Chapter 26 A Wall
In mid-September, the weather in Dragon City was still quite hot. At night, when there was no breeze, it felt particularly stuffy.
At around eight o'clock in the evening, the South Gate Port in Zhanan District was brightly lit. The area was lush with greenery, and the beach was sparkling with waves. Tourists flocked to the nearby attractions where vendors were selling souvenirs and Chinese snacks.
Several old cars were parked at the pier where Bai Hongbo and a group of people got off and boarded a small cruise ship. He instructed the driver, "Go to Baole No.1."
Due to the unique political environment in Dragon City's coastal areas, many nighttime entertainment venues had come up with new ideas. For example, in the Inner Harbor of Zhanan District, there were several flower boats with charming ladies inside who were ready to sing and drink with customers. They could also enjoy the sea breeze, admire the night view, and have a chat about life.
Of course, these flower boats were quite different from those in the past. The interior decoration was modern, and some of the larger cruise ships even provided bathing and sauna services. However, Zhanan District was relatively backward and not as prosperous as other areas in Dragon City, so the consumption here was naturally lower.
Although Bai Hongbo was somewhat of a spendthrift, he was not a super-rich second-generation or a big shot. If you asked him to charter the best cruise ship in Longkou to entertain guests, he would probably not be able to afford it and might end up owing money for a few days. Therefore, everyone chose a relatively affordable place to have fun and bond.
—---
After boarding the Baole No.1, Su Tianyu's eyes were opened. The ladies on the cruise ship were not waiting for customers in a designated area. They were wandering around the deck on their own. There were cold snacks and free drinks on each level of the ship. The ladies listened to music, chatted in groups of three to five, or sat alone on high chairs. If a customer passed by and took a liking to a lady, they could simply point to the lady's badge.
Each booth lasts for two hours and has two price tiers, one at 100 and the other at 200 yuan. Upon boarding, bags must be opened, and the minimum spending amount starts at over 500 yuan. All in all, this is definitely not considered cheap in Dragon City, given the current level of consumption. After all, this is a place to have fun.
"Choose whatever you like, bros. I'll cover all expenses tonight." Bai Hongbo greeted everyone and pointed to a familiar mama-san, saying, "Find me a sister with rehabilitation training experience. I just got injured and need someone with skills."
"Okay, Bai gege!"
"Your sweet talk is lovely. Come here, let me check your oral temperature." Bai Hongbo beckoned with his hand.
"Haha, okay. Wait a minute. I'll call someone over first." The mama-san responded insincerely and called the girls around to select one.
Since they were out to have fun, everyone was naturally in a good mood. Even Kong Zhenghui, who was usually quiet, chose a girl with a good vibe. Not to mention Su Tianbei, Su Tianyu, and other sociable young men.
After selecting the girls, they all entered a private room on the third floor. Opening the window, they faced the sea breeze and gazed at the sparkling night scene of Zhanan District Inner Port, feeling their emotions loosen unconsciously.
Bai Hongbo was a nightlife king who was not only flirtatious but also good at setting the mood. After two rounds of small games, everyone was getting drunk, and the girls were dressed even more revealingly.
Su Tianyu was also having a great time. After all, he was a young man with a lot of energy. Before returning to Dragon City, he had been in the army, living a hard life without much contact with the opposite sex. Now that someone was paying for him to socialize, he naturally wanted to show his gratitude.
In fact, Su Tianyu looked very optimistic in his daily life and did not seem like the type to be a wolf cub who would go on a spending spree like Lu Feng.
The atmosphere in the room was lively as they drank and chatted. Bai Hongbo played some music and was already dancing wildly with a girl at the entrance.
Big brother Su Tiannan had an average alcohol tolerance. After playing for a while, he felt a slight headache and chest tightness. He then took out his cigarette case and patted Su Tianyu's leg, saying, "Let's go out and have a smoke."
