Golden Scale [EN]: Chapter 79

104. A Dragon Among Fish

Tit for tat. Over ten days, Hou Longtao targeted two of “Tyrannosaurus’s” restaurants, while “Tyrannosaurus” retaliated by disrupting two new billiard halls and a bar under “East Star.” Despite the property damage, the worst injuries were minor scrapes. Insiders knew neither side wanted the conflict to escalate beyond a point of no return; they were posturing, trying to force the other to yield.

If this continued, it would become a “war of attrition,” a test of financial endurance. The side that couldn’t sustain the losses would have to submit. Although “East Star” seemed likely to win, many favored “Tyrannosaurus.” If truly cornered, he might resort to violence, putting Hou Longtao in danger…

Recently, Hou Longtao had been worried about Kana, the nurse. She’d left a month ago but hadn’t called as promised, nor had she applied for a work visa to China. On Monday, he called Shengtiantang Hospital in Tokyo, using his broken Japanese to inquire about Kana. The person on the other end struggled to understand. Eventually, he explained in English, only to learn that the nurse had taken emergency leave three days prior to return to Hokkaido, leaving no contact information. Now, he had no leads and a bad feeling. He remembered news reports last week about a typhoon hitting Hokkaido, causing severe damage with many missing and dead…

On Tuesday, near the end of the month, Hou Longtao was doing routine checks at the company when Bao Ding called, inviting him to dinner. After work, he headed straight to “Tianlun Pavilion.” Normally, he wouldn’t choose such an expensive place to eat with Bao Ding and the others, but with the growing “epidemic” [likely referring to a disease outbreak], even if restaurants claimed to be “disinfected,” it was better to be safe.

“Damn, thought you got hit by a car. You’re so damn slow.” Hou Longtao was greeted with a scolding as soon as he entered the private room. Four people were already there: Bao Ding, Yixiu, Li Angyang, and, surprisingly, Zuo Wei, who should have been in the States. “Zuo Pi? What are you doing back here?”

“What? Can’t a guy come back for ‘May Day’ [International Workers’ Day, a holiday] after working his ass off for you for almost a year?” Bao Ding immediately started an argument. “Shut your damn mouth.” Hou Longtao didn’t mean it that way, but he didn’t feel the need to explain. He was just surprised Zuo Wei hadn’t told him he was coming back. “Did you screw something up over there and sneak back?”

“No, nothing.”
“Did the thing I asked you to do in the States go wrong?”
“No, nothing.”
“Is someone in your family sick?”
“No, nothing.”
“Then why the hell are you back now?” Hou Longtao felt Zuo Wei’s answers were unusual. Something must have happened. “Everyone’s trying to escape the ‘epidemic,’ and you’re running back?”

“You gone from capitalist to pre-trial judge?” “You motherfucker,” Hou Longtao picked up an ashtray, pretending to throw it at Bao Ding. “Why are you talking so much nonsense?” “Damn, what? What? Trying to attack a police officer?” Bao Ding reached for his waist. “Reaching for what? You don’t have a gun.” “Can’t I even touch it? You bastard.” “Alright, alright, let’s order,” Li Angyang interjected. “I’m starving. I skipped lunch just for this.”

“Wang Ba [turtle egg, a Chinese insult], so you guys planned to eat me all along.” Hou Longtao’s train of thought seemed disrupted, and he didn’t press Zuo Wei further. Led by Yixiu, the guys started reminiscing about high school. “Remember senior year when the four of us skipped class to play basketball at Capital Normal University? It was still called Teachers’ College back then.”

“Damn, of course I remember. We got chased all over the street. How could I forget?” Bao Ding sounded indignant, but his eyes were smiling. “It’s all because of that damn monkey. He just didn’t like the guy.” “That’s right. That guy had shifty eyes, like he was looking for trouble.” “Whatever, he was already in college back then, definitely older than us. You’re just prejudiced against future teachers.”

“Bullshit, I respect teachers. Besides, I didn’t know he was a student at Capital Normal University.” “Start from the beginning. How come I’ve never heard this story?” Li Angyang asked, intrigued. “Yeah, why weren’t you there that day?” Yixiu looked at Hou Longtao. “He was faking sick at home.”

“I didn’t go, and you guys never told me about it.” “Too embarrassing, didn’t want to.” “Then tell it now.”

“You can’t blame the monkey entirely. One of the basketball hoops at Capital Normal University was lower than the other, only about 3.1 meters. Our Monkey Bro tried it and could almost get a hand over the rim. Who could resist that temptation? He ran from five or six meters away, took off, and bam! Air Jordan, swinging his arm in a half-circle.” Bao Ding stood up, grinning as he mimed a dunk.

