Chapter 2: Chapter 1 – A normal day, a hard day

The sun was hidden behind thin gray clouds, barely letting the warm light of late September pass through. Small waves carried by a soft wind crashed into the concrete edge of the port as the salty breeze of the sea rattled the metal gates of an old warehouse, tall enough to stack three cargo containers on top of each other.

Twenty feet from the gates stood a young man beside a red scooter. The only sign of life for hundreds of feet.

Zhiqiang was a 20 years old teen with medium dark brown hair, dark brown eyes, thick eyebrows, and a small mole on his left cheek. The vest he wore and the stickers on the scooter betrayed his job, a delivery man for Lu’s Heavenly Dumplings.

The young man looked at his phone, tapping his foot on the ground. It was ten minutes shy of four in the afternoon. The time he was supposed to get out of work.

“Where the hell are they?” said Zhiqiang, before looking at the delivery thermal bag on the back of the scooter. He let out a heavy sigh. “I’m gonna be late again.”

He checked the time once again barely a couple of seconds later as if anything changed.

When Zhiqiang finished this errand for his manager, he had one more order to deliver. One for which he didn’t expect to get paid anymore. 

Had he known the people he was waiting for would be this late, he would have first delivered that order. However, he couldn’t risk for them to arrive and not giving them their package on time. They were not the kind one would willingly upset.

Zhiqiang waited, often checking the time. His only company was the sea wind and the rambling gates as the closest human activity was hundreds of feet away. An eerie atmosphere to which he had long gotten used. He still remembered the first time he had waited in the same exact spot and jumped at every sound.

Minutes passed. 

A van came into view, approaching with speed and ignoring the rough terrain. It came to a screeching stop not far from him. The young man’s body tensed. Like a soldier, he straightened his back and looked forward.

Seven men got out of the car. Their whole body language, looks, and clothes betrayed their profession. Tattoos, tank tops, rings, and a rough arrogance in their walk screamed that they were gangsters.

Blades at their waist flashed, reminding Zhiqiang why he waited for them and why he would say nothing of their tardiness. He simply stood still as they passed him, unwillingly being witness to their conversation.

“Shit, last night’s fights were a blast,” said gangster number one.

“When did you see the fights tho? I saw you in the back getin’ your meat wet all night,” said gangster number two.

“I saw ‘nough, but lost my money and got bored after the second one.”

“This fool lost 5k bettin’ on the scrawny kid. Thought is some kind of martial artist shit,” said three.

“Damn, you lost big time. I got 3g on that fight. Bet all my earnings on crippled fuck,” added four.

“Hmph! That’s small change, my girls make 3k a day on a bad day,” said three.

“It was a slow day, you fuck.”

“God, I can’t wait for the club to open again. I haven’t watched a real fight in a long ass time,” added gangster number five.

“Who knows if it’s ever comin’ back. It’s been over a month now and no fuckin’ news. Mister Tao’s dead and they send no one. Fights in a back alley is all we get now.”

“I fucking hope not. Ever since big boss stepped down, everything is shit,” said four.

“That might soon change. There are some rumblings that big boss is coming back,” said five.

“Hmph! We don’t even know who big boss is and you’re tellin’ me you havin’ news ‘bout him?”

“His girls make 50g a day, he might have some connections,”  added four.

“Fukin’ brown noser,” said three.

They opened the metal gates. Loud squeaking came as they did. “Someone should fuckin’ oil these shitty gates.”

Once all the gangsters entered the warehouse, Zhiqiang let out a breath of air he didn’t know he was holding.

“Man, it’s like they rub it in my face on purpose.”

He had heard them many times before and every time they had spoken about money in some way. He couldn’t wrap his head around the sum of money these gangsters talked about and more so the way they talked about it.

He had to work an entire month to earn less than these people played within one night. It wasn’t fair, but life wasn’t fair and he knew that better than anyone else.

Not long after, a black luxury BMW limousine approached. Zhiqiang tensed once again.

