Chapter 7: Mr. Shen

In Hong Kong, the Shen family was not merely a surname.

In the 1940s, the Shen family were nothing but “Tanka boys” (water people) making a living in the typhoon shelter at Shau Kei Wan. Starting with a few broken sampans, they did business with their lives hanging by a thread, transporting gold, transporting penicillin, transporting anything valuable in those chaotic times.

Eighty years later, that family once reeking of fish blood had long since washed the mud from their legs. They wore bespoke suits from Savile Row, lived in mid-level mansions, and had become a colossus controlling more than half of Hong Kong’s shipping lifeline.

The Shen Group held seven container terminals in Kwai Tsing, tightly gripping three golden shipping routes to Southeast Asia, Europe, and North America.

There was a saying in the streets: “Where the waters of Victoria Harbour flow, the Shen family’s ships sail. When Mr. Shen coughs, half the dock laborers in the port go hungry.”

Yet from yesterday through this morning, the Kwai Chung docks had fallen into a state of anxious tension.

“Move the crane faster! You worthless bastard, haven’t you eaten? Where’s the backup generator? Get it up here now! If the temperature control on this cargo goes red, selling you all to land reclamation won’t cover the loss!” The foreman’s roars mixed with crude Cantonese curses, exploding across the noisy unloading zone.

But as that man with the umbrella approached, his cursing stopped. He wiped his hands twice on his oil-stained work pants and jogged over.

“Mr. Shen.” The foreman’s voice trembled. “It’s not that the brothers aren’t working hard. The gate side is off today. Used to be you could get through with a cigarette, but today even red envelopes are being returned. They say it’s a dead order from above.”

Shen Yanzhou nodded, about to question further, when Shen Xici walked over.

He wiped the rain from his face, his tone agitated. “Brother, I just checked the dispatch office. Officer Leung on duty changed shifts last minute. He’s insisting on ‘Level One Inspection.’ Hundreds of tons of bluefin tuna and top-grade wagyu beef. Once the boxes are opened and hit the hot air, the quality drops one grade and that’s a difference of millions.”

“How long until the customs cutoff?” Shen Yanzhou’s voice was very light.

The foreman hurriedly held up two rough fingers, gesturing urgently: “Two days! Mr. Shen, only two days! The Datuk over in Nanyang is celebrating his birthday. This shipment is the main course. If it can’t board the ship in two days, not only will the penalty for breach of contract strip us to our underwear, but our Shen Ji line just laid down in Nanyang will be severed…”

He couldn’t continue, let out a heavy sigh, and squatted down with a bitter face, scratching his sparse hair in frustration: “This isn’t inspecting cargo. This is taking our lives.”

Shen Yanzhou pulled out a silver cigarette case from his pocket, holding a cigarette out to the foreman.

“Take it.” His voice was low.

“The brothers haven’t slept well these past few days. Hard work.”

The foreman looked at that specially supplied cigarette. His hands reeking of machine oil rubbed again and again against his pant legs before he dared reach out trembling to accept. He had spent half his life on the docks, not blinking even with a cleaver at his throat, yet he inexplicably felt his throat go dry.

“Mr. Shen, this… this is what we should do.”

“When the sky falls, the tall ones hold it up. Don’t panic first.” The corner of Shen Yanzhou’s mouth curved into an extremely faint arc. “Have the brothers go connect the backup cooling pipes. No matter how much fuel it burns, the temperature must stay constant at minus twenty degrees. The others rotate shifts to eat at Auntie’s tea stall. Put it on my tab. Tell them, as long as the cargo is still here, other troubles, I’ll carry.”

Several nearby dockworkers who had worn faces of despair moments ago heard these words, and light instantly ignited in their dead-ash eyes.