"Sure, okay." Su Tianyu nodded and followed his big brother out.
Most of the private rooms on the boat had individual room doors, and once opened, they could enter the deck and enjoy the beautiful night view of the inner port while standing by the railing.
The two brothers from the Su family walked out together and stood by the railing, each lighting a cigarette.
"Hehe, it seems like you're getting along well with Uncle Bai Hong," Su Tiannan smiled and asked, "Do you feel like you're adapting well to the environment in Dragon City?"
"Not really, although Uncle Bai Hong may look shady and selfish, he's actually a pretty reliable person," Su Tianyu replied softly. "He's easier to deal with than Kong Zhenghui."
"Right, he likes your third sister," Su Tiannan sneered, "but your third sister called him a scumbag and doesn't bother with him."
"Haha, that's true!"
"Xiaoyu, you helped out a lot with the family's recent issues," Su Tiannan said as he smoked and looked out at the sea. "You're more capable than I thought, and you're also very brave. Actually...I was really scared when you fired that gun that night. If that had been found out, it would have caused a lot of trouble."
Su Tianyu paused before replying, "Do you know why I dared to shoot?"
"Why?"
"If Wang Daolin wasn't interested in the dirty business of the gangs, he wouldn't have come out to meet you every time I asked you to arrange a meeting with him," Su Tianyu chuckled. "People aren't saints. In this day and age, how many officials don't love money?"
"Good point," Su Tiannan nodded slowly, looking his younger brother up and down. "Sixth brother, listen to me. It's better for you to stay and work at home in the future. Your second uncle is getting old, and sooner or later, it will be up to us brothers to manage the family business. Let's stick together and move forward together. We can have a decent future that way."
"Hehe," Su Tianyu smiled as he looked at him.
"So, what do you think? Will you stay?" Su Tiannan continued to persuade. "If you take the civil service exam, our relationship won't help you much, and you may not achieve much. Look at the employees in many government agencies. They're in their thirties or forties, earning only a few hundred yuan, unable to move up or down. It's quite painful for them."
Su Tianyu leaned his arms on the railing and looked down at the night scenery around him. "Big brother, let me tell you a story," he said slowly.
"What story?" Su Tiannan asked.
"When I was 17, my dad sent me to the army. Our family had strong connections at the time, and my personal development plan had already been arranged. I would spend a year in the army as a transition, then apply directly to the military academy when I reached the appropriate age. After graduation, I could serve in the grassroots army. With a few years of hard work, if I was lucky, I could quickly become a staff officer," Su Tianyu said in a soft voice. "Back then, I was really naive."
Su Tiannan listened quietly without interrupting.
Su Tianyu gazed deeply at the sea and continued in a low voice, "There's one thing I remember very clearly. The day after my 17th birthday, I went on patrol duty with my classmates, as was customary. At that time, our army had the mission of defending the coast. You know that since Area One's failed war with China, there has been severe political infighting within Area One. The republicans suppressed the civil administration, and the underground fighting was intense. This led to the subsequent independence war. So during that period, many of our coastal units had the task of defending the coast."
"I know," Su Tiannan nodded.
"When I was in that unit, I had a good friend named He Yudong. He was about the same age as me and from Shandong. His family fled overseas with Warlord Zhou after the unification war," Su Tianyu recounted softly. "I loved reading books, and so did he. Our interests were similar, so our relationship was particularly good. That day, we were on patrol duty on a helicopter, and it was already after three in the afternoon. We were about to change shifts when the battalion headquarters suddenly received a distress call. It said that a cruise ship belonging to Area One had been shelled by a private armed group in the ungoverned area not far from our patrol zone. There were over a thousand people on board, as well as goods, so the battalion headquarters sent us to rescue them. Two helicopters, with a total of twelve people including pilots and co-pilots."
"Mm." Su Tiannan listened attentively.
