CITM - 52

Bringing Ye Ru to Hudu, Ye Yun hadn’t fully prepared. For instance, where to settle her or whether she should inform Ma Jianliang beforehand.

Yet, she still took Ye Ru away without hesitation, as if completing a redemption for herself from many years ago. If someone had pulled her out back then, she wouldn’t have fallen into that predicament.

However, sometimes life isn’t measured by gains and losses. That experience made her fall in love with a man. Did she regret it? Reflecting now, resentment outweighed regret.

Ye Yun stayed in her hometown for nearly a week, and with the delays on the road, it was already ten days later when they arrived in Hudu.

Ma Jianliang’s mother had already returned. If Ye Yun didn’t come back soon, Ma Jianliang was about to send someone to look for her in her hometown.

After returning to Hudu, Ye Yun brought her younger sister back to Yangfang Street. Upon receiving the news, Ma Jianliang rode his bike back, hurriedly climbing the stairs three steps at a time, only to see Ye Yun sitting in front of the mirror drawing her eyebrows.

He let out a long sigh: “I expected you to stay there for just two days and return. You didn’t say you’d be gone so long. I was worried something might have happened to you on the way. How could you sleep soundly leaving behind such a mess?”

Ye Yun lowered her hand, comparing the height of her eyebrows on both sides: “When I’m tired, I just fall asleep.”

“You’re not worried at all? Aren’t you afraid something might happen to the factory?”

Ye Yun stood up, adjusted her dress, and turned sideways to check herself in the mirror.

“What about you?”

A soft chuckle came from behind. Ma Jianliang turned around to see a girl leaning against the doorframe of Ye Yun’s room, watching him with a smile. There was a slight resemblance between her and Ye Yun.

Ye Yun bent down to pick up her handbag and said to Ma Jianliang: “This is my younger sister, Ye Ru. She’ll be staying with me temporarily and might bother you for some time.”

Ma Jianliang greeted Ye Ru and then turned to Ye Yun: “You’re being too formal.”

“Ying’an will take her shopping tonight. If I’m late, remember to leave the door open for my sister.”

Ma Jianliang asked: “And you? Are you going out again just after coming back?”

“I’ve arranged a mahjong game with Mrs. Liang and the others. Don’t say I don’t care about things.”

Ma Jianliang chuckled awkwardly, pretending to be a gentleman by gesturing politely. Suddenly, he remembered something and stopped Ye Yun: “While you’re there, ask around about someone called ‘Living King of Hell.’”

“What King of Hell?” Ye Yun looked at Ma Jianliang in confusion.

“I don’t know either. I just met my brother at the factory, and he asked me.”

“Got it.” Ye Yun stepped down the stairs in her high heels.

Ye Ru walked out of the room, somewhat surprised: “Since when did my sister develop this hobby?”

Ma Jianliang explained to Ye Ru: “She arranges mahjong games with those ladies every week. Don’t underestimate these few tiles. Your sister worked hard to get a seat at the table. When she was just a small tailor, she couldn’t even approach the doors of these ladies.”

Ye Ru asked in confusion: “What’s the benefit of playing mahjong?”

“There are many benefits. These wealthy ladies either come from affluent families or have husbands with considerable abilities. Some were acquaintances your sister made when she ran her tailor shop, and she has maintained these relationships ever since. Without these connections, we would have faced significant setbacks when the factory first started. Your sister isn’t playing mahjong; she’s building networks.”

After Ma Jianliang explained, Ye Ru seemed to understand.

...

When Ye Yun arrived at Mrs. Liang’s house, the mahjong game was already underway. The hostess, Mrs. Liang, wasn’t at the table; she was upstairs discussing her son’s recent academic issues with a tutor.

The four players at the table were familiar to Ye Yun. As she entered, they were chatting animatedly.

Mrs. He vividly described: “They’ve already set the registration date. Many manufacturers will bring their products over.”

“There must be some high-end goods. It would be great if we could go and see,” Mrs. Yuan said.

“It’s not that easy. You need to register under the name of a company or factory.”