At these Kwai Chung docks that treated people like nothing, other bosses only cared about the red numbers on their reports. Only Mr. Shen cared whether this crowd of laborers was hungry or tired. These rough men who lived by the knife’s edge understood little else, but they held one truth dead in their hearts—

For Mr. Shen, tonight even if they had to shoulder these dozens of tons of cargo and swim to Nanyang, they couldn’t let him lose money.

Someone in the crowd let out a low roar: “Stop standing around! Go get the cooling pipes! For Mr. Shen, even if it costs our lives, we must guard the cargo!”

Shen Yanzhou looked at them and smiled.

Turning around, he looked sideways at the drenched Shen Xici beside him. He took out a handkerchief and gently brushed across his forehead,顺势 wiping away the rain about to drip into his eyes.

“Brother?” Shen Xici’s face, originally pale from anxiety, visibly flushed red.

“How old are you, still so reckless.”

“Prepare the car. To the Inspection Division. Let’s meet this Officer Leung who changed shifts.”

***

Inside the Customs Inspection Building, the air conditioning ran strong, a completely different world from the hot, damp, salty docks outside.

Shen Yanzhou and Shen Xici sat in the reception room for a full forty minutes. The tea placed before them had long gone cold.

“Mr. Shen, truly sorry.”

A young Beta secretary walked over on high heels, a professional fake smile on her face. “Officer Leung has been in an emergency video conference. After all, there’s a crackdown lately, pressure from above is tight. This way please.”

They followed expressionlessly, walking toward the office at the end.

As the door pushed open, a slightly overweight middle-aged man with a receding hairline set down the documents in his hand. Seeing Shen Yanzhou, he removed his glasses, his lips pulling into a smile that didn’t reach his eyes.

“Oh my, Young Master Shen and Third Young Master personally gracing us with their presence. Forgive us for not going out to welcome you.”

“Officer Leung, let’s speak plainly among sensible people.” Shen Xici, who had been waiting outside until his stomach was full of fire, stepped forward and slammed the documents onto the desk.

“Your detention of Shen Shipping’s fresh cargo has already exceeded the statutory inspection time limit. If there is still no substantive evidence, I have the right to represent the party and immediately apply for administrative reconsideration, suing you for abuse of power.”

Officer Leung was not intimidated by his lawyer tone. He didn’t even lift his eyelids.

“Lawyer Shen, young people shouldn’t have such a temper.”

Officer Leung put his glasses back on, his gaze passing over Shen Xici to land on the silver-haired man behind him. Even though he had seen countless people, every time he saw Shen Yanzhou, he would still be momentarily dazzled by his aggressively beautiful appearance.

“Mr. Shen, I also want to let you through.” He spread his hands, a face full of helplessness. “But this time is different. A red-headed document came down from above, launching ‘Operation Thunderbolt,’ a hard crackdown. I’m just someone running errands. In this position, I walk on thin ice.”

“Hard crackdown?” Shen Xici laughed coldly. “I think you’re only cracking down on our family, right? How come the Fok family’s ship next door can go through the green channel? Our cargo has been X-rayed five times, what more do you want to inspect? Do you need to break open every shrimp head and look inside?”

“If the procedure requires it, that’s not impossible.”

Officer Leung shrugged, a dead pig not afraid of boiling water attitude. “Moreover, we received a real-name report from the public, saying Mr. Shen’s containers are smuggling contraband. Since there’s a report, we must investigate to the end. That’s the rule.”

“Who is the reporter? Where is the chain of evidence?”

“Out of protection for the reporter’s principles, no comment.” Officer Leung lifted his teacup, blowing at the foam. “Lawyer Shen, the procedure isn’t finished, I can’t do anything either. You should go back and wait for news. When there’s a result, I’ll notify you two at the first opportunity.”

Shen Xici’s face went white with anger. He wanted to argue further, but a slender pale hand gently rested on his shoulder.

“Xici, step aside.”

Shen Xici looked at Shen Yanzhou and obediently retreated to the side.

Shen Yanzhou stepped forward, looking down at Officer Leung from above.

