Chapter 4

Seeing Xie Wendong lying on the ground for a long time without getting up, San Yan chuckled and said, "Brother, I won!" He then turned around and took his clothes from his younger brother to put them on.

Is there anything else?" Li Shuang stared at the girl.

Gao Qiang asked: "Dong Ge, do you mean ... ... ?"

Although Xie Wendong did not drink much, he was still somewhat affected due to his lack of tolerance for alcohol. His mind was clear, but his body felt as if it were floating. Gao Qiang and San Yan had consumed a fair amount, yet neither was drunk; only Li Shuang was quite intoxicated. At one moment, he held Xie Wendong's hand, crying with tears streaming down his face, then he would pull Gao Qiang over to laugh and joke, and at another moment, he would go and kiss San Yan's face. In the end, everyone reached a conclusion: Li Shuang should not be allowed to get drunk again, as his behavior when intoxicated was not very good. Gao Qiang took it upon himself to send Li Shuang home. San Yan offered to escort Xie Wendong, but he politely declined.

Xie Wendong stood up, his eyes unusually bright, "Let's go to First High School together!"

Seeing Gao Qiang shake his head, Li Shuang shook his head and said, "Hehe! According to incomplete statistics, 8% of the criminals in the province are at J City No. 1 Middle School. Haha! This is great!"

Li Shuang was taken aback and blurted out: "Study hard?"

He does not know whether what he is doing now is right or wrong, but one thing is certain: he enjoys his current life. Perhaps he is just a bad seed by nature. Xie Wendong temporarily set aside his worries and happily accompanied his parents to finish the meal on the table

Xie Wendong opened it and took a look, nodding his head as he said to Li Shuang: "Use this money to treat everyone to dinner tonight, and let everyone gather and get to know each other."

Xie Wendong waved his hand and said, "Boss, you don't need to be too polite. We came this time with no other intention but to have a meal. Feel free to serve any signature dishes you have; my brothers won't let you lose money."

Everyone enjoyed this meal very much, and one could also say they drank to their heart's content. In the end, the total bill came to over 1,000 yuan, but the restaurant owner waived the cost of the drinks. The group hardly ate more than a few bites of the dishes that cost over 1,000 yuan, as their stomachs were already filled with beer by the time the food was served.

The next day, Xie Wendong walked towards the school with his backpack. From a distance, he could see more than fifty people standing across the street at the school gate, and the corners of his mouth curled up. He saw San Yan and Gao Qiang squatting on the ground, holding cigarettes and engaged in conversation. Li Shuang, with his plump body, couldn't squat down and stood beside them, gesticulating and saying something, his loud voice audible to Xie Wendong even from a distance. The three of them noticed Xie Wendong approaching from afar and tossed away their cigarette butts, standing up. Gao Qiang shouted in a loud voice: "Stand straight, stand straight. Brother Dong is coming!"

San Yan and others took Xie Wendong to the hospital, where he was diagnosed with multiple cartilage injuries, a small amount of internal bleeding, and a mild concussion. He was required to be hospitalized. Li Shuang called Xie Wendong's family to inform them that he had been in a car accident and was now in the hospital. After hearing this, Xie Wendong's parents asked which hospital it was and hurried over. Upon meeting, Li Shuang and the others comforted and explained the situation to ease Xie Wendong's parents' worries. To enhance credibility, Li Shuang grabbed San Yan, who had just had a bandage applied to his soft spot, and said, "Uncle and Aunt, it was he who was driving and hit Dong Ge!" Gao Qiang and several brothers beside him nodded vigorously, while San Yan's face turned red, and he scratched his head, awkwardly smiling.

The three-eyed man touched the wound on his soft spot, leaning against the wall with his head down, not making eye contact. Xie Wendong stood quietly there, waiting for his response. Li Shuang, with an excited expression, whispered to Gao Qiang beside him, "Hehe, Dong Ge won!" Gao Qiang nodded, placing his hand on the hilt of the knife at his waist, slowly moving towards the center of the arena. Although the three-eyed man had lost, it did not mean he had lost his fighting spirit. Gao Qiang was worried that the three-eyed man might not take the loss well and might attempt to ambush Xie Wendong.

