Da Ge

Chapter 22
Wei Qian didn’t want to bring gloom to the household because of himself, so even though he still worried about the situation, he continued to go to work at the factory every day as if nothing had happened. Following Le Xiao Dong for those few years, he had experienced too many heavy-hearted moments, gradually cultivating a facade of innocence and naivety.spiXTIjZSJLxSJvtPHQPjOIHMopdVA

But some people just wouldn’t let him be.sEgyNglIKAwzIhXgatLQtLYIiUPWcz

First and foremost was Wei Zhi Yuan. He used to be such a good child, obedient and considerate, but now he had turned into a chatterbox, pestering Wei Qian morning and night with questions, much to Wei Qian’s annoyance.OvYEJLJmHIQMeiiyQxPhYqmNocAjwh

Next was Auntie Song. She didn’t need to change; she was already a relentless chatterbox, able to talk for five hundred ducks. Compared to her, Wei Zhi Yuan’s nagging seemed feeble. Wei Qian was simply terrified of her. One day, he pushed the door open and Auntie Song happened to be coming out of the kitchen. When she saw him, she paused and opened her mouth. Wei Qian felt like he was facing a terrifying abyss and without a word, turned on his heel and walked out the door…DkkfqXCQzsTHXDfThypTrOZMIVQlIs

Of course, it turned out that Auntie Song just wanted to sneeze.zgdpOvKvLviQUoofsLOVJqShlLypqj

Then there was San Pang.PFpXymrTgpkBTqvLPjFhPKIngjslCW

San Pang was unbelievably malicious. One day, when Wei Qian wasn’t home, he used a brush dipped in red paint to write a line of characters at his doorstep – “Study for the rise of China.”AgmCveRkeKzKOhNYjrSFkMMKuVRDQJ

The gloomy hallway, the blood-red characters…jGfEeuGHbyBoNKMzKekoJwmqDvjOmQ

The neighbor across the hall, a cranky old lady who liked to go for walks early in the morning, was greeted with this sight when she stepped out around four in the morning. The sky hadn’t even lit up yet, and she stood frozen at her doorstep for three seconds before letting out a short, sharp scream. She grabbed her pants and ran back to her own apartment, almost wetting herself in fear.qTyPXQOnXDHAIuUfCjMmJmaVNujiZP

In this situation of ambush from all sides, Wei Qian found the only thread of peace from Song Xiao Bao.WWMozznMbvvtrcTyekgkbXROZePgjS

In private, Song Xiao Bao solemnly said to him, “Brother, if you don’t want to go, then don’t.”xoBEQJdnYXdhRmVyLPfmuVyFNGVxFA

Wei Qian looked at her in surprise.uMUOCozovrbNUjOjzZeyaTEOdHHUnZ

With a piece of watermelon in her mouth, Song Xiao Bao earnestly asked, “Do you not want to go to school?”IBVKpfbeOgnjZJsJJDzVVsQpOxZcEb

Wei Qian hesitated for a moment, reluctantly nodded.uMyxUUgPabImVwvRHxYUHPIbjjSAMC

Song Xiao Bao shook her head and sighed, feigning maturity, “Ah, there’s no way around it, I understand your difficulties.”gygEmrFFpTakDqYDLpLMWBJmhKesUT

Wei Qian was astonished, thinking she had unexpectedly matured without him noticing, feeling a bit touched, so he asked, “What do you… understand?”tjfPcrDgkUJGyDnFUZBQlMVeJmjNRt

Song Xiao Bao spat out the watermelon seeds accurately into the ashtray and sympathetically said, “Let me tell you the truth, brother, I don’t want to go to school either.”rNRfuNeVwsdmUSDWnKkZodXozGrlZD

Wei Qian: “…”XhttcBknZPzUmWEkvmsZvwIGupJuaG

That night, Song Xiao Bao was ordered to copy the longest passage from the Chinese textbook twice.KoZGLptWFFktmOISukiHFPsFADtQPf

