A challenge

That evening, Chen Yuan went with Chen Desheng to a private club. It belonged to Hung Hing, and outsiders generally couldn't get in.

The club was tucked away at the end of an alley in Deep City's old district. From the outside, it looked unremarkable: gray brick walls, wrought-iron gates, and not even a sign. It kept a very low profile.

Two burly men in black guarded the entrance. When Chen Desheng's car arrived, they bowed slightly and stepped aside. The iron gates slid inward without a sound.

Lei Zhen parked the car, switched off the engine, and glanced at Chen Desheng in the rearview mirror.

Chen Desheng was resting against the back seat with his eyes closed. Only after a moment did he open them, push the door open, and get out.

Chen Yuan followed him, quietly surveying the courtyard.

The courtyard was small, paved with blue-gray flagstones. A clump of bamboo grew in one corner, and several large vats stood along the wall. Water lilies grew inside them, their leaves covering the water, though the flowers had yet to bloom.

Several lanterns hung beneath the eaves. Their dim yellow light fell across the water stains mottling the brick walls.

The scent of sandalwood drifted through the gaps around the door, mingling with the smell of plants in the courtyard. It was soothing.

Beyond the door was a small private dining room. A round table covered with a dark tablecloth held a few plates of cold dishes and a pot of tea.

A man in his sixties sat at the head of the table. He had graying hair, a square face, and thick eyebrows, and wore a dark gray jacket. It was He Qingguo.

The moment he saw Chen Desheng enter, he rose with a smile and reached out to greet him.

"Brother Desheng, you're here."

Chen Desheng shook He Qingguo's hand and patted his shoulder.

"Sorry for the wait. Been here long?"

"Not long. I only just arrived."

He Qingguo smiled as he answered. His gaze passed over Chen Desheng, paused briefly on Chen Yuan, then moved away.

He Long sat beside He Qingguo in a black shirt, the top two buttons undone. The gold chain around his neck gleamed under the lights.

At the sight of Chen Yuan, his mouth twisted into a sneer. He looked like he was up to no good.

Chen Yuan ignored him and stood behind Chen Desheng, his back straight and his hands at his sides. Lei Zhen stood nearby in exactly the same posture.

The others took their seats. A server came in, poured the tea, then left, closing the door softly.

The room fell quiet. Only the teapot bubbled on the burner, white steam rising slowly from its spout.

Chen Desheng lifted his cup and took a sip. "How's your health lately, He?"

"Not bad. My blood pressure's a little high, though. The doctor told me to cut down on salt."

He Qingguo lifted his own cup and asked,

"What about you? Have you gotten to the bottom of that car crash?"

Chen Desheng set down his cup, his expression unreadable.

"We're still looking into it. Someone tampered with the brakes."

He Qingguo frowned, his cup stopping halfway to his mouth. "Any leads?"

"A few, but nothing confirmed."

Chen Desheng picked up a peanut with his chopsticks and chewed slowly. His voice was calm, as though he were talking about someone else's business.

"There's no rush. We'll take our time."

He Qingguo nodded and asked no more. He put down his cup, glanced at Chen Yuan twice more, then turned back to discuss other things with Chen Desheng.

They talked about business, matters within the group, and Deep City's latest policies.

He Long sat to one side, barely speaking. His fingers tapped against the table with a steady clicking sound.

The tea in front of him had gone cold, untouched. Every so often, he cast a sinister glance at Chen Yuan.

After several rounds of drinks, with most of the food finished, He Long finally spoke.

"New guy, don't you know the rules? Your elders are all here. Aren't you going to come over and offer a toast?"

Chen Yuan remained where he stood, his expression calm. Looking at the brimming glass of liquor in He Long's hand, he said quietly,

"I don't drink."

The smile froze on He Long's face. His raised glass stopped in midair, and the atmosphere in the room instantly tightened.

He Qingguo paused with his teacup in hand and glanced at Chen Desheng. Chen Desheng went on sipping his tea slowly, as though he hadn't heard.

He Long's face darkened. He slammed his glass onto the table with a bang, spilling liquor that soaked a small patch of the tablecloth.

Holding back his anger, he said, "What, you won't even show me, He Long, that much respect?"

Chen Yuan looked at him without answering immediately. He knew he genuinely didn't drink, but saying so in a setting like this was bound to embarrass the other man. Still, he didn't want to lie.

Only then did Chen Desheng put down his teacup and wave a hand to smooth things over.

"Yuan's still young. He's never had a drink, so let it go. Young people don't know better. You'll have to excuse him, He."

He Qingguo smiled and raised his teacup toward Chen Desheng.

"Brother Desheng, this new bodyguard of yours certainly stays true to himself."

His tone was neither warm nor cold. It was impossible to tell whether he meant it as praise or a dig.

He Long said nothing more, but his expression was ugly.

He picked up a piece of meat and chewed it twice, then raised his glass and gulped down some liquor. His eyes stayed fixed on Chen Yuan, his stare piercingly cold.

