Chapter 8: The Girl Fights Too

At this moment, Chen Erpao was feeling quite perplexed. He had only been joking when he told Li Meili that there would be a student fight around ten o’clock behind the hill, never expecting his bluff to come true. Life, it seemed, was full of surprises.

“Erpao, shouldn’t we go out there and stop them?” Wang Xing asked.

Chen Erpao waved his hand dismissively. “No rush. Let’s wait until Li Meili arrives. She should be here any moment now.”

As the saying goes, speak of the devil and she appears. Li Meili came hurrying toward them, dressed in black boots that made her look, in the night, like a rose-wielding assassin.

“Director Li, you’re here. Come take a look,” Chen Erpao called out, worried Wang Xing might accidentally reveal his involvement. If that happened, this formidable woman would surely unleash her wrath upon him. He promptly took her by the arm and led her toward the two groups of students about to clash.

Together, the groups totaled more than a dozen students, most of them girls—some still in their pajamas. A few boys lingered nearby, though it was unclear whether they were there to cheer on the fight or to break it up.

By now, the shouting had ceased, replaced by a more physical kind of confrontation—pushing and shoving, grappling with one another. Anyone could guess what this would escalate into.

Li Meili strode briskly forward, her expression stern, and the students instantly recognized the dreaded “Iron Lady.”

“Oh no, the Iron Lady’s here! Scatter!” shrieked a few of the students, and in an instant, the crowd dissolved into the shadows, vanishing among the trees and shrubbery. In the cover of night, they disappeared within seconds.

While the students scattered, Chen Erpao and Wang Xing received a silent command from Li Meili to stop them. With their skills, catching a few would have been effortless. But everyone has been young once, has gotten into mischief and brawled at school; Chen Erpao was no different, perhaps even naughtier in his day. After all, they were kindred spirits. So the three of them ended up empty-handed.

“Director Li, I’m sorry. They all got away,” Chen Erpao said apologetically.

Li Meili waved it off with a slight smile. “It’s not your fault. With all these trees and bushes, once they scatter and hide, there’s little we can do. Besides, I recognized the main instigators. I’ll check their records later and identify them.”

After a brief conversation, Li Meili invited the two men to join her for a late-night snack. Chen Erpao was about to refuse, but seeing that Wang Xing had already agreed, he couldn’t very well decline. Besides, it would give him an excuse to visit his fellow townsman, Old Yang.

Li Meili’s car was a red Audi Q5—a fine vehicle for any woman, even in a wealthy city like Hong Kong.

Chen Erpao was curious to try out the Q5, but he still preferred his own “Masked Rider”—a natural convertible, open to sun and rain, what could be better? Wang Xing, meanwhile, sat behind Chen Erpao, looking both eager and hesitant.

A little over ten minutes later, they arrived at the same street-side eatery Chen Erpao had visited before. Business was as lively as ever.

Old Yang, smoking inside the shop, spotted them from afar and stood up to greet them enthusiastically.

“Erpao, it’s you! Come in, have a seat,” Old Yang said, his broad smile sincere and warm.

Chen Erpao introduced Wang Xing and Li Meili. Li Meili, accustomed to more refined surroundings, appeared slightly ill at ease in the bustling street stall, while Wang Xing looked perfectly at home.

“The food here is pretty good—lots of snacks, all delicious,” Chen Erpao said to Li Meili.

“Is that so? Then I must try a few dishes,” Li Meili replied with a faint smile. Chen Erpao noticed she wore no thick foundation or makeup tonight, unlike during the day, and found her appearance much more pleasing.

“Wang, keep Director Li company. I’m going to have a word with Old Yang,” Chen Erpao said, giving Wang Xing a subtle look.

He then made his way to the back of the stall, where Old Yang greeted him with a cigarette.

“How did you handle that matter last time?” Chen Erpao asked.

Old Yang gave a bitter smile. “What else could I do? I have to think of all the folks back home, old and young. I gave those kids a red envelope each, did as they asked, and now I pay the protection money every month.”

“By the way, after you left that night, I heard Bao brought a bunch of people looking for trouble. Are you alright?” Old Yang continued.

“I’m fine,” Chen Erpao replied with a slight smile. “They’re no match for me.”

“I can tell you’re no ordinary man—you just don’t want trouble. But these people won’t let it go. There are too many gangsters in Hong Kong, all arrogant and unruly. Here in Tuen Mun alone, there are dozens of gangs—Hongxing and East Star are the biggest. Tuen Mun is Hongxing territory, and Bao is just one of the dozen or so branch leaders here. Sorry I dragged you into this. You need to be careful. I hear his boss, Curly, is known as a ‘Red Stick’—one of the two top enforcers in Tuen Mun. He’s tough and ruthless.” Old Yang looked guilty, his concern clear in his voice.

Suddenly, the playful look vanished from Chen Erpao’s face, replaced by a cold, menacing aura that sent a chill down Old Yang’s spine.

“My enemies once called me the Mad Wolf. I’ve lost count of how many lives I’ve taken. I may want a peaceful life now, but if they keep crossing the line, I won’t hesitate to show them just how fearsome a mad wolf can be.”

“It’s all my fault for dragging you into this. If I were ten years younger, perhaps I could stand with you. But now, I just can’t. If you ever need anything, just let me know,” Old Yang said, gazing at the young man before him—nearly twenty years his junior—feeling as if he were looking into a mist, unable to see him clearly.

“Don’t talk of who owes whom. Brotherhood knows no age, and it’s not about right or wrong. Never say such things again. Come, let’s have a couple of drinks together,” Chen Erpao replied, throwing an arm around Old Yang’s shoulder with a hearty laugh. The two, despite their age difference, shared a bond like brothers.