99 percent of mob bosses in the world do not have a good end! They either die by gunshot, assassinated, blown up, or die in prison... and so on. Very few of them die in bed from old age or illness.
On the morning of August 2nd, my place was already bustling with activity. I was styled in my most expensive gown by a professional stylist brought in from Hollywood, and then let a hairstylist work on me for over an hour. When I stepped out of my room, the courtyard outside was completely decorated! Colorful balloons filled the air. There were also over three thousand lilies, three thousand Dutch tulips, and nine thousand roses, all flown in the night before, arranged into a beautiful floral arch. Then there was a four-cornered flower canopy, large enough to seat two hundred guests.
Ciro was also dressed in a suit and tie, as was Hammer. These two would be my best men. As I walked out, looking at the busy people in the courtyard, I couldn't help but feel a little lost. Being a groom for the first time, it's inevitable to be a little nervous.
I wandered around aimlessly, finding nothing I could do. Frustrated, I couldn't resist the urge to smoke, but when I reached into my pocket, I realized there were no cigarettes in this new dress. An idea struck me. I simply took the dress off and walked to the back.
The swimming pool in the back had been recently filled with fresh water, and a few people were carrying a long dining table around there. I went over, patted one of them on the back, and said with a smile, "Hey buddy, got a cigarette?"
The man was one of the gang's henchmen. He turned around and saw me, and was immediately startled. He then quickly took out a cigarette and respectfully offered it to me: "Fifth Brother..."
I smiled as I looked at this person. They were all from the inner circle, which is why they called me "Fifth Brother," while those from the outside would call me "Fifth Master."
I really wanted to roll up my sleeves and work with them, but these guys were all terrified and wouldn't let me lift a finger. Then Xiluo ran over, saw my helpless look, and laughed. He pulled me away, saying, "Xiao Wu, what are you doing? On a day like this, who would dare let you lift a finger? Just go back inside and sit and wait."
I checked the time, thought for a moment, and asked, "Has the brother who went to pick someone up from the airport returned?" Xiluo shook his head: "No."
I whispered, "Others are one thing, but old Thorin's woman, that princess, is no pushover. During the wedding today, you should send a few capable brothers to keep an eye on her. Just make sure she doesn't cause any trouble today."
I gave a few more instructions, but seeing that there was really no room for me to intervene here, I had no choice but to go back to the house in a huff.
After spacing out for a while, I decided to go bother my bride.
The bride's dressing room was a room at the back of the first floor of the house. Traditionally, the groom shouldn't see the bride before the wedding. But I didn't care about that and went straight to the dressing room, pushing open the door. Inside, my company's secretary, Xu Xin, who would be a bridesmaid today, was chatting intimately with Yan Di. When I entered, I couldn't hear what they were saying; the girls were all laughing and giggling, while Yan Di looked shy, blushing and silent.
Besides Yan Di and Xu Xin, there were several other girls in the room, some sent by the bridal shop and others professional makeup artists. As soon as I entered, Xu Xin, that feisty girl, immediately exclaimed, "Oh my, what are you doing here! You can't see the bride now, get out, get out..."
This girl has a fiery temper, and she was recommended to work for me by Bucktooth Zhou, so she's never been as timid and fearful of me as her other subordinates—just look at how she dared to use tricks to bully Yang Wei's lecherous brother last time! This girl is a real firecracker.
I ignored them, but stared at Yan Di, stunned.
Today, Yan Di wore light makeup, her cheeks flushed, her eyes dreamy, and her lips adorned with a touch of lip gloss, making them appear even more dewy and alluring. Especially striking was her white bridal gown, a specially designed dress that was perfectly tailored to her waist. The white fabric exuded elegance and nobility, while also highlighting a touch of purity and allure. The mermaid-style skirt made Yan Di look like a mermaid. A thin white veil adorned her head, and she held a bouquet of lilies, gazing at me with a captivating expression.
I had no time to pay attention to anyone else. I walked over to her, put my arm around her waist, looked into her eyes, and said softly, "You look absolutely gorgeous today."
Yan Di looked slightly shy, hummed in response, and lowered her eyes, not daring to look at me. The group of girls next to her all giggled and laughed.
I coughed and deliberately glared fiercely at Xu Xin. The girl understood and quickly pulled the others out of the room. Only Yan Di and I were left in the room.
I pulled Yan Di down to sit, and couldn't help but reach out to lift her chin. But Yan Di tilted her head slightly and whispered in a pleading tone, "Don't... ruin your makeup."
Seeing her beauty, I couldn't contain myself any longer. Without thinking, I pressed a passionate kiss onto her glistening, moist lips. Yan Di was startled at first, but quickly calmed down. She was initially shy, but after my teasing, she finally responded with a touch of bashfulness. I wrapped my arm around her waist, pressing her tightly against me. Her delicate fragrance filled my nostrils, further arousing my excitement.
At this moment, only one thought echoed in my mind: the girl in my arms is my woman, my wife…my bride!!
After a breathtakingly long kiss, Yan Di suddenly pushed me away weakly. Then she pleaded softly, "Don't... you've ruined my makeup..." She looked up at me, her captivating eyes filled with tears, which, in my eyes, only amplified her breathtaking allure. Yan Di's cheeks flushed. Her nose twitched slightly, and she glanced at me sideways before whispering, "You... you've ruined my makeup. They'll laugh at me again later."
I laughed and pulled her close again, giving her a hard kiss on the cheek. I shouted, "What are you afraid of? I'm kissing my own wife. What's so funny to others?"
Even so, I knew Yan Di was shy, so I didn't dare tease her anymore. I just held her hand, our eyes met, and we just silently looked at each other.
After a long while, Yan Di suddenly let out a soft sigh.
"What's wrong?"
Yan Di looked at me and whispered, "I...I just feel like it's all a dream. Are we...really getting married like this?" Her tone was so innocent that I couldn't help but smile, gently pinched her nose, and said softly, "Of course we're married. Is there any doubt about it?"
Yan Di shook her head and didn't speak. I gently hugged her and whispered, "Yes, in a few hours, I'll announce to everyone that you're my wife. What are you worried about?"
A hint of indescribable joy and infatuation flickered in Yan Di's eyes as she stared at me intently. Then she suddenly asked, "Chen Yang... do you... really like me?"
"Is that even a question?" I said with a smile.
A determined look appeared in her eyes. She looked at me and whispered, "Yes, I will definitely be a good wife! I will take good care of you and serve you carefully. I will never bother you or make you unhappy."
Then a hint of hesitation flashed in her eyes, and she couldn't help but ask again, "I have another question, one I've wanted to ask you for the past two days, but I haven't dared to. Today, I really can't hold back anymore... I want to ask you before the wedding, can you answer me honestly?"
"Okay, go ahead and say it."
Yan Di seemed a little flustered, but still mustered her courage and whispered, "I know there are several other girls who love you very much. Besides me, there's Qiao Qiao, and... that Miss Yang... Today you're marrying me, so what will happen to them?"
After asking the question, her eyes looked like those of a startled fawn. She quickly looked away and whispered, "I... I was just asking, please don't be angry with me."