Courtyard House: First, kill the hypocrites, leave none alive.

Yau Ma Tei, Golden Princess Ballroom.

Afternoon sunlight streamed through the blinds, casting dappled patterns of light and shadow in the office.

Uncle Quan sat behind his desk, holding an account book in his hand, slowly flipping through it.

On the coffee table sat a pot of cooled Pu'er tea and several untouched plates of pastries.

A-Qiang stood in front of him, a hint of hesitation on his face.

"Uncle Quan,"

He began, "What about Borneo... how do you explain that?"

Uncle Quan didn't look up.

"Explain what?"

Ah Qiang was stunned for a moment.

"About Ruan Biao's shipment. Thirteen boxes of bullets, just like that, gone. We lost money, but what if he asks about it—"

"What do you want to ask?"

Uncle Quan looked up at him.

His gaze was calm, yet it sent a chill down A-Qiang's spine.

"When he asked, I just said it was stolen. Who can say for sure what happens at the docks? If he doesn't believe me, let him check it out himself."

Ah Qiang opened his mouth as if to say something, but didn't say anything.

Uncle Quan closed the ledger and leaned back in his chair.

"Ah Qiang,"

He said, "Remember this. Ruan Biao is a businessman. His brother, Ruan Xiong, has over two thousand men under his command. They need to eat every day and fight every day. Where do they get their bullets? From me. If he doesn't work for me, who will he work for?"

He paused.

"I compensated him. Thirteen boxes of bullets, plus one more. That's more than enough. What more does he want?"

Ah Qiang remained silent for a few seconds.

"Uncle Quan, what if he finds out himself..."

"What did they find out?"

Uncle Quan looked at him, his eyes narrowing slightly.

"Was it found out that one of our people stole it? Was it one of Fat Bo's former employees? Or was it something else entirely?"

Ah Qiang didn't say anything.

Uncle Quan stood up and walked to the window.

He looked out the window at the street scene of Yau Ma Tei, watching the flow of people and vehicles.

"Ah Qiang,"

He said, "There are many things in this world that are impossible to investigate thoroughly. How many people, how much cargo, how many ships go in and out of the docks and warehouses every day? Who can get to the bottom of this?"

He turned around.

"If Ruan Biao were smart, he would know when to stop. He would take the compensation and continue doing business. Everyone would be better off."

"What if he's not smart—"

Uncle Quan didn't finish speaking.

But Ah-Qiang understood what that meant.

If he's not smart, then let him disappear.

There's more than just Nguyen Hung's family in Borneo.

Ah Qiang nodded.

"Understood, Uncle Quan."

Uncle Quan walked back to his desk and sat down again.

He picked up the cigar, cut it open, and lit it.

I took a sip.

Slowly expel it.

Smoke rises in the sunlight.

"What about Ruan Biao?"

He said, "Keep an eye on him. His men are still on Hong Kong Island; I don't know what they're investigating."

Ah Qiang nodded.

"clear."

Uncle Quan waved his hand.

Ah Qiang left.

The office fell silent again.

Uncle Quan puffed on his cigar, gazing out the window at the increasingly bright sky.

He remembered Ruan Biao's small eyes.

Those eyes, when they look at people, are like a snake staring at its prey.

That's not someone you can easily deal with.

But there's nothing we can do about it.

When something happens, it needs to be resolved.

He lost money.

That's more than enough.

The rest is up to Ruan Biao to decide.

-

Sham Shui Po, Fuk Tak School.

At 4:30 p.m., the school bell rang on time.

The children poured out of the classrooms like a tide, carrying their schoolbags, laughing and shouting, running towards the parents waiting to pick them up at the school gate.

Xiaoyu walked quickly, blending into the crowd.

She was wearing new clothes, carrying a new schoolbag, and had a smile on her face.

As she came out of the school gate, she immediately saw Chen Feng.

He stood under the old banyan tree, wearing his faded blue overalls, his hands in his pockets, looking at the school gate.

Xiao Yu ran over.

"elder brother!"

Chen Feng looked at her, his gaze softening for a moment.

"School's out?"

"Um!"

Xiaoyu nodded vigorously, "The teacher praised me today, saying I did my homework carefully!"

Chen Feng didn't say anything.

But he reached out, took her schoolbag, and carried it in his hand.

"Let's go."

Xiaoyu walked beside him, chattering about school as they went.

"Brother, I learned addition in math class today, and I know it all!"

"Brother, the teacher made us memorize poems in Chinese class, and I've memorized them!"

"Brother, my deskmate Fang gave me an eraser, it smells nice!"

Chen Feng listened, occasionally humming in agreement.

Xiaoyu didn't care.

She was overjoyed.

She's been in school for almost a month now, and she likes it more and more.

I like my teachers, my classmates, and the textbooks and knowledge I've never seen before.

She felt like a completely different person.

She is no longer the little girl who used to cower behind her brother and know nothing.

"elder brother,"

She said, "I want to get first place in the future."

Chen Feng glanced at her.

"Um."

"I want to be a teacher when I grow up."

"Um."

"I want to earn lots of money in the future so my brother can spend it."

Chen Feng didn't say anything.

He reached out and gently pressed her head.

Xiaoyu smiled.

Her eyes curved into crescent moons as she laughed.

-

Sham Shui Po, Fuk Wing Street.

The door to Wynn's repair shop was still open.

