Chen Qiang didn't hear an immediate agreement from Xu Rang or me, and let out a somewhat unhappy grunt.
"Hmm? Number Two, do you and Xu Rang have some kind of difficulty? If there's a problem, speak up. I'll handle it myself; I don't need you."
I was just about to open my mouth, trying to think of a tactful way to refuse Chen Qiang.
But Xu Rang gently tugged on my sleeve and gave a very subtle shake of his head.
He stepped forward and pulled an axe and a military spike out of the cloth bag.
"No difficulty, Big Brother. You just say who needs to be handled."
I closed my eyes, my breathing growing a bit heavier. Not wanting to make Chen Qiang ask a second time, I also stepped forward and took a dagger and a triangular scraper from the bag.
"I'm good, Big Brother."
Standing behind Chen Qiang, I could see his ears move slightly; he seemed to be grinning.
Chen Qiang stood up, turned around, and patted both Xu Rang and me on the shoulder.
"Good. I knew I didn't misjudge you two."
"Xu Rang, haven't you always liked playing the slot machines? Once this business is done, those dozen or so slot machines I have at the east end of town are yours to watch over."
"Number Two, now that Liuzi is gone, I'll clean up that fish farm of his for you. In the future, you and your mom can raise fish. The income is decent, certainly better than selling vegetables."
Usually, when asking someone to do a job, you state the benefits first to see if the reward can move them.
But Chen Qiang was a Big Brother. He required you to agree to do the job first before he would offer you the benefits.
Giving me Liuzi's fish farm caused that sliver of unhappiness and fear in my heart to vanish without a trace.
Unknowingly, I had walked further and further down this road of no return. In the beginning, just hearing the words "handle someone" made me tremble with fear.
Now, I felt that handling someone to death didn't seem like such a big deal.
With Liuzi's fish farm, I, Chu Shanhe, would truly turn over a new leaf. I could build a big house for my mother so she wouldn't have to wake up in the dark to sell vegetables.
Chen Qiang was very satisfied with our performance. He waved his hand and said to Mustache Yang beside him.
"You go get the car. Be ready to pick up Number Two and Xu Rang."
Mustache Yang nodded and left. Xu Feilin also stood up at this moment. "Chen Qiang, you handle your business. When it's done, leave the knives and the car at the Ninth Street Intersection. I'll help you clean up the mess afterward."
Chen Qiang immediately switched to a smiling face. "Alright, sorry to trouble you, Brother Feilin. Safe travels."
Xu Feilin waved his hand. "No need for pleasantries between us. I'm off."
Mustache Yang went to get the car, and Xu Feilin took his men and left. There were no other diners in the restaurant, leaving only the three of us.
"Number Two, nothing comes for free. The income from Liuzi's fish farm is counted by the wan (ten thousand). If you don't dare to risk it today, just say it straight. I'll get someone else to handle it for me. But since you agreed, don't drag your feet and screw things up (la xi bai dai). Don't botch the job for me."
Chen Qiang could see I was a bit uneasy, so he said this long speech to remind me.
If I was truly afraid, I could regret it now.
I let out a few long breaths, thinking back to my mother selling vegetables, Chen Xiang slapping my face, and Liuzi threatening to take my legs at the drop of a hat.
And what Xu Rang said not long ago—that we wanted to be Big Brothers, Big Brothers just like Xu Muye.
Only at this moment did I realize I didn't have some great sob story forcing my hand. I was just purely bad, and I purely loved money.
Walking this path of no return shouldn't be blamed on anyone else.
I brought this on myself.
"Big Brother, I'm not afraid. I'll do it."
Chen Qiang stared into my eyes for several seconds without speaking. Only after confirming there was no fear in my eyes did he nod gently and say the word, "Good."
I lost my last chance to turn back to the shore.
Xu Rang and I put on our hats, hid the short weapons in our bosoms, walked out of the restaurant, and squatted by the street, watching the station entrance.
We didn't ask who we were supposed to handle. Since Chen Qiang said they were from Liuxiang Town, I could roughly guess it had something to do with Liuzi.
Chen Qiang had gone somewhere unknown, leaving only Xu Rang and me at this unfamiliar county train station, chain-smoking one cigarette after another.
