Chapter 10 Ah Gui Has Arrived
Fang Che blinked his peach blossom eyes, which seemed to look at everyone with deep affection, and muttered to himself, "Why are you sighing? Does your wound hurt? Or do you think I talk too much? That shouldn't be the case, this is genuine brotherly affection."
He then thought that perhaps the big shot was just shy and embarrassed to accept such direct admiration.
Yes, that's definitely the case; they need to give him a way out.
Fang Che cleared his throat and continued enthusiastically in his Northeastern accent: "Brother Li, don't be shy! I know you Hong Kong people value subtlety. It's okay, we brothers don't stand on ceremony! From now on, wherever you point, I'll go! Although I'm not in the best of health right now, I still have my brain! The Portland Street plan I mentioned earlier is just an appetizer. Once I've properly planned it, I'll guarantee you'll become a business tycoon!"
Li Hanzhou's closed eyelids twitched slightly.
He felt the gunshot wound in his right abdomen throbbing in his temple.
This piece of wood... A feeling of helplessness mixed with novelty welled up in Li Hanzhou's heart once again.
Although he was only twenty-two years old, he had been navigating the underworld for many years, witnessing countless schemes, plots, and hypocritical flattery, but he had never encountered such a...unique individual before.
Despite having a pitiful face, he possesses a Northeastern soul capable of roaring out "brotherly love" with the aura of a mountain king, along with his mystical "premonitions" and shamanistic real estate practices...
Doubts remain.
The fire in the mourning hall and Jiang Tianqi's words made him unable to feel completely at ease.
But while she was unconscious, the warm body that pressed against her, the anxious and concerned Northeastern accent... that pure protection felt so real.
Two emotions tugged at his heartstrings, ultimately turning into a sigh he could only swallow.
He opened his eyes, his gaze now calm, but his voice was hoarse from blood loss: "Save your energy, wait for news from Ah Gui."
"Okay!" Fang Che smiled immediately when he saw that the big boss was willing to talk to him, feeling that their relationship had taken another step closer.
He shifted his body, trying to find a more comfortable position, but forgot about his swollen ankle; with the movement—
"Ouch!" he cried out in pain, his body tilting to one side, his head almost hitting the frozen fish next to him.
Li Hanzhou instinctively reached out and quickly grabbed his arm to steady him.
The movement aggravated his wound, causing Li Hanzhou to frown and break out in a cold sweat.
"Thank you, Brother Li!" Fang Che was still in shock. Seeing Li Hanzhou's face turn even paler, he felt extremely guilty. "I'm so sorry! I've troubled you again! My broken foot..."
He looked down at his uncooperative ankle, his face full of worry.
Li Hanzhou released his grip, closed his eyes for a few seconds to recover from the pain, and then said calmly, "Behave yourself, that's what I'm doing."
"Okay." Fang Che became obedient, shrinking into the corner and only secretly glancing at Li Hanzhou.
The more I look at him, the more I realize that this guy is cold on the outside but warm on the inside. This guy is someone I can get along with!
Time passed slowly amidst hunger and pain.
Fang Che's stomach rumbled loudly in the silence.
He awkwardly clutched his stomach, longing for the large kidneys and grilled bread slices from the barbecue stalls in Northeast China.
Just as he was starving and considering whether to eat some frozen ribbonfish, a rhythmic knocking came from outside the warehouse—three short knocks followed by one long one, repeated twice.
Li Hanzhou suddenly opened his eyes, his gaze sharp, and reached for a piece of broken wood beside him.
Fang Che also tensed up and held his breath.
After a moment of silence outside the door, a hushed voice came from outside: "Brother Li? It's me, Ah Gui!"
It's Ah Gui! Fang Che's eyes lit up as he looked at Li Hanzhou.
Li Hanzhou nodded slightly.
“Brother Gui! It’s us!” Fang Che quickly responded in a low voice.
The door was carefully pushed open, and Ah Gui slipped in before quickly closing the door.
His face was covered in sweat and abrasions, his clothes were stained with dust and blood, but his eyes remained fierce.
He first looked at Li Hanzhou, and seeing his pale face and the bandage on his abdomen, his pupils contracted, and he quickly stepped forward: "Brother Li! Your injury..."
"I won't die." Li Hanzhou interrupted him. "How's it outside?"
"The tail has been cleared out, it's safe for now. The gang is also stable, those old guys don't dare to make a move." Ah Gui quickly finished reporting before looking at Fang Che in the corner, his brows furrowed. "If we hadn't run into that Northeasterner named Cheng Tieniu at the dock, and heard him shouting about looking for 'Brother Che' and 'Boss Li,' we really wouldn't have found this place! You kid..."
He didn't finish his sentence, but the disdain in his eyes was obvious: It's all your fault, you jinx!
Fang Che shrank back, but upon hearing Cheng Tie Niu's name, he couldn't help but ask, "Is Tie Niu alright?"
