Chapter 363 - 238: The First Big Ship

Chapter 363: Chapter 238: The First Big Ship

Big Wang and Old Zheng left, and Zhao Wendong didn’t ask them to stay. They were more like business partners. Little Shanghai, however, was different. He was one of Dongzi’s good brothers and had to stay for dinner. But with a large family at home, it would have been awkward for them to eat there, so Zhao Wendong had the food sent over to Third Master Zhao’s house instead. The three brothers would eat here with the two old men.

Zhao Tiehua and Wei Laishun went to Zhao Wendong’s house. They knew Zhao Wendong and the others had things to talk about, so they left them their space.

Little Shanghai entered the house and first greeted the two old men. Then he plopped down into a chair. His eyes went wide as he stared at the table laden with food.

"Dongzi, the food at your place is amazing! I didn’t even eat this well when I went back to Shanghai for the New Year."

"Don’t be ridiculous. You eat much better in Shanghai for the New Year than we do."

"No, seriously! For New Year’s, my family just had one yellow croaker and half a chicken. But look at you guys! You’ve got fish, you’ve got meat, and so many other dishes. Damn, I really wish I could have spent the New Year at your place."

Liangzi nodded as well. "Let me tell you, Little Shanghai, right now, Brother Dong’s family is the only one in the whole county with food like this. No one else would dare claim they could afford it, you know?"

"Cut the crap. Come on, Little Shanghai, you don’t know who this is, do you? This is Grandmaster Ai, Little Bastard’s maternal grandfather. And he’s my maternal grandfather, too."

Hearing this, Little Shanghai was startled. He quickly and politely stood up again to properly greet the old master.

"Hello, Grandmaster Ai. I’m Little Shanghai. I just got back. I met Brother Ai in Shanghai."

Grandmaster Ai was already so emotional that his hands were trembling. He nodded repeatedly, waiting to hear more about Little Bastard from Little Shanghai.

"Come on, let’s eat and talk. There are no outsiders here now, so you can say whatever’s on your mind."

Zhao Wendong urged everyone to start eating, and Liangzi hurried to pour wine for them all.

The five of them clinked their glasses and downed a mouthful of wine. Little Shanghai picked up a few pieces of meat with his chopsticks, then slowly began to recount his meeting with Little Bastard.

"Damn. I was coming home that day, it was already evening, when a disheveled guy on the roadside who looked like a beggar suddenly approached me. It scared the hell out of me—I thought I was getting robbed. Just as I was about to call for help, I heard him ask in a low voice if I knew Zhao Wendong."

"I was stunned. I never imagined someone in Shanghai would ask me that question. After he confirmed my identity, he told me who he was. I had met Brother Ai a few times before, but I didn’t recognize him at all looking like that."

"When I heard that you, Dongzi, had arranged for him to find me and that I was supposed to arrange for him to go to Min Nan, I agreed without a second thought. I offered to let him stay at my place, but he refused. He said he didn’t want anyone to know about our connection. I could only get him some food. He wouldn’t even take any clothes I got for him. He left on the third day, headed for Min Nan."

"Before he left, he asked me to give you a message."

Little Shanghai paused after speaking and took another bite of fish, as if recalling the moment.

"He said for you, Dongzi, to take good care of his grandfather. He said he never expected to get out of the region alive, much less actually make it to Min Nan. He said to thank you, Dongzi, for the arrangements, and that he’ll follow your instructions to settle down properly in Hong Kong. Once he’s settled, he’ll write to you. Finally, he asked me to give Grandmaster Ai a message."

By now, Grandmaster Ai was already weeping uncontrollably. After so many days, he was finally hearing news of his grandson again. How could he possibly hold it in? Little Shanghai waited for him to calm down a bit before continuing.

"Brother Ai wanted me to tell you, Grandmaster, to listen to Dongzi, take good care of your health, and wait for him to come back and see you."

"Yes, yes... I’ll listen to Dongzi and take care of myself. I’ll wait for my grandson to come back."

Grandmaster Ai’s white beard trembled as he nodded his head over and over.

"Grandmaster, listen to me, please don’t cry. Isn’t this a good thing? You should be smiling!"

"Yes, yes. I’ll smile."

Grandmaster Ai wiped his tears and forced a smile.

Third Master Zhao raised his glass. "Come, Little Brother Ai, congratulations!"

"Yes, wonderful!"

Everyone raised their glasses together, toasting to Grandmaster Ai and to Little Bastard.

「Meanwhile, on a street in Hong Kong...」

A group of thugs, led by a short but exceptionally fierce man, were chasing and hacking at another group, scattering their opponents completely. Suddenly, the leader sneezed a few times. An underling beside him immediately asked with concern, "Brother Feihu, are you okay?"

Ai Zhongguo, now going by the alias Zhao Feihu, shook his head, a faint smile on his face. ’My good brother and my grandfather must be thinking about me. But things have been busy lately. I’ll write to them after I clean up this area.’

He raised his machete again and roared at the underlings behind him, "Hack those bastards to death! They dare to defy Chief Chief Lü? From now on, this territory belongs to us, the 14K!"

"Yes, sir!"

His men, their blood boiling, roared in response. Led by the newly emerged Brother Feihu, they howled as they charged after their opponents once more.