Chapter Fifty-Five: Barbecue at Little South Lake

After leaving the pleasure boat, Ding Li and the others stood on the shore, breathing in the fresh sea air. It didn’t take long before the recent unpleasantness faded from their minds. Zhang Mingzhi, meanwhile, gave Zhang Wu another round of instructions, telling him to arrange for someone to deal with the trouble at Wang’s Trading House the next day, by whatever means necessary—be it gentle persuasion or force.

“Let’s go! Of the famed Four Wonders of Little South Sea, you’ve already seen two—there are still two left!” After a brief pause, Zhang Mingzhi turned and beckoned to Ding Li with a smile, explaining, “The remaining two wonders, now those are a man’s battlefield!”

“Isn’t it just food and wine? You make it sound so mysterious, second brother,” Ding Li said, puzzled. But a glance around, recalling the lavish banquet earlier on the top floor of Caiyun Pavilion, made him realize that despite the fine food just now, it hadn’t truly satisfied his hunger.

“You’ll see when we get there!” Zhang Mingzhi replied mysteriously, refusing to elaborate. He gave Ding Li a hearty slap on the shoulder and, with a grand wave of his hand, strode off. “Come! With good wine and fine meat, life’s journey is never in vain!”

After Ding Li and his companions departed from the dock where the Caiyun Pavilion pleasure boat was moored, a seemingly down-and-out man crouched by the shore straightened his straw hat and quickly made his way onto the gangplank. He murmured a few words to the two guards on board, making several quick gestures over his chest. After exchanging nods, the man in the straw hat boarded the boat.

He swiftly made his way to the only fully enclosed cabin on board, where the tattooed Tiger—whom they’d seen earlier—sat waiting. Without pleasantries, he reported, “Brother Tiger, they’ve likely gone to the night market nearby. Word has it they’re keen to sample the other two wonders of Little South Sea. I’m certain.”

“Hmm, Zhang Mingzhi is getting far too brazen,” Tiger nodded, his eyes filled with unconcealed hatred. He frowned, then muttered in a low voice, “But that unfamiliar face from earlier—he’s no ordinary fighter. The men said those guys were all taken down by that kid alone! Looks like Zhang Mingzhi’s found himself another reliable helper.”

“What about Wang Jie—how should we handle him?” The man in the straw hat didn’t care for Tiger’s speculation and changed the subject directly. “Should we really…?”

“What do you mean, really? I, Tiger, am not one of Zhang Mingzhi’s men. Why should I do his dirty work?” Tiger glared at the man, then slammed his hand on the table with a sneer curling his lips. “Ha! Release Wang Jie! No—send him back, and make sure the old proprietor of Wang’s Trading House knows that the young master of Zhang’s Trading Company will be coming after them tomorrow! And don’t just say they’ll cut out his tongue—let him know they’re after his life! Got it?”

“I understand, Brother Tiger. Don’t worry.” The straw-hatted man nodded crisply. As he was about to leave, he hesitated, then asked, “Brother Tiger, do you want me to notify Master Hua Wu and the Cao family as well?”

“No need. Wang’s Trading House is important enough. Just handle Wang Jie’s business and make sure nothing goes wrong.” Tiger waved him off, giving a stern reminder. “Remember, we serve Master Hua Wu, not Zhang’s Trading Company or Cao’s. All we want is business, nothing else. I’ll send word to Master Hua Wu and the Cao family about Zhang Mingzhi myself.”

“Understood.” The straw-hatted man nodded and left the room at Tiger’s signal.

...

“Brother Li, you were amazing just now!” On their way, Zhang Yurou clung to Ding Li’s side, refusing to leave him for even a moment, while Zhang Mingzhi and Zhang Wu walked ahead, deep in a conversation of their own, leaving the pair behind and giving Zhang Yurou the perfect opportunity to cozy up to Ding Li. She tugged his arm, repeating for the sixth time, “If I were as strong as you, I could give any scoundrel I met a good thrashing!”

“Miss Zhang, you’re already plenty formidable!” Ding Li gave her a helpless glance. Remembering her performance earlier at the gambling table, a chill ran down his spine. Almost subconsciously, he blurted out, “If you were really that fierce, who would ever dare marry you? With a temper like that, how many men could take it?”

“You could!” she retorted without thinking, but as soon as the words left her lips, Zhang Yurou blushed and lowered her head. She gave his arm a hard pinch and muttered, “Hmph! Trying to take advantage of me, are you?”

“Oh, please! Take advantage of you?” Rubbing his sore arm, Ding Li quickly pulled away, looking exasperated. “Is there anyone alive who could take advantage of you, Miss Zhang? I’d sooner believe in ghosts!”

