Qiaoqiao took a deep breath, stared at me for a while, then slowly shook her head and said, "I...I don't know what to do...This is difficult, really difficult."
Some people might say I'm selfish, or that I'm despicable.
But that's because they haven't experienced what I've gone through! Because they haven't faced a desperate situation!
When you're in dire straits, truly in dire straits... when you have no relatives or friends, when you have almost nothing left... can you still act nonchalantly, in a noble, high-minded way, or even in a great way... and tell your dearest family members not to wait for you, to let you fend for yourself!
People who are truly in dire straits will instinctively hold on tightly to even the slightest glimmer of hope—even the faintest glimmer of hope!
This is no longer a question of selfishness or not... it's human nature, our very essence!
This is a difficult problem.
It's really difficult...
Part 1: A Man in the Martial World, Helpless by His Own Circumstances, Chapter 150: A Man's Fearlessness!
That night, Qiaoqiao and I sat on the roof until dawn. After dawn, we fell asleep back to back.
We talked all night, and I've even forgotten what we said, only that we smoked all the cigarettes I had. We both reeked of tobacco, looking like two heavy smokers. We seemed to be talking about the past, about our time hanging out in Nanjing, but Qiaoqiao was careful not to bring up anything about the "present."
For the entire night, we were lost in memories of the good old days, and we both tacitly avoided mentioning my current situation.
Later, we were so tired that we simply closed our eyes to rest, and before we knew it, we both fell asleep.
When I woke up, it was already broad daylight. I woke up earlier than Qiaoqiao, and I felt a sharp pain in my lower back and tailbone from sitting on the floor all night. It was a rather unpleasant experience.
My movement startled Qiaoqiao awake. Seeing how stiff her body was as she stretched, I knew she was also feeling unwell. We looked at each other and smiled.
"I'm going back now." I said slowly, looking up at the sky. "It's already morning. If I don't go back all night, my brothers will be worried during the day."
Qiao Qiao nodded and said, "I have to go back too. I have to go to Toronto in the next couple of days... Sigh, if I had known I would meet you in Vancouver, I wouldn't have agreed to go to Toronto with that sissy Li Wenjing."
"By the way, I haven't asked you yet, how did you end up in Canada with Li Wenjing?"
Qiao Qiao thought for a moment, then sighed, "It's still my old man's problem. Li Wenjing, that effeminate guy, and I have secretly formed an alliance. We're not interested in each other, but for the sake of family pressure, we're just going through the motions. This is for a business investment in North America that his family is involved in, and they need Li Wenjing to attend a social event... It seems like his family is planning to gradually hand over some of their Canadian businesses to Li Wenjing to manage, but I don't know the specifics. I'm here with Li Wenjing to meet his parents, who are in Toronto right now. If we hadn't met you last night, we should have taken this morning's flight to Toronto."
Qiaoqiao said these things in a very nonchalant tone, but I felt a little apologetic: "I'm the one who delayed your trip... If I hadn't kept you sitting here all night, you should be on a plane by now."
"It's irrelevant." Qiao Qiao waved her hand arrogantly. "What's the point of meeting Li Wenjing's parents? I'd just be putting on an act, it's so boring... Meeting you is much more important. Anyway, that guy Li Wenjing, although a bit effeminate, is still quite sensible. Last night we met you, and we both ran away, he probably guessed we wouldn't make our flight this morning... Don't worry, he's definitely already made arrangements. That guy is so rigid. He has to plan everything in advance, making everything so predictable and boring. I suspect he even plans how many times he goes to the bathroom each day!"
Hearing Qiaoqiao's disdainful expression, I sighed inwardly.
Actually, I don't have a bad impression of Li Wenjing. I can even sense that he has some goodwill towards me. In my several interactions with that guy, especially that gambling incident, I could feel that Li Wenjing seemed to have the intention of getting closer to me.
My phone had a long list of missed calls. I looked at the numbers; they were all Princess Sophie's. I thought about it and deleted them without thinking. I had no intention of calling her back.
