Chapter Eleven: Sworn Brothers

  Li Guoting said, and was about to punch the young man in the face.

  The young man who was pressed to the ground by Li Guoting's leg began to beg for mercy: "Big brother, spare me, it's all my fault for not recognizing Mount Tai. I'll never dare again."

  Li Guoting's fist stopped in mid-air, and his eyes stared tightly at the young man's face, saying: "What's your name? Why did you snatch my silver dollar?"

  That young man lay on the ground, probably feeling that Li Guoting's leg was pressing on his chest, making him a bit breathless, and shouted: "Ah, mother, I'm going to be crushed to death! Brother, please move your leg away, can't you? I'm suffocating!"

  Li Guoting looked down and saw that his leg was pressed against the other person's chest, who must be uncomfortable but was afraid he would play some trick, so he lifted his leg slightly and said: "Be honest, my fist is not vegetarian. If you play any tricks on me, I'll hit you to death."

  "I don't dare, I don't dare. How could I, big brother?"

  "What's your name? Why do you want to snatch people."

  "Big brother, my name is Zhao Erhu, I live in Shicai Town. My family is poor, my father died of illness, and my mother remarried to another place with my sister. Only my grandfather and I were left at home. My grandfather was ill, and in order to cure his illness, I stole something from our town's wealthy man Tian Jiaxing, wanting to sell it for money to treat my grandfather's illness. But unexpectedly, he discovered me, caught me, locked me up in the town government office, beat me, and wanted to sell me to compensate for his loss. Later, I secretly untied the rope on my wrist, jumped out of the back window, didn't dare go home, and ran here. Originally, I wanted to go south, but I had no money. Who knew that I met big brother here? When I saw big brother take out a silver dollar, I...I became greedy..."

  Li Guoting listened to him and suddenly the hatred in his heart disappeared. Wasn't he the same as him? He was also chased by Chen Guangfu all the way here. Now, where could he go? He had no idea either. As the saying goes, "All poor people are one family." How could he lay hands on a child who was just as miserable as himself?

  Thinking of this, Li Guoting loosened the fist that was raised above his head. He put it down, lifted his leg, stood up, stretched out his hand and grabbed Zhao Erhu's hand which was lying on the ground, saying: "Ah, you're also a poor guy, we're all the same, get up. I won't hit you anymore."

  Zhao Erhu was pulled up from the ground by Li Guoting, and he was still a bit confused. He stood foolishly in front of Li Guoting, staring at him, and after a while, he finally spoke: "Big brother, you...you won't take me to the police station, will you?"

  "I won't send you there. Don't worry, I still hate that group of people to death." Li Guoting said to Zhao Erhu.

  "I'm relieved then," said Zhao Erhu. "If they send me there, they'll surely skin me alive."

  "Why do they hate you so much?"

  "I've also stolen things from police stations."

  Li Guoting was shocked: "You're really bold, even daring to steal from a police station?"

  Zhao Erhu glanced at Li Guoting and said with a hint of pride: "I once stole a gun from the police station."

  "What? You stole their guns? What happened afterwards?" Li Guoting asked eagerly.

  "I sold him to a mountain goods collector, and he gave me a silver dollar."

  "You little scamp, you're really bold, aren't you? You even dare to steal a gun from the police station. No wonder you're afraid to go to the police station. If I were to take you there, they'd really skin you alive." Li Guoting said.

  "Please, big brother, don't take me to the police station, I'll do whatever you want." Zhao Erhu was a bit scared and begged Li Guoting again.

  Li Guoting was getting impatient, waved his hand and said: "I've told you I won't take you to the police station, so I won't. Why are you being so nagging? I, Li Guoting, am a man of my word, what I say counts. Besides, those policemen are just lackeys of the wealthy, I hate them the most, how could I possibly take you there?"

  Zhao Erhu raised his eyes and looked at Li Guoting in front of him. Li Guoting was half a head taller than him, but thinner, and said: "Big brother, you also hate them?"

  "It's not just hatred, one day when I turn things around, I'll make sure to kill all those bastards who harm the people." Li Guoting said gritting his teeth.

  "Big brother, you're just like me, I also hate those bastards to death. Looks like big brother is also a poor man." Zhao Erhu said.

  Zhao Erhu's words led to a moment of contemplation from Li Guoting. Yes, he was also a poor man, and what's more, the poorest among the poor. If it weren't for the pressure of making a living, his parents and sister wouldn't have died, and he wouldn't be drifting in this place today. It was all because of those cruel landlords that his family was ruined.

  At the thought of this, Li Guoting couldn't help but shed tears. He held back his tears and said to Zhao Erhu: "You're right, brother. I'm a poor man, the poorest of the poor. Those wealthy bastards have made my life miserable. From now on, I, Li Guoting, will make sure they don't have a good day either."

  "Big brother, it seems we are from the same family. I, Zhao Erhu, am willing to acknowledge you as my big brother. If big brother doesn't despise me, I'm willing to follow big brother and venture out into the world together." Zhao Erhu kneeled on one knee, raised his hands in a fist and spoke to Li Guoting.

  "Brother, are you willing to acknowledge me as your elder brother?"

  "Alright, I, Zhao Erhu, will acknowledge you as my elder brother."

  "Are you willing to go out and make a name for yourself with me?"

  "Alright."

  "Alright, let's become sworn brothers today." Li Guoting also knelt down, clasped his fists and took an oath with Zhao Erhu: "Heaven is above, I Li Guoting and Zhao Erhu, from today on, wish to become sworn brothers. We will share good fortune together and face difficulties together. Whoever breaks this oath will be struck by thunder."

  Two people finished their oath of brotherhood and stood up from the ground.

  Li Guoting smiled and said to Zhao Erhu: "Brother, you won't ask me for that silver dollar again, will you?"

  "Haha... Big brother, how dare little brother, oh, right, big brother values that silver dollar so much." Zhao Erhu said with a smile.

  "It wasn't that I valued the silver dollar, actually, as a poor kid, I wouldn't have had one. It was given to me by a kind-hearted girl on the road. Of course, I treasured it." Li Guoting said thoughtfully.

  "It was a girl who gave it to big brother, I said, one silver dollar, big brother risked his life to protect it. Does big brother have feelings for that girl?"

  "What nonsense are you talking about? I'm so poor now. No home to return to, what's there to think about?"

  "Where is big brother's home?"

  "Home?" Li Guoting fell into the memories of the past, and in front of him, it seemed as if his sister was lying on the kang coughing up blood and dying. His parents' tragic scene of hanging themselves from a tree in their backyard.

  "I have no home anymore," said Li Guoting.

  "Where is big brother's home?"

  "Never mind, brother, let's move on. I'll tell you the story of my home later. It's getting late, we still need to find a place to eat, and it would be best if we could find a place to sleep." Li Guoting said with a wave of his hand.

  Zhao Erhu turned his eyes and said to Li Guoting: "Brother, let's go to the county town ahead, I have a way to find us a place to eat and sleep."

  Li Guoting looked at Zhao Erhu in surprise and said: "Oh, you have a way? What way? I only have this one silver dollar."

  Zhao Erhu reached out and grabbed Li Guoting's arm, saying: "Hey, big brother, put away that treasure of yours, you don't know how to use it. Once we get to the county town, just keep quiet and follow me, I'll make sure you have food and a place to stay."

  As he spoke, Zhao Erhu pulled Li Guoting and walked forward.