Volume One, Chapter Nine: Do You Have the Guts?

It was already past ten o'clock at night when I followed the address on the card and found Old Hei's den. It was a two-story old house in a small alley beside the Huanzhuli Recreation Center.

The old house was pitch black. A man was pacing back and forth at the entrance, but by his complexion, I could tell it wasn't Old Hei. I leaned against the corner of the alley, intending to wait for him to leave before sneaking in to find Old Hei directly. However, as I watched, I realized that the man pacing at the door looked... familiar. When he turned to face my direction, my heart skipped a beat.

It was my brother.

Yes, my brother was clutching a plastic bag, his head bowed, smoking a cigarette. His hands, holding the cigarette, were trembling uncontrollably. I immediately recalled him telling me at the cafeteria at noon that he would find a way to handle the situation with Old Hei, and I remembered his troubled expression after he bought me roast duck and soda earlier. So, my brother’s "way" was to shoulder it all alone?

I suddenly felt that my previous words and actions had been unfair to him, and I quickly approached him. Just then, another familiar face appeared from within the doorway of the old house. It was the long-haired man with the bandaged face. He had a cigarette hanging from his lips and gave my brother a twisted grin, gesturing for him to follow him inside.

I quickly crept over, pulling the knife from my pant leg as I reached the door. I hadn't expected my brother to show up, and now I would have to play it by ear. I took a deep breath and slipped into the house. The long-haired man was just leading my brother up to the second floor. Fortunately, the ground floor was in total darkness and empty, so I remained unseen. I lightened my footsteps and followed them up to the second floor.

The second floor was also dark, littered with cigarette butts and beer bottles. Only one room, with the door ajar, cast a dim, yellow light. I leaned in and peered through the crack. The room was crowded with menacing men in floral shirts. In the center, under the dim light, sat a square table. Old Hei, shirtless, was at one side, chugging a bottle of beer. Across from him sat another bottle, but the seat was empty; someone must have left mid-drink.

Just as I watched, my brother walked up to the table, bent over, and with trembling hands, respectfully placed the plastic bag on the table.

Old Hei glanced at it and opened the bag to peek inside. He raised an eyebrow and lit a cigarette. "Kid, this isn't the full amount."

"Brother Hei, I... I know..." my brother said, his body stiff.

"You know? Then what is this supposed to mean? Didn't you understand what I said yesterday? Or..." Old Hei paused, leaning in, his eyes locking onto my brother's bowed head. "Did you take what I said as nothing but hot air?"

My brother dropped to his knees and began kowtowing to Old Hei. "Brother Hei! Master Hei! Please, have mercy, spare us! This is all the money we can get together! Please, let us go!"

"Spare you? Who’s going to spare me? Prices are skyrocketing—car repairs, medical bills—is fifty thousand really that much? You can't pay, so I should just let you off? Who do I complain to then? How do I answer to my brothers?" Old Hei finished, then changed his tone. "Though, I have to say, that girl of yours is quite nice. How about this: you convince her to go into the trade. Tell her I can help her make big money. You convince her, and our debt is wiped clean."

My brother was silent for a moment, but only for a moment, before he shook his head. "No, Brother Hei, she's an honest girl. I can't do that..."

"You can't? Fine!" Old Hei held up a finger. "There's one other way. Your brother is pretty gutsy, isn't he? Talking about how if we fought again, I might not win. How about this: bring him here to do a job for me. Once it's done, the debt is wiped clean."

This time, my brother didn't hesitate for a second. He shook his head and continued to kowtow. "Master Hei, please just let us go! My brother is still young, he doesn't know anything..."

"Damn it!" Old Hei’s face turned cold. "This won't work, that won't work—then tell me, how are we going to settle this debt!"

My brother went rigid. He stopped pleading, reached out his trembling hands to clutch his head, and collapsed to the floor.

"Oh? So that's it? You're going to take it all on yourself? Do you think you can handle it, you damn fool?" Old Hei sneered.

"Master Hei, as long as you let us go and leave my brother out of this, whatever rules you have... just take it out on me!" My brother spoke the last few words through gritted teeth, his resolve hardened.

Hearing my brother's words, seeing him protect me regardless of the cost to himself, all the grievances I had buried over the years vanished into thin air.

Old Hei snorted coldly and threw his cigarette butt to the ground. "Did you hear that? He wants to lose his hands and feet! Then give the bastard what he wants!"

"Got it, boss!" The long-haired man’s expression hardened. He grabbed a steel pipe from the corner and stepped toward my cowering brother.

I didn't think twice. I lunged into the room! Ignoring the long-haired man, I kicked the square table in front of Old Hei with all my might!

"Bang!!!"

Old Hei was no amateur; he reacted quickly. He braced his hands against the sides of the table as it slammed into him, jumped up, and used the momentum to retreat! Of course, I had anticipated this.

As he braced himself against the table, unable to pull his hands back, I lunged forward, my knife pointed straight at his throat! It all happened in a heartbeat. By the time Old Hei looked at me, my blade was already pressed against his neck.

His face turned ashen.

"Well? Is this gutsy enough for you?" I asked, moving a few steps behind him, my back against the wall. "Tell them to stand against the wall, too."

"Kid..." Old Hei seemed to want to say something.

I didn't even listen. I pressed the knife firmly, slicing through the skin of his neck. A thin line of hot blood trickled down the blade and onto the back of my hand.

"You!" Old Hei finally looked terrified.

"Tell them to stand against the wall. I won't say it a third time." I said coldly.

Old Hei glared at all the men in the room who were trying to close in. Gritting their teeth, they retreated to the walls.

"Brother! Take your money!" I glanced at my brother, who was still stunned on the floor, then turned back to Old Hei. "You said you wanted me to do a job for you. Fine. But after it’s done, you are never to bother my brother or Sister Yuzhu again. My brother worked hard for this money, and he’s taking it all back. Understand?"

Old Hei’s eyes darted around. Amidst his fear, a hint of cunning glee appeared. "Fine! It's a deal!"

"Good! Tomorrow night, I will come alone. Then you can tell me what you need me to do. Don't try to trick me. My hands—whether I'm killing chickens, dogs, or pigs—have never once trembled..."

I finished speaking and, holding Old Hei hostage, prepared to take my brother and leave. But at that moment, another familiar voice came from the side of the room.

"Chunsheng? Xiaohui? What are you doing! Put the knife down!"

I was stunned. I realized the voice came from the bathroom door in the corner, which had just been pushed open. A man was emerging, zipping up his trousers, his face flushed with alcohol.

It was... Uncle Nan?