Beginning with the Ubume Bird-Chapter 545 - 41 Rejection

"Haha, Li Yan, have you heard? In the star Dorothy’s ’Giant Lake,’ a Chinese man is depicted as the male lead, and the whole of San Francisco is talking about it."

Chang Yu, wearing a gray long coat with his chest exposed, was drenched in sweat on both his hair and sleeves.

He wore a copper monocle on one eye, and his hand held a welding torch, while the cramped dormitory was stiflingly hot to stand.

Upon closer inspection, Chang Yu’s wrist seemed to be boneless, as the flame of the welding torch moved nimbly among the steel, precise, smooth, and pleasing to the eye. Yet, his elbow remained completely still, without the slightest tremble, as stable as machinery.

Under his operation, a steel armature resembling a human arm gradually took shape in the welding fire.

"Hmm, I’ve heard something along those lines."

Li Yan replied from the other side of the workbench.

"I always said, there are still champions of justice in San Francisco, like Miss Dorothy. Time will prove everything."

Li Yan smiled and did not respond to Chang Yu’s remarks.

He was polishing a roughly processed part, using nothing but his eyesight and a hand engraving tool.

If Chang Yu’s welding was professional and skilled, a result of training from a top company and relentless hard work, then Li Yan’s movements appeared casual and lazy. His fingers moved deftly up and down, with very small gestures, not finishing the same kind of parts first but grabbing whatever was closest.

One should know, the fine processing of parts requires much higher precision than welding, and many large factories have long since started using machines instead of manual labor. To the untrained eye, Li Yan’s method seemed like mere foolery.

But that was not the case.

Chang Yu turned off the welding torch and casually picked up a hexagonal nut that Li Yan had polished, placing it under a magnifying glass. The parts’ texture was smooth and even, without a single burr to be seen. Even the top-notch machines at Enfield might not achieve such precision.

"Truly the hand of God."

Chang Yu couldn’t help but marvel, "Li Yan, with just this skill alone, you could go work for Enfield tomorrow, and my boss would treat you as a distinguished guest."

"Hahaha, I’ll pass. A job like that can be done with a machine of high precision. I’m not interested in being a human machine tool."

Li Yan placed the engraving tool back in its box, manifold parts neatly arranged across the two large tables for assembly.

With the "Spring Yak" in his possession, coupled with his own terrifying physical constitution, such a trivial task was naturally easy for him.

Chang Yu picked up the blueprint and reviewed it again to make sure there were no omissions before nodding, "Just some key constructions and the Tri-Orb Device left. These can only be completed in the company’s large workshop, but I can’t supply you with high-powered weaponry or explosives, I hope you understand."

"No problem."

Li Yan flexed his fingers: "Is there anything else I can help with?"

"No need, sit down and have a cup of coffee."

"Alright."

Li Yan sat on the edge of Chang Yu’s bed and poured himself a strong coffee.

"Chang, you’ve been rather busy lately."

"Uh, company confidentiality, but I’ve been promoted, that much I can say."

"Then congratulations."

Li Yan smiled and, while raising his coffee cup, seemed to say casually, "I’ve heard from others that you have a beloved named Yanzi."

Chang Yu’s hand suddenly paused, and he pretended to be nonchalant, "Yes." 𝕗𝕣𝐞𝐞𝘄𝐞𝚋𝚗𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗹.𝚌𝕠𝚖

Li Yan pulled out a deed of sale from his sleeve and handed it to Chang Yu, "This favor has cost you quite a bit, both work and principal. Consider this your compensation."

Chang Yu’s gaze froze on the document he had instinctively grabbed, staring at the red handprint and text for a long time. Then he looked up at Li Yan, struggling to find words to refuse, fearing that Li Yan might change his mind.

Chang’s salary was much higher than most of his countrymen who toiled, but he still could not afford to buy Yanzi’s freedom. In fact, he had already saved quite a bit, about one-third. In another five or six years, he would be able to redeem Yanzi.

But that would be five or six years later. As for the cost of producing a miniature steam-powered soldier, it was nothing compared to the redemption money.

"I, thank you..." Chang Yu started to say, then suddenly stopped, pondered for a while, and asked, "What, do you want me to do?"

Li Yan raised an eyebrow, "That question of yours, sounds rather distant."

"Li, I consider you and Cha as good friends, but I also believe there is no such thing as a free lunch in this world. Don’t we have an old Chinese saying, ’Even among brothers, accounts must be clear’?"

Chang Yu looked earnestly at Li Yan.

"You’re right."

Li Yan finished his coffee in one gulp, "Do you know what I do?"

