Every price they quoted was an absolute rip-off! Even as I sat down to eat, I noticed they had two sets of prices: one for locals and one for foreign tourists! And the portions were significantly smaller than those for locals!
Almost all Vietnamese people share this attitude.
Perhaps because Vietnamese people have been fighting with foreigners for nearly a century, most people here harbor a deep-seated hostility towards foreigners.
When you sit in a place full of Vietnamese people, even if you don't say anything, you can feel the unfriendly looks coming from all around you.
When I took out my money to pay, I could clearly feel that the locals around me were looking at me with a mixture of schadenfreude and ill intent.
What a despicable country. I thought coldly to myself.
I walked a few steps with the mixed-race girl. Then I gave her a hundred yuan and pointed to a small herbal tea stall not far ahead: "Wait for me there for a while."
"kindness?"
I glanced at her and said, "I have to leave for a bit. Where can you wait for my son? If you have something else to do, you can leave first."
The mixed-race girl immediately looked nervous. My behavior was really strange. She hesitated, glanced around, lowered her voice, and asked with fear in her eyes, "What...what do you want?"
"I have some things to take care of," I said casually.
She suddenly seemed to realize something, took a half step back, and looked me up and down a few times: "You...you're not a drug dealer, are you?! You tricked me into coming here to do a deal with you?! I don't do those things!"
I laughed. This girl was far too reckless. If I really were a drug dealer, her audacity in saying that would probably only bring her trouble.
I didn't have time to explain to her, so I just said calmly, "I'm not doing that kind of thing, I'm just taking care of some business. You can go over there and have some tea while you wait for me. If you don't want to, you can go back by yourself. Anyway, this money is enough for you to take a taxi back."
After saying that, I turned and left.
Actually, I knew she wouldn't go back first, for a simple reason: I hadn't yet paid her the 500 yuan tour guide fee I promised.
Sure enough, after walking a dozen steps, I looked back and saw the mixed-race girl sitting helplessly at the herbal tea stall.
I walked towards Hoan Kiem Lake. On the way, I casually bought a bottle of milk from a food stall and drank it all in one gulp. Then I bought a piece of French bread, held it in my hand, broke it into small pieces, and leisurely stuffed it into my mouth.
This cheap so-called "French bread" is really just bread that looks like a loaf of bread. It tastes bland, almost like a steamed bun. It's really unpalatable.
But I seemed to enjoy my meal immensely, munching on small pieces as I strolled leisurely along. Along the way, I even casually bought a set of local homespun clothes from a roadside vendor – a dark-colored outfit that made me look like a farmer, yet many tourists were buying it. It's like how foreigners buy Tang suits in China, or tourists in Hawaii buy floral shirts.
I thought about it for a moment and then picked out a straw hat.
This is standard Vietnamese clothing. I smiled as I held it in my hand. If it weren't for my height—there are very few locals as tall as me—I would be almost indistinguishable from a local if I wore it and didn't speak.
I took the bag of clothes in my hand and slowly walked to the edge of Hoan Kiem Lake.
There are many Western restaurants and small cafes here. I went into the most upscale one, which I had seen on the tourist map. It is one of the most upscale Western restaurants in Hanoi, and most of the dishes are French, but of course, there are also Vietnamese dishes.
I walked in slowly, and a waiter led the way. I spoke a few words to him in English. He immediately led me inside.
Although it's a Western restaurant, everything here takes on a different flavor, imbued with a strong local character.
Inside, near the wall, was a row of small private rooms, with simple bamboo and wood panels on the walls and a curtain hanging outside.
I saw Mawei standing there from afar. His face was somewhat gloomy, and he looked a little nervous as he watched me approach.
I sighed. The ponytail was definitely one of Tiger's gang.
I also saw an old acquaintance—it was that stripper! She was wearing a sleeveless dress, her voluptuous figure tightly wrapped inside, and her hair was tied in a ponytail. Seeing me approach, she immediately lifted the curtain and went into the private room, saying something.
