Mother and daughter neighbors (25-30)

page views:1 Publication date:2023-09-13陈言2

25.
As the plane climbed to 10,000 meters, Zhao Li fell asleep on my shoulder.
I figured that someone like her, a nightclub manager, had to entertain guests every night, and probably hadn't rested until the wee hours of the morning, only getting two or three hours of sleep before rushing to the airport after getting her hair done.
Looking at her tired face, a complex mix of emotions welled up inside me—a little heartache, and even a desire to protect her.
Because the cabin was so cold, I was worried Zhao Li would catch a chill, so I pressed the call button to summon a flight attendant and asked her to bring a blanket. The flight attendant quickly brought one and asked if my wife was feeling unwell. I said no, thank you.
I was a little surprised that I felt no discomfort at the flight attendant mistaking Zhao Li and me for a couple.
After a two-hour flight, we arrived at Nanchang Changbei Airport. We waited outside the terminal for a while, and then the car rental company came to pick us up.
Considering Zhao Li's hometown was quite remote, I had specifically rented a car online, rather than traveling by long distance. Zhao Li insisted on paying me for the car rental, but I refused, and she finally gave up.
The young man at the rental shop was very enthusiastic and talkative. Looking in the rearview mirror, he asked, "Brother, where are you from?"
I said Haikou. He then asked, "Judging from your sister's accent, you're from Jiangxi, right?"
I said I was from Jiangsu. He continued, "Are you accompanying your girlfriend back to her parents' home?"
I hesitated for a moment, then said, "Yes."
Zhao Li, sitting next to me, gave me a sweet smile.
After completing the formalities at the rental shop near the airport, I drove Zhao Li to her hometown. I rented a Honda small city SUV; it was quite new and had good power.
Along the way, the fields on both sides rushed past, and I was in a particularly good mood. I had never been to Jiangxi before, so I treated it as a road trip, and with a beautiful woman as my companion, why not?
According to Zhao Li, her hometown is located at the junction of Jiangxi, Hunan, and Hubei provinces. It's a picturesque and tranquil place, with a small river flowing through the three provinces. The sounds of chickens and dogs can be heard everywhere, earning it the nickname "the place where a rooster's crow can be heard in three provinces"—a true border town and a well-known tourist destination.
After a three-hour drive, we arrived at Zhao Li's hometown, a small town in northwestern Jiangxi, around 4 PM. In the distance, a small river meandered through the mountains, with scattered houses nestled against the slopes, occasionally emitting wisps of smoke—a truly idyllic scene.
We parked the car in a parking lot in town and walked into the town with our luggage. I only had a backpack, while Zhao Li had more luggage—a rolling suitcase and two boxes of health supplements she bought for her parents.
We walked along the cobblestone path, flanked by low, dilapidated houses. I carried my backpack on my right shoulder and pulled Zhao Li's suitcase with my left hand; she linked her arm with mine and carried the two boxes of supplements in her right hand. We looked like a couple visiting the wife's parents' home.
I figured, since I was pretending to be her boyfriend, I might as well make it convincing!
We arrived at a small dock by the river, ready to take a ferry across. Zhao Li's house was on the other side.
Just then, a wooden boat slowly approached from the opposite bank. I didn't hear a motor, nor did I see a boatman, so I didn't understand how it was propelled. I asked Zhao Li what was going on. She smiled and said, "You'll find out soon enough."
As the boat drew closer, I noticed a steel cable running through it, spanning the river. I didn't know its exact purpose, but it was definitely related to the boat's movement.
After the boat docked, everyone disembarked. Zhao Li and I boarded. An elderly man in his sixties, smoking a pipe, collected fares from each person with a cardboard sign with a QR code—two yuan per person.
Then, he used a wooden scraper to scrape the steel cable, and the boat started moving.
"Oh, I see," I said, suddenly understanding.
Zhao Li laughed, "Now you understand, right?"
I nodded, "It really is the crystallization of the wisdom of the working people!"
After crossing the river, we walked along the bluestone path between rows of low, dilapidated houses. Passing a small courtyard, a woman in her forties or fifties greeted Zhao Li, "Lili's back?"
"Yes! Second Aunt," Zhao Li replied with a smile.
"Is this your boyfriend?" the woman asked again.
"Yes, Second Aunt," Zhao Li smiled.
I immediately bowed slightly to Second Aunt and said, "Hello, Second Aunt!"
"Hello, hello..." Second Aunt smiled.
"See you tomorrow, Second Aunt!" Zhao Li said.
"Yes, see you tomorrow."
After walking a short distance, Zhao Li told me that Second Aunt was the wife of her father's cousin. I thought to myself, since she was her father's cousin's wife, she must be in her forties, right? Not much older than me, yet she was Zhao Li's elder. I really felt like Zhao Li and I were from two different generations.
Soon we arrived at Zhao Li's home, a single-story house with a small courtyard. Zhao Li introduced me to her parents.
Zhao Li's parents looked honest and simple, like everyone else in the small town, rather rustic. They were quite welcoming to me.
After giving the gift she brought to her mother, Zhao Li took out two thick envelopes and gave them to her father, filled with money. She said one was for her father, and the other was for the wedding banquet the next day.
Zhao's mother smiled and said, "Lili! You've had a hard life, why give so much?"
Zhao's father handed the money to his mother, saying, "It's only right for a daughter to show filial piety to her father."
Zhao Li then asked about her parents' health, and said to her father, "Dad, you should drink less alcohol, it's not good for your health. Also, don't give the money I gave you to your younger brother. I've given him enough for living expenses and tuition."
"Okay, okay..." Zhao's father nodded.
Then the elderly couple (who weren't actually that old) started chatting with me, asking about my age, what I did for a living, and so on. When they heard I was forty, they looked at each other, clearly surprised by my age. No wonder, I was more than thirteen years older than their daughter.
I was born in early February 1978, and am now forty years and five months old. Zhao Li was born in May 1991, and is now twenty-seven years and two months old. I am thirteen years and three months older than her.
Zhao's mother asked, "Lili, when are you planning to get married?"
Zhao Li complained, "Mom, this is the first time she's come to our house, and you're asking this kind of question? Besides, we don't plan to get married anytime soon."
"Lili!" Zhao's mother said earnestly, "You're not young anymore, you're twenty-seven. Your second aunt's daughter is two years younger than you, and her child is already four years old. If you don't get married
soon, how embarrassing will it be for your father in front of our relatives and neighbors?" I put my arm around Zhao Li's shoulder and said, "Uncle, Aunt, don't worry, Zhao Li and I will get married as soon as possible."
Zhao Li looked at me gratefully. Zhao's mother smiled and said, "That's good, that's good."
After chatting for a while, Zhao's mother said to Zhao Li, "Lili, come help Mom cook. It's Xiao Chen's first time visiting, so I need to cook a few dishes."
"Okay," Zhao Li replied, then smiled and glanced at me, as if to say, "See, my mom treats you well, right?"
I said to Zhao's mother, "Auntie, don't go to too much trouble, just eat whatever you like."
I always felt a little awkward calling Zhao Li's parents "uncle" and "auntie," because they weren't much older than me.