Xie Wendong nodded in appreciation and said to Li Shuang, "Xiao Shuang, Qiangzi, you should learn more from Brother Zhang; there is no harm in it." Gao Qiang's face turned red, but he still did not understand, "Then what are we going to high school for?"

After a long time, the four finally separated their hands. Li Shuang took out a bulging paper bag from his pocket and handed it to Xie Wendong, saying: "Brother Dong, this is the money collected over the week. It's significantly more than before!"

"Hooray! Long live!" Everyone shouted joyfully, which caused the passersby on the road to frown.

Xie Wendong gave Li Shuang a sharp slap on the head and said, "You talk too much." He then turned to the waitress and said, "Bring Jiafeng here!"

The girl's face turned redder under the gaze, and she whispered, "There is nothing else." "Think about it, really think..."

Li Shuang took a look at the person speaking, who was in his thirties and had just as much excess fat on him as Li Shuang did, and was currently wearing a broad smile while chatting. Li Shuang waved his hand and asked, "Are you the boss here?"

When one person speaks, another responds, and before the dishes are fully served, the scene under the table is already one of collapse. For people from Northeast China, drinking is not about the process; it is about the thrill. This is directly related to the straightforward and generous nature of Northeasterners. Those who fight fiercely today may become brothers in life and death tomorrow. Their directness, generosity, and disregard for trivialities are inherent traits of Northeasterners. Although this may be difficult for friends from the south to understand, I believe it is precisely this quality that makes them endearing.

The alcohol was consumed quickly, and before long, several young men brought in six boxes of 'Jiafeng' from outside. San Yan poured the drinks and stood up, saying: "Brothers, let us raise our first glass to Brother Dong. Let's drink to Brother Dong's discharge from the hospital." Everyone stood up together and said: "To Brother Dong!"

The girl nodded and quickly ran away. Gao Qiang laughed and said with a wink, "Lao Fei, your appearance is too 'patriotic,' it scared the little girl!" "Damn it, I'm going to lose weight tomorrow..." Laughter erupted around.

Upon returning home, his parents prepared a grand meal to celebrate his discharge from the hospital. Looking at the table full of dishes, Xie Wendong felt a sense of shame. He wondered how his parents would react if they knew he had been hospitalized due to a fight with others. At this moment, Xie Wendong felt guilty towards his parents, yet he could not abandon his current lifestyle. During this period of passionate indulgence, he realized what true happiness was. Nothing in the world could bring more joy than being respected by others! At least, this is how he feels now.

The three-eyed Gao Qiang exchanged a glance, and with a look of sudden realization, exclaimed: "Oh! So it turns out that some people are just making things up!" Li Shuang, anxious from the side, said: "What I said is true, please believe me!"

Li Shuang poured another glass of wine and stood up, saying, "This glass is still in honor of Brother Dong, may Brother Dong lead us to establish our own territory!" Upon hearing this, everyone stood up and exclaimed, "To Brother Dong, lead us to conquer our territory!"

Xie Wendong lowered his head and fell silent. He also wanted to establish an organization, but while it was easy to talk about, it was much harder to actually sit down and do it. He picked up his glass and took a sip, saying: "I do not oppose having an organization, but at that time, the number of people will increase dramatically, and all the eating, drinking, and entertainment will depend on the organization. What do you think we will use to support them?" The three of them were taken aback. Xie Wendong tilted his head back and finished the drink in his glass, then continued: "The money we have now is all collected from students as 'protection fees', and at most, it does not exceed 20,000 yuan a month. With just this amount, how can we maintain the organization? Even if we barely manage to establish it now, it will only lead to our quick disbandment."

San Yan felt a twinge of fear, despite being the one who struck. "Pour it for me!" he shouted, summoning all his strength to throw a punch at Xie Wendong. Xie Wendong's trembling body suddenly crouched down, causing San Yan's punch to miss and his body to lurch forward. Xie Wendong's unsteady form became agile, swiftly drawing another knife from his waist and stabbing it into San Yan's soft rib area. The tip of the knife pierced into the muscle and halted, then Xie Wendong withdrew the knife and pointed its tip at San Yan, saying: "You were already dead just now."