I was carrying a paper bag in one hand, filled with the clothes I'd bought, and in the other hand, I was still holding that bun-shaped French bread. I looked like a fool.
The curtain was lifted. I saw Tiger sitting inside, holding a cup of coffee, and he looked up at me.
"Hello." I greeted the girl with the ponytail, then winked at the stripper: "Beautiful lady, we meet again!"
I saw a flash of murderous intent in the woman's eyes, but I didn't care. I took a deep look at the ponytail and sighed.
The girl with the ponytail looked a little pale, but she still stopped me. She said dryly, "...I need to check first."
I pursed my lips and turned around. The stripper immediately pressed forward without any politeness, reaching down to grab my waist. With bread in my mouth, I mumbled, "Hey, beautiful, be gentle."
The stripper's face immediately darkened. She gave me a subtle, rough shove, but I simply opened my arms slightly.
"What's this?" She looked at the paper bag in my hand.
"Clothes, local specialties." I smiled.
She snatched it, flipped it open, glanced at it, and then handed it to Ponytail, who also checked it. She didn't find anything amiss.
I've already taken it back, and I said with a smile, "Alright, this is my souvenir, I'm taking it back with me."
The stripper seemed quite hostile towards me: "Let's talk about this when you get back alive!"
I glanced at the woman disdainfully. Hmph, what a brainless idiot.
I casually tossed the half-eaten bread to Ponytail, who then searched me, but only found half a pack of cigarettes and a lighter. He was very careful, even squeezing the cigarettes in his hand.
"I didn't bring a gun." I smiled faintly. Then, ignoring the two of them, I lifted the curtain and went inside.
The private room inside was quite spacious, a full ten square meters. I saw Tiger sitting in a chair with a cup of tea in front of him.
"Sit down." Tiger glanced at me, his expression somewhat complicated.
I remained calm and casually placed the clothes I had bought next to me.
Tiger sighed, raised his hand and waved to the ponytail and the stripper standing at the door: "You two go out first and watch from outside."
Then, Tiger looked at me again: "Okay, Xiao Wu, you asked me to meet you, what do you want to say to me?"
A cold smile played on his lips as he placed his hand on the table, his fingers unconsciously tapping lightly on the surface. He slowly said, "Or, you've decided to admit defeat and hand Hong Da over to me?"
I chuckled, continuing to chew my bread, leaning lazily back in my chair, and mumbled, "Tiger, to be honest, I'm really surprised by you."
"You knew all along." Tiger remained noncommittal. "Eighth Master told you before we came out, didn't he?"
I sighed, and this time I didn't laugh. Instead, I looked at Tiger very seriously: "Why?"
"Why did you betray Eighth Master?" Tiger shook his head, a hint of weariness in his expression, then he asked me in return, "Little Five, do you know how long I've been following Eighth Master?"
Before I could answer, he slowly opened his hands, one facing forward, and then the other backward.
"Twenty years. A full twenty years." Tiger's eyes gleamed with a sharp light. "How many twenty-year periods does a person have in their lifetime? These twenty years were the golden years of my life. I sold my life to Master Fang. I did dangerous things, I did things that stood out... Everyone knows how powerful Master Fang is! The boss of the North American big circle! But all of this was earned for him with our lives! Twenty years. What have I gotten in return?"
His tone was mocking: "I'm just one of his lackeys now, a lackey by his side... Although I've fought my way up to the highest rank among his lackeys... a lackey is still just a lackey! I originally thought that when Eighth Master got old and started grooming a successor, I would have a great chance... But it seems he's never really taken me seriously... Who am I, Tiger? I'm just a dog and a knife in the hands of Fang Bazhi!"
He narrowed his eyes and looked at me with a smile. Then he said calmly, "Little Five, do you think Eighth Master really values you? Do you think you can get ahead by relying on Eighth Master? Do you even know what kind of person Eighth Master is?"