“Was I really that exaggerated?” “You were exactly like that, like you had a vendetta against the hoop.” Yixiu leaned towards Li Angyang, widening his eyes. “A vendetta against the hoop.” “Ah? Ah… hahaha.” Li Angyang burst out laughing. “You… you dunked on the rim?” “The front of the rim, hehehe,” Bao Ding sat down, smirking. “He used all his strength. Imagine how pathetic that was.”

“He screamed and landed flat on his back, couldn’t get up for a long time, hahaha.” Yixiu was cracking up, probably remembering the scene. “If I hadn’t been quick and put my hand behind my head, I would have been seriously injured.” Hou Longtao’s eyes narrowed. “How did the fight start?” Li Angyang lit a cigarette, ready to “listen.”

“Some guy saw Monkey’s heroic pose and started laughing, pointing and gesturing at him with a girl. He lost face, jumped up, and slapped the guy hard.” “Didn’t you guys laugh?” “Of course we laughed. We were dying of laughter.” “Then why didn’t he get mad at you?” “Of course not. What’s our relationship? Nothing’s more important than us.” “Right, right, continue. What happened after you hit that bastard?”

“That son of a bitch’s class was having gym class nearby, and about twenty guys swarmed us.” Bao Ding curled his lip. “We weren’t about to take that loss. The four of us took off running, and those bastards actually chased us. Damn, Monkey must have softened his legs from the fall. He ran a dozen steps and fell flat on his face again…” “Hey, can’t you make it sound better?” Hou Longtao protested.

“Alright, alright, a big spill. He got up, ran a few steps, and fell again, hehehe, it was hilarious. Because of that delay, they caught up. If Zuo Pi hadn’t turned around and punched the guy in the lead, giving Monkey time to get up, we would have been beaten for sure.” “Then what?” “Then? Man, we ran like crazy for three blocks before we finally shook those animals off.”

“Okay!” Hou Longtao suddenly slammed the table. He hadn’t really forgotten about Zuo Wei because Li Angyang interrupted; he just didn’t want to push too hard. He had been watching Zuo Wei’s expressions throughout the conversation. Zuo Wei hadn’t joined in the laughter and was deliberately avoiding his gaze. Especially when Bao Ding mentioned that he had saved him, the guilt on his face was even more obvious. “Did you guys collude to deal with me?”

“Huh?” “What… what do you mean?” “This…” “Zuo Pi, what the hell did you do to betray me? Did you have to drag these guys in to be your shield?” Hou Longtao’s face darkened. “Did you lose all the political donations in Las Vegas?” He sensed the problem must be serious. “Don’t you guys understand me? Why else would you remind me of our relationship? I’m really disappointed.”

“It’s not about money.” Zuo Wei didn’t look up. “I… I fell in love with Ailin.” “Huh? Ailin? My Ailin!?” “Yes.” “Are you out of your damn mind!?” Hou Longtao stood up abruptly. “What did I tell you before!?” “Monkey, calm down,” Bao Ding quickly stood up and pulled at his arm. “Don’t rush, listen to his explana…” “Ding’er,” Hou Longtao interrupted, turning to glare at him. “You shut your mouth.”

This was the first time the group had seen Hou Longtao get angry at his own people. They didn’t know what to say, and the room fell silent. Hou Longtao slowly sat down, lit a cigarette, and took a deep drag. “Does she love you too?” “Yes.” “Have you slept together?” “No,” Zuo Wei looked up sharply. “We haven’t even kissed. Really, Monkey, believe me, we’ve been very proper. There hasn’t been any physical contact.”

“Are you guys playing platonic love?” Hou Longtao tossed Zuo Wei a cigarette. “No wonder Ailin used to call every two days, then it became every four or five days, then she switched to emails, and now it’s only once every half a month, and she only talks about business, not like before with all the sweet talk. I knew something was wrong. So she was telling you everything.”

“I… Monkey, I…” Zuo Wei didn’t know how to respond. “So you came back to tell me this?” “I… I wanted to ask for your forgiveness.” “You don’t understand the principle of ‘don’t mess with a friend’s wife’?” “I understand, but I’m not just messing around with Ailin. I really love her.”

“Hmph, you’re willing to risk ruining our friendship?” Hou Longtao’s eyes were cold and devoid of emotion. “Monkey, I know I’m wrong. I hope you can understand. I don’t want to lose you as a friend, but… but… I’ve tried to suppress my feelings. It’s too hard.”

“You’re not wrong. There’s no right or wrong in matters of the heart. You and Ailin aren’t saints, but you managed to restrain yourselves, which shows how much you value me. Since you’re in love, fulfilling your wishes is the only right thing to do.” “Really!?” Zuo Wei’s eyes widened, and the other three were stunned.

