Chapter 037: Hong Kong in Days Gone By

It was late, though perhaps not deep into the night. It was a remote location, though not particularly isolated. The screaming, however, was truly harrowing.

Liu Jing kicked out, landing squarely in the other man’s crotch. He thought he heard a faint sound of pathetic misery. Being short, that was the most convenient target for him, and the only one he could reach. Since he had already started, he did not hold back. Liu Jing did not even bother to shout "stop." He picked up a brick, plunged into the fray, and soon, a chorus of screams filled the air.

People in Hong Kong were long accustomed to such street brawls. The incessant wailing drew quite a few onlookers. Some of the men clutched their faces, others their groins, stumbling into the crowd until they vanished from sight.

"Fatty, are you alright? Do you need to go to the hospital?" my aunt asked, stepping forward. The sound of the screaming had sobered her up.

"What do you think?" Fatty muttered, raising his hand to see it dripping with blood. It wasn't blood from his hand, but from his head. He was thick-skinned and could take a beating.

"You can still talk, which means your mind is clear and you haven't been beaten into an idiot. You can still stand, which means no broken bones, so you won't be crippled," my aunt analyzed.

"What are you trying to say?" Fatty asked.

"I’m saying you were quite experienced when you were getting beaten earlier. You curled into a ball just like a pig waiting for the slaughter. Hahaha..."

"Zhou Wenqiong, do you have any empathy?" Wang Fatty asked, exasperated. He wasn't actually angry; seeing how brave she had been during the fight, she had earned the right to mock him.

"Hey! It’s Wong Jing, that’s Wong Jing..."

"No way, why did this fat pig get beaten up?"

"I heard he’s been close to Sharla Cheung lately. Could it be that *someone* did this?"

"Impossible. He wouldn't dare touch Sharla Cheung. There are many people who don't like him; it could be anyone."

"What a pity, he can still walk. Seems like they went too easy on him."

"Tsk tsk, could it be one of the guys chasing Chingmy Yau?"

"Heh, looks like there’s a good show to watch."

***

Wang Fatty’s injuries were minor, far less severe than what Liu Jing’s kick had caused. After a check-up at the hospital, it seemed his thick skin had saved him from any real damage. The doctor cleaned and bandaged his wounds, and he didn't even need to be hospitalized.

The show went on despite his minor injuries. *My Father Is a Hero* continued filming as scheduled and wrapped up on time. Many people had witnessed Wang Fatty getting beaten, so the news was impossible to suppress. He didn't intend to cover it up, and the attackers certainly didn't care.

The next morning, Wang Fatty went to his boss to complain. "Boss! Getting beaten in the street—this is a slap in the face to your favorite subordinate. You have to back me up!" This was his usual procedure whenever he was bullied, and the boss would usually step in. To bully someone from Win's Film in Hong Kong was akin to pulling whiskers on a tiger.

The boss spoke to him earnestly and offered comfort, but took no further action. From that day on, Wang Fatty never mentioned the incident again and focused entirely on his work. He avoided Sharla Cheung whenever he saw her and never collaborated with her again.

At that time, Sharla Cheung didn't want to work with anyone. Due to personal emotional turmoil, she had lost her passion for film. Her interests had shifted entirely toward investment and making money. She felt that what "Woody" said was right: once she had money and power, men would be begging to be with her.

"Uncle Fatty, there’s nothing shameful about this. It’s just a beating. When I was filming with Uncle Jet, I took plenty of hits," Liu Jing said, patting the fat man on the shoulder with a grand, mature air.

As filming for *My Father Is a Hero* reached its peak, they stole a moment of leisure. After the day's filming, Wong Jing, Jet Li, Corey Yuen, and my aunt went out for drinks. The conversation inevitably drifted to the incident. It had been half a month, and the topic had mostly died down, but a few days ago, the boss had given an interview where his vague responses reignited the media's interest.

In the interview, the boss had distanced himself from the situation and downplayed the whole affair.

