Zhang Wei
The Chen estate sat in Haidian like an old king who refused to admit his time was ending.
High gray walls. Black iron gates. Guards in dark suits and sunglasses at every corner. The garage doors were half open, showing a line of expensive cars, Bentley, Rolls-Royce, old Mercedes. The garden was big and neat, with trimmed hedges and a large koi pond. Old money lived here, but it was starting to show cracks.
I stepped out of my car with my two guards close behind. They followed at a distance as I approached the gate, ready, but not crowding. I was the danger today, but logic demanded backup for a man like Chen Bo.
A guard at the gate spoke into his earpiece. The gate opened without a word.
I walked the stone path to the back veranda, my guards trailing silently. The air smelled of pine and cigar smoke.
Chen Bo sat there in a rattan chair, legs crossed, thick cigar in his hand. He was in his late fifties, heavy around the middle, hair more gray than black. Silk shirt open at the collar, gold chain shining. He looked like a man who had once owned everything and now fought to keep it.
He didn't stand when I walked up.
One of his guards stepped forward.
"Sir. Zhang Wei is here."
Chen Bo took a slow drag from his cigar, eyes on me the whole time.
"I wasn't expecting company today," he said, voice deep and calm. "No appointments on my calendar."
The guard waited.
Chen Bo smiled a little. "Bring him in."
I stepped onto the veranda, my guards positioning themselves at the entrance, visible, watchful.
Chen Bo looked me up and down, like he was seeing a ghost from the past.
"Zhang Wei," he said, warm but careful. "Look at you. All grown up. I remember when you were just a boy running around your father's office. Time flies."he chuckled.
I nodded once. "It does."
He gestured to the chair across from him. "Sit", He cleared his throat "Tea? Something stronger?"
"No thank you."
He chuckled. "Still straight to business. Just like your old man."
He leaned back, cigar glowing. "What brings you here without a call? Hope there's no trouble. Or is this business?"
I stayed standing.
"It's about your son."
Chen Bo's smile faded a little, but he kept his voice light. "Rong? What's that boy done now? Spent too much? Crashed another car?"
I looked him in the eye.
"He drugged a girl. Paid a bellboy to take her to his hotel room. The bellboy got the room wrong. She ended up in my suite. Someone filmed it. The video went viral."
Chen Bo's face changed. The cigar stopped halfway to his mouth.
He set it down slowly.
"You're telling me... my son is behind that scandal? The one with you?"
"Yes."
Chen Bo rubbed his forehead. "That stupid boy. I told him to stay away from trouble." He looked up. "Where is he now?"
"You tell me."
Chen Bo shook his head. "He said he was in Singapore. Family business."
I didn't answer.
He sighed. "Young men make mistakes. Rong... he looks up to you. Got jealous, maybe. Wanted to feel big." He leaned forward. "We can fix this quietly. Money for the girl. Good money. We keep it between families. Your father and I go way back. We've solved worse."
I stepped closer.
"That scandal almost cost me my position. Almost cost my father's company billions. It almost destroyed an innocent girl's life." My voice stayed low. "And you want to buy it quiet?"
Chen Bo's eyes hardened. "It was a mistake. No real harm done. You married her, didn't you? Problem solved."
"Provide your son," I said. "Or I take this further. You know what I'm capable of."
Chen Bo stared at me, cigar forgotten.
Just then, fast footsteps from the side of the house.
Chen Rong stumbled into view.
Coat torn. Face dirty. Hair messy. He looked like he hadn't slept in days.
Chen Bo stood up fast. "Rong?"
Chen Rong froze when he saw me.
His eyes went wide with fear.
Chen Bo's voice shook. "You said you were in Singapore!"
Chen Rong didn't answer. He looked at me like he wanted the ground to swallow him.
Then he turned and ran.
My guards moved, fast, quiet.
They caught him before he reached the garden.
Chen Bo watched, face pale.
I looked at him.
"You lied."
He opened his mouth, closed it.
I turned to my guards.
"Take him."
Chen Rong struggled. "Father, help me!"
Chen Bo didn't move.
I walked away.
But Chen Bo's voice stopped me cold.
"I know what your father did years ago."
I turned slowly.
He stood there, face twisted, anger, fear, desperation.
"You remember the Liu's," he said, voice low and venomous. "The family that owned the biggest tech companies in China. Your father wiped them clean off the map more than twenty years ago."
My blood turned to ice.
"This is a secret I should have kept buried," he continued, eyes burning. "But if you decide to rub mud on my face, I have no choice. I won't go down alone."
He stepped closer, voice dropping to a hiss.
"You know what to do. Drop this. Act like it never happened. And we're good."
I looked at him for a long moment.
"How am I sure what you are saying are not lies?"
Chen Bo grinned, teeth clenched.
"If you think I'm lying, ask your father. And if you still doubt me, I have lots of evidence to back it up."
I stared at him, stuck between legacy and justice.
The air felt thick.
Mei's face flashed in my mind, her laugh from yesterday, her hand in mine, the way she had looked at me when I said I'd protect her.
Legacy.
Justice.
Family name.
Her.
After a while, I signaled my guards.
"Let go of Chen Rong."
They released him.
Chen Rong fell to his knees, gasping.
I looked at Chen Bo again.
"Don't think we are done yet."
I turned my back and walked toward my car.
Questions piled up in my head.
Who are the Liu's?
Why would my father wipe them out?
The engine started.
But the real storm was just beginning.
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