The last "hmm" in the rhetorical question made Huang Ziya silently lower her head.
"How are A-Liu and the others?" He Xian's eyes fell on the expensive mahogany desk, glancing at the exquisite Western-style alarm clock on it. In forty minutes, he was to meet with several China merchants from the flower market across from the City Hall, because the City Hall was preparing to clean up and demolish the flower market, which was affecting the City Hall's environment.
Huang Ziya said, "Two people were injured, both with minor injuries from bullets to the legs. A-Liu was shot twice in the chest, but he was wearing a bulletproof vest. The doctor said that apart from a slight fracture in his sternum due to the impact of the bullets, he's fine."
He Xian looked at Huang Ziya: "What did A-Liu himself say about those two kicks he gave Song Tianyao?"
"A-Liu said that even if he sees Song Tianyao, he will directly say that he wants to use Song Tianyao to take a bullet for Mr. He." Huang Ziya hesitated for a moment before saying to He Xian.
He Xian let out a heavy sigh and said with a smile to his loyal bodyguard leader, "Xunzheng, A-Liu is a smart man. Macau is too small, and he's too young. He wants to go to Hong Kong."
"A-Liu is young and naive." Huang Ziya frowned slightly and said to He Xian, "Mr. He, A-Liu never said he wanted to leave Macau."
"Some things don't need to be said," He Xian said, twirling a string of prayer beads that had been worn smooth and shiny by handling.
The beads on this rosary aren't anything valuable; they're just grass beads commonly used by rural people to string curtains. In Buddhism, they're called "grass bodhi" or "five grains beads." Although the rosary isn't valuable, it was obtained by He Xian's wife Liang, in 1947 when she went to offer incense at Yunmen Mountain Great Enlightenment Temple in northern Guangdong. She received it from the Venerable Xu Yun, who was then known as a centenarian immortal by the villagers. While other Macau businessmen wore expensive watches or gold jewelry, He Xian always wore this inexpensive rosary. He would hold it in his hand and play with it whenever he had free time. Now, it's said on the Macau Street that He Xian has repeatedly escaped danger because of the divine protection emanating from this rosary.
He Xian said to Huang Ziya, "A-Liu is a smart man. Macau is too small, and with his father and you above him, he can't get ahead. Last time he went to Hong Kong for a few days, he came back saying he killed two people. Before leaving, he lied to Song Tianyao, saying he caused chaos in the Hong Kong underworld. You just think he's causing trouble everywhere, but I think that to scare a young man like Song Tianyao who even dares to kill Foreign Devil, A-Liu first has to believe that he has the ability to do so. If he stays in Macau, A-Liu A-Liu just be your subordinate, doing errands for you. Song Tianyao lucky to have survived. A-Liu told Song Tianyao that he kicked him because he wanted Song Tianyao to take a bullet for him. Guess what Song Tianyao will think?"
"I'll cause trouble for A-Liu to get revenge for myself," Huang Ziya said without even thinking.
In his eyes, Song Tianyao was young and impetuous, and of course he couldn't tolerate A-Liu's almost provocative words. Even if he didn't dare to turn against him at the time because of He Xian, he would find an opportunity later. A-Liu going to Hong Kong was just walking into a trap.
"Wrong, that's why I said that A-Liu is actually smarter than you. If A-Liu had said those words to Song Tianyao would have realized that it was equivalent to him saving my life, He Xian's life. Which is more important, the favor I owe him or the bullet A-Liu shot back? A-Liu wanted to take this favor with Song Tianyao to Hong Kong. Even if they didn't go, I would still hold A-Liu accountable for kicking Song Tianyao to shield me from the bullet. Is this the kind of thinking you can come up with?" He Xian had thought the whole thing through clearly.
Huang Ziya said with some suspicion, "With A-Liu's personality, he wouldn't think of such a thing, would he?"
Huang Liu was the most restless and flamboyant of He Xian's bodyguards. Among them, Huang Ziya He Xian the other bodyguards were all calm, astute, and cautious. Huang Liu's restless personality made him stand out and attract He Xian's attention. He Xian gradually saw through Huang Liu's behavior and understood the thoughts hidden behind his restlessness and flamboyance. Huang Liu was unwilling to be a minor figure under his cousin; either He Xian would give him a chance, or he would drive He Xian and Huang Ziya to the point of no return and force them to leave.
Huang Zixiong and Huang Ziya —even if He Xian had the chance to choose again, he would still choose Huang Ziya. It can be said that unless Huang Ziya is unlucky enough to die suddenly, this opportunity will never be given to anyone else. However, if even Huang Ziya, a trusted confidant who is calm, meticulous, and skilled in both literature and martial arts, is killed, the chances of He Xian surviving are slim.
As for actively driving Huang Liu away? Of course not. His father, Huang Sen, and cousin, Huang Ziya, joined him and the old guard of the Taishan Squad because of his words. They were willing to risk their lives for him, He Xian. Don't think that Huang Liu was just flamboyant and unconventional. Even if he caused a huge mess in Macau Street, He Xian would clean up the mess for Huang Liu without batting an eye.
The decade of chaos in Macau has ended, and the wealth and power have been divided up by a few tycoons. To try to rebuild Macau is like trying to climb to the sky.
Hong Kong, with the influx of wealthy Mainland, has clearly become the next hotbed of opportunity, attracting countless people who strive to rise above their circumstances. Huang Liu wanted to place his bet on Song Tianyao, a young man with a meticulous mind who plotted to kill the Britain.
Since there was no longer any opportunity for such a brute to stand up for himself, and out of respect for Huang Sen and Huang Ziya, he couldn't let Huang Liu be trapped in the Macau Street.
"Give A-Liu a pistol and send him to see Song Tianyao. Let's see if Song Tianyao, whom he's betting on, will send him on his way or take him with him." He Xian finally spoke, as if making up his mind. "He wants to make something of himself, I'll give him a chance."
Lou Fengyun hurriedly tidied herself up, her hair still a little loose from not having time to fix it, and practically ran out of the factory in her high heels. Sister Xiong, who was in the yard chopping meat to feed the dog, asked the hurried Lou Fengyun, "Sister Yun, where are you rushing off to? What happened?"
"A-Yao was shot in Macau! He's in a hospital Macau now." Lou Fengyun said this as she ran out of the factory gate.
The kitchen knife that Sister Xiong was holding fell to the ground with a "clang". Ning Zikun and Brother Xiong, who were playing chess next to her, were also stunned. They looked at each other and slowly stood up. Ning Zikun's expression was somewhat doubtful, while Brother Xiong's forehead was covered in sweat.