Chapter Fifty-Three: The Fight

Thank you to Bos and Baihua Lao San for your generous tips; my deepest gratitude!

“You still have time to regret this, kid. Don’t say I’m bullying you. Just apologize to me,” Davis said, wagging his finger at Tim who stood across from him. “I promise, I won’t give you any more trouble.”

“Hey, Davis, are you a sissy or something? I saw him knock you down in the shop. Don’t talk big—” someone in the crowd jeered, laughing and egging them on.

“Come on then, pal. Since you stubbornly refuse to apologize, I have no choice but to…”

“Go ahead, I’m not afraid of you!” Tim shook his head at Davis, undaunted.

Davis couldn’t help but touch his nose, chuckling, “Wonderful, just wonderful. Kid, I’ll beat you so bad you’ll be crying for your mother.” With that, he clenched his fists and charged at Tim with a punch.

Tim had been training with Qiu Fengyu for over a month and picked up some techniques, so Davis’s punch wasn’t much of a threat to him.

With a thud, Tim’s fist landed squarely on Davis’s stomach. The blow wasn’t heavy, but it was enough to make Davis double over, clutching his midsection, unable to straighten up for quite a while.

“Good kid, that’s it! Make him cry for his mama!” someone in the crowd cheered loudly, the sudden turn of events making the onlookers wild with excitement.

Qiu Fengyu acted as if he hadn’t heard a thing, continuing to wipe the tables inside the shop.

“They’re fighting out there,” Coffin said as she walked in, addressing Qiu Fengyu.

“I know. In Texas, cowboys grow up this way. That’s what the books I’ve read say, though I’ve only been here a short while,” Qiu Fengyu replied, glancing at Coffin. “Those two idiots, always looking for ways to slack off—they’d rather fight outside than do their work…”

“What kind of garbage books are you reading?” Coffin couldn’t help but laugh at Qiu Fengyu. “Get those two fools to stop. If they don’t, I’ll have to arrest them.”

“You win,” Qiu Fengyu called out loudly, tossing his rag aside. “Damn fools, if you’re still alive, get in here and mop the floor!”

After a moment, the two young men walked in. They were nearly the same height, though one still looked like a boy, but now both appeared disheveled and battered.

Davis’s eyes were ringed with bruises, and his face was swollen. Tim’s mouth was a bit puffy, but it was clear Tim had the upper hand—Davis had come off worse.

“Boss, this isn’t fair! I was just about to land a fatal blow when you stopped us. It’s like being with a hot woman and then finding out she’s from Thailand…”

“Shut it, Davis.” Qiu Fengyu shoved a mop into his hands. “If you want to keep working here, you’ll do as I say. Get moving.”

Tim grinned triumphantly at Davis.

“And you, you little brat, if you show off again in front of others, I swear I’ll kick your ass. I’ve told you before: right now, you’re nothing. You’ve got a long way to go.” Qiu Fengyu tossed a bucket of water and a rag at Tim, who caught them.

Coffin watched the scene, laughing quietly. Once Qiu Fengyu finished scolding them, she nodded to him. “Mind stepping outside for a chat?”

“Of course, at your service.” Qiu Fengyu nodded and followed her out.

The two got into a police car—Coffin in the driver’s seat, Qiu Fengyu beside her. She started the engine and drove to a quiet patch of grass before stopping.

“Where’s that kid from? Seventeen? Eighteen?” Coffin glanced at Qiu Fengyu.

“I don’t know. The brat never told me. All I know is his name, and that his parents are dead. Why? Is there a problem?” Qiu Fengyu asked.

“There is,” Coffin said seriously. “You’re going to attract attention from government agencies. He’s a minor. If his parents are gone, someone has to adopt him—or the government will.”

“Oh, damn, that’s really bad. Would I even qualify as a suitable guardian?” Qiu Fengyu asked, concerned.

“No, I don’t think so. Singles aren’t usually considered first,” Coffin shrugged. “But I’ll tell you this: if you truly want to adopt him, talk to Britt. He’s got a stable family and kids, so he’s a much better candidate.”

