Fear proved to be the greater motivator.
Not long after dawn, Fu Qian welcomed his first visitors.
The reason he said "first visitors" instead of "first visitor" was that in addition to the long-lost Brother Zetian, he even brought along an accompanying person.
This was a lady wearing red-framed glasses, who looked to be under thirty, clad in standard office attire, svelte and attractive at first glance.
She followed closely beside Zetian, clearly playing the role of a secretary.
Early in the morning, Brother Zetian, seemingly oblivious to his charming secretary, started interrogating Fu Qian with a serious face as soon as he entered the room.
"Where have you been all this time?"
Although it was just one sentence, the complex emotions embedded within it were quite audible.
"How should I address you?"
Fu Qian didn't rush to respond to the interrogation but instead sized up the secretary, not missing even a single strand of her hair, as if he were assessing her taste.