The car slowed down. The driver got off first and walked to open the passenger door. An elegant man dressed in a black suit and leather shoes, with a clean haircut alighted the car. His demeanor was similar to that of a mob boss Zhiqiang had seen in the movies.

The elegant man straightened his suit and made a sign to his driver to take the package from Zhiqiang. The driver compiled.

“It seems little Wang chose well this time. Five deliveries and not once have you kept me waiting, well done. Keep it up, be on time every time and I might give you a bonus.”

“Thank you, sir,” said Zhiqiang as he stepped towards the scooter. He wanted to leave as soon as possible.

“Oh, I almost forgot,” added the man. “Tell little Wang to hurry the fuck up and complete his task. I’m getting impatient.”

“I understand, I’ll pass the message.” Zhiqiang nodded.

He then put on the helmet, checked the clock once more, and grimaced. He had to hurry and drove away at full speed.

“Wasting my time on stupid errands. Now I’m gonna have a bunch of clients yell and call me names,” he said under the helmet. “Sigh! I hope that’s all they do.”

Zhiqiang’s voice was resigned.

There was nothing wrong with working as a delivery man. It was a fair way to make a living. It paid the bills and put food on the table. However, he had thought his life would have been different. A lot different.

Yet, what saddened him the most though, was his future prospects. Or better said their lack of. The hopes and dreams he once had, now seemed impossible to accomplish or even attempt to.

At the beginning of the year, during Zhiqiang’s freshman year in college, his mother had been diagnosed with stage three breast cancer. It was so serious the doctors strongly recommended surgery and chemotherapy.

However, the price tag for these procedures was extremely high. Their savings plus the earnings from their small family business were not enough to cover the medical fees, let alone the red envelopes to ensure good treatment. So, they had to make some sacrifices and cut expenses on the business while also taking an unfavorable loan. 

Therefore, he decided to postpone his studies and take a job while also helping his father with the laundry business.

Fortunately, their efforts had paid off and his mother had experienced a successful intervention. Though, she still was under chemotherapy.

