Chapter 7 Trouble Arrived

  Shanghai, a paradise for adventurers. The Republic of China had just been established, the old forces of the Qing Dynasty had not yet been thoroughly eliminated, and the new forces of the Republic were still immature. Warlords dominated, the government was almost paralyzed, and society was in disorderly chaos. However, Shanghai's concessions enjoyed peace like a country within a country.

  "Night Shanghai, Night Shanghai, you are a sleepless city, neon lights and car sounds, songs and dances rising everywhere..." Nightclubs, dance halls, the night in Shanghai is filled with the sound of revelry.

  In the evening of early July, Lin Ao Feng followed his parents to take a train and arrived in Shanghai. This adventurer's paradise was full of novelty for Lin Ao Feng. Sitting in the car, looking at the scenery on both sides of the road, Lin Ao Feng asked absent-mindedly: "Dad, are we really going to live in Shanghai from now on?!"

  Lin Guodong smiled and said: "Really?! You don't like it?!"

  Lin Aofeng came to his senses, shook his head and said: "It's much more lively here than in our hometown!" Lin Aofeng said so with his mouth, but he was very clear in his heart that the Shanghai Bund, a ten-mile foreign concession, was bright on the surface, but full of intrigue and deception underneath. Every inch of land was filled with heartache and bloodshed.

  Time flies like electricity and years pass by like songs, seven years have passed in the blink of an eye.

  "Mom, when are Grandpa and Grandma coming to Shanghai?!" Lin Ao Feng threw his school bag onto the sofa, sat down beside his mother, took an apple and asked while biting into it.

  "Your uncle and them will arrive tomorrow." As she spoke, Cheng Xue Mei let out a sigh: "Ever since your uncle divided the family property, your younger uncle got angry and left for America. He's been gone for seven years now, without even sending any news."

  Lin Ao Feng comforted her: "Girl, your brother-in-law is a big man and his brain is very good. He won't be taken advantage of outside! Just put your heart at ease!"

  Beep Beep

  Just then, the sound of a car horn came from outside the door. Lin Ao Feng smiled and said: "It must be Lao Dou back. I'll go take a look!" After speaking, Lin Ao Feng quickly ran out. However, when Lin Ao Feng rushed out of the living room, he was stunned. He saw his father being carried down from the car by two bodyguards.

  Lin Ao Feng quickly ran over in three strides that were almost two steps, and asked: "What's wrong with my dad?!"

  Lin Guodong's personal bodyguard, Lin Quannan, with a sorrowful face as if he had lost his own mother, said: "Young Master, we were ambushed on our way back. The ones who attacked us are from the Green Gang. Don't worry, Old Master only suffered external injuries and shock, nothing else!"

  Lin Aofeng let out a sigh of relief and, together with the two bodyguards, carried his father into the house. After settling his father in, he called the family doctor and then went to where the bodyguards were resting. He found Lin Quannan, his father's personal bodyguard, and asked: "Uncle Lin, what's going on?! We've been getting along with the Green Gang for so many years without any issues, and there haven't been any conflicts of interest either. Why did they ambush my dad?!"

  Lin Quannan took two deep drags on his cigarette, then flicked it away and said: "Young master, the one who bought off the Green Gang to attack your father is probably Japanese. Some time ago, a Japanese man named Qing Tian Sanlang came to see your father, wanting to buy the two warehouses at Dongjia Wharf and the office building at the intersection of Tiantong Road and Baoluo Hui Road."

  Lin Aofeng paced back and forth in the room a few times, saying: "The Green Gang attacking my dad? This is absolutely impossible! No matter what, my uncle is a senior member of the Green Gang, they will at least show some respect for their sworn brotherhood. Uncle Lin, you don't need to worry about this anymore, let's talk about it again when my uncle comes in a few days."

  "Understood, young master!" Lin Ao Feng nodded and walked out of the room. Watching his young master's back, Lin Quan Nan let out a sigh of relief as if a weight had been lifted off his shoulders.

  "Mom, how's Dad doing?!" Lin Ao Feng quickly walked up to his mother and asked as soon as he saw her send off the doctor.

  Cheng Xue Mei sighed and said: "Dr. Victor said that your father is fine, just rest for two days and he'll be okay! Feng Er, with what happened at home today, I think you shouldn't go to school until this matter is resolved. I'll call in a bit to help you ask for leave."

  "Mom! Don't worry, I'll let Uncle Lin follow me and nothing will happen!" Lin Aofeng gave his mother a reassuring smile. Cheng Xue Mei patted her son's shoulder and said: "Alright! Mom is relying on you! But you must be extra careful, did you hear?!"

  "Got it! Mum, you're being too nagging now!"

  "What did you say?!" Before Lin Ao Feng's voice fell, Cheng Xue Mei flashed out a hand to grab her son's ear and scolded: "You little rascal, your hair hasn't even grown yet, and you're already complaining that I'm nagging?! Let me deal with you today!!"

  "Stop, stop, stop!" Lin Ao Feng covered his ears and begged for mercy: "How could I be tired of your nagging?! Your words are what I've loved listening to since I was a child. Back then in the temple, it was relying on memories of your words that got me through." Hearing her son mention their four-year separation, Cheng Xue Mei's heart softened, and she let go of his ear, giving Lin Ao Feng a stern glare: "What are you standing there for? Go take a look at your father!"

