Yang Lei knew that if it were Jiu Ge, Lao Liang, Er Hei, or any one of Fang Yuâs brothers for life, he would do the same. But he also knew that Fang Yu didnât want him to feel guilty and didnât want him to feel like he owed him.
Was Yang Lei someone who could let Fang Yu be cut for nothing? Would he not take revenge?
Although Yang Lei didnât say anything in front of Fang Yu, Fang Yu knew Yang Lei too well. Yang Lei would definitely take revenge.
âDonât torment yourself!â Fang Yu warned Yang Lei.
âYan Ge said that he would give you justice in this matter. Donât interfere. I drew the line and followed the rules. You canât seek revenge. You know the rules!â
Fang Yu was afraid that Yang Lei would impulsively find Huang Gou-zi to start trouble. With Yang Leiâs personality, he definitely wouldnât be able to bear it.
âThen your arm was stabbed through for nothing??â Yang Lei asked back.
âThose are two different matters! If you go and provoke Huang Gou-zi, and people from Lu City come again to fight you, can this matter end?â
Actually, this kind of revenge seeking among the gangdom was mutual revenge to begin with. Everyone knew that if they took revenge like that, there would definitely be no end, but they still had to take revenge. This was Jianghu. Before, Fang Yu had also done this. He would definitely take revenge and restore justice. If he didnât fight until one side was completely defeated and was laid flat, then it wasnât considered over. At that time, he had no worries or cares. He was fearless and invincible.
But now, Fang Yu wasnât willing to drag this matter on.
Yan Ziyi warned Yang Lei that he must let him personally resolve this matter.
âIf my brother is kidnapped and the brother has to fight for himself, do I still need to be around as the boss?â Yan Ziyi asked Yang Lei.
But if Yang Lei could let Fang Yu get stabbed twice for nothing, then that wouldnât be Yang Lei.
But before Yang Lei made a move, Huang Gou-zi already got into trouble.
Huang Gou-zi was fine, but he learned a little lesson. It was strange that later, it wasnât heard that Huang Gou-zi made any fanfare to look for revenge. It wasnât known what someone had over him. Huang Gou-zi habitually ambushed people, and he had in fact ambushed many people. Now, hearing that Huang Gou-zi was taken care of, they were all quite happy. There were people who said that it was Yan Ziyi who led people to avenge his subordinate. There were also people who said that it was Fang Yu who avenged his brotherâs kidnapping. There were even people who said that Dong Ge and Huang Gou-zi got into a fight. Of course, there were also those who said that it was another enemy. There were all kinds of speculation, but no one had evidence. Hang Gou-zi had offended many people. He would fall sooner or later, so later, no one discussed this matter.
Yang Lei had asked both Yan Ziyi and Fang Yu. No one answered him.
In the gangdom, many things were done not only for righteousness, but also for the streets to see and to frighten and prevent similar things from happening again. So after this matter, the people on Jianghaiâs streets made two observations: Firstly, donât touch Yan Ziyiâs people. Whoever touched them would not have a good life. Secondly, donât touch Fang Yuâs brothers for life. Whoever touched them would also not have a good life.
After Er Hei got married, Fang Yu brought Er Hei to the Grand Century Restaurant to help him. When his arm was healing, Er Hei helped to manage the restaurantâs affairs, and Fang Yu didnât need to be too busy. He and Yang Lei agreed on three rules. Fang Yu couldnât do impulsive and idiotic things again. Yang Lei also would change his impulsive temper. He wouldnât provoke trouble, unless other people gave him trouble.
One night, Yang Lei took Fang Yu for a drive and got to the large bridge on the river. As they smoked cigarettes, Yang Lei asked Fang Yu, âFang Yu, have you thought about what the two of us will be doing 20 years later?â
Fang Yu glanced at him.
âWhy did you think about asking this?â
âI just suddenly thought about it.â
When Yang Lei was young, he had thought about it. When he was young, he wanted to be a policeman when he grew up and catch bad guys. It was very cool. But reality and ideals were always opposites. Now he had grown up to become a bad guy, getting caught by the police.
âI havenât thought about it,â Fang Yu stopped for a moment and said.
âWhy havenât you thought about it? You havenât thought about what you would be like 20 years later?â
Yang Lei turned his head and looked at him.
âYou want me to tell the truth?â
âSay it.â
Fang Yu was silent for a moment.
