"Stop reading those tabloids. If you like such exaggerated stories, you should read 'The Swordsmen of Shu Mountain.' Anyway, let's have dinner together sometime. I'm very busy right now." Chu Xiaozhong put the phone receiver back down before looking up at Lei Danzi, who was sitting across from him drinking coffee.
"My friend said you led over a thousand men to support Uncle Sheng, intending to kill those Shanghai people."
Lei Yingdong choked, then looked at Chu Xiaozhong with a wry smile:
"No way? Young Master Zhong, over a thousand men? I have dozens of brothers who work for me, but supporting over a thousand men? Forget about going to sea, I couldn't afford to support them even if I risked my life robbing banks every day."
Chu Xiaozhong also picked up his coffee and took a sip. "Anyway, everyone's praising your luck now, that even a kind-hearted philanthropist like Uncle Sheng would speak up for you. You should know that, at this point, even if Uncle Sheng is supporting you, in the end, you might not..."
"I know that even if there are benefits, I might only get bones," Lei Danzi sighed. "However, since Uncle Sheng can handle the Shanghai people, at least I can make some money from the route from Hong Kong to North Korea. But it's also possible that I won't even get a chance to make money from that route."
"You've always had connections, have you ever thought about switching to a different business?" Chu Xiaozhong put down his coffee cup and asked Lei Danzi.
Lei Yingdong let out a sigh and chuckled, "To be honest, Young Master Zhong, I originally planned to take a gamble this time, so I converted all my assets into two ocean-going vessels. Now I don't have the capital to switch businesses."
"You don't have it, but I do."
You're drunk!
With a loud "slap!", Shun Ying, a Big Brother of the Double Red Pole Lian-prefix gangs at Sheung Wan Pier, slapped Shun Ying subordinate across the face.
This subordinate had taken two stabs for him last month and was considered his most loyal henchman. However, Shun Ying's slap was not just for show; it was swift and brutal. In just one strike, the underling's left cheek was already swollen and red, and blood was flowing from the corner of his mouth.
"Now, no one in Hong Kong who makes a living from the docks dares to speak up! You're trying to secure business and berths for them! Do you want all the brothers in the gang to beg on the streets?! It's Uncle Sheng's talking to the Shanghai people now, and you're in charge! Do you even know who Uncle Sheng is? Even all the businesses in Hong Kong aren't in a hurry to load goods today, and you're making decisions to secure berths for them... I'll curse your mother!" Shun Ying roared at his men, his face ashen.
In the eyes of ordinary people, they are ruthless and aggressive gangsters who run rampant in Hong Kong Island. But now, as Xu Pingsheng and Yu Shiting are talking, they are no different from the poor people in the Squatter Area. If either of them wanted to use them to establish their authority and discipline, they would be no different from ants. It is no exaggeration to say that hundreds or thousands of them would be driven off the dock. In the eyes of the rich, they are no different from beggars. If they want to give you a bowl of rice, you can be full; if they want to drive you away, you won't even get a single grain of rice.
"Big Brother, I know I was wrong! I know I was wrong! I'm sorry... I'll leave their ship right now." The beaten subordinate repeatedly apologized.
Shun Ying clenched his fists, his anger finding no outlet, and paced back and forth in the warehouse.
"What good is it for you to admit your mistake now? What good is killing the other party? Now all we can do is pray to the gods and Buddhas! Pray that the gods and Buddhas will protect Uncle Sheng and the Shanghai people, that they will treat us like farts and let us go!"
Chu Yaozong held his teacup, smiling broadly as he looked at the members of the Chiu Chow Chamber of Commerce inside the teahouse.
"Here, have some tea."
The members of the chamber of commerce picked up their teacups and savored the Pu'er tea brought by Chu Yaozong.
Uncle Yan stood behind Chu Yaozong and said in a low voice:
"Several chambers of commerce from Dongguan, Five Counties, Foshan, and the provincial capital have arranged tea parties today. Sir Zhou even asked if you would be interested in trying the Longjing he obtained."
Chu Yaozong smiled faintly, "At this time, regardless of past grievances, we are all locals trying to make a living in Hong Kong, so we must stand together and not let the Shanghai people laugh at us."
Chu Yaozong's eyes swept over the crowd. Although everyone was sipping tea and chatting, their expressions varied. Some were happy, while others were sad.
"Where is Ah Sin?" Chu Yaozong asked his Second Son.
His son, who was once a good-for-nothing, is now more often taken along to meet old friends. It's impossible for Song Tianyao to return to work for the Chu Family. Although Chu Xiaoxin married a daughter of the Lu Family, he still has to walk his own path after he passes away. His status is so high now, but his future is not necessarily smooth.
"The second young master made an appointment with Huang Liu, one of Song Tianyao's men, to go to the movies."
"Who did you invite?" Chu Yaozong wondered if he hadn't heard clearly, so he asked again.
Chapters 456 Great Expectations
Chu Xiaoxin yawned, glanced at Lu Peiying and Lu Yuanchun, who were watching with great interest to his left, and then at Huang Liu, who was almost asleep beside him. He gently nudged Huang Liu with his foot, and Huang Liu sat up slightly. "Mr. Chu, what's up?"
"Hey, it's a world classic, can't you show some respect? You invited me to see a movie, and now you're falling asleep?" Chu Xiaoxin said boredly, looking at the black and white image on the screen in front of him.
Great Expectations is a foreign language film. His English is so-so. He can understand the slow conversations, but when there are long lines of dialogue, he often moves on to the next scene before he even understands what the characters are saying. By the time most of the movie has been played, he has only grasped the general plot.
"Well, Mr. Chu, you can tell from my appearance that I can appreciate going to Brothel to listen to music, but watching this kind of movie is like reading a foreign book. I only watch it because the title sounds auspicious. When I booked the theater, the owner told me it was a story about a Foreign Devil who rises to prominence. Wow, as soon as I heard that, I immediately thought of my boss. But who knew that after watching it this far, this Foreign Devil has inexplicably become a high-class person, a rich man. If it were that easy for a country bumpkin to rise to prominence, there would be no poor people in the world." Huang Liu seemed to have caught Chu Xiaoxin's yawn and yawned boredly as he spoke.
Huang Liu had booked a small theater in Central and invited Chu Xiaoxin to meet Lu Yuanchun. Unexpectedly, Chu Xiaoxin brought his fiancée Lu Peiying, with him. But that was fine, because if he hadn't brought Lu Peiying, Chu Xiaoxin probably wouldn't have been able to find common ground with Lu Yuanchun in the movie.