“No rush, no rush, hehe…” Zhao’s mother laughed as she and Zhao Li went into the kitchen on one side of the courtyard.
After they left, I started chatting with Zhao’s father again.
As evening approached, the four of us sat around a traditional eight-immortal table, a rare sight in the city these days, and ate dinner.
Zhao’s father poured two glasses of baijiu (Chinese liquor) and said to me, “Come on, Xiao Chen, let’s have a drink.”
Zhao Li said to her father, “Dad, he can’t drink much, you should drink less too.”
“What man doesn’t drink?” Zhao’s father said firmly, moving the glass in front of me.
I said to Zhao Li, “It’s okay, I’ll have a drink with Uncle.”
Zhao Li smiled at me and buried her head in her food. For a moment, I really felt like a new son-in-law visiting his father-in-law’s house.
After dinner, it was completely dark, and Zhao Li and I took a walk in the town.
At this time, all the doors and windows in the town were closed, and the moonlight, like water, shone on the bluestone streets, occasionally punctuated by the barking of dogs.
Zhao Li, linking her arm with mine, said, "You're quite the actor playing the fake son-in-law."
I laughed, "Of course! I'm doing my duty, it's what I should do."
She looked at me and smiled, "Aren't you afraid I'll take it for real?"
I paused slightly, looking at her. Zhao Li chuckled softly, "Don't be nervous, I was just kidding."
We walked and talked, and the topic turned to Zhao Jin. I bluntly said, "Your brother has a personality defect, and it's quite serious."
She seemed a little unhappy upon hearing this, releasing my arm and saying, "Don't talk about my brother like that."
I laughed, "Even if I were really your boyfriend, I probably wouldn't be as important as your brother in your heart, right?"
Zhao Li linked her arm with mine again and laughed, "Of course!"
That night, the moonlight was enchanting, and Zhao Li and I walked through the small town, feeling like we were in a dream. Even years later, thinking back on it still feels like a dream, and incredibly warm.
Back home, people in the countryside go to bed early, and the whole family prepared for bed. Zhao's mother arranged for Zhao Li and me to sleep in the same room. Perhaps in their view, since Zhao Li and I were a couple discussing marriage, we should sleep together.
Zhao Li whispered to me, "I'm sorry, Shao Yan, you'll have to make do."
She then playfully added, "But don't worry, I won't sexually assault you."

26.
The bathroom was in the courtyard. I had just opened the door after showering when I saw Zhao Li standing outside with a towel.
She was only wearing a black lace tank top and black lace thong, without a bra. Her round breasts stood erect and heaving in the tank top, her nipples clearly visible. Her figure was incredibly sexy and alluring.
I said, "You're pretty open-minded, aren't you?"
She laughed, "What's there to be afraid of? Mom and Dad are asleep, and there's no one else at home."
I said, "Am I not someone else?"
She laughed again, "You're my boyfriend! Okay, go to bed and wait for me, I'll be all clean soon."
I felt a little awkward for a moment, and she laughed, "Oh, just kidding! If you really don't want to sleep with me, I'll sleep in Xiao Jin's room."
"No need for that," I said.
I lay on the bed for a while in my t-shirt and beach shorts, and Zhao Li came in, lay down next to me, and laughed, "Brother Shao Yan, my family isn't well-off, you'll have to make do."
I said, "It's okay, although your house is a bit old, this bungalow and this little courtyard have a lot of character."
She smiled sweetly. At first, we kept to ourselves, but as we chatted, Zhao Li snuggled up to me and said, "Brother Shao Yan, let's make love?"
I hesitated for a moment, then thought, we've done it so many times, what's one more time? So I hugged her and kissed her.
We took off our clothes. I sucked on her nipple for a while, then gave her oral sex, before penetrating her. The bed was old and creaked, so I didn't dare move too much, and Zhao Li tried to suppress her moans.
She murmured in my ear, "Brother Shaoyan, I love you!"
I was slightly startled, then heard her say, "But don't worry, I won't ask you to give anything in return. I just need to love you unilaterally."
I silently thrust in and out until she reached orgasm. She said, "Why do you always use the same position?"
I said I was afraid her parents would hear, and she said, "Just be quiet." She got up and lay prone on the bed, raising her beautiful buttocks high towards me from behind, saying, "Come from behind."
Looking at her snow-white, full buttocks and the anus and genitals sandwiched between them, I thought to myself, how many men have fucked her in this position?
"What's wrong with you? Hurry up!" she urged.
I went in from the back, and the bed creaked again…
Zhao's father's birthday banquet was quite lively. Several tables were set up in the courtyard, and another dozen or so were arranged along the bluestone path outside. Relatives and neighbors from all around had come.
Two chefs were hired to cook, but they weren't exactly master chefs; they were just cooks who specialized in catering for weddings and funerals in the countryside. Several middle-aged women assisted, responsible for washing, preparing, serving, and washing dishes, etc.—a typical rural banquet.
Zhao Li and I sat at a table with her cousins. It's customary in the countryside for men and women to sit separately, with men as the host and women as the attendants, so Zhao Li shouldn't have sat at our table. But she was worried I wouldn't feel comfortable sitting alone, so she sat with me.
She kept putting food on my plate and quietly asked, "Is the country food to your liking?"
"It's fine," I said.
To be honest, the dishes were a bit rough around the edges, but they had a real rustic flavor.
Zhao Li's cousins kept urging me to drink. Knowing I couldn't hold my liquor, she told me to drink less and asked her cousins to stop pressuring me.
One of Zhao Li's older cousins came to our table and asked, "Lili, what does your boyfriend do?"
Zhao Li replied, "A writer."
"A writer?" Everyone at the table stared at me.
I quickly said, "I'm not a writer, I just make a living by writing."
"He published a very popular novel before, and he has many works online. He's currently writing a TV series script, and filming will start as soon as it's finished," Zhao Li said proudly.
"Really? That's amazing!"
"So impressive, I definitely want to watch your TV series someday."
Everyone exclaimed in amazement, their eyes filled with admiration. Zhao Li became even more smug.
I felt a little awkward and whispered to Zhao Li, "Stop bragging."
Zhao Li glared at me playfully, as if to say, "Am I bragging?"
One of Zhao Li's cousins at the next table said, "Sister Lili, you're a manager in Haikou, and your boyfriend is a writer. You two are so lucky! I'm so envious."
"Oh, not at all," Zhao Li laughed, glancing at me with a sweet expression.
Just then, a relative at Zhao's father's table said, "Hey, where's Xiao Jin?"
Zhao's father replied, "He's too busy. He said he has a research project that keeps him away."
Another relative said, "Third Brother, Xiao Jin is studying... well, biology something?"
Zhao's father smiled slightly, "Bioengineering."
"Yes, yes, bioengineering," the relative exclaimed. "It sounds like high-tech. Oh, Third Brother! You're so lucky, your son has a master's degree..."
Zhao's father corrected, "A combined master's and doctoral program."
"What?" The relative didn't understand.
Zhao's father explained again, "It means he studies his master's and doctorate consecutively, and after graduation he'll be a PhD."