Mrs. Zheng continued: “The person behind all this is called the Living King of Hell. I’ve never heard of him before. How does he know everything so well?”

Mrs. He drew a tile: “I did hear some rumors.”

As soon as she finished speaking, Mrs. He looked up and saw Ye Yun approaching. She raised her voice: “Little Ye is back. I went to look for you last week, and Boss Ma said you went back to your hometown. Is there something wrong at home?”

Ye Yun handed her jacket to the maid and smiled: “Nothing much. I haven’t been home for a long time, so I went back to visit.”

The other three turned to greet her. Ye Yun held up the pastries in her hand: “I brought some sugar pastries from home. Everyone, try them.”

Mrs. Yuan rubbed her shoulders: “Perfect timing for a break.”

The maid served flower tea with the pastries. They moved to the coffee table to enjoy tea and chat.

“This pastry from your hometown is sweet but not cloying. My old Chen loves this kind of snack. Next time you go back, bring more for me.”

The speaker was Madam Xie Yushu, Mrs. Liang’s cousin, in her early thirties, from a prestigious family and a talented woman, currently active in literary circles. Xie Yushu’s husband, Professor Chen Yi, held considerable influence in academia. It turns out that she and Ye Yun had a deep connection. Years ago, when Professor Chen Yi was still a temporary lecturer, he was sent to another province for study and work. During that trip, he met Ye Yun at an exhibition. Now, Professor Chen was Ye Yun’s mentor, and Xie Yushu was her mentor’s wife. Because of this relationship, Xie Yushu had always treated Ye Yun kindly.

Hearing her mentor’s wife speak, Ye Yun immediately agreed: “That’s easy. I’ll have someone buy some and bring them to the teacher.”

Madam Zheng continued the earlier topic, asking Madam He: “Go on, tell us more.”

Xie Yushu leaned over and told Ye Yun: “There’s a new noble in our area recently.”

Following her words, Ye Yun asked: “Isn’t that the Living King of Hell?”

Madam Yuan was quite surprised: “Didn’t you just come back? How do you know so much?”

“I wanted to ask you all about it. I was only home for a few days, and everyone was talking about him. Our factory manager is also inquiring about him.”

Madam He sipped her tea and cleared her throat: “Do you know about last year’s exhibition in Xicheng? It was a grand event, and tickets were hard to come by. The latest news is that the organizer recently came here, bringing many famous brands from other places. They’ve reserved some spots for local manufacturers, and now people are fighting fiercely for positions. Forget about getting the qualification to participate—just registering requires following procedures. Your factory manager must have heard about it. However, this person is extremely popular right now and not easy to connect with.”

Madam Zheng continued: “I heard that this Living King of Hell bought a villa on Jian Mountain Road. That’s no small amount. Why would he buy property here? Does he plan to settle down here in the future?”

“Who knows?” Madam He replied.

In a rapidly changing big city, new events unfold every day. The ladies’ tea gatherings often provided Ye Yun with valuable information. She quietly sipped her tea, listening to their conversation.

Madam Zheng added: “Wasn’t the garden in front of that villa planted with tulips? Someone said the first thing he did after getting the house was to send people to dig up all the flowers in the garden.”

Madam Yuan was incredulous: “Why dig them up? To plant crops?”

“A King of Hell who likes to grow his own food?” Xie Yushu found it amusing.

Her comment made everyone laugh, including Ye Yun, whose brows lifted slightly. Listening to their increasingly absurd descriptions, she couldn’t imagine what kind of eccentric person this must be.

Xie Yushu laughed and said: “But why do they call him the King of Hell? That nickname is strange, as if he takes lives.”

Madam He put down her teacup: “You hit the nail on the head. He really has taken lives, hence the nickname Living King of Hell.”

Everyone’s eyes widened in surprise. Madam Zheng urged: “What rumors have you heard?”

Madam He deliberately played with her necklace, even the maid in Mrs. Liang’s house was intrigued.

