Top-Notch Enforcer

Chapter 5

At the banquet that day, both Yan Ziyi and Luo Jiu drank happily. Yan Ziyi was quite fond of Fang Yu. Fang Yu had been with Luo Jiu since he was fifteen or sixteen, famous for being efficient and clean-cut. Tall, slender, and handsome with delicate features, Fang Yu loved wearing pristine white shirts, which made him likable to neighbors and locals alike. No one would have guessed he was an underworld enforcer. During the years Luo Jiu was building his empire, Fang Yu had fought alongside him in many tough battles, earning his reputation during that time. Fang Yu struck hard, steadily, and accurately, with extremely fast movements. His techniques weren't flashy; they were purely practical moves designed to take opponents down. Later, when Luo Jiu became a major underworld boss, his status prevented him from fighting personally, so Fang Yu handled matters and settled disputes on his behalf. And Fang Yu had never once disappointed him.

Fang Yu had been with Luo Jiu for years. He had never backed down from any fight, big or small; he had taken heavy injuries for Luo Jiu, and he had inflicted them on others. Luo Jiu treated him like his own brother. Now, everyone in the Jianghai underworld knew that fighting Fang Yu was the same as slapping Luo Jiu in the face.

Big shots like Yan Zi Yi and Liu Luo Guo, who were on good terms with Luo Jiu, were also very fond of Fang Yu. Sometimes when they invited Luo Jiu out for drinks, they would specifically ask him to bring Fang Yu along. You could say Fang Yu had practically grown up under the watchful eyes of these underworld bosses. Yan Zi Yi had always regretted not having a young talent like that under his command—until he discovered Yang Lei.

"Yang Lei, raise a glass to your Brother Yu!" Yan Zi Yi demanded.

"Brother Yu." The title sounded reluctant coming from Yang Lei.

"Drink this glass, and you two will be friends after this misunderstanding!"

"It was all a misunderstanding, let's not bring it up again. Fang Yu, treat Yang Lei like your own brother from now on." The two big bosses played their parts perfectly, like a comedy duo. Fang Yu downed his drink in one gulp.

"Yang Lei is a capable hand." Fang Yu’s praise was sincere. Throughout the dinner, no matter what others were discussing, Yang Lei kept his eyes fixed on Fang Yu, drinking non-stop.

After seeing the two drunken bosses off into their respective cars, Yang Lei called out to Fang Yu.

"Fang Yu!"

Fang Yu turned around.

"In front of my boss, I called you Brother Yu. But you know in your heart that our business isn't finished."

"Oh? How do you want to finish it?"

"A one-on-one duel. Just you and me." Yang Lei felt a surge of heat, unsure if it was the alcohol or the excitement of having a chance to go solo against this legendary top enforcer.

Fang Yu was annoyed. As mentioned before, street thugs of this era all dreamed of bumping into a famous figure in the underworld for a big fight. Winning by luck would make them overnight celebrities. What could bring more fame than beating the legendary top enforcer? Fang Yu was a target they wouldn't let go of. Consequently, Fang Yu faced similar challenges almost every month. In his eyes, these duels were nothing more than child's play.

Would Fang Yu even bother? He stared at Yang Lei for a moment, then straddled his motorcycle and put on his helmet. The engine roared, and he rode off without leaving a single word. Yang Lei discovered another skill Fang Yu possessed besides fighting—the ability to drive him absolutely crazy!

Li San was Yang Lei’s closest brother. He had noticed lately that Yang Lei was in low spirits.

"Brother Lei, are you still hung up on that incident at the Guangming Billiard Room?"

"How could I not be? Have your wounds healed completely? Does it not hurt anymore?"

"Just let it go. The Boss stepped in to mediate. If you stir up trouble again, aren't you just slapping him in the face?"

"I’m not looking for revenge. I genuinely just want to have a fight with Fang Yu."

"There are plenty of people who can fight. It doesn't have to be Fang Yu!"

"I’m fixated on him!"

Sigh... Li San was helpless.

Li San felt that Yang Lei was becoming a bit obsessed. Later, Li San told others that, at the time, he felt Yang Lei was like a guy who had been dumped—torn between love and hate. Of course, he wouldn't dare say that to Yang Lei’s face; he still wanted to live a few more years.

"Brother Lei, you’re not... uh, playing the guitar anymore?" Yang Lei suddenly remembered. He grabbed his acoustic guitar and headed to the Experimental High School.

The Experimental High School had a large, standard playground, flanked by high stands and steps. Yang Lei often sat on those steps at night to practice his guitar. In fact, Yang Lei didn’t play as badly as Li San claimed; he could handle some simple chords quite decently.

He hadn’t been there for several days. That night, as soon as he sat down on the steps at his usual spot, he heard guitar music coming from the stands on the opposite side. Someone had arrived before him. Yang Lei was taken aback. He had specifically chosen a time past ten o’clock, when the place was usually deserted.

Separated by the wide football field, Yang Lei couldn’t see who was playing on the other side. But the melody drifted over in the wind, stunning Yang Lei into silence. He recognized it—it was Lo Ta-yu’s "Childhood."

On the banyan tree by the pond, cicadas buzzed the summer away,

On the swing by the bushes, only butterflies stayed.

The teacher’s chalk on the blackboard chirped endlessly,

Waiting for class to end, for school to finish, for the childhood of games.

Why hasn’t that girl from the next class passed my window yet?

History in my mouth, comics in my hand, first love in my heart—childhood.

So many ordinary days, staring blankly at the sky alone,

So curious, so fanciful, such a lonely childhood...

Yang Lei was captivated. The person on the other side was not only playing but also singing softly. The evening breeze carried the graceful, flowing melody, along with a low, gentle voice that stirred deep emotions within Yang Lei. He was shaken.