"Xiao Wu, listen up, I have to go to Duorenduo with Li Wenjing today. No matter what, I have to go and see Jing'er. But I'll be back early, if I can. I'll go today and come back tomorrow."
I quickly waved my hand: "No! Don't rush back and forth like this. Don't delay your business! After all, you still need to go with Li Wenjing to meet his parents."
"Tch!" Qiao Qiao's face showed a hint of disdain: "Don't even mention those two old folks! Just thinking about them makes me angry! If it weren't for those old guys causing trouble, Li Wenjing and I wouldn't have been forced into this messy matchmaking! What I hate most are those self-righteous old people. Why do they think they can decide our lifelong happiness with just a few words? Who I marry is none of their business! I'm not their daughter-in-law, I don't need to go and try to please them! I'm already being generous by showing my face to the Li family!"
Then Qiaoqiao took out a card: "This is my phone number. I'll be using this number while I'm in Canada until I go back to China. You can call this number anytime to find me... Kid! Remember to call me! If you dare to disappear again, next time we meet I'll..." She made a fierce "tsk tsk" gesture with one hand.
Qiaoqiao took my phone and my phone number. She also asked for my address. I thought for a moment and told her that I lived at Eighth Master's auto repair shop, but she'd better not go there.
Then we climbed down the fire ladder, and I went down first... But then a problem arose... Qiaoqiao was right above my head, and whenever I looked up, I could see her long legs and her flowing skirt.
To be honest, I really didn't look up on purpose... it was purely instinctive, but Qiao Qiao noticed my gaze, and Miss Qiao doesn't hold back with me! I was still more than three meters above the ground when she got angry and shouted, "Xiao Wu, where are you looking?!" With that, she kicked me directly in the face.
Luckily, I'm quite agile. I dodged on the fire escape ladder, somersaulted down, and landed steadily on the ground. Qiaoqiao had already slid down after me and immediately started punching me relentlessly, clenching her fists.
We chased each other for a few steps, laughing and joking, and had already walked out of the alley, but when we reached the alley entrance, I froze.
At the alley entrance, a black car was parked. Li Wenjing, dressed in a dark suit, stood beside the car, leaning lazily against it. As he watched Qiaoqiao and me walk out of the alley, a calm smile appeared on his face. He even raised his wrist to check his watch, and said with a casual smile, "I thought you wouldn't be down for another half hour."
I looked at him in surprise: "You...you knew we were up there all along? You were waiting here all along?"
Even Qiaoqiao's eyes widened: "Sissy, how long have you been waiting? You didn't wait all night, did you?"
"Of course not." Li Wenjing tapped the car window a few times with his fingers, and the window slowly rolled down. A driver quickly got out, holding a woman's fur cloak, and slowly walked to Qiaoqiao's side.
"Put it on, Miss. It's quite chilly in Canada this morning. I don't want to take a woman who keeps sneezing and has a runny nose on the plane... The airplane cabin is enclosed, and if you have a cold, it's easy for me to catch it." Li Wenjing smiled naturally, revealing a set of white teeth.
Qiaoqiao couldn't care less about getting angry with him now. There was just a strange look in her eyes: "Hey Li, tell me the truth, did you know we were upstairs all along? How long have you been waiting here? You didn't really wait all night, did you?"
“Of course not.” Li Wenjing chuckled, then calmly continued, “Qiaoqiao, after all, you came to Canada with me alone, so of course I have to be responsible for your safety. Otherwise, how could I explain it to Uncle Qiao? Last night, when you and Chen Yang ran out, I had my men following you from a distance. They saw you climb to the top of this building with their own eyes… and then they notified me… As for me, of course I know. You old friends have a lot to talk about after your reunion… I’m a very sensible person, so I didn’t go up and disturb you. I let you talk freely… As for me, of course I wouldn’t be stupid enough to wait here until dawn… I went back to the hotel last night and slept for a while. Then this morning I took some time to take a shower, go for a swim, and get a massage. I also had a Chinese breakfast… and then I changed into new clothes before coming to pick you up.”
Li Wenjing smiled confidently. But his confidence did not appear arrogant at all; instead, it gave people a sense of appropriate restraint and a touch of inner composure.
