56: "Sven-Royal's" Ambition

Evening, at a small tavern by the South City Wharf.

The salty, fishy sea breeze seeped through the window cracks, mixing with the scent of cheap whiskey.

Inside the private booth, the table was already set with wine and food.

Tang Shirong sat at the table, his eyes appearing half-bright and half-dark behind his gold-rimmed glasses.

When Li Zhan pushed the door open and entered,

Tang Shirong looked up with a slight smile on his lips. "You're here? Have a seat."

Li Zhan pulled out a chair, sat down, and poured himself a glass of wine.

"Brother Tang, you're looking well."

Tang Shirong gave a light chuckle, took off his glasses, and wiped them.

"After holding it in for so many years, I've finally let that breath out. I feel a bit more relaxed."

But Li Zhan could clearly see a flash of sadness and self-deprecation in the depths of his eyes—

As if he had finally broken free from his shackles, only to be entangled by a new sense of emptiness.

The two clinked glasses, the liquid swaying within.

"A-Zhan,"

Tang Shirong suddenly spoke, "Do you know what my biggest gain has been during these years at the Wharf?"

Without waiting for Li Zhan to answer, he continued on his own,

"It wasn't the Bai family's smuggling lines, but meeting a group of 'friends' from Southeast Asia.

I realized that this world is actually very big."

Li Zhan raised an eyebrow. "Oh?"

Tang Shirong lowered his voice. "Changping is too small.

In a few more years, where will there be any room left for underground forces in this country?

The crackdown on organized crime will only get stricter."

He tilted his head back and downed a mouthful of wine. "Thailand, Myanmar, Cambodia—"

"Chinese gangs are everywhere there.

Casinos, mines, ports... it's chaotic, but only in chaos are there opportunities."

Li Zhan narrowed his eyes, sizing up this "kept man" seriously for the first time.

Among the people he had met so far, not many possessed this kind of insight.

Tang Shirong leaned back against his chair, his tone relaxed.

"I'll hand over all of the Bai family's territory and industries to you.

I only want 10% of the dry shares, just to leave myself a way out."

Hearing this, Li Zhan's gaze focused, a half-smile playing on his lips.

Seeing that Li Zhan didn't speak, he smiled.

"Don't misunderstand, I don't mean anything else.

I just have high hopes for you.

A-Zhan... you're more suited for this line of work than I am.

I've watched you rise over these past few months and analyzed all your moves.

If it were me, I wouldn't have been able to reach your current level."

"I believe it won't be long before Changping is yours."

Tang Shirong swirled his wine glass.

"Rather than coming into conflict with you over that bit of territory then, it's better to do you a favor now.

It also leaves a way out for the people under me."

He tilted his head back and drained his glass, revealing a smile of relief.

"After being stuck at the Wharf for so many years, it's time I go do something I like."

Li Zhan was silent for a moment. He could tell these were the other man's sincere words.

He raised his wine glass, his eyes holding a hint of admiration.

"Brother Tang, those words... really make me see you in a new light... What are your plans next?"

Tang Shirong pushed up his glasses. "The world is big, I want to go see it.

First, I'll go to Macau to handle a private matter."

When he spoke of this, he was very calm, without a single ripple on his face.

"Then I'll take a trip around Southeast Asia.

I have a few old friends to visit over there to see if there are any suitable opportunities."

Li Zhan knew what he was going to Macau for and didn't say much else.

He simply refilled both their glasses.

"Then I'll wish Brother Tang smooth sailing and success in your endeavors over there."

The wine glasses clinked with a crisp sound.

Li Zhan rubbed the empty glass.

"Southeast Asia is indeed a good fallback for us. I've had plans in that direction for a while now."

He paused.

"Since ancient times, that has been within China's sphere of influence.

When we were weak, they could peek toward the West,

But once we recover our strength,

They will have no other choice but to follow our lead."

He smiled, his gaze exceptionally firm.

"So, the idea of leaving ourselves a fallback in Southeast Asia is sound, and I will do it too.

But at the same time, we can't lose the domestic side. If we can't walk the black path, we'll go white or grey.

In the future, with both sides looking out for each other, a 'Grey-White Watch' is the long-term plan."

Tang Shirong laughed heartily, his eyes shining behind his lenses.

"What a 'Grey-White Watch'!

Then I'll go scout the way for you first.

You hold the fort in Changping, and I'll pave the way overseas. In the future..."

He paused meaningfully and raised his glass. "We shall support each other from afar."

The two smiled at each other, and their glasses clinked once more.

Outside the window, an ocean-going freighter sounded its horn, slowly sailing toward the mist-shrouded horizon.

—

On the drive home.

Li Zhan held the steering wheel with one hand and pulled out his phone to call A Zhen with the other.

"Hello?"

A Zhen's lazy voice came from the other end of the line.

"Take Lili and the others and wait downstairs. I'll pick you all up for a late-night snack in a bit."

