Chapter 010: Liang Kefeng  

Zhu Fengping and her three children, all four with shaved heads, stood neatly in a row.  

Upon closer inspection, they had no eyebrows at all, making their faces resemble hairless cats, which gave them an inexplicable air of cheerfulness.  

Uncle Kun turned his eyes away, stifling a laugh; his young lady was truly talented!  

The Yuan siblings felt as if they wanted to die but dared not show any signs of protest, standing there like wilted eggplants.  

“You cannot wear wigs or hats when you go out. If I catch you wearing a wig or hat, the bullets I gave you will be put to use ahead of time.” Not sending them out for public humiliation was already considered merciful.  

“…” No one dared to retort, but wouldn’t going out be equivalent to public humiliation?  

On the twenty-eighth day of the twelfth month, Yuan Dong was detained by the police as they reopened the investigation into Liang Yaozu’s death.  

So far, apart from identity swapping and property misappropriation, no other findings had been made.  

Lawyer Gao and the store’s accountant monitored Zhu Fengping as she returned all properties belonging to Liang Yaozu, with follow-up work being handled entirely by Lawyer Gao.  

On the twenty-ninth day of the twelfth month, Zhu Fengping and her three children, sporting shaved heads, had to move out of the Liang family home and back into their previous cramped apartment of only two hundred square feet. From then on, relatives and friends no longer dared to see them.  

On New Year’s Eve, Liang Kefeng woke up early. The large house felt empty without the annoying presence of others, which was truly comfortable.  

She stretched her body comfortably and walked to the bathroom, standing in front of the mirror to brush her teeth.  

In the mirror, her face was pale but had gained some color compared to a few days ago. Although her face still looked somewhat youthful, it was gradually merging with her soul, no longer just a pretty shell.  

The wound on her head had healed a lot, and she enjoyed the state where everything around her was stretching and expanding upwards.  

She was a born pessimist, so she did not allow things to spiral out of control.  

Pessimists often think more and are more meticulous in their actions. This was one of the reasons she could become a top-notch spy.  

After brushing her teeth, she read the newspaper while eating bread and fresh milk; she had already checked…

Upon arriving at Liang Dalong’s residence at No. 1, Fenghuangshan Avenue, one could see it was one of the top luxury homes in the city.  

Now, she was only missing the watch belonging to her cousin’s mother, which had been stolen by Wu Biyun.  

However, she felt a bit uneasy. If she told Liang Dalong about her cousin’s unfortunate news, even though she had avenged her cousin, what if Liang Dalong blamed her instead? Such top-tier bosses had thoughts that ordinary people couldn’t fathom.  

She had to be prepared for multiple contingencies. If Liang Dalong’s approach didn’t work, she needed to find another way.  

The iron gate creaked, and she went to open it; it was Uncle Kun who had arrived.  

He brought with him a large basket of New Year goods, including candies, cookies, bread, and meat dishes.  

After setting the things down, the others left first. Uncle Kun stood by the dining table and said, “The New Year is almost here, and it’s hard to find a maid. For now, I’ve asked Sister Lian, who cleans the store, to come and cook for you, Young Lady.”  

Liang Kefeng had never wanted a maid; she didn’t plan to stay here long, so she nodded, “You can arrange it.”  

She sat down to continue her breakfast. “Uncle Kun, you sit too. Have you had breakfast?”  

Uncle Kun pulled out a chair and sat down, smiling, “I’ve already eaten, Young Lady. Do you want to join us for the New Year’s Eve dinner tonight?”  

Liang Kefeng didn’t want to join the crowd. “You all can eat. The cost of the workers’ New Year’s dinner can come from the public account, and then you can have the finance department give all the employees a New Year red envelope.”  

“Okay, how much should each red envelope be?”  

“How much would my dad usually give?”  

“The boss would give bonuses ranging from 30 to 100 yuan before the New Year, and generally 5 or 10 yuan as a New Year’s red envelope.”  

