I saw that Xiao Zhu's face was gloomy, and I especially noticed that there were still faint tear stains at the corners of his eyes...
My heart skipped a beat, and suddenly my hand slipped, and with a bang, the medicine bowl in my hand fell to the ground and shattered into pieces.
"Fifth Brother... Seventh Uncle... just passed away." Xiao Zhu whispered beside me, he was very upset, his eyes were red. I had always put him in charge of taking care of Seventh Uncle, and the boy and Seventh Uncle had a very deep bond.
He said something else after that, but I didn't hear a word he said. I just took a blank breath, stepped back to the side, sat down in a chair, and stared blankly at the sky.
The early spring sky was still a bit gray and there was a chill in the air.
Xiluo also found out what had happened. He quickly came over, his face looking rather grim. The only one who seemed a little lost was Yan Di. I had kept almost everything that happened in the big circle from this girl all along, because I didn't want those violent things to enter her innocent mind.
Seeing my pale face, she couldn't help but ask Zhou, the buck-toothed man beside her, "Attorney Zhou... what's wrong? What happened?"
Bucktooth Zhou remained calm. He sighed, his tone indifferent: "An era has come to an end."
Indeed, the older generation of big circles who came to Canada to make a living have all come to an end after Uncle Seven's passing!
Part Two: The Road to Success, Chapter 117: Returning Home
Kunming's weather seems to be the same year-round: warm and humid.
It had just rained this morning, but the morning sun immediately brought a renewed vitality to the city. It's a city that seems very leisurely. Unlike abroad, pedestrians on the street don't rush around. Besides cars, there are also some tricycles with pots of flowers piled on them, selling their wares.
I arrived in Kunming, Yunnan last night. A few days ago, after my seventh uncle passed away, I didn't explain to anyone. Instead, I immediately had Zhou with buck teeth process my visa and plane ticket. Only after cremating my seventh uncle's body did I announce that I would personally send his ashes back to China.
Of the group that returned this time, I brought Hammer and Xiluo, as well as Bucktooth Zhou, and Yan Di insisted on coming along too. I thought about it, and since this return was a secret anyway, and it was just to handle Uncle Seven's funeral arrangements, there wouldn't be any contact with the organizations in China... Besides, as long as Ye Huan didn't reveal my identity, I was safe.
Will Ye Huan expose my identity? Of course not! Because if people find out I'm not dead, he'll be the first one to suffer. Besides, only insiders know I'm back; no one else knows.
Just before we were about to leave, one more person joined our group.
Lei Xiaohu.
My eldest brother's son has been abroad for many years and has long wanted to return to China, but he hasn't had the chance. This time, my eldest brother knew that we weren't going back to do anything "illegal gang activity," but simply to handle the funeral arrangements for an elder. So he felt comfortable letting Xiaohu come back with us, giving him this opportunity to return to his homeland.
After returning, I encountered a bit of a problem. My seventh uncle only gave me a general idea that the village he lived in was in Yunnan. He only vaguely mentioned the name of the village... and I didn't know its exact location.
Yunnan is such a large province. Finding a village there isn't exactly difficult, but it's not exactly easy either.
Putting everything else aside, just the village name that my seventh uncle told me before he passed away—we did a quick check and found that there are nineteen villages with that name in the entire Yunnan province!
The name "Xiaowanggou" literally means "Little Wang Gully," referring to a small mountain village next to a river. Judging from the name "Xiaowang," the village likely originated from the fact that most of the residents were surnamed Wang.
I have no other information.
Nineteen villages in total are all called Xiaowanggou. This is giving us a bit of a headache. To make matters worse, Zhou, who is a legal expert, suggested starting by searching through Uncle Qi's records in China. Since Uncle Qi was born and lived in China for many years, there must be records of him there, including his time working in the countryside, serving in the military, and his discharge. All of this should be documented and verifiable.
However, the investigation must begin in his hometown.
This is another difficult problem.
Because everyone knows that China's society only began to develop rapidly after the reform and opening up... Abroad, it's very easy to find someone. Just go to a government department, enter their name or social security number into the computer, and you can immediately retrieve their entire file.