Immediately, the room erupted in praise. The same relative added, "Isn't that right? His son is a PhD, his daughter has a respectable job, and his new son-in-law is a writer. Third Brother, what good deeds did you do in your past life to have such good fortune?"
Someone else said, "I heard his son's girlfriend is a professor's daughter. Our Third Brother has become related to a great professor through marriage."
Amidst the envious whispers, Zhao's father smiled without saying a word, his pride evident.
Zhao Li turned her gaze away from their table, then looked at me, her face a mixture of happiness, shyness, and satisfaction.
After eating and drinking for a while, Zhao Li led me to toast each table, starting with Zhao's father's table, as that table was filled with important elders.
We then went from table to table, toasting from inside the courtyard to outside. As my reputation as a writer spread, I was met with admiring glances wherever we went. At each table, Zhao Li would explain that I couldn't hold my liquor and told me to only take a small sip. But when someone was eager to drink, I couldn't help but drink a little.
After this round of toasts, I started to feel dizzy. Before I could even catch my breath, people from each table came to toast me, the "great writer." Zhao Li simply drank for me, even though she had already drunk quite a bit, as she had a high tolerance.
Just then, a man in his thirties came over with a bottle of liquor and sat down next to me. He slammed the bottle on the table and said somewhat drunkenly, "Come on, great writer, I toast you."
He poured the liquor into an earthenware bowl; in the countryside, beer is drunk from bowls. Zhao Li quickly stopped him, "Fifth Brother, he's had too much to drink, he can't drink anymore."
"Oh! Little sister Lili, feeling sorry for him?" the man called Fifth Brother said, patting my shoulder, "How's it going? The great, great writer..."
He hiccuped and continued, "Brother-in-law, are you looking down on us country folk?"
I quickly shook my head, "No, no..."
Zhao Li was a little displeased and said, "Fifth Brother, I'll drink for him."
She reached for the bowl, but Fifth Brother stopped her. Fifth Brother looked at Zhao Li with bleary eyes, "I'm toasting your boyfriend, and you're drinking for him, what kind of nonsense is that?"
I gritted my teeth, stood up and said, "Fine, Fifth Brother, I'll toast you." I
picked up the bowl and, ignoring Zhao Li's protests, drank it all in one gulp. Fifth Brother shouted "That's refreshing!" and poured me another drink, but was pulled away by the people next to him.
Later I learned that this Fifth Brother was Zhao Li's distant cousin. He had always admired Zhao Li's beauty but couldn't have her, so he was jealous of me, his "rival," and provoked me under the influence of alcohol.
After drinking the bowl of wine Fifth Brother offered, I was completely unable to hold on and Zhao Li helped me to the bedroom, where I fell asleep immediately.
I don't know how long I slept before I woke up. When I opened my eyes, I saw Zhao Li leaning over the headboard, looking at me very close to my face.
"You're awake?" Zhao Li smiled sweetly, picked up the bowl beside her, and said, "Drink some honey water, it'll help you sober up."
I sat up a little and took the bowl from her, but she said, "Don't move, I'll feed you."
"Let me do it?" I said.
"Be good!" She gave me a coquettish look and fed me the honey water.
After taking a few sips, I leaned against the headboard and chuckled, "I was going to ask you to show me the scenery, but it looks like that's not going to happen."
She laughed too, "Yeah! We can't see it."
I smiled slightly, "It's okay, we can come again next time."
I was just saying it casually, but Zhao Li stared at me and smiled, "There's going to be a next time? Would you like to come again?"
I felt a little uncomfortable under her gaze, so I avoided her eyes, smiled, and didn't say anything.
"Thank you!" She patted my shoulder and looked at me gently.
Just then, there was a knock and a shout at the door, "Sister Lili, are you there?"
"Yes! What is it?" Zhao Li replied.
"Fifth Brother said he has something to tell you, can you come out for a moment?"
Zhao Li glanced at me and said, "I'll go see."
She went to open the door, and there stood a girl from the countryside, probably the child of one of Zhao Li's relatives. The girl looked in my direction, pulled Zhao Li aside, and whispered something to her, which I couldn't hear.
After a while, Zhao Li returned to the house and smiled at me, "I'm going out for a bit, I'll be right back."
"Shall I go with you?" I knew she was going to see her distant cousin, and I was a little worried for her.
"No need, you rest."
"That Fifth Brother, he won't do anything to you, will he?"
Zhao Li smiled sweetly, "How could he? After all, we're all relatives, he won't do anything. Don't worry, I'll be back in a bit."
As soon as Zhao Li left, I quietly followed her out. The banquet in the courtyard and on the bluestone path outside was still in full swing. That's how banquets are in the countryside; they last from morning till night. One group finishes eating and leaves, and then another group comes to continue, some even lasting two or three days.
I followed Zhao Li at a distance until we reached the riverbank. Fifth Brother was waiting for her there. I hid under a tree and quietly watched, planning to rush out and stop anything that might happen.

27.
Fifth Brother and Zhao Li were talking. At first, their voices were rather soft, and I couldn't hear them very clearly. The gist was that Fifth Brother was asking Zhao Li why she had suddenly brought a man home, something he'd never heard of before.
As Fifth Brother became more agitated, his voice grew louder.
"Lili, that writer isn't right for you. How old is he? Forty, right? Probably not much younger than our uncle. You're so young, why are you with an older man?"
"Who I'm with, his age, whether he's suitable or not, has absolutely nothing to do with you. Why are you gossiping?" Zhao Li seemed very angry.
"Lili, listen to me. I'm working on a construction project in Nanchang now, earning two or three hundred thousand a year. I can support you," Fifth Brother added.
Zhao Li said coldly, "Thank you for your kindness, Fifth Brother, you'll definitely find a girl who loves you... That's all, I'll go back now."
She turned to leave, but Fifth Brother grabbed her arm. "Do you love him? Do you really love that writer?"
Zhao Li stared at him for a long time, then said clearly and forcefully, "Yes, I love him. I've never loved a man like that before."
I was secretly shocked, wondering if she was saying this on purpose for Fifth Brother to hear, to make him give up, since I was playing the role of her boyfriend? Or was she speaking from the heart?
I saw Fifth Brother looking utterly hopeless, staring at Zhao Li and saying, "And what about me? I've liked you since I was a teenager, and I've always loved you. I'm thirty and still unmarried, haven't even had a girlfriend. I'm working myself to the bone in Nanchang doing construction projects, all for what? Isn't it so that one day I can marry you... Lili, you can't do this to me."
Zhao Li sighed, "I'm sorry, Fifth Brother, thank you for your kindness. But I'm really sorry, I can't agree to your request."
She turned around again, but Fifth Brother grabbed her again, and she had to say sternly, "What are you doing? Let go!"
Driven by jealousy and alcohol, Fifth Brother pulled Zhao Li into his arms. Zhao Li panicked and shouted, "Let me go! What are you doing? Let me go..."
But no matter how much Zhao Li shouted, the man held her tightly, and she couldn't break free.
"Let her go!" I walked over and shouted sharply.