Liang Kefeng thought for a moment and said, “Since Yuan Dong didn’t give everyone bonuses this year, let’s give the management team 200, the long-time employees 100, and the new employees 50.”  

Indeed, only a member of the Liang family could have such generosity. Uncle Kun thanked her with a smile, “On behalf of the staff, thank you, Young Lady! I’ll have Sister Lian come early to prepare the New Year’s Eve dinner.”  

As he spoke, Uncle Kun took a piece of red paper out of his bag and handed it to Liang Kefeng. “Young Lady, this is the inscription for the tombstone from the boss; this one is for your cousin Liang Ke’er. Can you take a look and see if it’s alright?”  

Liang Kefeng put down her milk cup, took the red paper, and examined it closely. “This is fine; let’s engrave it like this. When can we move the grave after the New Year?”  

“It shouldn’t be appropriate in the first month. As for the specific date, I consulted a fortune teller yesterday, and he’ll let me know after the New Year.”  

She felt very assured leaving these matters to Uncle Kun. She placed the red paper on the table and asked, “Uncle Kun, I want to find someone. Is there any way other than putting out an ad?”  

“Who do you want to find, Young Lady?”  

“A neighbor sister. She and her brother also smuggled into the city, but we got separated on the way.”  

Uncle Kun thought for a moment and said, “You could try asking local associations or the Jiangwu County Association.”  

That could be a viable option. The Wu siblings would definitely rely on their relatives; her relatives should also be from Jiangwu County, so perhaps they could find some clues.  

“Uncle Kun, do you know anyone in the association?”  

“The boss used to donate money to the Jiangwu County Association, but that Yuan Dong offended people from the association this year and even withdrew from it. During the New Year, the Jiangwu County Association should be hosting a Spring Festival gathering. I’ll find a way to attend. By the way, what’s the name of your sister?” As he spoke, Uncle Kun took out paper and a pen to jot down the name.  

Liang Kefeng took the pen. “Let me write it down for you. Her name is Wu Biyun, and her brother is Wu Zhichai.”  

Uncle Kun looked at the names on the paper and felt they were familiar, but he couldn’t quite recall where he had seen them. He didn’t want to disappoint the young lady, so he kept quiet.  

After Uncle Kun left, Doctor Lin came to change Liang Kefeng’s dressing. Her wound had healed better than expected, and since Doctor Lin would be taking a break during the New Year, he left her with plenty of medicine.  

Liang Kefeng spent a quiet but comfortable Lunar New Year alone at home.  

On the morning of the fourth day of the New Year, the weather was warm. Liang Kefeng put on a thin windbreaker, a small rolled-brim hat, and took her wallet; she was going to deliver some money to the Guizai  

Before she even stepped out, Uncle Kun and two workers brought in a fortune tree.  

“This is a collective gift we bought for you, Young Lady, to wish you prosperity in the New Year.”  

With such auspicious symbolism, Liang Kefeng couldn’t bear to refuse their kindness and smiled, “Thank you, everyone. Please put it in the front hall.”  

The tall fortune tree was placed prominently in the front hall, adding a touch of spring to the house.  

Just then, Sister Lian was cleaning, “I’ll go cut a piece of red paper to put on the tree.”  

Seeing Liang Kefeng in her coat with her wallet, Uncle Kun asked with a smile, “Young Lady, are you going out?”  

“I’m going to get my ID card. By the way, has the Jiangwu County Association set a date for the Spring Festival gathering?”  

“On the eighth! Oh, and Young Lady, we might not need to go to the association’s Spring Festival gathering…”  

“Why not?” Liang Kefeng was puzzled.  

“Wu Zhichai and Wu Biyun should be at the Sifang City.”  

Liang Kefeng was shocked. “What do you mean? Is there news?”  