"We quickly flew to the location of the cruise ship, but from my bird's-eye view, I knew that the ship was doomed. The stern of the ship had suffered a devastating blow, the ship had lost all power, and the stern broke off when it sank, causing the entire ship to split in half." Su Tianyu paused here and involuntarily furrowed his brow. "People on board were calling for help at the bow of the ship, the crowd was in turmoil, and their faces were filled with despair. Our platoon leader looked at the situation and knew that we couldn't save everyone. Furthermore, the stern had already sunk, the lifeboats on board were not enough, and there were no other patrol forces nearby. So he immediately reported to his superiors, saying that there were too many people on board and that we couldn't save them all, what should we do? But do you know how the superiors responded?"
Su Tiannan shook his head.
"The superiors immediately drew up a list and told the platoon leader to rescue according to the list. I have seen that list. It had less than forty people, almost all Chinese officers or wealthy merchants from Zone One." Su Tianyu paused for a moment and continued, "Soldiers must obey orders. Whatever the platoon leader told us to do, we had to do it. So we immediately used locks to lower the ship and secured the position at the bow, letting the people on the list board the plane first. However, as soon as we did this, the ordinary workers, civilians, and staff on the ship refused to cooperate. They questioned us like crazy, asking why we didn't take them with us. Even if the helicopter couldn't carry so many people, why not let the elderly, weak, and children go first? The platoon leader couldn't explain, so he had to fire warning shots. But at that point, the people were at their wits' end. They didn't fear our guns. Over a hundred people went crazy and overpowered two of our soldiers."
Su Tiannan furrowed his brow upon hearing this.
"The platoon leader had no choice but to ask for instructions from his superiors again, but they said that we, the soldiers, should stay on board to maintain order and wait for further rescue efforts, and the vacancies should be given to the elderly, weak, and children on board... to quell public anger!" Su Tianyu lowered his head and gritted his teeth. "I was scared then. I was afraid that the platoon leader would also leave me behind. But after he gave us our tasks, he told me separately to board the plane first and not to worry about what comes after. I was very happy, and as I pulled the lock release rope to board the helicopter, my best friend, He Yudong, grabbed my wrist. He... he asked me... if he stayed, he would die, right? He asked me to help him plead with the platoon leader to let him board the plane with me... But I was already scared, and I was afraid that if I didn't leave now, I wouldn't be able to leave at all."
"And then?" Su Tiannan asked.
"Then I boarded the plane and saw He Yudong staring at me with a desperate look in his eyes. As the copter took off, I watched the cruise ship sink at a visible speed. Over a thousand people were on board, and everyone on the list survived, with a survival rate of 100%. The survival rate of ordinary people was around 0.1%. My friend He Yudong, who loved to study, was never found. The incident was covered up by the authorities and never exposed in the media," Su Tianyu turned his head and raised a slightly red-rimmed eye to point his finger, "We were all soldiers, why could I leave? Because my dad was a colonel and staff officer in that army, while He Yudong was only an ordinary soldier's descendant. We were good friends, very good friends, but there was a wall that no one could see in between. Big brother, what do you think that wall was?"
Su Tiannan already understood what Su Tianyu wanted to say.
"It's class, it's hierarchy!" Su Tianyu narrowed his eyes and, fueled by alcohol, looked at the rolling waves of the sea, "In an era full of opportunities, ordinary people may have a tiny chance to break through that wall, but it's obviously not possible by relying on dirty connections. Big brother, you and I are different, I can't get past my father's matter... so I have to find every possible way to stand up again! Not to let myself down, not to let this era down. My future is not in the family's business, and I believe you feel the same, don't you?"
...
Late at night, at the entrance of the Su family's mansion, Wang Daolin's car stopped, and the skinny old man who had beaten the man in the floral shirt in the detention center stepped inside the mansion and shouted, "I'm back, where are those brats?"
Third sister came out and reported, "They're all out partying."
"Fuck!" the old man shouted loudly.
