Yama Reborn

Chen Yanluo was smiling.

His smile seemed affable.

"Uncle Gu, you see, let me do the math for you. You've just gotten out of prison. You should have some banquets to welcome you back. As someone involved with the society, you can't escape these social obligations. Although others might treat you to meals and drinks, you'd still want to hand out a couple of cartons of cigarettes, right?

"Having a big drink, going for karaoke, these things are certainly on the cards.

"If you find a girl while singing karaoke and want to take her out to a hotel...

"Uncle Gu, as a man of the society, you need to maintain some dignity. You can't expect your friends to pay for the hotel room as well.

"If we put it all together, three thousand won't last you very long."

Gu Kang was a bit stupefied. This lad... what he's saying makes sense. But what exactly is his deal?

Chen Nuo left Gu Kang behind and entered the inner room. After a short while, he came out holding a stack of banknotes.

Gu Kang's eyes lit up instantly, fixed on the thick stack of bright red banknotes in Chen Nuo's hand.

Chen Nuo seemed to smile, counted out three thousand yuan, and placed it in front of Gu Kang.

Gu Kang's expression changed, and he quickly gathered up the money, folded it neatly, and stuffed it into his jacket pocket.

But his eyes were still on the money in Chen Nuo's hands.

The youth still had a good amount left!

"You... seem to have quite a bit of money," Gu Kang licked his lips.

"Three thousand definitely isn't enough." Chen Nuo counted out another thousand and placed it on the table.

"..." Gu Kang glanced at Chen Nuo, then grinned, "Alright, you really know what's up! Consider this money as compensation for the trouble you caused at my brother's house and for hitting my brother."

He reached out to take the money as soon as he finished speaking.

But Chen Nuo pressed down on the back of his hand.

Gu Kang frowned, "What's the meaning of this?"

"Do me a favor, and this extra thousand is yours."

"What favor?"

Chen Nuo glanced at the time.

"Today is Friday. Ye Zi will be done with school soon." Chen Nuo sighed. "Accompany me to pick her up, and then have dinner with her—acting in the capacity of a father."

Gu Kang fell silent.

"If you do this task properly, the thousand yuan is yours."

Just a meal?

Gu Kang looked at Chen Nuo. "Is it really that simple?"

"It's really that simple," Chen Nuo nodded. "Having dinner with the child is a debt you, as a father, owe her."

"Done." Gu Kang nodded. Chen Nuo immediately released his hand, and Gu Kang grabbed the money, folded it, and stuffed it into his pocket too.

"Just so we're clear, you're paying for dinner," Gu Kang said.

Gu Kang snorted.

Chen Nuo stared intently at the man for a moment, then sighed inwardly.

Chen Xiaoye had already moved up to the middle group.

On weekends, when the kindergarten dismissed students, many parents crowded at the entrance.

Chen Xiaoye's class, led by two teachers, lined up and walked outside.

Chen Xiaoye was at the front of the line.

The little girl's heart leaped with joy, her eyes eagerly searching the crowded entrance. She kept thinking to herself that she had to make sure her brother saw she was the first in the line today. This is the honorable position of "Line Leader."

At the end of every school day, the teacher would let the best-behaved child of the week stand first in line, a mark of honor.

As childish thoughts swirled in the little girl's mind, she suddenly spotted a figure in a blue and white tracksuit in the crowd.

"Brother!!"

The little girl called out crisply.

Chen Nuo walked over, bent down to embrace his sister, greeted the teacher, and then took Chen Xiaoye by the hand to the roadside.

"Ye Zi, look, who's here?" Chen Nuo's voice was very gentle as he pointed towards the roadside.

Next to the fire hydrant on the roadside, Gu Kang stood with a cigarette in his hand, looking impatient, glancing left and right.

When Chen Nuo pointed his way, Gu Kang took a couple of deep drags on the cigarette butt, threw it away, stamped it out, and then walked over.

Chen Xiaoye was dumbstruck!

The little girl stood there, gazing blankly at the man before her.

He seemed immensely familiar, yet at that moment, somewhat unfamiliar.

