After the two finished wrapping the remaining wontons, they sat down at the dining table together to enjoy the fish and chicken congee and honey-glazed char siu buns that Meng Wanqing specially prepared by getting up early to go to the market to buy ingredients. Song Tianyao already knew that Meng Wanqing was a good cook; otherwise, he wouldn't have talked about cooking with her on the way to the hotel. Song Tianyao had previously been quite confident in his own cooking skills, but after tasting Meng Wanqing's breakfast, he felt that what Meng Wanqing said earlier was very true: cooking is indeed something women should do.
After seeing Meng Wanqing, who insisted on becoming a monk and only visited him once every five days, off on the tram, Song Tianyao headed towards the University of Hong Kong Library. Earlier, when he was looking for a place to study and recharge, he had specifically asked Chu Xiaozhong, a graduate of the University of Hong Kong, about it during a casual conversation. Chu Xiaozhong told him that the University of Hong Kong Library was open to the public, and even non- University of Hong Kong students could go in to read.
But as soon as Song Tianyao stepped into the library, which reportedly houses over 300,000 books, before he could even marvel at the University of Hong Kong's benevolent act of opening its library to the public to promote culture, he was kindly stopped by a young man who had just put on his work badge. "Young man, where's your student ID? You need to show your ID and register at the service desk before borrowing books."
"Isn't this place open to the public?" Song Tianyao frowned. "I'm not a student at the University of Hong Kong."
"The University of Hong Kong Library is not open to non-members of the university. The exit is behind your door, sir." Upon hearing Song Tianyao say that he was not a student of the University of Hong Kong, the young man's friendly expression immediately disappeared. He pointed to the door behind Song Tianyao and spoke politely but coldly.
"My friend said that the University of Hong Kong Library is open to the public," Song Tianyao continued.
The young man paused for a moment, then confidently explained, "Your friend is mistaken. It's not the University of Hong Kong of University of Hong Kong Library that's open, it's the Chinese College Library. Sir, most of the books and professional materials here are in English. Only the Chinese College Library has a collection entirely in Chinese."
It turned out that Chu Xiaozhong hadn't explained clearly. Song Tianyao turned and walked towards the library exit, but after taking two steps, he turned back to the young man, straightened the work ID hanging around his neck, examined the name on it, and said in fluent English, "Du Zhenxian, what makes you think that just because you can speak English and understand English books, you're superior? If your parents didn't have a degree from this university, would you not allow them to come into the library to see you? Or even glance at a book they couldn't understand but you could? The Britain have molded university students like you into what they want you to be. You only remember that there are three classes in Hong Kong: the Britain, the High-Class Chinese recognized by the Britain, China person. You belong to the second class. The way you changed your attitude so quickly because of my identity does indeed resemble the so-called upper-class gentleman of Britain. Goodbye."
Chapter 198 Better to Return Home
Song Tianyao didn't argue with Du Zhenxian, the part-time librarian, just because he wasn't allowed to enter the library to read. Du Zhenxian had stopped him because of school regulations, and as a librarian, he naturally had to follow them—that much was undeniable. What Song Tianyao found unsettling was Du Zhenxian's sudden display of arrogance and abrupt change in tone after learning he wasn't a student at the University of Hong Kong.
Of course, Song Tianyao didn't bring up the title of Justice of the Peace Second Young Master Chu to intimidate people over such a trivial matter as not being able to enter the library. Otherwise, he could have easily made up a lie, saying that Justice of the Peace Justice of the Peace Second Young Master Chu had sent him, his secretary, to the University of Hong Kong Library to check on the library's collection in preparation for donating a batch of books to the University of Hong Kong. The university would probably have been happy to welcome him in.
Leaving Du Zhenxian, who seemed unsure if he had understood his words, in a daze, Song Tianyao left the University of Hong Kong Library and walked to the Chinese College Chinese College Library was far less impressive than the University of Hong Kong Library. Although there were several librarians maintaining order and keeping borrowers quiet, it was indeed open to everyone. No student ID was required, and as long as borrowers did not damage the books or take them out of the library without permission, anyone could enjoy reading there.
Just as Song Tianyao was reading and taking notes, and beginning to plan his new life, 14K, whom he had casually used to stir up trouble when he was plotting against the Zhang Family, was facing a situation of falling apart.
Chen Zhongying, the Incense Master the 14K Incense Shop, and Li Caifa, a prominent figure in the Green Gang, were killed on the same night. Although the 14K Incense Shop outwardly cooperated with the Green Gang that night, they secretly sent people to rob Li Caifa's morphine factory. This led several of Li Caifa's men to immediately conclude that the 14K Incense Shop had assassinated Li Caifa. The 14K Shop did not know who had killed their Incense Master, Chen Zhongying. After thinking it over, they concluded that the Green Gang was the most likely suspect.
Thus, the two foreign triads, both leaderless, began to clash with each other, with Hong Kong triad members watching from the sidelines.
The two sides clashed several times, smashing each other's shops and burning down stalls, employing a variety of tactics. However, in terms of combat effectiveness, Li Caifa's Green Gang were far inferior to the Kuomintang deserters who had escaped from the battlefield, such as the 14K. The Fourteenth Gang mobilized all its elite members from its Outer Eight Halls, along with the Twelve Beauties and Twelve Golden Hairpins Kowloon's Eighteen Tigers, who had been arranged by Qi Weiwen and Chen Zhongying. In less than a month, several of Li Caifa's key members were either deported to Taiwan by the police or had their hiding places discovered by the underworld and were killed to silence them.
Originally, 14K was worried that the seriously ill Du Yuesheng would step forward to declare war on 14K after Li Caifa was killed. However, even after the so-called disciples of the Green Gang were too afraid to fight back and Li Caifa's original business fell into 14K's hands, neither Du Yuesheng nor his true confidants made any statement.
Just when everyone at 14K, and even various local gangs in Hong Kong, had already concluded that 14K had won a resounding victory, Du Yuesheng's trusted bodyguard, nicknamed "Garden A-gen," Gu Jiatang, accompanied by several senior local Big Brother, specially arranged a meeting with Huang Dehong, the most outstanding performer of 14K in this war against the Green Gang. The implication was simple: Li Caifa had brought this upon himself, but the other members of the Green Gang were merely instigated by Li Caifa. Since 14K had already accepted Li Caifa's business, those members of the Green Gang asked 14K to consider that they were all fellow gangsters and that both sides should cease hostilities and withdraw their forces.