“Da Jun, my name is Xia Da Jun.”

Xia Da Jun wiped his face, which was completely red with blood.

The Young Master thought this was truly a complete lowlife who didn’t even know how to properly respond.

But this lowlife had saved him, and even if Master Kun hadn’t made that promise, the Young Master would have taken care of Xia Da Jun anyway. Only great rewards could inspire such bravery – if others didn’t see the rewards, who would risk their lives to save someone in similar situations in the future?

Xia Da Jun understood nothing.

Whatever the Young Master said, he did.

He had always followed Brother Hui, but Brother Hui was dead.

Brother Hui had followed Master Kun, and he wasn’t sure if Master Kun was dead. Master Kun had ordered him to protect the “Young Master,” saying he would prosper if he saved the Young Master, so he saved the Young Master.

The Young Master seemed to despise his stupidity – Xia Da Jun noticed but said nothing.

When he left Anqing County Hospital, Xia Da Jun had no money and no introduction letter. He had traveled south by clinging to train carriages. He’d been scammed, beaten, and nearly kidnapped to work as a laborer in Southeast Asian rubber plantations. Later, working for Brother Hui, though Hui often cursed them, he paid promptly.

Even unloading at the dock required fighting.

At first, Xia Da Jun was afraid to fight, but Brother Hui said if you’re afraid to cut others, you’ll end up being cut to death.

Xia Da Jun certainly didn’t want to die. Since he was strong, he did whatever Brother Hui told him… He had ended his wandering life and worked at the dock for two or three months. He hadn’t expected tonight’s events – Brother Hui was dead, so he could only follow the Young Master.

The Young Master was also injured. Following his instructions, Xia Da Jun tore clothes into strips to bind the wounds.

Halfway through, he suddenly stood up.

He remembered that his three months’ wages were still hidden under his bed – he needed to retrieve that money!

The Young Master nearly went mad with anger.

“You fool, your pittance wouldn’t even buy one cuff link on my clothes!”

Faced with such a golden opportunity and not knowing to grab it tight – the Young Master truly wanted to shoot Xia Da Jun dead.

Were cuff links really that expensive?

The Young Master had lost half a sleeve, his arm bloody. Xia Da Jun sheepishly crouched down to continue bandaging the Young Master’s wounds. His mind was full of thoughts about the iron can under his bed – nearly three months’ wages. Though working for Brother Hui at the dock was dangerous with all the fighting, the pay was high. Xia Da Jun had saved almost two thousand yuan. But the Young Master said two thousand yuan couldn’t even buy one button from his clothes.

Having seen little of the world, Xia Da Jun just accepted whatever the Young Master said.

The Young Master had been in severe pain from his wounds, but seeing Xia Da Jun’s disbelieving face made him forget the pain in his anger.

He had to open this fool’s eyes!

The Young Master was clever, directing Xia Da Jun as they dodged and hid, eventually stowing away on a small fishing boat to cross the sea. That’s how Xia Da Jun inexplicably ended up in Hong Kong territory, brought to a mansion on the hillside.

Family doctors rushed forward to examine the Young Master.

The Young Master cursed his subordinates as useless and made calls everywhere looking for some “traitor.”

Leather sofas, crystal chandeliers, and wool carpets that reached above the ankles. Blood had stained the white wool carpet, and Xia Da Jun instinctively drew back his feet – such things were meant to be walked on?

The Young Master finally seemed to notice him.

“Come here.”

Xia Da Jun shuffled over.

The Young Master wasn’t going to hit him but instead asked what he wanted – whether to be in charge of a branch or work at a company in Central.

Xia Da Jun didn’t understand any of it.

“Young Master, could you help bury Brother Hui…”

Brother Hui had taken him in and was killed. To carry the Young Master to safety, Xia Da Jun had left Brother Hui’s body at the dock.

The Young Master hadn’t expected this request.

Brother Hui?

Oh, that guy who smiled sycophantically at Kun.

The Young Master realized he hadn’t arranged for Kun’s body either. Though his subordinates would handle it, nothing had the same effect as his orders. He thought Xia Da Jun was either incredibly stupid or deeply calculating, making only such a simple request at this time.

Based on their journey together, the Young Master believed stupidity was more likely.

Too stupid to be in charge of a branch!

Working at a company in Central was even more out of the question – he couldn’t speak Cantonese or English, and even a security chief position would be problematic.

The Young Master had someone treat Xia Da Jun’s wounds.

Xia Da Jun had taken several knife wounds; only his bull-like physique had kept him going. When he was brought before the Young Master again two hours later, dawn was breaking. The Young Master hadn’t slept all night and looked unwell, a cigarette between his fingers burned almost to the butt.

Seeing Xia Da Jun approach, the Young Master extinguished his cigarette:

“We couldn’t find your Brother Hui’s body, probably thrown into the sea as fish food… Master Kun is dead, but his promise to you stands. From now on, you’ll work for me, and I’ll ensure you prosper!”

Xia Da Jun nodded.

The Young Master’s expression was so sinister that he didn’t dare ask about the salary.

Would it be less than dock work?

Would he get 800 yuan per month?

He’d heard that in Special Economic Zone factories run by foreigners, workers could earn 400 yuan monthly.

If the Young Master paid him 800 yuan monthly, earning over ten thousand in a year, that would be prosperity back in Anqing!

As for what to do after becoming successful, Xia Da Jun hadn’t thought that far ahead. He had to become successful first, right? The conflicts back home were all caused by poverty. Only after coming south did Xia Da Jun realize there were so many wealthy people. In Da He Village, having relatives working as factory workers in the city earning dozens or hundreds of yuan monthly was considered remarkable.

Only after coming south did he learn that dozens or hundreds meant nothing – he’d saved over a thousand in three months at the dock.

Carrying cargo alone didn’t pay that much; he’d also fought for Brother Hui, much of it coming from what Brother Hui called “bonuses.”

But the Young Master said that money couldn’t even buy one cuff link on his clothes.

Xia Da Jun’s horizons expanded again.

If he earned money and returned home successfully, perhaps he could face and resolve the things that had made him afraid and run away!

…

In the evening, Tang Hong En finished his busy day and could finally rest.

As soon as he got in the car, he asked Little Wang, “Did you record the Tiananmen celebration as I asked?”

Little Wang excitedly replied, “Yes, Leader. Did you see Xia Xiaolan? She got camera time…”

Tang Hong En closed his eyes to rest.

Of course, he had seen Xia Xiaolan.

But he seemed to have seen someone else too.

The shot was too quick; he couldn’t see clearly. Videotapes could be paused. Tang Hong En dismissed Little Wang and put the tape in the VCR. He watched the Tiananmen celebration again. After Xia Xiaolan’s three-second close-up, the camera quickly swept past others.

Tang Hong En pressed pause several times before finding the frame he wanted.

His hand trembled.

Was it…?

The image quality was so blurry, but the outline looked similar.

…It had been twelve years since he’d last seen them!