At this moment, I wasn't just playing the role of Zhao Li's boyfriend and protector; I was genuinely angry, like seeing the woman I loved being held by another man—I was furious. I didn't know what was wrong with me.
Fifth Brother released Zhao Li and stared at me blankly. Zhao Li immediately ran to my side, took my arm, and her eyes filled with tears, "Shaoyan, why are you here?"
"Are you alright?" I asked.
She smiled at me through her tears and gently shook her head. "It's okay, I'm fine."
I pointed at Fifth Brother and said sternly, "If it weren't for our kinship, I would have definitely beaten you up today."
Zhao Li grabbed me and said, "Shuoyan, don't talk to him anymore, let's go."
I still pointed at Fifth Brother, "I'm warning you, if you ever dare to treat my girlfriend like this again, I won't let you get away with it."
After saying that, I turned around and walked back with Zhao Li pulling me. I had only taken a few steps when I heard Fifth Brother curse in Jiangxi dialect behind me.
"What did you say?"
I turned around and the guy punched me in the face, making me stagger back several steps and almost fall.
"What are you doing? Why are you hitting me?" Zhao Li exclaimed and came over to help me. "Are you alright?"
I caught my breath, shook my hand at Zhao Li, broke free from her grasp, and lunged at Fifth Brother. The two men started fighting amidst Zhao Li's screams.
Although Fifth Brother was almost ten years younger than me and strong, he wasn't very good at fighting; his punches were all wild and unorthodox. I had practiced martial arts for over twenty years, and with a series of fast and powerful punches, I knocked Fifth Brother to the ground.
Zhao Li came over and grabbed me tightly, saying repeatedly, "Stop fighting, stop fighting..."
I said to Fifth Brother on the ground, "From now on, you're not allowed to bother Zhao Li."
Then I left with Zhao Li. On the way home, she asked with concern, "Did he hit you? Does it hurt?"
I smiled and said, "You saw it yourself, I only took one punch from him, but I hit him several times."
Zhao Li laughed and said, "How many punches he took from you has nothing to do with me. I only care if you were hurt."
Facing her smile and eyes, I suddenly felt a flutter in my heart, but also a little uneasy.
The feast lasted until the moon was high and the stars were few. It was late at night when we finished cleaning up, but fortunately, many women from relatives' families helped. Many hands make light work, so it didn't take too much trouble.
Late at night, Zhao Li got into an argument with her parents. I was in the bedroom at the time, while Zhao Li and her parents were in the courtyard.
I heard Zhao Li say, "Why should I have to buy a house for my brother when he gets married?"
"Your brother is still in school, and he'll have to study for a few more years. Where will he get the money?" Zhao's mother said. "Lili! You only have one brother. If you don't help him, who will? He's a grown man, and he doesn't even have a house to get married. What will the bride's family think of our family?"
"I'm still paying my own mortgage! How can I buy one for him?" Zhao Li said irritably. "Besides, I paid for all his tuition, graduate school fees, food, clothes, and other necessities these past few years. Where would I get that much money?"
Zhao's mother said, "You're a girl. When you get married, your husband will naturally buy you a house. What are you going to buy?"
Zhao's father slammed his hand on the table and shouted, "Stop talking nonsense! You have to buy this house, whether you like it or not."
After a moment of silence, Zhao Li sobbed, "Why?"
"Why?" Zhao's father said angrily, "Because Zhao Jin is your brother, because I'm your father, because your mother and I raised you from infancy."
Zhao Li said with a sob, "You've always been biased towards my brother, always thinking of him first. You give him all the good food and the best things. Have you ever thought about how I feel? I'm your daughter!"
She sobbed. Zhao's mother tried to comfort her, "Lili, you can't say that..."
Zhao Li stood up and interrupted her mother, "I've never seen parents so biased towards sons."
She then walked into the house, and Zhao's father shouted at her, "What did you say? Come back here! You've gone too far..."
As soon as Zhao Li entered the house, she threw herself into my arms and sobbed. I could only pat her gently to comfort her, not knowing what to say.
At that moment, I understood everything. Zhao Li's parents only cared about her brother. They asked Zhao Li to bring her boyfriend home not because they cared about her future, but simply to save face in front of relatives and friends.
Finally, I sat down on the edge of the bed with Zhao Li in my arms. She sobbed, "How could I have such parents, such a family?"
I smiled bitterly, "Every family has its own troubles!"
She stopped crying, raised her tear-streaked face, and said, "My sister once told me something you said: 'Happy families are all alike; every unhappy family is unhappy in its own way.' Now I understand, it's true, my family's unhappiness is like this, my unhappiness is like this, you've seen it all..."
She choked up, tears streaming down her face. I cupped her face, wiped away her tears, and said softly, "Since you know that every unhappy person is unhappy in their own way, you should also understand that there are many unhappy people in this world, not just you, so why wallow in self-pity?"
I paused, looking at her tearful eyes staring at me, and continued, "Also, that quote wasn't mine, it was Tolstoy's."
She smiled through her tears, "I don't care who said it, I'll just pretend it was you."
She kissed my lips, and after a slight hesitation, I kissed her back. Then we started undressing. At a time like this, what else could I do to comfort her besides sex? Although I knew it was very unfair to Fang Mei.
After we were naked, she had me sit on the edge of the bed, squatted between my legs, grasped my erection, stroked it a few times, and then took it into her mouth, giving me oral sex with great effort and seriousness.
After a while, she rubbed it with her nipples, lifted her breasts to clamp my penis, and moved up and down until I ejaculated into her cleavage.
She cleaned herself up and we lay on the bed in each other's arms. I noticed that because she hadn't cleaned herself completely, some of my semen had hardened into small granules and stuck to her breasts.
She cried in my arms, telling me about her childhood and her experiences as an adult. She also said that she studied very hard back then, hoping to get into a university in a faraway place and live there, far away from this place and this home.
At eighteen, she finally realized her dream, leaving her hometown with her acceptance letter and her hopes for the future. During her three years of college (Zhao Li attended a vocational college), she never asked her family for a single penny; all her tuition and living expenses were earned through part-time jobs.
Little did she know then that the heavy burden of her impoverished family would continue to haunt her, leading to a new and painful chapter in her life.
She still loved her parents, and even more so her younger brother. She was willing to give everything for them, but what she found most unbearable was their insatiable, entitled demands and their indifference to her sorrow.
She spoke, then broke down in tears, stopping to speak again, then crying once more. Her grief broke my heart. I held her naked body, comforting her and listening to her.
Then, we made love again, this time I ejaculated inside her. During her orgasm, she whispered in my ear, "Shaoyan, I love you, I love you so much, do you love me?"
I was speechless, only able to thrust deeper and deeper into her…
Early morning, a light drizzle fell. Zhao Li and I prepared to drive back to Nanchang, return the car, and then fly back to Haikou.
Zhao's mother saw us off at the ferry terminal; Zhao's father didn't show up. As we parted, Zhao Li said to her mother, "Mom, take care of yourselves and Dad. Don't let Dad drink too much; his health isn't good."
Zhao's mother agreed, then said to me, "Xiao Chen, come visit often! Lili is in your care now."
