Chapter 20: Treating To A Meal
“Pretending to be a big shot, pah!”
Wu Sibao hung up the telephone, propped his legs on the desk, shaking them, sulking.
Father dead, mother remarried, each minds their own family.
If he really had a choice, he wouldn’t want to fall out with Liao Shan either, but damn it, no money, and the Japanese are stingy, how else to make some extra cash?
He figured this Liao Shan wouldn’t really fall out with him over this car, it was just a trivial matter, and it wasn’t even his car that was stolen!
Ding-a-ling, ding-a-ling, the telephone rang again, Wu Sibao thought it was Liao Shan calling back to vent, so he let it ring a bit before picking up.
“Hello, Liao Shan, I say are you calling to get cursed out again? What? Lost him!” Wu Sibao sat up abruptly: “Where’s the man? What the hell are you guys doing!”
The voice on the telephone said: “Bro, it was too dark, so many people released all at once, didn’t spot the right one, I asked the brothers, they were all tailing people, no one actually followed that Zheng Liangcai, by reason it shouldn’t be, I guess maybe the guy is still locked up inside and hasn’t come out?”
“Bullshit! Use your toe to think, with so many of Liao Shan’s people released, would he leave a bomb for himself? Hurry up and find him! If you don’t find him, I’ll skin you all!”
Slam, Wu Sibao hung up the telephone, pointing at the people in the office and barking: “Don’t just stand around idle, that Zheng guy is lost, I bet he doesn’t dare leave the concession, he only has one identification document on him, go to hotels, wharfs, stations, check every single one until you find the man for me!”
“Yes!”
An hour later, the embarrassed Liao Shan, who hadn’t found the car or the man, saw Gu Yansheng off out of the restaurant.
“Brother Gu, don’t worry, although we haven’t found it for the time being, I will definitely urge my men to keep helping you look for the car, and notify you immediately once there’s news.”
“Then I’ll trouble Director Liao.”
“No need to be polite, I’ll send a car to take you back.”
“No need, I’ll walk to digest the food.”
“Alright then, goodbye.”
“Goodbye.”
Gu Yansheng bid farewell to Liao Shan, and walked with Wen Yan to digest the food.
“Wen Yan, full now?”
Wen Yan got lucky and mooched a meal, ate his fill.
“Full, full, Song He Lou’s dishes are really good.
Ever since the war hit Shanghai, us little lawyers, our income worsens day by day, I hadn’t eaten Song He Lou’s dishes for years, embarrassing, this meal today is simply unforgettable, even better than what I ate in my glory days, Director Liao is really polite, Mr. Gu, today following you I really had a feast.”
“Today I didn’t let you slack off either, during work time of course we eat what’s available.” Gu Yansheng smiled, “I originally wanted to pack some for you, but since it was Director Liao treating, I didn’t have the nerve, later up ahead find a restaurant, get some to take back for sister-in-law to eat.”
“No need, no need.” Wen Yan waved his hands repeatedly.
“Must, I remember you said you have a child, how old? Where do you live?” Gu Yansheng casually did a home visit.
“Fourteen, quite naughty, now studying in that Nanshi area, we live there too, close by, place is big, rent much cheaper than in the concession.”
“Easy to get in and out?”
Zhabei is north of the concession, Nanshi south of the concession, both part of Shanghai City, also areas controlled by the Japanese, entering the concession requires checks.
“Not bad, someone like me with legitimate work in the concession, and at a foreign firm at that, the Japanese don’t check too strictly when passing.”
“That’s good, if there’s any urgent family matter needing time off, tell me in time, having a child always means a bit more things.”
“Thank you so much.”
“No need to be polite, hey, this one, quite a few people eating, taste should be good.”
Wen Yan was embarrassed to accept, refused repeatedly, but couldn’t outstub Gu Yansheng who insisted on buying, ordered three dishes, the two waited outside for takeaway.
“The day after tomorrow once the agreement from the French side officially takes effect, I’ll have the law firm advance you a bonus, improve life for wife and child.”
“Mr. Gu, no rush.”
“No matter, it’s your money sooner or later anyway, not extra from me.”
From Wen Yan’s interview until now waiting, so many years as a lawyer still pulling down pride to be an assistant, Gu Yansheng guessed Wen Yan’s finances must be tight.
Need to care about the moods of those around, lest they grow distant and make mistakes.
Wen Yan was very restrained, but the gratitude in his micro-expressions couldn’t be hidden, probably hadn’t felt such warmth in a long time, especially in the foreigner-run concession.
Thinking, he reminded: “Mr. Gu, don’t you think after Director Liao took that call and came back, his mood was a bit off?”
Gu Yansheng hummed, “A bit strange indeed.”
Before taking the call, Liao Shan was extremely enthusiastic, brotherly, toasting back and forth, like a good big brother, in his words Gu Yansheng could strut like a crab in the French Concession, enthusiasm a bit over the top.
