The Unexpected Visitor

After being held up by Ding for just a bit, when Wang Zhiyuan finally got out, Tadpole and the gang had already left. He walked out with his hands in his pockets. Even after playing the role of Wang Zhiyuan all day, walking alone in the pitch-black police station still gave him the creeps. He felt suffocated.

Suddenly, the roar of a motorcycle engine came from the entrance.

Wang Zhiyuan looked up to see Bighead, almost swallowed by the motorcycle's headlight, with a huge grin on his face. "What are you doing standing there like a lost puppy? C'mon, let's grab a drink!" he shouted.

Before Wang could even react, a helmet was tossed his way.

Bighead put on his own helmet and said, "Quit dilly-dallying. Drinks are on me, and I promise I won't rip you off this time."

Thinking of the house he woke up in, and feeling like ants were crawling all over him, Wang didn't feel like going back so early. He hopped on without a word.

Bighead took a couple of turns and entered an alley. The alley was lit by bare bulbs, and the clattering of pots and pans mixed with the shouts of shopkeepers.

Bighead parked in front of an old diner.

They both got off the bike.

Bighead tossed his helmet onto the handlebar, slicked back his hair in the rearview mirror, and walked into the diner with a big smile. "Hey, Donut Dude, how's business tonight?"

"Not bad. What'll you have?" The owner, a man in his thirties wearing a leather apron, casually greeted them while holding a cigarette in one hand and a spatula in the other.

Bighead ordered, "Two plates of stir-fried rice cakes, a plate of duck neck, and two bottles of Daliangshan beer."

"Got it. Take a seat," the owner waved them off.

Bighead didn't move, his feet glued to the floor, hands rubbing together, and his eyes darting around. "Is Pinnie still not out?"

"Mhm," the owner replied nonchalantly.

Bighead finally plopped down on a stool outside. He noticed Wang Zhiyuan standing under a bare tree, looking like he was on a leisurely stroll, and chucked a roll of paper at him.

Wang got hit and was instantly ticked off. He picked up the roll and flung it back at Bighead's face.

Bighead caught it and burst into laughter.

This made Wang feel petty. He took a deep breath and sat down.

Bighead slapped him on the back and said, "Finally saw some fire in you! Man up, speak your mind, don't bottle it up. You're usually so meek, people might mistake you for a mouse. And seriously, you gotta hit the gym or you'll flunk the next fitness test."

Wang didn't say a word.

Just then, the owner brought out the beers and duck neck.

Bighead handed a bottle to Wang and chugged his own, wiping his mouth and saying, "Ah, that hits the spot."

Wang said, "Take it easy, you're driving later."

"You questioning my drinking skills?" Bighead retorted.

Wang thought to himself, in the past, if anyone dared to drink before driving him, he'd have broken their legs. But now, looking at Bighead's carefree face and the beat-up motorcycle, he took a sip of his beer resignedly.

Bighead started rambling about this and that.

Wang didn't know if the old Wang Zhiyuan and Bighead used to hang out like this, drinking beer late into the night, but as far as he was concerned, this was a waste of time. He started to doze off. Seeing Wang wasn't interested, Bighead just drank in silence.

Suddenly, Bighead shot up, knocking over his stool with a loud bang.

Wang jolted awake and saw Bighead fawning over a young woman in her twenties.

She responded modestly and went inside the diner.

Bighead followed her in and came out a while later, beaming and looking more composed than before.

Wang watched without a word.

Bighead sat back down, grinning like a Cheshire cat. "Hehe, turns out she was at her classmate's place doing homework."

Wang asked, "When are we heading back?"

"You tired?" Bighead checked his watch. "Let's chill for another 30 minutes. If you're sleepy, take a nap. Want some peanuts? I know you love 'em."

Wang waved him off, "No thanks."

Suddenly, Bighead threw an arm around him. "Bruiser, my man, I'm counting on you. Once I sort out my life, I'll make sure you're taken care of."

