Mother's expression shifted. She gave me a long, deep look, said nothing, and turned back into the house.
I scolded the rushing kid in a low voice, "What's the rush? What's the panic? What happened? Speak slowly."
This kid seemed to be called Changlin. I didn't know his last name; he was just one of the little pickpockets Lin Changzai used to take out on jobs.
Now, I had settled the whole group of them at the fish farm and planned to pay them a monthly wage in the future.
Changlin's eyes were red, and steam was rising from his head; he must have been crying while running all the way here.
I stopped lighting the firecrackers and pulled Changlin over. "Slow down. What's going on?"
Changlin was only about thirteen, still completely a child, with snot flinging everywhere as he shook his head.
He sobbed out, "Brother Lin got beaten up. They want to dig up the pond. They said we're not allowed to raise fish."
My heart sank, and a nameless fire of rage rose from the bottom of my chest, but I knew I couldn't be hasty, and I certainly couldn't panic.
Because right now, I was the backbone.
I wiped the tears from Changlin's face. "Stop crying first. Tell me, who wants to dig up my fish pond, and who beat up Lin Changzai?"
Perhaps seeing how calm I was gave Changlin a sense of stability, and he calmed down too.
"It's people from the Chen Family Shrine. They seem to have come back from the county seat. I hadn't seen them before. They tied Brother Lin to a tree and beat him, and said they're going to dig up the fish pond tomorrow and won't let us raise fish."
The corner of my brow twitched, and the veins on my forehead bulged. Motherfucker, have the people from the Chen Family Shrine gone mad?
I went back to the room to grab the motorcycle keys. Ever since Xu Rang started watching the slot machine parlor in town, I had been driving his CG King.
"Let's go. Tell me on the way."
I took Changlin and hopped on the motorcycle. Today, I was going to see exactly which big shot had come back from the county seat to dig up my, Chu Shanhe's, fish pond.
By the time I rushed to the fish farm, it was nearly eleven at night.
Six or seven men were standing by the edge of my fish farm. A fire was burning in the middle of them, illuminating their flushed red faces.
Lin Changzai and the few kids had been stripped of their clothes and tied to a tree several meters away.
It was the twenty-ninth of the twelfth lunar month; the temperature in the Southwest had already dropped below freezing.
They were out to kill someone!
If they were left tied to that tree all night without pants or shirts, they would absolutely freeze to death.
I stopped the motorcycle and walked over with a cold face.
"Friends, what is the meaning of this? My name is Chu Shanhe, I'm the owner of this fish farm. Have I offended you somewhere?"
They were from the county seat, not locals from Liuxiang Town, so my tone was still relatively normal when I spoke.
Among the men, the leader was a young guy, about twenty years old, with the character "Endure" (忍) tattooed on his neck.
He glanced at me sideways, then extended his hands as if to warm them by the fire.
He left me hanging there, ignoring me.
I took a deep breath, picked up the clothes and pants from the ground, and walked toward Lin Changzai.
"Stand still. Did I say you could go over there?"
The young man with the "Endure" tattoo spoke up lazily, his voice affected and incredibly annoying.
"I went to the county seat for a few years, didn't expect to hear that Liuxiang Town produced a ruthless man as soon as I got back. Took care of Hunchback Luo at eighteen, and even Tumor went down. But looking at this 'ruthless man' today, he seems like nothing special. Doesn't even dare to talk back."
I didn't listen to him; I didn't stand still. I continued walking toward Lin Changzai and the others. Lin Changzai had taken a beating; both his eyes were swollen, and the corner of his mouth was split.
"Se... Second Brother, you came. These sons of bitches want to dig up our fish pond. I tried to stop them, couldn't stop them... they beat me."
I untied the ropes on his body and comforted him softly, "It's okay, it's okay. I'm here. I don't blame you. I know, it's not your fault. I'm here, I'll solve it."
"Cold, right? Put your clothes on quickly. Changlin, come here, help untie the others."
Lin Changzai wasn't a gangster. I didn't blame him. He just worked for me; he wasn't my underling, barely even counted as a street guy.
Changlin came over to untie the ropes for the others, while I stood up, walked to the fire, and stood opposite the young man with the "Endure" tattoo.
"Friend, what is your name? How have I, Chu Shanhe, provoked you?"
He sneered, maintaining that city-slicker tone. "You haven't. How could a country bumpkin like you provoke me? You remember this well: my name is Song Jiawen. I'm forbidding you from running this fish farm."
I silently repeated the name Song Jiawen twice, then nodded gently. "Why won't you let me run it?"
Song Jiawen took two steps forward, glaring with wide eyes. "I just don't like the look of you. I just got back from the county seat and heard you and some guy named Xu Rang made a name for yourselves. I wanted to stomp on you guys, got a problem with that?"
"Also, do you see that? That house over there is my home. Although my surname is Song, I am also part of the Chen Family Shrine."
I let out a long breath and raised my hand to give him a gentle shove, making him step back a few paces.
I forced the corner of my mouth into a smile. "Fine. Okay then. I won't run this fish farm."
"Lin Changzai, you take them and head back to town slowly. I'll drive ahead."
Song Jiawen looked at me in disbelief, not expecting me to be so easy to talk to—that just because he said I couldn't run it, I wouldn't.
I took out my car keys and started the motorcycle. Song Jiawen stood by the fish pond, laughing loudly.
"Chu Lao Er, I heard your brother was awesome. I thought you were some unkillable bastard too, but it turns out you're such a wimp!"
"Scram, scram! Since your attitude was good tonight and you quit when told, I won't mess you up. Get lost!"
The men around him laughed along, looking at me with pure mockery.
Lin Changzai, shivering, had walked up to the road, looking at me timidly. I whispered to him, "Wait for me on the roadside with them. Stay far away from these people."
Before Lin Changzai could react, I bared my teeth in a smile at Song Jiawen.
"Thanks. I really thank you."
Song Jiawen paused, then picked up a piece of burning wood and threw it at me.
"What the fuck are you thanking me for? Scram, or I really will mess you up."
The wood hit me, but fortunately, the winter moisture was heavy, and I had ridden the bike all the way here; my clothes were already damp, so they didn't catch fire.
I twisted the throttle and the motorcycle shot forward.
The night was deep, and rain mixed with snow lashed against my face, stinging my cheeks.
Song Jiawen. I had never heard this name, didn't know what he did in the county seat, didn't know who he followed, or where the people around him came from.
But it didn't matter. It really didn't matter anymore.
Tonight, even if his big brother was the King of Heaven, I was going to take him down.
If I got stomped on in the county seat, then I got stomped on. But this is Liuxiang Town. This fish farm is what I traded for by stabbing Wang Hai four times at the station.
Just because you don't like the look of me, you want me to shut it down, and you messed up Lin Changzai.
If I let this slide tonight, I, Chu Lao Er, wouldn't need to be in the game anymore.
The reputation I fought so hard to build would be destroyed in an instant.
Song Jiawen, I truly thank you. Thank you for worrying that I wouldn't be able to find you, and even pointing out your house to me.
If you don't get wrecked tonight, I, Chu Lao Er, will take your surname Song.