Chapter Twenty-Nine: Someone Wants to Kill Me

In the middle of the night, thirst woke me. I wanted to call Wang Hui to get me a glass of water, but when I reached beside me, the space was empty. I knew she was being shy, afraid someone might discover a young girl lying with an old bachelor like me. Groggy, I got up, fumbled for a cup, and, without caring how many days the water had been sitting there, gulped it down.

Outside, Da Guang called, "Bro Kuan, shall we go? If you don't leave, I will. My mom's worried—I can't stay away from home." I muttered, "Your mom worries about you, and my father doesn't worry about me," dressed and opened the door. "Why all the fuss? Can't you see I was enjoying myself inside?" Not believing me, Da Guang craned his neck, peering around. "Where, where?"

I walked over, grabbed his collar, and pulled him outside. "Stop looking around. I was fooling you; it's not so easy to enjoy such things."

Da Guang yawned. "Probably not so quick anyway... Let's go home, there's a warm bed waiting."

Walking down the road, I asked, "Have you heard anything from Zheng Kui?"

Da Guang replied lazily, "If you haven't, how would I? He's a beast, roaming the underworld as a hitman."

A hitman? That sounds about right; maybe he's really doing that out there...

Suddenly, my vision blurred. I seemed to see a shadow flicker past—Zheng Kui, struck down in a deep alley. A chill ran through me, and I grabbed Da Guang's arm. "I have a feeling something's going to happen tonight."

Da Guang steadied me. "Haha, you're just tired, Bro Kuan... Don't let your thoughts run wild. What could happen? Come on, let's go."

But the feeling only grew stronger. My feet barely moved, and my ears were filled with the sound of blades and swords clashing.

I stopped. "Da Guang, listen—what is that sound?"

Perplexed, Da Guang turned his head every which way. "I don't hear anything. Where's any sound? Let me check." He left me, heading toward the parked cars, where a few workers were washing vehicles under the dim lights.

Da Guang shouted, "Why so much noise just washing a car?" He turned back toward me.

I lit a cigarette and leaned against the wall... No, something was wrong! There was really a sound! It was coming from behind me! Without turning my head, I dove forward, rolled on the ground, and hid behind a garbage bin.

A thin man rushed at me, wielding a cleaver-sized knife. Behind him, another man called out, voice suppressed, "Don't go over, be careful, he might have a gun!" The thin man stopped abruptly, like a rabbit in a cartoon slamming on the brakes.

The other man, holding a black, bulky object in both hands, rushed to the tree by the garbage bin, circled it swiftly. "Fast runner! Zhang Kuan, where the hell are you hiding?"

A gunshot rang out, followed by Da Guang's thunderous voice, "Come on, then!" The gunman seemed hit, staggered, and tried to lift his weapon toward Da Guang. The gun didn't fire; he seemed too weak to pull the trigger. The knife-wielding man leapt over and pushed him to the roadside. Only then did I notice a silver-gray minivan parked there.

Unarmed, I dared not expose myself. I shouted to Da Guang, who was aiming at the van, "Aim for the front!" Da Guang charged forward, frantically working the shotgun, letting out anxious cries. I knew the gun was jammed, wanted to warn him to take cover, but a flash burst from the van, and Da Guang fell instantly. The van hurtled into the dark night.

I jumped out, grabbed Da Guang's five-shot hunting rifle, and fired several rounds at the fleeing van, but nothing happened. Disheartened, I dropped the gun and grabbed Da Guang, lying on the ground. "Where are you hurt?"

Da Guang rolled up, "I'm fine, just a shot in the arm. Damn it, must be Little Bastard's men!"

"Bro Kuan, what happened?!" Jin Long appeared out of nowhere. "Who fired? Oh! Da Guang, what's wrong?"

"Why are you here?" I yanked him aside. "You weren't following me, were you?"

"What are you saying, Bro Kuan?" Jin Long's brows furrowed like a garlic bulb. "Why would I follow you? I was washing cars!"

"Such coincidence? Someone tries to kill me and you're washing cars right here?"

"When will you stop suspecting people for no reason?" Jin Long got angry, threw down his windshield wiper. "Forget it! Da Guang, how are you?"

"It's nothing," Da Guang pulled open his shirt, dug out a bullet from his shoulder. "Pretty advanced equipment, a 64... Bro Kuan, are you okay?"

"I'm fine," I shoved Jin Long, "I don't suspect you anymore! Go chase them... No, forget it, they were prepared."

"So what if they were prepared? Watch me!" Jin Long ran to the parked cars, jumped on a motorcycle, and sped over. "Wait here!"

"Silver minivan! Headed south!" I called after him, wondering if he was involved. No, if he were, this would be unnecessary.

"The one who shot me was injured too, I think I hit his leg..." Da Guang gritted his teeth. "I wasn't ruthless enough; should've aimed at his head."

"Forget it," I helped Da Guang press his wound, glanced outside. "Hopefully Jin Long catches one."

"You still trust him? He's just gloating," Da Guang groaned. "Damn, if I hadn't turned, I'd be dead; they're ruthless."

A few car washers ran over, craning their necks, muttering, "What's that sound? Tire blew?"