Then he looked at me, shook my hand again, his eyes sincere—or at least seemingly sincere: “Chen Yang, I talked with Miss Sophie last night, and I really didn’t expect you to be in Canada now… Well, I don’t have any prejudice against the underworld, but I’ve always thought these criminal organizations are still in their infancy. I personally admire you, and I expressed that when we first met. I just think you’re a very good person, and you seem to have some kind of magical quality about you… God, I’ll never forget that time we gambled! That day I even thought Lady Luck was your lover!” He smiled casually, then changed to a serious tone and said to me, “I just think that someone like you shouldn’t stay in the underworld… Of course, everyone has their own ambitions. If you ever want to leave, please remember to come find me… I will reserve a good position for you in my family business, and I believe you will be an excellent person.”
I gave Li Wenjing a meaningful look: "Why would you think that? I don't seem to have much talent that you would value?"
Li Wenjing pointed to his heart and smiled, "My belief is that 'character determines success.' I admire your character, so I think you will be an outstanding person. As for talent... those can be cultivated later. But a person's nature directly affects their achievements."
Qiaoqiao stood to the side, coldly watching Li Wenjing, and suddenly interjected, "Sissy, what are you up to?"
“Qiaoqiao, just as I can never guess what you’re thinking, I won’t tell you what I’m thinking either.” Li Wenjing smiled mysteriously. “We’re just acting in front of our parents and relatives. The male and female leads in the play aren’t the main characters in real life. If you know me too well, I’m afraid you’ll fall in love with me.”
Qiao Qiao didn't say anything, but instead gave him the middle finger.
“Okay, we should go now so we can make it to afternoon tea with my parents.” Li Wenjing shook hands with me to say goodbye, and I hugged Qiaoqiao again.
"Chen Yang, remember my words... Big Circle... their organization may not be suitable for you."
Before Qiaoqiao got into the car, she whispered to me, "I'll fly back to see you tomorrow."
They had all gotten into the car, but Li Wenjing rolled down the window and told me with a smile, "By the way, our princess is furious right now. You'd better watch out."
As the car slowly drove away, I stood there, feeling somewhat lost.
Reuniting with Qiaoqiao was something I never expected. I had thought I would have to endure loneliness and isolation for quite some time, struggling alone in this unfamiliar Western world...
Perhaps it was because I was too lonely and felt too stifled that I had a one-night stand with that flirtatious princess.
Yan Di at home...
Sigh, I'd rather not think about it anymore.
I walked for a while, then hailed a taxi back to Uncle Ba's repair shop. I saw a minivan still parked there on the street... There were two men inside, pretending to be reading newspapers.
Actually, I'd known for some time that these were police officers. Because of the disturbance we'd caused recently, the police had started monitoring us closely.
The Canadian police are really uncreative; their surveillance tactics offer absolutely no concealment whatsoever. Even a fool could see through it.
I had just returned to the repair shop when a few of my colleagues outside were changing a tire on a car. When they saw me walk in, a few of the guys I knew whistled at me and mocked my suit and tie.
I saw Xiluo, dressed in his work clothes, carrying a battery as he walked out. When he saw me come in, his expression turned serious. He quickly came over and grabbed me, saying, "Xiao Wu, Eighth Master might want to see you. Come in quickly."
"oh?"
"Hmm. It seems like something big has happened... This morning, a lot of uncles and elders came and are having a meeting at Eighth Master's place... Tiger has already come to see you once."
I felt a chill run down my spine.
As soon as I walked into the back courtyard, I saw Tiger standing downstairs in Eighth Master's office building, waving at me.
"Xiao Wu, go change your clothes."
Tiger's tone was also serious: "Then, ten minutes later, Eighth Master wants to see you."
"What clothes should I change into?" I asked, somewhat bewildered. I glanced at myself; I thought my outfit was fairly neat.
"Change into a Tang suit." Tiger smiled. "Oh, I almost forgot, you don't have a Tang suit yet. Let me get you one of my own first. You should be able to wear my clothes too."
