A job secured

Before long, the car stopped in front of an imposing wrought-iron gate.

Chen Yuan looked out through the window. The gate was tall and black, with two bronze lamps mounted on its pillars. Beyond it lay an asphalt drive lined with London plane trees, their canopies meeting overhead to shade the road completely.

Lei Zhen honked once, and the heavy iron gates slowly slid apart.

As the car drove in, Chen Yuan could barely take everything in.

The finest house he had ever seen in the village was Boss Wang's two-story home at the eastern end. Compared with this place, that house looked like a chicken coop.

The car finally came to a smooth stop in front of a magnificent three-story detached villa.

Lei Zhen got out and opened the rear door. Chen Yuan ducked out of the car.

"Come on in. The master's waiting."

Chen Yuan followed Lei Zhen inside.

The entrance opened into a foyer. Directly opposite stood a carved rosewood console table, with a bronze statue of Lord Guan displayed on top, polished to a shine.

Dark marble covered the floor, gleaming enough to reflect a person's image.

He looked down at his dusty shoes and felt a little self-conscious, discreetly rubbing them against his trouser legs.

The living room was even bigger!

A dazzling crystal chandelier hung from the high ceiling. A set of carved rosewood sofas stood in the middle, fitted with bright yellow cushions. Everything looked grand.

"Young man, I've been looking forward to seeing you!"

Chen Desheng strode forward and offered Chen Yuan his hand. His voice was strong and resonant, carrying the calm authority of someone long accustomed to power.

Chen Yuan hurried over and shook his hand.

The old man's hand was thick and solid, his palm rough with calluses, much like his grandfather's.

"Sir, are you feeling better?"

"Much better. It wasn't anything serious to begin with."

Chen Desheng looked Chen Yuan up and down, his gaze lingering briefly on his face.

"You ran off so quickly at the intersection that day, I didn't even get a good look at you."

Chen Yuan scratched his head and smiled.

"Sit, sit." Chen Desheng led him toward the sofas. "Don't be nervous. Make yourself at home."

Chen Yuan sat down on a sofa, stiff with unease.

Seeing this, Chen Desheng smiled and said gently:

"No need to feel awkward. Relax."

Lei Zhen stood behind Chen Desheng with his arms folded, his eyes fixed on Chen Yuan and a thoughtful look on his face.

Chen Desheng turned and shot him a glare. "What are you standing around for? Go make some tea."

Lei Zhen acknowledged the order and left. A moment later, he returned with a tray holding two teacups and a purple clay teapot.

He gently set the teapot down, poured a cup for Chen Desheng and then one for Chen Yuan, before silently taking his place behind Chen Desheng again.

Chen Yuan lifted his cup and took a sip. It tasted slightly bitter at first, but after he swallowed, a delicate sweetness slowly spread over his tongue and lingered on his taste buds.

He knew nothing about good or bad tea, but he genuinely thought this tea tasted wonderful.

"Your name's Chen Yuan?" Chen Desheng asked.

"Yes, Chen Yuan."

"How do you write it?"

"Chen with the ear radical on the left and 'east' on the right. Yuan as in 'faraway.'"

Chen Desheng nodded and repeated it. "Chen Yuan. A good name." He took a sip of tea. "Judging by your accent, you're not from Deep City, are you?"

"No. I'm from Southern Province."

"Where in Southern Province?"

"Potou Village, in Yang City. It's a little village. You've probably never heard of it."

Chen Desheng smiled. "I've been to Yang City. Lovely place, beautiful mountains and clear waters." He put down his cup and looked at Chen Yuan. "Who do you have back home?"

Chen Yuan's hand paused around his teacup. "Just my grandfather."

"What about your parents?"

"My grandfather adopted me."

Chen Yuan spoke calmly, as though he were discussing something that had nothing to do with him.

"He found me by the river when I was little. I don't know who my parents are."

Something shifted in Chen Desheng's eyes, and his gaze lingered on Chen Yuan's face for another two seconds. "Your grandfather raised you?"

"Yes."

"Zhao Jianguo said you took on more than twenty men by yourself in the detention center?"

