Rebirth: Fan Debiao rises from the Liaobei land

Three days after the contract was signed, Fan Debiao spent the morning at the company reconciling accounts. Gangzi took Liu Tiezhu to the building materials market, while Awei was next door reconciling the project reserve fund with the accountant. The sound of calculators resetting to zero was incessant, and stacks of receipts piled up like a small mountain on the table.

After checking the last payment for the materials, Fan Debiao signed his name and leaned back in his chair. The sky outside was overcast; Kaiyuan in December was already freezing, and a thin layer of frost covered the windowpane. He took out a cigarette, lit it, and took a couple of puffs before remembering—he should go see Commander Ma today.

After finishing his cigarette, Fan Debiao got up and put on his cotton-padded coat: "Awei, I'm going out for a bit."

Awei looked up from the pile of receipts: "To the construction site?"

"Go check with my brother-in-law," Fan Debiao said. "Bring those two demo units from the store, the new TCL model, and put two SIM cards in them."

Around 3 p.m., Fan Debiao drove the company's white van and turned into the area of ​​bungalows.

He parked his car at the alley entrance, carrying two phone boxes, and then went to the convenience store to buy four bottles of Kaiyuan Daqu liquor, a bag of peanuts, and two bags of braised beef. When he arrived at Ma Dashuai's house, he saw Yufen hanging clothes to dry in the yard.

"Yu Fen!" Fan Debiao called out.

Yu Fen turned around and saw Fan Debiao. She quickly wiped her hands on her apron and said, "Debiao's here? Come in quickly!"

"The stove is burning inside." Yu Fen patted the dust off her clothes. "It's gotten colder these past few days, and his back pain has flared up again, so he hasn't gone out to look for work."

Fan Debiao nodded and carried the braised beef and wine into the house.

As Ma Dashuai was poking at the stove with his backside sticking out, he heard the noise, turned around, saw Fan Debiao, and slowly straightened up: "Oh, Boss Fan, what a privilege to have you here."

"Stop talking nonsense." Fan Debiao placed the wine on the kang table. "How's your back?"

"It's the same old problem, I won't die." Ma Dashuai dusted off his hands, glanced at what Fan Debiao was holding, and said, "Why did you bring anything?"

"I bought it on the way." Fan Debiao sat down, took out a cigarette, and offered one to the passerby. "Where's Xiao Cui?"

"At work," Yu Fen said as she followed Fan Debiao in, pouring him a cup of hot water. "Still at that trading company, he won't be back until after five."

Fan Debiao nodded and took out the phone box: "Give one of these phones to Xiao Cui, and you can keep the other. I've already put the SIM cards in, and my number is saved on them."

Ma Dashuai took the box and looked at it: "This must be quite expensive, right?"

"Stop with all that fancy stuff," Fan Debiao said. "Just use it; it'll be convenient to call if you need anything."

Yu Fen said, "De Biao, why don't you eat here tonight? I'll make a couple of dishes, and you and your brother-in-law can have a drink."

"Don't bother," Fan Debiao said. "I've bought some cooked food."

General Ma lit a cigarette, squinted at Fan Debiao, and said, "I heard you're doing quite well now. That's like blowing a trumpet through a crack in the door—your reputation has spread far and wide."

"What? They're all small businesses; they work themselves to the bone all year round and barely make any money!"

"Come on, Ma Dashuai exhaled a puff of smoke. "Debiao, you're incredibly successful now. You've started a company, taken on projects, and your mobile phone shop is doing exceptionally well."

Fan Debiao waved his hand: "Oh, what a waste of time."

"It's not just busywork," said Ma Dashuai. "Who in Kaiyuan doesn't know you, Fan Debiao? You were a bodyguard from Victoria, and now you're Boss Fan. You're a well-known ruthless guy in northern Liaoning."

Something about that sounded off. Fan Debiao didn't respond.

At six o'clock, Xiao Cui came home from get off work. When she saw Fan Debiao, she shyly called out "Uncle" and went into the kitchen to help Yu Fen cook.

Dinner was served: four dishes and a soup. Yu Fen scrambled some eggs and made a cold dish, along with the braised beef and peanuts that Fan Debiao had bought. It was enough to have a drink.

Fan Debiao poured the wine: "Come on, brother-in-law, let's have a drink."

"Let's go." General Ma picked up his bowl and took a big gulp.

After downing a bowl of wine, Ma Dashuai's pig-kidney-shaped face began to flush red. He picked up a piece of braised beef, chewing it with his mouth glistening with oil: "Debiao, I heard you won that project? Fifty base stations?"

"Yes, the contract was just signed."

"Okay, really okay." Ma Dashuai nodded, poured himself another bowl, and said, "I remember when I first came to Kaiyuan, you were the security minister at Victoria. That guy gave me a good job—cleaning toilets."

Fan Debiao paused with his chopsticks.

"Now that I'm a big boss," Ma Dashuai continued, his tongue slurring slightly, "I heard... I heard that if I went to your construction site, you could arrange some odd jobs for me? Moving materials, watching the warehouse?"

"Brother-in-law, those are Gangzi and the others..."

"Even if I'm not the best, I'm still your brother-in-law!" Ma Dashuai slammed his bowl on the table, spilling wine everywhere. "If you treat your brother-in-law like this, nobody will respect you! Even though your sister hasn't been around for that many years, am I still your brother-in-law? I came to you for help, and you expect me to clean toilets?"

Yu Fen kicked him under the table: "What are you saying? You're just spouting nonsense after a few drinks!"

