He spoke for an hour, but after waiting for two hours at the appointed café, Yang Yi still hadn't seen John Jones.
The rain started outside, and it was getting heavier—typical London weather. Yang Yi picked up his freshly poured coffee, took a sip, and casually glanced at the café's entrance.
A man dressed in a trench coat and wearing a hat walked in. He scanned the room, and upon seeing Yang Yi, made a beeline towards him and asked in a low voice, "Is it you?"
"It's me."
The rain outside was not letting up. The man who had just entered took off his hat, removed his trench coat, and casually hung it on a nearby coat rack. He then extended his hand to the standing Yang Yi and smiled, "I'm John Jones."
"I'm Yang Yi."
John Cook's temples were graying, which made him look over sixty, but his hair was well-groomed, his clothes were very well-fitted, and his appearance was incredibly refined, giving off a very comfortable feeling.
John Jones had an apologetic and gentle smile on his face. After sitting down opposite Yang Yi, he smiled and said, "I'm really sorry for making you wait, the weather tonight is awful, isn't it?"
"Yes, thank you for coming to meet me in such foul weather."
The smile on John Jones's face suddenly stiffened, and he spread his hands, "Your father, he was not an easy-going nor pleasant man to deal with. I didn't want to see you, but considering your father asked you to meet me, I thought it best that I do, lest I'd have to pay some unbearable price. So here I am."
Yang Yi's expression also stiffened, and he didn't know how to respond.
John Jones ordered a cup of coffee and then said to Yang Yi, "Now that I'm here, you can start with whatever you wanted to say."
Yang Yi didn't even know what to say. He hesitated for a moment, thought about it, and then said in a low voice, "I might need your help."
John Jones nodded, "That's to be expected, please continue."
"I..."
Yang Yi felt he couldn't control the pace of the conversation. Compared to an old spy like John Jones, he was as inexperienced as a newborn baby, and trying to take control would just be humiliating.
Since he couldn't hide it, had no choice, and couldn't control the pace, he might as well speak bluntly.
Spreading his hands, Yang Yi said solemnly, "The whole affair is not too complex. Eleven years ago, both my parents died. Recently, I learned their true causes of death, and I want to avenge them. To do so, I need to become a spy, and for that, I need someone to take me under their wing, and you're the only one I can turn to."
John Jones exhaled, "Revenge? That's a terrible choice. Revenge is a completely pointless endeavor and it will put you and those around you in great danger. So, I don't know how I could help you. To be frank, if you're looking for someone to help you with revenge, then you've got the wrong person. I'm definitely not going to assist you in that."
Yang Yi immediately said, "I'm not asking for your help in revenge, I just need to enter the spy circle, to understand the profession."
John Jones gazed at Yang Yi, and after pondering for a moment, he said deeply, "Then who is your enemy?"
"I don't know. I only know my father was poisoned and then staged in a car accident, and my mother also died from poisoning, staged like a heart attack. But I don't know who the enemy is."
John Jones shook his head and said softly, "Young man, when you seek help, you should at least be somewhat honest."
"I really don't know."
"No, you know, you're lying. Please don't test my patience and judgement. Considering your situation, it's understandable that you are not speaking plainly, which is why I'm willing to hear the truth from you. But you're seeking my help, and I can choose not to assist you. So, you'd better tell the truth."
Yang Yi felt like he was constantly being led by someone else, but again, he had no choice, no power to conceal, and he couldn't even lie in front of this man.
"All right, the enemy might be the Grey-cloaked People, just might be. I really don't know any more than that."
A hint of confusion appeared on John Jones's face, after which he said softly, "The Grey-cloaked People... what or who is that?"
John Jones didn't know about the Grey-cloaked People?
Yang Yi was even more puzzled, so he said softly, "I don't know, I only know the name. It seems to be an organization, or possibly a person. Really, that's all I know."
John Jones stared into Yang Yi's eyes and finally nodded, "All right, I believe that's all you know. As for who that Grey-cloaked Person is, I don't want to know either. In any case, I will never get involved in your revenge, but now, tell me what you need."
Yang Yi cleared his throat and spoke softly, "I just want to become a spy, not the kind that serves a country, but one who works for himself. I don't know how you guys put it in the industry, but I want to be a spy."
