There was something about the way they eat that seemed so habitual.
Gone was the pride before, now Jin was only a man taking in bites of his potato and the reality of his humiliating defeat.
Finishing the last bite of his small sweet potato piece, Jin looks upon the food that his men are eating and gulping down in hunger.
Turning his head away from the occupation of that thought.
From Jin's peripheral vision he sees an elongated black human shadow in front of him.
Looking to see what it is, slowly an image of man's body with black chang shan.
As the obscuration of the man's face from the shadow slowly lifts up by the illumination of the moonlight his eyes were wide in revelation.
Standing up from his sitting position he immediately got into his fighting stance.
Saying to the man who looks casually upon them in northern mandarin, "Why are you here? You want to fight me again?"
Tony coming out of the shadow only looks calmly at Jin.
"I have no intentions of doing so," he replies back in a casual manner with his hands behind his back. His face was cold and expressionless.
Seeing that face of the man who defeated him only made Jin feel that sensation of anger again.
Gnashing his teeth he yells, "You wanna chase me away? Today even if I die I will defeat you. I told myself when I stepped foot on Foshan that I would never go hungry again! Never!"
'Hunger? That familiar friend," his eyes were downcast as he glazes in a moment of thought to the past.
Those moments in his memories are as clear as day to him now.
The days after he ran away from the comfortable life as the young master of the Wu Clan.
His clothes were tattered as he stood silently amongst the bustling crowd.
Watching men and women going past him, now a poor street urchin, without leaving an ounce of attention.
For the past few days all he has eaten was either fruits that he salvaged in the wild or vegetables that he gathered from the forest.
He wants to work but nobody would ever consider a three year old strong enough for any job.
Never would he resort to stealing and beating up weaker people to fill his stomach.
When he was addicted to drugs in his first life, Tony learned that the last and most valuable thing a person can lose is his dignity.
When he was addicted, his wealth was quickly taken away and so was his health.
But there was one thing that wasn't, a dignified conscience which can only be given up not lost.
He was standing there in the bustling crowd of people as he watched the interaction between a mother and her child.
The happy face and laughter from the bond they have.
"Mom, Yue Er is very hungry," a little boy in blue clothes says as he tugs her mother's hand.
"Okay, Mom will buy Yue Er some steamed rice cake," the mother smiles as she rubs his son's head softly.
Taking out some coins and handing them to the stall manager.
Wrapped in a brown paper was a piece of white sugar rice cake. Which was snow white in color, with moist and spongy texture.
Taking a small bite the child says, "Mom, the cake tastes so delicious and sweet."
And the mother affectionately smiles at her child as she holds his hand and walks away to the far distance.
Returning back to the present moment, Tony says to Jin in a calm manner explaining, "I'm not here to fight you. I'm here to invite you to join me to create opportunities."
"Opportunity…?" he asks, confused by this invitation.
A couple more of Tony's men came out of the shadow, with their face masked by a black cloth covering their mouth.
Jin's men also stood up quickly thinking they would be ganged up.
Looking at the nervous expressions of Jin's men he says in mandarin, "No need to be nervous. I'm giving you an opportunity to never go hungry, a life that you wish for."
It was as if a thunderbolt hit him. He asks back with readiness, "As long as you can promise me. I'm willing to do anything you want."
Hearing his total commitment Tony grins at the easy fish he has hooked by his tactic.
The next day as Tony follows Ip Man and his family out in the market many people came out with gifts to give to them.
Including things like flowers, fruits, and even a beautifully made vase.
Due to the accident with Master Jin, Ip Man's reputation for teaching such a genius student spread all over Foshan.
And there were a whole crowd of people waiting in front of their gate begging to be Ip Man's student.
These were truly happy days, but soon the successful economy of china in the 1930s were stopped by the upturn of the Japanese invasion of China.
Starting with the invasion of Manchuria in 1931.
Knowing that a large outbreak of war would soon disrupt the peace of the country, Tony sold out all of his many smaller sized businesses at the peak of the economy.
Using his profits he splits it in third and decides to hand them to his most trusted personal Fo Wu.
"Reporting to the lord," Fo Wu bows to Tony as he enters the room.
Over the 10 years Fo Wu now has aged to the point where his hair has now become completely white.
Turning his back he nods to Fo Wu and hands him a thick envelope, "Open this when you get to Hong Kong."
"Yes my lord," he accepts unquestionably.
From his interactions with his master Fo Wu has learned that Tony seems to be able to predict many accurate plans.
So he reasons that this step to moving his family to Hong Kong under his lord's instruction must be due to some unforeseeable tragedy that will strike in the near future.
"Alright, you many leave," Tony says.
Fo Wu took a deep bow in respect before leaving the room.
With the beginning of the war in China many of the former economic sectors will collapse.
According to the original history text, it left the country in almost a depression status as families starve to death.
That's why he chose to part with some wealth to diversify a new beginning in Hong Kong.
Now with other resources Tony has commanded his men to begin operations for a large hidden underground chamber in Foshan.
In the 5 years using the large underground base Tony was able to convert it into a secret urban farm for growing rice.
He was able to stimulate light for the crops through the use of a new type of grow lamps he invented which provides for a natural daylighting system.
He was able to design the large base into an aeroponic greenhouse where plants can be sustained despite the unsuitable air environment for the crops.