"I'm not making this up!" Ma Dashuai waved his hand, almost knocking his chopsticks to the ground. "Debiao, tell me, am I your brother-in-law?"

Fan Debiao put down his wine bowl, the alcohol taking effect: "Brother-in-law, I came to see you all today, why do you keep bringing up my sister? How can I feel good about mentioning her?"

"You're not feeling well? I am!" Ma Dashuai's voice rose, his pig-kidney-shaped face turning bright red. "Even if I, Ma Dashuai, am incompetent, I'm still a man! Me, working odd jobs on your construction site? I can't afford to lose face like that!"

Xiao Cui whispered, "Dad, please don't shout..."

"Shut up!" Ma Dashuai pointed at Xiao Cui, "You're a good-for-nothing too! You work a lousy job typing and copying documents, earning a few hundred yuan a month, and you're all smug about it!"

Fan Debiao's forehead veins throbbed, and he picked up the bowl and took another big gulp.

"Brother-in-law," Fan Debiao put down his bowl, his tongue slurring, "What kind of wine did you drink today? Did you drink it into someone's stomach or a dog's stomach?"

Who are you calling a dog?

"I didn't insult you." Fan Debiao leaned forward. "From the moment I sat down, weren't you subtly criticizing me? My attitude... I silently... reflected on my actions, I just wanted to help you out..."

"Give me a hand?" Ma Dashuai laughed, a laugh more like a grimace. "De Biao, De Biao—"

"Speak, brother-in-law, you speak." Fan Debiao leaned forward, their heads almost touching. "I'm all ears, I'll have both ears perked up, all ears!"

Commander Ma stared at him for several seconds, then suddenly sighed: "De Biao, that's how it is. You show me what you're capable of, and I'll show you what I'm capable of. Let's not mess around together anymore."

Fan Debiao slammed his hand on the table, sending several peanuts flying. "I don't understand? Is it me who doesn't understand, or you? Do you think I want to go through all this trouble with you? Do you think I want to just settle for you?"

He became increasingly agitated as he spoke, standing up and sitting down repeatedly: "If you hadn't begged my sister so desperately, would I have even met you? That child, Xiao Cui... ah, then there wouldn't be a Xiao Cui!"

"De Biao!" Yu Fen quickly tugged at his sleeve.

Commander Ma's face turned purplish-red, and he gasped for breath, unable to utter a word for a long time. The only sound in the room was the whirring of the stove.

After a long while, Ma Dashuai finally spoke: "Debiao... don't you think... there's an extra person in this house?"

Fan Debiao was taken aback.

Tears welled up in Yu Fen's eyes: "General, you've had too much to drink..."

"I've had too much to drink." Ma Dashuai swayed as he stood up, nearly falling onto the bed. "I'm done drinking. You...you can all leave."

Seeing him like that, Fan Debiao felt that pent-up frustration rise up again. Half a year after his rebirth, he had secured projects and built up his company, but with Ma Dashuai, he was still the same.

"Brother-in-law." Fan Debiao also stood up, wanting to help him.

"Don't touch me!" Ma Dashuai flung his hand away. "Fan Debiao, you're Boss Fan now, I'm not good enough for you. You go your way, I'll go mine. We're even!"

Fan Debiao stood there, half-sober. He watched as Ma Dashuai staggered towards the kang (a heated brick bed), watched Yu Fen rush to help him up, and watched Xiao Cui lower her head to wipe away her tears.

The dim light from the 25-watt bulb in the room illuminated a table full of leftover food.

Fan Debiao picked up the wine bottle, poured the last bit of wine into the bowl, and downed it in one gulp.

"Okay." Fan Debiao put down his bowl. "I'm leaving."

He turned and walked out, stopping at the door. He took out five hundred yuan from his pocket and put it under the phone box.

"Buy Xiaocui a cotton-padded coat," Fan Debiao said. "It's getting cold."

After saying that, he pushed open the door and went out.

A night breeze blew, and the effects of the alcohol surged up. Fan Debiao leaned against the wall and vomited profusely in the alley.

After vomiting, he squatted there panting for a long time before staggering towards his car. Reaching the car, he took out his key and tried three times before finally inserting it into the lock.

He got into the driver's seat but didn't start the engine. He took out his phone, his hands trembling as he dialed Gangzi's number after a long time.

"Gangzi..." Fan Debiao stammered, "Come, come pick me up, I've been drinking, I can't drive..."

After hanging up the phone, he leaned back in his chair and closed his eyes.

The streetlight at the alley entrance was broken, flickering intermittently. The light and shadow flickered on the car window.

Twenty minutes later, Gangzi's car arrived. He helped Fan Debiao into the passenger seat, leaving the van there to be picked up tomorrow.

"Brother Biao, where are we going back to?" Gangzi asked.

"The place to rent a room..." Fan Debiao said vaguely.

The car pulled up to the building, and Gangzi helped Fan Debiao upstairs. They opened the door and turned on the lights; the room was cold and empty.

Gangzi helped Fan Debiao to bed, took off his shoes, and covered him with a blanket. Fan Debiao was already asleep, snoring loudly.

Gangzi's phone rang; it was Awei.

"Gangzi, have you seen Brother Biao? I called him but he's not answering."

"Brother Biao was drunk, I just got him back to health."

Awei paused on the other end of the phone: "At your rented apartment?"

"Um."

"I'll go check on him. What if he throws up in the middle of the night and no one cares?"

"Okay, I'll wait for you here!"

"Okay, I'll be right there."