Interested in Chapter 42?
"Mr. Lu, you're too kind." Fang Che picked up his lemon tea and finally took a sip. "I just want everyone to have food to eat and books to read, nothing else."
"I wasn't thinking about anything else, which makes it even more precious." Lu Che leaned back in his chair, his gaze falling on Fang Che's bandaged left shoulder. "How's the injury?"
"Almost done."
"That's good." Lu Che took out a small tin box from his pocket and pushed it over. "This is some medicine for sprains and bruises from my hometown. It works quite well. You should try it."
Fang Che looked at the unlabeled metal box but didn't take it.
"No need, Uncle Chen's medicine is quite good."
"Take it, consider it a small token of my appreciation as a fellow villager." Lu Che insisted, "Besides, I haven't thanked you yet for asking about Fatty Cong for me."
Fang Che's heart skipped a beat.
How did Lu Che know he was asking about Fatty Cong? Had Xi Rong's people been discovered?
"Mr. Lu, you're quick with your news," he said tentatively.
"In the world of martial arts, you can't get by without some eyes and ears," Lu Che smiled. "But don't worry, Brother Fang, I'll remember your help. If you ever need any help in the future, just let me know."
These words sounded like polite formalities, but Fang Che sensed something else in them…
Lu Che knew that he was investigating him, but he didn't mind and was even willing to "keep in touch".
An undercover police officer wants to "associate" with members of the mob?
This is unusual.
"Mr. Lu, you're too kind." Fang Che put away the tin box. "I'll take the medicine. As for helping out... I'll listen to Brother Li."
He stood up: "I have something to do at the shop, I'll be going now."
"Brother Fang," Lu Che called out to him.
Fang Che turned around.
Lu Che looked into his eyes and said seriously, "Be careful of Zhou Wenxuan. He... is not simple."
Fang Che felt a chill run down his spine.
Did Lu Che know that Zhou Wenxuan was a policeman? Or were there differences within the police force?
"Thanks for the reminder." Fang Che nodded and turned to go downstairs.
As he walked out of the tea restaurant, he felt a gaze following him from behind.
Lu Che stood by the window, watching Fang Che's figure disappear into the crowd on Temple Street, his eyes somewhat heavy.
This Fang Che is more difficult to deal with than he expected.
Intelligent, vigilant, and possessing an almost intuitive sensitivity...
It was as if they could see right through him.
But the more this was the case, the more interesting Lu Che found it...
He recalled Fang Che's decisiveness in seizing the steel pipe, the way he protected the children, and the light in his eyes when he talked about running the school.
This young man in the gang was unlike any of the gangsters he had ever met before.
"Fang Che..." Lu Che murmured to himself, "Who exactly are you?"
---
When Fang Che returned to the base, it was already completely dark.
Li Hanzhou sat in the front hall, with the letter of intent for investment left by Zhou Wenxuan spread out in front of him.
Ah Gui stood to the side, his expression serious.
"Brother Li." Fang Che approached.
Li Hanzhou looked up: "Are you alright?"
"It's nothing, I just did some exercise." Fang Che recounted what happened on Temple Street, including his encounter with Lu Che.
Hearing Lu Che give him medicine for bruises and remind him to be careful of Zhou Wenxuan, Li Hanzhou's eyebrows twitched slightly.
"What do you think?" he asked.
Fang Che thought for a moment: "Lu Che and Zhou Wenxuan might not be on the same side. Zhou Wenxuan seems to be directly sent from above, while Lu Che is more like someone who sneaked in from below. Moreover, Lu Che is testing me, trying to pull me closer."
"Why are you being pulled?" Ah Gui asked.
“Perhaps…” Fang Che paused, “...they want me to be their informant? Or, to get close to Brother Li through me?”
Li Hanzhou paused for a moment, then picked up the letter of intent.
"Uncle Chen checked Zhou Wenxuan's identity. He is indeed a policeman, from the Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC), specializing in commercial crimes and money laundering. He's probably here because of Jiang Tianqi."