One must know one’s place, by Liao Shan’s position and needs, he as a lawyer couldn’t help him with anything, no matter how great the lawyer.
He’s the Chief Constable, by the time his position needs a lawyer, probably no lawyer could help.
Based on the consulate side’s reasons, Liao Shan wanted to get on good terms with him, lest he say bad things to the French Consul, if wanting to befriend, then this overdone behavior could barely be explained.
Helping out, eating a meal, brotherly, no matter how enthusiastic, could be jianghu habit from dealing with different people professionally, fairly normal.
But during the meal, explicitly and implicitly, he kept inquiring what relationship he had with the Japanese side, why the Japanese Consulate, knowing this matter benefits Japan, still willing to spend money to issue an authorization letter.
That was a bit abnormal.
Turns out the reason for cozying up wasn’t for the French Consul, but for the Japanese Consul?
Of course, what Liao Shan wanted didn’t matter, what Gu Yansheng needed now was to get the car back, whether Liao Shan misjudged his big connections at the Japanese Consulate or whatever, didn’t matter, he’d borrow Japanese influence when needed.
Unfortunately, the result was a big disappointment.
One phone call, and his mood changed.
“Mr. Gu, I just feel, with Director Liao’s capabilities, he shouldn’t be unable to find the car, after that call he said no leads yet, I think that’s not normal, like something else happened that we don’t know.” Wen Yan spoke meaningfully.
“What do you think?” Gu Yansheng asked.
Wen Yan cautiously glanced around, leaned in and whispered: “Mr. Gu, you just came to Shanghai, might not know some people’s backgrounds, our Director Liao, not just Chief Constable, he has a master, one of the famous three tycoons of the Shanghai Bund, former Inspector Chief of the French Concession Police Station, Green Gang bigshot Old Master Huang Jinrong.
Old Master Huang worked in the French Concession for decades, deeply trusted by the French, these past few years got old and retired, recommended Liao Shan to be this Chief Constable inspector.
You say with this relationship, in Shanghai, Director Liao as Chief Constable, backed by Green Gang, black and white paths combined, not to mention finding such an eye-catching car, even finding an utterly ordinary wallet, figuring out who stole it is just one phone call.
Those pickpockets in the gangs, they divide territories, even whose turf right outside the police station is, if I want to check I can, Director Liao couldn’t possibly not be able to.
Today after that call he says can’t find, heh, I don’t buy it.”
“You mean Liao Shan actually found it, but ran into resistance, so after weighing, unwilling to put in effort?” Gu Yansheng followed his words.
Wen Yan nodded: “Otherwise I can’t think what else would make Liao Shan say that, probably hit a wall, too embarrassed to say.
But to me, given Liao Shan’s status, not many people can make him hit a wall, official types certainly wouldn’t steal a car for fun, and in broad daylight right outside the police station, that’d be hysterical.
But if low-level folks, like in Green Gang those at odds with Liao Shan or Old Master Huang, if they took the car, Liao Shan can’t handle it, that’s totally normal, no face to tell us.
I was thinking then, you might’ve unwittingly gotten caught in someone else’s feud with Liao Shan, car used as chip, that person know it’s Liao Shan’s turf?
Still stole it.”
Green Gang!
Unlikely.
Actually the moment the car was stolen, Gu Yansheng’s prime suspect was 67.
No need to guess, how long had he been here, if someone had it in for him, it was 67 whose good thing he ruined.
So coincidental, he drove the car one day, parked once, and it got stolen.
If insisting it’s some blind small-time thief risking huge danger to steal at the police headquarters entrance, probability-wise not impossible.
But under Liao Shan personally stepping in still can’t recover the car, small-time thief possibility almost zero.
Not feuding early or late, but feuding when he drives, Liao Shan no fool, if he knew someone opposing him, wouldn’t agree so readily at first, leading to losing face in the end.
If 67’s sudden attack, then everything fits.
Sudden incident, person gone, stealing car to express discontent also a warning to him, plus a slap to Liao Shan’s face, has motive, has reason.
Wen Yan’s theory added accuracy to his suspicion.
Gu Yansheng chuckled, teased: “Looks like I didn’t invite this meal for nothing.”
Wen Yan earnestly: “Mr. Gu, you’re wrong there, I’m not saying this because you treated me to dinner, I was planning to use my connections tomorrow to inquire about your car.
These years doing lawsuits and investigations running around, I know some Green Gang minor leaders, as long as willing to spend money, their lips aren’t that tight, at least who took this car, that kind of information should be inquire-able.
That car so eye-catching, plenty should know.
Just getting the car back, that I really can’t do.
I was gonna wait for results, find out who, then report to you.”
Gu Yansheng thought and nodded, “Alright, then go inquire, whatever it costs I’ll reimburse you later, and, you don’t need to ask who stole the car, ask who has this car, say someone wants to buy.”