“Whoever says money doesn’t bring happiness is full of shit. I swear once we’re out of this situation, I’ll make sure to never lack money. Never! No matter what it takes,” he vowed, looking straight ahead as he drove at full speed.

~~~

Zhiqiang pulled the scooter into the parking lot and parked next to a bicycle in front of Lu’s Heavenly Dumplings. He got off the scooter, took off his helmet, and checked if the bike was secured before striding towards the restaurant.

It was thirty minutes past the time he was supposed to be off work. And more than thirty minutes late to his next responsibility.

Tam-tam-tam taram-tam-tam!

Superman’s theme song from the Christopher Reeve movies resounded from Zhiqiang’s pocket. Without stopping, he took out his phone and answered, “Hello?”

“Guess what, Zhiqiang?” An excited voice came from the other side of the call.

“Fatty Pei, if it’s not important, I don’t have time right now. I just got to work and I have to hand over the keys and everything else.”

“You’re still at work? That sucks. I thought, never mind. Trust me you’re gonna want to hear this. I got it, I got the game, Zhiqiang.”

“What game?”

“What game do you think?”

Zhiqiang stopped in his tracks as his face lit up in realization. A wide smile spread on his lips. “No way you’re talking about Injustice 3.”

“Mm-hmm. That’s the one I’m talking about.”

“Shit. That’s cool. How did you get it? I thought it won’t release in China because of the whole villain fiasco.”

“I have my methods. What do you say? Wanna come over tonight and play? Though I have to warn you, we can’t play it online.”

“Who cares about multiplayer? God, that’s awesome. I’m curious about what they did with Superman in this one. Don’t start without me, I don’t want you to give me any spoilers like the last one.”

“I’ll do my best, but I can’t promise anything. I can feel how the game is calling for me, ’Fatty Pei, fatty Pei, please fatty Pei, play me.”

“Don’t you dare, I swear, if you’re spoiling this one too, I’ll badmouth you in front of big sister Yuxi for an entire month.”

“No, no, no, fine, I won’t play it. I’m going to put the game in the laundry basket. Out of sight, out of mind. Here, ugh, that’s disgusting, I have a bag full of dirty clothes to take with you too. Done. Just don’t say anything bad in front of my goddess.”

“As long as you don’t play the game.”

With that, the call ended, leaving the young man more excited for the upcoming evening.

With the helmet under his arm, the bag on his back, and a grin on his face, Zhiqiang entered the restaurant. A loud chorus of noises welcomed him, signs of a thriving business. The music was playing in the background, the customers were chattering, and the waitresses were running like working ants from one table to another.

He had to give manager Wang credit. No matter how awful he was, he seemed competent at his job. Ever since Zhiqiang had begun working here, he couldn’t remember the restaurant having a bad day.

The young man made his way toward the employee’s room as fast as possible through the heavy traffic.

“Zhiqiang!” a man shouted from behind him.

Zhiqiang stopped. His face grimaced. He hated this voice the most but had to tolerate it and listen to it. After all, it was his boss.

The door to the staff room, to a quiet afternoon, was just four steps away. If he had been four steps faster he would have managed to avoid having his mood soured.

He turned around to face a man in his early forties with dark hair, a head shorter than him, slim and looked younger than his actual age, a sign of a lifestyle void of worries or any difficulties. The man was well-dressed, and his demeanor betrayed arrogance.

“How can you be so incompetent? All you had to do is deliver food from point A to point B. On time. So that our client would actually pay for our services. Is that so hard?” shouted manager Wang loud enough for everyone in the restaurant to hear.

ZhiQiang gritted his teeth and lowered his head.

“But manager Wang, I wa—”

“Zip it, I don’t want to hear your stupid excuses.”

Zhiqiang bit his lips to stop himself from responding. He was embarrassed as countless eyes fell on him, mocking and pitying him. He wanted to retort, counter, and say it wasn’t his fault, but experience had told him that being quiet was the best way to act. Shut up and take the humiliation.

“Why do I even pay you?” said the manager as he looked at his watch. “To be half an hour late with an order? Even a monkey can do your job better than you.”

The customers whispered and murmured between themselves, contemplating and deciding to order delivery from this restaurant for the odd chance of getting a free meal. Unaware that the restaurant had only directly hired two delivery men, ZhiQiang for the morning shift and another one for the afternoon shift.

“Oh, my bountiful kindness will kill me one day.” Manager Wang walked towards and past ZhiQiang. “Follow me to my office! We need to discuss your punishment.”

Once in the office, manager Wang made sure to close the door before asking, “What did big brother Shen say?”

“Was that really necessary, manager Wang?” asked Zhiqiang, at which the middle-aged man raised an eyebrow. “You know it wasn’t my fault. I had to wait half an hour for them.”

“That’s half an hour you wasted. Not my fault. You should have completed the order first.” Manager Wang sat down at the desk.

Zhiqiang let out a breath, the beginning of a suppressed scoff. If only he could take the risk. 

“Can’t we find a way to fix whatever I did to wrong you, manager Wang? And return to how things were before?”

“Hmph! That’s what you think happened, you wronged me? No, Zhiqiang, I just want to make sure you know your place. To know the difference between you and me and to not aspire for something that it’s out of your league. And act within your means. Now, what did big brother Shen say?”

“He wants you to hurry,” said Zhiqiang, disappointed. He was already used to this behavior, to his condescending attitude. But he couldn’t understand what he meant by acting within means.

“Hurry? What does that mean? Hmm!” said manager Wang, purposely giving a sense of false ignorance. “Were these his exact words?”

“Uh! Not really.”

“Then tell me his exact words, you moron. How many times do I have to tell you? Words matter, no wonder you dropped out from college, you good for nothing.”

Zhiqiang clenched his fists, the knuckles whitening. A surge of rage filled him. He had entered the restaurant with happy thoughts about an evening filled with playing games, now he was reminded of the worst part of his life.

“He said, ‘Tell little Wang to hurry the fuck up,’” said Zhiqiang through gritted teeth.