Xie Wendong smiled faintly, lowering his head to play with the wine glass in his hand. Li Shuang, being impatient, saw that Xie Wendong was silent and loudly asked, "Brother Dong, why don't you speak? We are all listening to you!"

After a while, San Yan raised his head and looked at Xie Wendong, saying: "I am somewhat unconvinced. However, a man must keep his word, and I have lost! From now on, you are my boss. As long as you say the word, I would give my life for you." After saying this, he respectfully bowed.

Xie Wendong and his three companions did not drink as wildly as the other subordinates; they chatted while drinking. Sanyan touched his wine glass with his hand and said, "Brother Dong, I think we should establish an organization. With more and more people, it is difficult to manage without a complete organization"

Qie! San Yan and Gao Qiang tacitly extended their middle fingers, turning their heads to ignore him. Gao Shuang, with a flushed face, suddenly stood up and shouted: "Where is Liu Xinyu? Get out here, stop lying to me!" A hand reached out from under the table not far away, and a slurred voice came out: "Who? Who... who is calling me?" "..."

Xie Wendong chuckled and said: "You still need to control this area, and you must strengthen and expand your influence, with the goal being various lieutenant colonels. The underworld does not regard middle schools as places for making small money; they do not want what we want. We should recruit more students and young delinquents from schools and outside, as that is our foundation"

As he watched him leave, Li Shuang grinned and said, "This boss is not bad!" "Damn, he's not an ordinary person either!" Gao Qiang muttered. San Yan looked at the table and felt something was missing, then slapped his forehead and exclaimed, "I was so busy listening to the boss's chatter!" He then shouted, "Waiter, bring me six cases of beer first!"

Xie Wendong squinted his eyes and said: "I am not too sure about this either, and I don't know where Xiaoshuang heard it from. But it is highly likely to be unreliable"

Xie Wendong stared at the three people in front of him without blinking, and slowly said: "Now you all... should... study hard!"

The boss, upon seeing that the speaker was a young chubby man, did not dare to underestimate him. He walked over and said, "Hehe, I am the owner here. May I ask what brings you and these individuals here... ?"

There is a good temperament, 11 degrees, excellent phoenix, five stars

Xie Wendong had just finished a cup, so he had to pour another one and raised it, saying: "In the future, we still need to rely on everyone's efforts; achievements are created by all of us! Cheers" "Cheers!"

Indeed, you should focus on your studies now. There is one month left until the mid-term examination, and all of you must advance to high school. If anyone fails to do so... I, Xie Wendong, will not spare them. Unless you no longer wish to be with me

"Hehe, it seems I underestimated you!" The three-eyed man strode towards Xie Wendong and lifted his leg to kick Xie Wendong in the face. Stepping back, Xie Wendong did not fall. Then came another kick, and Xie Wendong retreated three steps, yet still stood firm. Blood flowed from his nose and the corners of his mouth, and both sides of his face were swollen. Spitting out a mouthful of blood, Xie Wendong smiled faintly

During the day, there was no conversation. In the evening, Xie Wendong first called home, saying that he was attending a friend's birthday party and would return home later. He then led over fifty people, including San Yan, Li Shuang, and Gao Qiang, to a restaurant of moderate size. Upon entering, the younger brothers shouted loudly, causing the patrons inside to either flee in fear or be driven out. San Yan chose a clean table and let Xie Wendong sit in the middle, then arranged for everyone to take their seats. Xie Wendong, San Yan, Gao Qiang, and Li Shuang sat together. The restaurant owner, hearing from the waiter that a group of over fifty social figures had arrived, thought he was in trouble and hurried out from the back. Upon seeing the crowd, he smiled and said, "Ah! Brothers, it is truly an honor for you to grace my humble establishment. It is a privilege for me as a brother! Please eat whatever you like; this time, it is on me!"

Sanyan and Gao Qiang looked at Xie Wendong in disbelief and said, "Brother Dong, this can't be true?"

The boss chuckled and said, "Alright! Then I won't be polite with the brothers. I'll go make arrangements, everyone enjoy your food and drinks!" Xie Wendong nodded, and the boss headed towards the kitchen at the back.