But strangely enough, sometimes there are such coincidences, when someone can’t forget about something, there really can be a turning point — even though it may not necessarily be a good one.eIJfHikDzMuWrAhXUJvIQHiWsuapxm

On that day, Wei Qian changed out of his work clothes and was about to ride away with his bicycle when suddenly, a man called out to him.ZjimucmJGREjEQqylglcikxazxrYrH

Dressed in expensive attire, with an air of sophistication, wearing sunglasses, Wei Qian didn’t recognize him, but there was something familiar about him.vpHvOpgoyuBWhPYXJFnNcXvbKfGIhu

Wei Qian had a sense of foreboding in his heart at that moment, and sure enough, the man approached him with large strides.NqBHrnWLUGesBLeAEUdVHAhjBTyiJl

Wei Qian had already retired from his previous life and had no interest in dealing with this, so he tried to ride away, but the man raised his hand and grabbed the handlebars, stepping on the wheel with his foot: “You’re Xiao Wei, right? I want to have a few words with you.”AzlzTwtkUGgsFaNfnEmIUtsxtIiqjv

Wei Qian’s hand clenched tightly on the handlebars, his veins bulging, he lowered his voice and warned, “Let go.”touQlghHgYQZVvuLsDhRhKOahbTnxa

The man took off his sunglasses, revealing a slightly crooked nose and a scar above his eyelid, making one eye appear larger than the other, with a sinister and cunning appearance. He pulled out a business card from his pocket and waved it in front of Wei Qian: “Hu Sire, surely Brother Wei remembers me?”rqxggiBRVwzpRkXcsBQsHKsXlgQhzJ

Wei Qian recalled the first time he faced a group of troublemakers alone, the time he gained some fame. Indeed, there was a man claiming to be Hu Sire who gave him a business card, clearly trying to recruit him. Hu Sire was a VIP customer of Brother Yue, and although Wei Qian had declined at the time, he remembered this person vividly because of the strange look in his eyes, as if to him, people were not human but commodities to be sold at the market.sviyDRmBecVYLFBsUtoTFigeMMglbG

Later, Wei Qian heard from others that this Hu Sire was involved in all sorts of illegal activities, from gambling to drugs, a man with a versatile array of vices. He owned three or four famous underground fighting arenas, scouting for talented fighters and athletes everywhere, particularly fond of Wei Qian’s reckless fighting spirit.AorjJjZaEXkkcObExlwzmSoIGyzJeU

Wei Qian’s eyelid twitched at the thought, knowing he couldn’t afford to offend this man, so he stopped the bike and politely asked, “How should I address you, sir?”blZdTlouAWpOIdZfyCfxvpkxJVlUnL

The man, satisfied with his compliance, rubbed his hands together and released Wei Qian’s bicycle, “No need to be so formal, I’m Zhao Laojiu, just call me Laojiu.”lDXrNRupTzeMRpDtfgztotLloNDcNy

Wei Qian smiled wryly, “Oh, it’s Laojiu. If Hu Sire doesn’t come often, he might not know about Le…”OpJTAsDCefipqSbztHDxbKCkWfQUFh

Zhao Laojiu interjected, “Le Xiaodong passed away, it’s been half a year already, everyone knows.”BcxeAynfGtoZyrRHiuVjoWemfQXLfV

Wei Qian lowered his gaze for a moment, then continued, “Yes, so I’ve already quit that line of work. Actually, both Hu Sire and Laojiu have shown me favor. I shouldn’t have hesitated, but you see, I have a family to support, can’t just walk away from everything, it’s also…”gCbvQCQPgOPqtouMGErVxPZypYstlt

Zhao Laojiu glanced around, nodding, “Ah, I understand. Everyone has their difficulties. Is Hu Sire such an unreasonable person? The main thing now is this: he’s opened a new ‘spot’, the place isn’t even warmed up yet, and he urgently needs a few tough guys to liven it up. Although it might interfere with your job, rest assured about the payment, Hu Sire never mistreats his own people.”qRFJWfOcjnphyokimIaeDFGxgbGKvp

