Volume 1: The Other Shore Chapter 20: A Business Worth Trying (Second Update)

  In the United States, in San Francisco and New York's Chinatown, there is a special building. This building can be inconspicuous and located in a secluded alley, but within Chinatown, as long as you ask someone one question, you can quickly reach that building.

  The Chinese Association, located on Chinatown Street, does not belong to any individual but belongs to the entire Chinatown. It is managed by a group of prominent people in Chinatown. Every month, business owners operating within Chinatown pay an unequal amount of "association fees" to the association. At every festival each year, it is the association that organizes everyone to beat gongs and drums, dance dragons and lions.

  And here is often the first stop for many Chinese people who come to the United States to make a living after entering Chinatown, regardless of whether they are rich or poor, they can get free food and accommodation here, if they are willing, the association will also help them find relatives and jobs. In short, most people in Chinatown have received kindness from the association before, and later when they have settled down in Chinatown, they are naturally happy to pay membership fees to benefit their fellow countrymen who come later.

  In the west wing of the Chinese Association building in Chinatown, although it was dinner time, there were no longer people coming and going, exchanging greetings and pleasantries. Two white lanterns hung from the porch of the main hall, and people dressed in mourning clothes came and went. White cloth and white flowers were also hung at the entrance of each house, and the courtyard was as quiet as death.

  In the western wing of the ancestral hall, a bronze-headed dancing lion is placed on an altar. Further up, white candles are lit on the altar, with offerings and spirit tablets arranged on it.

  Several robust young men knelt on either side of the memorial tablet, with fire crackers burning in the censer to dispel the chill that lingered in the courtyard at this time.

  Sitting on the threshold, Zhao Nianhui puffed away, that iron lion from the past, but these two days, it was as if he had suddenly changed into a different person, and fell silent. He raised his head to look at his father's memorial tablet, and let out another long sigh.

  Twenty years ago, my old man got into trouble with the law and fled to San Francisco with me. Later, he opened up Zhao's Lion Dance Troupe in Chinatown. After that, we moved again to Mexico, where there were many Chinese people but no lion dance troupes. Business has been pretty good over the years.

  His father was still alive, he thought about earning more money and going home when he had saved enough for the fare. However, in May last year, while taking on a job in Torreón, he encountered a rebellion. After the outnumbered federal troops defending the city retreated, the rebel army entered Torreón.

  From the beginning, the mob and rebels vented their anger on the Chinese. They surged into commercial areas where Chinese shops were concentrated, looting and destroying stores, chasing and killing Chinese in the streets, robbing them of valuables, stripping the dead of their clothes and mutilating corpses.

  Those rioters and soldiers who were out of control used machetes to hack at the bodies of the victims, throwing severed heads and limbs into the streets. A small group of Mexican cavalrymen arrived in Torreón, rounded up Chinese gardeners on the outskirts of town, drove them to a nearby slaughterhouse, shot them en masse, and then trampled their bodies under horse hooves.

  That day, if it weren't for the dozen or so young men from the Zhao family's squad, I'm afraid... Father would have still been shot, and after that, his body was never the same, one day worse than the last. He finally made it to America, but in the end, Father's health didn't hold up!

  The big wax stick walked in front of the class master, looked at the class master's worried face, and then opened his mouth to say a sentence.

  "Boss, the old boss had always wanted to return home, even in his dreams. Now that the old boss is gone, let's do it according to what Uncle Quan said."

  Wei Lao Yong, who had been silent all along, suddenly raised his head and said sternly.

  "What nonsense are you spouting! Back then when you were begging for food, it was Old Master who took you in. If not, you would have frozen to death long ago. Now that Old Master is dead, you ungrateful thing, you actually dare to think about framing Old Master with a cow's hoof print and sending him back home? Is this how you repay your master?"

  Hearing this, Da Laogan felt a warmth in front of his eyes and tears suddenly flowed down.

  "I don't want to either, we can't let Master be buried in the territory of those foreigners, as a..."

  Zhao Nianqiu, who had been silent all along, tapped his pipe and looked at his junior fellow disciples.

  "Stop arguing, it's just...!"

  In the end, Zhao Nianqiu swallowed it down with difficulty.

  It's just $1,000, the price for a foreigner to take a coffin back to their home country. This price is simply extorting money from Chinese people on Mott Street. In all of America, only Chinese people would spend money to send a coffin back to their hometown after they die.

  I don't know how many people can't afford the silver, and in the end they have no choice but to cremate their loved one's body, put it in a copper container, affix postage and mail it back home. Otherwise, when going through customs, they would have to pay another $20.

