Chapter Thirty-six: The Woman of Two Dragons

  The village where Hai Zi's poem "Village" was set, originally had a mother and son living there. The son grew up quietly, the mother watched quietly. When Li San Sheng read this poem in middle school, he changed it to a grandfather and grandson living in the village, the grandson growing up quietly, the grandfather watching quietly. Later, when Li San Sheng was reading his revised version of the poem under an old locust tree, Er Long was nearby. Er Long, who had dropped out of elementary school and was already wandering around society, learned from Li San Sheng's revision and changed it to a village where a blind man and Er Long lived, Er Long growing up quietly, the blind man listening quietly.

  The only person in Old Guo's family who took care of Er Long was a blind man. According to their relationship, Er Long should call this man "Uncle", but Er Long never called him that because he thought the blind man had taken him in just to repay his debt to Old Guo's family and hadn't done anything for him otherwise. When Er Long was in first grade, he dropped out of school because the blind man couldn't afford to support him, and thus began his miserable life. Every meal they ate was something Er Long had managed to scrounge up.

  Li San Sheng once saw that on a particularly cold New Year's Eve, when all the children were wearing new clothes, Er Long was barefoot and wore tattered clothes. In the Guanzhong region, there is a custom of burning paper money for ancestors on New Year's Eve to invite them home for the holiday. Li San Sheng saw Er Long burning newspaper for his parents and grandparents, a boy with no shoes and clothes that didn't even cover him, crying unashamedly in the snowy graveyard.

  That night, the offerings in front of Er Long's parents' memorial tablet were still the mutton that Li San Sheng had cut from the sheep meat given to Lao Li's family by others. After 12 o'clock, Xiang Yan was already crying out with hunger because he hadn't eaten for a long time. Er Long gave all the remaining mutton to Xiang Yan to eat, even though he himself was so hungry that his stomach hurt, and he bit his hand until it bled while watching Xiang Yan eat, because he didn't want Xiang Yan to die, he still owed him everything.

  Er Long's favorite food is mutton, especially mutton with steamed buns. The first time Er Long earned money was to treat Li San Sheng to mutton with steamed buns, because it was the best thing he could think of. To this day, if he doesn't eat mutton with steamed buns for a few days, he will get hungry, which is why Er Long called Li San Sheng early today to go eat mutton with steamed buns.

  The mutton soup bun in Xi'an is different from that in the small town. The one in the small town is called "water basin mutton" and it's eaten by dipping the baked bun into the mutton soup, while the one in Xi'an is called "mutton stewed bun". But Erlong has been living in Xi'an for five or six years already, so he's gotten used to it.

  Hui Min Street and Hui Min Alley are located behind the Drum Tower, this is the place where you can find the most abundant Northwestern snacks. All Shaanxi snacks can be found here, with a history of over 100 years, they are all old brands, and the taste is particularly authentic. The most famous one for Yang Rou Pao Mo (mutton burger) is Lao Sun Jia Yang Rou Pao Mo, every tourist from China and abroad, as well as national leaders, must go to eat there. However, after becoming famous, Lao Sun Jia has already departed from the ordinary people, it's not the same as the old Lao Sun Jia decades ago. The only one that can be compared with Lao Sun Jia in terms of taste is Lao Mi Jia Yang Rou Pao Mo, very plain and authentic. Li San Sheng often brought his friends to Hui Min Street and Hui Alley to eat snacks without any restraint when he was in high school, and they always went to Lao Mi Jia, and the bosses there were already familiar with them.

  Er Long still had his signature watermelon head, with a harmless and cheerful smile on his face, but not many people could understand the story and vicissitudes behind this Guanzhong Hanzi's smile. However, today Er Long was not alone, as he led a woman who looked to be around 25 or 26 years old, with a decent figure, facial features, and temperament. Li San Sheng's first impression of this woman was still quite good, without any discomfort.

  After the introduction by Er Long, Li San Sheng knew that this woman was named Xue Fan, a market manager at Purple Vine Real Estate, an urban white-collar worker with a good family background. She had been rescued by Er Long after being drugged and photographed naked by a subordinate who disagreed with her at work, intending to blackmail her into leaving the company. However, Er Long happened to be at the nightclub that night discussing business with some bosses and saw what was happening. He then handed the man over to his brothers who had certain tastes, saving Xue Fan, and thus began their acquaintance.

  Li Sansheng found it strange that this woman could become the manager of the Ziwai Real Estate Market Department, and there shouldn't be any problem with her intelligence. How could she fall for Er Long, the number one fool in Tianzi County? Is it because only this woman can see it, and it's also a testament to this woman's discerning eye, which is better than that of ordinary women who look down on others. She discovered a precious jade, and eventually, he will stand at the highest point because of Er Long.

