I thought Chen Qiang was just treating me to a casual dinner to wash away the bad luck of the road.
But when I arrived at the spot, I realized there were three Toyota HiAces parked outside the restaurant.
I don't know if any of our friends here are from Guangdong or Guangxi, but if you are, especially those born in the 80s or 90s, you shouldn't be strangers to this vehicle.
The Toyota HiAce is a type of van, also affectionately known in the south as the "Light Infantry Transport."
As the sliding doors opened, I saw the vans were packed with "scholars," each holding a rolled-up newspaper. As for what was wrapped inside those papers, everyone knew the score.
Not only were there three HiAces parked outside, but the entire first floor of the restaurant was packed to the brim.
Without exception, they were all adult men, radiating a thick, thuggish air—about twenty of them in total.
The central table was laden with food and alcohol. Chen Qiang sat at the head, his bald head gleaming conspicuously.
Xu Rang and a middle-aged man with a goatee, wearing a heavy military cotton coat, sat on his left and right respectively.
From the moment I walked into the restaurant, most of them stopped eating and drinking, shifting their gaze onto me.
If this were six months ago, I definitely would have kept my head down and walked past quickly, unable to withstand the scrutiny of so many men.
But the events of the last half-year had been enough to make me shed my skin and be reborn.
I lifted my head, my gaze sweeping over them one by one, meeting their eyes. Finally, I looked at Chen Qiang, smiled, and strode over with big steps.
"Brother Qiang, you went to the trouble of setting up all these tables just for me? It's too much, too much waste. How can I deserve this?"
It might have been my imagination, but a look of gravity seemed to flash through Chen Qiang's eyes before vanishing.
In the blink of an eye, Chen Qiang was all smiles again. He stood up, took a few steps, and grabbed my hand.
"I told you, you're my brother. Since when does a brother need to be polite with his older brother?"
Xu Rang started making noise from the side. "Shanhe, are you giving birth to a calf at home or what? Showing up this late and making the Boss wait! Come on, punish yourself with three cups first."
As he spoke, he shoved a glass jar into my hand. It was the kind usually used for drinking tea, but he was using it for liquor.
I had never really drank before. If I downed a jar of white liquor that size, I'd probably drop to the floor on the spot.
Fortunately, Chen Qiang didn't make things difficult for me. He took the glass jar from my hand and glared at Xu Rang.
"Don't fool around. We have business to take care of later."
I keenly latched onto the phrase business to take care of. It seemed tonight wasn't just a simple welcome-home dinner; there was a job to be done.
No wonder there were so many people.
"Brother Qiang, what business are you taking care of tonight? Is there anything I can help with?"
Chen Qiang chuckled and pulled me down to sit. "Let's not talk about that yet. You've been inside for so long, there probably isn't much grease in your belly. Eat something first."
Although I was curious, since Chen Qiang wouldn't say, I couldn't keep pressing him. I could only obediently sit down and start eating.
I'd barely taken a few bites when the man with the goatee patted my shoulder. "Little Brother Chu, I follow Boss Chen Qiang too. You can just call me Goatee."
I hurriedly swallowed the food in my mouth and nodded repeatedly. "Okay, okay, Brother Goatee. You just call me Old Second Chu."
Goatee smiled faintly, patting my shoulder like an elder brother. "One doesn't acknowledge a boss lightly. We all have only one Boss, and that is Boss Chen Qiang."
Goatee was actually giving me a subtle reminder, but I was too young to take it to heart.
"Alright, then I'll call you Brother Yang." (Note: Yang is likely a play on "Goat" in Chinese).
Goatee smiled and nodded, saying no more.
Generally speaking, every boss who rises to power has a strategist-like figure by his side.
In the Jiangnan region, this role is called the Shige (Master/Advisor); in the north, they are called the White Paper Fan.
Some serve as the second-in-command of the boss's organization; others are practically the "consigliere."
At critical moments, they devise strategies for the boss.
Goatee was exactly this kind of character. These people are smart—truly. Even after I became a boss myself, I acknowledged how terrifying these people could be.
