69novels Chapter 19: Wei Jixiang, with nowhere else to turn
Chapter 19: Wei Jixiang, with nowhere else to turn
Wei Jixiang pushed away Xiao Zhuoxiao's hand.
"What do I need his help with? Lending me money, though, is something I might consider!"
His words were barbed, but Song Zhaowen just smiled and didn't take them seriously. He lit a cigarette and leaned against the rusty iron railing. The wind swept across the rooftop, ruffling the stray hairs on his forehead.
"You're a seasoned veteran, a senior, so I'll respectfully call you Brother Xiang." Song Zhaowen exhaled a puff of smoke, his gaze fixed on the densely packed buildings in the distance: "Prince Tai treats you like a chamber pot, taking you out when he needs you and kicking you under the bed when he finds you smelly. Anyone with a brain can see that clearly. Sang Bo's words about making you pay have spread throughout the underworld."
Wei Jixiang turned his head abruptly, his eyes bloodshot from lack of sleep and anxiety: "What's it to you? Are you here to laugh at me?"
"A joke?" Song Zhaowen scoffed, walking up to Wei Jixiang. The two were so close they could see their own reflections in each other's pupils. "You, Wei Jixiang, have come to this point. Your wife is gone, the woman you were with is lying in the hospital, her life hanging in the balance, your son is being pointed at at school and called a gangster's offspring... You've become a joke yourself, why do you need others to look at you?"
"You!" Wei Jixiang grabbed Song Zhaowen by the collar, his arm trembling.
Xiao Zhuoxiao, who was standing nearby, quickly stepped forward: "Brother Xiang! Brother Wen really came to help you, don't get agitated..."
Song Zhaowen raised his hand to stop Xiao Zhuoxiao, his provocation still not quite there: "What, is the truth hard to hear? What's the use of grabbing my collar? If you're so capable, go grab Prince Tai, go grab Chen Mei, the leader of Hongtai, go grab that Sang Bo who's about to be released from prison and has specifically named someone to make your whole family suffer!"
Every word was like a knife, stabbing at Wei Jixiang's most painful spot. The strength in his hand slowly loosened, and he slumped back two steps, as if his spine had been suddenly ripped away.
Song Zhaowen continued to deliver the final blow:
"Running away is the stupidest thing to do. If you run away, you'll be a stray dog for life, while Prince Tai will still live a life of luxury, and Sang Bo will laugh at you for being a coward. Robbie's suffering will have been in vain."
Wei Jixiang suddenly looked up, staring intently at him: "Then what do you suggest?! Stay in Hong Kong and wait to die? The triads don't care about me, the police are unreliable, what else can I do?!"
"revenge."
There was a moment of silence on the rooftop, with only the mournful sound of the wind.
"What did you say?" Wei Jixiang seemed not to have heard clearly.
"I said, kill them." Song Zhaowen threw his cigarette butt on the ground and crushed it out with his toe. "Prince Tai hurt you so badly. You offended Sangbo back then to stand up for him, and what happened? Did he care whether you lived or died? Now even Robbie has been ruined by them... Wei Jixiang, touch your heart. Is it still filled with blood? If so, don't you want them to pay the price?"
Wei Jixiang shook his head with a bitter smile, shoved his cigarette butt hard against the concrete fence, and rubbed his tired face: "Revenge? You make it sound so easy. I'm just a worthless life, but Da Hong is only in middle school, and Robbie is still in the hospital... I can't afford to fight, and I can't afford to lose. You guys go, the money... I'll figure it out myself."
Song Zhaowen and Xiao Zhuoxiao exchanged a glance. What the hell? Is this really a江湖人 (jianghu person)? Even a lump of mud should be able to muster up some courage by now.
Just then—
"Beep beep beep—beep beep beep—"
The pager at his waist rang urgently. Wei Jixiang frowned, picked it up, and saw the number of his son's school teacher on the screen.
Normally, the school would never call family members unless something happened to a student, and a sense of foreboding would creep into my heart.
"I...I'm going to reset the machine." Wei Jixiang's voice was a little tight as he hurriedly walked towards the door leading down from the rooftop.
Song Zhaowen and Xiao Zhuoxiao silently followed.
The public phone booth on the street corner downstairs. Wei Jixiang's fingers trembled slightly as he inserted a coin and dialed the teacher's landline.
"Mr. Wei, right? Today, Da Hong was picked up by a group of strangers. Those people looked fierce, and the leader was blind in one eye..."
"Sombra?!"
Wei Jixiang gripped the microphone tightly.
"What? Mr. Wei, are you alright? Should I call the police for you?"
"No, thank you. I'll handle my own affairs."
He barely finished replying to his teacher and had just hung up the phone when his pager went off again.
There is only one string of numbers.
Wei Jixiang didn't hesitate and dialed the number immediately.
The phone was answered after only one ring, but instead of his son Da Hong's timid voice, a hoarse, arrogant male voice with a heavy nasal tone came through:
"Hey, is Wei Jixiang looking for your son?"
Wei Jixiang's head buzzed, and his blood seemed to freeze instantly. "Little...Sangbo? Where's Dahong?! What have you done to my son?!"
"Hehe, don't worry, your precious son is perfectly fine, he just wet his pants a little from being scared." Sang Bo's smug laughter came from the other end of the phone, mixed with a few light slaps on the cheeks and a child's suppressed sob.
"I've been waiting for you for over a decade, Wai Cheung-keung. Back then, you stood up for that bastard Tai-tai and chopped out one of my eyes. How do you want to settle this score? I'm at the Shek O dog farm right now. I'm giving you half an hour. One minute late, and I'll chop off a finger from your son's. Don't even think about calling the police; my brothers are scattered around the area... If you see a police car, hehe, you'll be collecting his corpse!"
"Sangbo, don't do anything reckless! Don't let your wife and children suffer! If you have a problem, come at me!" Wei Jixiang roared into the microphone, his eyes instantly bloodshot.
"Coming for you? Fine, I'll be waiting for you at the dog farm. Remember, you only have half an hour." Click, the phone was hung up, leaving only a busy tone.
Wei Jixiang gripped the receiver, his knuckles white from the pressure, his whole body trembling uncontrollably. Fear, anger, and helplessness overwhelmed him like a tidal wave. He suddenly grabbed the phone again, his fingers shaking as he dialed another number—Tai Zitai's mobile phone number.
The phone rang for a long time before being answered, with background noise including loud music and the sounds of men and women flirting.
"Who is it?" came the impatient voice of Crown Prince Tai.
"Brother Tai, it's me, A-Xiang!" Wei Jixiang said urgently, his voice pleading, "Sangbo came out and kidnapped my son, Da Hong! Brother Tai, for the sake of all these years I've been your dog, could you... could you bring some brothers to help me? I beg you, Brother Tai!"
There was a two-second silence on the other end of the phone, followed by an even more impatient, even mocking, voice from Prince Tai: "Wei Jixiang? What's wrong with you? What does Sangbo having to do with you have to do with me! You were the one who did something dirty back then, leaving a trail behind, who can you blame? I'm busy right now, I don't have time for your nonsense!"
"Brother Tai! You can't do this! I did it for you back then..." Wei Jixiang was so anxious that he was about to cry.
"For me? Don't give me that!" Prince Tai interrupted him rudely. "Who do you think you are! A piece of trash who wouldn't even dare to chop someone up. Why should the gang stand up for you? Clean up the mess you made, and don't call again. It's annoying to hear about you!"