Wang frowned, "You won't die if you don't get married." Sometimes, wanting to get married is what kills you. He took a big swig of beer.

"What are you talking about?" Bighead said. "A man's gotta settle down. It's a man's duty to carry on the family line."

Wang's face soured. Being a former mob boss, he wasn't used to being contradicted. He was holding it together during the day, but now, in the dark and with a bit of booze in him, his temper flared.

Bighead, oblivious, added fuel to the fire. "What, you wanna be a lifelong bachelor? Or find a dude?"

Wang stood up and stormed off.

Bighead finally realized he'd pissed him off. He stood there dumbfounded for a moment before chasing after him. "Bruiser! What's up?"

Wang didn't look back.

"What happened?" The young woman came out hearing the commotion.

Bighead, still confused, scratched his head and chuckled, "He said he had too much to drink and wants to walk it off."

Halfway home, Wang regretted his outburst. Of all the people he'd met today, Bighead was the most straightforward and loyal. He was the perfect ally for Wang's revenge. He decided to let it cool down and call Bighead in the morning to grab breakfast.

After making up his mind, he didn't feel like wandering around anymore. The night was chilly, and he was starting to feel the cold. He hailed a cab and went home.

Thankfully, he remembered where he lived, so he managed to find his way in the dark.

As Wang entered the building, he felt uneasy and stopped in his tracks.

A flick of a lighter and a beam of light appeared on the stairs, followed by a deep male voice chuckling, "There you are. I was about to leave."

Wang looked up to see a handsome, rugged face in the light and felt a chill. This guy wasn't from the police station. Wang knew nothing about his past, but this guy seemed out of place.

The lighter went out.

The man walked down the stairs.

Wang backed out of the entrance.

The man followed, dressed in a sharp suit that looked expensive. He pulled out a cigarette, offered it to Wang, then pulled it back, laughing, "Almost forgot you don't smoke."

Wang stayed silent.

"After all these years, you have nothing to say to me?" the man said, holding the cigarette in his mouth for a moment before taking it out. "Come on, we practically grew up together. Even if there was some kind of misunderstanding…" He paused, looking slightly embarrassed but quickly brushed it off, "We shouldn't throw away all the history, right? Your dad asked me to look out for you. How am I supposed to face him if you're like this?"

His dad?

Wang was even more cautious now. After a long pause, he finally muttered, "What do you want at this hour?"

The man laughed, "Just got here today, don't know a soul. So, I thought of you."

Wang's eyebrows knitted together.

The man said, "Don't get the wrong idea, just a friendly thought."

The more the man explained, the more suspicious Wang became. He kept his face neutral but observed him closely.

The man seemed to realize that standing there in the middle of the night having a staring contest wasn't getting them anywhere. He pulled out a business card holder, took out a card, and handed it to Wang. "Here's my new card. It has my cell number. Give me a call sometime, let's grab a meal."

It was too dark to read the small print, so Wang pocketed the card and casually said, "You just got here and already have business cards?"

The man hesitated, then laughed, "Efficiency is key. What's your number?"

Wang, who hadn't even checked his own number, dodged the question, "I'll call you when I have time."

The man didn't push, waving as he said, "Alright, I'll be going then. Don't forget to call me."

Wang nodded. He waited until the man turned the corner, then stealthily followed him and watched as he got into an Audi A8 – a car worth a pretty penny.

Once home, the first thing Wang did was turn on the lights and check the business card –

Li Chen.

General Manager, Lisheng Trading Co., Ltd.

Li Chen?

Lisheng Trading…

It sounded familiar, like he'd heard it somewhere.

Wang's face changed.

If he remembered correctly, Lisheng Trading was deeply involved with Hou Yuankun. Rumor had it that the company had some heavy backing. And the surname Li… it was easy to associate it with someone influential in the capital.

It seemed that being Wang Zhiyuan was going to be more complicated than he thought.