"Okay, Auntie, I'll take good care of Lili," I nodded.
We crossed the river and stood on the bank, looking back at the opposite bank. The other side was the land that had nurtured Zhao Li, her home, now somewhat hazy in the light drizzle.
I seemed to see many years ago, that eighteen-year-old girl, carrying her luggage, standing alone on the riverbank waiting for the ferry, full of anticipation and hope for the future. At that time, she didn't realize that the road ahead would be even more difficult.
Now, tears silently streamed down Zhao Li's slightly upturned face, wet with rain.
At that moment, an impulse welled up inside me—an impulse to take care of her, to cherish her…

28.
Back in Haikou, at the airport when we parted, Zhao Li hugged and kissed me, murmuring, “Brother Shaoyan, thank you! I won’t bother you again, and let’s not see each other again.”
She then pulled her suitcase and quickly walked towards a taxi. Watching her lonely, melancholy figure, I really wanted to call her back.
Back home, Fang Mei was waiting for me. Seeing me, she smiled and said, “You’re back?”
“Yes, I’m back.”
“Did you take care of your friend’s matter?”
“Yes.”
I didn’t dare look her in the eye because of guilt. Then I told her that I was too tired today and wanted to be alone. I still had to write a script later to catch up on the progress I’d fallen behind on the past few days.
I couldn’t face Fang Mei immediately after spending two days with Zhao Li, and I couldn’t do it even more. I had made love with Zhao Li last night, and tonight I slept with her again.
Fang Mei smiled understandingly, "It's alright, I'll go back now. Oh, by the way, I made you some soup and ginseng tea, remember to drink them."
As she was changing her shoes in the entryway, I called out to her, "Fang Mei..."
She looked at me, and I walked over to her and said, "Let's get married?"
She laughed, "We haven't told my parents and your sister yet! How can we get married?"
By now, Fang Mei's parents already knew about her divorce from Hao Dawei. I looked at her, "Then let's find time to tell them as soon as possible."
She smiled and nodded, "Okay... Shaoyan, what's wrong with you today?"
"Nothing."
I thought to myself, silly girl, I'm falling in love with another woman.
I called my sister Chen Meiyan and told her about Fang Mei and me. She didn't seem surprised. After a moment of silence on the other end of the phone, she said, "Brother, you're still with her after all?"
I said, "Yes! She's loved me for so many years, and she's been very good to me. I like her too."
Chen Meiyan said, "When are you planning to tell Mom and Dad?"
I said, "I'll tell them in a while."
I knew my parents would probably have a hard time accepting me marrying a divorced woman with a child, especially since she had been my sister-in-law.
Fang Mei's parents went on a senior citizen tour to Europe. On the morning they left, Fang Mei had to go to work and didn't have time, so I took them to the airport.
While they were still upstairs, I was putting their luggage in the trunk when I asked Fang Mei if she had told her parents. Fang Mei said, "Let's wait until Mom and Dad come back from their trip. What if they're not happy? It won't be peaceful during their trip." I thought that made sense.
On the way back from the airport, I received a call from Fang Mei, asking if I had taken my parents to the airport. I said I had. She then reminded me to pick up Ni'er from kindergarten in the afternoon.
Her daughter, Hao Ni, usually lives with her maternal grandparents. With the grandparents abroad, she's been taking care of her alone.
After talking to Fang Mei, I thought of Zhao Li again. It's been several days since she returned from Jiangxi, and we haven't been in touch at all, not even a word on WeChat.
Several times I thought of calling her, but then I thought, why bother? We're from two different worlds, and even she knows that, which is why she suggested not meeting me.
But when I think back to that day when I returned to Haikou from Jiangxi and parted ways with Zhao Li at the airport—it might have been our last meeting—I can't help but feel melancholy.
In the afternoon, I picked Hao Ni up from kindergarten and drove to the address Fang Mei had sent me. She had invited me and her best friend Zhang Ning and her husband to have dinner together.
When we arrived at the buffet restaurant, Fang Mei smiled broadly when she saw Hao Ni and me, waving to me from afar. I led Hao Ni over and saw Zhang Ning and her husband already sitting there.
"Brother Chen, hello! Long time no see." Zhang Ning greeted me warmly as soon as she saw me, and then introduced her husband.
I had known Zhang Ning for a long time; she was Fang Mei's bridesmaid at her wedding to Hao Dawei. She was Fang Mei's classmate at police academy and is also a criminal investigator working in the city's criminal investigation branch. This was the first time I had met her husband.
After greeting me, Zhang Ning smiled and looked at Fang Mei, her gaze somewhat meaningful. Fang Mei smiled shyly.
After greeting Zhang Ning's husband, I sat down next to Hao Ni, and Zhang Ning and her husband teased Hao Ni a few more times. They didn't have children yet, so they naturally liked meeting their best friend's daughter.
The tables in this kind of buffet restaurant are rectangular. Fang Mei and her daughter sat on one side, and Hao Ni sat between the two adults. Anyone who saw the three of us would think we were a family of three.
"Brother Chen, to be honest, I didn't expect Mei Mei's boyfriend to be you," Zhang Ning said with a smile, then looked at Fang Mei.
I noticed a blush creeping onto Fang Mei's face. She smiled at Zhang Ning and said, "Okay! Stop talking."
Zhang Ning continued, "When Mei Mei told me about you two that day, I was really surprised. But thinking about it carefully, it wasn't too unexpected, because this girl used to mention you to me all the time..."
"I told you not to talk about it, but you still did!" Fang Mei interrupted her best friend playfully.
"Alright, alright, I won't say anymore. You're a mother now, and you're still so shy." Zhang Ning said, picking up her drink glass. "Come on, let's drink water instead of wine today, to wish you two... oh no, I should say to wish you a happy and fulfilling family life."
Zhang Ning's husband also picked up his glass, and Fang Mei, Hao Ni, and I raised our glasses to thank the couple. After clinking glasses, Fang Mei and I looked at each other; her smile and eyes were full of sweetness.
"Ni'er, what do you want to eat? Your uncle will take you to get it," I said to Hao Ni.
I've always liked this four-year-old girl, who is both my late wife's niece and my best friend's daughter, and she's always been very close to me.
"Okay," Hao Ni replied sweetly, extending her little hand to me. I led her to the food counter.
As I was getting food with Hao Ni, I happened to see Fang Mei and Zhang Ning watching us, chatting and laughing. I guessed they were talking about me again.
Zhang Ning's husband was an engineer, not very talkative, and I wasn't much of a talker either. It was mainly my two best friends who chattered incessantly, talking about things at the bureau, and other things like clothes, shoes, and bags. Women always talk a lot when they get together, rambling on and on. Female police officers are no exception. Don't be fooled by how efficient they are when handling cases and carrying out missions; they are still women after all.
I didn't expect to run into Zhao Li here. As we were eating and chatting, four stylishly dressed young women came to the next table, one of whom was Zhao Li. The three girls' attire and demeanor exuded a worldly air; it was easy for anyone to tell what they did for a living.
I was quite surprised. Zhao Li was also taken aback when she saw me. She said to her three friends, "Shall we change tables?"
