The leader of the Venomous Snake Gang was a man in his thirties, tall and thin, with a knife scar over his left eye.
He looked downright frightening.
His guide was Liu Er, a former member of the Fire Bear Gang who had now reinvented himself as a member of the Venomous Snake Gang.
Liu Er went from door to door, introducing the residents to his new boss.
"Boss, the man who lives here is blind and missing an arm. He's had a hard life.
He goes under the overpass every day to sing for money. He plays a fine tune on his fiddle.
People sometimes hire him for weddings and funerals, too, and he knows how to handle himself."
The gang leader, Li Zhongchang, gave a slight nod.
A large crowd had already gathered in the street. Rather than saying they had come to watch the excitement,
it would be more accurate to say they had been forced to watch how approachable Li Zhongchang, leader of the Venomous Snake Gang, could be, and how he won people over.
Members of the Venomous Snake Gang stood all around, glaring fiercely at the crowd.
Liu Er knocked on the door, and it opened a moment later.
"Blind Man, this is our boss. He's come to bring you some fruit today," Liu Er said.
Li Ping'an smiled. "I really don't deserve such kindness."
Li Zhongchang put on a kindly smile and reached out to pat Li Ping'an's shoulder.
"We're all on the same side now. No need for such formalities.
Here! Take this fruit."
Li Ping'an held out something wrapped in red cloth. "Then thank you, Boss. This is a small token of my appreciation.
It isn't much. I hope you won't mind."
"Not at all."
Li Zhongchang nodded in satisfaction. This man certainly knew how to behave.
Liu Er took the red cloth bundle.
Li Zhongchang added, "What happened to your eyes?"
"I fell ill a few years ago, and afterward I couldn't see."
Li Zhongchang told his men, "Find a doctor to examine him later. I'll cover the medical expenses."
"Yes, Boss."
Naturally, Li Ping'an didn't believe a word Li Zhongchang said.
A man's mouth was a lying devil.
Li Zhongchang was only saying it for the crowd to hear.
As for whether he would actually do it, only heaven knew.
But even knowing it was just talk, Li Ping'an still had to treat it as genuine and thank him properly.
Once the pleasantries were over, Li Zhongchang moved on to the next house.
Frightened, Aliya hid behind her older sister, Duha.
Li Zhongchang's gaze changed as he looked the young, beautiful Duha up and down.
Duha was already a young woman, and she had grown tall and graceful.
Her hair was tied in a thick braid, and her beauty carried a striking air of valor.
It was hardly surprising that someone would set his sights on her.
Li Zhongchang smiled, revealing his gold teeth.
"You're a pretty young lady. Are you married?"
"Not yet."
"What about your parents?"
"My mother passed away long ago. My father went elsewhere to earn money."
Li Zhongchang nodded, his face creasing with delight.
The next day, Liu Er came to Duha's house bearing gifts.
"These are all tokens of the boss's affection."
Duha bit her lip. "Take them back to him. I don't want them."
Liu Er gave her a meaningful look, pulled her aside, and lowered his voice.
"For heaven's sake, you can't refuse these!
Do you know what kind of man he is? Do you want to stay alive?"
Duha naturally understood what he meant, and her little face turned deathly pale.
Liu Er tried to persuade her. "There's nothing bad about this. Think how much bullying you sisters have endured.
From now on, no one will dare bully you again. You can do whatever you want.
The boss has reserved a table at the Bright Moon House tomorrow. He's inviting you to dinner.
Don't spurn a favor. Even if you won't think of yourself, think of your little sister."
At the mention of Aliya, Duha's expression changed at once.
After a long silence, she nodded. "I understand."
Liu Er sighed helplessly. In truth, he was rather fond of Duha himself.
He had always looked after the two sisters, but what could he do?
Being fond of her was one thing.
Liu Er wasn't foolish enough to throw his life away over something called affection.
There were two plots of land in Li Ping'an's little courtyard. He had planted some rice in one.
In the other, he had planted potatoes.
Growing rice in the climate of the Anbei Four Garrisons was rather difficult.
So every day, Li Ping'an had to channel some true qi into the rice he had planted to keep the climate from affecting it.
Old Ox's task was to plow the land.
Li Ping'an wandered the streets, hoping to buy a fish.
Ribbonfish stewed with pork belly, paired with liquor.
But the Anbei Four Garrisons lay on the northwestern frontier, and anything that came from the water was outrageously expensive.
Li Ping'an hadn't eaten fish in a long time.
This time, he had finally made up his mind to buy one.
He made a circuit of the streets, waiting for the fishmonger to close up, when live fish became dead fish.
Then the price would be only half what it had been.
By chance, he met Aliya on her way back from school. She carried a bundle of firewood taller than herself, her head lowered and unhappiness written all over her face.
"Uncle."
At the sight of Li Ping'an, Aliya forced a smile.
Then she dug a piece of candy out of her pocket and handed it to him.
"What's wrong? Did your teacher scold you?"
Aliya shook her head.
"Did your classmates bully you?"
This time, Aliya nodded. "They said Aliya was a wild child with no mother or father."
"And how did you fight back?"
Aliya blinked. "Aliya ignored them."
"Then next time someone bullies you, go give them a beating, all right?"
"But Aliya doesn't know how to hit people."
"I'll teach you when we get home."
Aliya smiled happily. "Then Aliya will make you something tasty today, Uncle. My sister isn't home, so Aliya will cook herself."
"Where did your sister go?" Li Ping'an asked casually.
"She said someone invited her to dinner."
Li Ping'an raised his brows slightly and asked a few more questions.
Aliya only said that she wasn't very sure either. Yesterday, Liu Er had brought her sister lots of gifts, then said someone wanted to have dinner with her.
Li Ping'an understood. After taking Aliya home,
he went to the gambling den Liu Er frequented and found him.
"Hey, what are you doing here?"
Liu Er glanced at Li Ping'an in surprise.
"Place your bets and hands off!"
Someone over there was already calling out.
Liu Er hurriedly turned back and shouted with the crowd, "High, high, high!"
Li Ping'an stood to one side. Only when things quieted down a little did he speak.
"Brother Er, I wanted to ask you something. Did Boss Li of the Venomous Snake Gang invite Duha to dinner today?"
Liu Er's expression changed, and his tone grew unfriendly. "Why are you asking about that?"
"I just wanted to know."
"What are you planning, boy? I'm warning you, don't try anything."
Li Ping'an said evenly, "You've misunderstood, Brother Er. What could someone like me do? I'm only asking.
If Duha really does become Boss Li's woman, we'll have someone to curry favor with, won't we?"
Liu Er smiled. He had been thinking that Li Ping'an was usually quite close to the sisters.
He had thought Li Ping'an had come to stop Duha from falling into the tiger's jaws.
Apparently, he had been overthinking it.
"You really do know how to play your cards, boy.
Boss Li invited Duha to the Bright Moon House today. Do you think she'll be able to walk away unscathed?"
Liu Er suddenly slapped his thigh. "You've reminded me. I still have to go pick her up. No more chatting for now."
With that, Liu Er hurried off.
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