Fortunately, it was winter, and many people riding motorcycles wore these kinds of hats to block the wind and cold.
Xu Rang and I didn't stick out too much.
"Xu Rang, are we really going to finish them off later?" I asked Xu Rang softly.
Xu Rang paused in the middle of smoking. He hesitated for a few seconds, then said with a tone full of helplessness.
"Shanhe, later on, you just watch our surroundings. Just help me block them, and I'll do the deed."
Xu Rang rarely called me Shanhe; he usually called me Number Two.
What he meant was: don't get blood on your hands, let me kill them for you.
I pulled the corner of my mouth and sneered. "Sure. Then I'll give you the fish farm too, and my mom and I will come work for you."
Xu Rang froze, threw his cigarette butt on the ground, and cursed angrily, "What kind of bullshit are you spouting? What do I want your fish farm for?"
I countered, "If you don't want the fish farm, why help me?"
Xu Rang said flatly, "Because I'm your brother. I'm your sworn brother. Shanhe, you're not even eighteen yet. Don't let a rush of blood to the head leave you with a murder charge on your back."
My throat bobbed as I swallowed hard. I turned my head away from Xu Rang. "Exactly because we are sworn brothers, you can't help me today."
Xu Rang opened his mouth to say something else, but I raised my hand to interrupt him.
I pointed toward the station entrance. "They're here. Cut the crap."
At the entrance, two people were acting very cautiously, constantly looking left and right. They made the people around them think they were pickpockets (pa lao er), causing everyone to clutch their bags and steer clear.
One middle-aged man and one teenager. The middle-aged man had shifty eyes. I had met him once before; he was Old Fish, the one who told me to remember him when Liuzi took him to the university to demand my fingers.
The teenager was Wang Hai. His right wrist was still wrapped in layers of bandages, and his face was pale.
The moment we saw these two, Xu Rang and I understood who Chen Qiang wanted us to handle.
Hidden inside my cotton coat, my hand gripping the triangular scraper trembled slightly.
Xu Rang patted my shoulder. We both lowered our heads and walked quickly toward Wang Hai and Old Fish.
Before things happened, I would weigh the options, I would be afraid.
But once my mind was made up, I wasn't that scared anymore. My mood was unusually calm.
Xu Rang lowered his voice and whispered in my ear, "You deal with Wang Hai, just subdue him. I'll stab Old Fish, then come help you."
I whispered back with the same intensity, "At a time like this, quit yapping."
Just when we were less than five meters away from them, Old Fish suddenly stopped walking and looked up, staring straight at Xu Rang and me.
He seemed to sense something.
I cursed inwardly. Xu Rang was faster than me; he lunged forward like an arrow, axe in one hand, military spike in the other.
Without a single wasted word, he brought the axe down on Old Fish's shoulder.
Old Fish didn't even let out a scream. He ignored the axe in his shoulder and instead used both hands to block Xu Rang's hand holding the military spike.
One axe blow might not kill him, but if that military spike pierced his upper body, he'd most likely be going to see the King of Hell.
Unable to thrust the spike, Xu Rang lifted the axe, preparing to chop down on Old Fish's face.
Old Fish took advantage of the opening while Xu Rang was swinging the axe to slam into Xu Rang's chest, rolling onto the ground with him. He wrapped himself tightly around Xu Rang, denying him the space to swing with any force.
All of this happened in a gap of less than three seconds. I was still hesitating whether to help Xu Rang or go handle Wang Hai.
Old Fish roared, "Xiao Hai, run! Run! Get into the station and take any bus, just run!"
Xu Rang abandoned the axe, which needed space to wield, and used both hands to force the military spike down toward Old Fish's chest.
Hearing Old Fish's cry, Wang Hai turned and ran toward the station immediately. "Brother Fish, as long as I don't die today, I'll come back in a few years and kill these two bastards' whole families to avenge you!"
Seeing that Xu Rang had already suppressed Old Fish, I abandoned the thought of helping him and turned to chase Wang Hai.
"Wang Hai, no need to wait a few years. Don't move, don't run. My whole family is standing right here for you to kill."