One girl said, "This place is fine. Why do we need to change?"
Another girl tugged at Zhao Li's sleeve, "Oh dear! Sister Li, where are there any empty tables now? We've been waiting for so long!"
This buffet restaurant was very popular. When I brought Hao Ni here, I saw a long queue of people waiting for a table.
Zhao Li had no choice but to sit down, and then she secretly glanced at us again. Just as I was feeling awkward, Fang Mei peeled a shrimp for me and put it in my bowl, saying, "Shut up, eat your shrimp."
Zhang Ning teased, "Brother Chen, look how good our Mei Mei is to you."
Fang Mei retorted coquettishly, "Eat yours! Even eating can't shut you up."
After eating for a while, suddenly a girl at the next table slammed her hand on the table and shouted into her phone, "Damn it, why did he play this card? Is this guy out of his mind?"
The girl next to her leaned over and asked, "What's wrong?"
The girl said, "He plays unfamiliar cards instead of familiar ones. Do you think he's out of his mind?"
The girl next to her said, "Damn it, is he in cahoots with the other team, deliberately feeding him the cards?"
They were speaking quite loudly and uncivilly, and Fang Mei and Zhang Ning couldn't help but look at the next table, looking very dissatisfied.
Zhao Li and three other girls brought over a lot of food and began to eat heartily. Zhao Li would occasionally steal glances at our table, her gaze falling on me and Fang Mei and her daughter. Once, our eyes met unintentionally, and she immediately looked away, and I looked away as well.
The three girls were getting louder and louder, and they were swearing constantly, using things like "your motherfucker" and "fuck your mother." One of the girls even started smoking.
We were seriously bothered by them. Zhang Ning wanted to say something to stop them, but her husband stopped her. "Forget it, let's just eat,"
Zhang Ning said, annoyed. "What kind of people are they?"
Zhao Li noticed our displeasure and quickly said to the three girls, "Keep your voices down, don't disturb others."
The three girls quieted down a little, and she told the girl smoking to stop. The girl took a few puffs, threw the cigarette on the ground, and stomped on it.
Zhang Ning and Fang Mei shook their heads and sighed at the sight.
After finishing our meal, we went to the underground parking garage to get our car. In the elevator, we talked about the three girls, and Fang Mei and Zhang Ning both thought they were a real mood killer.
Zhang Ning's husband said, "Those girls are prostitutes, right?"
Zhang Ning stared at her husband, "How did you know?"
Her husband adjusted his glasses and said, "I could tell!"
Zhang Ning persisted, "How did you figure it out? Do you go to places like that often?"
Zhang Ning's husband quickly denied it, "No, no..."
Fang Mei lightly slapped Zhang Ning's arm, "Alright! Li Fan is such an honest person, why would he go to places like that?"

29.
On the way home, because I had drunk some beer, Fang Mei drove. I received a message from Zhao Li on WeChat, "Just now, were your friends affected by us?"
I glanced at Fang Mei and replied, "It's okay!"
"I'm sorry, I apologize to your friend on behalf of the three of them." "It's
okay, don't worry about it."
"Is that little girl's mother your girlfriend?"
"Yes."
"She's so beautiful! What does she do?"
"A criminal police officer."
After a long while, Zhao Li sent another message, "Bless you both."
After that, there was no further news. I glanced at Fang Mei, who was driving, and sent her a few words, "Aren't you planning to see me again?"
She replied after a long while, "Forget me, we're from two different worlds."
I wanted to say something more, but then decided against it, deleted the words I had typed, and put my phone away.
Back at Fang Mei's house, since I hadn't slept with her since going to Jiangxi, I naturally stayed.
While showering, Zhao Li's image kept flashing through my mind, refusing to leave.
I sighed inwardly, just as she said, we're not from the same world. Besides, I have such a wonderful woman like Fang Mei by my side, why keep thinking about her? Just treat it as a dream, take some time to completely forget her!
In the bedroom, Fang Mei was tugging at Hao Ni to sleep. I took off my glasses and lay down beside her without saying a word. After a while, Fang Mei turned and snuggled into my arms, softly saying, "What's wrong? Honey, I feel like you're distracted tonight."
"No!" I smiled slightly at her, hugged her, and kissed her fragrant lips.
Between passionate kisses, I said, "Fang Mei, I..."
I wanted to say "I love you," but I couldn't bring
myself to say it, because I felt my feelings for her were still some distance from saying "I love you." Facing her gaze, I said, "Let's get married as soon as possible?" I felt this might be the best, and only, way for me to stop thinking about Zhao Li.
"Okay!" Fang Mei smiled sweetly at me and kissed my lips again.
While kissing her, I took off her nightgown. She was only wearing panties underneath, and she slightly raised her buttocks to help me remove them, revealing her lush pubic hair and alluring private parts.
So beautiful! I stared at the captivating sight before me, inwardly praising her. Indeed, she was beautiful inside, and Zhao Li's vagina was beautiful too.
"Don't stare at me there!" Fang Mei said coquettishly.
I smiled slightly and kissed her, my lips lingering on the wet ground…
As I pressed myself against Fang Mei and thrust into her, I was momentarily startled to realize that the woman beneath me, moaning softly, was actually Zhao Li.
I quickly banished these thoughts.
The next day, Fang Mei told her parents, who were far away in Europe, that she wanted to marry me. Although her parents were surprised, as highly educated individuals, they were quite open-minded and expressed their respect for their daughter's choice.
Chen Meiyan also told my parents about it, but they weren't so easy to reason with and explicitly expressed their opposition. Chen Meiyan told me, "You go ahead and get married; I'll handle talking to your parents."
After Fang Mei and I went public with our relationship, she took me to two gatherings of classmates and friends. Many of her colleagues at the police station also found out. I introduced her to my friends, and they were all quite envious that I had found such a beautiful and gentle female detective.
The script was finally completed and successfully sold to a production company. On the day of the sale, Hao Dawei, a producer, and his team celebrated together.
This producer, surnamed Hu, whom Hao Dawei called Producer Hu, had produced many films and television dramas, including many patriotic and celebratory works, and was quite well-known in the industry.
Hao Dawei's idea was for me to establish a connection with Producer Hu so I could sell scripts to him in the future.
That evening, we had a big feast at a restaurant. Producer Hu was very talkative, saying many very positive things, and even told me to write less about romance and the coldness of human relationships, and more about works that promote righteousness and celebrate the times, saying that our era needs such works, and the great rejuvenation of the nation requires the inheritance of this spirit.
I thought to myself, "This guy's so upright, and a Party member too.
What if he asks me to add more entertainment after we finish eating?" It wasn't that I was worried about the money, I just didn't want to keep having to socialize. But before I'd even paid for the meal, he'd already suggested going to a nightclub. I didn't want to go, and privately asked Hao Dawei to treat me, promising to pay.
But Hao Dawei persuaded me not to spoil the fun, saying, "If you feel bad for Fang Mei, the girls can just drink and sing with you, nothing else." I had no choice but to agree.
Hao Dawei led everyone to the nightclub where Huang Xiaolei worked as a hostess, saying I was familiar with the hostesses there and could get a discount. Producer Hu laughed, "Teacher Chen, you're something else! You've even won over the hostesses!"