  Twenty thousand dollars, in the past, this money Zhao's family could also afford to take out, but after Torreon escaped, all the way through the war-torn and chaotic roads, what money was left? If it weren't for the Chinese Association providing shelter, I'm afraid Zhao's family would have starved to death in America.

  The faint rays of the setting sun shone through the windows on either side of the door, illuminating a girl dressed in mourning attire sitting on a chair. The sunlight passing through the window cast a glow on her long black hair, giving off a soft sheen that made her skin look pale and translucent. Her pink lips were as delicate as cherry blossoms, but it was her eyes that truly captivated - they seemed to hold all the spiritual energy of the universe, deep and mysterious like a clear spring, sparkling and crystal clear.

  Although she was wearing a hemp funeral dress, it couldn't hide the curves of her body, her slender waist could be grasped in one hand, and her high and proud breasts rose and fell with her breathing. This funeral dress made her look like a beautiful and elegant white orchid, exuding an otherworldly aura, with a beauty that made people want to possess her yet dare not profane her.

  Since her grandfather's death, Zhao Qi had been speechless and tearful, but as she looked up at the sunset, her eyes were filled with bloodshot tears, and her face, which was normally as pale as white jade, was now etched with sorrow.

  "Ah..."

  Listening to the conversation between her father and others outside, Zhao Qi couldn't help but let out a long sigh. If they didn't have any money... she sighed again, then propped up her chin with her hand, gazing out the window. As a girl, she felt really useless, unable to help her family at this time, instead becoming a burden on them.

  "I don't know if big brother can..."

  Muttering to herself, she once again cast her eyes on the news that was about the size of a palm on the newspaper.

  Taking a sip of coffee, Li Zichen smiled as he looked at this young man who had rushed in, this person was really interesting, coming to the restaurant to find him and opening his mouth to say one sentence.

  "Please lend me three thousand dollars, sir!"

  What a big tone! But I like the vigor on him, it's really sincere.

  Looking at the young man with a silly face, Li Zichen put down his coffee cup and asked back.

  "I have the money, but the problem is, we've never met before, why should I lend it to you?"

  Ah...

  For a moment, Zhao Pingkui really didn't know what to say, this was three thousand dollars.

  "My life!"

  Looking at the young master in front of him who was drinking coffee, Zhao Pinghu gritted his teeth and spat out a ruthless remark.

  It was her sister who saw this person in the newspaper, she wanted to come and ask him for money. A girl comes to ask a stranger she has never met before for money, how can anyone lend it to her? Maybe they will even take advantage of her.

  After blocking his sister, he looked at the worried faces of his parents and ran over, but when faced with the gentleman's question, he was at a loss for words and didn't know how to answer except that it was a matter of life and death.

  "As long as you lend me three thousand dollars, this life of mine will be yours from now on!"

  Life!

  He stared at him for a few moments, and although he was wearing a suit, his muscles made the clothes look very tight. After a moment of contemplation, Li Zichen realized that except for Ah Si, it seemed that in the future, there would only be a group of foreigners brought by Tyler around him.

  Returning to China with a large sum of money, but now that the country is not in a state of war and chaos, it's still not peaceful, isn't this looking for trouble? It seems like spending $3,000 on a bodyguard would be worth it.

  However!

  After a moment of contemplation, Li Zichen asked back.

  "Give me a reason!"

  "Sir!"

  Zhao Ping was stunned for a while and didn't react. The reason, what reason is it that he needs the money or why he's worth three thousand dollars.

  Just as he was stunned and didn't know how to respond, Ah Si, who was standing beside him, looked at the man's silly appearance and immediately spoke up.

  "What does the young master mean by wanting those three thousand yuan for?"

  "Sir, I...I want money to send my grandfather back home, okay..."

  Listening to his words, Li Zichen understood the reason and nodded finally, giving a command to Ah Si.

  "Give him five thousand dollars!"

  Young Master!

  "Teacher!"

  To everyone's surprise, especially Ah Si and Zhao Pingchu, Li Zichen had already stood up and left the dinner table with just one sentence.

  "Get your things done and then come over!"

  Everyone has a life, but as soon as they open their mouth, they have to sell their life to themselves. Whether such people are trustworthy or not, only time can prove everything. A few thousand dollars for a person, this business is worth trying!

  Moreover, they really need people, otherwise when Tyler brings people over, won't they just be bringing a bunch of foreigners back to the country to fight?

  "Go back home!"

  Thinking of this word, Li Zichen's expression tightened, what would be waiting for him on the other side of the ocean?