Chapter 4.8 Fate’s Coin (Extra)

Chen Pi gave Chun Shen a bowl of hot pepper soup, but the hungry Chun Shen took a bite and quickly spit it out.

When Chen Pi looked at him a little disgusted, Chun Shen fearfully looked into his eyes, apparently afraid that he would get hit again. Chen Pi ignored him and continued counting the copper coins on the table. Chun Shen breathed a sigh of relief and finally began eating again.

The blood on his head had dried into a crusty scab on his forehead and behind his ears. Chen Pi couldn’t help but think that this child had a thick skull like him, so the space inside was small and his brain was stunted.

The copper coins were divided into ten groups and stacked one by one. Chen Pi had already counted them several times and was sitting there scratching his head. He couldn’t count over a hundred, and he was so nervous that the amount of copper coins he counted was different each time. There were ninety-eight for a while, then ninety-seven. How many were missing? He couldn’t seem to figure it out.

The no-contribution flag the boss had tied to the fishing line had been placed on the table with copper coins holding it down. A yellow sunflower pattern had been embroidered it. Chen Pi was tired of counting, so he gave up after a while and looked at the flag carefully.

A yellow sunflower was the symbol of the Huang Kui Gang, so it was only natural that he knew who Chun Shen wanted to kill. But it would take some time to find out who this flag belonged to.

Chen Pi was too excited to care. After waiting for so long, Xi Qi’s words came to fruition and a customer had finally come to the door. He couldn’t remember Xi Qi’s exact words to him, but he felt like Xi Qi had given him a prophecy, which was now coming true.

Chen Pi put down the no-contribution flag, and once again put the copper coins in order one by one. This time, he counted them clearly and found that they were exactly ninety-nine. He let out a sigh, thinking that even though it was one short, he couldn’t let it slide. If Xi Qi said a hundred coins, then he would get a hundred coins. Otherwise, what if it didn’t work?

He looked over at Chun Shen and said, “One hundred coins to kill one man. You’re one short, there’s not enough money.”

Chun Shen had been sitting there all night eating his hot pepper soup, and had even licked the bowl clean. He obviously wasn’t full, and looked at the bowl in front of Chen Pi.

Chen Pi pushed the bowl over, but Chun Shen didn’t dare pick it up. It wasn’t until Chen Pi pushed the bowl in front of him that he started to eat it.

“One short. It’s not enough money.” Chen Pi reminded Chun Shen again. Chun Shen’s mouth was full of soup as he looked at the money and choked. He couldn’t swallow and couldn’t speak, but his chopsticks never stopped moving as he kept stuffing them into his mouth.

Chen Pi went to grab the bowl and pull it back to get him to stop eating, but Chun Shen hugged the bowl and looked up at him. Chen Pi raised his hand to strike him, but Chun Shen quickly put the bowl down.

The two stared at each other. Chun Shen’s cheeks were bulging and he was still chewing as the hot soup dripped from the corners of his mouth in an endless stream.

“A coin is missing, damn it!” When Chen Pi Ah Si slammed his hand on the table, everyone in the vicinity looked at them. They had originally been whispering to each other, wondering why someone like Chen Pi would take Chun Shen to dinner.

Although this year was chaotic, they didn’t think Chen Pi would want to kill Chun Shen. First, everyone in his family had been killed, and the boat was probably looted. Second, if Chen Pi killed him and gained his boat, it wasn’t like he’d bring in more money. This year, it was still more valuable to do hard labor. There were many old, ownerless ships that had run aground along the East Lake embankment and were rotting. Mud and silt had flowed to the Yangtze River, so those who could earn a living on shore had already left. Winter on the water was difficult enough, and one more boat wouldn’t solve anything.

Chun Shen didn’t respond at all. The jar of copper money had been saved by his mother burning clam shells, so it was only natural that he didn’t know how much was in there or bother counting it. He just looked at Chen Pi with eyes full of panic.

Chen Pi suddenly realized that he wasn’t talking to someone of equal intelligence. He looked at the money on the table, wrapped it in the flag, took Chun Shen’s hand, and then walked to the riverbank. They went up to Chun Shen’s boat in the dark, and Chen Pi said, “Now, I’m going up to look for it. As long as there’s a coin, I promise I’ll kill that man. Got it?”

Chun Shen nodded, his eyes suddenly widening when he heard the word kill.

Chen Pi completely ignored him, and climbed up to start rummaging around.

Chun Shen didn’t get on the boat, but retreated to the tree on the shore instead. He hid in the shadows and watched silently as Chen Pi rummaged everywhere. The stench of blood on the boat was still very heavy, and he became more and more manic. He searched all over, but there wasn’t a copper coin to be found.

Chen Pi irritably threw all the scrap metal back into the lake and said to himself, one more, just one more. He was really anxious. He wanted to accept the first payment as soon as possible, but it was all going to fall through because of a fucking coin.

He rummaged until midnight, and it was only when the bottom of the boat had almost been turned over that Chen Pi realized that there really wasn’t a single coin left on the boat. It was like fate was mocking him, telling him that Xi Qi may be right, but he would always fall a little short.

Chen Pi’s emotions switched from calm to rage, and then to emptiness. When he got off the boat, he was completely disheartened. He held the lantern in front of Chun Shen, threw the flag and copper coins down, and then turned to walk away.

Chun Shen froze for a moment before immediately getting up and chasing after him. He struggled to get in front of Chen Pi and then held up the money.

Chen Pi pushed him aside, “One hundred coins, kill one person. You’re short.” With that said, he kept walking.

Chun Shen chased after him again, ran in front of him, and tried to hand him the money. His face was panicked, and it was obvious he didn’t know what had happened.

Chen Pi pushed him away again, and showed his greatest patience as he repeated, “One hundred coins, kill one person. You’re missing one.”

Chun Shen still held up the coins in his hands, but Chen Pi was indifferent and kept moving forward. After Chun Shen continued following him with raised hands, Chen Pi stopped and looked at him coldly. He kicked the back of Chun Shen’s knee, and Chun Shen fell to the ground.

Chen Pi continued walking away. Chun Shen tried to get up, but found that he couldn’t stand at all, and his legs didn’t have any strength. He dragged his body across the ground to try and catch up with Chen Pi, but Chen Pi quickly got further and further away until he slowly disappeared into the darkness. Chun Shen held the money and watched Chen Pi leave, his dull face finally starting to show despair. Tears welled up in his eyes and he started crying.

He didn’t know how long he had been crying in the middle of the road, when another lantern suddenly came along. Chun Shen stopped crying and looked up, finding that Chen Pi had come back again.

He took the copper coins from Chun Shen’s hands and said coldly, “I thought of a way. Tomorrow, you’ll go begging for food and give me that missing coin.”

Chun Shen nodded desperately and wiped his nose.

<Extra 4.7> <Table of Contents><Extra 4.9>