Chapter Five: This presence is terrifying enough to scare the pigs out of their wits!

Outside the third-floor restroom of the office building, Liu Haizhu looked utterly helpless. "Auntie Deng, I really can't hold it anymore..."

Auntie Deng raised her eyebrows, her tone resolute and firm. "Zhuzi, you need to have some sense. The toilets here have already exploded twice!"

Sweat beaded on Liu Haizhu's forehead. "Auntie, look, even Old Zhan is sending me on an official business trip to Hong Kong! I'm an advanced model worker... just this once, just once, can't you?"

Auntie Deng looked at him, her tone suddenly softening. "Zhuzi, it’s not easy for your aunt to hold onto this job. Look... just don't wreck our restroom. There are others outside; be a good boy and run a few steps."

Liu Haizhu steeled his heart, turned around, and strode down the stairs.

...

On the weekend, with nothing to do, the two brothers, Zhuzi and his younger brother, took a bucket at the crack of dawn and headed to the wild river to catch fish and shrimp.

Seeing them leave, their second aunt quickly pulled the curtains and whispered into the phone inside the room. "Brother Song, our Zhuzi is really doing well this time."

On the other end of the line, a man gave a dull grunt of acknowledgment.

Clutching the phone, the second aunt continued with a hint of excitement. "Brother Song, I didn't expect his unit leaders to value him so much. They actually gave him the only quota to go to Hong Kong on business. Tsk tsk tsk, this is wonderful—he might even get a promotion when he gets back. Your Liu family has truly burned high incense for this to happen."

The man on the other end remained stoic. "Hmm!"

Suddenly, the second aunt felt a bit nervous. "Brother Song, when are you coming back?"

Hearing this, the man on the other end was silent for a while before saying, "Since Zhu is going to Hong Kong on business, you might as well come stay for a few days."

"Yes, yes, that sounds lovely!" The second aunt’s face blossomed into a wide smile.

...

Mount Laojun, located at the border of Hubei and Henan provinces north of the county, is the highest peak in Huang'an City, standing 840.5 meters above sea level. According to the Ming Dynasty's "Huangzhou Prefecture Gazetteer": "It is said that Laozi once refined medicine here; there is a stone mortar on the peak, hence the name Mount Laojun."

At the foot of the mountain lies the Rolling Dragon Pool. It was a bit breezy today, and the weather was quite cool. On the muddy dirt path, Geng Wudi and Liu Haizhu were carrying an icy iron bucket on their way home.

The large iron bucket was filled with fresh wild yellow eels, soft-shelled turtles, and small fish and shrimp. At the bottom of the bucket, there were even two grumpy-looking large turtles. These were high-quality goods; if taken to the vegetable market, vendors would surely pay a high price for them. But Liu Haizhu hadn't even thought about that. A growing boy eats his father out of house and home, and with his younger brother’s appetite, it wouldn't even be enough for their own household.

On another note, this younger brother was quite a character. Despite having the handsome face of a wealthy Hong Kong young master like Jacky Heung, he was built like an ox. He had the look of a labor powerhouse: short hair, bulging veins on his arms, and a steady grip on the iron bucket. A grey-stained sweat towel was draped over his neck, and his body radiated a pungent, terrifying scent of sweat that could be smelled from two miles away.

He was a disheveled mess, yet strangely looked fresh and clean at the same time.

...

Suddenly, Geng Wudi, who was walking in front, frowned. He looked in the direction his senses guided him.

...Huh!

Up on the mountain, a wild boar with bared, menacing tusks was warily eyeing him.

...

"Haha!"

Liu Haizhu, trailing behind, suddenly became excited. It was as if he had just crawled out of a sewer only to be gifted a steaming pile of luck by the heavens.

Just as Liu Haizhu excitedly put down the net on his shoulder, Geng Wudi moved faster than him. In the blink of an eye, he had already charged toward the mountain. By the time Liu Haizhu blinked, the lad had already reached the riverbank...

