Teacher Bai nodded. “That makes sense. Even if this matter is settled, being watched by those street thugs every day isn’t going to work.
“You should go. Buy some gifts.”
Chen Guangze agreed and left the hospital with Hu Yan.
The two of them first went to the supply and marketing cooperative.
There weren’t many people there at this hour.
Chen Guangze asked the sales clerk for two cartons of cigarettes and two bottles of liquor.
“You know my buddy too. Remember Lin Si?”
Hu Yan thought for a moment.
“The guy who was always hanging around with you when I was in high school?”
“Yeah. When I went to Shenzhen, his grandmother was in poor health and needed him around.
“So after I left for Shenzhen, he stayed here in the city.
“He’s doing pretty well these days.”
Seeing that Chen Guangze had only bought cigarettes and liquor, Hu Yan reminded him,
“Shouldn’t we get something else?”
“No need. He’s single and living alone. He doesn’t need anything else.”
Chen Guangze borrowed his third brother’s bicycle and rode with Hu Yan on the back.
About ten minutes later, they stopped in front of a dance hall.
Hu Yan was confused.
She remembered that KTVs didn’t exist yet at this time.
There were dance halls instead, with large dance floors and colorful rotating lights hanging from the ceiling.
Men and women would dance disco or ballroom dances together.
When Chen Guangze and Hu Yan arrived, it wasn’t dark yet.
There was no one in the dance hall.
Several young men were sprawled around inside.
The leader had a crew cut and monolids, giving him a rather intimidating appearance.
The moment he saw Chen Guangze, his eyes lit up and he stood.
“Well, look who it is! What brings our great Boss Chen here?”
Chen Guangze laughed as he walked over and punched him lightly in the chest.
“Well, look at you. You’ve become quite the big shot. I have to bring gifts just to come see you now.”
As he spoke, he tossed the cigarettes and liquor over.
Lin Si looked down at the Chinese cigarettes and Moutai in his arms.
“Come on, stop messing with me.”
He handed everything to the people below him.
The two men hugged like old friends who hadn’t seen each other in years.
After letting go, Lin Si looked at Hu Yan.
“Hello, Sister-in-law. We met once at your wedding.
“If you ever have time, bring some of your girlfriends over here to have fun.”
Hu Yan smiled and nodded.
“Sure. I’ll come when I have the time.”
Lin Si invited them to sit down and had someone bring them drinks and sunflower seeds.
Chen Guangze got straight to the point.
“Linzi, I came here today because I need your help with something.”
Lin Si waved his hand casually.
“Come on, don’t be so formal with me. Tell me.”
Chen Guangze explained everything that had happened to his family.
“I sent those street thugs to the police station.
“I heard they’re working under someone named Zhou Ye.
“I’m not afraid of them myself, but there are elderly people and children at home. They can’t afford to be frightened.
“So I was wondering if you know him. Could you introduce me and help us settle this?”
Lin Si frowned, making his already intimidating face look even fiercer.
“I know him. Zhou Ye is pretty loyal to his people and has a bunch of brothers under him.
“They mainly help people transport goods around the bus station and railway station.
“He’s not some major figure.
“If you’re worried they’ll bother your family, I can get a few people to teach them a lesson. It’s nothing serious.”
Chen Guangze shook his head.
“There are elderly people and children at home. It’s better to settle things peacefully.
“You know I’m away from home most of the time. I can’t always look after them.
“I don’t want to take any risks.”
Lin Si teased him.
“Oh, look at you. A few years ago, you’d have been the first one shouting about beating someone up.
“You’ve really become more mature.”
Chen Guangze laughed and shook his head.
“I’m twenty-five now. I’m not some reckless kid anymore.”
“Right, right. I’ll arrange for you to meet him tonight. I doubt he’ll refuse.
“You two eat and drink for a while. I’ll make a call.”
There was a landline here.
Lin Si pulled out his phone book.
After flipping through several pages, he made a call.