“Hehehe,” Hou Longtao smiled slightly. He now realized his true feelings for Wu Ailin: 40% gratitude, 60% sympathy, and no love. Since she could find true love, he didn’t need to interfere. If it had been one of the women in Beijing, even if he eventually forgave them because Zuo Wei acted like “a real man,” he wouldn’t have forgiven them so quickly. “The most important thing is that you didn’t sleep with my woman behind my back. You didn’t betray my trust or our friendship.”

“Monkey…” Zuo Wei’s mouth trembled, and he started to cry. He left his seat and grabbed Hou Longtao’s hand. “Monkey…” “You bastard, you bastard,” Hou Longtao shook off his hand, moving away. “Suddenly turned into a woman? Don’t do that foreign stuff with me. I’m not planning on hugging you. Where’s Ailin? Why didn’t she come back with you?”

Zuo Wei pushed Bao Ding off his chair and sat next to Hou Longtao. “Things are too hectic in the States without her. Actually, she does most of the work. I’m just an assistant. She’s really been doing her best for your sake.” “Zuo Pi, Zuo Pi, I already said I’m not holding it against you. You don’t need to flatter her.” “It’s not flattery, it’s the truth. But she feels bad and doesn’t have the face to see you.”

“Then why did you come back? You have a big face.” “I… I… I couldn’t let you be kept in the dark…” “Alright, alright,” Hou Longtao pushed Zuo Wei. “Can’t I even joke around? Let’s put it this way: I’ll pretend I never had anything with Ailin. You didn’t do anything wrong to me, okay?” “Okay.” “I remember you said you had a girlfriend in Beijing before you left. What about her?”

“Hmph,” Zuo Wei smiled wryly. “Someone was already trying to steal her from me. I’ve been in the States for so long, it ended more than three months ago.” “I see,” Hou Longtao suddenly remembered when he first got together with Ailin. “Are you sure you’re in love with Ailin? Or are you just using her as a tool for emotional support?”

“No, absolutely not. Ailin is the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen.”

“Alright, alright, then I have even less reason to be angry.” Hou Longtao knew that Zuo Wei had at least two girlfriends who were prettier than Ailin. Hearing this, he had no doubts about his feelings for Ailin. “But I’m warning you, I’m fulfilling your wishes. Don’t just focus on romance when you get back to the States. The future development of ‘East Star’ depends on the foundation you lay now.”

“Don’t worry, I’ll get your things done even if I don’t sleep.” “It’s not just my things. You’re one of the founders of ‘East Star.’ You’ll have shares in the future. Ailin is a woman with high material demands. She might only be talking about feelings now, but reality is harsh. Love alone isn’t enough. If you want to keep her for a long time, you have to make something of yourself.” “I will, Monkey, thank you.”

“Don’t act like you owe me. If you distance yourself from me because of this, I might change my mind.” “Damn you, you can’t go back on your word.” Zuo Wei glared. “Hehehe,” Hou Longtao laughed, pointing at the other three. “Why did you bring these three here? Just to remind me that you’re my good brother?” “No, they insisted on coming with me.”

“Why did you guys know before I did?” “Of course. Zuo Pi had to confide in some trusted people first. He couldn’t bring himself to tell you, so we had to help him make the decision.” “Then you still came with him? Weren’t you afraid I’d lose face?” “We were more afraid you’d start fighting on the spot. We know you never hit your own people, but this situation is special. We couldn’t predict your actions.”

The five of them chatted for a while, and the dinner ended. “Monkey, take me home.” Bao Ding picked his teeth with a toothpick, patting his stomach. “Don’t you have a car?” “Nope.” “Then I’m not going your way. Let Yixiu take you.” “Stop talking nonsense. The police requisitioned your car.” “Bastard.” Hou Longtao didn’t refuse. He knew Bao Ding must have a reason for wanting to ride in his car…

“Ding’er, it’s just us now. Just say what you want to say.” Hou Longtao lit a cigarette as he drove. “Shouldn’t you be the one to say what you want to say?” “Me? You’re the one who dragged me here. Why are you asking me?” “Are you really okay? I’m talking about Zuo Pi’s thing.” “Hmph, what’s wrong? Nothing. Feelings aren’t something you can just stop. It’s normal to develop feelings. I have no reason to blame them.”

“I’m really impressed by your generosity in this situation.” There was no sarcasm in Bao Ding’s words. “It’s not that I’m generous. Zuo Pi did what a real man should do. As his real friend, I should respond like a real man, shouldn’t I? Besides, I don’t love Ailin.” “Hahaha, that last sentence is the real reason, right?”