Gu Kang managed to squeeze out a bit of a smile. "Ye Zi..."

Chen Xiaoye was frozen for a full five seconds.

Her eyes quickly filled with tears, and her lips quivered uncontrollably as she stood there, helpless and motionless.

Chen Nuo gently touched his sister's head and whispered, "Don't you recognize him?"

Chen Xiaoye suddenly took a deep breath!

The child seemed to gather all her strength and let out a shrill scream.

"Daddy!!!!!!"

After shouting, she immediately burst into loud tears.

The little girl then plunged headlong into Gu Kang's arms. Her tiny body only reached up to his waist as she clung to her father's legs and started to cry bitterly!

Her crying was intensely sad, as if she were unleashing all the grievances, fears, and longings of the past days at once!

Once she started crying, Xiao Yezi couldn't stop.

Suppressing his impatience, Gu Kang squatted down and tried to pull the crying girl away. "Alright, alright, don't cry, please don't! Ye Zi! Stop crying!"

Standing aside, Chen Nuo coldly said, "How can she not cry? Her father wasn't by her side. Do you even know how much she has suffered at your brother's house?"

Gu Kang's face shifted uncomfortably.

Chen Nuo sighed, squatting down gently and patting Chen Xiaoye.

"Daddy!!!

"Uncle hit me... WAAAH.

"Auntie wouldn't let me eat... WAAAH.

"I wet the bed, and Auntie locked me in the bathroom.

"She even poured cold water on me... WAAAH.

"Daddy!

"Daddy!!

"Where did you go, Daddy!!

"Daddy!! Where's Mommy!!

"Where's Mommy!! I want my Mommy!!

"Why didn't you come for me!!"

Towards the end, Xiao Yezi was crying so hard she couldn't even speak, clutching desperately at Gu Kang's clothes.

Gu Kang's expression turned more and more grave; his clothes were getting smeared with his daughter's snot and tears. Holding his temper, he picked up Chen Xiaoye and whispered, "Stop crying! Please, no more tears!"

Chen Nuo looked at Xiao Yezi and whispered softly, "Ye Zi, don't cry. Your dad and brother will take you to eat, okay? We'll go together and have something tasty."

They went to McDonald's for dinner.

They ordered Chen Xiaoye's favorite kids' meal, along with some nuggets, and added a large cup of juice.

Chen Xiaoye gradually stopped crying on the way, but she was clearly very concerned about Gu Kang, clinging onto his clothes tightly the whole way without letting go.

Children don't understand much, but they instinctively hold on to their father's clothes and don't let go.

As if... she was terrified that her dad would suddenly disappear again.

Gu Kang was actually somewhat distracted.

Chen Xiaoye kept prattling on, as if children never run out of things to say.

As if she wanted to tell her dad everything that had happened to her in the past few months—everything she saw, heard, encountered, and anything she found interesting—all in one breath.

Gu Kang had actually zoned out a while ago, but Chen Xiaoye kept talking.

Chen Nuo was beside them, wiping Xiao Yezi's mouth with a tissue and then giving her some juice to drink.

Actually, Chen Nuo was always very good to his younger sister. Xiao Yezi was also very close to Chen Nuo.

But... blood is thicker than water, and in the end, a dad is a dad.

The absence of parents was a gap that, no matter how hard Chen Nuo tried, he could never fill.

Chen Xiaoye was five years old and had spent time with her parents until the age of four.

In her memory, her father had held her, kissed her, smiled at her, listened to her sing nursery rhymes, and told her stories...

Even if Gu Kang was an inhuman person... that family had once had its happy times in the beginning.

Otherwise, Ou Xiuhua would not have married him, nor would she have borne his children.

After all, at the beginning, there definitely had been good times.

When Chen Xiaoye was born, Gu Kang had once, like all fathers in the world, treated her as a precious treasure.

When Chen Xiaoye was very young, Gu Kang had held his daughter, had helped her walk unsteadily, and had watched her babble her first words.

He had hugged her close, lifted her high in the air.

He had carried her on his shoulders, letting her ride on his neck, laughing joyfully...

