Chen Qiang ignored me, sitting calmly in his chair without sparing me a single glance.
I raised my voice and shouted, "Big Brother, I'm here."
Chen Qiang dug at his ear as if he hadn't heard a thing. Not only did he ignore me, but he also started chatting with Xu Feilin, who was sitting opposite him.
I lowered my head, a sense of humiliation rising in my heart.
When I was in university, Chen Qiang had tricked me by using my mother's safety to make me follow him.
I knelt and bowed to him as my Big Brother; I accepted that.
Later, he used the conflict between me and Liu Zi to make me constantly charge into battle for him, handling his business and his enemies, always the pawn crossing the river first. I accepted that too.
But today, for the sake of an outsider, he was humiliating me like this.
Chen Qiang's attitude now clearly showed he was standing on Xu Feilin and Song Jiawen's side.
He had completely disregarded the loyalty and brotherhood of me following him.
I closed my eyes and shouted, one after another.
"Big Brother, I'm here."
"Big Brother, I'm here."
"Big Brother, I'm here!"
...
I didn't know how many times I shouted until finally, Chen Qiang lazily stood up.
"Chu Shanhe, yelling so loud... people who don't know better might think you're my Big Brother!"
I hung my head low and said humbly, "I wouldn't dare. Big Brother, you will always be Chu Shanhe's Big Brother."
Chen Qiang walked slowly up to me, raised his hand, and slapped me right across the face.
Not only did I not expect it, but even Xu Feilin and Song Jiawen were surprised.
The slap made the left side of my face swell up high. My lips trembled, but I still didn't voice any question.
Chen Qiang, you're supposed to be a Big Brother too. Your follower handles another Big Brother's brother-in-law, and without even asking a question, you discipline your own little brother first?
After slapping me once, Chen Qiang stared at me coldly. "You wouldn't dare? Is there anything you wouldn't dare to do?"
"Oh my, Chu Shanhe, Chu Lao Er, my Second Brother Chu, so majestic!"
"Taking my men, driving my cars, skipping burning paper for the ancestors on the twenty-ninth of the twelfth lunar month just to go handle someone."
I buried my head, not saying a word. My hands retracted into my sleeves, clenched tightly into fists.
If Song Jiawen hadn't started trouble first, why would I have taken people to handle him during the New Year? After a good year, who wants to ruin it on New Year's Eve?
Chen Qiang cutting off the head and tail of the story, throwing all the blame on me regardless of the reason, severed the last shred of loyalty I, a naturally cold-hearted person, had for him.
"Should I call you Big Brother from now on? You, Chu Shanhe, handle whoever you want without even telling me. How can I dare accept you calling me Big Brother?"
"When are you planning to bring men and guns to handle me?"
Chen Qiang's eyes looked strange at this moment, bulging and wide with rage like an ox plowing the fields.
I felt there was a hidden hostility in his gaze.
I wanted to argue with Chen Qiang, to tell him the fault wasn't mine. But after opening my mouth several times, the words that finally came out were:
"Big Brother, I was wrong. Please forgive me this once!"
Whether it was that look in Chen Qiang's eyes or a sudden flash of insight, I didn't defend myself in that instant but chose to admit my mistake directly.
Chen Qiang's expression softened a fraction, and his bulging eyes receded.
"Number Two, look up. Look at me."
I obediently raised my head. But the moment I did, another slap landed on my face.
"Keep your head up! No looking down. Watch. Watch how I slap you."
Chen Qiang's voice, which had been mild just a moment ago, was filled with anger again.
My neck was stiff. I didn't dare lower my head, but I also lacked the courage to look Chen Qiang in the eye.
A thought suddenly rose from the bottom of my heart, and then I couldn't control it anymore—my whole body started to tremble.
Chen Qiang wanted to handle me!
Xu Feilin hadn't even spoken yet. Why was Chen Qiang so displeased with me, to the point of giving me the illusion that he wanted to take me out?
It likely wasn't an illusion. Chen Qiang really wanted to handle me!
I had never imagined the consequences would be this severe.
"That first slap was for not respecting me, for handling business without telling me first."
"You follow me, Chen Qiang, but not only do you not keep me in your heart, you don't even keep me in your eyes. So I hit you."
Chen Qiang shook his hand and continued nonchalantly, "Tell me yourself, do you deserve to be hit?"
My brain hadn't started turning yet, but I answered subconsciously, "I deserve it. Big Brother is right to hit me."
Finally, I saw a hint of satisfaction on Chen Qiang's face.
But immediately after, he gave me another slap. "These remaining two slaps, no reason. I just wanted to hit you. Do you accept it?"
No reason. I just wanted to hit you!
I trembled all over and squeezed a word out of my mouth. "Accept."
Chen Qiang, just like before, dug at his ear without any reaction.
I knew what he meant. I strained my throat and roared.
"Big Brother, I said I accept it! You hitting me is deserved! I accept it! I, Chu Shanhe, accept it fully!"
Chen Qiang didn't react. He turned and walked over to Song Jiawen. I thought he was going to tell Song Jiawen that the matter was settled, since he had already slapped me three times.
Unexpectedly, Chen Qiang grabbed Song Jiawen by the hair and slammed his head onto the table.
"You son of a bitch, remember this: I, Chen Qiang, welcome you to come play in Liu Xiang Town. But if you ever think you're some Big Brother from the county seat again and try to stomp on this person or that person, I'll make sure you can't walk or hold a bowl for the rest of your life."
"Do you hear me?"
Song Jiawen gritted his teeth and said nothing, glaring at Chen Qiang with bulging eyes. Chen Qiang yanked his hair, lifted his head, and slammed it down hard again.
Blood instantly flowed. "Little bastard, even your brother-in-law doesn't dare act tough with me. Glare! Glare at me one more time, and I'll call men and guns to handle you right now."
Xu Feilin, who had been sitting silently all this time, finally spoke up.
"Chen Qiang, did you eat gunpowder today? After hitting your own man, you hit mine? What, are you going to handle me too?"
Xu Feilin stood up and pried Chen Qiang's hand off Song Jiawen. "The two young ones both made mistakes. With our relationship, aren't we afraid the flood will wash away the Dragon King's temple?"
"Who are you putting on this show for? Afraid people don't know you're the Big Brother? Just teach them a lesson and be done with it. If you keep acting crazy, I won't be polite either."
Chen Qiang stood by, took two long breaths, and then smiled.
"Lost control for a second there. Big Brother Xu Feilin, I have a lot on my plate recently, so I won't keep you company. Take your people and go back!"
Xu Feilin could see that Chen Qiang wasn't quite right today, so he didn't offer any more pleasantries. He led Song Jiawen and the others out of Chen Qiang's courtyard.
As Song Jiawen brushed past me, we exchanged a look.
We both saw hatred in each other's eyes. This grudge was set; this wasn't over.
It just depended on whose methods were harder!
After Xu Feilin left with Song Jiawen, Chen Qiang lit a cigarette and sat on the threshold of the main room, smoking while watching me in the courtyard.
That gaze was like a judge sentencing a criminal; it made me uneasy.
It wasn't until he finished the cigarette that Chen Qiang seemed to let out a faint sigh.
"Why haven't you scrammed yet? Waiting for me to keep you for dinner?"
I immediately said, "Right. Big Brother, rest early."
Then I left without looking back. After exiting Chen Qiang's courtyard gate, my legs went soft, and I nearly fell over.
Years later, I learned that today, my life had been hanging by a thread; I had one foot in the King of Hell's palace.
Life and Hell, separated by a sheet of paper.