John Jones smiled, "A spy is a spy. There's nothing special to call it, and no one cares who you work for. Of course, 'spy' is just a general term; there are distinctions among us. For example, I am a corporate spy, and your father, he was an intelligence broker—he bought and sold information. Strictly speaking, he wouldn't be considered a spy, but this industry can't do without people like him."
Yang Yi nodded. John Jones immediately asked, "How did your father speak of me, be it a will or whatever means? I want to know what he said."
"He said you were trustworthy and left your name and number. He didn't say anything else."
"Was it a will?"
"It was a coded notebook. After decoding, it revealed a few sentences and a phone number."
John Jones let out a long sigh, looking helpless, "Being regarded highly by your father, I don't know if I should count it as luck or misfortune."
Yang Yi tactfully remained silent as John Jones continued with a look of helplessness, "Excuse my bluntness, but your father was not an easy man to get along with. He was ruthless. If he were alive, I would never refuse any request from him, nor would I dare to. But now that he's been dead for many years and you suddenly show up asking for my help, I need to think this over carefully."
"That's understandable."
Yang Yi appeared very calm, while John Jones seemed to be in agony.
After a long while, John Jones reluctantly said, "Your father knew so many people, he was so powerful when he was alive, and I was just a minor, insignificant, trivial character in front of him."
John Jones used several words to describe how insignificant he felt in front of Yang Yi's father, before he finally said with a pained expression, "And yet, your father left your contact information with me. God, I really wish he hadn't thought so highly of me. I'm just a small-time corporate spy."
Yang Yi said nothing this time. Young people often have a sense of blind confidence and overestimation of their abilities, but thankfully, Yang Yi was aware of his own limitations, so he thought it best to keep quiet and not voice his opinions lightly.
John Jones was full of emotion; he shook his head and said to Yang Yi in a heavy tone, "Your father was a devil; he had the power to see through people's hearts. He saw through me completely and knew what I would do. Hence, although I truly do not wish to have any contact with you, I have no choice but to help you because your father helped me once and even saved my life."
With great reluctance, John Jones waved his hand and said helplessly, "So your father knew I would have to repay him; he made me your backup plan before he died, is that it?"
Yang Yi hesitantly replied, "Yes."
John Jones sighed deeply and said in a low voice, "Well, I owe your father, and I can only pay it back to his son. But I really must urge you, being the son of an intelligence broker, the thought of revenge is extremely foolish and should not even occur to you, so I advise you to give it up."
Yang Yi immediately said, "I've waited eleven years, just for a chance, so I won't give up."
John Jones waved his hand and asked, "You want to become a spy, so tell me, what do you know?"
Yang Yi pondered for a moment, then carefully replied, "Does a good memory count?"
"No, a good memory is a talent, not a skill. I'm asking what skills you've mastered."
Yang Yi again replied cautiously, "Driving; I'm very good at driving."
"Hmm, what else?"
"That's all..."
John Jones seemed utterly incredulous, then looking at Yang Yi, he said in bewilderment, "I don't understand. You say you've waited eleven years for revenge, and you want to enter the world of spies, but now you tell me you don't know anything? What have you been doing for these eleven years? Just thinking about it? Young man, revenge is not something you can just think about and achieve."
Yang Yi said gravely, "I only found out the cause of my parents' death a few days ago. In the eleven years before that, I suspected that their deaths were abnormal, but that was all just suspicion. I never made revenge my life goal, so what could I learn when I didn't even know what to learn?"
John Jones gave a bitter smile and said, "So you're a complete novice, totally clueless about spies, yet you come to me saying you want to be one and seek revenge on an unknown enemy."
Though reluctant to admit it, Yang Yi could only nod and say, "That's right. But the good news is, I learn quickly. I pick up everything fast. I've come to you to learn, to learn everything that can be learned. I have a strong desire for revenge, but I'm not in a rush because I want revenge, not death. Moreover, I'm not blinded by hatred."
John Jones nodded and said, "Well, you're smart for a young person. I was really worried you were some fool who knows nothing but is obsessed with revenge. It's great that you're not a fool."