He smiled at me very gently today, and then led me to his room to get a piece of clothing.
Tiger has always had a room in our dormitory building. Although he rarely lives there, everyone here knows that Tiger is Eighth Master's closest assistant. He always follows Eighth Master. His room is rarely used. But Tiger is practically the second most important person here, so even if his room is empty, no one will replace it.
His room was exactly the same size as mine and Xiluo's room. It just had slightly less furniture. He opened an old-fashioned wardrobe, took out a black Tang suit for me, held it up to my size, and laughed, "Wear this."
This was a somewhat worn garment, and Tiger's eyes held a hint of emotion: "This is my old one. I remember when we were negotiating with the Chinese gang, we all wore Tang suits. We haven't used them much since."
A thought struck me.
Chinese gang?
Wearing Tang suit?
Could it be that Master Ba wants me to wear a Tang suit today because he's taking me to meet the Hua Gang?
I guessed right! After changing my clothes, Tiger led me to Eighth Master's office.
No one is allowed to enter Eighth Master's office normally. I've been here for several months and have only been inside two or three times.
When I opened the door today, I found the interior to be dimly lit, with the main lights off.
The office was located above a car repair shed, a separate second-floor room, with the repair work taking place downstairs. It was undoubtedly a very basic place, but it had many advantages… such as…
We are not afraid of eavesdropping or spying!
In this large, warehouse-like auto repair shed, the office on the second floor is all alone, with no other rooms on either side. If someone were to spy from outside, there would be nowhere for them to hide!
When I went in, I saw a long table in Eighth Master's office... To my surprise, the table was not made of wood... but metal... After looking closely, I realized that it was a cutting and welding workbench that had been temporarily moved up there.
On either side of this makeshift long table, many chairs had been placed, and many people were seated. Some were very old, with gray hair and beards, while others were young, strong men. Some looked kind and gentle, while others had ferocious expressions and were clearly not good people.
But the only thing they had in common was that they were all wearing Tang suits!
Eighth Master sat in the main seat, also dressed in a white Tang suit, which made him look very refined. His fair-skinned left hand, missing two fingers, tapped lightly on the armrest of the chair as was his habit…
I immediately narrowed my eyes. Because I had already grasped some of Eighth Master's habits. He would only do this finger-tapping gesture when he had a problem to think about... or when he was very annoyed.
Now, although Eighth Master's face was calm, there was a hint of coldness in his eyes.
"Little Five, come here." Eighth Master said to me calmly. By the time I stood behind him, Tiger had already left the room.
"This is Xiao Wu, he's my assistant now," Eighth Master said calmly. "He'll be sent to handle the Vietnam matter. So I think it's necessary for him to hear about what we're discussing today."
I noticed that most of the people present looked at me with a hint of disdain. Perhaps it was because I was too young; these older folks seemed rather dismissive.
"Xiao Wu, please greet all the uncles and elders first," said Eighth Master calmly. "Everyone here is a leader or head of a Chinese community in Vancouver's Chinatown."
I didn't say anything. I greeted everyone present as a junior.
These people are all from the Chinese gang. They're the same Chinese gang that were fighting us to the death a while ago... And if I'm not mistaken, the Sand Snake I killed was originally one of these people.
"We've pretty much reached an agreement. We're all descendants of the same ancestor, the Yellow Emperor. It's really inappropriate for us to keep fighting like this, giving those foreigners something to laugh at." Eighth Master sighed softly, then picked up a teacup and took a small sip. Clearing his throat, he smiled and said, "But I'm glad we can all sit down and talk. We Chinese have a saying, 'Harmony is paramount.' Everyone knows the situation this year. Hell's Angels are currently without supplies and have to find partners… I know you're all experts; we all have the supplies, but Hell's Angels can only have one partner! Since we've reached a consensus, let's work together to drive the Vietnamese out of the game! We Chinese are one family, no need for formalities! Whatever benefits we get from the deal with Hell's Angels, we'll give 30% to you all for tea! Also, in the Golden Triangle, whatever good supplies you have, don't hold back, share them! Let's all make money!"
...
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