Ma the Tycoon led Ma Dong out of the bar and into a Maybach.
As soon as they settled in, Ma Dong grumbled, “Dad, what was that today?”
“That guy beat me, trashed my hand, and you gave him ten million?”
“Are you losing it?”
Slap!
Ma the Tycoon’s hand cracked across Ma Dong’s face, his voice booming, “You useless punk, always stirring up trouble. What else can you do besides make messes?”
“You didn’t even check who he was before picking a fight. How’s that not asking for death?”
“If I hadn’t shown up, you think you’d have walked out of there?”
Ma Dong frowned, confused.
His dad rarely bothered with him, always speaking gently. This kind of rage was a first.
Still, Ma Dong didn’t care much.
Right now, he just wanted to claw back his lost pride.
“He’s just the Green Wolf Gang’s boss, right? What’s to fear? Dad, pull some strings with Suzhou’s big shots, get them to wipe out the gang,” Ma Dong said.
Ma the Tycoon’s anger flared, “You really think your old man’s all-powerful?”
“Let me tell you, I’ve got some cash, not control. Suzhou’s leaders aren’t my errand boys.”
“Plus, he’s got you like this, and you still think he’s Green Wolf? Is your brain waterlogged?”
Ma Dong blinked, “Not Green Wolf? Then who?”
Ma took a deep breath, cooling his temper, and said gravely, “He’s with Dragon Gate.”
“Dragon Gate?” Ma Dong laughed, “Dad, don’t you have a buddy who’s a Dragon Gate hall master? Get him to handle this guy!”
Ma’s barely-contained fury erupted again, “Handle him? My ass!”
“If my friend knew you crossed that kid, he’d storm Suzhou to take you out.”
“You know who he is in Dragon Gate?”
“One of the four Dragon Envoys, second only to the Gate Master, Nine Thousand Years. Nobody touches him.”
What?
Ma Dong’s face went blank.
Ma continued, “Forget breaking your hand, if he’d killed you, I couldn’t even avenge you.”
“We’ve got some money, but next to Dragon Gate, we’re nothing.”
“Back there, if I hadn’t played nice and coughed up ten million as compensation, you think he’d have let you off? One wrong move, he might’ve thrashed me too.”
Ma warned, “Listen up: don’t mess with him again, or you’ll end up like Sun Wu.”
Fear crept into Ma Dong’s eyes.
“Dad, you saying he killed Sun Wu?”
Ma replied, “That kid’s the Qian family’s grandson. Word is Sun Wu caused a scene at their place yesterday. By night, he was dead at Green Wolf HQ. If not him, who?”
“I also heard their HQ was a bloodbath last night, dozens dead.”
“Probably him too.”
“The new Green Wolf boss, Huang the Crooked, is his puppet. And you called Huang’s disciple Yu Yi for backup. What a moron.”
Ma Dong muttered, “How was I supposed to know he’s tied to Green Wolf?”
“What, you’re the victim now?”
Ma snorted, “I told you before, this world eats its own. Big fish eat small fish, small fish eat shrimp, shrimp eat mud.”
“Money puts you above others, lets you push people around, that’s normal. But can you at least check who you’re shoving before you start?”
“Someone like Ye Qiu’s a steel wall. Picking on him? You’re begging for pain.”
Ma Dong hung his head, “Dad, sorry. I screwed up, dragged you down with me.”
“You’re fine, so what’s my shame?”
Ma lectured, “Dong, I know kids your age chase clout, but let me tell you, face is worthless.”
“Look at Liu Bang, Han’s founder. To save his skin, he ditched his parents, wife, kids. Did he care about pride?”
“There’s a saying: a tree without bark dies, a man without shame rules the world.”
“When you stop caring about face, you’re closer to winning.”
Ma Dong asked, “Dad, think he’ll come after me again?”
“With his status, he shouldn’t bother, but…”
Ma glanced at his son, a walking trouble magnet. What if he crossed Ye Qiu again?
Better safe than sorry. “Dong, lay low for a bit. Go abroad, have some fun, come back later.”
Ma Dong whined, “Abroad’s boring. I’m done with it.”
“Then pick a spot in China,” Ma said. “Heal up, clear your head.”
“I’ll go to Dali,” Ma Dong decided. “My jewelry company’s heading there to source jade. I’ll tag along.”
“Fine.”
Ma cautioned, “Wherever you are, Dali or Suzhou, keep it low-key.”
“Got it, Dad. Don’t worry, I’ll be careful.”
Ma Dong paused, thinking of Gao Fei, “Dad, can you spring Gao Fei? He’s marrying cousin next month.”
Ma sneered, “That wedding’s off.”
“What?” Ma Dong said. “They’ve got the date set.”
“Gao Fei doesn’t deserve to touch our family.”
“And you, Dong, cut him off. He’ll drag you down.”
Ma explained, “Gao Fei ditched his first wife and kid for your cousin. Ungrateful scum.”
“Without the Qian family’s help, would he be a mid-level cadre at the research institute so young?”
“People like him only see profit. For it, he’d do anything.”
“Don’t befriend him, stay far away, or he’ll ruin you.”
Ma Dong scoffed, “He’s a nobody. How’s he gonna hurt me?”
“Don’t believe me? Keep hanging with him, and you’ll regret it.”
Ma turned to the driver, “Drive!”
“Mr. Ma, hospital for the young master, or home?” the driver asked.
Ma said, “Hospital’s too public. Media’ll spin it wild. Home.”
“Oh, and call the doctor to the house.”