“Officer Leung, these past few years, the gestures of goodwill the Shen family has sent to your residence during festivals, added up, would be enough for you to buy a large flat in Happy Valley. Between us, do we still need to perform this ‘strictly by the book’ act?”

Officer Leung’s face changed, his eyes flickering somewhat, avoiding Shen Yanzhou’s gaze that seemed able to see through people’s hearts: “Mr. Shen, one matter is one matter…”

“Five million.”

Shen Yanzhou directly interrupted him. “No matter who told you to detain the cargo, five million. I want your signature within half an hour.”

Greed struggled frantically in Officer Leung’s turbid eyes. He couldn’t help but look again at this man where beauty and wealth coexisted. Five million. In the past, he would have accepted it with a smile, and even personally escorted Shen Yanzhou out the door. After all, that cargo truly had no problems.

But…

He thought of last night’s phone call. Fear overpowered greed.

“Mr. Shen.”

Officer Leung set down his teacup, his voice growing hoarse, the official tone gone from just now.

“This truly isn’t about money. Even if you give me fifty million, I can’t sign this.”

Shen Yanzhou keenly captured the terror in his eyes. “So it turns out you’re afraid your life isn’t long enough to spend it.”

He leaned slightly forward, both hands on the desk, looking straight into Officer Leung’s eyes: “Tell me. Who? As long as you give a name, this five million is still yours, and the Shen family can guarantee your whole family’s safe departure from Hong Kong.”

“Mr. Shen, don’t ask. Really don’t ask.”

Officer Leung collapsed back into his chair, a face full of suffering. “When gods fight, mortals suffer. I truly dare not say. The other side I also can’t afford to provoke. If I speak, tomorrow I’ll be feeding fish in the typhoon shelter.”

Since money couldn’t pry open his mouth, and threats were useless, that meant the force threatening Officer Leung was terrifying to a degree that exceeded even the Shen family.

“Fine.” Shen Yanzhou straightened up, no longer entangling himself.

He knew further discussion was meaningless. The other side was dead set on destroying him. Officer Leung was merely a puppet pushed to the front of the stage.

He turned around. When he reached the door, his footsteps paused. He turned back and looked at Officer Leung once more.

“Officer Leung, when gods fight, mortals do indeed suffer.”

“But if you stand on the wrong team, that ‘suffering,’ I’m afraid will come faster than you imagine.”

After speaking, he and Shen Xici pushed out the door one after another.

Until that stunningly beautiful back disappeared behind the door, Officer Leung discovered his back shirt was soaked through. He let out a long breath, took out a handkerchief to wipe the cold sweat from his forehead, muttering to himself:

“Mr. Shen, Mr. Shen, such a beautiful person, how did you provoke that pack of mad dogs…”

***

When they walked out of the customs building, the rain had not stopped. Instead, it had drenched the entire city of Hong Kong through.

The black Bentley sped along the dry road back to Central. Inside the cabin, the air pressure was frighteningly low.

“Brother, I’ll have the Legal Department draft the lawsuit right now.” Shen Xici broke the silence.

“By the time it’s filed and the administrative reconsideration process is complete, the daylilies will be cold. That bluefin tuna, even made into canned fish, nobody would want it.”

“Brother, then what do we do?”

“I’ll go beg for help. You go investigate.”

Shen Yanzhou opened his eyes. “That old fox Officer Leung, normally greedy for money as if it were his life, yet today he didn’t even dare accept five million. You go investigate. Who has this old fox met recently, where has he gone. I don’t believe his ass is clean.”

“Understood. I’ll contact private detectives and informants right now.”

Back at the Shen Group headquarters in Central, the following hours, Shen Yanzhou went through almost every contact in his address book that could be used. Yet those uncles and high officials who normally nodded and bowed, either played dumb or spoke with heartfelt concern advising him to “seek his own fortune.”

This continued until one in the morning.