These things, to a greater or lesser extent, had indeed happened.

Although later on, he became addicted to gambling, and his humanity gradually wore away...

Gu Kang became less and less humane.

But Chen Xiaoye, the child, remembered her father!

She remembered that big, tall man who seemed to have endless strength and appeared to be taller than the sky.

She remembered the man who, whenever she fell, would pick her up; who would gently touch her forehead when she was sick.

She remembered the man who every night, when she was afraid, would promise solemnly to protect her, to chase away the big bad wolf, to beat away the big tiger.

In her memory, that man... was called 'Dad'!

Of course, Gu Kang was not a good father. Not now.

And he perhaps never really was.

But those beautiful moments did exist.

Most fathers, whether good or bad, have had them.

So in the hearts of children, a dad is always a dad.

A man they love, admire, fear his authority, and yet look forward to his protection.

For Chen Xiaoye, during the times she was mistreated at the Gu Family...

As the child experienced fear, dread, and discomfort...

The biggest confusion in her little mind was:

Why weren't her mom and dad there while she was being bullied?

Why, when those people were hitting her,

didn't the dad who had promised to drive away the big bad wolf come to protect her?

Chen Nuo looked at Chen Xiaoye, seeing an unprecedented exuberance and vigor in her that had never been present before.

He felt somewhat emotional inside.

Even after being rescued from the Gu Family by him, at the very beginning, Chen Xiaoye always showed a kind of pitiable "obedience" and "understanding" in front of Chen Nuo.

But what?

What four or five-year-old child is that obedient and understanding?

Where did this understanding and obedience come from?

It was wrought from abuse!

From scolding, physical punishment, angry yelling, being hit on the thighs with sticks, being starved...

This forcibly molded so-called obedience and understanding!

That obedience actually meant from the child:

I'll listen obediently, please don't hit me.

It wasn't until about a month after living with Chen Nuo that Chen Xiaoye's "obedience" gradually faded away.

The child began to dare to be spoiled with Chen Nuo, dare to exhibit some of her childlike nature, and even occasionally, be just a tiny bit naughty.

Only then did the child truly accept Chen Nuo in her heart, accepting one fact: this brother would really not hit her, would not bully her.

This brother was her protector.

But there was one thing!

Even up to today, in Chen Nuo's presence, Chen Xiaoye had never once dared to throw a tantrum! Nor had she ever dared to make any excessive demands.

But... what four or five-year-old child doesn't get bratty or throw tantrums?

Chen Xiaoye still dared not.

This was the shadow in her heart.

Because, even though kids don't understand much yet,

instinctively in her heart, she knew one simple distinction: brother is not the same as mom and dad.

By the time Chen Xiaoye finally exhausted all her energy, it was already nine o'clock at night.

Chen Nuo had already brought her and Gu Kang back to their home. Chen Xiaoye was sleeping on the couch, but her hand was still tightly grasping Gu Kang's clothes.

Gu Kang's face became more and more unnatural, more and more uncomfortable.

Every so often, he would glance at the wall clock.

After Chen Xiaoye finally fell asleep, Chen Nuo went over, gently loosened the child's hand, then carried his sister into the room, laid her on the bed, and pulled over a blanket to cover her.

As he turned to leave the room, he found that Gu Kang had already stood up.

"Is it okay now? I've done what you wanted. I'm leaving now!" Gu Kang was feeling impatient inside.

In fact, he couldn't even clearly explain this restlessness: part of it was the exasperation from the child's endless childish babble.

And more of it was a mix of guilt, evasion, and anxiety.

Gu Kang just wanted to leave this place as quickly as possible!

As if by leaving, he wouldn't have to face all these things anymore, and also wouldn't have to confront the lingering guilt and discomfort deep inside him.

This discomfort made him want to lash out in anger.

"You're leaving?"

Chen Nuo quietly watched Gu Kang.

"I've finished what I had to do, of course I'm leaving," Gu Kang said with a frown.

"Inside there lies your daughter, your own daughter."