âAt that time, I thought that I most likely wouldnât be able to live to that ageâŚâ
Fang Yu said. He smiled with self-mockery and took a puff of the cigaretteâŚ
After hearing these words, Yang Lei felt that something in his heart was scratched on by hard glass. He was that upset.
âDonât talk nonsense! Should you curse yourself like this?!â
Yang Lei was upset from hearing it!
âWhat is 20 years? Menaces remain for a thousand years!! Donât you know?â
âHahaâŚâ
Fang Yu smiled. His smile was very relaxed, with warm feelings.
âI wasnât afraid of death before. Now, Iâm cowardly. Iâm afraidâŚâ Fang Yu said.
When the arrogance, restlessness, and recklessness of youth gradually matured, they would slowly precipitate. In this process, there were people who paid a very large price, while others willingly changed for someone else.
During that time, while Yang Lei looked after Fang Yu, he worked for Yan Ziyiâs company. Before, he thought that all he had to do in the company was just listen to Da Ge and work for Da Ge. But now he thought that he should treat this work as a job, as a serious matter, and in the long term, as a career.
Before, he didnât need to think about the future and he didnât bother thinking about it. But now, he had a lot to think about. He wasnât thinking about one personâs future, but two peopleâs.
The weather became colder and colder. Ever since Yang Lei moved out of his house, he hadnât gone back. Yang Dahai had called him several times telling him to go back home. He wanted to discuss something with him, and Yang Lei knew what he wanted to discuss. He spoke a sentence to Yang Dahai: âI said before, Iâm not going. Donât waste your efforts. Give the spot to the right person as soon as possible. Donât be blind!â
Yang Lei was very determined about this matter. He was rethinking the paths that he should take from then on, but there was one thing. He couldnât leave Jianghai, and he couldnât leave Fang Yu. He wouldnât go anywhere.
One night, in Fang Yuâs eighth-floor house, someone knocked at the door. Fang Yu went over and freely opened the door. Then Fang Yu stood still.
âWho is it?â
Not hearing Fang Yuâs voice, Yang Lei walked out, puzzled.
ââŚâ
Yang Lei saw the serious and cold Yang Dahai standing at the door.
Dahai found out that Yang Lei was living here, so he came.
It wasnât hard to find out. Yang Dahai asked Chuan-zi. Chuan-zi had been with Yang Lei since they were in diapers. Yang Dahai knew him.
Yang Dahai saw Fang Yuâs face and recognized him. He had a strong impression of this young person with Jianghuâs air and aggressiveness. It was easy for one to remember Fang Yuâs outer appearance.
Yang Dahai furrowed his brow. He knew that Yang Lei was living with those âindecentâ gangsters outside. He hadnât thought that it was this little gangster that he had brought into the small building last time.
âHow did you find this place?â
Yang Leiâs face was stiff. He hadnât thought that Yang Dahai would actually find him here.
There wasnât any expression on Yang Dahaiâs authoritative yet not angry face.
Fang Yu reacted first. He let Yang Dahai into the house.
Yang Dahai stood in the middle of that small living room. He silently looked around the house a few times, and his gaze swept towards Fang Yu, then fell on the arm that was still tied with cloth.
Fang Yu had seen this gaze before. It was exactly the same as the gaze when Yang Dahai first saw him.
âWhy did you come here?â Yang Lei asked impatiently.
âI came to see what kind of place youâre living in and who youâre living with.â
âThen you see it now? Can you leave?â
âYang Lei!â
Fang Yu stopped Yang Lei. Yang Lei didnât speak.
Ever since Yang Dahai came in, this house seemed to be shrouded and weighed down by a heavy atmosphere. Yang Dahaiâs expression that was as cold and solemn as iron was out of place in this small house.
Among the three men, no one spoke.
Fang Yu poured a glass of tea and gave it to Yang Dahai. Yang Dahai glanced at him and accepted it. He didnât drink it and placed it on the table.
âWhat is your name?â
Yang Dahai looked at Fang Yu.
âFang Yu,â Fang Yu replied.
âFang Yu, I have some matters that I want to discuss with my son. If you donât mind, I would like you to first take leave for a moment.â
Yang Dahaiâs words were very polite, but his tone was cold and unaccepting of refusal.
That was the condescending tone that superiors habitually used.