"Then why are you looking for us?" Fang Che asked, puzzled.
“Some of the money from Jiang Tianqi’s drug business was laundered through the legitimate business of Heyitang,” Li Hanzhou said coldly. “The casinos and nightclubs on the streets that Ma Wang manages have shares in Dongsheng Society.”
Fang Che took a breath.
"So Ma Wang wasn't just a mole, he also helped Jiang Tianqi launder money?"
“Yes.” Li Hanzhou put the letter of intent back on the table. “Zhou Wenxuan wants to cooperate, to get evidence of Ma Wang’s money laundering, and to cut off Jiang Tianqi’s source of income. But Jiang Tianqi has people in the police force, so he doesn’t dare to do it openly and can only make contact privately.”
"What about Lu Che?"
“Lu Che…” Li Hanzhou tapped his fingers lightly on the table, “He might be Zhou Wenxuan’s partner, or he might be on the other side. Things aren’t peaceful in the police force either.”
Fang Che felt his head was heavy.
This water is too deep.
Not content with internal gang warfare, the police also got involved, and factions emerged.
"Brother Li, what do we do?"
“Let’s play along,” Li Hanzhou said. “Zhou Wenxuan wants to cooperate, fine. But we have conditions! First, the police must guarantee that Heyitang will not be implicated when they take action against Jiang Tianqi. Second, Ma Wang will be handed over to the police, but we will take half of Dongsheng Society’s territory. Third…”
He looked at Fang Che: "The police must provide you with legal permits and protection for running your school."
Fang Che was taken aback.
Is Brother Li trying to... advocate for him?
"Brother Li, I..."
"Didn't you want to start a school?" Li Hanzhou asked calmly. "With the police's backing, no one will dare to cause trouble in the future. Those children can also get legitimate identities, go to school, and work in the future, without having to stay in the underworld anymore."
Fang Che felt a slight ache in the tip of his nose.
Brother Li even thought of these things for him.
"Thank you, Brother Li." His voice was a little hoarse.
"Don't thank me yet." Li Hanzhou stood up. "I'll talk to Zhou Wenxuan. You take these few days to recover from your injuries and sort things out with 'Chefeng Express' and the academy. As for Lu Che..."
He paused for a moment: "Keep your distance, don't make things too serious. Let's see what he's up to."
"clear."
Li Hanzhou walked out of the front hall, and A Gui followed him.
Fang Che sat alone, looking at the letter of intent, his mind in turmoil.
The plan to establish a school was progressing, but at the cost of getting embroiled in even more complex struggles.
Ma Wang, Jiang Tianqi, Zhou Wenxuan, Lu Che... these people are like a net, entangled him and Brother Li more and more tightly.
But when he thought about how those children could go to school and have a future, he felt it was all worthwhile.
"Brother Che!" Xi Rong ran in, her face beaming with excitement. "The kids fixed the tricycle! A-Ming even said he learned how to patch a tire today!"
Fang Che smiled.
"Let's go take a look."
He stood up, his left shoulder still throbbing with pain, but the fire in his heart burned even brighter.
No matter how difficult the road ahead, he is determined to lead these children and forge a path forward.
And Brother Li...
He looked in the direction Li Hanzhou had left.
He would protect this person with his life.
Just like how Brother Li protected him.
As night deepened, the neon lights on Portland Street gradually illuminated.
In the backyard, five red tricycles were lined up neatly, and children gathered around them, discussing tomorrow's route.
In an abandoned classroom on Temple Street, Xi Rong and several girls were cleaning. The first lesson had already been written on the blackboard: their own names.
Inside the stronghold, Li Hanzhou gazed at the night outside the window, stroking a black tattoo needle in his hand.
At the Peninsula Hotel, Zhou Wenxuan stood by the window making a phone call: "I've made contact... Fang Che is more difficult to deal with than described in the files, but Li Hanzhou values him highly. This is the breakthrough point."
At Xinglong Hotel, Lu Che looked at the photo of Fang Che that he had secretly taken on the table, his fingers gently tracing the boy's smiling profile.
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