Golden Scale [EN]: Chapter 1

Character Settings: How Could a Golden Dragon Be Confined to a Pond?

Character Introduction: Hou Longtao has six sworn brothers, all of whom grew up fighting together. In his first year of high school, the seven of them sealed their brotherhood by drinking blood wine.

老大 (Lǎo dà – Eldest Brother): Liu Hongda, nicknamed Big Fatty. He is righteous and generous but often acts without thinking, prone to impulsiveness, and harbors some ambition. At twenty-five years old, he lacks a steady job and associates with many figures from the criminal underworld.

老二 (Lǎo èr – Second Brother): Wu Bing, nicknamed Wu Da. He is highly calculating and scheming and is a classmate of Hou Longtao. He is twenty-four years old and works at a bank.

老三 (Lǎo sān – Third Brother): Liu Nan. A wealthy young man who enjoys using money to win over women. He is twenty-four years old, a returnee [someone who has returned to China after studying abroad], and owns an advertising company.

老五 (Lǎo wǔ – Fifth Brother): Cen Yu, nicknamed Er Dezi. The son of a director at CCTV [China Central Television, the state broadcaster], he possesses a vast network of connections within the media. He is carefree and somewhat unkempt but possesses keen awareness of the people and events around him. At twenty-three years old, he graduated from Beijing Sport University, is a nationally certified billiards referee, a partner in Liu Nan’s advertising company, and a classmate of Hou Longtao.

老六 (Lǎo liù – Sixth Brother): Ma Ming, nicknamed Horse Face. The son of the captain of the traffic police team in a district of Beijing, he wields considerable family influence in a city in Hebei Province. He is cunning, but loyal to his brothers. He is twenty-three years old. Benefiting from his father’s position, he has been idling, but recently he has turned over a new leaf and started working as a real estate agent.

老七 (Lǎo qī – Seventh Brother): Lin Long. He grew up in the same courtyard as Hou Longtao, and the two are as close as brothers. He is affectionate, righteous, and very approachable, giving him extensive connections in both legitimate and illicit circles in their area. However, he is somewhat unreliable, preventing Hou Longtao from fully trusting him. He is twenty-two years old and works as a design director in Liu Nan’s advertising company.

In addition to these six sworn brothers, Hou Longtao also has several close friends, all high school classmates, who will play a significant role in his future.

Li Baoding, a police officer at a police station in Beijing.

Xiang Nianxiu, nicknamed Yixiu, the head of the Beijing representative office of a large American pharmaceutical company.

Li Angyang, an inspector at the State Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine [a government agency responsible for ensuring product quality and safety].

Zuo Wei, an auctioneer at an auction house in Beijing. (How Could a Golden Dragon Be Confined to a Pond?)