Chang Yu shook his head, "I only know that the Dragon Head of Hesheng holds you in high regard, and you have deep ties with several heretical sects in Chinatown. I’ve also heard that you’re, the Fist Rebellion."

"Do you believe that?"

Chang Yu shook his head, "Although we have not known each other for long, I believe, Li Yan, you are an enlightened, wise, ambitious, capable, and knowledgeable progressive, not someone who would instigate chaos."

"Ambition, capability, and knowledge can’t involve chaos?"

"How could chaos..."

Chang Yu was startled, and his gaze toward Li Yan changed.

"I am ambitious. I aspire to be China’s Jacobin faction."

Chang Yu lowered his head, quickly closed the doors and windows, and then leaned in close to Li Yan, whispering, "You can’t just say things like that."

"You wouldn’t betray me, would you?"

Chang Yu replied wearily, "Of course not."

Li Yan no longer hid his intentions, "I hope you will leave San Francisco with me."

Of course, Li Yan was deceiving him. If Chang Yu agreed, they would head back to the South Seas or Lantau Island, but in principle, as long as Chang Yu agreed to leave with Li Yan, Yan Fu wouldn’t interfere with the destination.

"..."

Both men fell silent, and after a long while, Chang Yu gave a bitter smile, "Aren’t you going to try to persuade me a bit more?"

"I don’t want you to feel later that you had boarded a bandit’s ship and regret it."

"Even if I agree to you and leave San Francisco, where can we go?"

Li Yan was gripping a cup in his palm, "I have considerable influence in the South Seas. We can go there; you don’t even need to return home. My people are stationed on several large islands in the South Seas. I guarantee you and Yanzi can live there in peace and happiness."

Chang Yu’s expression became increasingly serious, "Chang, just like I said earlier, we are friends. There’s no need for friends to beat around the bush when talking, right?"

"Of course."

"I’m sorry, I can’t agree to you. You can take this indenture agreement back."

Saying that, Chang Yu extended the indenture agreement to Li Yan.

Li Yan did not take it.

"You just said there’s no need to beat around the bush between friends—would it be too much if I asked you the reason?"

"Not too much, but I can’t give you the reason."

Chang Yu looked up thoughtfully and then added, "If someone offered you a sum of money to move house, would you need a reason to refuse him?"

Li Yan’s eyes inadvertently revealed a glint of light, causing a chilling feeling down Chang Yu’s spine. He couldn’t understand why the man before him, seemingly around the same age as himself, could possess such a profound and oppressive gaze.

After a long time, Li Yan spoke slowly and deliberately, "I thought we could get along. I wanted to help you."

Chang Yu swallowed, his gaze firmly fixed on Li Yan, "You are harming me. It’s destined that we just can’t converse."

Chang Yu pointed outside the window, "You’ve lived on that land for over twenty years, and I have been in San Francisco for almost twenty years as well. We’re about the same age. Why should your twenty-plus years of ideology constrain the ideology I’ve developed over twenty years?"

"I’m not without love for my compatriots; I just detest barbarism and numbness, the taste of hunger, and death always looming nearby. I can no longer face these things. Why should I go back? Just for that little sense of belonging? Why can’t I use my knowledge to change my own fate? Why can’t I stay in a wealthier, freer, more open city? I am capable of staying here."

Chang Yu, with trembling hands, lifted the indenture agreement and offered it to Li Yan once again.

"I’m sorry, but I can’t agree to you."

Li Yan continued to stare at Chang Yu, his eyes calm yet making Chang Yu break out in a sweat.

After a while, Li Yan took the indenture agreement from his hand, folded it neatly, placed it in Chang Yu’s pocket, and stood up, patting his shoulder while letting out a laugh, "It’s not a big deal. Don’t look so troubled, as if you’re a wronged wife. I didn’t mean to force you; I just thought you weren’t happy and wanted to help. Since I was mistaken, let’s pretend I never mentioned it."

Chang Yu looked down at the half-visible indenture agreement sticking out of his pocket, "Are we still friends?"

"Of course, I’ll come to get some things in a few days. Hope you won’t be stingy."

"How could I be."

As they conversed, Chang Yu escorted Li Yan to the door.

Turning a corner, Cha Xiaodao was leaning against the wall, arms crossed, watching him with great interest.

Li Yan ran his hands through his hair, muttering, "Better to be a peaceful dog than a person of chaotic times. It seems compared to the ambition to change the world, our ancestors’ philosophy of prudence and self-preservation is more normal."

Cha Xiaodao laughed, "Didn’t go as planned?"

Li Yan looked down at the vibrant steam-powered city from the staircase, with Workers’ Party speech banners hanging from the airships coming and going, and the promulgation of new legislation symbolizing that the views of these people had largely become a reality.

"I’m not so sure about that."