Take this Goatee next to me, for example. If Chen Qiang hadn't had him, in the years after the millennium, I could have run circles around him with one hand tied behind my back. There would have been no need for me to flee to Vietnam to escape disaster.
I hurriedly ate a few mouthfuls, then realized the atmosphere at the table was a bit off.
Normally, as idle members of society gathered for a meal, there would inevitably be shouting, gambling fingers, and drinking games.
But this meal was dead silent.
Only a few people whispered in low voices; the rest ate their food in silence. After Xu Rang drank three cups, Chen Qiang stopped him from drinking more.
I put down my chopsticks and asked Chen Qiang, "Brother Qiang, has something happened?"
Chen Qiang smiled, though it looked a bit forced. It was Goatee next to him who cleared his throat softly and spoke up.
"After finding out you were released today, Tumor sent word to the Boss. He said if the Boss tries to stop him from handling you again, he'll handle the Boss right along with you."
My heart skipped a beat. Sure enough, the knot between Tumor and me couldn't be untied.
A society boss runs on face. I had trampled his face; if he didn't earn it back, he wouldn't be able to run things anymore.
I gave a bitter laugh. "How does Tumor plan to 'handle' me?"
Goatee said coldly, "Tumor wants to handle you so bad you'll never get out of bed or walk again in this life."
My fingers tightened around my rice bowl, a fire rising in my heart.
Motherfucking Tumor. What the hell did I do to you that you want to break both my legs and leave me a cripple for life?
I turned to look at Chen Qiang, my voice raspy as I asked, "Brother Qiang, you..."
Chen Qiang looked conflicted. He looked at me but didn't speak. My heart was pounding with anxiety.
If Chen Qiang didn't protect me, Tumor saying he wanted my legs was definitely not an empty threat.
I really would be a cripple for the rest of my life.
My fate was now held in the hands of this bald man, Chen Qiang. In the blink of an eye, he could change my entire life.
Just as it felt like an eternity had passed and my back was drenched in cold sweat, Chen Qiang suddenly laughed.
He lightly slapped the back of my head, a gesture full of affection.
"Kid, I told you, you're my brother. Tumor thinks he can touch you? Is he joking?"
"He's a boss and he wants face; am I not a boss? Do I not need face?"
The stone in my heart dropped to the ground. With Chen Qiang backing me, at least it wasn't a dead end.
Xu Rang slammed his hand on the table. "Number Two, don't be scared. No one dares touch a brother of Xu Rang. The Boss isn't just welcoming you home tonight; we're going to take care of business later."
The business to be taken care of was likely related to Tumor, and related to me.
I took a deep breath, stood up, and said to Chen Qiang, "Boss, whatever business needs doing, however we need to do it, just say the word. I'll listen to you. I'll do it for you."
This time, I called him Boss, not Brother Qiang.
Chen Qiang stood up as well. Everyone stopped eating and stared straight at him.
Chen Qiang smashed his bowl onto the table and spoke with seething anger, "Fuck his mother! Tumor must think his balls are huge! Threatening to handle this guy, handle that guy, and now he wants to handle me too?"
"Tonight, we're going to the countryside to flatten that fish farm he runs with that old geezer. Let him know that not everyone is someone he can handle!"
My blood boiled at his words. Tumor's fish farm in the countryside was the one he ran with Chen Xiang's father. If it weren't for that old coot making a fuss about this bullshit fish farm, maybe Tumor and I wouldn't have had so much bad blood.
Chen Qiang gave the order, and everyone voiced their agreement.
Then Chen Qiang, Goatee, Xu Rang, and I got into the Bluebird, while the rest squeezed into the three HiAce vans. We set off in a mighty formation, charging toward the countryside.
When we passed the alleyway to my house, the lights were still on. My mother was waiting for me to come home.
I had forgotten. I told her I was just treating Chen Qiang to a meal and would absolutely not mix in society with him.
Mother, forgive your child's unfilial piety.
Your son has no road back now.