Chapter 51
Dogs can never stop eating shit[1].
I was talking about him, and myself too.
Ever since he was young, he had never done anything humane, and was still that way now.
No matter how crazy I was, I still didn’t want to become a tool for his entertainment at the moment of my death. Moreover, I noticed that the phone in his hand was actually mine.
After being admitted to the hospital, I couldn’t find my phone. I must have left it here when I was being sent to the hospital. Unfortunately, it had ended up in Hao Zi’s hands, but how had he managed to unlock it?
My phone password had always been Yan Yang’s birthday. Thinking of this, when I looked at Hao Zi, I was filled with an even greater seething hatred.
The window had fallen into disrepair with time. With a bit more force, I could probably tear it down. As the cold wind blew, the window shook and rattled.
“Hurry up,” Hao Zi urged, “I’m waiting to see it.”
“You’re holding my phone.”
“I know,” Hao Zi lifted his eyes to look at me, smiling as he said, “This phone’s not bad. It’s mine now.”
I got down from the windowsill. Anger was surging within me.
“I would never have expected it…isn’t Yan Yang your biological brother?” Hao Zi laughed derisively, “Fucking incredible. I’ve underestimated you two.”
There were photos and videos of Yan Yang and me in the phone. Apart from that, there were also chat logs.
Hao Zi had seen them.
The moment the thought of Hao Zi having seen Yan Yang crossed my mind, I started to lose control, picking up whatever was near me. I closed in on him as I questioned him, “What did you see?”
“He’s quite fair,” Hao Zi deliberately shot a taunting smile at me, “Moans quite loudly.”
I raised the item in my hand and flung it at him. His reaction was quick, simply dodging it.
That was when I realised that what had been in my hand was that old coat. Even if it had landed on him perfectly, it would not have hurt him in any way.
Hao Zi laughed at me, “Fuck, are you playing with me? If you have the guts, then just come chop me up. Such a fucking coward.”
I was bursting with anger, frantically searching for something I could use in this house.
As I searched, Hao Zi continued to spur my anger on, “Your Di’s pretty tight, right? God, I can tell he’s a good fuck just by looking. I should have just topped him back then.”
Back then.
I recalled how Yan Yang had once told me about Hao Zi pulling at and spoiling the button of his jeans.
New resentment piled onto the old. I lost my rationality once again.
There was an iron chain under the bed. My mother had used it when I was a child to tie me up. I crawled under the bed, but as I was coming out, before I could stand up, he stepped on my hand.
Hao Zi kept pointing the phone at me, appearing to be recording.
“I haven't settled scores with you from the other time you came and fought me,” he said as he drove his foot into my hand, though I couldn't feel an ounce of pain, “This score could have been settled between just the two of us, but I couldn’t find you.”
I raised my head to look at him and tried to pull my hand out from under his foot.
“I’ve arranged to meet that little lover of yours here. But what a coincidence; he hasn't come yet, but you have.”
Logically speaking, I should be able to beat Hao Zi in a fight. However, I had come running here from the hospital, and had walked in the freezing winter day for so long. My body was stiff all over. I was using all my strength to pull my hand out, yet I still couldn’t do it.
Hao Zi squatted down and pulled at my pants, “How about this: I fuck you first, then when your little lover comes, I'll fuck him in front of you.”
There was no way Yan Yang would come.
Let's just die together then.
Hao Zi was feeling rather pleased with himself, thinking he had got the upper hand. While his guard was lowered, I suddenly pulled my hand out with all the strength I could muster, causing him to slip and fall on the floor. Before he could return to his senses, I had already straddled his body and forcefully pressed the iron chain against his neck.
Let’s both meet our deaths.
Go down to hell together.
Hao Zi struggled beneath me. He clawed at my hands, leaving bloody scratches all over. I could see nothing but red. I had resolved to die together with him.
When Yan Yang rushed in, Hao Zi was almost about to be strangled to death. When a person is about to die, their face becomes terrifyingly hideous. Even Yan Wang[2] might frown in distaste.
Yan Yang screamed and cried as he pulled me away. I was dragged to the living room. He shrieked for me, and I saw my reflection in his eyes once more.
Hao Zi hadn’t died.
I hadn’t died either.
Yan Yang had come, but things had not been settled.
After that day, I was properly admitted to the hospital. It was a hospital for mental rehabilitation. Moreover, for the following two years, I never saw Yan Yang again, and not a shred of news about him ever reached me either.
Footnotes:
[1] ‘Dogs can never stop eating shit’: 狗改不了吃屎, meaning just like how dogs can’t change their habit of eating stool, some people can’t change their bad habits
[2] ‘Yan Wang’: Also known as King Yan. Not the same ‘Yan’ character as the one in Yan Yang’s name. From Wikipedia, ‘In Chinese mythology and religion, Yan Wang (simplified Chinese: 阎王; traditional Chinese: 閻王; pinyin: Yánwáng) is the god of death and the ruler of Diyu, overseeing the "Ten Kings of Hell" in its capital of Youdu. He is also known as Yan luo wang (阎罗王; 閻羅王; Yánluówáng), a transcription of the Sanskrit for "King Yama" (यम राज/閻魔羅社, Yama Rājā). Yan Wang is the fifth judge in the court of the underworld. In both ancient and modern times, Yan is portrayed as a large man with a scowling red face, bulging eyes, and a long beard. He wears traditional robes and a judge's cap or a crown which bears the Chinese character for "king" (王). He typically appears on Chinese hell money in the position reserved for political figures on regular currency.’