Secret Buyer-Chapter 146 - 125: I’m Back

"Boss Zhang, wishing you thriving business, thriving business!"

An old gambler cupped his hands, exchanged a large stack of chips, and entered the venue.

Zhang Wentao rubbed his cheeks, having smiled all day long his face was a bit stiff.

"The casino..."

He sighed softly, actually preferring to be a doctor.

But Chongyang is not Jiangzhou, here is a higher-level city, really to be an underground doctor again?

What one might encounter could very well be martial artists of the Middle Three Refinements or even more formidable ones.

The old tricks of burying explosives might not be enough to save one’s life.

Being a casino owner actually isn’t too bad,

at least, it’s safe... right?

Zhang Wentao looked outside this small casino, at a small old man bending his waist, leaning on a small cane, wobbling his way in.

His expression changed, and he hurriedly went to meet him:

"Oh, Boss Zhou? Just arrived, haven’t had a chance to pay you a visit, how come you’re here in person?"

The scrawny old man looked around this not-so-large little casino, or rather gambling den, and gave a nasal grumble.

He said slowly:

"What’s your name? Is it Zhang?"

Zhang Wentao kept his smile:

"Yes, yes, Zhang, call me Wentao, you can just call me Little Zhang."

The old man scoffed, squinting at this middle-aged man:

"How could I dare call you Little Zhang?"

"Just moved in and opened a casino to take away business from us old folks, without even seeing you pay respect to our turf, you’re something!"

Dr. Zhang — Boss Zhang’s face didn’t change:

"It’s my fault, you see, been busy setting up the place, tonight, tonight I’ll personally host a banquet to apologize to you seniors!"

The old man didn’t respond, just gave a sinister smile:

"Boss Zhang, running a casino, isn’t that easy of a job, I see you....."

Outside, a taxi slowly stopped, and a clear voice rang:

"Dad."

"I’m back."

Zhang Wentao, who was smiling, suddenly froze.

He turned his head incredulously towards the gambling den entrance, a familiar, gentle figure standing there.

A rush of warmth shot to the top of his head, exploding in his eyes.

"Fu.....Fusheng?" Old Zhang trembled as he spoke.

The young man walked casually into the gambling den, giving his dad a hard hug.

"It’s me."

"I’m back."

Old Zhang’s hand hung awkwardly in the air, patting his son’s back, still finding it hard to believe,

as big tears fell down.

He choked up:

"It’s good to be back, it’s good to be back..."

This old man doesn’t know how to say touching things, all he repeated was ’it’s good to be back’.

Zhang Fusheng inexplicably felt his nose tingle.

He couldn’t bear to see his dad like this.

’Knock knock knock!’

The old man suddenly tapped the ground with his cane, speaking sarcastically:

"Oh my, Boss Zhang, deep affection for your son, eh?"

Zhang Wentao wiped his tears:

"Master Zhou, this is quite a sight for you, my son and I haven’t seen each other in a while....."

The gambling den owner from the next street snorted, casting a sidelong glance at the gentle youth, speaking slowly:

"Your business, this old man doesn’t care."

"Just wanted to tell Boss Zhang, running a casino or a gambling den isn’t that easy."

"These gamblers, each one can easily get red-eyed."

"You never know when....."

The old man bared a large yellow tooth, pointing his cane at the gentle youth:

"You never know when, they might chop your son!"

Zhang Wentao’s smile faded.

He extended his hand, gesturing outward:

"Boss Zhou, you’ve been chatting for quite some time, please leave now?"

The old man spat, speaking sarcastically:

"I’ll be waiting for you to treat me to that drink, Boss Zhang!"

He wobbled out of the gambling den.

After the old man left.

"Dad, who was that?"

"The one running the casino next street, don’t mind him..... don’t mind him....."

Old Zhang looked up and down at his son, couldn’t help but light up a cigarette, taking puff after puff:

"Dad won’t ask you."

He led his son out of the casino:

"First, I’ll show you our new home."