Half a month later, Xie Wendong was basically recovered, and the doctor said that after a period of recuperation, he would be fine. On that day, only his parents came to pick him up from the hospital. San Yan and the others had already informed him in advance that they would not come. Xie Wendong also did not want his parents to meet these people

The three-eyed character scratched his head and looked at Xie Wendong apologetically, "Brother Dong, I truly apologize for what happened last time. Thank you for not stabbing me with that knife; the doctor informed me that the wound is located near the liver."

Li Shuang and Gao Qiang had long had this plan. Nodding, Gao Qiang said, "Three-Eyed Brother is right; if we want to make a name for ourselves, we must have our own organization." Li Shuang then added, "Yes, just like our city's Axe Gang, how impressive it is!" (The Axe Gang in J City is an ancient gang in this city, and no one knows when it originated. It is recognized as a criminal organization.)

Xie Wendong laughed and said, "If I really stabbed in, would I still have you as a good brother?" After saying this, he reached out his hand towards Sanyan. A trace of emotion flowed through Sanyan's eyes as he tightly grasped Xie Wendong's hand. Li Shuang and Gao Qiang also came over and placed their hands on top, the four of them holding hands tightly together, just like their fates, inseparable and intertwined. None of them spoke, hoping to keep the excitement of this moment forever in their hearts. Now, in the eyes of the younger brothers below, Xie Wendong is a true hero; they believe that as long as Brother Dong is around, no difficulty can defeat them. A hero is not something to be spoken of; it can only be proven through action.

The three-eyed nodded and said, "Dong Ge, I understand. There are small factions like ours everywhere in J City. We haven't even touched the fringes of the underworld, and we can't compete with them. They are the underworld, while we can be a gray society, neither black nor white, right?"

"I don't think so." At some point, Xie Wendong stood up, his face devoid of pain, his blood-red eyes glinting with a cold light. "You..." The three-eyed figure knew that the strength of the two legs just now was something that a fifteen or sixteen-year-old boy should not be able to withstand.

The scattered younger brothers quickly lined up in two rows, and when Xie Wendong approached, they shouted in unison, "Hello, Brother Dong!" The passing students instinctively moved far away, and the pedestrians on the road turned their heads one after another, thinking to themselves, "Is this a gang?"

The boss let out a sigh of relief after listening, as those who open restaurants in City J are all sensible people who know what to say to whom. "Look, brother, what you said is not appropriate. Everyone is here because they respect me. Let's be friends; this meal is on me!"

The three-eyed one was also dumbfounded, "Then... what about me?"

Xie Wendong stood up, smiled, and said: "Thank you, everyone. Originally, this toast was supposed to be made by me first, but I didn't expect Brother Zhang (Three Eyes) to get ahead of me. Without further ado, let's drink!" Everyone shouted in unison: "Cheers!" The sound of clinking glasses filled the restaurant.

Li Shuang felt a surge of joy in his heart upon hearing this, as he loved dining and drinking the most. He squinted his eyes into a narrow slit and said, "Thank you, Brother Dong!" He then turned to the younger brothers around him and shouted, "Everyone gather at the entrance tonight, Brother Dong is treating us to dinner!"

Xie Wendong chuckled softly, but then everything went dark before him, and he fainted. ... San Yan was quick-witted and immediately grabbed Xie Wendong, shouting: "Get all the chickens and ducks out to stop the cars!" Before he could finish his sentence, Li Shuang had already jumped out to find a vehicle...

"There is no intention to find fault!" Li Shuang pointed to the side at Xie Wendong and said: "This is my elder brother. Today, we have come to treat the brothers to a meal. You better give me a fair price, otherwise the brothers may not agree!"

Li Shuang and Gao Qiang were almost speechless, "Control... control the First High School. Oh my God!" Li Shuang then burst into laughter, saying, "I really look forward to it! Yes! The First High School, that notorious rogue high school in the whole province... Haha!" Turning to Gao Qiang, he asked, "Brother Qiang, do you know how many criminals from our city's First High School come out every year?" Gao Qiang shook his head, admitting that he really didn't know, but he had heard that it was quite chaotic there.

The waitress approached, a young girl with a flushed face, timidly asking, "Sir, what kind of beer would you like?" Li Shuang, noticing that the young girl was quite attractive, teased her by asking, "Miss, what kinds of beer do you have? Please tell me about them."