Across the river was Mount Laojun.

...

At the riverbank, Wudi didn't hesitate for a second. He took a light breath, tapped his toes twice on the surface of the river, and vaulted across like a fierce tiger leaping over a mountain stream.

...

The boar, feeling smug, panicked at the sight. It glanced suspiciously at its own sharp tusks, then back at the human charging up from the foot of the mountain.

Beasts are inherently bloodthirsty, but this display of power was too damn terrifying for a pig! It turned around and fled.

...

A cold snort!

Geng Wudi’s feet moved like the wind, and he suddenly accelerated.

...

Back at the riverbank, Liu Haizhu was nonchalantly lighting a cigarette. Before he had finished half of it, that guy Wudi had already come running back, carrying the wild boar on his shoulders.

...

Come to think of it, there was one thing Liu Haizhu had refused to admit since he was a child. Although he grew up in the deep mountains, had done many outrageous things, and had his share of extraordinary encounters, he simply could not beat Geng Wudi. This lad had also trained rigorously under the strict tutelage of their second uncle, fighting his way to adulthood in the Savage Gully. Yet, he still couldn't beat Wudi. It was, basically, a total crushing. Every time Liu Haizhu thought about this, his teeth would ache with frustration.

...

Watching the wild boar still twitching on his brother’s brawny shoulders, Liu Haizhu’s jaw twitched as well. "What are you doing?"

Geng Wudi replied in a muffled voice, "Brother, aren't you treating people to dinner? Freshly killed is best!"

Liu Haizhu pondered for two seconds and nodded. "You're right."

...

At nightfall, at the 212 Courtyard.

In this era, there were no such things as karaoke, bathhouses, or foot massages. The 212 Courtyard was the highest-end establishment in the small city of Huang'an. The owner had some mysterious backing, and rumor had it he was a man of great capability. Every sheep in the 212 Courtyard was shipped in from Xinjiang and Inner Mongolia, raised naturally on the vast grasslands; their meat was incredibly fragrant and succulent.

...

On the way there, Liu Haizhu dragged the ox-like Geng Wudi along. The two brothers bickered as they walked.

Carrying the now-despairing wild boar on his shoulder, Geng Wudi’s face was stubborn and grim. "Brother, I'm not going!"

Liu Haizhu smiled and pulled him along. "No, you want to go."

Geng Wudi: "I'm not going!"

Liu Haizhu rubbed his gums, looking quite indignant. "I started this, you don't have to go, but you must go today!"

Geng Wudi blinked, a bit confused. His brother spoke too fast, and what he said seemed to make sense, but after scratching his head, he still couldn't figure it out!

After walking a few more steps, Geng Wudi stopped again. "Brother, I want to go back!"

Liu Haizhu was so frustrated his gums were practically bleeding. He raised an eyebrow. "Does your brother not have any dignity?"

Geng Wudi: "I'm afraid people will say I'm stupid!"

Liu Haizhu reached out and patted his head, saying softly, "They won't."

"Sigh!"

Geng Wudi sighed and lowered his head, following his brother's footsteps.

...

At the night market.

Tonight, Liu Haizhu had invited his childhood friends, Xiao Le and Haozi, planning to drink to their hearts' content.

As soon as they met, Guo Minghao gave him a bear hug. "Little Monkey, I heard you're treating us—I almost hung up a banner for it."

Liu Haizhu laughed and punched him. "You idiot Hao, keep acting up and I'll beat you!"

He then turned and smiled, "Xiao Le, sit down, why are you all standing?"

The group sat down laughing. Yang Peng reached out a hand sheepishly, but seeing that Brother Zhuzi had no intention of acknowledging him, he retracted his hand and sat back down awkwardly.

...

Truth be told, Liu Haizhu was a man who treated himself poorly, but he was truly generous to his friends! When a brother had a problem, he would go through water and fire without ever looking back. Of course, human relationships are reciprocal, and at the very least, Xiao Le and Haozi were worth it.