“Oh, that’s what he meant. You see Zhiqiang, that word ‘fuck’ has a very important connotation. It means if I don’t hurry the fuck up I’m going to get fucked, that’s why you should always repeat the exact words. And how dare you talk to me like that? Get out of my office.”

Zhiqiang went into the empty staff room, his hard steps betrayed his mood. If there was nothing wrong, manager Wang would still find fault with him for whatever reason to further the abuse. For what reason? He didn't know.

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Zhiqiang took off the delivery vest with the restaurant’s logo and threw it into the locker, the bag too, placed the scooter keys in the hook on the wall, and slammed the door. Then…

Bang!

The young man punched the locker door with all his force, denting it.

“How the fuck is that even fair, you fucking asshole? Doing errands for you and you still aren’t happy? Sitting down in your office on your ass and giving orders, fuck! You piece of shit!”

All his frustrations and anger had been channeled into his fist. Once he released them, a calm expression replaced the anger from just moments ago as the strong emotions washed away and a sense of understanding remained. Everything was for his parents.

If Zhiqiang didn’t need this job as much as he did, if this job didn’t offer him a free afternoon to help his father, and if the restaurant wasn’t placed at a good distance from home and laundry, he would have quit a long ago. Even punch manager Wang’s smug face while doing so.

“Sss!!!” He hissed and blew air on his now red knuckles to soothe the pain.

“Zhiqiang, are you here?” A soft voice sounded as a young woman entered the staff room.

The young woman was in her early twenties. She had beautiful black hair tied in a bun, clear dark eyes, thin eyebrows, a small nose, and lovely cheekbones. Her outfit betrayed her job as part of the kitchen staff. Her name was Lu Yuxi.

“I’m here, big sister Yuxi.” Zhiqiang hid his injured hand behind his back.

“I brought you something.” She gave him a one-time-use plate with five dumplings. He took it with his unhurt hand. 

“You shouldn’t have. But I’m not going to be a hypocrite and say that it isn’t appreciated, very appreciated.” He smiled.

“I saw you were late and figured you wouldn’t have time to go home.”

“Yeah, I’m going straight to the laundry.” Zhiqiang nodded as he placed the plate on a nearby chair, picked a dumpling, and swallowed it whole. “Mmm! This is delicious.”

"I know you're late, but slow down or you're going to have a stomach ache."

Zhiqiang had worked in the restaurant for eight months and in that time he had not made many friends, except for Lu Yuxi. Mostly, because like him, she always worked the morning shift.

Usually, Zhiqiang would go home to eat between his two jobs. But sometimes when he finished late, she would bring him some food from the kitchen.

“And how many times do I have to tell you? Stop calling me big sister, it makes me feel old.”

“You’re older than me though.”

“Auch!” Zhiqiang rubbed the back of his head after Yuxi playfully smacked him. She noticed his injured knuckles, then her eyes were drawn to the dented tin door.

“You don’t say that to a girl, now show me your hand!” Yuxi extended her hand.

Zhiqiang looked at her outstretched arm and with shame, he placed his injured hand in her palm. She then inspected the injury as Zhiqiang continued eating the dumplings.

“This doesn’t look too bad. But what happened? I don’t think anything from what he said outside would make you react like this. Did he say something in his office?”

“Nothing I haven't heard before. It just piled up and… it had to explode sometime.”

“Don’t move, let me clean you.” Lu Yuxi opened her locker and took out a pack of wet wipes and a small first aid kit.

“There’s no need,” said Zhiqiang as he pulled back his hand. “It’s just some grazed skin.”

But she firmly grabbed it. “Hold still.”

“You’re acting like a big sister too.” Zhiqiang smiled while Yuxi glared at him.

“I’m sorry,” she said. Her dark eyes filled with remorse, but she hid them away from him as she looked down.

“Why do you apologize? It’s not like this is your fault.”

A few moments of silence fell as she cleaned his grazed skin.

“Why did he start being so awful to you anyway? I don’t remember him being so nasty. It seems every time he picks on you, it gets worse. What happened?”

Zhiqiang shrugged his shoulders. “I wish I knew. Maybe he’s just an asshole, or maybe he’s a little man that tries to compensate.”

“Auch!” She pinched him at those words, then he added, “But the way he acts, you’d think he found me in bed with his wife or something.”

“Oh! I believe he would skin you alive if that were the case.”

“I don’t even think he has a wife. But I don’t get it, why doesn’t he fire me if he hates me so much? I mean, it’s not like he can’t find another delivery boy.”

“You want to get fired?” Yuxi looked up at him, eyes wide in surprise.

“I don’t know.” Zhiqiang shrugged. “No. Maybe? I can’t quit, this job is perfect for me. Close enough to home if my mother needs anything and not too far from the laundry either. But if I get fired… then at least I know it wasn’t because I’m not man enough to put my pride to the side for my family.”

The young woman looked at him with her dark eyes that gleamed with complicated emotions. Zhiqiang was unaware of it as he too was looking to the side in space.

“Ow, how cute. You want to be the man, now, don’t you?” she teased him.

“Quit it. You know what I meant.”

“I can look for jobs in the area if you want. Maybe with something lined up you can quite freely.”

“Don’t bother. I look every week and I don’t see many options. I have too many conditions and who knows what the money situation will be at another job. At least here, I’m paid on time.”

“You’re right. For all his faults, at least manager Wang never touched our salary. I heard some horror stories from my friends when it comes to paying. I don’t even want to think about it.”

“Yeah, it’s not a situation I want to find myself in.”

“Done,” she announced, satisfied with the result. Zhiqiang’s hand was now wrapped in a thin layer of gauze.

“Thank you, big sister, Yuxi, for the dumplings too,” he said as he looked at his hand. “But I have to go now.”

“Me too, I’ve been away for too long, the girls must be looking everywhere for me. See you tomorrow?”

“See you tomorrow!” the teen said with a nod and smile.

Zhiqiang walked out of the restaurant, a lot more content and calm than he thought he would, and headed towards the bicycle next to the scooter. It was already getting close to five in the afternoon and he had to go to the family laundry and work his second job.