  From the moment they met, Li Sansheng had a high opinion of the woman. A clever woman always knows when to be in which position. Xue Huai was such a woman, always quietly staying by Erlong's side, and doing many small details perfectly, without overshadowing her man's brilliance, knowing how to restrain herself.

  "Xue Fan, since you've become my woman, Second Brother will definitely not treat you as an outsider. Don't play dumb in front of him either, your tricks are too childish for him." Er Long also thought that this woman was basically perfect in every way, but if Li San Sheng said she wasn't suitable and shook his head, Er Long would dump her without hesitation, no matter how much he liked her. For him, women were not comparable to brothers.

  "Xue Fan, don't listen to him. He was like that before, and he's still the same in front of me. When I first met you, there wasn't anything special to give you. This blue glazed warm jade was given by my family's old master." Li San Sheng generally had a good impression of Xue Fan, much better than those women from Er Long's place before. He thought that Er Long had finally found a woman who understood him and knew how to care for him. After some thought, he took out a piece of warm jade from his pocket and gave it to Xue Fan.

  "Third brother, isn't this gift a bit too expensive?" Er Long wasn't blind, he knew the value of Li San Sheng's jade all too well. Old Master Li had once given him a piece before, and one time when they ran into an antique dealer on Bei Lin Street, the dealer's eyes landed on the jade around his neck and he was shocked to learn that it was worth a fortune - a top-grade blue jade from the Tang Dynasty. The warm jade in Li San Sheng's hand was identical to his, Er Long knew what he was thinking, but this jade was just too damn valuable.

  Can't help but say that Xue Fan is really smart, seeing her own man stop her, she tactfully said "Third Brother, it's too expensive"

  Li Sansheng smiled and handed the jade to Xue Fan's hand without hesitation, "I've known Er Long since we were kids, I can tell you really like him. This jade is a gift for you. If Er Long dares to bully you in the future, just let me know, I'll beat this beast."

  Xue Fan looked at Er Long and it was clear that Er Long didn't say to accept it, she absolutely wouldn't take the initiative, no matter how valuable this jade was.

  "Then take it." Er Long didn't pretend anymore, and there was nothing to say between him and Li San Sheng, only feelings, the brotherly love from childhood to adulthood.

  Xue Fan had one hand holding an LV bag and the other holding Er Long's arm. One was a sexy and beautiful imperial concubine, while the other looked like a foolish goods no matter how you looked at him. This strange combination on this bustling street had a 100% head-turning rate. Er Long was even more calm than Li San Sheng, with a harmless smile on his face. Xue Fan was also calm, having chosen to be Er Long's woman, she thought of this scene today, so she didn't care about the strange gazes around her.

  Can't help but say that Xue Fan is indeed very sexy and beautiful, standing next to Li San Sheng and Er Long, she stands out like a crane among chickens, high heels, stockings, uniform, ponytail, absolutely at the level of an older sister.

  After eating a round on Hui Muslim Street, having tried mirror cake, persimmon cake, roasted meat, meat pie and green bean cake, I finally arrived at Old Mi's home.

  "Aunt Wang, I've come again to freeload"

  "Aunt Wang, tsk tsk, you're even more beautiful now"

  Li Sansheng and his gang had long been familiar with the old Mi family's boss, boss's wife, and others. As soon as they entered, Er Long shouted at Old Lady Wang, who was busy dealing with customers at the front desk.

  "San Sheng and Er Long have arrived, it's been a long time since you've come. What will you eat today?" Boss Wang looked like she was really busy, the business of Old Mi's family was really too hot. When Boss Wang saw that Li San Sheng and Er Long had arrived, she raised her head to greet them.

  "Two big bowls of Old Rules, plus two buns, a small bowl, a plate of cold dishes, and three ice peaks." Er Long laughed and said with a smile.

  "Look, today he's even brought a beauty with him, sitting upstairs." The landlady said with a smile, but since there were many people, she didn't joke around with Li San Sheng and the others.

  All the way, Li San Sheng and Er Long were familiar with their companions and greeted them. The companions and waiters also joked with Er Long, no more than that today they followed a big beauty who was absolutely at the level of a noble sister, and all the men in the old rice family gave their eyes to Xue Fan.

  Li Sansheng chose a place by the window on the second floor, Xue Fu carefully wiped the table and chairs with paper, Xue Fu and Er Long sat on one side, Li Sansheng sat on the other.

  "Third Brother, have you been back to Weibei recently?" Er Long tossed a cigarette to Li San Sheng, still using the very ordinary monkey-climbing-tree move, and lit it with his usual, somewhat annoying, large lighter. After lighting it, he handed it over to Li San Sheng, but not before giving Xue Bai a glance. Er Long chuckled to himself, thinking that no matter how arrogant his wife was, she still had to follow him.