Da Guang turned his wounded arm away from them, glared, "Get moving! A lion escaped from the park, cops are catching it. Watch out, you might get shot."

They believed him, and all rushed to the street. "Where is it, where? Nothing here... What's that smell? Who set off firecrackers?"

I pulled Da Guang into a shadow, used a handkerchief to staunch his bleeding. "Did you see who shot at you?"

Da Guang bit his teeth. "No, but his accent was Northeastern. I suspect it's Little Bastard's men; he's always been watching you."

That was certain; even in Jinan he never stopped. I said, "I know. Need to go to the hospital?"

Da Guang pressed his wound. "No, do you have iodine at home?"

I thought for a moment. "I think so. Lai Shun gets bumps all the time; we shouldn't be short of that. Can you hold out a bit longer? Wait for Jin Long."

Da Guang grimaced. "Wait for him? No way! Can't let him see me like this... Damn Little Bastard, that bastard, I won't let him get away."

We squatted, smoked for a while. I tugged Da Guang, still gritting his teeth. "Let's go. If Jin Long gets shot, that would be a real mess." Just as we stepped out of the shadows, Jin Long's motorcycle rushed in. "Damn, they ran fast, gone in a blink... Da Guang, are you hurt bad?"

Da Guang patted his arm. "If it was bad, I'd have gone to the hospital. Where did you lose them?"

Jin Long said, "It was a silver-gray minivan, right? At the intersection of Jianguo Road and Yongding Road, it darted into an alley. I chased after, they fired at me, so I ditched the motorcycle and charged in. By the time I got in, the van was gone. I fired into the dark and left quickly—afraid there were more waiting, I couldn't handle them alone. Went back around to check; a crowd was at the alley mouth, talking about shots fired. I didn't dare go close, so I returned... Who were they? Could it be Guan Kai?"

"No, Guan Kai's long been inside," I said deliberately. "He couldn't possibly direct anything from there, what do you think?"

"Jia Guan!" Li Junhai slapped his thigh. "I didn't realize—they ran toward Jianguo Road, Jia Guan just bought a house nearby!"

"No way," I continued pretending. "Definitely not Jia Guan's people, they wouldn't be so stupid as to run there after."

"Then who? Any other enemies?" Jin Long scratched his head, "Rotten Wood? Feng San? Zaka? None of them, right..."

"All possible," I suppressed a smile, patted Jin Long's shoulder. "Go on, I'll take Da Guang to get his wound dressed."

"I'll take you; I won't be at ease if you go alone." Jin Long turned his motorcycle around. "Get on, which hospital?"

I started toward home. "No hospital, we're going back—otherwise, the old folks will worry. You go home and sleep, too; it's late, watch out for thunder."

Jin Long stared at me for a while, muttering, "I guess I'm 'blind' as your old brother, never even get a chance to help."

As I brushed past him, I slowed. "Don't let anyone else know about tonight. I won't explain why."

Jin Long pushed his motorcycle away. "Do I look like a gossip? Would I talk like Waterloo?"

On the way, Da Guang asked, "Should we check the hospital? Maybe the guy I shot is there."

I said, "They're not stupid; going there would be suicide. Let's go home."

By dawn, I was at my door.

Lin Baobao sat in the living room, wiping away tears. In front of her was a biscuit box, its contents scattered in chaos.

I stood watching from the doorway. "Why aren't you sleeping?"

Lin Baobao replied, "Couldn't sleep, was worrying... Yangyang came by earlier. I didn't recognize him. He cursed me, I drove him away."

I already knew Lin Zhiyang had returned this autumn. He hadn't come to my house, just called once, saying he was back. I asked him why, having served his time, he waited so long to come home. He said, don't ask, something happened inside, added a few years. I felt it wasn't my place to ask, nor did I care to. I complained, since he was out, why stay outside instead of moving back? Lin Zhiyang said, "I found out you're struggling, I dragged you down before, felt guilty, can't do it again. My sister's mind is broken, you're already exhausted caring for her, I won't add trouble."

Though his tone was calm, I still felt a bit sad. "Remember when I visited you in prison, what you said? You said we're family. Family doesn't talk about burden or not. Come home, I'm not as bad off as you think."

Lin Zhiyang said, "I'll stay outside for now, see if I can make something of myself, then move in with you. If I fail, I won't see you. I doubt I can make it—been out of society twenty years. Bro Kuan, I won't thank you, you took care of me, my sister, Lai Shun... I won't say more. If I succeed, I'll move in; if not, just pretend you never had me as kin."

Since he'd said so much, I couldn't say more. I told him to call if he needed anything, then hung up, feeling low.

I thought he'd never come here, but he actually did. I asked Lin Baobao, "Do you know why he came?"

Lin Baobao wiped her tears, shoved biscuits into her mouth. "He came for money, covered in blood... I had none, he cursed me, I drove him away."

That bastard! My chest felt crushed by a heavy stone, making it hard to breathe. "Did he say what happened?"

Lin Baobao murmured, "He said, police are after him, he's on the run."

I understood; perhaps he was once again cornered as he had been twenty years ago... That bastard might as well die out there! I won't help him again.

Lin Baobao held her biscuits and laughed, her laughter growing louder, a big tear dropping onto the coffee table.