No. 44 Continuing the Endless Road
On our way back, Xiaodie kept talking about my mother.
“Yi Yao, your mom is so positive! She even peeled an orange for me while you were gone. She’s the epitome of a good mother.”
“And she doesn’t seem sick at all. She’s always cheerful, and she was like a little kid when we played Dou Di Zhu(‘fighting the landlord’).”
But my mind was elsewhere.
During our half-hour visit, I had sensed that my mother wanted to tell me something, but she had held back because of my father’s presence.
I knew their future, both my father’s and my mother’s, but I couldn’t fathom what she wanted to say.
As for my father’s concerns, I didn’t take them to heart.
Like Liang Zhenyi, I was a loyal person. Once I considered someone a friend, I would help them however I could, without expecting anything in return.
In this society, friendship had become transactional.
After graduating from university, most people chose their friends based on their usefulness: “Will their personality hold me back?” “Can their connections benefit me?” “Will their luck rub off on me and make me rich?”
Like Liang Zhenyi’s naive belief that “helping friends now will guarantee their support in the future,” such a mindset negated the very essence of friendship.
It was true that Xiaodie had been nothing but trouble since we met. Kidnapped one day, drugged the next, her personality constantly shifting. Even I was surprised that we had become friends.
Perhaps I saw a reflection of my own past in her.
“Yi Yao, Yi Yao, what are we having for dinner tonight?”
She dragged me to the bustling market near her complex. As expected, despite knowing the way, she looked completely out of her element, her eyes darting around in confusion.
“It depends on what you like.” I shrugged. “You’re the one treating.”
“Hmm… something good for my skin?”
You’re already beautiful. What more do you want?
Whether due to genetics or her skincare routine, she had flawless skin. Yi Yao had similar skin, but I knew from her memories that she had never used any skincare products.
Was it because of her training?
“Any food you dislike?”
“No.”
“Okay.”
Beauty was a form of health preservation. Skin problems were essentially health problems. If your body was free of toxins, your skin would naturally improve. Cosmetics and skincare products could only mask the symptoms, not address the root cause.
Of course, I was just making this up. I wasn’t a girl in my previous life. I had only worked briefly at a health spa and knew some basic health tips.
In the end, I convinced her to buy pork trotters, sour plums, soy milk, broccoli, and a bunch of bananas.
“Pork trotters and chicken feet are rich in collagen, which is good for your skin and slows down aging.”
We arrived at her villa, laden with groceries. As I stepped inside, I was greeted by a chaotic living room.
Clothes, even underwear, were strewn across the sofa. Tables and lamps were overturned, and the floor was covered in dust and crumpled papers. It looked nothing like a home.
I remembered her apartment being clean and tidy during my previous visit. Xiaodie might have her flaws, but she was meticulous about cleanliness.
“They’re going to search the place because of Dad’s situation. I might have to move to the new house soon, so I’m packing.”
She explained, noticing my surprised expression.
I see…
But in your heart, this place is no longer “home,” is it?
You would rather seek refuge in the home of your enemy than return here.
“What are you going to do?”
I carried the groceries into the kitchen, examined the equipment, and started washing the ingredients and utensils.
“If Dad can’t get out of this, he’ll be arrested, and I’ll have to move to the new house.”
“Don’t you have any other relatives?”
“My grandmother, who raised me, passed away last year. And my other relatives are avoiding me like the plague.”
“I see…”
“Let’s not talk about that now. Yi Yao, teach me how to cook! I want to be able to cook for myself in the new house.”
Her cheerful tone couldn’t mask the sadness in her eyes.
Huang Yingdie was born on December 13, 2000. Technically, she was still a fifteen-year-old girl. She had grown up in a single-parent household, rarely seeing her father, and now, she was facing this crisis alone.
So many parents had high hopes for their children. But how much support and guidance had they actually provided?
After dinner, as Xiaodie showered me with compliments, my phone rang.
“Yi Yao, it’s me. Are you with Xiaodie?”
I glanced at her, who was happily gnawing on a pork trotter. “Yes.”
“Bring her to the training session tonight. Tell her to dress formally.”
“Formally? What do you mean?”
“Just tell her to avoid revealing clothes. It’s a special occasion. We’ve invited everyone from the Black Dragon Society and the Jiang Nan Gang.”
“Okay.”
I hung up and looked at Xiaodie. “Your current outfit should be fine.”
She looked up, confused. “Hmm?”
She was wearing the same denim overalls she had worn to the plaza meeting. It made her look younger, but it was definitely not revealing.
“Nothing. Just come with me to a place later. Your Jiang Nan Gang friends will be there too.”
“Is it about the spy?”
“Spy?”
“You know, the one who hired those people to harass your father’s shop and cause trouble between us.”
I had almost forgotten about that.
“I don’t know. It must be something important. Are you full?”
“Yes, yes. It’s all your fault, Yi Yao. Your cooking is too good.”
…
When we arrived at the basement of the entertainment complex, Pai Ge, Dati, and the others were already there. The usually empty space was now crowded with people.
“Holy shit, I never knew this entire arcade belonged to the Black Dragon Society!”
“Yeah, internet cafes are so expensive these days. If I had known about this place, I would have been playing games here every day.”
Hua She, Liang Zhenyi, and the others were playing pool with Yi Yao’s former “brothers.” They greeted me enthusiastically. “Yo, Yi Yao, long time no see!”
“Long time no see.”
I didn’t have any real connection with them, but they had been a part of Yi Yao’s life for over a year. I considered them friends, for her sake.
“Pai Ge.”
Pai Ge, still looking like a spoiled rich kid, was sitting at the poker table, his attention focused solely on his cards, even as Xiaodie and I approached him.
“What did you want to see us about?”
I remembered that this basement level was restricted to members only. Was it really okay to have so many outsiders here?
“Oh, nothing much. I just wanted to let you know that from now on, the Black Dragon Society and this building are yours.”
He dropped a pair of Aces onto the table, his words stunning me. “I fold.”
“What… what did you say?”
I almost spilled my tea.
“The Black Dragon Society is yours now. And this entertainment complex. Long Fei’s plan was to hand over the reins to you when you were ready, but you’ve exceeded his expectations.” Ouyang Dati chuckled and handed me a bank card. “We haven’t prepared the official documents yet because you’re still a minor, but the owner and the manager are both our people. If they encounter any problems they can’t handle, you can step in.”
“What the hell is going on?”
I took the card, staring at my name printed on it. “Why this sudden decision?”
“Dati can’t get involved in this. He’s from the military. And you know the situation in Upper Capital City is a bit tense right now. We’re short-handed.”
Pai Ge ended the card game with a flourish, tossing two Jokers onto the table, then took off his top hat. “Or you can consider this a responsibility of the Pai family. We teach you martial arts, you manage our business.”
But this was practically abandoning the business! They had an owner, a manager, and now they were giving me a bank card, implying I was in charge of the finances?
“Can I refuse?”
I had enough on my plate. I didn’t want to take on any more responsibilities.
Ouyang Dati scratched his head, looking troubled. “Well… you can refuse, but we still need you to handle the Black Dragon Society. You’re closer to Hua She and the others…”
“That’s fine.”
Managing those “brothers” was manageable.
We didn’t have a strict hierarchy. We played together, we fought together. Hua She even used to fight with Long Fei when he was around. Now, they were like brothers.
“Then it’s settled. Actually, the main reason we called you here today was to discuss Xiaodie’s situation.”
“Me?” Xiaodie, unsure of Pai Ge’s status, asked timidly, “What about me?”
Pai Ge smiled faintly, his gaze fixed on her pale face. “What do you think of Huang Qinghao?”
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