The new home wasn’t far from the small casino, on the edge of the Seventh District; Chongyang had much better security than Jiangzhou, and the urban development was better too,

even the Seventh District had skyscrapers; occasionally, one might even see hovercars gliding overhead.

Zhang Wentao led his son all the way home.

Number 306.

Opening the door, it revealed a spacious living room.

"Your mom still made a room for you, cleaned it every day, waiting for you to come back....."

Old Zhang secretly wiped away a tear, leading his son on a tour of their new home before returning to the living room.

He sat his son down, did not ask how he survived, did not ask how he found him.

Old Zhang poured his son a glass of wine.

"Your mom is still working, still a teacher, teaching middle school..."

The father and son clinked their glasses.

Old Zhang consecutively smoked three or four cigarettes, chatting about family matters.

In the swirling smoke.

Zhang Wentao suddenly stubbed out the cigarette:

"Dad has to go out to buy some braised dishes, give your mom a surprise tonight..... she misses you so much."

He only mentioned that Zhou Guifang missed her son, never mentioning his own feelings, just that his trembling hands betrayed him.

"I miss you both as well." Zhang Fusheng softly spoke, then smiled: "It’s just been a month, acting like I haven’t been home for years."

Old Zhang didn’t respond, just gave his son’s shoulder a firm pat.

"I’ll go buy some braised dishes, you wait for dad to come back at home."

"Okay, dad."

Zhang Fusheng nodded, watching his father leave the house.

It was only two in the afternoon.

This early to buy braised dishes?

That’s fine.

He needed to go out as well.

Zhang Fusheng waited a moment in silence, his spirit disrupted reality, his form turning blurry, transparent.

......

"That old bastard next door, doesn’t know what’s good for him."

The old man grumbled, speaking to his son and daughter:

"Tonight he’s hosting a banquet..... arrange for some people, and have him taken out."

The eldest son nodded with a smile:

"Alright, even any Tom, Dick, or Harry dares to come take our business now."

The old man spat again:

"By the way, where’s my obedient grandson?"

"In the backyard," the eldest son replied while calling over the thugs, "Your grandson isn’t obedient at all."

"I bailed him out of the precinct, cost me quite a bit... That little bastard doesn’t do things cleanly, after fooling around with that student, he didn’t even know to simply kill her."

"Even let her report it to the police!"

The old man listened, pursed his lips, and cursed under his breath:

"We should also chop up that family later!"

Just as he was cursing.

Zhang Fusheng quietly left the house, his transparent form already appearing on the street.

With a sweep of his mind, he found the old man.

"Hmm?"

Zhang Fusheng didn’t act immediately because he noticed a familiar figure on a nearby high-rise.

Dad.

Dad was on the high-rise, setting up... a Gauss heavy sniper rifle.

Zhang Fusheng: ???

He suddenly laughed, shaking his head, this old man really picked the worst time to cause trouble... and shouldn’t have used threats against him.

Zhang Fusheng watched an arc of electricity pull into a beam, saw the cursing old man get torn apart by a bullet.

A middle-aged man, after finishing his work, sneaked away to buy some braised dishes for his son.

Zhang Fusheng looked at the chaotic casino, glanced at the burly thugs, and gently shook his head.

One, two, three.

One by one, the thugs’ heads exploded out of nowhere, blood mist surged, and the whole street descended into chaos.

And the eldest son slumped on the ground, the screaming women...

Hmm, didn’t forget about the grandson in the backyard either.

If you’re going to do something, do it cleanly, a family should be dealt with as a whole.

This was something Master taught.

"Dad isn’t professional at all."

Zhang Fusheng quietly returned home.

Soon after, Dad came back with three bags of braised dishes, chuckling as he entered the house, father and son continued to drink together, as if nothing had happened.

......

In the evening.

Teacher Zhou came home, and another bout of chaos ensued.

"You’ve lost weight, you’ve lost weight..."