Chapter 26 A Wall
In mid-September, the weather in Dragon City was still quite hot. At night, when there was no breeze, it felt particularly stuffy.
At around eight o'clock in the evening, the South Gate Port in Zhanan District was brightly lit. The area was lush with greenery, and the beach was sparkling with waves. Tourists flocked to the nearby attractions where vendors were selling souvenirs and Chinese snacks.
Several old cars were parked at the pier where Bai Hongbo and a group of people got off and boarded a small cruise ship. He instructed the driver, "Go to Baole No.1."
Due to the unique political environment in Dragon City's coastal areas, many nighttime entertainment venues had come up with new ideas. For example, in the Inner Harbor of Zhanan District, there were several flower boats with charming ladies inside who were ready to sing and drink with customers. They could also enjoy the sea breeze, admire the night view, and have a chat about life.
Of course, these flower boats were quite different from those in the past. The interior decoration was modern, and some of the larger cruise ships even provided bathing and sauna services. However, Zhanan District was relatively backward and not as prosperous as other areas in Dragon City, so the consumption here was naturally lower.
Although Bai Hongbo was somewhat of a spendthrift, he was not a super-rich second-generation or a big shot. If you asked him to charter the best cruise ship in Longkou to entertain guests, he would probably not be able to afford it and might end up owing money for a few days. Therefore, everyone chose a relatively affordable place to have fun and bond.
—---
After boarding the Baole No.1, Su Tianyu's eyes were opened. The ladies on the cruise ship were not waiting for customers in a designated area. They were wandering around the deck on their own. There were cold snacks and free drinks on each level of the ship. The ladies listened to music, chatted in groups of three to five, or sat alone on high chairs. If a customer passed by and took a liking to a lady, they could simply point to the lady's badge.
Each booth lasts for two hours and has two price tiers, one at 100 and the other at 200 yuan. Upon boarding, bags must be opened, and the minimum spending amount starts at over 500 yuan. All in all, this is definitely not considered cheap in Dragon City, given the current level of consumption. After all, this is a place to have fun.
"Choose whatever you like, bros. I'll cover all expenses tonight." Bai Hongbo greeted everyone and pointed to a familiar mama-san, saying, "Find me a sister with rehabilitation training experience. I just got injured and need someone with skills."
"Okay, Bai gege!"
"Your sweet talk is lovely. Come here, let me check your oral temperature." Bai Hongbo beckoned with his hand.
"Haha, okay. Wait a minute. I'll call someone over first." The mama-san responded insincerely and called the girls around to select one.
Since they were out to have fun, everyone was naturally in a good mood. Even Kong Zhenghui, who was usually quiet, chose a girl with a good vibe. Not to mention Su Tianbei, Su Tianyu, and other sociable young men.
After selecting the girls, they all entered a private room on the third floor. Opening the window, they faced the sea breeze and gazed at the sparkling night scene of Zhanan District Inner Port, feeling their emotions loosen unconsciously.
Bai Hongbo was a nightlife king who was not only flirtatious but also good at setting the mood. After two rounds of small games, everyone was getting drunk, and the girls were dressed even more revealingly.
Su Tianyu was also having a great time. After all, he was a young man with a lot of energy. Before returning to Dragon City, he had been in the army, living a hard life without much contact with the opposite sex. Now that someone was paying for him to socialize, he naturally wanted to show his gratitude.
In fact, Su Tianyu looked very optimistic in his daily life and did not seem like the type to be a wolf cub who would go on a spending spree like Lu Feng.
The atmosphere in the room was lively as they drank and chatted. Bai Hongbo played some music and was already dancing wildly with a girl at the entrance.
Big brother Su Tiannan had an average alcohol tolerance. After playing for a while, he felt a slight headache and chest tightness. He then took out his cigarette case and patted Su Tianyu's leg, saying, "Let's go out and have a smoke."
