20 years of the Republic of China

Chapter 828 Hidden Front
Gong Baonan nodded, his gaze calm, even somewhat indifferent.

Guan Wei was a man of strong emotions. Upon seeing him, a thousand thoughts rushed to his mind. He immediately leaned on his cane, swayed, and stood up.

"Seventh Brother, it really is you!"

As he was speaking, he took two steps forward, only to find that he had missed his target.

Gong Baonan dodged aside, stepped into the courtyard, and then quickly closed half of the gate. Standing in the shadow of the gate, he watched as Guan Wei almost fell to the ground and couldn't help but laugh.

"Damn it, couldn't you just pick me up?"

Guan Wei quickly braced himself against his crutch, staggered a few steps, and barely managed to regain his balance.

Gong Baonan laughed and said, "Don't try that, it's too gritty for me."

Guan Wei cursed again: "I'm already in such a frenzy, why are you being such a spoilsport?"

Gong Baonan did not respond. He glanced down at Lao Liu's legs, gradually suppressed his smile, and fell silent.

The two brothers stood face to face at the entrance of the same small courtyard, but the gate was half open and half closed, so one of them was in the light and the other in the dark.

After a long silence, Gong Baonan finally asked, "What's wrong? Are you lame?"

Guan Wei didn't want to bring this up, so he waved his hand and casually teased, "You really have sharp eyes, how did you see that?"

Gong Baonan refused to take the bait. After thinking for a moment, he smiled and said, "And a little walking stick."

"Why not?"

"Let me take a look."

Without much thought, Guan Wei handed over the cane and took the opportunity to carefully examine Gong Baonan's appearance. His eyes suddenly became a little blurry, and then he sighed softly, "Seventh Brother, you've gotten old. Look at your temples, you even have white hair."

Gong Baonan snorted, weighed the cane in his hand, and changed the subject, saying, "It's quite shiny."

"How could it not shine?" Guan Wei said with a wry smile. "I've been working on it for over ten years!"

Then he asked, "By the way, Seventh Brother, how did you know I lived here?"

Gong Baonan raised his eyelids slightly, but said, "Nonsense, this little courtyard used to belong to my elder brother. Do you expect me to build you a separate house?"

Guan Wei was taken aback, and quickly said, "Yes, yes, that's true... Seventh Brother, how have you been these years?"

Gong Baonan laughed and said, "It's alright, but I'm definitely better than you."

Guan Wei clicked his tongue and said with a helpless look, "You're still such a chatterbox."

"The truth is hard to hear!" Gong Baonan tilted his head and looked towards the door, asking with a hint of curiosity, "Hey, who was that woman just now?"

"Oh, that's the maid Xiaoyan bought, sent here to take care of me."

"Done?"

"Tsk! Don't pry into my business!"

Gong Baonan waved his hand and laughed, "Alright, I won't ask, lest I offend my ears! I just want to ask when she's coming back?"

Guan Wei glanced at the sky and muttered, "We just went out at this hour, so we definitely won't be back before noon."

Upon hearing this, Gong Baonan strode towards the main room.

Guan Wei naturally didn't stop him, but suddenly remembered something and quickly grabbed the door frame and shouted, "Hey, I say, Seventh Brother, give me back my stick!"

After calling out several times without getting a response, Guan Wei angrily cursed, "Damn it, you despicable bastard, you even steal a cripple's cane, are you even human?"

"Clang-"

The door closed, and Gong Baonan had already gone inside.

He didn't consider Lao Liu to be a cripple at all.

Helpless, Guan Wei could only lean against the courtyard wall and slowly shuffle toward the main house door.

By the time they entered the house, they were already panting heavily, only to find Gong Baonan squatting by the cupboard in the outer room, rummaging around like a mouse stealing a hole, not treating them like outsiders at all.

Not long after, he found three large flatbreads, a plate of aspic, a dish of mustard greens, and two salted duck eggs in the kitchen. He was busy and seemed a little unsatisfied.

Guan Wei leaned against the doorway, finally managed to grab his cane from the wall, and said, panting heavily, "Hey, you little brat, you came here to smash my kiln?"

"Hey! You have no idea how much trouble I went through on this trip back, I was starving!"

As Gong Baonan spoke, he picked up the thermos next to the stove, poured in a bowl of boiling water, cracked an egg into it, sprinkled some salt, stirred it, and then busied himself carrying it into the house.