  "Are you going back?" Li San Sheng lit a cigarette and asked leisurely after taking a puff.

  Xue Fan said she wants to go back with me to burn some paper for grandpa and my parents.

  "Uh, it's time to go back, I won't go back now, let's go back after National Day." Li San Sheng shook his head and glanced at Xue Fan, secretly nodding in agreement.

  "Xue Fan, later on if Third Brother wants to buy a house, you must give him a discount!" Li San Sheng said with a smile. Xue Fan was the manager of the marketing department of Zi Wei Real Estate, which was one of the sharp swords under the High-tech Group and also a star enterprise of the Xi'an Municipal Government, and was the leader in the Xi'an real estate industry.

  "Third brother wants to buy a house, I will definitely give him the lowest discount," Xue Fan said with a sweet smile, her voice also sounding pleasant.

  "This house price is really outrageous, if I had known it would be like this, Third Brother, we should have let the old folks keep our old house in Xi'an back then," Second Dragon cursed. Nowadays, Xi'an's housing prices have also skyrocketed to over 7,000 yuan. Although Xi'an's real estate market is not as chaotic as those in Beijing, Shanghai, and Guangzhou, it's still a second-tier city, with average prices exceeding 7,000 yuan, making it a target for supervision by the National Development and Reform Commission and the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development. The battle over housing prices is a game between local governments and the central government. Local governments want to rely on real estate to boost economic growth and tax revenue, while the central government wants to suppress the housing market to stabilize social conflicts. The back-and-forth negotiations in between are unknown to ordinary people."

  "Your family originally had a house in Xi'an?" Xue Fan asked curiously.

  Li Sansheng definitely doesn't know about Er Longjia's history, and Er Long has absolutely no way of telling this woman about Lao Guo's family history.

  "It can be considered as having, later when withdrawing from Xi'an, all were sold" Er Long said somewhat casually but actually very carefully.

  The words in between were indeed puzzling, Li Sansheng smiled and said nothing.

  "Last time Dragon Uncle came", Li Sansheng continued to smoke, the monkey on the tree was very explosive and spicy. Generally, men who were used to smoking fine cigarettes couldn't get used to this inferior cigarette, but it had a real tobacco flavor, strong enough, so Li Sansheng and his friends had been smoking the monkey on the tree since they were young, drinking Du Kang, drinking Xi Feng, all for the sake of strength.

  "When" Er Long asked curiously, apparently also very interested in Dragon Uncle.

  "A week ago, with two people" thinking of those two men who made him feel stressed, Li Sansheng felt a sense of discomfort in his heart. For the first time, he felt how small and powerless he was in front of those two men, as if his life and death were in someone else's hands.

  "Third brother, you said that Dragon Uncle is actually doing what, from small to large we all don't know." Er Long also felt that Dragon Uncle gave himself a too mysterious feeling, a kind of powerlessness, more like a wisp of smoke.

  Li Sansheng sighed and said, "I've only heard that Long Shu is in the Northeast, but the rest isn't very clear. However, those two people this time gave me a rough idea."

  "Northeast?"

  "I'll go get a few bottles of soda." Xue Fan thought that these things shouldn't be heard by himself, so he still wanted to avoid it.

  "Hmm" The two dragons nodded slightly.

  After Xue Fan left, Er Long looked around and then lowered his voice to say "Third Brother, everyone says that there is a local emperor in the Northeast"

  "Are you talking about the Dragon King of Northeast?" Li San Sheng frowned and asked, after listening to Er Long's words, Li San Sheng felt that it was indeed a bit similar, but not very certain. He had also heard that the Dragon King of Northeast was a big shot during Ge Si Ye's time, and even dared to go against Ge Si Ye. After Ge Si Ye was taken care of, the current Dragon King of Northeast was unmatched, with no one able to rival him. Then he shook his head again, finding it hard to believe that the two people were connected.

  "Uh, I heard him say that this man seemed to have recently gone on a trip to Qinghai and after returning to the Northeast, he quickly cleaned up some people with shocking means." Er Long said in a low voice.

  "Qinghai", Li Sansheng exclaimed in shock.

  "Hmm" Two Dragons were surprised at Li Sansheng's big reaction.

  "When can I also climb to that position?" Er Long said with a sigh, watching the smoke rings enviously as he puffed on his pipe.

  "Hmm, you will," Li Sansheng said absent-mindedly.

  "Third-born, Second Dragon, hurry down, someone is bullying your friend!" Just then, Boss Wang's wife shouted loudly from the stairs as Li Third-born and Second Dragon were each lost in their own thoughts.

  "Damn it!" The two dragons cursed and ran down.