"Sure, okay." Su Tianyu nodded and followed his big brother out.
Most of the private rooms on the boat had individual room doors, and once opened, they could enter the deck and enjoy the beautiful night view of the inner port while standing by the railing.
The two brothers from the Su family walked out together and stood by the railing, each lighting a cigarette.
"Hehe, it seems like you're getting along well with Uncle Bai Hong," Su Tiannan smiled and asked, "Do you feel like you're adapting well to the environment in Dragon City?"
"Not really, although Uncle Bai Hong may look shady and selfish, he's actually a pretty reliable person," Su Tianyu replied softly. "He's easier to deal with than Kong Zhenghui."
"Right, he likes your third sister," Su Tiannan sneered, "but your third sister called him a scumbag and doesn't bother with him."
"Haha, that's true!"
"Xiaoyu, you helped out a lot with the family's recent issues," Su Tiannan said as he smoked and looked out at the sea. "You're more capable than I thought, and you're also very brave. Actually...I was really scared when you fired that gun that night. If that had been found out, it would have caused a lot of trouble."
Su Tianyu paused before replying, "Do you know why I dared to shoot?"
"Why?"
"If Wang Daolin wasn't interested in the dirty business of the gangs, he wouldn't have come out to meet you every time I asked you to arrange a meeting with him," Su Tianyu chuckled. "People aren't saints. In this day and age, how many officials don't love money?"
"Good point," Su Tiannan nodded slowly, looking his younger brother up and down. "Sixth brother, listen to me. It's better for you to stay and work at home in the future. Your second uncle is getting old, and sooner or later, it will be up to us brothers to manage the family business. Let's stick together and move forward together. We can have a decent future that way."
"Hehe," Su Tianyu smiled as he looked at him.
"So, what do you think? Will you stay?" Su Tiannan continued to persuade. "If you take the civil service exam, our relationship won't help you much, and you may not achieve much. Look at the employees in many government agencies. They're in their thirties or forties, earning only a few hundred yuan, unable to move up or down. It's quite painful for them."
Su Tianyu leaned his arms on the railing and looked down at the night scenery around him. "Big brother, let me tell you a story," he said slowly.
"What story?" Su Tiannan asked.
"When I was 17, my dad sent me to the army. Our family had strong connections at the time, and my personal development plan had already been arranged. I would spend a year in the army as a transition, then apply directly to the military academy when I reached the appropriate age. After graduation, I could serve in the grassroots army. With a few years of hard work, if I was lucky, I could quickly become a staff officer," Su Tianyu said in a soft voice. "Back then, I was really naive."
Su Tiannan listened quietly without interrupting.
Su Tianyu gazed deeply at the sea and continued in a low voice, "There's one thing I remember very clearly. The day after my 17th birthday, I went on patrol duty with my classmates, as was customary. At that time, our army had the mission of defending the coast. You know that since Area One's failed war with China, there has been severe political infighting within Area One. The republicans suppressed the civil administration, and the underground fighting was intense. This led to the subsequent independence war. So during that period, many of our coastal units had the task of defending the coast."
"I know," Su Tiannan nodded.
"When I was in that unit, I had a good friend named He Yudong. He was about the same age as me and from Shandong. His family fled overseas with Warlord Zhou after the unification war," Su Tianyu recounted softly. "I loved reading books, and so did he. Our interests were similar, so our relationship was particularly good. That day, we were on patrol duty on a helicopter, and it was already after three in the afternoon. We were about to change shifts when the battalion headquarters suddenly received a distress call. It said that a cruise ship belonging to Area One had been shelled by a private armed group in the ungoverned area not far from our patrol zone. There were over a thousand people on board, as well as goods, so the battalion headquarters sent us to rescue them. Two helicopters, with a total of twelve people including pilots and co-pilots."
"Mm." Su Tiannan listened attentively.