After a long while, Zhou Guifang, who had calmed down a bit, pinched her son’s arm, alternating between tears and laughter.

The family of three shared a long-awaited dinner together.

"Has Master been here?"

Zhang Fusheng held two business cards, one from Master, and the other from Third Senior Sister.

He decided, next time he spars with the little child, he’d go easier on him.

"Yes, Hong Tianbao."

Old Zhang sighed:

"I didn’t expect you joined Hongji Martial Arts Dojo back then."

As a night watchman of Jiangzhou, he naturally knew the name Hong Tianbao, but on that day, his mind was unsettled, and it didn’t occur to him for a moment.

"Your Master is really something, outwardly claiming to be a martial arts master, but actually he’s an incredible grandmaster."

Old Zhang cautioned:

"But your Master has some dirty dealings in Jiangzhou..."

At this time, Teacher Zhou brought over a plate of cut fruit, and glared at Old Zhang:

"And you’re clean?"

Old Zhang chuckled awkwardly, then suddenly turned serious:

"Son, you’re officially a martial artist now, aren’t you?"

"Sort of," Zhang Fusheng nodded frankly, "I’m quite good at it."

Eventually, his parents would find out; he didn’t say too much for fear of making the couple worry.

Zhang Fusheng said:

"But dad, rest assured, now that we’re in Chongyang, it’s peaceful... there’s something I need to tell you in advance."

He deliberated for a moment, then continued:

"Due to some major events in Jiangzhou, my identity was marked as deceased, and I now function under a different set of information."

Mom glared at Zhang Wentao again:

"What’s that, your dad’s even more capable, he had my records changed without a word!"

Old Zhang shrank his neck once more.

Zhang Fusheng couldn’t help but laugh, and continued:

"According to my new identity, I’m already 25 years old, so university is probably out of the question."

The couple was silent for a moment.

Old Zhang wasn’t too concerned,

But Zhou Guifang’s mindset was still old-fashioned, she always believed that university was the best path.

She couldn’t help but say:

"Really not going? But, but..."

Zhang Fusheng sighed:

"Mom, I’m actually still a law enforcement officer."

"What???" The couple was flabbergasted.

What on earth?

Zhang Fusheng shyly said:

"And not at a low level either; it can’t be explained in just a few words... but rest assured, not going to university is fine."

"If I have to say, I could go teach at a university right now." 𝙧𝙚𝙚𝔀𝒆𝓫𝓷𝙤𝓿𝒆𝙡.𝒄𝙤𝓶

The couple exchanged looks.

After a long silence.

Zhang Wentao couldn’t help but ask:

"Kid, which refinement are you at as a martial artist? Second Refinement? Third Refinement?"

Zhang Fusheng considered carefully:

"A bit higher than that."

"A bit higher??" Zhang Wentao was lost for words.

Just a month ago, wasn’t their son still...

Although Teacher Zhou didn’t grasp the full significance, before an injury forced his early retirement, Old Zhang, a former vanguard team member at the Investigation Bureau,

Deeply understood what such talent meant.

"No wonder Hong Tianbao took you as a disciple..."

Old Zhang smiled wryly, and then seemed a bit tempted:

"I still have some old friends at the Investigation Bureau, how about I give it a try, get you in?"

Zhang Fusheng shook his hands repeatedly.

He said solemnly:

"Dad, it’s best if you don’t mention me to those friends of yours."

Zhang Wentao was taken aback:

"Why?"

Zhang Fusheng was silent for a moment, then softly said:

"The Investigation Bureau isn’t that clean."

Zhang Wentao fell silent again.

The family of three talked for a long time, until late at night.

Laying in bed, Zhang Fusheng chewed on two calming tea leaves, the latent hostility in his heart slowly subsided.

From the room next door came the sound of his parents’ snoring, moonlight seeped through the window curtains, casting colorful patterns on the wall.

"It’s wonderful."

He drifted into a deep sleep.

It had been a long time since he had slept well.