Evil Awe-Inspiring

Instead of driving me back to Vancouver, Papa 8’s man drives all the way west from the farm. I don’t ask him why. I’m used to it anyway.

 No matter Papa 8 or his staff, it seems that there are mysterious feelings about doing things. They won’t tell you what to do in advance. When we arrive the destination, I will always know what I should know anyway.

 We drive to the west for half a day, and finally arrive a small town near the beach. The car is driven all the way to a small pier near the town.

 This is a private yacht pier. There are many yachts, big and small, moored on both sides. The security guard at the door stops our car. Papa 8’s man shows a pass and the guard just lets us in.

 This pier is not big. I see some workers are repairing the yachts, and others are painting or doing maintenance.

 Papa 8’s man takes me all the way to an exit where a white yacht is parking. The yacht has two hulls. The place where the yacht should be painted is empty. Two men carrying a bucket of paint are painting on the yacht.

 “Just go up.” He simply tells me.

 When I get on the yacht and step into the cabin, I see Papa 8’s slightly cold face. His eyes are deep and he seems to be thinking about a difficult problem. But when he sees me come in, smiling a little, looking up at me. His face is still so calm and his tone is still gentle: “Little 5, you are back?”

 “Yeah!”

 I put down my bag and standing in front of him.

 “Sit.”

 I notice that there are several cups on the table. Each cup contains residual tea, and There are even two cups seem to have never been drunk. Obviously, not long before I came here, there were some guests here.

 He then fiddles with the tea set in front of him, acting like a running cloud, washing and pouring a cup of tea, hands it to me. The expression on his face does not show any sadness or joyness, just like a pool of calm lake without the waves.

 I take the cup with both hands and take a sip.

 “How’s the taste?” He takes a look at me.

 “Well, it’s good!”

 “You can taste it is good or not?”

 “I can’t” I smile mildly, “To be honestly, I hardly know anything about tea ceremony. I can’t tell its good or bad. I don’t know much about tea either. But your tea must be good, that’s it.”

 He is smiling and squinting at me, “You’re honest.”

 “No,” I say lightly, “I can lie, too. There are few people in the world who don’t tell lies. But I don’t think it’s necessary to lie about this.”

 “You are a very good young man.” He’s saying with the smile, “I spoke to Old Cat and Konny on the phone just before you came. They all say you’re good.”

 There’s no expression on my face, I just listen to him quitely.

 He is sighing deeply: “You’re right. No one in the world can never lie for a lifetime. Actually, let me tell you a little secret…”

 His hand sweeps falsely on the tea set in front of him, and laughing: “This tea cup set is a high-end good, worth thousands of dollars. They’re from a famous master’s hand! This can of tea, worth more than one thousand dollars, is very expensive. Of course, it is very good. But to tell you the truth, I’m just like you. It’s impossible for me to taste how good this tea is at all.” He’s laughing, “Actually, in my mouth, it’s similar to the big bowl of herbal tea I drank in the army long time ago.”

 We are looking at each other and both laughing.

 “Tea ceremony symbolizes identity, and where I am now, I have to do something in line with my identity. So, I have to put on a decent posture here. I even learned the necessary procedures of tea tasting from the tea ceremony specialists, and all this was just because of the needs!”

 I feel his word as if meaning something, but he doesn’t say it clearly, and I just don’t quite understand what he meant. So, I can just remain silent.

 “Little 5, in recent years, I have seldom seen a young man whom may make me appreciate. I can tell you very clearly that you are one! I’m glad Ocean sent you here. As for your choice, I don’t want to say much. In short, you choose to do this, you choose to want to do something big with us, then everything must follow the rules of this circle!”

 “I know.”

 “You’re sent by Ocean, and I appreciate you too, and you also saved 7 once. According to these reasons, I should take care of you. But this circle naturally has the rules, so I have to explain to you first!”

 “Please say it, Papa 8.”

 “Good.” He restrains the smile on his face and becomes serious, “You should understand that we are an organization, a part of the big mainland community in Canada. I must tell you that we belong to the dark side!”

 “I understand.”

 He gives me a quick look: “7 and I are just the members of the organization. We’re just the heads of Vancouver. But the difference is that 7 has quit. So, he basically doesn’t take care of things in the organization anymore. I can let you come straight to do things with me. But as I said, we have our rules. And rules are rules, no one can break, including myself! So even though I appreciate you and you have Ocean and 7’s favors. I still can’t allow you to enter directly!”

 I still do not speak, looking at him, quietly waiting for him to continue.

 There’s a glimmer of satisfaction in his eyes, which seems to appreciate my patience.

 “Our business offended the Vietnamese. Anyway, we have fought with them for so many years, and we don’t care about one more grievance. But it’s a bit strange! Specifically, I can’t tell you now. I can only say that what we did was very secret. The Vietnamese shouldn’t know. But they just knew it! And as a revenge, they attacked 7! For Vietnamese, of course, we will have the way to deal with them, but now the question is, I need to find out who told the Vietnamese about it! Fortunately, secrets are hard to be kept in this world. I’ve found that It was leaked by another local organization.”

 “Another local organization?” I’m surprised.

 “Yes,” Papa 8 says lightly, “in fact, our relationship with the local traditional gangs has not been very good for all the time, but we have converged in the past two years. After all, we are all from mainland. This will let foreigners see our jokes! But this time they have gone too far! 7 has quit. He’s no longer taking care of what the organization is doing! The Vietnamese don’t know, so they attacked him, which I can understand and ignore. But those local organization people, they do know! Our rule is that after someone quit, he should not be dragged into these grievances again!” Papa 8’s voice has a faint chill, “I don’t care what happens to foreigners, I don’t care! But as a man come from the same country, he has broken the rules.”

 I see a glimmer of killing in his eyes!

 He’s pointing to the cups on the table and says: “Originally, I invited the heads of some local orgnizations to come and chat to make it clear with them today! I know who made it this time, and we will surely retaliate and get back a fair deal! But I hope the others don’t interfere! Unfortunately, it seems that we haven’t had any big movements for a long time. Now we come out and talk with them reasonably. They seem to have forgotten a little about the past! Well, our courtesy is taken as a blessing! Today’s thing is just a trial! If that guy is just one person, I’m sure he’s not so bold! But he dares to do so, I think it’s a test for us! If we are weak, they will be united to make further progress. I can also see something from today’s meeting! Hum…”

 I understand. It seems that he has talked to those people very uncomfortably previously.

 “Rules are rules! If someone breaks the rules, he must pay the price! Otherwise, if everyone dares to break the rules and step across the border in the future, then how can we get along with it!”

 He takes a picture out of his pocket slowly and pushing it gently across the table.

 “This man, he must die in three days, I don’t care how and what you do.” His tone is as cold as the ice, “If you miss, I’ll send someone else to do it… And then you just back to wash the car for me again!”

After that, he gives me a look.

 I have no words, just pick up the photo and look at it slowly for a while. At last, I just say in an understated tone: “Three days? OK, I know!”