《Kali Yuga》Chapter 21. Zhang Hu's three requests.
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They were sitting in Zhang Hu's office. They both felt awkward.
"Well... I guess it's easier to have another round of sparring.. isn't it?", Zhang Hu suddenly and chuckled talked.
Huang Wen laughed a bit and nodded, "Uncle Zhang... I..., I wanted to say that ..., I sincerely like Zhang Xuan, within days after I know her better... I just love her more. I sincerely wanted to marry her."
His voice trembled a bit. Huang Wen didn't know how much Zhang Xuan had told her father. She did say that she told her father everything but didn't explain further.
Zhang Hu spoke carefully, "Hmm... Zhang Xuan had spoken to me about you. As a father and as an adult, I think she was too hasty at making her decision but she was very adamant about it. Things you two did... there is nothing we could do about it but if you think just because of that, I will be forced to give her to you, you're wrong. I don't want to let her marry someone who isn't worthy."
"Uncle Zhang, anything you're asking from me to prove myself, as long as it doesn't against my conscience, I would.", Huang Wen hastily replied.
"First, I like you to promise me. Never look down on my daughter just because she gives herself to you too easily.", said Zhang Hu seriously.
"I won't. I promise I would never look down on her. I only know her for a few days but what I saw made me admire her very much. That's the reason why I dare myself to come today.", Huang Wen answered without any hesitation.
"Hmm... I have another request.", Zhang Hu said again.
"You just need to say it, Uncle Zhang.", Huang Wen nodded.
"I wanted you to do three things before I agree for Zhang Xuan to marry you."
"First, I want you to help Chen Yao and Xia Yue to find out about their parent. If possibly save them and bring them here. Their parents are good friend of mine and my wife. Chen Yao and Xia Yue are very close to Zhang Xuan. They're closer than sister to her. I want to find news about their parent but I can't leave the base, there are many things to do here. We are yet to secure our future here. Thus, I want you to help me. First, to prove yourself. And secondly, for the girl's sake."
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"Second, I want you to go to your hometown and find your parent and hopefully, save them and bring them here. If they survive this calamity and you manage to bring them here, then I want them to ask for Zhang Xuan to me formally."
"Third, I want you to help me build a strong base, where the survivor could live in peace."
"About the third one, I could agree, for you to marry Zhang Xuan before we could accomplish my third request. Since with our current situation, its going to be a bit hard to say whether we already build such place or not."
"Now, do you agree with all three of them or not?", Zhang Hu straightened his back and asked.
Huang Wen's expression changed as he listened to Zhang Hu's request. All three were just and actually each one of them showed Zhang Hu's magnanimity. Each of his request wasn't for Zhang Hu himself. The first was for Zhang Xuan's best friends, Chen Yao and Xia Yue. It could be said that it was for Zhang Xuan but Zhang Hu knew that Huang Wen wanted to marry Chen Yao and Xia Yue as well, to not harbor any evil feeling toward them too but asked Huang Wen to help them to find their parent instead, Huang Wen truly admired his openness.
The second request, actually for Huang Wen himself. Although it could also be said as Zhang Hu gently reprimanded him for forgetting his own parent, while pursuing his own happiness.
The third request, wasn't focused on Zhang Hu's own need but actually for all the survivor under his protection. Now, Huang Wen felt truly ashamed for earlier accusations. Huang Wen's heart was filled with many emotion. He felt small in front of this person. Huang Wen just sat there unable to say anything.
"Well... do you agree to my requests?", Zhang Hu patiently watched Huang Wen, with his years of experience at judging people he looked at the young man in front of him.
"I agree...", Huang Wen nodded, he answered shortly since he was afraid that his voice would give away his true feeling.
"Good... I believe you... it seems that my daughter still knows how to judge people. I tell you once again, don't look down on Zhang Xuan. If she didn't think highly of your character, she wouldn't agree to give herself to you. As soon as she returned to me, likely she would ask me to beat you down. If she did it out of her will."
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"But since she thinks you're the man she could trust with her life and the life of those she cared about, she is willingly agree to your proposal."
"You better remember that. Now, you can go to see her. I think she's with her mother now. Just go to a small house painted in green, behind this building. I won't accompany you for now, since I think it would make things awkward, both for you and for me.", Zhang Hu said a bit gently compared to his previous tone.
Huang Wen stood and politely nodded to excuse himself. He was on his way to the door, when he turned.
"Uncle Zhang... I won't ever betray your trust in me. Nor Zhang Xuan's."
"I know... And if you ever betray me, then I would blame myself for miss-judging you.", Zhang Hu smiled.
"Thank you.... Uncle Zhang..."
"You're welcome, now go, find her.", Zhang Hu waved his hand.
Huang Wen left the room to find Zhang Xuan, a small house painted in green, behind the building. His heart filled with joy, but at the same time he could feel the heavy responsibility that now on his shoulder. The heavy weight didn't burden him though. Rather he bore it with certain satisfaction. He felt like he was on the right path. Before, when the world suddenly changed, he was lost. He was intoxicated by the power he suddenly got and at the same time he was feeling helpless in the face of the problem that seemed to huge to handle. For days he was running from his responsibilities as a son, as a man. He used the collapsing of the society and the evil part of human psyche, as an excuse.
Zhang Hu's requests put everything in order. Huang Wen felt waves of gratitude surged from within, at the same time he realized that he was lacking a lot as a man. Before he knew it, Zhang Hu became an image of the ideal man, within his heart.
Zhang Hu used to be the charismatic leader of the White Tiger gang whose influence was covering more than one province. When Zhang Hu led hundreds of men, all of them were willing to die for him. Huang Wen felt the same, it close to fanaticism.
Not long after Huang Wen left the building, Fan Zheng went inside and went to see Zhang Hu.
"So.. What do you think about him?", Fan Zheng dropped his ass on one of the sofa and asked.
"Not bad... I guess I will trust Zhang Xuan's judgment for now. We'll see later, how things will progress."
"You sent him to find the girls parents and then his own parents as you're planned?", Fan Zheng asked.
"Hmm", Zhang Hu nodded.
"Hmm... but the road will be filled with danger.", Fan Zheng said.
"I want my son in law have the strength to overcome danger, otherwise how could he protect my daughter?", Zhang Hu answered.
"Should we send several strong trusted men to accompany him?", Fan Zheng asked.
"We'll see. I think we could spare some people but we need to select them carefully. The last thing I want, is for someone to back stab my future son in law.", Zhang Hu answered and smiled.
"Haha, so you already call him your future son in law now?", Fan Zheng chuckled, "Okay, we'll pick the people we could trust. I think we could gather around ten men. Do you think their parents survive this long?"
"Hmmm... Chen Fang and Xia Bao, if we could survive those two should be able to survive too. Though we could never say anything for sure. Too many trivial incident killed once a great man. I don't know, I hope they do and if they do survive. I want them to live here with us. I don't want to be a Liu Bei who met Xu Shu and win his loyalty just to lose him afterwards."
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