"When we first came to North America, besides Eighth Master, there were three other big brothers. One was Seventh Uncle, whom you've met. The other two were also big brothers. They were all daring and hardworking! Back then, it wasn't just Eighth Master who was the boss; there were four of them! But now, twenty years have passed, look at our situation! Now, besides Eighth Master, who else does anyone know? Everyone only knows that the boss of the Big Circle is Fang Eighth Master! The others haven't even left their names! Hmph, Seventh Uncle is alright; he's hot-tempered and not good at strategy. He's a rough man, which is why he survived! But now he's crippled and has retired from the underworld... How much do you know about this story? How much of Fang Eight-Fingers' methods have you witnessed?"
I didn't say anything, I just calmly looked at Tiger.
Tiger sighed slowly, "I know Eighth Master better than you do... He won't relinquish any power he holds... Not even a tiny bit! Many times, I've risked my life for him. He's hinted that he'd elevate me... But now, twenty years later, I'm still just a lackey under Eighth Master... Hmph! Drug deals, arms deals. Nobody can touch those core dealings! We're all just his henchmen, nothing more!"
"What for?" I shook my head, somewhat puzzled. "What do you gain by betraying Eighth Master?"
"Money!" Tiger answered me bluntly.
Then he laughed, a laugh that was somewhat desolate, with a sense of approaching old age.
In that instant, I suddenly realized something: Tiger Woods is actually getting old.
Sure enough. Tiger sighed, "I'm old. I spent the best twenty years of my life serving Eighth Master. I've been impulsive, and I was once absolutely loyal to Eight Fingers! By the time I finally figured it out, I realized it was too late... I'm too old!" He laughed self-deprecatingly, "If I had figured it out ten years earlier, I would have competed with Eight Fingers! I would have fought him! I would have found a way to get rid of him and then take over for myself! But now... it's too late."
At this moment, a hint of sincerity suddenly appeared in Tiger's eyes: "I'm old, and I don't have many days left. Even if I can take down Fang Bazhi, how long can I remain in the limelight? Three years? Five years? I fought and killed my way through my youth, and now I'm covered in injuries. In three to five years, my body will quickly deteriorate. If you're injured when you're young, you'll suffer when you're old! Now, whenever it rains, all my joints ache... I no longer have the will to compete with Fang Bazhi... Now I just want to make some money so that when I'm old, I can have a place to live out the rest of my life comfortably, to be a wealthy man, and to slowly enjoy my final years."
“But…” I sighed, “But Eighth Master treats his subordinates very well, and he will arrange a way out for you in the future…”
"An escape route!?" His eyes flashed with a sharp, needle-like intensity. "What kind of escape route will he arrange for me?"
Tiger's tone was laced with sarcasm: "Seventh Uncle, you see? Back in the day, he was a prominent figure in the Big Circle! He was glorious, admired, and revered... And now? The once-powerful leader of the Big Circle, after retiring, can only stay there guarding a car wash! He suffered his whole life, struggled his whole life, and in the end, what did Eighth Master give him? A small sum of money, a car wash! What is this? Is this how you treat a beggar?"
I was speechless!
"Seventh Uncle is an honest man! He's simple-minded. Whatever Eighth Master gives him, he takes it without fighting or arguing... That's his luck. If he had fought or robbed... do you think Seventh Uncle would still be alive today?"
Tiger's words stirred something within me.
Indeed, I cannot help but doubt the Eighth Master's gloom and his deep-seated cunning!
Tiger sighed, "If even Seventh Uncle is like this, I often wonder... what kind of 'fallback plan' will Eighth Master arrange for me when I get old? Will he give me a grocery store, let me be a small business owner in Chinatown? And then let me live out the last few years of my life in a humble manner..."
Suddenly, Tiger's eyes widened, and he slammed his hand on the table with a "smack!"
"I've spent my whole life fighting and killing. Is this how I end up? I refuse to accept this!!!" Tiger's eyes widened! A glint of light flashed in his eyes: "I refuse to accept this!"