Seeing this, Guan Wei couldn't help but ask, "Are all the restaurants in the city closed now?"

Gong Baonan didn't explain, but as he passed Guan Wei, he said, "Don't just stand there, go and heat up the kang (heated brick bed) for me, make it warm!"

"Who?" Guan Wei looked down at his legs, then pointed to himself. "Me?"

"Nonsense! I'm a guest. Who invites guests to heat the kang (a traditional heated brick bed)?"

"Aren't you my son?"

"Do you still want your walking stick?"

"No, no, no, I'll burn it, I'll burn it, okay?!"

Guan Wei was already helpless against him, and now he was even more helpless. He had no choice but to walk to the stove with his cane and obediently go to heat the kang (a heated brick bed) for Lao Qi.

However, with his legs, he couldn't stand steadily or squat down, so starting a fire to heat the kang (a traditional heated bed) wasn't an easy task.

So he toiled away for a long time before finally heating up the kang (a heated brick bed).

Then, he slowly shuffled to the door of the east room and looked inside. He saw Gong Baonan sitting cross-legged on the kang (a heated brick bed), eating ravenously. In the blink of an eye, he had finished two large flatbreads and still showed no sign of stopping.

Seeing this, Guan Wei couldn't help but suggest, "Seventh Brother, how about we have a couple of drinks?"

Gong Baonan waved his hand and said, "No, I have something to do later, so I can't stay here for long."

Guan Wei was a little disappointed, but quickly tried to persuade him, "There's a war going on outside right now. What else do you want to do? Stay a few more days, and we can have a good chat. Just keep me company!"

Seeing his pitiful state, Gong Baonan couldn't bear to refuse, so he sighed and said, "Alright, I'll have a drink with you then, but I still have to leave later."

Guan Wei was easily satisfied now, and quickly nodded and said, "Okay, then wait for me to get the wine!"

Seeing this, Gong Baonan felt a little uncomfortable.

But this pity was fleeting, replaced by silence and discontent.

Guan Wei was busy running around, not only fetching wine, but also serving several snacks to go with it: a bowl of cured meat, a plate of sausages, a bag of fruit, and a dish of fried peanuts.

Although they are both cold dishes, they are hundreds of times better than flatbread with soup.

Gong Baonan looked at the salted duck egg in his hand, then at the snacks on the kang table, and couldn't help but curse, "Damn it, where did you hide these things just now?"

Guan Wei blinked and said, "No, I didn't hide it. It's right there. Didn't you see it?"

"Bullshit! If you had something good, why didn't you bring it out sooner!"

"Who told you to be in such a hurry... Besides, it's the same whether you eat it now or not."

"I've already eaten two big pancakes!"

"Well, then sit a little longer, digest your food, and eat slowly."

Gong Baonan rolled his eyes, muttered a few curses under his breath, and hurriedly picked up his chopsticks and forced the food into his mouth.

Guan Wei pretended nothing had happened. Even though he was already on the kang (a heated brick bed), he still held his cane horizontally in front of him and held it tightly, and deliberately changed the subject.

"Seventh Brother, what's up with you later?"

"Nothing, I'm just planning to fuck you after we finish eating."

"Tsk, I'm being serious!" Guan Wei set out the wine cups, filled them all, and then handed one to Lao Qi. "Did you go to check out Xiaodao on your trip back?"

"No."

When are you planning to visit him?

“I never planned to go,” Gong Baonan said calmly. “And you’re not allowed to tell anyone that I’ve already returned to Fengtian, including that woman from earlier.”

"Why?" Guan Wei was completely puzzled. "Seventh Brother, Xiao Dao hates me, but this has nothing to do with you! How many years has it been since you came back? Let me calculate... the third year of Xuantong, which is the Republic of China... you haven't been back for fourteen years. Although he is a junior, he doesn't know you're back. You should go and see him!" Gong Baonan didn't say anything, seemingly having other plans.

Guan Wei reached into his pocket, pulled out a photograph, handed it over, and said with a smile, "Seventh Brother, come and see, you're already a grandfather! This is Xiaodao's daughter, Jiang Ya; this is Xiaodao's son, Jiang Chengye; I heard there's also a younger son, but he's not in this photo, his name is Jiang Chengzhi."

Gong Baonan was indeed a little surprised, and quickly took it and looked down at it.