“The Living King of Hell used to work in a shipyard in their area as an ordinary worker. He was strong and robust, assigned by the leader to deliver goods. This man was smart and noticed something amiss after delivering twice. The leader was secretly selling steel behind the factory’s back, which was a serious offense. The problem was that the leader had clean hands throughout, framing the Living King of Hell. Realizing the situation, he tried to protect himself, but it was too late. Many influential figures were tied to that chain of interests, and someone plotted to silence him. It’s said that despite being chased and attacked by many, he not only survived but also killed his attackers.”

Madam Yuan covered her mouth: “Is he that hard to kill?”

Madam He laughed: “Yes, he can’t be killed. People say he has nine lives; kill one, and another remains.”

Even Xie Yushu covered her mouth and laughed. Ye Yun’s mind flashed with a figure, her thoughts wandering momentarily as she sipped her tea.

“He killed someone and still roams free?” Xie Yushu asked.

“Who killed someone?” Mrs. Liang’s voice came from the staircase. Everyone turned their heads.

Madam Zheng told her: “We’re talking about the story of the Living King of Hell. Have you heard of him?”

Mrs. Liang raised her phoenix eyes: “Him? My old Liang met him just last week.”

Hearing this, several people became excited, urging Mrs. Liang to elaborate.

Mrs. Liang gracefully walked over, sat down, and spoke slowly: “My old Liang has known him for many years and speaks highly of him.”

Madam Zheng interjected: “Isn’t that Living King of Hell covered in scars and extremely ugly? Those who’ve seen him say looking at him once gives nightmares, and not a single patch of skin on his body is intact. Even in the hottest summer, he wraps himself tightly.” Mrs. Liang was slightly surprised: “My old Liang didn’t mention that.”

Madam Yuan, with delicate skin, always sensitive to such tales, shrank her shoulders: “Stop talking about it. Just thinking about it makes me shiver.”

Perhaps Madam Zheng’s description was too terrifying, even the nearby maid frowned in distaste.

Unexpectedly, Ye Yun, who had remained silent for a while, suddenly commented: “Scars only indicate a person’s experiences. Judging beauty by scars is inappropriate.”

Madam Zheng retorted: “How can someone covered in scars be considered beautiful?”

Ye Yun raised her head. Her usually gentle gaze carried a touch of elusive melancholy: “Since none of us have seen him, it’s better not to casually comment on others’ appearances. If life were smooth sailing, who would want scars on their body?”

Madam He sipped her tea thoughtfully. Mrs. Liang and Xie Yushu exchanged glances unintentionally, while Madam Zheng looked at Ye Yun in puzzlement.

It wasn’t the first time they gathered to joke like this. When they chatted enthusiastically, they often joked about others, even making crude remarks without restraint. Ye Yun wouldn’t join in the jokes but would always listen with a smile. Even if their jokes went too far, she never said anything, always speaking gently like a spring breeze. This seriousness was a first.

Madam Zheng teased her: “Are you defending a stranger now? Should Mrs. Liang have her husband introduce you?”

Madam He quickly interjected: “What nonsense are you talking?”

Ye Yun’s clear black-and-white pupils dropped: “I’m not defending anyone else. I just don’t want to judge people by their looks.”

Xie Yushu agreed: “We’re all just hearing rumors. It’s indeed inappropriate to judge by appearance. Confucius said, ‘Judging by words, I erred with Zai Yu; judging by appearance, I erred with Zi Yu.’”

Mrs. Liang timely stood up to cut off the topic: “Let’s continue playing mahjong. Little Ye, play with them and dampen their spirits.”

Madam Yuan leaned back without moving: “Perfect. My shoulders are sore from sitting. Little Ye, take my place.”

As they walked to the mahjong room, Xie Yushu linked arms with Ye Yun: “Why argue with her? She says whatever comes to mind.”

Ye Yun smiled faintly and changed the subject: “By the way, the matter I mentioned to you last time—the editor-in-chief of Prestige Magazine. If you have a chance, please help introduce me.”

“I remember this. I didn’t have time to ask you last time. Why do you want to get acquainted with her?”

