Chapter 3

Chapter 3: The Unreliable Li Fugui

Inside the restaurant.

After the three of them sat down, Lao Mao ordered three dishes — two meat and one vegetable — along with a bottle of the cheapest baijiu, a half-jin bottle.

“Don’t hold back on my account, order a couple more dishes.” Qin Yu said politely, though not entirely sincerely.

“Forget it, you just got here and haven’t been paid yet, this is fine.” Lao Mao was a bit blunt, but clearly meant well. He rubbed his dry, cold palms together and looked up at Qin Yu. “I heard you came from the Pending Development Zone?”

“Yeah.” Qin Yu nodded.

“Rough over there, wasn’t it?”

“Not really that rough. People just get used to things,” Qin Yu smiled. “Once you adapt, everywhere’s pretty much the same.”

“True.”

“……”

All three of them were young, so there was no generation gap in conversation. Lao Mao and Qin Yu were both outgoing types who liked to joke around, so before long they were all pretty familiar with each other. During the conversation, Qin Yu noticed one detail — Qi Lin, whether in body language or tone of voice, was always somewhat flattering toward Lao Mao, keeping a very low profile overall.

Once the food and drinks arrived, Qin Yu raised his glass and said, “Sitting down together makes us friends. I’m new here, so let’s keep in touch and look out for each other going forward.”

“There’s nothing to look out for. These days, if you’ve got what it takes, you’ll eat well wherever you go — and if you don’t, no one can help you.” After that honest remark, Lao Mao raised his glass with a grin and added, “But keeping in touch is the right call. Just for the fact that you had the guts to stand up to Lao San and his crew, I’d call you a friend.”

“Heh,” Qin Yu smiled. “Bottoms up.”

“Bottoms up.”

“Bottoms up!”

The three raised their glasses and drank them dry.

“Come on, let me top you up.” Qi Lin wiped his mouth, grabbed the bottle, and started refilling Lao Mao’s glass. “Bro, that thing I mentioned to you last time — can you make it happen?”

Lao Mao rolled his eyes at that, and with his chopsticks pinching a tiny piece of beef, he said with a smirk, “You’re too slippery for your own good. Xiao Yu’s treating, and you’re here trying to get favors done — how did all the brains end up in your head?”

Qi Lin didn’t look embarrassed at all, just scratched his head. “It’s just… money’s tight, you know?”

“The hell, when has it ever not been tight for you?” Lao Mao ate as he frowned and continued. “Look, I asked around about your situation. There are no openings in the clerical division right now. If you want in, you’d need a miracle. And you don’t have the money for that either, so just wait a bit longer.”

Qin Yu was caught off guard and asked curiously, “Why are you so set on getting into the clerical division?”

“He’s just a coward.” Lao Mao said dismissively. “Last year the precinct filed a report — over a 6-month period, we lost thirty-five people on our side. Things are chaotic out there right now. He doesn’t feel safe in Unit One and wants to find something easier.”

“Ah, I see.” Qin Yu’s expression showed no particular surprise, because the public security situation here was practically paradise compared to the Pending Development Zone.

Lao Mao turned to look at Qi Lin, with a hint of contempt in his eyes. “Qi Lin, you need to understand something. The world has changed. If you don’t push yourself, don’t go all in, when are you ever going to turn things around? Say I got you into the clerical department — you’ve got no connections up top, so after a while won’t you just get squeezed out again? There’s a saying: the times make the hero. I won’t go far for an example — just look at Yuan Ke’s older brother. Before the Ninth Special Zone was established, what was he? Nothing. But when things got chaotic, he rose up. Now in the Black Street area, nobody dares mess with him. He’s taken six wives. Did he rely on anyone? Nobody, right?!”

“I could never compare myself to him.” Qi Lin grinned sheepishly. “I just want to get by without trouble, make enough to take care of my mom and my sister.”

“That’s the limit of your ambition.” Lao Mao replied, clearly frustrated. “I got you moved to Unit One thinking you’d find some opportunities and make something of yourself. Instead, you’re washing people’s socks and pouring their tea every day… No wonder people punch you around for fun when they’re bored. You don’t even have equal standing — what are you talking about, building connections? Is that how you make friends?”

Qi Lin lowered his head and said nothing.

“What a spineless personality. Your dad named you Qi Lin. And me, clearly this outstanding, and my mom named me Li Fuigui… I mean… where’s the justice in that.” Lao Mao shook his head and sighed.

“Alright, let’s drop that and talk about something else.” Qin Yu smoothed things over.

At that, Qi Lin stopped bringing up the transfer with Lao Mao. The three drank and chatted as time slipped by.

By nine in the evening, Qi Lin glanced down at a new message that had just come in and immediately said, “Something came up at home, I need to head out. See you guys tomorrow.”

“You’re not staying for another round?” Qin Yu asked.

“Can’t, I need to get back.”

“Let me walk you out then.”

“No need, I’ll go on my own.”

“Take care.”

“I’ll be fine.”

“…!”

After a brief exchange of pleasantries, Qi Lin grabbed his phone and hurried off, while Qin Yu stayed put with Lao Mao, who had no intention of leaving, and the two continued drinking.

“Lao Mao, we’re sitting here drinking together, that makes us friends,” Qin Yu said, his face slightly flushed. “Go a bit easier on Qi Lin from now on.”