~~~

Zhiqiang rode his bike, heading towards a small building with the words ‘BB Laundry’ glued on the glass door and windows. Approaching, he saw through the large windows a man standing at the front desk with a pen in hand, reading through some papers. 

Zhiqiang got off the bicycle and entered the laundry with it, the bell above the door announcing his entrance.

“How’s it looking, father?”  asked the young man as he leaned the bike on the wall.

Zhao Bo was in his mid-forties, had a lean physique, and was about the same height as his son. His strong jawline and his squarish face made him look meaner than he actually was. He stood at the desk with a straight back and militant posture, and despite being full of papers and still going through them, the desk looked organized.

“Same as always. We’re making the payments, cover all of the expenses, home and here, but there’s very little wiggle room,” said Zhao Bo with a deep voice.

“That’s good, isn’t it?”

Zhao Bo looked at his son. His eyes, the same dark brown as Zhiqiang’s, were stern and landed on his son’s wrapped hand.

“What happened to your hand?”

“Just a small scratch. Nothing a man can’t deal with.”

Zhao Bo nodded and said, “At this rate, we’ll pay the loan in 10 years. Even if your mother recovers and wants to help with the business, then it’s going to be 8 years. Are you content with keeping the status quo for the next 8 years, Zhiqiang?”

“Well, not really. But if that's what I have to do, I’ll do it.”

There was no hesitation in his words, no doubt, only determination. True, he had wanted to finish college and find a good-paying and well-respected job, but the family was more important.

