Chapter Ninety: Brother-in-law

"What is it?" The man looked displeased, clearly irritated by the contents of the phone call he'd just made. But as soon as his eyes landed on the blue box of premium Panda cigarettes Zhang Can offered him, his gaze paused. He immediately reached out, took one, expertly tucked it between his lips, pulled out a lighter and lit it. Then he held the lighter out to Zhang Can and said, "Have one, too!"

Zhang Can smiled and waved his hand. "My throat isn't feeling well..."

"Oh..." The man withdrew his hand and took a deep, aggressive drag from the cigarette, holding the smoke in his chest for a long moment before exhaling, seemingly savoring the flavor. But as soon as he let out the smoke, he coughed harshly and glared, cursing, "Damn, it's fake!"

Zhang Can flushed. In these village alleyways, selling counterfeit cigarettes was the norm; selling genuine ones would be the oddity.

"Well..." Zhang Can laughed awkwardly. "Brother, just make do. You're from Chuan'an, aren't you?"

"Hey, how did you know? ...From the way you talk, it sounds like you're from Chuan'an too?" The man stared in surprise, immediately questioning Zhang Can.

Zhang Can answered at once, "Yes, yes, I'm from Zhang Family Village. Where are you from?"

"Haha, what a coincidence! I'm from East City. What...what are you doing here?" The man's face broke into a smile, then he pulled Zhang Can along, grumbling, "Come on, let's go inside and get our money back. Damn it, selling fake cigarettes..."

"Forget it, forget it..." Zhang Can stopped him, lowering his voice. "A pack of cigarettes won't make anyone rich, it's no big deal. I'm in a hurry now, I just wanted to ask you about someone, don't know if you know her?"

The man responded warmly, "Go ahead, who are you looking for? Someone who lives in this building?"

Zhang Can nodded. "Should be here. Her name is Liu Xiaoli, also from Chuan'an, works at a supermarket. I don't know exactly where she lives."

The man froze, then stared intently at Zhang Can, his expression full of doubt.

From his look, Zhang Can immediately guessed that the man definitely knew Liu Xiaoli, and there was a good chance he was her boyfriend. Zhang Can smiled and said, "Don't misunderstand, my surname is Zhang, Zhang Can. Liu Xiaoli should be my sister-in-law; my fiancée is her younger sister, Liu Xiaoqin!"

The man was momentarily stunned, then broke into a broad smile, nodding quickly. "Oh...so you're family...haha, I'm Li Yong. Liu Xiaoli is my wife...well, girlfriend, really. What a coincidence! You found her right away. Come on, come on...let's sit at the restaurant outside, have a bite to eat..."

Zhang Can hadn't expected things to go so smoothly. He smiled and followed Li Yong out of the alley, asking as they walked, "Is Xiaoli at home?"

"She's at work!" Li Yong replied, waving his hand. The two reached the roadside outside the village, where their eyes were greeted by bright, towering buildings—splendid decorations, everything so different from the village.

Li Yong had originally headed towards a large food stall by the village entrance, but Zhang Can waved him instead towards the Coco Western Restaurant at the main street. Li Yong paused again, surprised that this seemingly ordinary relative would have such refined taste. Usually, only white-collar types could afford to dine at a Western restaurant; a meal could cost anywhere from tens to hundreds, sometimes even thousands. Ordinary workers couldn't afford it. Li Yong worked at a supermarket, earning only nineteen hundred a month, two hundred less than Liu Xiaoli. Their combined wages barely covered basic expenses. Li Yong was a heavy smoker; at home, he smoked cigarettes costing ten yuan or more, but here could only afford the four-and-a-half yuan variety, often running out and having to buy them on credit from the little tobacco stand downstairs—the same place Zhang Can had just bought fake cigarettes.

Zhang Can led Li Yong to the entrance of the Western restaurant. The female attendants inside had already opened the glass doors, bowing on either side as they greeted them, "Welcome to Coco Western Restaurant!"

The sugary sweet voices made Li Yong feel awkward; he hadn't enjoyed such treatment for a long time, nor entered such an environment. He was clearly uneasy.

"Please, gentlemen, follow me!" One of the attendants led them inside.

The comfort of air conditioning, green vineyard décor, clusters of lifelike grapes—a fresh, natural ambiance.

They sat at a corner table, the wall made of tea-colored steel-patterned glass, clear from inside but opaque from outside. Zhang Can gestured, "Brother Li, sit down!"

Li Yong sat down hesitantly as the waitress handed Zhang Can the menu, so he didn't speak.

"Chicken steak, tri-color salad, hmm, and a coffee," Zhang Can ordered casually, then slid the menu over to Li Yong, smiling, "Brother, what would you like? Order whatever you like!"

Li Yong smiled awkwardly, naturally embarrassed to admit he'd never been to a Western restaurant. "The same, just the same as you."

Zhang Can waved at the waitress, "Alright, that's it, two of the same!"

The waitress nodded, bowing again, "Please wait a moment!"

"Wait," Zhang Can stopped her, asking, "Do you have any good cigarettes? Bring two packs!"