“Am I scolding him? I’m trying to wake him up!” Lao Mao tapped the table with intensity and said bluntly, “If a person stays on his knees long enough, he forgets how to stand. You get what I mean?”

Qin Yu heard that and fell into thought, nodding without realizing it.

“In the whole precinct, he’s my only friend. I get anxious watching him go nowhere.” Lao Mao shook his head and let it go. “Forget it, enough about him. I’ve got something to take care of.”

“What is it?” Qin Yu looked puzzled.

“I was watching that girl over there earlier, and she doesn’t seem to be with those four guys romantically.” Lao Mao blinked and lowered his voice. “I think it’s time to make a move.”

Qin Yu was a little lost. “Which girl?”

“The hell, how are you so oblivious? The one who got out of the car at the entrance just now.” Lao Mao grinned. “She’s stunning — one look at her and I was already worked up three times over. Hey, doesn’t she remind you of that actress from back in the day, Jun Ji-hyun… tall, long legs.”

Qin Yu broke into a sweat. “Buddy, rein it in. Things aren’t like before, it’s messy out there…”

“It’s fine, it’s fine, let me go try my luck!” Lao Mao rubbed his hands together, stood up with a sleazy swagger, and headed straight for the table near the window.

……

Outside.

Qi Lin stood by the roadside, took two hard drags on his e-cigarette, and after a long internal debate, pulled out his phone to call Qin Yu. But as his thumb hovered over the screen, he remembered that Qin Yu’s new phone hadn’t been connected to the comm system yet, so he pulled up Lao Mao’s number instead.

……

Inside the restaurant.

Lao Mao smoothed down his side-parted hair, walked over to the table by the window, and smiled at the girl. “Hey there, hi, are you out for dinner with family?”

The girl had been repeatedly glancing out the window. When Lao Mao called out to her, she turned back with a puzzled look. “Do you… need something?”

“Well, heh, I’m a producer for a TV station’s anchor talent show. We’re holding open auditions — would you be interested in hearing more?” Lao Mao said with a completely straight face.

As he finished speaking, the short middle-aged man sitting across from her gave his companion a strange look and asked in Japanese, “納品のですか (Is this the handoff)?”

His companion glanced at Lao Mao and frowned slightly. “隠語ではない (He’s not using code words).”

While the two were talking, the girl had already snapped back to attention and turned to Lao Mao with an enthusiastic smile. “Is it really a TV station? What a coincidence — I’m actually studying to be a host.”

Lao Mao hadn’t expected her to play along so naturally, and his eyes lit up immediately. “That’s perfect then. Can I get your contact info? Leave me your number and we can connect privately sometime.”

As he spoke, he had already pulled out a phone he’d had ready and handed it to the girl. This was his personal phone, not the one the precinct had required him to purchase.

The girl took the phone and lowered her head to enter her number.

“Smack!”

The short middle-aged man stood up and grabbed the girl by the arm, frowning slightly. “Give it back to him. Eat.”

“Uncle, I’m actually interested.” The girl smiled and looked up.

“I’m telling you to give the phone back.” The short man repeated himself.

Lao Mao tilted his head and sized him up, then smiled pleasantly. “I really am from the TV station. No need to be tense, I don’t have any bad intentions.”

The girl hesitated for a moment, then handed the phone back to Lao Mao and said with a smile, “Then never mind, sorry about that.”

Lao Mao had been overjoyed at how cooperative the girl was, but then this clueless “goblin” had barged in and ruined everything. He was furious and opened his mouth to try one more time.

“It’s fine, thank you.” The girl said firmly.

Lao Mao paused, stared at her for a couple of seconds, then grinned back. “Alright then, no worries. Sorry to have bothered you.”

……

One minute later.

Lao Mao slouched back into the seat across from Qin Yu, with a strange look on his face.

“Shot you down, huh? Heh.” Qin Yu said, chopsticks in hand.

Lao Mao blinked a few times and kicked Qin Yu under the table. “Look down.”

Qin Yu was caught off guard and glanced under the table. Lao Mao held his phone in his right hand and said in a very low voice, “Look at the screen.”

Qin Yu looked over and saw “959595” entered on the phone’s dialing screen.

“What does that mean?” Qin Yu was confused.

Lao Mao rubbed his face with his left hand and lowered his head. “Damn it… we’ve walked into something.”

“You mean…?”

“Those four guys and that girl are definitely not together — she just kicked me under the table.” Lao Mao pocketed the phone and took a sip of his drink. “I can’t tell what their angle is… but something’s definitely off. That girl is asking us to save her.”

Over at the table by the window, the short man glanced at his watch and said to his companion in a cold, low voice, “That person who came over just now — was it a coincidence or a probe?”

“Hard to say.” His companion shook his head.

“Looked pretty clueless.” The short man’s eyes shifted to Lao Mao with a hint of unease. “Time’s up. We’re not waiting anymore. Let’s go.”

“Agreed.” His companion nodded, then turned to the girl with an icy tone. “Don’t try anything. Come with us.”

Tiny beads of sweat formed on the girl’s pale forehead. She stole a glance at Lao Mao, then nodded in response.

Nearby.

Lao Mao rubbed his cheek with growing agitation and whispered to Qin Yu, “What do we do — are we getting involved or not?”

“Screech!”

At that very moment, a fully electric car pulled up in front of the restaurant.