Liu Laoliu said, "That was reserved for you in my name."
I said angrily, "Speaking of which, I forgot to ask you, what about the illegitimate child?"
Liu Laoliu patted my shoulder and said, "I had no choice but to say that. It will save a lot of trouble. Besides, I'm old enough to be your grandfather. You can even call me Dad, it's not a loss for you, right? You've suffered a lot during our cooperation, but you've also reaped a lot of benefits, haven't you? Overall, it's been a pleasant experience."
His words weighed heavily on my heart again. The old charlatan was actually quite right. For the past two years, I'd been using him as a powerful backer, yet I'd rarely shown him any kindness. For the first time ever, I pulled out a cigarette and lit it for the old man, saying in a relatively respectful tone, "Let's call each other even now. I won't call you 'Old Turtle' anymore, and don't expect me to call you 'Dad,' unless you send your seventh princess to my place for a life experience..."
Liu Laoliu spat on the ground: "You're smoking fake cigarettes again!"
I know he said that just to interrupt my reverie; I haven't smoked fake cigarettes in a long time.
Liu Laoliu pointed to the old man who came with them and said, "You should figure out how to handle the matter between Kangxi and Wu Sangui. You have more experience in this area than I do."
Although it was a bit of a surprise, I quickly adapted. Old Liu was right; I have extensive experience in this area. I dusted off my sleeves, bowed slightly to Kangxi, and said with a smile, "Grandpa, are you settling in alright?"
Kangxi laughed, "Don't be so polite, I know the rules perfectly well." No wonder he's fluent in three languages; he's really quick-witted. However, none of his languages really qualify as foreign languages; when applying for jobs at foreign companies, an English proficiency certificate would be more useful…
Liu Laoliu pointed to the hall and said, "I won't close the military affairs department, which was originally scheduled to close in three months. Anyway, they've already escaped the supervision of the Heavenly Dao. Just make sure they stay united. Tell them after you finish eating."
My heart skipped a beat: "Then..."
As if knowing what I was about to say, Liu Laoliu preemptively said, "That doesn't include what's here. In other words, they can circulate among themselves, but you and they can never meet again."
I cried out, "Why?"
"The new human axis starts with you. If you collude with them, it could cause a new disaster. I won't go into the consequences. You should spend the next three months together."
I fell silent for a moment.
Liu Laoliu took one last look and said, "Then we're leaving. Xiaoqiang, we won't see you for a while."
After wearing underwear for so long, you'd develop an attachment to it, let alone a person. Just as I was wondering what to say, Liu Laoliu said again, "Xiaoqiang, can you give me some more money? I came out here, and I'm bringing back some things for those bumpkins in the sky."
Without saying a word, I took out my wallet and opened it. Liu Laoliu reached out and skillfully took all the cash. With a flick of his pinky and ring finger, he also took one of my credit cards. Anyone else would not have noticed, but I was different. I was on guard against him!
"...2000 yuan isn't enough for you to buy a gift?"
Liu Laoliu chuckled and said, "You're not short of money now. Besides, why don't you remember the good things I did for you? Those properties I gave you are worth a lot of money."
I was helpless.
Liu Laoliu patted me hard on the shoulder: "Kid, you're really leaving!" After saying that, he turned around and left without looking back. From behind, his hair was already gray and his back was no longer straight. Although this wretched body was really just a stinking carcass to him, under his instigation, I finally felt a lump in my throat and was speechless with emotion.
He Tiandou kept smiling slightly. Seeing that Liu Laoliu had already walked far away, he whispered to me, "Actually, all the properties he gave you were paid for with my money. Also, I originally wanted to transfer them directly to your name as a gift, but he said that you can't give things away for free, and he had to take advantage of you."
I widened my eyes and said, "Why didn't you say so sooner?"
"Am I stupid? I'll have to follow him from now on, how can I afford to offend him?"
...It seems that He Tiandou did not work with Liu Laoliu for nothing. His current behavior is no longer that of a gentleman.
I watched Liu Laoliu's figure gradually disappear into the distance. The old man deliberately walked with extreme sentimentality, each step filled with the sorrow of parting. Only then did I realize that he had not only left a large black handprint on my shoulder, but had also casually stolen my cigarette. I gazed into the distance and couldn't help but mutter in a sentimental tone, "That old bastard..."
After seeing the two old charlatans off, I bowed to Emperor Kangxi and said, "Your Majesty, shall we go?"
Kangxi waved his hand and said, "Don't be so polite. When in Rome, do as the Romans do. Just call me 'brother.' I've heard that you have many talented people here today, and there are several seniors I've long admired."