This is an old photo from a few years ago. Jiang Ya is pictured in it; she was just a tiny little girl.

Gong Baonan smiled knowingly, shook his head, and said, "It doesn't seem like a minor path."

"This child looks like her mother, Xiaoyan."

"Indeed, especially her eyebrows and eyes, she looks just like her mother."

As Gong Baonan spoke, he nonchalantly stuffed the photo into his pocket.

Guan Wei was shocked and immediately snatched it back, cursing repeatedly, "I've seen shameless people, but I've never seen anyone as shameless as you! Who said you got it?"

Oh, you want more!

"Of course! I'm living on this photo!"

Guan Wei tucked the photo into his pocket, patted it lightly twice, and then looked worried. He said in a low voice, "Seventh Brother, to be honest, you have to go and see. Xiao Cui told me a few days ago that the Jiang family seems to be holding a funeral. I haven't been able to sleep at night lately, and I'm feeling uneasy. Just go and ask them for me what happened to the Jiang family."

Gong Baonan asked, "Are you not allowed to leave this courtyard?"

Guan Wei lowered his eyelids, shook his head and sighed, "What's the point of a convicted person going out? Are they just waiting to lose their head?"

Gong Baonan showed no sympathy, only a slight sigh. After a moment of silence, he suddenly said, "It seems that Sister Hong has died."

"What did you say?" Guan Wei asked, his face pale and eyes wide. "Didn't you just get back? How did you know?"

Gong Baonan then briefly recounted the news he had overheard at the foot of Longshan Mountain the previous night.

In the entire Jiang family, besides Sister Hong, who else is worthy of Xiao Dao's filial piety?
The deceased must be Xu Ruqing without a doubt.

Guan Wei was shocked upon hearing this and remained speechless for a long time. Suddenly, he said in a trembling voice, "So that means... Sister Hong died a violent death?"

"I'm not sure about that. All I know is that those people have a grudge against Xiaodao and want to take advantage of Sister Hong's funeral to wipe out the Jiang family in one fell swoop."

"He dares!"

Guan Wei slammed his fist on the table in anger, causing the cups and plates on the table to clang loudly.

Gong Baonan frowned, quickly picked up the wine cup, and asked, "What are you doing? Do you want to get up and walk around?"

"Seventh Brother, you're still in the mood for jokes?" Guan Wei said cursingly. "At this critical moment, you're still sitting here drinking with me? Why don't you hurry up and find Xiao Dao, explain everything clearly, so he can prepare in advance!"

"What's the rush? The city is under martial law now, and citizens are restricted from entering and leaving. It's impossible for Sister Hong to have her funeral now."

"Then you have to go find him too!"

Guan Wei hurriedly said, "Seventh Brother, I know it wasn't easy for you to retire. I understand that you don't want to show your face and are afraid of getting back into trouble. But that's your nephew! We raised him ourselves. Are you just going to watch him jump into the fire?"

Gong Baonan replied, "I just won't go to see him, I didn't say I wouldn't tell him."

"What do you mean?"

"I know too little about the situation right now. I don't even know who Lao Ye is, but they know the Jiang family inside and out. They know all the core members. At a time like this, I can't show my face."

"Hiss, I think you're the one who should show up," Guan Wei frowned. "The situation is so urgent right now, you should at least go and give Xiaodao some advice!"

Gong Baonan shook his head, but asked, "I've been away from Fengtian for fourteen years. Now, besides Xiaodao and the others, how many people in this city still know me?"

Guan Wei blinked and said, "You didn't have any special skills to begin with! People are afraid of the 'sea owl,' not you, Gong Baonan!"

"That's right. Even most of the people under Xiaodao don't know me. If they don't know me, then I don't exist."

"Oh, the secret branch!"

"Looks like you're not completely stupid, but this doesn't count as a gang. One person is enough for me; more people will just cause trouble."

"That's true. I think of Xiaodao's men. Apart from Zhao Guoyan, who's passable, the others are all lacking in ability and are far from good enough!"

"Isn't this normal?" Gong Baonan retorted. "Whose chicken coop can raise an eagle?"

Guan Wei nodded and said, "That's true. My brother and his gang are either thugs or bandits. They can't compare to those from Sifengkou. They all grew up in the city..."

"same as you."

"Uh... let's not talk about that. You just mentioned the Dark Hall. I don't think that will stop you from seeing Xiaodao, will it?"