“A few days ago, when you mentioned Wu Zhichai and Wu Biyun, I found their names familiar but couldn’t place them. I thought about it for a long time and finally remembered yesterday. They were at our Sifang City branch on the twenty-sixth of the twelfth month. Wu Zhichai came to play mahjong and lost all his money. In a fit of rage, he got into a fight and damaged our stuff, so we detained him until his sister came to pay the compensation to get him back.” Uncle Kun took out a receipt. “This is the settlement agreement they signed at that time.”  

Liang Kefeng took a look and indeed saw the signatures of the Wu siblings.  

“During the altercation, one of the workers overheard Wu Zhichai mention they were living at the Sifang City.”  

Sifang City? That infamous, lawless enclave!  

It seemed the Wu siblings hadn’t found any relatives after coming to the city; otherwise, they wouldn’t be living in a place like Sifang City.  

“Uncle Kun, have the workers at the Sifang City branch keep an eye on them. If Wu Zhichai shows up again, no matter what, keep him stable and notify me immediately. Don’t let him know I’m looking for him.”  

Uncle Kun was confused. “Why shouldn’t he know?”  

Liang Kefeng didn’t hide it. “They stole my cousin’s belongings and even pushed me. The injury on my head was caused by them.”  

Uncle Kun was shocked. “They harmed their own kind? How despicable!”  

“I want to get my cousin’s belongings back, so I can’t let Wu Zhichai know I’m looking for them. Otherwise, they will definitely hide.”  

“I understand. Even if Wu Zhichai doesn’t come to play mahjong anymore, I can help you find them in Sifang City. I recognize both of them.”  

Liang Kefeng didn’t plan to just wait for the opportunity. “Once I get my ID card, I’ll go to Sifang City and look for them.”  

“Young Lady, since you’re new to the city, you may not know that Sifang City is a place full of dangers. You definitely shouldn’t go alone…”  

Liang Kefeng smiled and nodded. “We’ll see.”  

*  

Starting from New Year’s Day, the Liang family mansion at No. 1 Fenghuangshan Avenue was bustling with vehicles coming to pay New Year’s visits.  

Liang Dalong stood at his writing desk on the second floor, practicing calligraphy. For guests coming to pay their New Year’s respects, he only met with the top-tier political and business elites and did not see anyone else, only handing out red envelopes.  

Today was the fourth day of the New Year, and as per tradition, the leaders of various triad associations were required to visit Liang Dalong to pay their respects.  

Every year, Liang Dalong would return the customary monetary gifts given to the bosses during the New Year in the form of red envelope checks. Regardless of how much he returned, it was considered an extra income for these bosses and a significant amount, which is why everyone looked forward to this day each year.  

However, this year was different; everyone’s minds were clearly not on the monetary returns…

On the money.  

Last year, Liang Dalong’s only son passed away, leaving the Hongmen with no heir, like a fragrant bait tossed into a dark, vast lake. Although there were turbulent dragons stirring at the bottom of the lake, the surface struggled to maintain its calm.  

A storm was brewing.  

The leaders of the three major associations and the big bosses, while appearing to share in the grief, each had their own calculations in their hearts. It would be a lie to say that capable people weren’t eyeing the position of the Hongmen’s heir.  

However, in front of the Hongmen patriarch, even the biggest bosses had to temper their ambitions, standing in the study without daring to breathe too loudly.  

Deep down, Liang Dalong felt a sense of darkness that seemed unfathomable, yet he maintained an air of calm indifference on the surface.  

As the patriarch of the Hongmen, Liang Dalong’s public identity was that of a media tycoon; he was a cultured man, skilled in calligraphy.  

With a flourish, he wrote the character “dragon” in traditional Chinese, and others scrambled to compliment and request a copy.  

Liang Dalong set down his brush and said to his assistant, “Mount it. Next year is the Year of the Dragon; we’ll see who it will be awarded to.”  

It was uncertain whether the gift of the character “dragon” next year was intentional or not.  

