Urban Most Awesome Dad

Hearing the noise on the phone quiet down, Brother Long’s clear voice came through, “Kid? What do you want from me?”

“Brother Long, I need you to rough up a guy for me; he’s been hitting on my girl. Take care of him for me today, and you name the price,” Cai Xiangdong said through gritted teeth, bitterly.

“Oh? You want me to take action? That’s simple. The appearance fee starts at 100,000, depending on what you want. Inflict minor injuries for an extra 50,000, break a hand or leg for another 100,000. If you want to embarrass him, I can humiliate him in front of you and then let you play the hero who comes to the rescue. I’ll withdraw as soon as you show up. This involves professional acting and coordination, so it wouldn’t be too much to ask for an additional 150,000, right?” Though a thug, Brother Long spoke about pricing like a cunning businessman, listing services and prices very clearly.

Cai Xiangdong bit his lip, feeling that Brother Long’s prices were indeed steep, but thinking about the possibility of ridding himself of Xu Fan once and for all, he felt the expense could be worth it.

Thus, Cai Xiangdong mustered his courage and said, “For now, I just want to give him a beating and a warning. If there’s a chance, it would be great to humiliate him and then have me come in to play the hero. We can settle the total cost based on the outcome, okay?”

“No problem. When it comes to handling people, I, Brother Long, am a professional. However, the 100,000 appearance fee needs to be transferred first. The rest can wait until after the job is done,” Brother Long said with a hearty laugh.

He had met Cai Xiangdong once and knew him to be a mild-mannered intellectual who wouldn’t dare withhold payment from Brother Long, not for all the bravery in the world. So, Brother Long felt fairly confident about him.

Collecting the 100,000 appearance fee was a win in itself for Brother Long, regardless of the outcome, as it was non-refundable. If Cai Xiangdong tried to cause any trouble, one slap from Brother Long could turn his glasses into eight separate pieces.

“By the way, who’s the person you’re having trouble with?” Brother Long asked cautiously.

The economy of Zhonghai City dominated Yan Country, so it was home to many rich second-generations and official progenies. Brother Long was most afraid of these scions. He might be a dominant force on Jiangtan Street in Zhonghai, but against the city’s top families, he was nothing more than a lickspittle.

If Cai Xiangdong had indeed crossed paths with a scion of a powerful family, Brother Long wouldn’t take the risk, even at the cost of losing this payday.

“Don’t worry, Brother Long. He’s nobody special, just dressed in street stall clothes. I bet the moment you show up, he’ll piss himself in fear, no need to even throw a punch,” Cai Xiangdong said seethingly over the phone.

He had been following Xu Fan’s car, and although the Audi with the 6666 license plate shocked him, his analysis led him to believe it was a fake. Many guys, just to impress girls, would rent a luxury car at great expense, and after spending a night with the girl, they’d disappear.

Through Cai Xiangdong’s eyes, Xu Fan didn’t seem the type to drive an expensive car. The magnates he knew carried a different demeanor entirely, so Cai naturally assumed Xu Fan’s car was a bait car for picking up girls.

“If he doesn’t have any background, then it’s easy. Go ahead and transfer the appearance fee. Once I get the money, we will set out immediately,” Brother Long urged over the phone.

“Brother Long, can you come out first? I’m in my car tracking him right now. If I stop, I might lose him. Don’t worry; I won’t short you a dime,” Cai Xiangdong pleaded.

Though he found Brother Long’s fees expensive, he was determined to deal with Xu Fan. But as he was following Xu Fan’s car in traffic, there was no way to stop and make a transfer. If he stopped for even a minute, he could lose Xu Fan, and Brother Long’s arrival would be pointless without knowing where to find him.

“Damn it, if you don’t pay up front, the fee goes up by 20,000!” Brother Long said sternly to Cai Xiangdong.

A wave of pain swept through Cai Xiangdong.

Despite returning to Zhonghai as a sought-after talent by many companies after his studies in America and having a decent salary from Xinghai Media—a million a year—

subtracting bonuses, he only made sixty to seventy thousand a month.

Here was Brother Long, charging 120,000 just to beat someone, roughly two months of his salary, not counting the additional 150,000 if he wanted the hero’s role.

Cai Xiangdong was now almost nostalgic for his time in America, dealing with the Black Glove Family who didn’t hesitate to kill with guns and bombs, and their fees were much more reasonable, especially compared to the market rate in Zhonghai.

But with his back against the wall, Brother Long was the only one he could turn to for help, so despite the unreasonable fee, Cai Xiangdong had no choice but to swallow his pride.

As long as he could win over Xu Yixue, Xinghai Media would be his, and money would be no object. The most pressing matter was to get rid of this annoying man.

Resolute, Cai Xiangdong composed himself and said to Brother Long over the phone, “Alright, Brother Long, I’m currently tracking his car. We’re moving westbound on Shannan Avenue, it looks like we’re heading towards the outskirts. If you’re free, you could come out with your guys. Rest assured, I’ve got the money on my phone, ready to transfer as soon as I can stop.”

“Haha, good! Take a moment and add me on WeChat, then share your location, and I’ll be right on your tail,” Brother Long told Cai Xiangdong.

“Great, thanks Brother Long. If things go well this time, I’ll treat the guys to a table at The Grand Qin Hotel,” Cai Xiangdong said, a touch of excitement in his voice.

“Alright! Boys, get the cars ready, we’ve got a mission!” Brother Long, phone in hand, whooped at his drinking underlings.

Several of Brother Long’s trusted men immediately dropped their cups and procured a couple of large machetes, sticking them in their belts.

“Number Three, add his WeChat for me and share the location!” Brother Long passed Cai Xiangdong’s number to a seemingly weaker man, his confidant and the third-ranking member of his crew, thus nicknamed Number Three.

“Got it!” Number Three took out his phone and began to operate.