Chapter 147 — The Long-Awaited...

"Let's set that aside for now. I'm giving you a chance to make peace with me. I hear one of your construction companies—something Zheng, or whatever his name is—pushed a worker who was demanding his wages off the scaffolding. I know that worker. So here's the deal: have him bring three million over, and we'll call it even." Yang Yanzhou said.

Before Wei Dekang could get a word in, Yang Ce had rattled off a whole speech, leaving Wei Dekang somewhat bewildered. In the end he finally grasped Yang Juehuan's meaning—this fellow was calling him to demand compensation on someone else's behalf.

"You little bastard, who the hell do you think you are?" Wei Dekang flew into a rage. He had never imagined Yang Ce would regard him with such contempt—how could Wei Dekang not be furious? He nearly smashed the phone. "You just wait. This business with my son is far from over!"

"I'll say this, Wei Dekang: opportunity is equal for everyone. I've already given you your chance, and you're the one who didn't cherish it. Don't blame me for not warning you." Yang Ce was rather hoping Wei Dekang would refuse—if the man had agreed readily, how would Yang Ce find an excuse to go after him?

"Go to hell!" Wei Dekang slammed down the phone.

Beside him, Wang Xiaoju could tell the person on the other end had refused. She hurried to say, "Brother Yang, I don't need that much money—fifty thousand is enough!"

Yang Yanzhou's offer of three million had given Wang Xiaoju a fright. How many times over was that?

"Heh, don't worry. Cocky as Wei Dekang is now, in a few days I won't take his money even if he comes begging to hand it over." Yang Ce gave a cold laugh, then said to Wang Xiaoju, "Which hospital is your brother in? I'll have someone arrange things for you. Until Wei Dekang's money comes through, treatment shouldn't be delayed. As for Xu Peng's twenty thousand, that won't be needed."

"The Municipal First People's Hospital." From Yang Ce's tone, Wang Xiaoju could tell he was no ordinary man. Anyone who dared speak to the boss of Dekang Real Estate like that was hardly simple.

After Yang Xutang hung up, he took out his phone again and called Bao Lin, telling him to make the arrangements—there was an injured man named Wang Dajun at the Municipal First People's Hospital. Bao Lin set to work at once.

Before long, Wang Xiaoju's family called her, overjoyed to report that Wang Dajun had already been moved to a VIP room, and that he was being given good medicine.

Wang Xiaoju thanked Yang Ce profusely. Yang Jiyan laughed it off, while inwardly turning over how best to use these recent developments to get his hands on Wei Dekang's company.

To be continued

958. Everyone Has His Own Path

958 Everyone Has His Own Path

After Xiaoju got the good news that her brother had been moved to a new room, she hurried off to the hospital to look after him. That left only Yang Ce, Wang Yanqiu, Xu Peng, and Xiaoying on this end.

"Xu Peng, have you thought over what we discussed before?" Yang Ce was of course referring to his suggestion that Xu Peng give up the billiard hall before him and join him in building something bigger.

"Brother Yang, I'm sorry." Xu Peng hesitated a moment, then said, "I think things are pretty good as they are. Living a peaceful life is a blessing. The old sort of life was pleasant enough, but it was far too hard and the risks were too great. Besides, Xiaoying just found out not long ago—she's pregnant."

"You think Li Dagang's doing badly for himself now?" Yang Ce sighed, a little speechless. "I'm not asking you to run with the underworld. I mean for you to build a real career. Are you really willing to bury yourself in this billiard hall for the rest of your life?"

"Li Dagang is doing well, true, but I don't think I'm doing badly either. Three thousand or so a month—not much, I'll grant you, but it's enough for a family, and we can even save a little. Besides, better than some, worse than others—I earn a good deal more than plenty of people." Xu Peng smiled mildly. "And after you brought your people by last time, none of the small-time thugs around here dare make trouble anymore. The customers who come to play all pay up properly. That's already pretty good."

"All right, then I won't try to persuade you anymore." Yang Ce clapped Xu Peng on the shoulder. "If you ever change your mind, you can come to me anytime. Remember, you're my brother, Yang Juehuan. If you're ever in trouble, just ask me straight out—no need to be embarrassed."

"I know you've been good to me, Brother Yang." Xu Peng smiled with simple honesty.

Since Xu Peng held to his own thinking, Yang Shuoxuan said no more. After all, everyone has his own path, and Yang Ce could not force anything. Indeed, on Xu Peng's current income, he was already doing quite well.

Back then, Yang Juehuan's father had earned only a little over a thousand a month, and his mother about a thousand too—together still less than Xu Peng made on his own.

"In a few days, when that kid Li Dagang has some free time, let's the few of us get together," Yang Yanzhou said.

"Sure, no problem." Xu Peng laughed. "You, me, and Li Dagang—we weren't even in the same class in middle school, otherwise we'd have gone to the class reunion together long ago. I went to our middle school reunion a few days back. Not much fun—just a bunch of hypocrites."

Yang Xutang could not help laughing. "True enough. We've all grown up, and we all have our own ideas now. Once you graduate from university you have to face finding work—a little calculation is only natural. Nothing to make a fuss about."

Xu Peng nodded. "That's right. Though some who've done worse than me are actually a bit envious. A few of the guys didn't get into university either and are doing odd jobs out there, pulling in eight hundred or a thousand a month. They even ask me for advice on how to open their own shop."

As the two of them were talking, the door of the billiard hall was pushed open and a few students in school uniforms walked in. "Brother Xu, you open yet? Find us a table."

"Xiaoying, go see to them," Xu Peng said to his wife. Xiaoying rose and went to help the students get set up.

The students were clearly regulars, and familiar with Xu Peng's wife as well. "Sister Xiaoying, bring us some more drinks and a few packs of instant noodles—we haven't had breakfast yet."

"Sure, no problem." Xiaoying handed the cues to the students and nodded in agreement.

Looking at these students, Yang Ce was suddenly struck with feeling, thinking of his younger self. Hadn't he been just like them, skipping class to come out and play? True, skipping class didn't look like much of a good thing now, but in that reckless age of youth, who could have listened to reason?

He had always thought he could run his own life, that the sky was high and the earth wide and he was the biggest of all. Looking back now, it seemed truly childish and laughable. Yang Ce believed that if not for that strange stroke of fortune, his life would not have turned out any more brilliantly than Xu Peng's or Li Dagang's.

"Students from No. 4 Middle School?" Yang Ce sighed and asked Xu Peng.

"Yeah, a few seniors from No. 4. They're holed up here almost every morning, then head to the internet café in the afternoon." Xu Peng nodded. "Sometimes when I see them, I want to urge them to study hard, but if they all went off to study, who'd look after my business? Sometimes it really is a bit of a contradiction."

"You, you just think too much. Even if you urged them, they might not study anyway." Yang Hengye said, "If you don't believe me, I'll go try."

With that, Yang Yanzhou stood up, walked over to the students, and asked, "Say, you lot are all from No. 4 Middle School, aren't you? This should be class time—what are you doing out playing billiards?"

"Class? What class—you think we can understand a word of it?" one student said with disdain, not even glancing at Yang Puqi.