Zhao Bo nodded with a proud and warm smile. “I’m glad to hear that. That’s a man’s job, to provide for and protect his family. But a man also has to come up with solutions when there’s a problem. The present situation is problematic. If anything happens we have no blanket to fall on, and in 10 years there is impossible for nothing to happen. We already have a broken washing machine and a couple on the way.”

“Are there solutions? It’s not like we didn’t know the situation from the beginning.”

“There are always solutions, no matter the situation, the difference comes down to risks. Now go in the back and greet aunty Huang before you go. I don’t want to be more late than we already are.”

Like a soldier, Zhiqiang tapped his heels together and saluted his father like a soldier did to his commander. “Yes, sir.”

Zhao Bo shook his head with a small smile. “You goof.” He then threw a pair of keys and said, “The van is ready, there're also a couple of suit bags left in the back, be sure to grab them.”

“Got it.” Zhiqiang caught the keys with ease.

“Tonight I want to talk with you and your mother. I might have an idea of how to pay the loan faster.”

Zhiqiang stopped in his tracks. “Is it an emergency? I was planning to go over to fatty Pei tonight.”

“Will you be home for dinner?”

“Probably not. I’ll get home at midnight, maybe later.”

“Hmm! Take the van with you then. I’ll ride the bike home.”

“What about the clothes?”

“Let them in the van. We’ll close earlier today. I was planning to give aunty Huang an early leave anyway, she says she’s feeling a little dizzy. I also have to make some calls to ensure that my idea is doable.”

Zhiqiang nodded and walked into the back.

“And call your mother to inform her about your evening.”

“I will,” said Zhiqiang as he was walking away.

He passed through two rows of washing machines and dryers, most of which were running. It was a large room and on the other side was a woman in her sixties working on taking out a red wine stain from a white shirt.

She was grandma Huang. She worked at the laundry for more than a decade and had become part of the family. A sentiment that intensified once she had decided to stay with them in these challenging times. 

Once Zhao Bo had taken the loan he could not afford to pay the wages of three full-time employees combined with the high taxes associated with them. He had proposed them a deal. Same work, earn the same money, but work without papers or maybe have the contract of a part-timer. They would have lost a couple of benefits and refused.

The laundry had lost manpower and therefore clientele. Maybe if the situation hadn’t been so grave, they would have found replacements willing to work without papers. It wouldn’t have been a problem. However, the urgency and chaos at that time had made things difficult enough without having people they weren’t familiar with work without supervision.

However, grandma Huang was the only one who understood them and accepted the deal. Zhao Bo even raised her wage a little. Which was more of a symbolic appreciation as they couldn’t afford too much of an increase.

“How are you feeling, grandma Huang? Father said you’re not well,” said Zhiqiang.

“Oh, you startled me, little Qiang. I’m fine, just old age having its tantrums.” Her voice was mellow.

“Don’t push yourself. This place will crumble without you here.”

“Oh, those are sweet words. But I think you’ll do pretty well, your father learned everything that is about cleaning.”

“Don’t sell yourself short, grandma Huang, you’re a rock.”

“And you’re going to give me diabetes.”

“Well, I need to pay you with something for all the tteokbokki you brought, and I have nothing but words right now,” Zhiqiang said with a smile.

“Words are sometimes all we need to survive hard times, little Qiang.”

“I wish I could stay and chat more but I’m already late.”

“The bags are there,” the elderly woman pointed towards the hanger in the corner. “Be careful.”

Zhiqiang grabbed the suit bags, said the customary goodbye pleasantries to both grandma Huang and his father, took a piece of paper filled with addresses from his father, then got into a yellow van parked outside the laundry.

Zhiqiang slammed his hands on the steering wheel and started the van. He looked in front at the street, then behind him at his cargo. The van was full of suit bags and other bags that held clean clothes ready to be delivered and replaced with another set of bags filled with dirty clothes.

“One more day closer to the end goal. Let’s go!”

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