Chen Yuan froze for a moment, surprised that Zhao Jianguo had even mentioned that. He scratched his head, a little embarrassed. "There weren't that many. Ten or so. They started it."

Standing beside them, Lei Zhen looked Chen Yuan up and down a few times when he heard this.

The young man didn't look particularly sturdy. He was a little over 170 centimeters tall, and although his T-shirt revealed broad shoulders and a narrow waist, his build was otherwise ordinary. He didn't look trained at all.

Lei Zhen couldn't help snorting. He didn't believe a word of it.

Chen Desheng heard him and turned to look at him:

"What are you snorting at?"

Lei Zhen quickly wiped the expression off his face:

"Nothing, sir."

Chen Desheng ignored him and turned back to Chen Yuan. "Have you trained?"

Chen Yuan nodded. "Yes, with my grandfather."

"In what?"

"Baji Fist."

Chen Desheng's eyes lit up.

Lei Zhen was taken aback too, and looked Chen Yuan up and down several more times.

"Baji Fist?" Chen Desheng leaned forward. "How many years have you practiced?"

"Since I was little. More than ten years, I suppose."

"More than ten years." Chen Desheng mulled over the words. "No wonder."

He leaned back against the sofa and looked at Chen Yuan, his gaze different now.

Earlier, he had regarded the young man with gratitude for saving his life, along with a measure of courtesy. Now, though, something had changed in his eyes, something difficult to define.

"What does your grandfather do?"

"He's just a farmer."

"A farmer? A farmer who can teach Baji Fist?"

"He used to travel all over the country. He only settled down in the village later."

Chen Desheng nodded and didn't press him further.

"So you came to Deep City to look for work?"

"Yes. I didn't do well on the college entrance exam, so I came here with an older girl from next door to try to make a living."

"Have you found anything?"

Chen Yuan shook his head. "All that trouble happened before I had a chance to look."

Chen Desheng nodded and said nothing more. He leaned back against the sofa, seemingly lost in thought.

The living room fell silent.

"You saved my life. I owe you my thanks," Chen Desheng said suddenly.

Chen Yuan quickly waved his hands. "Sir, please don't—"

"Let me finish."

Chen Desheng cut him off,

"I always repay a kindness. Whatever you want, just say the word. Money, a job, or something else. All you have to do is ask."

Chen Yuan looked at him, stunned for a moment, then shook his head.

"Sir, that really isn't why I saved you."

"It was an emergency, so I rushed over. Anyone would have done the same."

Chen Desheng watched him without saying anything.

"If you really insist on thanking me," Chen Yuan said after a moment's thought, "just treat me to a meal."

Chen Desheng froze for a second, then burst out laughing.

The corners of Lei Zhen's mouth twitched too, but he forced himself to hold back his smile.

"All right." Chen Desheng stopped laughing and looked at Chen Yuan, amusement still in his eyes. "A meal it is."

He stood up, walked over to Chen Yuan, and looked down at him.

Chen Yuan gave him a questioning look.

"Since you haven't found a job yet, come work for me for now."

Chen Yuan was stunned.

"Don't turn me down just yet."

Chen Desheng waved a hand,

"I'm short of people here. You know Baji Fist, don't you? Start by working under Lei Zhen. You'll get the highest pay, with meals and lodging included."

Lei Zhen was about to speak, but Chen Desheng shot him a sideways glare, and he immediately swallowed his words.

Chen Yuan hadn't quite caught up. He instinctively glanced at Lei Zhen, wondering, What could I do working under him?

"Sir, I..."

"What do you mean, 'I'? Aren't you looking for work? I have a job for you. Why wouldn't you take it?"

Chen Yuan opened his mouth, at a loss for words.

Chen Desheng sat back down on the sofa, lifted his teacup, and took a sip before saying unhurriedly:

"You saved my life. What's a job compared with that? If you refuse, you're not showing me any respect."

Left with no choice, Chen Yuan said:

"Then I'll... give it a try?"

Smiling, Chen Desheng set his cup down on the coffee table.

"That's more like it!"