Chapter Seven: A Youth of Virtue, Talent, Ambition, and Discipline
Tonight, Long Kun had specially reserved a private room for the gathering, supposedly to celebrate Yang Yilin’s appointment as the new general manager of her company. Everyone knew, however, that the real reason was to mark a victory—the defeat of the Ghost Man. They had yet to sit down together and properly celebrate.
Long Kun and Zhuo Nan had just finished their conversation and were about to leave when there came a knock at the manager’s office door. Long Kun responded casually, “Come in...” and Yang Yilin appeared before them.
As soon as she entered, Yang Yilin noticed the cigarette in Zhuo Nan’s hand and, with a slight frown, said something that made Long Kun admire her: “Zhuo Nan, you’re underage; how can you smoke?”
Zhuo Nan was caught off guard, while Long Kun stifled a laugh nearby. It seemed only Yang Yilin dared speak to Zhuo Nan that way. Zhuo Nan quickly stubbed out his cigarette, smiled sheepishly at Yang Yilin, and hastily asked, “Is something the matter?”
Long Kun interjected, “Brother Nan, I’ll step out first...”
But Yang Yilin, sensing the misunderstanding, clarified, “Mr. Long, let’s go together. I’m here to invite both of you; the private room is ready and everyone has arrived.” Long Kun loved to play matchmaker between Zhuo Nan and Yang Yilin, and lately had become especially enthusiastic about it.
Zhuo Nan took the lead, “Let’s go, then.” He walked out ahead, followed by Long Kun and Yang Yilin. As they left, Yang Yilin shot Long Kun a dramatic eye roll.
Inside the private room, Du Fanhao and his wife, as well as Wu Jianguo, were already present. Ever since Wu Jianguo had teamed up with Zhuo Nan, he had prospered. Thanks to Long Kun’s introductions, Wu Jianguo had dined with Chief Chen Longming, and was now transferred to head the Beiping Road police station. Wu Jianguo was genuinely grateful to Zhuo Nan.
Upon seeing him, Wu Jianguo immediately put on a flattering smile, “Brother Nan, you’re here...”
Zhuo Nan nodded, “Old Wu, you’ve worked hard.”
Wu Jianguo was overjoyed and waved his hand, “Brother Nan, don’t say that—working for you is my honor.”
Even though Zhuo Nan knew Wu Jianguo was currying favor, he still felt pleased. No wonder everyone strives to climb higher—the feeling of having others fawning over you was truly wonderful. “Old Wu, as long as you work diligently, your future will be bright.”
Zhuo Nan’s words made Old Wu beam like a puppy, “Thank you, Brother Nan, thank you.”
“Mm...” Zhuo Nan nodded, then turned to Du Fanhao. “Brother Du, how’s it going on your end?”
Du Fanhao’s face lit up, “Brother Nan, rest assured. Next Tuesday, QQ will officially launch, offering free downloads.”
Zhuo Nan nodded and, as if struck by an idea, said, “Reserve number 10000 for me... and give each of our brothers here a good number.”
Du Fanhao felt like crying—he’d meant to keep number 10000 for himself, but since Brother Nan had asked, he could only comply. Half-lamenting, he said, “No problem, Brother Nan, 10000 will be yours.”
No one else understood what QQ was, but since Brother Nan wanted a number, it must be something valuable. In no time, Du Fanhao was surrounded as everyone clamored for their preferred numbers.
“Enough, enough, settle down. Long Kun, have someone bring in the drinks. Let’s celebrate properly tonight...” When the boss spoke, even the most unruly subordinates quieted down.
Long Kun personally played the role of waiter, pouring Zhuo Nan a brimming glass of liquor. Zhuo Nan laughed and scolded, “Long Kun, this is spirits, not soda. Why are you pouring so much?”
Yang Yilin, ever the diplomat, chimed in with a smile, “Zhuo Nan, this counts as celebratory wine. Drink up, it won’t get you drunk.” Her words instantly lifted the atmosphere. If Zhuo Nan didn’t drink now, it would seem out of place. Something about her today felt different, yet Zhuo Nan couldn’t quite pinpoint what it was.