I didn't say anything, I just kept my mouth shut and looked at Tiger.
Tiger's chest heaved as he took a few breaths, and the anger on his face gradually subsided: "Little Five, not a single word I said was a lie!"
"You said you're after money... but what does that have to do with Hong Da? Why are you so eager to kill him?"
Tiger smiled and said calmly, "Things in the martial arts world are not as simple as you think."
He slowly took out a cigarette from the cigarette pack on the table, lit one, took a puff, and his emotions calmed down: "I have always had contact with the Vietnamese."
I raised an eyebrow and smiled. I didn't say anything.
"The Vietnamese pay me, and I provide them with some 'information,' it's fair," Tiger said calmly. "The Vietnamese are competing with us in the drug trade, and they need an insider like me. I don't do much, just tell the Vietnamese about our drug distributors and our prices. That's all. I'm not going overboard. It just means Eighth Master will earn a little less money."
"In this collaboration with the Hells Angels, we gave them our drug supply. The Vietnamese wanted to compete, but those Vietnamese are very dishonest in their business dealings! On one hand, they wanted to continue their cooperation with me, and on the other hand, they also approached Hong Da. Hong Da is a drug kingpin; he has more resources than me. So, if the Vietnamese successfully cooperate with Hong Da, they will inevitably abandon me… And given the Vietnamese's usual practices, they'll also take the opportunity to eliminate me… This will also cause some trouble for our Big Circle. I can even guess what they'll do… They just need to spread the word that I'm secretly colluding with them, and I'm doomed! After all, with Hong Da's cooperation, I'll be useless to them… Therefore, I can't let Hong Da meet with the Vietnamese! Only if Hong Da is dead can I continue to protect myself! Only then will the Vietnamese have to continue cooperating with me!"
"But Eighth Master has already discovered you." I said calmly.
Tiger sighed: "So now I have no way out. Hong Da must die, then I can take his place and cooperate with the Vietnamese! I have access to the drug distribution channels of the Big Circle, as well as some supplies. I've collected all of this bit by bit over the past twenty years. If Hong Da dies, the Vietnamese will have no choice but to cooperate with me, and I can get some money from them, then find a place to go back and retire."
"Are you willing to give up your retirement?" I sneered.
"Why wouldn't I want to give it up?" Tiger said with a hint of disdain. "Let me tell you, working under Master Ba, I could only get a hundred thousand or two hundred thousand at most, and then find a place to be my own small business owner... That's how Master Ba 'takes care' of his subordinates! Now... Hmph, I can go to the Caribbean, buy a small island, and then live out the rest of my life there in peace!"
I sighed. "Looks like you've made quite a bit of money." I stared into his eyes, my tone shifting to a sharp edge. "But how much of your own brothers' blood and sweat did you get for this money?"
Tiger's cheek muscles twitched a few times, but he remained calm: "When you're in the game, you're not in control of your own destiny."
I remained silent, slowly reaching for the cigarette case on the table, taking out a cigarette, lighting it, and taking a muffled drag.
Tiger looked at me, his eyes filled with a complex emotion, and slowly, he spoke:
"Xiao Wu, you're a lot like me when I was young." Tiger's expression was somewhat sad. "You're young, daring, loyal to your brothers, and intelligent, but you're still a bit old-fashioned. There are many things you haven't understood... Just like me back then. I was just like you back then, dreaming of carving out my own path to success! But after twenty years, I realized that I've always just been a tool in someone else's hands!"
He sighed. His eyes were fixed on me. "I'm surprised you came to see me today… but I'm still willing to talk to you…"
I laughed: "Guess why I called you?"
"Kill me." Tiger said calmly, "Given your personality, since you dared to come to me, you've probably already settled Hong Da and ensured his safety, and then you're planning to kill me alone! Hmph... Am I right?"
I didn't say anything.
Tiger continued calmly, "I believe you have the guts... but I also harbor a sliver of hope... perhaps you'd be willing to cooperate with me! If you're willing to hand over Hongda to me..."