Futile Devices Scans

While He Chu San was seeing the Boss off at the restaurant’s back entrance, Father He was at the front, exchanging toasts and pleasantries with several tables of guests seated along the street. By the time Father He reached them, he was already somewhat drunk, yet he still clamored to share several more lively rounds with his old neighbors. Mother Wu repeatedly coaxed him to stop, explaining that his heart wasn’t strong and that he could not drink any more. The neighbors loudly demanded that his son come out and drink in his place. Father He said that his son would collapse after three glasses and there was no reason to drag him out merely to embarrass himself. The neighbors burst into laughter and insisted that he bring A’San out so they could watch him embarrass himself. Father He looked around but saw no sign of He Chu San, so he could only send Xin Xin to find him.

While they waited for He Chu San, the neighbors chattered noisily about how fortunate Father He had become in his later years. After working hard for most of his life, he had now gained both a wife and a daughter, as well as raising such an excellent son—well educated, capable of earning money, and devoted to his parents. He must have accumulated immense virtue in his previous life. As their chatter continued, they began talking about how remarkable A’San’s friend was as well. That police officer had come looking for trouble and struck A’San, yet his friend had immediately answered with a punch of his own. Everyone had expected a major disaster, but somehow, after only a few words, that friend had soothed the officer’s temper and sent him away in perfectly good spirits.

Father He stood smiling with his wineglass in hand, listening as they described the details of the earlier commotion. Inside, however, his thoughts began to stir. He knew that A’San and Xia Liu Yi were close. After all, they had saved each other in times of danger. But the fact that Xia Liu Yi would actually strike a police officer for A’San was rather astonishing. Recalling his son’s evasive behavior in the past, Father He could not help wondering whether their relationship was more than ordinary friendship.

He looked at He Chu San as Xin Xin dragged him over. He Chu San’s face was flushed and radiant, his eyes brimming with smiles. Although he normally never touched alcohol, tonight he repeatedly initiated toasts, joked with the uncles and aunties, and said flattering things that kept the entire table laughing.

What is that rotten brat up to? A little drum began pounding inside Father He’s chest. He’s been sneaking around all evening without anyone knowing where he went, and the moment he reappears, he’s grinning so widely he can barely close his mouth. I’m the one getting married, so why do you look as happy as though it were your own wedding?

Late that night, the lively wedding banquet finally drew to a close. The guests departed one after another, leaving behind tables covered in dishes and cups. The four members of the He family remained at the restaurant to deal with the aftermath. He Chu San checked the additional charges with the manager, Mother Wu and Xin Xin gathered their clothes and gifts, while Father He continued chatting reluctantly with the last few old friends who had yet to leave.

One of the servers who was cleaning the restaurant came over and called to Mother Wu, asking her to check whether a bag of belongings had been left behind by their family. Seeing that He Chu San and Xin Xin were still busy some distance away, Mother Wu followed the server alone. The server led her into the storeroom and pointed toward a large burlap sack in the corner.

Mother Wu went forward and opened it. Inside was a heap of battered rose petals and small bouquets of white flowers, along with a wrinkled burgundy suit jacket stained with dirt.

Only one guest that evening had worn such an extravagant and conspicuous color. Mother Wu clearly remembered the handsome young man whom Father He had praised as a promising young man—and who, according to the guests, had even struck a police officer. She found it strange but could make nothing of it, so she tied the sack closed again and told the server, “It should be ours. Leave it here for now. We’ll take it away later.”

She returned to the main hall and continued gathering their belongings. Before long, she saw He Chu San finish settling the bill with the manager in the distance. Flushed from drinking and swaying slightly on his feet, He Chu San began walking in her direction.

She was about to go forward and support him when she suddenly saw He Chu San glance around. Too drunk to notice her standing in the corner, he walked directly into the storeroom. He soon emerged carrying the sack, staggered toward the back entrance, and returned a short while later without it.

Mother Wu was not inclined to meddle in other people’s affairs. She therefore closed her mouth and pretended she had never seen what was inside the sack, although her confusion only deepened.

Once the family had finished dealing with everything at the restaurant, the four of them stood outside and hailed a taxi. They planned to send Father He, Mother Wu, and Xin Xin home together first, after which He Chu San would take another taxi back to his rented apartment.

The alcohol had gone to Father He’s head, and he clung to Mother Wu while rambling endlessly. As she supported and coaxed him, Mother Wu turned her gaze toward He Chu San.

He Chu San had drunk a considerable amount that night. He had begun feeling dizzy long before the banquet ended. Although he had remained conscious enough to settle the bill with the manager, his head had been spinning so badly that he had no idea what the manager had been chattering about. The fact that he still remembered to return to the storeroom and dispose of the sack had been nothing more than an instinct for self-preservation. He was not a particularly dramatic drunk. At present, he merely stood quietly against a roadside utility pole, staring straight toward the end of the street as though lost in thought.

As he stared, his eyes gradually grew dreamy and a faint smile curved his lips, as though he had recalled something wonderful.

Xin Xin, who was wearing a thin bridesmaid’s dress, suddenly sneezed. Jolted out of his pleasant daydream, He Chu San instinctively removed his suit jacket, walked over, and draped it around her shoulders.