Once everyone had their drinks, Zhuo Nan raised his glass and looked around. The room fell silent as he basked in the feeling of being in command. He spoke slowly, “Everyone here is a brother who has fought alongside me. Today, we’ve achieved a little, but as long as we stay united, better days are ahead. I promise you’ll have more money than you can count... more women than you can enjoy... more cars than you can drive... more houses than you can live in... Brothers, let’s strive to be men of substance! Do you have confidence?”
“Yes!” Zhuo Nan’s words stirred everyone’s spirits. To them, his words were law, the very truth. As long as they followed Brother Nan faithfully, that day would soon arrive. Even Wu Jianguo was caught up in the fervor. If not for his uniform, one might mistake him for a gang leader himself.
Du Fanhao and his wife exchanged a glance and shook their heads with a wry smile. Zhuo Nan sounded just like a pyramid scheme leader, his rousing speech practiced and persuasive. If he told his followers to cut him down, they probably wouldn’t hesitate.
Yang Yilin, however, remained unmoved. She stayed calm amid the excitement. Having worked in bars for so long, she was no expert in underworld matters, but she knew enough. The young man before her, who seemed like a charismatic lecturer, was actually the true boss of Deqing’s underworld. If she weren’t working for him, it would be impossible to connect the lazy boy with the crime lord. Lost in thought, Yang Yilin suddenly found herself smiling.
Her laughter interrupted the charged atmosphere. Everyone turned to stare at her, and her cheeks flushed bright red. She apologized, “Sorry...”
Zhuo Nan waved it off and asked, “What were you thinking?”
Of course, Yang Yilin couldn’t tell the truth. She shook her head with a smile, “Nothing really. Come, let’s drink.” She deftly changed the subject, and no one pressed further.
At that moment, the door to the private room was knocked. Yang Yilin called out, “Come in...” A waiter rushed in, flustered and without greeting anyone. “Vice President Yang, Young Master Lu is in room 666. He insists you join him for a drink.”
Yang Yilin’s brow furrowed. Young Master Lu was the man Long Kun had mentioned—the one who demanded Yang Yilin’s company whenever he ordered drinks. If she refused, he’d take offense. Yang Yilin found it exhausting; running a business meant playing along, and as the person in charge, she had little choice. Sometimes, that man would even use his drunkenness as an excuse to touch her.
She nodded, “Tell Young Master Lu to wait a bit. I’ll go over soon.”
“Alright, Vice President Yang, I’ll step out now.” The waiter bowed, closed the door, and left.
“What’s going on?” Zhuo Nan finally asked once the waiter was gone.
Yang Yilin hesitated, unsure how to respond. Long Kun couldn’t bear it and quickly explained, “Brother Nan, it’s like this: Young Master Lu—Lu Zijun—comes here every day. He’s generous but insists Vice President Yang join him for drinks.”
Zhuo Nan was visibly displeased. He looked at Yang Yilin in silence, then after a pause, asked, “Why don’t you let him call for a hostess?”
Yang Yilin replied nervously, “He doesn’t want anyone else. If I don’t join him, he won’t order drinks. I think he’s generous, so I occasionally have a drink or two with him, just to save face.” Her voice grew softer as she spoke.
Zhuo Nan stared at her in silence, making her uneasy. He sighed, “You’re the person in charge here, not a hostess. If he won’t order drinks, let him leave. I don’t care about losing a customer, but I won’t allow you to join him for drinks. Do you understand?”
A wave of sweetness rose in Yang Yilin’s heart, but she quickly reminded herself to stay calm. The boy before her, not yet sixteen, already had two girlfriends... Mature, composed, and capable, he was still a child, and there was always an age gap between them.
Taking a deep breath, Yang Yilin tried to steady herself. Looking up and meeting Zhuo Nan’s gaze, all her previous efforts dissolved. Her cheeks flushed like peach blossoms as she replied shyly, “Don’t worry, I won’t join him for drinks.” With that, she turned, opened the door, and left the private room.