Chen Nuo sighed. "You were in there, Ou Xiuhua was in there. But the child, out here, suffered a lot of hardships and grievances... Shouldn't you be taking good care of her, looking after her, compensating her for all of that?"

Gu Kang suddenly became furious and shouted, "Kid! Are you fucking teaching me how to live my life?? How old are you, with not even all your hair grown? You don't know shit!"

Chen Nuo shook his head. "If you weren't Ye Zi's father, I wouldn't even speak to you like this."

He paused.

Chen Nuo took a deep breath, as if suppressing the emotions inside him, and said in a solemn voice, "Gu Kang, I'm going to tell you just once, for the last time."

He pointed in the direction of the room inside. "If you have any heart left, you can stay, spend some quality time with your daughter. Even if it's just for a weekend.

"I can sleep on the couch tonight, and you can sleep in my room.

"Having a father by her side, to make her happy for a weekend would be good enough."

"What weekend! Do you have any idea how many things I have to take care of?

"Damn it, I have an important friend meeting me tonight!

"Enough! Stop your bullshit, kid!

"It's not your place to meddle in my affairs!

"Didn't you pay already?

"Ye Zi will follow you from now on, isn't that what you wanted?

"I've taken the money, and I'm leaving!

"We'll have nothing to do with each other in the future!"

Chen Nuo watched as Gu Kang started to slide the door open.

He asked one last question.

"So... when you have time in the future, could you come and visit your daughter, keep her company? You saw tonight how much she relies on you, her father."

Upon hearing this, Gu Kang let out a cold laugh and growled with malice, "Pretentious brat!"

After saying that, he pulled the door open and left.

The door was slammed shut.

Chen Nuo stepped forward, put his hand on the door, and gently closed it, careful not to make too much noise and wake the child inside.

Returning to the living room, Chen Nuo went to the balcony and lit a cigarette.

He took a couple of drags.

Hmm.

Gu Kang, I gave you your chance; I showed you the way.

I have done right by my little sister.

To be honest.

If Gu Kang had come around showing the care and concern of a father who truly cares about his daughter, or even a willingness to make amends and take care of her, Chen Nuo would have been willing to let Xiao Yezi go back to live with her father.

After all, they are father and daughter. They are blood relatives. They are real family.

Even if he himself couldn't bear it.

Morally speaking, that's what should be done. That is, assuming Gu Kang was a reformed, good father!

But Gu Kang came by this afternoon to extort some money.

Chen Nuo was disappointed.

Yet he still gave Gu Kang a glimmer of opportunity.

He arranged for Gu Kang to pick up Chen Xiaoye, set up a meeting, a meal for father and daughter.

If during this encounter, Gu Kang had shown signs of having seen the error of his ways, if upon seeing his daughter, it could awaken the conscience within him…

Chen Nuo was also willing to give the man a chance.

It wasn't that he was soft-hearted.

Nor was it Lord Yanluo showing misplaced compassion.

He did this entirely for his little sister.

Chen Nuo truly cherished Xiao Yezi, saw her as his own sister, genuinely hoped for her well-being!

He was willing to take the longer route, just for the chance to provide his sister with the missing "fatherly love."

But unfortunately,

Gu Kang didn't seize the opportunity.

Chen Nuo finished a cigarette and picked up the phone.

"Brother Lei?"

"What is it this late? Tell me!"

Chen Nuo looked out at the night sky and said indifferently, "Do me a favor. It's somewhat urgent; it needs to be handled tonight!"

Gu Kang walked out of Chen Nuo's house.

When he reached the roadside, the man took several deep breaths forcefully before he finally managed to dispel the irritability in his heart.

He took out his mobile phone to check the time and hurriedly hailed a taxi.

Over ten minutes later, the taxi stopped at the entrance of a KTV.

Gu Kang paid and got out of the car, walked into the KTV entrance, reported a room number to the bowing and scraping greeter, and then followed the lead inside.

The greeter ahead of him was dressed in a cheongsam with a slit up to her thigh, and as she walked along, Gu Kang couldn't help but steal glances there.