But the listeners believed there was an underlying meaning in his words.  

Not only was it the “dragon” of the Year of the Dragon, but it also represented Liang Dalong’s “dragon,” possibly hinting at the heir.  

Someone joked, “Whoever receives the ‘dragon’ character from Lord Long next year has to treat us all to a feast with nine big dishes!”  

Knock, knock, knock!  

Someone was at the door.  

Liang Dalong’s assistant, He Cong, walked to the door to speak with the person outside, then returned to whisper a few words to Liang Dalong.  

Used to the storms of life, Liang Dalong showed no outward change in expression, but his eyes suddenly brightened. He told the others, “You all enjoy your tea; I have something to attend to.”  

As he left the study, Zheng Fuying was already waiting in the corridor.  

Zheng Fuying was Liang Dalong’s deputy, in his forties, nicknamed “Ma Ying” (Hawk), a name that carried a triad flair, but like Liang Dalong, he was also of cultured background, with no hint of the underworld about him.  

He handed over a women’s watch. “Lord Long, it’s this.”  

Liang Dalong took the watch, and his hand trembled slightly. He hurried to a well-lit area, put on his glasses, and examined it closely—  

Outside, the warm spring light streamed in, and Liang Dalong suppressed his inner excitement. “This is Yawen’s watch; her English name is engraved on the back. I had it custom-made in Switzerland back in the day, one for each of the siblings.”  

Unfortunately, both of his children were gone!  

Leaving him all alone.  

His father was the previous patriarch of the Hongmen, known for his strange temperament and suspicion. Liang Dalong had endured much suffering in his life, and he didn’t want his children to experience the same hardships he had, but who would have thought that in the end, he had spoiled them instead?  

Especially his daughter, Liang Yawen, who had been rebellious since childhood. For the sake of a so-called love, she had severed ties with him and eloped with a wild man who shared her surname back to the mainland.  

He had been waiting, waiting for Yawen to return and admit her mistakes when she could no longer endure the hardships.  

Who could have imagined that what he waited for was the news of his daughter’s death?  

He had never wanted to accept this fact.  

Not accepting, not asking, not giving up hope, hoping that one day he would wake up and find it was all just a dream.  

But now, the dream had ended.  

Liang Dalong asked, “What about the person with the watch?”  

Zheng Fuying replied, “She’s downstairs in the side hall. She’s also from Jiangwu County and is called Wu Biyun, a twenty-year-old girl. The pawn shop outside Sifang City saw the engraving on the back of the watch and detained her on the spot. Wu Biyun explained that the watch was sold to her by her neighbor, who wanted to come to the city to find her relatives but didn’t have enough money to pay the snakehead, so she sold her watch to Wu Biyun. Wu Biyun has a brother, and the two siblings smuggled into the city but couldn’t find any relatives to help them. Having spent all their money, they chose to pawn the watch.”  

Liang Dalong’s eyes sparkled with hope. “She’s already in the city?”  

He was referring to his granddaughter, Yawen’s daughter, now the only bloodline of the old Liang family.  

Zheng Fuying replied, “Yes. For the past half month, we’ve tried to find her connections in Jiangwu County but didn’t realize that she had already come to the city. The smuggling boat they were on encountered the police while coming ashore, and the Wu siblings got separated from Miss Sun in the process.”  

Being separated was no problem; they could find her.  

There was no one Liang Dalong couldn’t find in the city.  

Liang Dalong asked, “What’s Yawen’s daughter’s name?”  

“Wu Biyun said the young lady’s name is Liang Kefeng, with ‘Kefeng’ meaning ‘valuable’ and ‘style’.”  

Liang Dalong nodded with relief. “Liang Kefeng… That’s a nice name.”  

As he spoke, his eyes suddenly turned red.  

“What about Wu Biyun?”  

“She’s waiting downstairs. Would you like to see her, Lord Long?”  

“Let’s meet her and get the details.”