"We have Chunghwa, Panda, Yellow Crane Tower, Canadian Classic..." she recited, finishing with a few foreign brands.

Zhang Can interrupted, "Enough, just Yellow Crane Tower. I don't even understand those foreign brands. Chinese men only smoke Chinese cigarettes..."

The waitress blushed, quickly lowering her voice. "Sir, which type? Yellow Crane Tower has several. The best is hard-pack 1916, two hundred fifty a pack."

"That'll do, two packs," Zhang Can said dismissively, waving her off.

After the waitress left, Li Yong leaned in and whispered, "Zhang...Zhang Brother, Yellow Crane Tower 1916 sells for only two hundred outside, they're really gouging you here..."

Zhang Can smiled, "It doesn't matter. They're staff, overhead's high, it's normal for them to earn a bit."

Li Yong smiled awkwardly. He'd thought this newly arrived relative was just like him—maybe just come from the hometown, here to work and find a foothold. He never expected him to be so generous, seemingly well-off. If Zhang Can were looking for a place to stay or asking them to recommend a job, Li Yong had planned to treat him to a meal and then find an excuse to leave, saying he had to work. Of course, if Zhang Can had lots of money, that would be a different story. After all, Li Yong was living a hard, impoverished life; getting some money from Zhang Can would be welcome.

But before Li Yong could ask, Zhang Can's behavior had already surprised him, making him feel timid. After all, how many country folk newly arrived in Jin City would invite a fellow townsman to a Western restaurant? Spend two hundred a pack on premium cigarettes? And he'd just bought a pack of fake cigarettes for one hundred fifty at the village entrance.

Li Yong was genuinely curious now—he couldn't tell if this relative was real or not. But from his accent, there was no mistaking it: that hometown dialect, outsiders could never mimic such natural inflection.

"Brother, did you just come from home, or have you already been working here?" Li Yong hesitated, finally asking, "And what about Xiaoli's sister? Xiaoqin, right? I think Xiaoli mentioned her. Xiaoqin graduated from nursing school and was assigned to the county hospital. Her dad isn't...isn't..."

Speaking of Liu Xiaoqin's father, Li Yong's tone became awkward; Zhang Can understood. Since Li Yong and Liu Xiaoli didn't involve themselves in family matters, talking about it would naturally feel uncomfortable.

Zhang Can nodded, "Yes, I've been in Jin City for several years now, working at an antique shop. Last month I went home, met Xiaoqin, and got engaged. The flight this afternoon at three o'clock—Xiaoqin and her parents are coming to Jin City for medical treatment. Everything's already arranged. I'm looking for Xiaoli so you can give her parents a surprise. For the elderly, family affection is the best comfort."

Li Yong was truly stunned. He never expected Zhang Can's purpose to be this, and that he would say everything was prepared, with not the slightest hint of expecting them to contribute money. Liu Xiaoli had told him before: her father had uremia, and if surgery was needed, it would cost at least half a million, with no guarantee, plus other expenses. Not only could Li Yong not afford it, he didn't want to. His family was considered wealthy, his parents long-time business people with two or three million saved up. Even if Liu Xiaoli's family asked to borrow, they wouldn't lend—it would depend on whether it could be repaid, and there would be no interest. In fact, lending now, interest was the least of it; most likely the principal would never come back. Li Yong himself certainly wouldn't lend.

But was Zhang Can telling the truth? How could a worker afford so much?

The waitress brought over the coffee, saying, "Please enjoy."

Zhang Can opened the sugar box, smiling, "Brother Li, do you want sugar?"

"Oh? Sure, sure...haha, I'll do it myself!"

Zhang Can gently pushed the two packs of Yellow Crane Tower the waitress had brought toward Li Yong. "Take these, smoke them if you like. Actually, I don't smoke."

Li Yong was startled again; if Zhang Can hadn't explained, he would have suspected some ulterior motive—so much money spent, inviting and gifting, maybe he wanted Li Yong to commit murder for him.

Li Yong had only met Liu Xiaoqin once, a year ago, when she came home from school and he picked up Liu Xiaoli. He'd thought then, both sisters were so beautiful—if only he could have them both, what a delight. That thought had lingered, but now it seemed out of reach. This brother-in-law really seemed to be wealthy, and wealth made things complicated.

Still, having a rich brother-in-law in Jin City meant he could enjoy the good life—he'd have to cultivate the relationship.

Thinking it over, Li Yong took out his phone and dialed. As soon as the call connected, he said, "Xiaoli, take leave and come home, urgent business... What business? Your sister and brother-in-law are in Jin City, your parents are coming for medical treatment, arriving by plane at three. Hurry, I'm having Western food with your brother-in-law at Coco Western Restaurant outside the village, come straight here!"

Li Yong gave Liu Xiaoli no chance to ask questions, hanging up immediately, then smiling at Zhang Can, "Women, always so talkative, so much nonsense. She'll be here soon. I told her to take leave, she said she couldn't get away from work. I got angry—what's more important than family? Just a lousy supermarket job, she can quit if needed!"