Chapter 157: Knocking on the Door

After dropping Xiaoyu off at the library, Chen Liang leisurely rode his bicycle to the factory. Today was Monday, and the Security Section was holding its mandatory pre-shift meeting—an unbreakable rule that everyone had to attend.

Since the Mid-Autumn Festival was approaching, his senior uncle heavily emphasized safety issues within the factory. However, these matters had little to do with Chen Liang, as his responsibilities lay elsewhere.

As soon as the meeting adjourned and Chen Liang returned to his office to brew a cup of hot tea, he saw Cao Dawu pushing the door open in a panic.

"Brother Liang, quick! Old Master Tong is looking for you!" Chen Liang was baffled by this.

Early in the morning, what business could his master possibly have with him?

"What's going on? Dawu, make it clear to me. Is it my master..." Chen Liang imagined a worst-case scenario, his heart freezing instantly as he grabbed Dawu by the arm and asked with bloodshot eyes.

"I don't know either! Brother Liang, don't panic, he's at the North Gate. You better hurry over and take a look!" Dawu was clueless as well. He had just arrived at his post at the North Gate this morning when someone said they were looking for Chen Liang, claiming that Old Master Tong had entrusted them with a message. Dawu immediately jumped to the same fearful conclusion as Chen Liang and sprinted over to find him.

Realizing that Dawu didn't know anything either, Chen Liang cast all hesitation aside and bolted. Reaching the North Gate, he grabbed the first burly man he saw outside.

"I am Chen Liang. How is my master?"

"Ah, Old Master Tong is doing fine. He just asked me to tell you to go see him right away."

Hearing that his master's health was fine, Chen Liang realized it had been a false alarm and let out a long breath.

It was all because Chen Liang had jumped to conclusions. And that old man—what kind of person sends someone to look for him bright and early in the morning? Wasn't this intentionally giving him a fright?

Fine, but who made him his master? Chen Liang fished a pack of Pagoda Mountain cigarettes from his pocket, handed it to the messenger, and turned to leave.

On his way back to fetch his bike, he ran into Cao Dawu, who was hurrying back. Naturally, Chen Liang gave him a thorough scolding. "Dawu, next time something happens, do me a favor and get the facts straight first! You damn near scared the life out of me!"

"Ah, is Old Master Tong alright?" Dawu couldn't really be blamed; people coming to look for you at the crack of dawn were usually like relatives calling past ten o'clock at night in later generations—only terrible news warranted such urgency!

"He's fine, just told me to get over there immediately. You tell me, the older that old man gets, the less proper he becomes!"

After tossing that remark at his master, Chen Liang went back to change his clothes and rode out on his bicycle. Pedaling furiously, he reached his master's house in less than fifteen minutes.

"Hah, we have guests!" Pushing open the door, Chen Liang saw an elderly couple keeping his master company, while an unfamiliar young woman stood nearby serving tea and water.

After parking his bicycle in the courtyard and propping it up on its kickstand, Chen Liang walked up to his master. "Master, did you need me for something?"

"Ah, come. Let me introduce you. This is a dear old friend of mine whom I haven't seen in years. You can just call him Uncle Zhu!"

"Uncle Zhu," Chen Liang greeted him perfunctorily with a nod, then fixed his gaze on his master, waiting for what came next.

"I wouldn't dare, I wouldn't dare! Section Chief Chen, just call me Zhu Liu! Calling me 'Uncle' is far too much of an honor!" How could Zhu Liu ever dare let Chen Liang address him as an elder?

Chen Liang's current reputation in the underworld was enough to make people turn pale at the mere mention of his name. During the recent crackdown, countless gang bosses and underworld heavyweights had fallen into his hands. Chen Liang's reputation was forged in real bloodshed!

"Alright, don't stand on ceremony. Sit down, Uncle Zhu, standing is tiring."

After offering a polite gesture, Chen Liang finally heard his master get to the point. "Xiaoliao, I called you here today to ask a favor—help Uncle Zhu with a matter! Old Zhu, don't be formal, just treat him like a junior and say whatever's on your mind."

Chen Liang wore a smile on the outside while cursing inwardly. He had known that old man never brought any good news whenever he called him over!

"Uncle Sixth Zhu, is it? Speak your mind then. If it's within my power, I certainly won't shirk it." Chen Liang, suddenly demoted by two generations for no reason, had no choice but to hear him out.

"Section Chief Chen, it's like this!" With tears in his eyes, Zhu Liu launched into the story of why he had come to beg for help.

At the end, he pulled out two heavy gold bars and placed them on the table. "Section Chief Chen, I only have this one grandson. As long as you can help get him out, I will double this amount once it's done!"

Heh! Chen Liang sneered inwardly, picked up one of the gold bars from the table, weighed it in his hand, and let out a scoff.

In the old society, people in the underworld commonly referred to gold bars weighing ten taels as "big yellow fish." For Zhu Liu to casually produce two big yellow fish as a down payment and promise four more afterwards meant the matter he was asking for was naturally far from simple.

"I understand what this is about. This time, for my master's sake, I'll look into it for you. But let me make things clear beforehand."

"If he was genuinely wronged, I will naturally step in. But if it's a lie, there's nothing I can do for you. After all, murder demands a life!"

Truth be told, Chen Liang really didn't want to meddle in this messy business—it was just for some good-for-nothing little hoodlum.

"Rest assured, Section Chief Chen! Since he was a child, my grandson hasn't even killed a chicken, how could he possibly commit murder? Especially not while he was dead drunk!"

As it turned out, Zhu Liu had sought him out because his grandson had gotten drunk with a bunch of fox-friends and dog-companions the night before, ended up killing someone, and was hauled away by the police precinct at the break of dawn yesterday.

After Zhu Liu had exhausted every connection, kowtowed to everyone he knew, and found all doors barred, he finally remembered Chen Liang's master, Old Master Tong, and rushed over at the crack of dawn to beg for help.

Chen Liang tossed the heavy gold bar in his hand a couple of times before throwing it straight back onto the table.

"Put away those little schemes of yours. Furthermore, I'm helping you this once only for my master's sake. If you ever dare set foot on my master's doorstep again, don't blame me for being discourteous! Now, the lot of you, get out!"

Chen Liang's sudden outburst caught Zhu Liu off guard, but as the words sank in, Zhu Liu's face turned ashen with terror.

"Yes, yes, yes! Section Chief Chen, we're leaving right now!" Zhu Liu scrambled to his feet and fled in a panic, tumbling as he went.

When Zhu Liu had finally left with his wife and granddaughter-in-law, leaving only the master and disciple in the small courtyard, Old Master Tong indignantly scolded him.

"I swear, you brat really need a good thrashing!"

With that, he reached around to find a whip. Terrified, Chen Liang quickly pressed down on his master's shoulders to keep him from standing up.

"Hey now, Master, don't rush to use force. Will you listen to my explanation first?"

"Speak! I want to see what kind of clever excuse you can spin out of this!" The old master struggled a few times, but finding himself unable to break free from Chen Liang's grip, he said huffily.