“I’m planning to explore the brand route and see if there’s an opportunity to expand the scale.”

Xie Yushu sighed: “I heard you just received a commercial trade order recently. Isn’t that enough profit?”

“No brand awareness means too low profit margins.”

Xie Yushu squeezed her hand: “Ambitious little one.”

They sat down at the mahjong table and played a couple of rounds until it was dark. Mr. Liang happened to return and greeted them in the card room.

Madam Zheng, seeing him, couldn’t resist teasing: “Boss Liang, I heard you know that Living King of Hell. Tell us what he looks like. Is he really that scary?”

Mr. Liang laughed: “Isn’t he just normal-looking? What’s scary about him? You all believe the nonsense outside.”

After saying that, Mr. Liang intended to go upstairs, but Madam Yuan came over with her tea: “Don’t leave. What’s worrying you? We’ve been chatting all afternoon, and you’re the only one who’s seen him. Tell us.”

“Yes, tell us if the story about him killing people is true,” Xie Yushu also looked up.

Mr. Liang was cornered by these women and had no choice but to sit down and explain: “The killing is indeed true. But he has the ability to save himself from prison. In those days, under such circumstances, if he got locked up, he definitely wouldn’t come out. Later, a clause enacted in 1979 saved his life. The establishment of the self-defense system in criminal law has always been debated in legal and judicial circles. Moreover, back then, they couldn’t even find a decent lawyer in their area. While in prison, he somehow obtained law books through unknown channels, studied criminal law by himself, pondered repeatedly, and continuously appealed to defend himself. Eventually, not only did he succeed in his defense, but he also forced the court to retry the case from that year. His factory underwent a major internal overhaul because of this case. It caused quite a stir locally and is still considered a classic case. You have less contact with this industry, otherwise, you should have heard something about it.”

“That truly is legendary,” Madam He remarked.

Killing people, mastering legal clauses, turning his fate around single-handedly, covered in scars, coming to Hudu to hold exhibitions. All these fragmented pieces of information swirled together like a massive vortex, pulling Ye Yun’s consciousness in, tossing her back and forth.

Xie Yushu patted Ye Yun’s hand: “Pick a tile. Are you dazed from listening to stories? What are you spacing out for?”

Ye Yun’s expression was obscure. She reached out to draw a tile. At this moment, Mr. Liang focused his attention on Ye Yun: “Look at my memory. Little Ye, do you still make clothes?”

Ye Yun played a tile and raised her gaze: “Yes. Does Boss Liang have any orders to refer to me?”

“The friend I mentioned earlier. Last week, when we had dinner together, he wanted to make clothes as soon as he arrived. I suggested taking him to the mall to buy a couple of suits, but he’s particular and wants handmade clothes. He asked me to find out where there are skilled tailors. I intended to ask my wife when I saw you and remembered this.”

Ye Yun’s fingers fidgeted with the tile beside her, her breathing becoming faster. The other three looked up at her. Only then did she play a tile and lower her head to ask: “How did Boss Liang meet this friend of yours?”

“I’ve known him for nearly twenty years. Back then, he was just a teenager, coming alone to seek fortune in Hudu. He ran the docks with remarkable courage and determination. Among his peers, he was the one I admired most. Later, he couldn’t let go of his family and wanted to return to work in a factory, hoping to settle down. I advised him not to go back then. If he had listened to me, he wouldn’t have encountered those troubles. Everyone has their own destiny.”

With a light clatter, one of the tiles beside Ye Yun fell over. Madam Zheng looked at her, then at the tiles, and asked: “Little Ye, are you playing this or not?”

Ye Yun’s face grew increasingly pale and weak. She pushed the fallen tile forward.

Madam Zheng laughed: “If you play, I’ll win.” She played her tiles.

Ye Yun raised her head, her gaze fixed steadily on Mr. Liang: “What’s the name of this friend of yours?”

Mr. Liang blew on the tea leaves in his cup and replied: “His surname is Bai. Bai Wenfu.”