"We quickly flew to the location of the cruise ship, but from my bird's-eye view, I knew that the ship was doomed. The stern of the ship had suffered a devastating blow, the ship had lost all power, and the stern broke off when it sank, causing the entire ship to split in half." Su Tianyu paused here and involuntarily furrowed his brow. "People on board were calling for help at the bow of the ship, the crowd was in turmoil, and their faces were filled with despair. Our platoon leader looked at the situation and knew that we couldn't save everyone. Furthermore, the stern had already sunk, the lifeboats on board were not enough, and there were no other patrol forces nearby. So he immediately reported to his superiors, saying that there were too many people on board and that we couldn't save them all, what should we do? But do you know how the superiors responded?"
Su Tiannan shook his head.
"The superiors immediately drew up a list and told the platoon leader to rescue according to the list. I have seen that list. It had less than forty people, almost all Chinese officers or wealthy merchants from Zone One." Su Tianyu paused for a moment and continued, "Soldiers must obey orders. Whatever the platoon leader told us to do, we had to do it. So we immediately used locks to lower the ship and secured the position at the bow, letting the people on the list board the plane first. However, as soon as we did this, the ordinary workers, civilians, and staff on the ship refused to cooperate. They questioned us like crazy, asking why we didn't take them with us. Even if the helicopter couldn't carry so many people, why not let the elderly, weak, and children go first? The platoon leader couldn't explain, so he had to fire warning shots. But at that point, the people were at their wits' end. They didn't fear our guns. Over a hundred people went crazy and overpowered two of our soldiers."
Su Tiannan furrowed his brow upon hearing this.
"The platoon leader had no choice but to ask for instructions from his superiors again, but they said that we, the soldiers, should stay on board to maintain order and wait for further rescue efforts, and the vacancies should be given to the elderly, weak, and children on board... to quell public anger!" Su Tianyu lowered his head and gritted his teeth. "I was scared then. I was afraid that the platoon leader would also leave me behind. But after he gave us our tasks, he told me separately to board the plane first and not to worry about what comes after. I was very happy, and as I pulled the lock release rope to board the helicopter, my best friend, He Yudong, grabbed my wrist. He... he asked me... if he stayed, he would die, right? He asked me to help him plead with the platoon leader to let him board the plane with me... But I was already scared, and I was afraid that if I didn't leave now, I wouldn't be able to leave at all."
"And then?" Su Tiannan asked.
"Then I boarded the plane and saw He Yudong staring at me with a desperate look in his eyes. As the copter took off, I watched the cruise ship sink at a visible speed. Over a thousand people were on board, and everyone on the list survived, with a survival rate of 100%. The survival rate of ordinary people was around 0.1%. My friend He Yudong, who loved to study, was never found. The incident was covered up by the authorities and never exposed in the media," Su Tianyu turned his head and raised a slightly red-rimmed eye to point his finger, "We were all soldiers, why could I leave? Because my dad was a colonel and staff officer in that army, while He Yudong was only an ordinary soldier's descendant. We were good friends, very good friends, but there was a wall that no one could see in between. Big brother, what do you think that wall was?"
Su Tiannan already understood what Su Tianyu wanted to say.
"It's class, it's hierarchy!" Su Tianyu narrowed his eyes and, fueled by alcohol, looked at the rolling waves of the sea, "In an era full of opportunities, ordinary people may have a tiny chance to break through that wall, but it's obviously not possible by relying on dirty connections. Big brother, you and I are different, I can't get past my father's matter... so I have to find every possible way to stand up again! Not to let myself down, not to let this era down. My future is not in the family's business, and I believe you feel the same, don't you?"
...
Late at night, at the entrance of the Su family's mansion, Wang Daolin's car stopped, and the skinny old man who had beaten the man in the floral shirt in the detention center stepped inside the mansion and shouted, "I'm back, where are those brats?"
Third sister came out and reported, "They're all out partying."
"Fuck!" the old man shouted loudly.