Gong Baonan waved his hand and said, "Things are accomplished in secrecy, and ruined by leaks. If you tell someone you won't see them, then you can't see them. Every time you see them, there's an increased risk of the secret being leaked."

Guan Wei nodded silently, pondered for a moment, and then suddenly said, "Seventh Brother, by doing this... haven't you come back again?"

Gong Baonan took a sip of wine and sighed, "Just like you said, what can I do? He's my nephew... I sent the Bai family's daughter abroad to study. She may or may not come back to China. Anyway, after she graduates, she'll be all grown up and won't need me anymore. She'll have her own life, and I can't just keep drifting around outside all the time, can I?"

“The fallen leaves return to their roots.”

"Alright, Fengtian isn't my hometown. I just want to be buried next to my eldest brother so that after we pass away, we brothers can at least get together and have a chat."

Guan Wei suddenly felt a little sad, lowered his head and said, "You're all buried together, but what about me?"

Gong Baonan did not respond.

"Sigh, Sister Hong is gone too. I didn't even have the chance to see her one last time." Guan Wei downed a cup of wine, then filled it again, picked it up and asked, "Seventh Brother, do you think I've committed such a serious crime? I don't ask for anything else, I just wanted to see Sister Hong off one last time. Is that too much to ask?"

Unexpectedly, Gong Baonan suddenly said seriously, "A traitor is a traitor. What right do you have to make demands?"

Guan Wei was stunned, as if the sky had fallen, and he was immediately plunged into a kind of inexplicable fear.

"Seventh Brother...do you hate me too?"

“If I hated you, I wouldn’t have come to see you. But I have no right to forgive you. You have wronged Big Brother and Xiaodao.”

Guan Wei suddenly panicked and immediately swore an oath: "Seventh Brother, if I have ever wronged Big Brother and Xiaodao in the slightest, may God open his eyes and I, Guan Wei, be torn to pieces, struck by lightning, and die a horrible death for eternity! I did act as a spy for Zhou Yunfu, but I never harmed Big Brother, much less intended to harm Xiaodao!"

Gong Baonan thought for a moment, then casually picked up a wine cup and asked in a low voice, "There's a cup of wine here. I'll spit a mouthful into it. It won't kill you if you drink it. Do you want to drink it?"

Guan Wei was dejected.

He had nothing to say and no power to refute anything.

Gong Baonan did not accuse him, but calmly stated the facts: "You acted as Zhou Yunfu's spy, watching your elder brother's every move, and told Master Zhang the location of this house, almost causing Xiaodao and Xiaoyan to die. What else do you have to say? Do you want to say that these were all unintentional actions?"

Guan Wei was overwhelmed with shame and quickly buried his head to wipe away his tears.

Gong Baonan shook his head and sighed softly, "Let's atone for our mistakes and find a chance to make amends!"

"I'd like to make amends, but they need me too!" Guan Wei looked at his two legs. "Seventh Brother, I'm a cripple now!"

"My older brother once said that sometimes the dead are more useful than the living. You're just lame, how can you be called a useless person?"

"Sigh, I did ask Dongfeng to pass on a message to Xiaoyan: if we really encounter some insurmountable deadlock, feel free to risk everything, but I'm afraid I won't live to see that day."

Guan Wei looked dejected. Perhaps due to his long period of confinement, he had little expectation for life in the present world and was more worried about what would happen after his death.

The more I think, the closer I feel to death. Even though I'm still quite healthy, I often feel that my time is up and there are many things I haven't had time to say goodbye to.

Fortunately, he reunited with Lao Qi today.

Besides his granddaughter Jiang Ya, he now has another source of hope in his life.

Gong Baonan looked at him silently, then suddenly picked up his wine cup and said, "Come on, Sixth Brother, let me have a drink with you!"

Guan Wei nodded, regaining his composure, but then suddenly remembered something and said, "Seventh Brother, let's toast Sister Hong first?"

Gong Baonan replied, "Alright, then let's toast Sister Hong first!"

Guan Wei thought for a moment and then said, "Let's toast our older brother and the others too!"

"Fine, you decide. Anyway, it's your wine, I don't care."

"Seventh brother, with your stingy habits, you'll never amount to anything in this life!"

As they spoke, the two poured a few glasses of wine on the ground, then filled their own glasses, clinked them together, tilted their heads back, and drank them down...

(End of this chapter)