However, in China, even in major cities, the computerization of citizen data is a relatively recent phenomenon. And in Uncle Qi's time, where were there computer archives? All data was recorded on paper!
After so many years, it's really difficult to find someone from decades ago through government departments. Uncle Qi's name? Zhang Jianhua.
There are at least 50 million people in China with the surname Zhang, if not 80 million. And those named "Jianhua" are even more of a headache... In Uncle Qi's generation, nine out of ten boys were named "Jianhua," "Jianguo," or "Jianjun."
So many! Countless!
Birth certificate? No! In those days, the medical system was underdeveloped, and even if it had one, Uncle Qi didn't keep one for me.
Moreover, it's really difficult to investigate!
As for the efficiency of those administrative departments... Hmph, everyone on Earth knows! They're all about procrastination and slowness, and they've taken it to the extreme!
You want to investigate someone? Oh, okay, you're not qualified. Go to the police station first and get a certificate. You don't have the authority to access other citizens' files. The police station said, why do you want to investigate this person? Oh? An overseas Chinese? That's not under our jurisdiction. Go to the Overseas Chinese Affairs Office…
That's how things are here. If you want to investigate something, you first need permission, which requires a dozen or so letters of introduction and stamps from a dozen or so departments... Then, when you finally go to investigate with all those certificates, you'll often find that they suddenly tell you it's not under their jurisdiction, and all your previous efforts have been in vain...
Finally, I got impatient and simply had a document issued by Canada, officially designating our group of six as an investment delegation from a company. Then we went directly to the local investment promotion office, revealed our overseas Chinese identity, and stated our intention to invest there…
In an instant, their attitude changed!
A 180-degree turn!
The impatient, eye-rolling attitude was gone, replaced by warm and attentive service. Special personnel accompanied us to visit various other departments, and the other departments that had been notified also cooperated fully.
We started our investigation from Uncle Qi's hometown and traced it all the way to the files of the group of people he sent to the countryside back then. They should all be in Kunming, the capital of Yunnan Province. That's when our group of people came to this city that is known as having a spring-like climate all year round.
However, I was too impatient to deal with those officials, so I just dumped all these things on the buck-toothed lawyer Zhou and took Yan Di out shopping.
Seeing these people with yellow skin and black hair on the street makes me feel very happy! After all, this is China.
Gone are the white people everywhere, gone are the constant "YES OR NO," "Hello," and "Bye Bye." Although I can't understand the local Yunnan dialect either, it just feels so familiar and comforting!
Compared to my relaxed demeanor, Lei Xiaohu displayed an overwhelming level of enthusiasm and curiosity! He seemed interested in everything!
Kunming is known as the "City of Flowers," famous throughout the country for its abundant blooms. Along the way, Lei Xiaohu practically emptied his pockets, buying countless flowers and snacks from the roadside; he ate four ears of boiled corn alone.
After asking for directions, we arrived at Kunming's largest flower market. Without a doubt, Yan Di was the most excited.
Girls are naturally drawn to beautiful flowers, especially here, which is practically a giant farmers' market, with countless stalls densely packed with all kinds of blooming flowers! The fragrance is intoxicating, and the beautiful girls smile sweetly as Yan Di happily skips and jumps among the clusters of flowers. I, too, couldn't help but relax my brow, which had been furrowed for days.
Unlike Lei Xiaohu, who squandered money, Yan Di, although she adored the clusters of flowers, refused my offer to buy them. Instead, she carefully selected several packets of flower seeds and meticulously inquired with the flower farmer about all the details of planting.
"Xiao Wu, what do you think about us planting some flowers in our yard when we get back?" Yan Di asked, holding up several packets of seeds. A charming, excited smile graced her face, her cheeks flushed. "Planting more flowers in the house makes it feel more alive, like a real home!"
Looking at Yan Di's smiling face, I smiled slightly and gave her a gentle hug.