“It’s the reason I forgave him so quickly, not the reason I forgave him. If Zuo Pi had slept with Ailin behind my back, he wouldn’t be qualified to be my friend. If he’s not my friend, he’s my enemy. You know my attitude towards enemies.” “According to you, even if Ru Yan fell in love with someone else, you would handle it the same way?”

“Hehehe, Ru Yan won’t fall in love with you, so don’t even dream about it.” “Go to hell, I didn’t mean it that way.” Bao Ding shoved Hou Longtao hard. “Yeah, I know. Ru Yan won’t fall in love with anyone else. None of the women in Beijing will, except for Ren Jingyao. But Ren Jingyao wouldn’t dare to fall in love with anyone else.” Hou Longtao smiled slightly. He had that confidence in himself and that faith in his beloved wives…

On the first workday after the “May Day” holiday, Hou Longtao arrived at the office. Qu Yan told him that Ru Yan’s mother had called to request a leave of absence for her daughter, saying that Ru Yan was sick. What bad luck. Being sick, and so sick that she couldn’t even make the call herself, the first thing that came to mind was the “epidemic.”

Hou Longtao was extremely worried. He ran out while calling his beloved wife’s house. He learned that Ru Yan only had acute gastroenteritis, and he finally breathed a sigh of relief. But he still rushed over as quickly as possible. He had already decided that even if Ru Yan had a persistent high fever, he would never send her to the hospital. All they would do is isolate her and give her antibiotics, which he could do himself.

Ru Yan’s mother had already gone to work at the hospital. Her father opened the door. “Mr. Liu, how is Ru Yan?” Although Ru Yan’s father had retired due to illness, people who knew him still called him that. “She’s still not awake.” “Can I see her?” “Sure.” Old Liu was naturally “obliging” to his savior and future son-in-law.

The two men went to Ru Yan’s room and gently opened the door a crack. They saw Ru Yan’s slender body curled up in the blanket, her long hair scattered on her pale cheeks, with no color even on her lips. “Heart-wrenching” was the perfect way to describe Hou Longtao’s feelings. “What happened? She was fine when I was with her the day before yesterday.”

“I don’t know what was wrong with her. She started vomiting and having diarrhea around 10 PM last night. Her mother thought it might be gastroenteritis. Although we didn’t want to go to the hospital at this time, we were afraid it was food poisoning, so we took her for a test. It turned out to be acute gastroenteritis. It only stopped after two IV drips. She was up until almost 3 AM this morning before she fell asleep. Her mother saw that she couldn’t go to work this morning, so she called your office.”

“I’ll go keep her company.” “You go ahead. I’ll go out and buy some groceries.” “Ah, then I’ll go buy them.” Hou Longtao was still concerned about his future father-in-law’s health. “No, no, I just use buying groceries as an excuse to take a walk every day. You go keep Ru Yan company.” “Alright.” Hou Longtao turned and entered his beloved wife’s bedroom, closing the door.

He went to the bedside, pulled up a chair from the dressing table, helped Ru Yan tuck in the thin blanket, smoothed the hair on her forehead, and leaned down to kiss her gently. This girl was truly a gift from heaven. Even though she was sick and didn’t look her best, she still couldn’t hide her beauty. The man reached his hand into her blanket,

and held her jade hand.

Hou Longtao sat by his beloved wife’s side, watching her delicate face, listening to her steady breathing, and occasionally kissing her face and forehead carefully. Around 11:30 AM, Ru Yan woke up. Before she even opened her eyes, she felt her hand being held by a warm hand. “Um… Dad?”

“Not Dad, it’s Brother.” Hou Longtao sat up on the bed, pulled her hand out of the blanket, and kissed it. “Brother…” Ru Yan opened her eyes and turned her head to see a pair of loving, affectionate eyes looking at her with extreme tenderness. She didn’t even need to see the man’s face clearly. Only one person in the world would look at her like that. She turned her upper body and threw herself into her beloved’s arms. “Brother…”

“Baby,” Hou Longtao lifted his beloved wife’s body and hugged her tightly, kissing her head. “Why didn’t you tell me you were sick?” “I was afraid you’d worry, and it was so late. I was afraid you wouldn’t have energy for work the next day, Brother…” Ru Yan buried her head in the man’s neck, rubbing her forehead from side to side.

Hou Longtao heard the woman’s voice with a sob, and quickly lifted her chin. Sure enough, he saw bright, glistening tears in her eyes. Now that she had someone to lean on, she didn’t need to be strong anymore.

“Good baby, good baby, my darling, don’t cry,” Hou Longtao was heartbroken. He held his beloved wife’s cheeks, kissing her haphazardly. “Brother is here with you, good baby, don’t cry, or my heart will break.” He held the beauty tightly in his arms, secretly blaming himself for not taking care of his beloved girl. (A Dragon Among Fish)