Little Boy and Ah Fu are busy inside.

An engine was disassembled, parts were scattered all over the floor, and two people were squatting there, looking at a screw with concern.

"How exactly do I install this?" Little boy scratched his head.

Afu scratched his head.

"I forgot what Master taught me yesterday..."

Chen Feng walked in.

The two of them looked up at the same time, their eyes lighting up.

"Master!"

"Master, you're back!"

Chen Feng walked over, squatted down, and glanced at the engine.

He reached out, picked up the screw, aligned it, and gently screwed it in.

It was assembled in no time.

Little Boy and Ah Fu exchanged a glance, both looking on with admiration.

"Master, you are amazing!" said the younger son.

Chen Feng ignored him.

He stood up and went to the sink to wash his hands.

He lathered the soap in his hands, his head down, his movements slow and careful.

"How was your day?" he asked.

Afu quickly replied, "Great! Two machines came this morning, and we fixed them! Master Zhang checked them and said they were fine!"

The younger brother added, "It was this one from this afternoon, the two of us couldn't handle it..."

After washing and drying his hands, Chen Feng hung the towel back on the wall.

He walked back to the workbench and looked at the engine.

"This place,"

He pointed to one of the parts, "It's installed backwards."

The younger boy blushed.

Afu lowered his head.

Chen Feng didn't say anything more.

He picked up the wrench and began to reassemble.

He pretended and talked at the same time.

"You need to loosen this screw first, then align it."

"Make sure this clip is aligned before pressing it down."

"Don't apply too much oil to this area."

Little Boy and Ah Fu stood to the side, not daring to blink, afraid of missing a single word.

By the time Chen Feng finished installing it, the engine was already running normally.

The younger son admired him immensely.

"Master, you're amazing!"

Chen Feng put the wrench down.

"You guys put it together again yourselves," he said. "I'm watching."

Sai-zai and Ah-fu exchanged a glance, then quickly squatted down and began to dismantle it.

Chen Feng stood to the side, watching them make their move.

Occasionally, I'll say "slow down," and occasionally, I'll say "you're wrong."

The two of them were busy and flustered, but they were both very serious.

Outside the door, the sun was gradually setting.

Dusk enveloped Fu Rong Street.

In the distance, the clanging of trams and the shouts of street vendors could be heard.

Everything was so peaceful.

That's normal.

Just like any ordinary evening.

-

By the time the engine was reinstalled, it was already dark.

Little Boy and Ah Fu were covered in sweat, but their faces showed happiness.

"Master, we're all set up!" said the younger brother.

Chen Feng went over and checked it.

He nodded.

"OK."

Little Boy and Ah Fu almost jumped up.

"Master, are we off work now?" Afu asked.

Chen Feng hummed in agreement.

The two packed their things, said goodbye to Chen Feng, and ran out of the shop.

Chen Feng stood in front of the worktable, looking at the repaired engine.

Then he turned around, walked to the door, and pulled down the roller shutter.

Lock it.

Walk back to 132 Fuk Wing Street.

On the third and a half floor, the wooden door with peeling paint was open.

Xiaoyu was doing her homework, leaning over the table. Hearing footsteps, she looked up.

"Brother! You're back!"

Chen Feng went inside.

There were two bowls on the table, one containing noodles and the other with a poached egg on top.

"Brother, I made this for you!" Xiaoyu said. "Try it and see if it's good!"

Chen Feng sat down and picked up his chopsticks.

I took a bite.

Xiaoyu looked at him nervously.

"Is it tasty?"

Chen Feng nodded.

"tasty."

Xiaoyu smiled.

She picked up her own bowl and started eating.

A dim light bulb shone in the room, illuminating the two people, the two bowls of noodles on the table, and Xiaoyu's homework.

Outside the window, the night in Sham Shui Po grew deeper and deeper.

A faint commotion could be heard in the distance, several streets away, and it was all indistinct.

But there were only two people in this small room.

An older brother.

A younger sister.

Eating noodles.

Doing homework.

Like any ordinary night.

After finishing his noodles, Chen Feng put the bowl in the sink.

He walked to the window and looked at the lights outside.

The neon lights of Yau Ma Tei in the distance were still flashing, turning half the sky into an ambiguous pink.

He knew that many things were happening in that world.

The matter between Uncle Quan and Ruan Biao.

The story of the stray dogs and the walled city.

And something else.

But none of that concerns him.

He is now Chen Guodong.

Technicians at Wynn Repair Shop.

Chen Xiaoyun's brother.

That's it.

He looked away and drew the curtains.

I walked back to the table and sat down opposite Xiaoyu.

"Have you finished your homework?" he asked.

Xiaoyu raised her head.

"Soon!"

Chen Feng nodded.

"Go to bed early after you finish writing."

Xiaoyu hummed in agreement and continued writing.

Chen Feng sat opposite her, looking at her.

Watching her write each character carefully, seeing her thoughtful expression, and noticing her occasional habit of biting her pencil stub.

His face was expressionless.

But something was gleaming in his eyes.

That's a very rare thing.

Perhaps it's a sense of security.

Perhaps it's satisfaction.

Perhaps it's just—

calm.

Outside the window, the night grew deeper.

The city continues to turn.

Some die, some are born, some laugh, some cry.

But in this small room, there is only peace at this moment.

Like any ordinary night.