Hammer and Xiluo weren't interested in the flowers, but they were quite interested in the small, domestically made cosmetics and accessories sold nearby. After all, Kunming is a tourist city, and its flower markets attract many foreign tourists. Many shops sell decorations like Chinese knots to make money off foreigners.
After all, this trip was quite stress-free, almost like a vacation. Hammer and Xiluo weren't on high alert, so they relaxed a lot, and soon they got separated in the flower market.
I put my arm around Yan Di's waist as we walked through the crowd, occasionally whispering something to her...
Suddenly, I felt someone gently touch my pocket next to me in the crowded throng... With my experience, I immediately knew what had happened!
Hey! Someone actually dared to mess with the powerful!
With a cold laugh, I swiftly grabbed a slender wrist!
The other person seemed to struggle, so I gently pulled and tugged, and I heard a "ouch" as I pulled a figure out and it fell to the ground.
This was a boy, thin and with some dirt on his face. He looked to be no more than fourteen or fifteen years old. He wore a dirty coat, had short hair, and bright eyes, but with a hint of cunning.
He fell to the ground, his face contorted in pain... Hmph, I just pinched his wrist, and it immediately turned completely bruised!
This kid tried to steal my wallet, but I threw it on the ground before he could. Everyone around us looked over, but he suddenly jumped up from the ground, raised his wrist which I had pinched bruised, and started chattering away at me. His dark, sly eyes darted around.
He was speaking the local dialect, which I couldn't understand. He seemed quite confident, so I smiled slightly and took a step closer. He seemed to want to dodge, but what room did a pickpocket have to hide from me? I had already grabbed his wrist again, giving it a gentle squeeze, and with a faint smile, asked in standard Mandarin, "What did you say? Could you please repeat it?"
"Ouch...it hurts! It hurts, it hurts..." The kid's voice trembled with pain as I gripped his wrist. I tightened my grip slightly, and he immediately went limp. At the same time, he kept shouting, "Why are you hitting me for no reason! Ouch, let go..."
At that moment, two young men immediately broke free from the crowd and ran out. They looked like thugs, and one of them, probably convinced we were from out of town and that I was alone, became aggressive and yelled, "Damn it, why did you hit my friend!"
After he finished speaking, the two men approached me. I could clearly see that one of them had a razor blade hidden in his thumb... Obviously, that was a pickpocket's tool for cutting open people's bags and stealing things.
I couldn't be bothered to waste words with these people. I coldly watched the two chattering and approaching me. Without saying a word, I flew up and kicked them both in the stomach. These two were no match for me. They immediately cried out in pain and fell to the ground, clutching their stomachs.
But then, three or four more men ran out from the crowd. They were clearly all in cahoots. These guys approached with ill intent, and one of them shouted threateningly, "Kid, you're looking for trouble here, you don't want to live anymore!"
I glanced around and saw that the crowd of onlookers was growing larger, but no one dared to say a word. Most people stood at a distance with blank expressions, while others watched with a gloating smile.
Damn, I'm getting annoyed. Hmph, a theft gang, huh? I grabbed the young man's wrist on the ground, twisted it slightly, and dislocated his arm. Then, protecting Yan Di with one hand, I looked at the guys around me and sighed, "Damn it, it's not my territory after all. Even these scoundrels dare to challenge me."
Just then, Hammer and his gang finally arrived. Seeing me surrounded by people, Hammer was the first to yell and rush over. Before the guy who had just cursed me could react, Hammer kicked him in the lower back from behind, sending him flying and crashing into the crowd.
I stood there, glanced at Hammer, and said, "Hurry up and finish this, don't go too far."
Hammer, beaming with excitement, shouted, "You're not allowed to take it from me!" He was speaking to Xiluo and Lei Xiaohu. Then, laughing, he charged towards the remaining three men…
quick!
It only took three or five exchanges. His hammer-wielding skills weren't that great. He'd be no match for my senior brother, and fighting me would be suicide. He could barely put up a fight against Xiluo… but dealing with these roadside thugs… well, the weather today, hahaha…
The last thug was so frightened that he even pulled out his dagger, but instead, he was kicked in the crotch by a hammer and immediately knelt on the ground, curling up into a ball.