"Sure, I happen to be hungry."

A Zhen gave a light laugh. "I want to eat BBQ at Third Sister-in-law's place."

The corners of Li Zhan's mouth slowly curled up. "Alright, it's a plan."

Since moving, it had indeed been a while since they had been to Third Sister-in-law's. A Zhen was still sentimental.

Hanging up the phone,

He stepped on the gas, and the black car model accelerated through the night toward the residential complex.

A Zhen opened the car door and sat in the passenger seat, while Lili, Xiao Xue, and Xiao Wen squeezed into the back seat.

"Where's Feifei?

I haven't seen her these past two days," Li Zhan asked casually.

Lili curled her lip. "She went back to her hometown. Her mom is sick, so she went back to check on her."

Li Zhan glanced at A Zhen in the rearview mirror. "Did you give her money to take back?"

A Zhen nodded. "I gave her thirty thousand. I didn't dare give more."

She gave a cold snort.

"Her brother and sister-in-law are too greedy.

They treat Feifei like a money tree; no matter how much you give, it'll never satisfy them."

Li Zhan listened to A Zhen's nagging and smiled without responding.

The neon lights outside the window flashed by, and he suddenly thought of his own mother.

He'd been out for several months and hadn't even made a single phone call home... He sighed softly; he needed to find time to go back.

The car model slowly stopped at the entrance of the alley.

Li Zhan turned off the engine and looked at the women in the back seat. "We're here."

A Zhen was the first to push the door open and get out. She took a deep breath and smiled,

"Still the same smell!"

The alley was filled with cooking smoke, and the smell of charcoal from the BBQ mixed with the aroma of fried rice noodles wafted toward them.

Third Sister-in-law's stall was still set up at the end of the alley.

The furnace fire was burning bright, and the iron wok was making a 'sizzle sizzle' sound.

"A Zhen!"

Third Sister-in-law looked up, her eyes brightening.

"So early today? It's been a while since I last saw you."

A Zhen walked over with a smile. "Third Sister-in-law, I missed your BBQ."

Third Sister-in-law nimbly set up a small table and wiped the stools.

"Come, come, sit!"

She looked at Li Zhan, then glanced at Lili, Xiao Xue, and Xiao Wen, her smile widening.

"There are many of you today. I'll give you some extra portions!"

A Zhen ordered skillfully,

"Three orders of fried rice noodles, extra spicy, plus thirty beef skewers, ten chicken cartilage skewers, five eggplant skewers..."

The BBQ was served quickly.

The beef skewers roasted over charcoal were sizzling with oil, sprinkled with chili powder and cumin, smelling fragrant.

A Zhen picked up a skewer, took a bite, and closed her eyes in satisfaction.

"I still love this taste!"

Seeing that Li Zhan hadn't really touched his chopsticks, Xiao Wen picked up a beer bottle and poured him a glass.

"Brother Zhan, what are you thinking about?"

Li Zhan picked up the glass and downed it in one go.

As the alcohol burned down his throat, his eyes grew inexplicably warm.

"I miss my mom..."

The girls, who had been chatting away just a moment ago, suddenly went quiet.

They looked at each other, but no one spoke.

Of those who came to Guangdong to make a living, who wasn't away from home all year round?

Throughout the year, they could only go back once during the Lunar New Year.

They didn't feel it when they were busy, but once they slowed down, homesickness would surge up like a tide.

At this time in Guangdong, a peculiar sight would appear every Spring Festival—

The entire city seemed to have its pause button pressed.

The usually bustling streets became empty, with not a soul to be seen.

Those forever-busy food stalls and snack stands were all closed, their rolling shutters tightly sealed.

Even the 24-hour convenience stores hung up "Closed for Spring Festival" signs.

The industrial zones were even more frighteningly quiet.

The dormitory buildings, usually packed with migrant workers, were pitch black, and the clotheslines were empty.

Only a few scattered security guards patrolled the factory areas, their footsteps sounding exceptionally clear on the empty concrete ground.

The most exaggerated part was the bus stations.

The buses, which people usually had to fight to get onto, were so empty you could sleep lying down.

The bus drivers drove absentmindedly because there might only be two or three passengers on the entire route.

This was the unique "Empty City" phenomenon of Guangdong around the millennium—

Millions of migrant workers returned home collectively like migratory birds, causing this manufacturing hub to fall silent in an instant.

A Zhen was silent for a while, then leaned over and hugged Li Zhan's arm.

"Find a time, and we'll go back with you to visit."

Li Zhan stared at his wine glass and nodded.

Third Sister-in-law brought over a plate of freshly roasted eggplant. Sensing the heavy atmosphere, she smiled to break the tension,

"Come, come, eat while it's hot!"

The charcoal fire crackled, and the night breeze brushed past, carrying the scent of smoke.

Li Zhan picked up a beef skewer,

He took a bite, the spiciness making his eyes even redder.