Chen Yuan didn't shy away. He simply stood there and let him stare.

It was nearly eleven when dinner ended. He Qingguo left first, with He Long following behind. At the door, He Long looked back at Chen Yuan, his gaze dark and chilling.

Chen Yuan saw it and ignored him.

Chen Desheng shook hands with He Qingguo at the entrance, exchanged a few pleasantries, then headed toward the parking lot.

The parking lot was behind the club, reached through a narrow alley. High walls rose on either side, and the widely spaced streetlights left it dim. The ground was wet and a little slippery underfoot.

Lei Zhen led the way, Chen Desheng walked in the middle, and Chen Yuan brought up the rear.

They had barely gone a few steps when footsteps sounded from the far end of the alley. There was more than one person, their leather shoes clacking rapidly against the paving stones. They clearly weren't coming with good intentions.

Several men emerged from the darkness and blocked the alley. He Long led them, with five or six vicious-looking men behind him, completely cutting off the way.

He Long stood at the front with both hands in his pockets, his head tilted as he looked at Chen Yuan. The dim alley light left his face half-lit, his gold chain gleaming.

"New guy, don't leave so soon. Let's have a little spar." He Long's voice drifted through the alley.

Lei Zhen's face darkened. He stepped forward, shielding the other two. "He Long, don't start trouble!"

Chen Yuan reached out and caught Lei Zhen's arm, his grip steady. "Lei, let me." Then he stepped forward to face He Long.

He Long smiled, stepped back, and waved to the men behind him. All five or six immediately closed in.

The first, a fat man, charged and swung at Chen Yuan's face. Chen Yuan sidestepped, caught his wrist, and pulled him in. He drove an elbow under the man's arm, then slammed a knee into his lower abdomen. The fat man doubled over in pain and sank into a crouch, unable to catch his breath.

The second man swung a club at Chen Yuan's head. Chen Yuan stepped forward and drove his shoulder hard into him, sending him crashing into the wall. The club dropped to the ground, and the man slumped down beside it.

The third and fourth attacked together, one punching and the other kicking. Chen Yuan raised a hand to block the punch, caught the other's ankle, lifted it, and shoved. The man went flying into the fifth attacker, and the two tumbled into a heap.

The fifth man scrambled up, pulled out a switchblade, and thrust its gleaming blade toward Chen Yuan's stomach.

Chen Yuan stepped into the attack, caught the man's knife wrist, and forced it down. One punch to the chest made him drop the knife and fall backward, unconscious.

In less than half a minute, all of them were on the ground. Some groaned; others lay motionless.

He Long turned pale and backed away, trying to run. Chen Yuan caught up, seized the back of his collar, yanked him back, and punched him in the face.

Blood instantly poured from He Long's nose, splashing onto Chen Yuan's hand. He staggered into the wall and clutched his nose, blood streaming between his fingers.

"That's our spar finished." Chen Yuan's voice was calm, his breathing still even. "Long, next time you want a match, let me know in advance."

He Long leaned against the wall, his nose bleeding nonstop. He couldn't speak, and his eyes were full of hatred.

His men helped him up and handed him tissues. Within moments, they were soaked with blood.

Once He Long was steady on his feet, he pointed at Chen Yuan and said in a muffled voice,

"You think you're such a great fighter? In three days, I'll find someone to fight you. Do you dare?"

Chen Yuan said nothing. Chen Desheng walked over, looked at the two of them, and spoke.

"All right. Yuan, take him up on it."

At some point, He Qingguo had appeared at the far end of the alley. He said with a smile,

"Brother Desheng, young people are impulsive. Don't read too much into it."

Chen Desheng nodded. "Don't worry. I'm not."

He Long's men helped him away. After a few steps, he looked back at Chen Yuan again, his gaze sharp as a knife.

Chen Yuan watched them disappear, then took out a tissue and slowly wiped the blood from his hand.

Chen Desheng patted his shoulder. "Come on. Let's go home."

The car left the alley and joined the main road. Bands of streetlight swept across the windows, alternating light and shadow.

As he drove, Lei Zhen glanced at Chen Yuan in the rearview mirror without speaking. Chen Desheng leaned against the back seat, his eyes closed in thought.

It was nearly midnight when they got home. Instead of going to his bedroom, Chen Desheng called Chen Yuan into the study on the ground floor.

The study was small, with one entire wall of bookcases packed full of books. A desk lamp with a green shade was on, spilling warm light across the desk.

Chen Desheng sat in his chair and looked at Chen Yuan.

"In that match three days from now, go all out. Don't hold back."

He leaned forward slightly, his tone solemn.

"Show them what you're made of. Make sure the He Family won't dare give you trouble again."

Chen Yuan nodded. "Understood, sir."

Chen Desheng waved a hand. "Go on. Get some rest."

Chen Yuan turned to leave. As he reached the door, he heard Chen Desheng murmur to himself,

"He, oh, He... For the sake of our brotherhood, I've given way time and again. Do you really have to force my hand?"