I hesitated and said, "Um... Brother Ai, Brother Xin, Brother Jue Luo..."
Kangxi said, "Call him Xuan Ge."
"Yes, Brother Xuan, there's someone inside you might not want to see..."
"You're talking about Wu Sangui, right? I know everything. Let bygones be bygones, and this is another lifetime, isn't it?"
I exclaimed, "You have such a broad perspective!"
As I was leading Kangxi inside, a tall man suddenly walked past and blocked our way. This man was not young, with a robust build and stubble on his cheeks. It was clear that he was not an easy person to deal with in his younger days. He was none other than Lei Laosi, who had always been my adversary.
Of course, I wasn't afraid of him before, and I'm even less afraid now, but I was a little surprised by his appearance. When Lei Laosi saw me, he quickly stepped forward, and his expression didn't seem malicious. He handed me a large gold chain, saying awkwardly, "Xiao Qiang, I've offended you a lot in the past. I just happened to be passing by today and heard that your son is celebrating his one-month birthday. Please accept this little something."
I felt embarrassed when he said that, and I laughed as I weighed the gold chain in my hand, "Wow, this is a big thing. Thank you, Fourth Brother. I'm just glad you don't blame me."
Lei Laosi stammered, "Actually, once you've thought it through, it's nothing. It's not your fault. Those foreigners weren't good people. If you hadn't intercepted me, I would have been in even deeper trouble. I only realized this later. Anyway, you're busy, I won't bother you anymore."
I tugged at him and said, "Come on, since we're here, we can't just not have a meal together."
Seeing that I had invited him sincerely, Lei Laosi didn't say much, just nodded and walked to the front. Kangxi asked me what was going on, and I briefly explained the grudge between us. Kangxi snorted slightly and said, "Judging from this man's actions, he is three parts stubborn and seven parts headstrong, and he has no perseverance. Even if you don't bring him down, he will lose his family business sooner or later."
I laughed and said, "Since we've reconciled, let's not talk about it anymore."
The three of us entered the hall one after the other. On the stage, Mu Huali and Hasier were humming a long song, accompanied by Gu Ye and Yu Boya. Those who recognized Lei Laosi nodded to him upon seeing our friendly demeanor. The people present were all rough-and-tumble heroes; it was no surprise to them that our little dispute could be resolved with a single word. Amidst the harmony, suddenly a pale-faced fool shrank back in fright and hissed, "There's murderous intent!"
I chuckled and said, "Little Zhao, you're here too. Where's the murderous aura?"
Before the words were even finished, Wu Sangui, his hair bristling and eyes bloodshot, lunged at us, raising both hands and shouting, "I'll strangle you!"
I instinctively shielded Kangxi behind me and said repeatedly, "Third Brother, about the past..." I originally thought Wu Sangui was coming for Kangxi, but unexpectedly he swept past us, grabbed Lei Laosi by the neck and shook him back and forth, shouting, "Li traitor, you've made me suffer so much!"
Lei Laosi was both shocked and furious. After all, he was a gangster himself. He immediately grabbed Wu Sangui by the neck and roared, "Don't think that just because I've ruined my family, I'm easy to bully!"
The two burly men started grappling on the spot, one pinching the other until his face was red, the other shaking the other so badly he was swaying like a whirlwind. They looked like they were about to die together. Startled, I immediately shouted, "Quick, someone separate them!"
Sitting nearby were Tiger and Duan Tianlang's disciples. Several young men rushed forward to intervene, only to be knocked to the ground by the two middle-aged men. Just as the fight reached its climax, Li Yuanba, with a chicken leg in his mouth and Lu Zhishen carrying a jar of wine, arrived simultaneously. The two grabbed the two old men by the waist, one on each side, and easily separated them. Wu Sangui and Lei Laosi remained suspended in mid-air, cursing loudly. Wu Sangui said, "If it weren't for you, you traitor, lusting after me, how could I bear such eternal infamy?" Lei Laosi retorted, "Even though I've ruined my family now, I'm not someone anyone can bully!"
Those watching were confused, and I was completely bewildered. There shouldn't be such a deep grudge between Wu Sangui and Lei Laosi. Although the former had challenged the latter, it was all in the past, and Wu Sangui wasn't the type to hold a grudge. Besides, the two had never even met. Just then, I heard a woman beside me sigh softly, "Why is he here too?"
I turned my head and saw Chen Yuanyuan. I asked in surprise, "Who are you talking about, sister-in-law?"