Chapter 150: Night Talk

Late at night, after 10 PM.

A car stopped in front of a street food stall at Tianhong Port. Xu Hu got out and waved for the driver to leave first.

Inside the food stall, Wei Xiangzuo was drinking, his face red.

Xu Hu walked over and called out: "Boss, get me one portion of beef offal and one portion of radish."

"Coming right up!" the owner shouted back.

Xu Hu bent down to sit beside Wei Xiangzuo and casually picked up a beer bottle to pour himself a glass.

Wei Xiangzuo was peeling salted peanuts, drinking with a somewhat blank stare.

The two sat facing each other, and Xu Hu raised his glass saying: "Come on, let's drink one."

"I'm almost finished drinking," Wei Xiangzuo didn't raise his glass.

Xu Hu held his drink and was silent for a while: "I know you're angry - if you hadn't gone on the run back then, this gang leader position might not have been mine."

Wei Xiangzuo waved his hand, staring straight at Xu Hu: "That's not what I want to talk about, and you shouldn't be talking about that either. I just want to ask you one thing - does Master's death have anything to do with you?!"

Xu Hu looked at him: "Why would you think it has anything to do with me!"

"Because the facts are there - the gunmen entered the port in advance."

"What facts are these? You've known me for over ten years - you trust outsiders but not me, is that it?" Xu Hu held his wine glass and demanded.

Wei Xiangzuo stared into Xu Hu's eyes and remained silent for quite a while before raising his glass and taking a drink: "You can be the big brother if you want - as long as it doesn't affect my brothers below, I don't care. But... remember this - if I find out Master's death had anything to do with you, we're not finished."

Xu Hu paused for a while and also drank his glass: "You don't trust me, still because of the gang leader matter. Fine, I won't explain anymore - I'll investigate Master's matter and give the dock gang an answer."

Wei Xiangzuo didn't respond.

"Old Wei, the old man is gone, we still need to look forward, move forward," Xu Hu wiped the wine from the corner of his mouth and said softly. "I really don't plan to use Old Mo's goods anymore. There are no outsiders here today - give me an honest answer, what's your real attitude on this matter?"

Wei Xiangzuo ate peanuts and replied looking down: "Can Zha'nan really stop doing the gold brick business?"

Xu Hu looked at him with furrowed brows: "If we stop, what will the people below eat? What will they drink?! With just ordinary goods, how much money can we make? And if you stop, those above won't agree either! How many mouths are waiting for gold bricks to print money?"

Wei Xiangzuo raised his head and stared at Xu Hu, suddenly grinning: "Even if we continue, there's nothing to eat."

Xu Hu was stunned.

"Since you say changing to new channels is to let the brothers below make more money, then fine - take me along to contact new channels. Besides the skimming from above, make the remaining actual benefits transparent - your people, my people, split half and half, alright?" Wei Xiangzuo smiled looking at Xu Hu and asked again.

"Hehe," Xu Hu looked at Wei Xiangzuo and also smiled.

The two stared at each other for a while before Xu Hu poured another drink: "Come on, no more talk, let's drink!"

Wei Xiangzuo poured wine, clinked glasses with him, and drank it all.

In the sky, the silver moon hung high and stars shone brightly. A cool breeze blew through the port streets, surrounded by busy night market stalls and the noise of people drinking.

Before, when Xu Hu wasn't yet gang leader and Wei Xiangzuo wasn't yet hall master, after finishing work at sea they would often come with some brothers to these food stalls to eat late night snacks and drink heavily.

Everyone would boast and joke around, and a night would pass in a flash.

Though no one had much money then, days passed quite happily.

After drinking several cups with Wei Xiangzuo, Xu Hu's face was somewhat flushed. He turned to look around, gazing at the street side and saying with a light smile: "Old Wei, do you remember? Back then right there, we got into a fight with those dock workers over a young girl, and you took a knife for me. Those were really good times - one person full meant the whole family wasn't hungry. Ah, now... who knows how many people hope you can bring value. It's tiring."

Wei Xiangzuo looked at him and grinned: "No use talking about the past. Back then you followed behind me, calling me Brother Old Wei all the time. Now it's hard to even get you to drink together - how can it be the same?"

Xu Hu was silent for a while before turning back to look at Old Wei: "...This goods matter isn't up to me alone, Brother Old Wei! The new channels..."

"First investigate how the old man died," Wei Xiangzuo directly interrupted. "After investigating, we'll talk about the rest."

Xu Hu looked into Wei Xiangzuo's eyes and slowly nodded: "Good, investigate first."

Wei Xiangzuo took out his cigarette pack, pulled out a cigarette and reached out to give it to Xu Hu: "Now the dock gang council of elders talk about righteousness but calculate benefits in their hearts - it's long been different from before. But they said one thing right today - if you want to take position, you need to convince people."

Xu Hu took the cigarette and slowly nodded: "I understand your meaning."

Wei Xiangzuo didn't say anything more.

Xu Hu lit the cigarette and took a deep drag before standing up: "Alright, it's late, I'm leaving."

With that, Xu Hu walked toward the street corner. Wei Xiangzuo watched him go and also stood up calling: "Check please!"

......

That night.

Xu Hu returned to his residence and sat staring blankly on the sofa for a while before suddenly picking up his phone and dialing a number.

"Hello?"

"Notify the finance department, starting tomorrow, calculate Old Wei's people's profits normally," Xu Hu said softly while smoking. "Explain to them that we didn't settle before because finance didn't have money."

"I understand, Big Brother."

"Mm, that's it."

With that, they ended the call.

Xu Hu sat on the sofa carefully recalling tonight's conversation with Wei Xiangzuo. After hesitating for a long time, he picked up his phone again and dialed another number.

After some ringing, Li Hongze's voice came through: "Hello, Old Xu?"

"Are you free?"

"You finished talking with Wei Xiangzuo?"

"Mm," Xu Hu nodded.

"Alright, then I'll come find you at the port," Li Hongze said after a pause. "See you in a bit."

"Good."

Xu Hu hung up the phone and lay tiredly on the sofa, inadvertently seeing the group photo displayed on top of the TV cabinet.

That photo had Xu Er, Xu Hu, Gu Tongshan sitting in the middle, and Wei Xiangzuo standing on the left.

Xu Hu stared at the photo, lost in thought.

......

In the urban area, at the Golden Emperor Entertainment City.

Big Bai held his wine glass, sitting beside Old Dong, asking with a face full of smiles: "How is it, Brother Dong, is this alright?!"

Old Dong swung his Sha Seng-like hairstyle, nodding repeatedly: "Very good, the music is energetic too. Come, Little White brother, let's get up and dance."

"I... I don't know how to dance."

"Come on, come on!" Old Dong patted Big Bai's bottom and beckoned.

Big Bai put down his wine glass and stood up, his waist held by Old Dong as they walked to the center of the private room.

"Shake it!" a young man wearing ball-squeezing tight pants shouted in a sharp voice. "Get high!"

Su Tianyu sat on the sofa, reaching into his bag to take out the approval procedures he was urgently modifying.

"Good brother, let's have a drink!" a flamboyant young man sat beside Su Tianyu, reaching to touch his inner thigh.

Su Tianyu glanced at him: "...Don't fucking grope randomly, it might spring up and hit you to death!"

"Then have a peach," the young man used a toothpick to spear a piece of fruit for Su Tianyu.