Seeing how fierce we were, and how quickly we took down the gang of thieves, the surrounding crowd couldn't help but gasp in astonishment.
Finally, just as we were about to leave, we heard a commotion outside, and then several people in uniforms and peaked caps walked in... They weren't police officers, just community security personnel, wearing armbands, but their uniforms were all crooked, and some of them even had a thuggish look on their faces.
"What are you doing! Who's causing trouble here!" The leader shouted as he walked in. He wasn't wearing a hat, but he had a police baton tucked into his waistband, making him look quite imposing. He glanced at me sideways and said, "What are you doing! What are all these people doing here!"
I noticed that among the pickpockets lying on the ground, one of them immediately perked up and showed a smug look on his face.
Sure enough, upon seeing the several people lying on the ground, the head of the joint defense team suddenly darkened his face, glared at me, and said fiercely, "Are you all fighting here in a group?! None of you are allowed to leave. Come back with me and explain yourselves!"
With a whoosh, a dozen or so auxiliary police officers behind him blocked our way.
Part Two: The Road to Success, Chapter 118: Unexpected Trouble
I frowned slightly as I looked at the uniformed "joint defense" personnel in front of me.
Everyone on Earth knows what these so-called "joint defense" units in many parts of our country are like. In many places, these so-called "joint defense" units or "urban management officers" are nothing more than uniformed thugs and scum, a bunch of trash. In short, they commit crimes, drawing salaries from the government while desperately damaging the government's image. These so-called joint defense and urban management personnel are arguably the strangest social strata that evokes the greatest public resentment in many parts of the country.
They inexplicably possess law enforcement power… even though this is against the law. Furthermore, most of these people are illiterate; most don't even know basic public security regulations, let alone other laws… A bunch of legal illiterates enforcing the law is a colossal joke!
They are a strange group, a group of cheap laborers hired by the police at low cost to reduce personnel expenses. They can assist the police in patrols and even maintain some public order.
The idea was originally good, but unfortunately, the poor quality of the people involved often makes this group itself a source of harm to society.
In many places, "joint defense" and "city gate" have become insults.
So, looking at these guys in uniforms who looked like thugs, and then at the smug expressions on the faces of the pickpockets we'd knocked to the ground... I immediately understood what had happened.
If this were Vancouver… let alone these “second-rate thugs” (a derogatory term for uniformed individuals acting as part of a community security force in many parts of China), even a police officer would have to speak to me politely. What police officer would dare mess with me?
But this is China, and I'm more familiar with the practices of these so-called uniformed community security forces—despite public outrage and their appalling behavior, they've been criticized for years, yet they still exist, right? Occasionally, when the public's complaints get really strong, they'll crack down, but it's just for show. Heaven knows what kind of shady dealings are involved in this system. So, although these people aren't police officers, they're often more ruthless than real police!
I gestured with my eyes for Hammer and the others to step back and not engage with these people. Hammer and Xiluo obeyed. Lei Xiaohu, however, looked at the uniformed men in front of him with great curiosity. He even asked me loudly, "Junior Uncle, are these people police officers? Why are their uniforms so strange? My god, this guy didn't even button his shirt! In Canada, if you dare to show up on the street in a police uniform like that, you'd definitely get fired!"
I laughed and pulled him behind me: "Don't talk nonsense. These aren't police officers, just some bandits in uniform... Well, that's what they call 'the situation in China'."
We were talking very quickly. But the security guard still heard us. His face showed some annoyance, and he casually untied the baton from his waist and held it in his hand, shouting at me, "I'm talking to you! Are you pretending to be deaf and dumb? Were you guys fighting and injuring someone here? Come back with me!"
After saying that, he reached out to grab my arm. How could I let him grab me? With a flick of my wrist, I deflected his claws, my disdain undisguised: "What right do you have to grab me?"
"Why should I? Because of this uniform I'm wearing!" This guy could tell from my accent that I wasn't a local, so he was quite emboldened. Looking at our group, we were dressed fairly casually, a mix of men and women; they probably assumed we were just ordinary tourists.