Wei Qian had accompanied Le Xiaodong to many occasions later on, so he knew a bit about many things. He understood Zhao Laojiu’s implication: Hu Sire had set up a new underground fighting arena and wanted him to help warm it up.gZXUDUSuGucPngAvgTQBCLGGPCtSFJ

The underground fighting market in Guangdong and Guangxi had a long history, with huge profits at stake. Some of the underground arenas housed real masters, who could earn tens of thousands of yuan per match in the mid-1990s, while others, insignificant warm-up acts, would earn a few thousand at best.NdXZhWttNIbAPEMhRmOSshhlSvnCxE

Wei Qian chuckled self-deprecatingly, “Laojiu, don’t tease me. Do I not know my own capabilities? A real boxing or martial arts expert could crush me with just a finger. Whether I live or die isn’t the issue; it’s embarrassing for Hu Sire and you.”vmqXEGylbwuKNoFFuQnMpTKzKZGlID

Wei Qian knew that if he agreed, he would undoubtedly become one of Zhao Laojiu’s men. Zhao Laojiu would benefit from arranging people for Hu Sire, whether they won or lost, and Wei Qian understood the ins and outs of these matters.LcbDohNLwJLSkrVdyKNwsryprVaAau

“You’re not right about this, it’s not like that,” Zhao Laojiu waved his hand dismissively. “Real experts aren’t just easy to find. With Hu Sire’s discerning eye, if he sees potential in you, you shouldn’t underestimate yourself…”rolacdabbNlEtEgeGBOyJkVNmqrikM

At this point, Laojiu suddenly glanced around, lowering his voice as he spoke to Wei Qian, “Let me tell you the truth, in the arena, you don’t need to be exceptionally skilled. Win a few matches, earn ten to twenty thousand yuan, and then leave. It’s easy money, no hassle. Being too good isn’t always good either. Top-notch fighters struggle to leave the high-level arenas; there’s always someone stronger. In the end, they end up dead up there.”HLlyQYKFMwomQiLucFclrzqYVABRsC

Wei Qian’s eyes widened slightly.TdvcuzrqgJdEbaMnIFNmXhGYJQzAhE

“I’m not feeding you nonsense,” Laojiu observed his reaction and continued in an even lower voice, “When Hu Sire sends us out, I’ve approached many people. For someone like you, the entry fee is two thousand. Whether there’s a bonus or commission afterward depends on your performance. Those… those who are truly formidable, they won’t step into the ring for less than thirty to fifty thousand. That’s when it becomes life-threatening. Even if you wanted to challenge them, you wouldn’t reach that level, understand?”urbEwZpNeUCAOErenNQGyMGuWFNXXw

Wei Qian remained silent, considering Laojiu’s words. They held a certain truth.OUIHOeHMRNUZgNMoDNRIjlhigROijz

“Sigh, brother, I’m just giving you the general market situation, not trying to scare you. Our situation is different this time. Our task is to warm up the arena, to promote the new fighting ring. It’s like a grand opening promotion, you understand? It’s just a sideshow, low risk, not as life-threatening.” Laojiu affectionately patted his shoulder and handed him a train ticket, “Ticket for next Monday. My phone number is written on the back. If you’re willing, come find me there. If not, forget about it. I’m just asking a favor from a brother. If the deal doesn’t go through, we’ll still have our brotherhood, right?”mmyfulDbvwPXeLNWYHyWNMsBhLlvTn

Wei Qian held onto the train ticket, lying in bed all night without closing his eyes.OlMlJqXLAlwxljlVgmjmwoFYKSXRrK

Laojiu’s appearance was almost like receiving a pillow just as he started to doze off.lyKcxQMenPSduWaRFbQqcFdvzsDxMl

Wei Qian had once pondered, how could he sustain his family if he went back to school? Laojiu provided him with an answer: an entry fee of two thousand was enough. He just needed to hold out for two or three matches, and he’d have five to six thousand yuan.lsPkuYhvQzICusoTDiVvyIqEZfXDkS