After sitting in the private room for a while, Zhao Li came in with several girls. She seemed surprised to see me, but remained composed.
Hao Dawei let Producer Hu choose first, and he immediately took a liking to Zhao Li. Indeed, although Zhao Li was older than these girls, her looks, figure, and temperament were superior, possessing a captivating mature charm. Any man would probably choose her first.
Zhao Li glanced at me and smiled at Producer Hu, "Brother, you're really joking, thank you."
Producer Hu asked, puzzled, "What do you mean?"
One of the girls said, "Brother, Sister Lili is our supervisor; she doesn't work as a hostess."
"So what if she's a supervisor?" Producer Hu's eyes widened. "I've even worked as a madam."
Zhao Li smiled ingratiatingly, "Brother, why don't you choose another girl? If you're not satisfied with these, I'll call more for you until you are."
"No need, I want you to accompany me today," Producer Hu insisted. I was furious.
I stared at that guy as he took a sip of his drink, about to speak, when Zhao Li stopped me with a look.
“Brother, you’re so handsome and have such a great presence, you look like a big boss. I really want to keep you
company…” Zhao Li continued with a forced smile, “But I’m really not available today.” “Not available?” Producer Hu stared at Zhao Li for a moment, seemingly unconvinced, then suddenly realized something. “Could it be that you’re on your period?”
Zhao Li chuckled, “
You’re right, I’m so sorry.” Producer Hu still wasn’t convinced. “Come here, let me check.”
Zhao Li glanced at me again, her eyes filled with helplessness, and continued to force a smile. “Brother, forget it! Why bother your eyes?”
Hao Dawei, fearing that Producer Hu might not be so shrewd and things would get out of hand, advised, “Exactly, isn’t this bad luck? Choose another girl!”
Producer Hu then gave up and chose a girl with big breasts and a pretty face. A storm that was about to break out was thus resolved.
I thought to myself, "You're quite sensible, kid. Even though nightclubs try their best to satisfy every customer's request unconditionally, they can't just let them cause trouble. A polite approach first, then a firmer one—Little Northeast and his gang aren't pushovers."
Huang Xiaolei quickly arrived at the private room. Hao Dawei introduced her to Producer Hu and his men, and she sat down to chat and drink with us.
Her nightclub outfit was short and revealing, highlighting her high breasts and deep cleavage, frequently revealing glimpses of what was underneath. Combined with her stunning beauty and alluring demeanor, she stunned the two guys, almost forgetting the girls beside them.
One of the girls accompanying Producer Hu's men feigned displeasure, saying, "Oh! Brother, why are you staring at our madam?"
This made Producer Hu's man a little embarrassed, and he chuckled awkwardly. Producer Hu said, "This place is really interesting. The madams and managers are even more charming than the girls… By the way, where's that manager? Call her over for a drink! Will her period affect her drinking?"
It seemed he still couldn't forget Zhao Li. Huang Xiaolei said to a hostess, "Go call her."
A little while later, Zhao Li arrived at the private room and joined our drinking and chatting. Producer Hu, on a whim, asked Zhao Li to sit next to him. Zhao Li, unable to refuse, sat down, and Producer Hu immediately put his arm around her.
Just then, a surprised shout came from outside the door, "Sister, what are you doing here?"
Everyone looked in the direction of the voice and saw a tall, handsome young man standing at the door. Zhao Li was startled.
The young man glared at Zhao Li with disgust and turned to leave.
"Xiao Jin..." Zhao Li called out, hurriedly chasing after him.
Hao Dawei and the other two looked at each other, puzzled. My heart skipped a beat.
"You guys sit for a while, I'll go take care of something," Huang Xiaolei said, also chasing after him.
Worried about Zhao Li, I felt like I was sitting on pins and needles. After a while, I stood up and left the private room, using the excuse of going to the restroom.
"Isn't there a restroom here? What are you doing outside?" Producer Hu called after my retreating figure.
After turning left and right down the corridor, searching all the way, I finally saw Huang Xiaolei standing outside a private room, leaning against the wall with her hands in her arms.
Later, I learned what had happened: Zhao Jin had a senior colleague who worked with their professor on research. That evening, he was out with friends and saw Zhao Li, knowing she was Zhao Jin's sister. He called Zhao Jin and said he'd seen her at a certain nightclub.
Zhao Li often visited her brother at Ocean University, and many people around Zhao Jin knew he had a very beautiful and gentle sister.
Zhao Jin initially didn't believe it, but his senior colleague said, "Come and see for yourself!" And so the scene I just witnessed unfolded. Before
I even left the room, Zhao Jin and his sister had already had a huge argument, and the waiters, hostesses, and other customers were all staring at them in bewilderment. Huang Xiaolei had no choice but to lead the siblings to an empty private room.
I walked towards Huang Xiaolei; she shook her head helplessly when she saw me and pointed into the room. I went over and peeked through the small glass window in the private room door. I saw Zhao Jin angrily yelling at his sister, while Zhao Li was crying and trembling.
The door was so soundproof that their voices were very low, and I couldn't hear what they were saying.
I wanted to push the door open, but Huang Xiaolei stopped me. She asked if I had any cigarettes. I took out my pack, lit one for her, and lit one for myself.
I asked Huang Xiaolei why Zhao Jin was here. She said she didn't know.

Before
we had even finished our cigarettes, the door opened, and Zhao Jin rushed out as if no one else was there, walking down the corridor.
Zhao Li chased after him, calling "Xiao Jin," and tried to grab her brother. Zhao Jin shook off her hand, and when she tried to grab him again, he shoved her to the ground.
Huang Xiaolei and I were shocked. We had barely stepped forward when we were stunned by what we saw. Zhao Li scrambled to her feet, staggered, and collapsed behind Zhao Jin, clutching his leg tightly.
"Xiao Jin, don't go, listen to me..." Zhao Li sobbed uncontrollably.
I cursed inwardly and slammed my hand on the wall. When I looked at Huang Xiaolei, I saw tears streaming down her face.
A crowd had gathered around.
"Now what do you have to say?" Zhao Jin roared.
"I'm sorry, Xiao Jin, I was wrong, I'm so sorry..." Zhao Li cried out in anguish.
Zhao Jin bent down, pried his sister's hands off, and stormed off. Zhao Li lay on the floor, watching Zhao Jin's retreating figure, crying, "Xiao Jin, come back, don't leave me..."
In Huang Xiaolei's lounge, Huang Xiaolei held Zhao Li tightly on the bed, gently comforting her. Zhao Li's sobs gradually turned into quiet whimpers in her arms.
I sat on the sofa nearby, silently smoking. Seeing Zhao Li's heartbroken state, I felt a pang of sympathy. I didn't know what Zhao Jin had said to her, but it must have been something incredibly hurtful to make her sister cry like this.
I don't have an older sister, but I do have a younger sister. If my sister, Chen Meiyan, had hurt me like this, I would never forgive myself. Thinking about this, I really wanted to slap Zhao Jin.