“Ah!” Mother Wu suddenly released a quiet cry of alarm, then hurriedly covered her mouth in panic.

He Chu San and Xin Xin both turned to look at her. She merely shook her head and smiled awkwardly. “It’s nothing. Your father is too heavy. I nearly lost my grip on him.”

“How am I heavy? I’m the standard weight!” Father He straightened his back and protested loudly. Mother Wu continued coaxing him while guiding him toward the curb, deliberately preventing him from looking in He Chu San’s direction.

Before long, a taxi arrived. Mother Wu helped Father He into the back seat, while Xin Xin climbed into the front passenger seat. Through the window, Mother Wu looked at He Chu San as though she wanted to say something. In the end, she only asked, “A’San, are you… are you all right? Can you get home by yourself?”

“I’m fine,” He Chu San said gently. “You worked hard tonight, Mom.”

“You… You live alone, so take good care of yourself.”

“I will, Mom.”

After seeing his family off, He Chu San hailed another taxi and returned to his rented apartment in Tsim Sha Tsui. Since he had given his jacket to Xin Xin, the night wind made him sneeze several times during the journey. As the alcohol gradually faded, he felt a damp chill across his back, probably from the sweat he had worked up indoors. The moment he opened his front door, he hurried into the bathroom, intending to take a hot shower.

The instant the water struck him, however, a burning pain flared across his back. He went to the sink and looked in the mirror, only to discover in astonishment that his entire back was covered in bloody scratch marks.

Hiss! You used your claws far too fiercely, Boss. Did it really feel that good?

Both pained and delighted, he grinned foolishly at his reflection. Then he suddenly remembered something. His expression stiffened, and he turned to retrieve the shirt he had just removed from the rack. Sure enough, several streaks of blood stained the back of the snow-white fabric.

Thinking of his mother’s startled cry and awkward expression, he remained frozen with the shirt clutched in his hand for a long time before releasing another enormous sneeze.

Joy really has turned to sorrow. Dad is going to break my legs this time!

…

Dozens of kilometers away, the Boss, who was also standing in the cold night wind, released an equally violent sneeze.

He raised his shoulders as a bodyguard draped a coat over him from behind, then accepted a tissue from another bodyguard and blew his nose with careless swagger. Tossing the crumpled tissue into the pool of blood on the ground, he stepped forward and planted his foot heavily on the Thai assassin’s face.

The killer coughed up blood and struggled beneath his shoe, shouting hoarse curses in Thai.

Xia Liu Yi listened with a contemptuous sneer, scratched his ear, and said impatiently, “Lord Maitreya, Lord Maitreya—damn it, I thought that name was ridiculous the first time I heard it! He has the nerve to call himself a Buddhist lord? When you meet your lord down below in a few days, remember to tell him to convert to Satan!”

With that, he delivered another vicious kick. A crisp crack of breaking neck bones sounded through the air, and the man’s curses ceased completely. Without expression, Xia Liu Yi buttoned his coat as he walked out of the building. “Clean everything up. Leave no one alive.”

“Yes!”

He strode coldly and mercilessly out of the small house, subtly adjusting his backside as he walked. The two kicks had required too much movement, pulling at the muscles around the backside and inner thighs that had just endured a round of “smoking,” leaving them slightly sore.

He climbed into the sedan parked along the street and lowered himself carefully into the seat. Xiao Ma was in the back, giving instructions to his subordinates over the phone. When he saw Xia Liu Yi enter, he hurriedly ended the call. “Boss!”

“You dealt with the men on your side too?”

“Yes! We set fire to the car with them inside.”

Xia Liu Yi gave his shoulder a heavy pat. “Good boy.”

“Hehe!” Xiao Ma immediately felt as though he had been fitted with a golden saddle and promoted to the Boss’s number-one prized horse. Before he could enjoy the feeling for even three seconds, A’Nan opened the door and climbed into the front passenger seat. He reported respectfully, “Boss, the matter involving Officer Wu has been settled.”

Xia Liu Yi was deeply pleased and gave A’Nan’s shoulder an equally heavy pat. “Good boy.”

“…” Xiao Ma once again had the Boss’s favor stolen from him.

The sedan left the alley and entered the main road. Before long, it passed the scene of a traffic accident. The traffic police had already sealed off the area, and paramedics were lifting a horribly mangled victim onto a stretcher. A scattering of passersby stood beyond the cordon, pointing and commenting. The injured man was said to be an elderly police officer who had tyrannized the neighborhood for twenty years and had recently been demoted. Perhaps his luck had been poor and his mood gloomy, because he had drunk too much that evening. For some inexplicable reason, he ran a red light and wandered into the middle of the road, where a speeding sedan struck him with a tremendous crash and sent him flying into the air. When he landed, he was nearly broken in two, with his thighbone protruding through the flesh. He was still alive, but he would probably never stand again.

Xia Liu Yi ordered the car to stop some distance away and watched without expression for a while. When the ambulance sped away, he withdrew his gaze and said coldly, “Go.”

The sedan began moving again. The Boss took a lollipop from his trouser pocket, placed it in his mouth, and leaned lazily and contentedly back against the seat.

“We’re not going back to Kowloon City tonight. Take me home.”