“All right, I understand.”

“And… once the paperwork is done, he’ll need to go to school—not just help you out in the shop. That would be illegal, except during vacations.”

“All right, I know what I have to do,” Qiu Fengyu replied, a bit dejected.

“There’s one more thing.” Coffin looked at him. “Last time, after you left, you learned that Sheriff Brick had died. If you’re willing, we could go visit him.” Her voice grew somber at the mention.

“Let’s go,” Qiu Fengyu agreed.

Coffin was silent for a while, then started the car and drove to the town cemetery. Sheriff Brick should have been buried in the city cemetery, but his family insisted on laying him to rest here in the small town.

A month had passed, and the sheriff’s grave no longer looked freshly dug, but the photo on the headstone was still clear. The old man had been a lovable sort—truth be told, Qiu Fengyu had liked him a lot. He was a good man.

“Do you know why I brought you here?” Coffin asked, looking at Qiu Fengyu.

“To pay respects to a wonderful old man?” Qiu Fengyu replied, unsure.

Coffin was quiet again for a moment before she spoke. “That’s my father’s grave over there. I once swore at his headstone that I’d kill every one of those Mexican bastards who sneaked across the border. But… I don’t feel that way anymore.”

“So you want me to let go of something?” Qiu Fengyu smiled. “Hatred?”

“Yes. I’m glad you understand. No matter who they are, as long as they live peacefully in our town, quietly living their lives, that’s enough, isn’t it?” Coffin gazed at him.

“Ah, Officer Coffin, no hatred, no hiding, nothing at all,” Qiu Fengyu burst out laughing. “I don’t know those people. I just took April to a safe place. I did nothing else, and they’ve done nothing to make me hate them. I’m just myself—unless they try to kill me.”

Coffin nodded. “Are you thinking of reopening your noodle shop?”

“That’s the plan for now,” Qiu Fengyu shrugged. “At least, that’s my dream for the moment. A noodle shop… forty bowls of noodles a day…”

“Thirty bowls—and now ten more for that boy?” Coffin chuckled. “But I can tell, even if you made thirty more, you’d sell out fast. In this past month, everyone’s missed your lunch noodles…”

She had a point. If you want to avoid trouble, you have to follow the rules. Qiu Fengyu didn’t want any trouble, so he decided to talk with Britt.

Using the excuse of moving into a new house, Qiu Fengyu invited Britt and his family to dinner at Siercha’s place the next evening.

“I don’t want to go to school. I want to learn from you,” protested Tim when he heard Qiu Fengyu’s plan. In his mind, mastering those deadly skills as quickly as possible was the best way to seek revenge.

“I’ve said enough. Here, I make the decisions,” Qiu Fengyu said coldly, fixing Tim with a stern look. “I’ll teach you those things, but only if you listen to me. If you want to leave, just say so. I’d be happy to let you go.”

Tim fell silent. For now, Qiu Fengyu was his only support—without him, he could do nothing.

“Prepare yourself. Think about what you’ll say to Mr. Britt and his family. Do your best to win them over.” With that, Qiu Fengyu paid him no further mind.

This was a real problem—one Qiu Fengyu had to solve, but also one Tim had to face himself.

The next day, the noodle shop reopened. Qiu Fengyu put up a new sign outside. Selling forty bowls of noodles a day wasn’t a huge number for a small town, but it was far from insignificant. Qiu Fengyu’s noodles never lacked customers. Even the family that owned the bakery eyed him with envy.

Fortunately, it was only forty bowls. If he sold more, the bakery’s business would surely suffer.

Davis arrived early, and while wiping tables, he whispered to Qiu Fengyu, “You must have taught that kid something, right? Teach me too, would you? At least then I won’t keep getting beaten up.”

“If your parents were both dead, I could teach you,” Qiu Fengyu shrugged. “Want me to get you a gun so you can take care of them first?”

Davis’s face twisted as if he’d swallowed something foul, and he slunk back to his chores, utterly deflated.