"If you didn't look at me like a joke, I wouldn't feel ashamed," Wang Fatty retorted, annoyed by the kid’s mockery. However, he was secretly moved that the two of them hadn't run away during the fight, but had instead helped him strike back. Since then, his attitude toward them had shifted; they were no longer just colleagues, but true friends.

"Uncle Fatty, this wasn't arranged by Sister Sharla. She didn't know anything about it beforehand. Whatever misunderstanding you two have, do me a favor—it’s better to resolve a grudge than to keep it," Liu Jing said with the air of a big brother, trying to clear the air.

Wang Fatty couldn't help but laugh. "Kid, what kind of misunderstanding could we have? I know what kind of person Sharla Cheung is better than you do."

***

"The kid is right. Who hasn't been beaten up? By the way, didn't the boss get slapped by that person from the mainland a while back?" Corey Yuen downed a drink, looking strangely excited.

"That happened? When? Why didn't I know?" Liu Jing perked up, instantly interested.

"You're not the discipline committee; why would every bit of gossip in the entertainment industry be reported to you?" Wang Fatty mocked.

"Looks like you don't know either. Your boss didn't even treat you like one of his own," Liu Jing said, sounding disappointed.

"Hmph! Kid, that’s your boss too," Wang Fatty grumbled, beginning to explain, "That day, Yang Yuying came to Hong Kong, and the boss spent three million, wanting to sign her. But right in the middle of dinner, her boyfriend showed up. The guy was no pushover..."

"It’s a pity it was in Hong Kong. If it were in the mainland, it would be hard to say," Corey Yuen laughed.

"Enough about that. Let’s talk about my beating. It had finally died down, and now the media is hounding me again. I’m the victim; what’s the point of interviewing me? Rubbing salt in the wound?" Wang Fatty sighed.

"Haha, he’s just stirring up the heat to give everyone an explanation; he doesn't really have a grudge against you. If he really did, it wouldn't have just been a few punches," Jet Li laughed.

"And giving you a warning at the same time," Corey Yuen added.

"Hey! He wasn't giving everyone an explanation; he was giving one to Sharla Cheung. If he really wanted to give me a warning, I don't know how many stitches I’d need. We’re all men; this is just a way to coax a woman," Wang Fatty said self-deprecatingly. Though he understood the logic, it was impossible not to mind. After all, the other person was a man, and so was he.

"Alright! You got off easy. Think about the fates of Wong Long-wai and Choi Chi-ming back in the day..." Corey Yuen stopped himself and quickly gestured, "Oh, this pig tongue is delicious. Woody, try it, you are what you eat."

Jet Li sighed. "It's been years, there's nothing that can't be said. Back then..."

My aunt and Liu Jing learned a great deal from that meal. My aunt didn't drink, and on the way home with Liu Jing, she was unexpectedly silent.

*My Father Is a Hero* wasn't filmed in Hong Kong, but in Yandu, at a courtyard on 11 Nei Wu Bu Street in the Dongcheng District. It wasn't far from Liu Jing's own courtyard. My aunt had bought a car, as she was often working in Yandu.

When they reached their doorstep, Liu Jing asked, "Aunt, it’s a good thing you didn't get involved in the Hong Kong film circle back then. It’s really not safe there."

My aunt bit her lip, crouched down, and suddenly hugged Liu Jing. "Woody, let’s stop filming. Let's scrape some money together and buy our way out of the contract."

Liu Jing patted her shoulder, comforting her. "It’s okay, I’m just a kid."

"You're a kid, how can you face these things? You should be like Sisi, studying at school and enjoying the warmth of a family," my aunt choked out.

"I was an orphan before; these things don't mean much to me. In this world, everything has a price—to gain something, you must give something up," Liu Jing patted her head, as if he were the one comforting a child.

"But..."

There were no more "buts."

Their neighbor, Sharla Cheung, walked over from the side, her expression distant. "Woody, once you wrap up your current project, come with me to Hong Kong for a dinner party. There’s a master there, and we’re going to meet him."