In his mind, that sobbing little girl was thus cast to the back of his mind.

Upon reaching a private room's entrance, the greeter opened the door, and Gu Kang immediately plastered a smile on his face as he walked in.

"Brother Yong! I'm here!"

Gu Kang, entering the room, shouted in a fawning manner.

The room was already full of people, with about five men, but there were seven or eight hostesses.

In the center of the sofa, a man with a fierce face, flanked by girls on both sides, was sprawling with two hostesses, looking unconcerned.

The other men in the room just lifted their eyes to glance at Gu Kang before looking away.

Only one of them stood up, came over and patted Gu Kang on the shoulder. "You're damn slow! I told you ten o'clock!"

"Couldn't find a cab," Gu Kang said with a smile. "Sorry, Brother Yong."

His eyes darted to those seated, especially to the man in the center embraced by the girls. "That, Brother Yong, could you introduce me?"

"Come on!" Brother Yong cocked his head, walked to the center of the sofa, and said with a grin, "Boss, my friend here, I brought him to meet you."

"Mhmm."

Brother Yong pulled over Gu Kang. "Gu Kang, come meet my big brother! My Brother Wang! Also known as King Tiger! Ask around in Jinling City! Wherever you go mentioning my Brother Wang's name, you'll see this!" he said, cocking his thumb.

Gu Kang hurriedly bowed and scraped, then took out his cigarettes.

King Tiger glanced at the ten-yuan pack of Red Jinling in Gu Kang's hand…

He seemed to smirk, blocked the cigarettes offered to him, casually took a pack of Chung Hwa from the table and threw it over. "Smoke these."

Gu Kang felt a bit embarrassed.

Brother Yong pulled him along. "Come on, drink! Offer a toast to my boss!"

While saying this, Brother Yong also smiled at King Tiger. "Boss, this is my friend I met inside; we shared the same cell.

"He's quite sharp, knows the score, and knows how to curry favor. I brought him today for you to meet."

Gu Kang had already poured himself a full glass and, with a smile, raised it. "Brother Wang, I toast to you."

King Tiger nodded. "Alright, since you're Xiao Yong's friend, I'll give you this face," and he picked up his own glass.

Gu Kang immediately came over with his glass and clinked it with King Tiger's.

As they clinked glasses, Gu Kang intentionally lowered the rim of his glass about an inch beneath King Tiger's, so that it almost touched the bottom of King Tiger's glass, and gently knocked against it.

King Tiger laughed, nodded, and took a light sip.

Seeing this, Gu Kang hurriedly tilted his head back and gulped down his glass.

"Xiao Yong, your friend's not bad. Have a seat and join us! Hey, someone get him a girl!"

Gu Kang took a seat at the very edge of the sofa, then went around the room with his glass, greeting and toasting each man in turn.

He sure knew how to play the game.

In the end, Xiaoyong and Gu Kang sat together, and Xiaoyong whispered, "Brother, I've been really good to you, huh! My Brother Wang is really something! You know Wind Shelter Hall's Hall Master Li? My Brother Wang is Hall Master Li's number one general!"

"I know, I know! I'll definitely perform well! Thank you, Brother Yong!"

The number one general might not be real.

But Gu Kang understood that since Brother Yong said so, this King Tiger must be at least someone close to Hall Master Li.

As the two chatted, the manager came in, bringing a few girls with him. Gu Kang squinted and picked the one he liked the most to sit down beside him.

A wave of fragrance hit him, and Gu Kang casually wrapped his arm around her, laughing playfully, "Girl, what shall I call you?"

"They call me Shanshan."

"Oh, how old are you?"

"That's so annoying, asking about age right off the bat... Big brother, let me toast you."

...

The image of that sobbing little girl was long gone without a trace in his mind.

The drinking went on until one o'clock in the morning before the party broke up.

When it was over, Brother Yong gave Gu Kang a meaningful look and kicked him hard.

Gu Kang, enduring the pain, looked at the manager who came in with the bill, "Here, here! Give it to me!"

He took a glance at it.

One thousand two hundred.

It somewhat pained him to see the amount.