“Hmph!” Zhang Yurou, unwilling to let him get away, shoved him lightly, then darted forward until she was face to face with Ding Li. Batting her bright eyes, half in jest, half in earnest, she asked, “Brother Li, you moved so quickly just now—was it because you care about me?”

“Give it a rest!” Ding Li’s heart skipped a beat at her words, but he maintained a calm expression and shot her a sidelong glance, feigning nonchalance. “Honestly, I was more worried that kid would end up being crushed under the mountain of silver you rained down on him! I stepped in to spare him—at least this way, he stands a chance of surviving.”

“Hmph! Just admit you care, why won’t you?” Zhang Yurou pouted, biting her lip as she walked a few steps ahead. But soon she returned, unwilling to give up, and pressed him again, “Haven’t you ever heard that every true hero has a tender heart?”

“I’m no hero—just another fellow muddling through life,” Ding Li deflected, not rising to her bait and showing little regard for his own image. He didn’t quite understand what Zhang Yurou was after, but he couldn’t shake a vague sense of foreboding. Shaking his head with a sigh, he added, “As for tenderness, I already have a family. All I want is for those around me to be safe and happy. That’s all.”

“Does that include me?” At these words, a flicker of disappointment crossed Zhang Yurou’s eyes. She suddenly remembered what Zhang Mingzhi had once said about Ding Li’s background, but she stubbornly tilted her chin and, lips pursed in a sweet pout, pressed for an answer.

“Of course!” Ding Li nodded earnestly. As joy flashed in her eyes, he added a line that sent her spirits plummeting: “You’re second brother’s own sister, after all. Naturally, that includes you! Besides, my life was saved by him—if you were ever in danger, I’d risk my life to help you, without hesitation.”

Though his words were sincere, to Zhang Yurou they felt off. Everything Ding Li said seemed to circle around Zhang Mingzhi, unconsciously making her feel he was deliberately keeping his distance. A storm of emotions swirled within her, leaving her at a loss.

“Second brother, second brother! All you ever talk about is him!” she protested, stomping away without a backward glance.

When Ding Li finally saw the so-called “wine and meat” among the Four Wonders of Little South Sea, he was left speechless. Wasn’t this just a giant open-air barbecue night market? The stalls, set under the stars, had open flames grilling not skewers of sliced meat on sticks, but entire pigs, sheep, deer, and even snakes, coiled together on iron grills, along with a bounty of seafood roasting over the fire.

As they walked along, Ding Li took in the sight of dozens, if not hundreds, of similarly sized stalls. According to Zhang Wu, even grander ones awaited beyond the horizon, and these were but the smallest. Their true destination lay at the far end.

Just as Zhang Wu had said, after passing the countless stalls lining the roadside, they reached an area where the scale of the barbecue rivaled that of a great grassland festival. Bonfires blazed everywhere, and the rich aroma of roasting meat made even Ding Li, who had just feasted, swallow involuntarily.

“The usual spot,” Zhang Mingzhi pointed ahead and led the way with practiced ease. He then turned to Zhang Wu, frowning as he asked, “Ah Wu, how long has it been since we last came here?”

“Uh…” Zhang Wu scratched his head in confusion as they walked, then looked up uncertainly. “Second brother, I think we came last spring, or maybe it was summer—I can’t quite remember. At least a year, I suppose.”

“So long already!” Zhang Mingzhi sighed softly, shaking his head with a wry smile. “I wonder how Aguda’s business has fared this past year. Let’s go—let’s support an old friend.”

With that, he quickened his pace, as if eager to see an old companion. Zhang Wu, walking alongside Ding Li, offered an explanation: “Brother Li, Aguda is a young fellow from the northern grasslands—full of life and spirit! When we were younger, second brother brought me here all the time. Once, a fight broke out while we were eating and drinking at Aguda’s stall. Though he had customers of his own, Aguda didn’t hesitate to jump in and fight for us—he’s a true man of the steppe: bold, straightforward, and ruthless in a brawl!”

“No wonder! You must have brought him plenty of business back in the day. With second brother as a regular, I bet he could make a living off just your visits alone,” Ding Li said, shrugging as if it were obvious. He was now curious about Aguda. Looking ahead, he saw Zhang Mingzhi standing beneath a large sign reading “Mongolian Barbecue,” leaning on his chin in thought.

Seeing this, Zhang Wu hurried forward and called out with a hearty laugh to the burly young man behind the stall, “Aguda! You rascal! Your second master and Uncle Wu are here—aren’t you going to come out and greet us?”

“Huh?” The shirtless Aguda, muscles rippling, looked up with a blank face at the unfamiliar titles. But when he saw the two men standing outside his stall, joy spread across his features. He tossed aside his tools, wiped his greasy hands on a damp cloth, and ran out, beaming with delight.