After a while, Huang Xiaolei said to me, "Shaoyan, why don't you go back to the private room and keep your friend company? I'll stay with her."
I nodded, stood up, and said, "Call me if anything happens."
Leaving Huang Xiaolei's lounge, I had just reached the corner when I saw Xiao Dongbei standing there smoking. He saw me, glared at me, stubbed out his cigarette, and left. I sensed a certain hostility in his gaze, which baffled me.
The next day, a message spread online. It said that a hostess at a nightclub was keeping a young gigolo, a student at Ocean University. The gigolo, after discovering his lover was working as a prostitute, was furious and went to the nightclub to have a huge fight with her.
The post included pictures and text, and although the images weren't very clear, those familiar with the siblings could still recognize them.
Two days later, I received a call from Zhao Li. I was having breakfast with Fang Mei at the time; she had spent the night at my place.
I went into my study to answer the call, Fang Mei looking at me with a puzzled expression.
"Brother Shaoyan, can you do me a favor?" Zhao Li's pitiful voice, trembling with tears, came from the other end of the line.
I glanced at the study door and whispered, "What's wrong, Lili?"
"My brother hasn't answered my calls for the past two days. I want to go to Ocean University to find him. Can you come with me? I'm afraid to face him alone," Zhao Li said, starting to cry again.
I thought for a moment and said, "Okay, where are you? I'll drive to pick you up."
Leaving the study, I hesitated for a moment before saying to Fang Mei, "Um, Fang Mei, I have to go out for a bit."
"Okay..." Fang Mei looked at me and asked, "What's wrong?"
"A friend has something to do," I said casually, walking to the entryway to change my shoes. "I'll be right back."
I drove Zhao Li to the Ocean University of China, where Zhao Jin studied. Fang Min had also graduated from this university with a master's degree and stayed on to teach; she had also left her mark on this campus.
Thinking of this, I sighed inwardly. So much had happened over the years, making my life feel like a rollercoaster.
Considering it was summer vacation, Zhao Li and I went directly to Zhao Jin's dormitory. The dormitory supervisor let us into the building after hearing our purpose.
When we arrived at Zhao Jin's room, he wasn't there. His roommate told us that Zhao Jin might have gone to the library.
So Zhao Li and I drove to the library. As soon as we parked, we saw Zhao Jin and a girl in her early twenties walking down the steps from the library entrance.
The girl was quite pretty and refined. Judging from their intimate behavior, they were a couple and a good match.
When Zhao Jin saw us, his face darkened immediately. He grabbed the girl beside him and quickly walked away in another direction.
"Zhao Jin!" Zhao Li called out, chasing after them.
Zhao Jin looked extremely annoyed and helpless. He glanced at the sky and said to the girl, "Zhenzhen, wait a moment." Then
he coldly said to his sister, "Come with me."
He led Zhao Li a short distance away, where the siblings stopped and began to talk. Zhao Jin seemed very agitated, glancing at us frequently, while Zhao Li seemed to be pleading for something, tears streaming down her face.
The girl looked at the siblings with a puzzled expression, then walked to my side and asked, "Excuse me, uncle, what are you to Zhao Jin? Who is that sister?"
I looked at the two siblings talking and said in a deep voice, "She is Zhao Jin's sister."
"Sister?" the girl said in surprise, then smiled, "You just came back from abroad, right?"
"Abroad?" I turned to look at the girl.
The girl smiled and said, "Zhao Jin told me that his sister has been living abroad."
Damn! I cursed inwardly; this guy
is incredibly vain. "Did he tell you that?" I suppressed my anger and stared at the girl as I asked.
The girl was startled by my expression and widened her eyes, saying, "Yes, yes!"
Just then, Zhao Jin's shout rang in my ears, "Stop talking! Stop talking!"
The girl and I walked towards the siblings simultaneously. A crowd had already gathered around, whispering amongst themselves.
Zhao Li cried, "Xiao Jin, listen to me! I've decided to turn over a new leaf and quit that line of work."
Zhao Jin laughed coldly, "You make it sound so easy. Something that's been contaminated will never be truly clean, no matter how much you try to wash it. Do you understand?"
The girl looked at the siblings with increasing surprise. Tears streaming down her face, Zhao Li grasped Zhao Jin's hand and pleaded, "Xiao Jin, please don't treat me like this! I beg you, I can't live without you. Don't disown me!"
Zhao Jin glanced at the girl, then disgustedly shook off his sister's hand, saying harshly, "Zhao Li, you're despicable. You don't deserve to be my sister, and I'm no longer your brother."
Zhao Li grabbed Zhao Jin's hand again, crying, "Please, can I kneel down for you?"
She knelt down. The surrounding people gasped in surprise. In desperation, Zhao Jin shouted, "Let go of me!"
He forcefully flung her hand away, and Zhao Li fell to the ground. The girl cried out, "Zhao Jin!" and ran over to grab his arm, looking at Zhao Li in astonishment. "Is she really your sister?" she asked.
Zhao Jin pointed at Zhao Li on the ground and said, "Zhao Li, listen to me, from this day forward, we sever all ties."
He paused, then added, "And all that disgusting, dirty money you earned, I will return to you every single penny."
He finished speaking and pulled the girl away, the girl glancing back at Zhao Li as they walked. Behind them, Zhao Li cried out in anguish, "Xiao Jin..."
I couldn't bear to watch any longer. I rushed over and grabbed Zhao Jin's shoulder. As he turned around, amidst the screams of the onlookers, I punched him in the face.
The girl cried out, "Why did you hit him?"
Zhao Jin staggered back several steps. Taking advantage of his unsteady stance, I punched him repeatedly, channeling all the anger that had been building up since our trip to Zhao Li's hometown into each of my blows.
“Your sister saved your dad’s life with that dirty money, used that dirty money to feed you, clothe you, and send you to school, from university all the way to graduate school…” I yelled as I hit him, “Who the hell is dirty, who’s disgusting?”
Zhao Li rushed up from behind and hugged me, crying, “Don’t hit my brother, what right do you have to hit my brother?”
I leaned down to Zhao Jin, who was covering his face on the ground, and said breathlessly, “Your sister isn’t dirty at all. The dirty ones are those who humiliated her, and ungrateful bastards like you.”
Zhao Jin looked at me with fear and confusion, “Who are you? Do I know you?”
I said through gritted teeth, “You don’t know me, but I fucking know you, I’ve known you for a long time. Let me tell you, your sister is the greatest sister in the world. You shouldn’t despise her or hate her, but kneel before her to thank her and beg for her forgiveness!”
“Stop talking, stop talking,” Zhao Li cried, hugging me and kneeling down behind me.
"You've read so many books, and they've all gone to waste? Don't you understand the simplest truths in the world?" I finally finished my tirade, pointed to the side, and said, "Get out!"
The girl helped Zhao Jin up, and the two of them looked at me in horror before turning and leaving. Zhao Li called out behind me, "Xiao Jin!"
Zhao Jin paused briefly, then, supported by the girl, left without looking back. Zhao Li started crying again, and I knelt down and hugged her, letting her sob uncontrollably.
The people around us continued to watch and whisper among themselves.

(To be continued)

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