Even in the quiet afternoon hours of the village, Chen Jin covered his face with a towel. Despite possessing unique abilities, his identity situation was awkward. Thankfully, the Zhang family had been good to him. After recent events, it seemed he had been fully accepted by them.
When they had returned to the port, everyone had merely snacked on biscuits. Now, they were back home for a proper meal, a feast following their brush with death. Zhang Jiacong's wife was noticeably warmer toward Chen Jin.
During the meal, Zhang Jiacong, ever attentive, noticed Chen Jin hiding his face and brought up the subject, "Xiong, go invite Hui over tonight. I want to discuss Jin's situation with him and see if he can help."
Zhang Weixiong had his own plan, "Dad, I should go. If necessary, you can step in later. Hui might be overbearing, but he's grateful to our family and has been good to us. Like today, if someone else had caught the shark, he would have wanted a share."
Zhang Jiacong nodded, pleased with his son's suggestion, "Alright, you and Ahao invite him to dinner outside tonight. Treat him well and see what he wants."
Zhang Weihao then added, "Jin should come too. He's already met Hui. We'll pick a quiet place."
Chen Jin agreed with the idea. His presence would add sincerity to the request. "Uncle Cong, I'll go. It's better to discuss face-to-face."
Zhang Jiacong frowned but eventually agreed, "Okay, but be cautious. Hui can be temperamental..."
After resting from the day's events, Zhang Weihao sent a message to Hui, inviting him to dinner at Zhang Ji Restaurant on Rongshu Bay Street, near the village.
Rongshu Bay Street was a bustling main road on Nan Ya Island, with Zhang Ji being the best restaurant in the village section of the street. The owner, also surnamed Zhang, was from Rongshu Village.
Nan Ya Island, known for its fishing villages, had areas like Rongshu Village that were somewhat rundown. However, the area around Rongshu Bay had become lively over the years. Since the 60s and 70s, many young people and expatriates had settled there, opening Western-style restaurants and bars, giving the street an exotic, romantic vibe.
Zhang Ji, located near Rongshu Bay, was quiet yet bustling, upscale, and perfect for inviting Zhang Guohui. It also allowed Chen Jin to avoid too much attention.
Due to the local custom of afternoon tea, dinner in Hong Kong usually started later, around seven or eight o'clock. By 6:30 PM, under the cover of darkness and dim street lights, Chen Jin and the Zhang brothers discreetly arrived at their reserved private room.
Having arranged to meet at 7 PM, Guohui predictably wasn't early. Zhang Weixiong and Chen Jin quietly discussed their approach, careful not to speak too loudly to avoid being overheard by Guohui upon his arrival.
Zhang Jiacong had already instructed them on what to say: to speak politely with Guohui, ensuring the quality of the arrangement while avoiding impossibilities like trouble-free border crossings.
Soon, Guohui's voice rang out, "Where are they? No one to greet me outside? So disrespectful." Hearing him, the three hurriedly stood to welcome him. They weren't used to having someone wait outside—a simple guide from the staff was their usual way.
Meeting Guohui at the door, Zhang Weixiong greeted him with a bow, "Sorry, Hui, we're not used to formalities. My apologies!" His approach seemed learned from movies.
Guohui seemed to prefer the more lively Zhang Weixiong over his brother, though he spoke with a mix of affection and disdain, patting his shoulder, "Ah, you young rascal, didn't even greet me on your return."
Zhang Weixiong replied cheerfully, "How could I dare, Hui? You're so formidable. I've come straight to invite you to dinner!" He gestured for Guohui to come in, casually mentioning, "Heard you're doing well recently, quite prosperous."
Zhang Weihao and Chen Jin politely greeted Guohui, who barely glanced at them but chuckled, patting Zhang Weixiong's shoulder, "Can't compare to your family. Heard you caught a big one today, earning over a hundred thousand."
Zhang Weixiong shook his head, laughing, "Don't believe everything you hear. We were just lucky not to lose our lives. We only made a few thousand in the end, sharing the spoils with everyone involved." He then pulled out a prepared red envelope with two thousand dollars and handed it to Guohui, "Thanks to your blessings, we returned safely. We're making up for your absence now."
In that moment, Chen Jin gained newfound respect for Zhang Weixiong's handling of relationships. Guohui seemed pleased with Zhang Weixiong's gesture, inspecting the red envelope and smiling more genuinely. He patted Zhang Weixiong again, "You're the educated one, much better than your brother at talking and doing things."
Zhang Weixiong, unflustered by the praise, laughingly invited Guohui and his three companions to sit down at the table, while Chen Jin stood up and dutifully poured tea for everyone.
Once seated, Zhang Weixiong handed the menu to Guohui, "Hui, brothers, please choose whatever you like. Don't be shy." He added, "We've also prepared fresh shark meat. Hui, you decide how you'd like it cooked."
They ordered chili fried crab, steamed shrimp with garlic, crispy fried squid, steamed fish with ginger and scallions, shark meat with eggplant, several seasonal vegetable dishes, and a soup. Guohui, without any hesitation, made all the decisions before sending the waiter off to prepare the meal. Then, chewing on a toothpick, he glanced at Chen Jin and turned to Zhang Weixiong, "I grew up eating at your house, but it's rare for your family to treat me to a meal. So, what's the matter? Is it about this stowaway?"
Since Guohui brought it up first, Zhang Weixiong went straight to the point, "Hui, you're insightful. We're all familiar here," pointing at Chen Jin, "Jin was rescued by my father. He's from the mainland but a good person. My dad likes him and asked us to see if you could help arrange an identity for Jin to stay here."
Guohui, slightly annoyed, slapped Zhang Weixiong, "Is that what your father said? I bet he regrets feeding me all those years!"
Zhang Weixiong chuckled, "Hui, that's not fair. My father just didn't want to gossip. He actually admires you, which is why he sent us to you with this problem."
Guohui, not easily appeased but not overly concerned, was well aware of his status and didn't expect to be too close to the Zhang family. He smiled, "Alright, what's your plan?"
Zhang Weixiong leaned in, "Hui, with your wide connections, you could probably get a fake ID that looks real, right? Maybe one that can pass through customs?"
Guohui scoffed, "Sure, that's easy. Just paste a photo on someone else's ID!" Displaying his underworld flair, he leaned back, resting his feet on the chair, "But don't let the person you're impersonating or their acquaintances see it. And don't get caught by the police, or it's not just deportation – it's jail time."
Chen Jin frowned, not seeking this kind of solution. Zhang Weixiong knew this too – he had aspirations for Chen Jin to become a star. Shaking his head, he clarified, "Hui, I'm not talking about that. I mean using Jin's own identity to create a convincing fake ID."
Guohui was unimpressed, "Kid, have you been watching too many movies? There's no such thing!" He scolded Zhang Weixiong, "Fake is fake, real is real. How can a stowaway get a real identity?"