Shen Xici hung up the call with the private detective, looking with a face of defeat toward Shen Yanzhou leaning back in the boss chair with his eyes closed.

“Brother, I’ve already had people start investigating, but it won’t be that fast.” Shen Xici’s voice was hoarse, carrying thick exhaustion. “Officer Leung’s movements these past few days have been very secretive. The detective side says to reconnect the clues, it’ll take at least two days.”

Two days… by then the daylilies would be cold.

“Xici, immediately notify Ah Biao in Security.” Shen Yanzhou’s gaze turned fierce. “Since Officer Leung won’t eat soft, then we’ll have to come hard.”

“Have him bring a few brothers with clean hands, go give Officer Leung a little color.”

“No matter what methods are used, before dawn, I want to know who this ‘person above’ he spoke of is.”

“Understood, Brother. I’ll notify right now.” Shen Xici nodded, looking at his brother’s pale complexion. His nose went sour. From noon until now, Shen Yanzhou had not taken a drop of water, working continuously for over ten hours. Even an iron man couldn’t endure it, to say nothing of his brother’s delicate stomach.

“Brother, the convenience store downstairs is still open. I’ll go buy some hot sandwiches to make do? Sleep in the company lounge tonight, save the back and forth. Tomorrow morning we still need to keep an eye on the Legal Department.”

Staying at the company was indeed the most rational choice at present. He was about to nod in agreement when inexplicably, the image from this morning surfaced in his mind. That man he had just bought back, before leaving this morning, looking at him with dark dog-like eyes, clumsily yet stubbornly speaking to him in Cantonese:

“Zou di faan lei, ngo dang nei, faan uk kei.” (Come back early, I’ll wait for you, to come home.)

Ever since his parents died in an accident… no one had spoken such words to him again.

Thinking of this, Shen Yanzhou stood up, took the suit jacket from the back of the chair and draped it over his arm. “I’ll still go back.”

“Huh?” Shen Xici was stunned. The rain hadn’t stopped. Returning to the mid-levels would take at least half an hour.

“I just raised a dog at home. I need to go back and see if he’s chewed anything up.” Shen Yanzhou replied lightly.

Shen Xici’s eyes went wide. “Dog? Brother, aren’t you the one who hates shedding creatures the most? Before when I said I wanted to raise a golden retriever, you said it was too much trouble. How come suddenly…”

Shen Yanzhou put on his jacket, straightened his collar. The image of that man holding the sole of his foot flashed through his mind.

“Suddenly wanted to raise one.”

Moreover, that dog was a bit stupid.

If he didn’t go back tonight, he might really keep waiting.

***

When he returned to the mid-level villa, it was already past two in the morning.

The wind on the mid-levels was strong, mixed with salty damp air rolling in from the sea surface, blowing through Shen Yanzhou’s thin suit. He walked up the steps, preparing to pull out his keys, when he saw a person sitting on the dark steps.

That dog he had spent thirty million to buy was wearing a thin shirt, guarding the doorway. Rain had long soaked his clothes. His black hair hung wet against his forehead, still dripping water constantly.

Hearing footsteps, the man raised his head.

Rainwater slid down his sharp jawline. Because of prolonged hypothermia, his lips had frozen somewhat purple, his body still trembling slightly. But when he clearly saw Shen Yanzhou, in those pitch-black eyes there seemed to be fire burning, scorchingly hot.

“Thirty Million.” Shen Yanzhou held up his umbrella, speaking coldly.

“Why didn’t you go inside?”

The man raised his head, looking at him, the corner of his mouth slowly pulling into a somewhat foolish smile.

“Waiting inside, separated by the door.”

“Out here, I can see you… a little earlier.”

 

Translation Notes:

Tanka (疍家/水上人家):  A historically marginalized ethnic group in South China who lived on boats in coastal waters and typhoon shelters, often discriminated against by land-dwelling populations. The Shen family’s rise from this status underscores their dramatic social climb.