  "Oh!" Lin Ao Feng responded with a loud "ah" and followed his mother to the upstairs bedroom in a hurry.

  At the same time, three young men in suits walked into the Japanese Club at No. 309 Wenchang Road (now Tanggu Road), looked around the lobby and went upstairs to a private room.

  "Mr. Qingtian, I'm extremely sorry! The task you assigned to us was not accomplished."

  "What the...?!" The middle-aged man with a Taisho-era mustache and a small queue, dressed in Japanese attire, immediately furrowed his brow and sternly asked: "Didn't you say it was foolproof?! How did Lin Guodong manage to escape with his life?!"

  "Mr. Aota, you can't shift all the blame to us. If anyone's to blame, it's you for providing inaccurate intelligence! Lin Guodong has three bodyguards, not two, and one of them is a top-notch expert. Only our Black Dragon Society instructor, Funamori Takeo, could defeat him."

  Qing Tian sneered: "I don't care what methods the Black Dragon Society uses, I just want to see the results. Within three days, either Lin Guotong dies or I get what I want."

  "Three days?! Mr. Qingtian, aren't you being a bit too demanding?!" Before the young man could finish speaking, Qingtian put down his wine cup and interrupted, "Young man, don't be so hot-headed. We're all working hard for the great Japanese Empire to annex China, we just belong to different factions, that's all. Now we're two ants on the same string, if you help me get things done, it'll be good for both of us, everyone will benefit. If it fails, it'll be bad luck for your Black Dragon Society. Do you understand?!"

  Three young men looked at each other, and the leader took out a letter from his pocket and said: "Since Mr. Qingtian has said so much, we won't say anything more! This is an invitation letter from Xiaoyama Ritao, the president of our Shanghai branch, to you. If you have anything to say, just tell him face to face!"

  "Aota took the invitation card and flipped it open, saying: 'Tell Koyama Ritaro that I will be there on time!'"

  "Hey! I'll definitely tell him!" The three young men turned around and walked out of the private room. After the three people went downstairs, a middle-aged man wearing glasses came out of the next private room, pushed open the door and entered the private room where Qing Tian was, this middle-aged man was Akira Chiba, the Japanese Consul General in Shanghai.

  "Consul!" Qingtian bowed to Shigemitsu Aoki. Aoki nodded and sat down, saying: "Qingtian, the Black Dragon Society is now an important force for our Empire in China. Before the Imperial Japanese Army occupies all of China, we must make good use of them."

  "Consul, rest assured, I've already thought of a countermeasure!" Seita guaranteed with conviction.

  "Cheers!" Akira Hikari raised his glass and said: "Mr. Aota, I'd like to take this opportunity to wish you success in advance!"

  At dusk, the clear sky suddenly became overcast with dark clouds and a light drizzle started to fall. Lin Ao-feng stood in front of the floor-to-ceiling window of his study, looking outside and thinking to himself: "Why do the Japanese want our family's two warehouses and one office building? What is their purpose?"

  "A loud crack" of lightning flashed across the sky, followed by a burst of thunder. At this moment, the door to the study opened. Lin Ao Feng turned around and looked towards the doorway: "Old bean, why are you out of bed?!" Lin Ao Feng quickly walked over to Lin Guo Dong's side in three strides, supporting him into the study.

  Lin Guodong sat down and said: "Feng'er, what were you just thinking about?"

  Lin Ao Feng lowered his head and hesitated for a moment before saying: "Old bean, why do the Japanese want our warehouse and office building?!"

  "It's not just you who can't figure it out, I'm also having a hard time figuring it out!" Lin Guodong sighed and lit a cigarette, taking two puffs before continuing: "The ones who ambushed me today weren't the Green Gang, but the Black Dragon Society. Feng'er, if the Black Dragon Society can't find me, they'll definitely find you, so be extra careful tomorrow."

  Lin Ao Feng nodded and said: "Old bean, just put your heart at ease!"...

  The next morning, the sky was still drizzling with fine rain. Lin Ao Feng left the villa by car.

  "Master, you're riding in the old master's car, isn't that a bit too reckless?! If something happens to you, how can I explain it to the old master and madam?!" Lin Quannan said with furrowed brows.

  Lin Aofeng closed his eyes and said from the back seat with a nonchalant tone, "Uncle Lin, don't worry and just drive! If anything happens, I'll take care of it myself!"

  Half an hour passed in the blink of an eye, and when the car drove onto Gordon Road (now Jiangning Road), a car suddenly appeared in front. Lin Quannan hastily stepped on the brakes while shouting: "Young master, we've been blocked! What to do?!"

  Lin Aofeng suddenly opened his eyes and asked: "Did Uncle Lin bring a gun?!"

  "I've brought it, but this is the concession area." Before Lin Quannan could finish speaking, Lin Aofeng smiled and interrupted, "Uncle Lin, stay in the car. I won't call you out if you don't come out." After that, Lin Aofeng ignored Lin Quannan and opened the door to get out of the car.

  At the same time, in a coffee shop not far away, three people sat by the window. These three people were the three members of the Japanese Black Dragon Society who met with Qingtian at the Japanese Club yesterday. The bald-headed man looked at Lin Ao Feng getting off the car and said to the leader: "Zao Tian, the young man who just got off the car is the only son of Lin Guo Dong."

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