Five or six thousand might not seem like much, but to an average family like Wei Qian’s, it was a significant sum. With someone as thrifty as Grandma Song, Wei Qian believed that with her careful management, this money could comfortably cover their expenses for an entire year.QmFLuwnIgJUMzCXIZNuoxWuofPQXYR

However…zyQMLowxGOvqzoGdcJPyYigDPjpjoK

Money is hard to come by, and shit is hard to swallow—everyone knows this. There are no free lunches in this world, and Wei Qian understood very well that what Zhao Laojiu referred to as “grand opening promotion” and “sideshow” were all nonsense.icdAtHmUlRMQPwVfnPGgeOjZBvTKXe

Why did they specifically come to him? From the South to the North, there were countless fighters available.lNjWtBrWFjpAqcpcaMnILReeMogtYP

Upon reflection, Wei Qian realized that perhaps it was because of Le Xiaodong’s death that Hu Sire had sought him out. They wanted someone like him, with no roots and no connections.cEULvVJRRveKPAzFCTcwQELPRVVCng

Before his eyes lay a pool of water, clear and transparent, with gold coins visible at the bottom. But Wei Qian had no idea how deep the water was or whether he could resurface once he dove in.puYpfKjgZfgbkriMnBbtJwiHEhJSzv

Even Ma Zi made a fortune before he died.XFaivKlAinFSsHUkzxetVqtiUNYwwk

Turning over, Wei Qian felt the soreness in his muscles from lying down for too long. He got up quietly, trying not to disturb Wei Zhiyuan. The weather was too hot, and seeing the child sweat so much while sleeping soundly was a rare sight.JIJsEWmyHBHtjKMTdzioekyfnaqOEG

Wei Qian walked downstairs and circled around the old tenement buildings in the shantytown, like a donkey grinding a millstone, trying to find a bit of tranquility.zqoQBMsYeiGlgmJujwLnXqcYoHytWO

Wei Qian felt it was all because of his own greed. The burden was already heavy enough, yet he still wanted to give them a relatively comfortable life.hpXwwjQCIqhTHtVXIYjTdMDcheutGK

He always thought, if his mother could raise him even after selling herself, wasn’t he stronger than a chicken? How could he let Xiao Bao, Xiao Yuan, and the others live through the same childhood as him?nKvFhCwcNvrAimhYXpawJgQKnrOsoK

And as if that wasn’t enough, he even dared to dream of going back to school.HTedKyuLJZLIWTJAWrjXuDNTisNwck

In the faint light of dawn, with dewdrops still clinging to the grass, Wei Qian, like a demon facing his inner demons, sternly interrogated his own heart.ZPZhYJKXQpJkERXdfQOFWjoxBogwxY

He harshly told himself, what’s the point of going to school? Just because he goes to high school, does it mean he’ll definitely get into college? Even if he gets into college, does it mean he’ll definitely finish it? And even if he finishes it, can he make up for the six or seven wasted years from high school to college?qoKgxnfsBdJmUMSralJAROTQECKMeG

Wei Qian listed all the reasons he could think of for not going to school.KpyoLXDrbLEWppcrKKLabgJeSIwydj

At that moment, he saw the owner of the convenience store downstairs yawning as he opened up.pcRsmgPijmprNgAxmmlNzFfRvzXwdf

Wei Qian kicked a small pebble and thought to himself, “What’s the use of going to school? Why don’t you aim for the sky instead?”msprmtQztJoVgHZDMJQZrYBTdPzeUf

He bought a pack of cigarettes and a lighter from the convenience store, officially declaring his failure to quit smoking after six months.XqkqrDXUHAxmvGjuBqtEioLqKgzrNS

Squatting on the roadside, Wei Qian finished smoking the cigarette, and then he made a decision completely different from what he had just considered—why not go to Guangdong? Let’s go!dDdYhviHACmbcMKzyoabwjQzfEEkXX