Not long afterward, he returned.
“It’s settled. Seven o’clock.
“We’ve still got some time. Let’s sit here for a while, then head straight to the bus station.”
Chen Guangze relaxed.
“You have so many people coming and going here. What are you planning to do?”
Lin Si rubbed his crew cut, looking slightly embarrassed.
“Well, winter is only a month or two away.
“I was thinking about opening an ice-skating rink, so I bought some equipment.
“I didn’t have anywhere to store it, so I figured I’d put it in the backyard of the dance hall.”
Chen Guangze approved.
A lot of cities already had ice-skating rinks.
This might be the first one in their city.
Young people these days loved this kind of entertainment.
Chen Guangze patted him on the shoulder.
“That’s a great idea.
“I’m sure it’ll be a hit.”
Lin Si grinned.
“Thanks for the good luck. I’ll let you know when we open.”
“Sure. If I’m still in the city, I’ll definitely come support you.”
Lin Si glanced at his watch.
“It’s about time. Shall we go?”
Chen Guangze stood and reminded Hu Yan,
“Yan’er, you go back to the hospital. I’ll go meet this Zhou Ye.”
He turned to Lin Si.
“Linzi, if I’m not around and Sister-in-law needs anything, help her out.”
Lin Si patted his chest confidently.
“Of course. If Sister-in-law needs anything, I’ll help.
“Just point me in the right direction, and I’ll handle it.”
Chen Guangze laughed at his exaggerated confidence.
“Yan’er, you remember the way here, right?”
Hu Yan nodded.
“You two be careful.”
She then returned to the hospital.
By the time Chen Guangze and Lin Si arrived at the bus station, Zhou Ye was already waiting at a restaurant with several people.
When Zhou Ye saw Lin Si and Chen Guangze, he looked them over carefully.
Lin Si and Chen Guangze sat down across from him.
Zhou Ye wasn’t the type to put on airs and got straight to the point.
“Lin Si, I don’t think we’ve had much contact before. What’s this about today?”
Lin Si spoke leisurely.
“I’m here because of my brother.”
Zhou Ye looked at Chen Guangze suspiciously.
“And this is?”
“Chen Guangze. He does business in Shenzhen.”
Chen Guangze took the initiative to extend his hand.
“Sorry to bother you today. I’d like to have a talk with you.”
Zhou Ye didn’t shake his hand. Instead, he leaned back.
“Surname Chen? From Liushu Bay?”
He had assumed the Chen family were nothing more than a bunch of country folk.
He hadn’t expected them to have connections.
Lin Si was quite influential in the city.
That bitch Zhang Qiulian had lied to him.
Chen Guangze withdrew his hand, his expression still relaxed.
“I heard a few of your men entered my family’s yard a couple of days ago.
“They frightened the elderly and children in my family.”
Zhou Ye’s expression changed, and his voice turned harsh.
“Didn’t you send my people to the police station?”
Seeing Lin Si’s intimidating gaze, Zhou Ye swallowed the rest of his words.
“Boss Chen, this happened because I failed to discipline my men properly.
“How do you want to settle this?”
Chen Guangze slid his business card across the table.
“I heard you want to get into the home-appliance business but don’t have the connections.
“Coincidentally, I’m in the business of moving goods around, and I have connections for home appliances as well.
“I can supply you with merchandise.”
Chen Guangze looked Zhou Ye straight in the eye.
“Your men will be released soon.
“But from now on, none of your people are allowed to bother my family.
“The elderly are getting old, and the children are still young. They can’t afford to be frightened.”
Zhou Ye didn’t even look at the business card.
He stared at Chen Guangze for a long moment.
Lin Si drank his tea beside them without saying a word.
“Boss Chen, I like your straightforwardness.”
Zhou Ye smiled.
“This time, I was also in the wrong.
“For Lin Si’s sake and yours, I’ll give you this face.
“From now on, none of my people will set foot in Liushu Bay.”