Fortunately, it wasn't a truly high-end place; otherwise, the price might have been several times higher.

Gu Kang gritted his teeth and paid the money, despite the pain.

At this moment, King Tiger stood up, came over and patted Gu Kang on the shoulder with a nod.

Then he turned to Brother Yong, "He's not bad. Bring him to the company to see me tomorrow."

"Sure, sure, sure!"

Having said that, King Tiger left directly, followed by his chuckling cronies.

Leaving with them were a few girls.

Before leaving, Brother Yong tossed Gu Kang a line, "That's settled then. I'll call you tomorrow afternoon! Don't turn off your phone!"

After seeing off King Tiger and the others, the smile disappeared from Gu Kang's face.

He cursed to himself a few times.

He turned to Shanshan, the girl who had accompanied him tonight. "Go change your clothes."

During their time together that night, they had actually settled on a price.

After leaving the KTV, they found a cheap hotel nearby, spending 98 yuan for the most ordinary standard room.

Gu Kang, with his arm around Shanshan, took the elevator up and entered the room, his lips immediately moving toward hers.

Shanshan pushed him away. "Let's take a shower first!"

Gu Kang laughed sheepishly, entered the bathroom, and quickly stripped to turn on the shower...

Burning with desire, he took a rapid shower, finishing in less than ten minutes.

He didn't even dress, just wrapping a large bath towel around his waist, now combing his hair with a comb.

He still felt a little sting from the night's expenses.

But then he thought...

That kid Chen Nuo seemed to have some money left.

Yeah, might drop by in a few days to find an excuse to visit!

The child's custody is in my hands! If he wants to keep Xiao Yezi, he has to pay up!

As he was thinking...

He heard a knock from outside the bathroom.

He vaguely heard Shanshan go to the door, followed by a sudden low cry.

"Ah..."

BANG!

The bathroom door was kicked open!

Two or three burly young men rushed in, grabbing Gu Kang by the neck as if he was a small chicken and hauling him out to the room, tossing him directly onto the bed!

Gu Kang saw three or five burly young men in front of him, almost filling the small standard room, and then noticed the door was firmly closed.

One thought crossed his mind:

Fuck, a honey trap?!

A few of the young men stepped aside, and a large bald man covered with tattoos came from behind!

The bald man deliberately grinned, a sinister smile on his face as he lightly scratched his head with his little finger.

He walked over to Gu Kang, patted his face and said, "Kid! Is it you, huh? Sleeping with my sister? Bringing my sister to a hotel?"

A sense of dread hit Gu Kang: Sure enough, a honey trap!

Just as he realized this, Shanshan suddenly stood up. "No, big brother! I don't know you, I... I'm not your sister."

"What?"

The big bald man turned and looked at Shanshan.

Gu Kang's heart stirred with a glimmer of hope: Not his sister? Could it be a case of mistaken identity?

Shanshan was scared but still put on a sorry face. "Big brother, did you get the wrong room? I'm not your sister."

The bald man stared at Shanshan, his eyes roving as he said, "You're Lili, aren't you?"

"Ah? I'm Shan..."

Before she could finish, SMACK!

A slap knocked Shanshan to the ground!

"What's your name? Say it so I can hear," the bald man demanded as he watched her.

Quick-witted, Shanshan immediately responded, "Yes, yes! You're right! My name is Lili!"

The bald man nodded. "So you're my sister, right?"

Lili: "I'm not..."

SMACK!

Another slap landed on her face!

Shanshan, now Lili, covered her face and quickly nodded. "Brother! I was wrong! I'm your sister!!"

The bald man laughed, pulled out a hundred yuan and tossed it on her. "Sister, go buy some ointment to put on your face."

After that, the bald man returned to the edge of the bed with a grin, eyeing Gu Kang.

"Now, let's settle this, about you taking my sister to a hotel room. How do we settle this account?"

Gu Kang was dumbfounded!!

What the hell...

What the hell... A honey trap with an impromptu actor's betrayal right on the scene?!!

I spent over a year behind bars, and now the underworld's rules have changed to this?!!