"Hmph, he's perfectly fine!" Ah Gui said irritably. "He's as strong as an ox, and he insisted that I bring this package, saying you guys would need it."
He threw a package of oil paper in front of Fang Che.
The oil paper package unfolded, revealing several still-warm char siu buns and a bottle of liniment for bruises.
The aroma of the meat was so enticing that Fang Che was almost moved to tears.
Ignoring Ah Gui's gaze, he grabbed a steamed bun and handed it to Li Hanzhou: "Brother Li, have some first!"
The movements were practiced and natural, as if it were a matter of course.
Li Hanzhou silently accepted it.
Ah Gui watched from the side with a complicated expression.
Brother Li actually accepted it? And he even ate it?
He had never seen Brother Li accept food from others like this, especially from this kid of unknown origin!
Seeing that Li Hanzhou had accepted the bun, Fang Che grabbed another one and wolfed it down, saying indistinctly to A Gui as he ate, "Brother Gui, you should eat too! Don't be shy!"
Agui: "..."
Who's being polite with you! I clearly brought this!
He watched Fang Che's utterly unseemly eating habits, then looked at Li Hanzhou's slow and deliberate yet undeniably satisfying meal, and a lump formed in his throat, refusing to come up or go down.
After hesitating for a long time, she finally resigned herself to her fate, picked up the last bun, and took a vicious bite, as if she were biting into Fang Che's flesh.
What exactly does Brother Li see in this kid?! Ah Gui thought angrily as he chewed, "Besides that face... could it be that Brother Li really..."
He dared not think any further; even the steamed bun in his hand suddenly tasted bland.
After finishing the steamed buns, Li Hanzhou regained some strength and asked A-Gui, "Is everything arranged?"
"Yes, the car is outside, the place is safe. Uncle Chen has also notified them," A-Gui said seriously.
"Let's go," Li Hanzhou said briefly, trying to stand up, but his body swayed due to his wound.
"Brother Li!" Fang Che and A Gui called out at the same time.
Ah Gui rushed to help first.
But Li Hanzhou's gaze passed over him and landed on Fang Che: "You, come here."
Fang Che was taken aback: "Me?"
Ah Gui was also stunned: "Brother Li, let me help you..."
"He'll take responsibility for the trouble he caused," Li Hanzhou said calmly but firmly.
Upon hearing this, Fang Che saw it as an opportunity to make amends. He immediately forgot his foot pain, hopped over on one foot, and put Li Hanzhou's arm on his shoulder. Although his leg was trembling from the weight, he still forced himself to say, "No problem, Brother Li! I've got it covered!"
Li Hanzhou leaned most of his weight on Fang Che, and as he watched the boy grit his teeth and persevere, a barely perceptible tenderness flashed in his eyes.
Ah Gui stared in disbelief, his hand still frozen in mid-air.
He watched as Fang Che shakily carried Li Hanzhou toward the door, and Li Hanzhou actually cooperated like that?
What's wrong with this world?
"Brother Gui! Open the door!" Fang Che shouted with difficulty.
Ah Gui snapped out of his daze, suppressed his many questions, and opened the door with a dark expression.
It was already dark outside, the back alley was empty, and a black sedan was parked in the shadows.
Fang Che struggled to help Li Hanzhou to the car.
Ah Gui opened the car door and watched Fang Che clumsily shove Li Hanzhou into the back seat, his heart pounding with fear.
After settling Li Hanzhou in, Fang Che was exhausted. Just as he was about to get into the back seat, A Gui pressed down on the car door: "You, sit in the front."
"Why?" Fang Che asked, puzzled.
Ah Gui glared at him: "Brother Li needs to rest, you're making too much noise in the back!"
Fang Che thought about it and felt it made sense, so he obediently got into the passenger seat.
Ah Gui closed the car door and started the car.
The car drove out of the back alley and merged into the traffic flow of Kowloon at night.
In the back seat, Li Hanzhou closed his eyes to rest.
In the front seat, Fang Che looked out at the neon lights, with Ah Gui beside him and the future big boss behind him, feeling a surge of pride.
He lowered his voice and excitedly said to Ah Gui, "Brother Gui, look how awesome this night view is! Once Brother Li recovers, we brothers will join forces and definitely conquer a whole new world!"
Ah Gui gripped the steering wheel, glanced at Li Hanzhou in the rearview mirror, and squeezed out a word through gritted teeth: "...Hmm."
He was afraid that if he said too much, he wouldn't be able to resist throwing the kid off the car.
Fang Che, however, took it as approval and became even happier, continuing his imagining: "When the time comes, Brother Li will be in charge, you'll be the vanguard, and I'll be the strategist! We'll be one of the strategist and the other the warrior..."
Ah Gui's lips twitched.
Strategist? You?
He slammed on the gas pedal.
The car accelerated into the night.
In the back seat, Li Hanzhou's lips seemed to curve slightly.
This piece of wood from Northeast China might just bring a little ripple to his silent world.
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