FY - 31

Zhou Yan replaced her SIM card and had lost all her phone numbers. She first saved Zhou Siyuan’s number.

Afraid that Zhou Siyuan would look for her, she had bought him a children’s smartwatch phone, which only had call and time-telling functions.

As soon as she saved his number, he called.

She answered, hearing him panting: “Sister, we got half a day off.”

Zhou Yan was more concerned: “Why are you out of breath?”

Zhou Siyuan said: “I was just racing Guo Xiaolei. He said if I ran to the intersection first, he’d show me his perfect score essay. I won! He’s a bit sad now.”

Zhou Yan laughed, a doting laugh: “If you run on the road in front of your school’s main gate, I’ll make you sad too.”

Zhou Siyuan’s smile froze.

“That road is full of cars, and you ran all the way to the traffic lights?” Zhou Yan spoke as she walked into a nearby auto repair shop.

A young mechanic, wearing a baseball cap, came up to greet her. Just as he was about to speak, he saw Zhou Yan on the phone and waited.

Zhou Siyuan didn’t defend himself, obediently saying: “I know I was wrong.”

Zhou Yan glanced at the time: “Wait at the school gate, I’ll come pick you up. About twenty minutes.”

“Okay.”

The call ended. Zhou Yan turned to the mechanic: “My car won’t start. Can your shop fix it? A Chevrolet Cruze.”

The mechanic nodded: “Yes. Where is it parked now?”

“In the Candy nightclub parking lot.”

“We can tow it, but there will be a towing fee.”

Zhou Yan had no problem with that: “Mhm. Okay.”

After sorting out the car, Zhou Yan took a taxi to Experimental Primary School.

Zhou Siyuan was obediently waiting under the streetlamp, with another boy squatting beside him, eating snacks.

She walked towards them.

Zhou Siyuan saw her first, his eyes disappearing in a wide grin, and he rushed over: “Sister!”

Zhou Yan caught him, wiping the sweat from his forehead with her palm: “Are you hungry?”

Zhou Siyuan shook his head, pulled the little boy over, and introduced him: “Sister, this is Guo Xiaolei. He transferred from School No. 2. He’s really good at studying, and he’s my good friend.”

Guo Xiaolei extended a chubby little hand to Zhou Yan: “Hello, Sister.”

Zhou Yan smiled, reaching out her hand to shake his.

Zhou Siyuan proudly told him: “My sister is beautiful, isn’t she? The most, most, most beautiful in Qizhou!”

Guo Xiaolei was simple-minded, scratching the back of his head, nodding shyly.

Zhou Yan patted Zhou Siyuan’s head: “You two have praised me so much, wouldn’t it be rude if I didn’t treat you to a meal?”

Zhou Siyuan jumped up: “I want ramen!”

Guo Xiaolei raised his hand, then retracted it, even shyer than Zhou Siyuan.

Zhou Yan extended her hand to him: “Xiaolei, if you’re not in a hurry to go home, would you like to join Siyuan?”

Guo Xiaolei shook his head, then nodded.

Zhou Siyuan put his hand in Zhou Yan’s: “Come on! Let’s go together!”

There was a ramen shop nearby. Zhou Yan ordered a bowl for each of them, a plate of beef, and two cold dishes.

The two children ate and played, sometimes competing, sometimes just looking at each other and giggling. The whole scene was truly lovely to behold.

Zhou Yan’s heart softened.

Ever since Zhou Siyuan was bullied at school, he became cautious. If others ignored him, he ignored them back. He liked dark stories and preferred being alone. He certainly became proud, but not vibrant.

She knew he didn’t want any more trouble that would make her worry. He had always been a good child.

Seeing his bright smile today, she wanted to freeze this moment, hide it in a treasure box, and keep it by her pillow.

She was very grateful to this child named Guo Xiaolei, thanking him for being willing to be Zhou Siyuan’s friend.

After dinner, the two children still didn’t want to part, chasing each other around.

Zhou Yan suggested they drop Guo Xiaolei home first, and after he consulted with his parents, they could play together again.

Only then did they nod.

Just as they stepped out of the school district, a red BMW screeched to a halt in front of them.

A woman with red hair, dressed in a seductive manner, rushed out of the car, yanked Guo Xiaolei towards her, and glared at Zhou Yan: “What are you doing?”

Zhou Yan instinctively shielded a startled Zhou Siyuan behind her and looked at Guo Xiaolei, who was also startled: “You are?”

The woman glanced at Guo Xiaolei, her voice sharp: “I’m his mother!”

Zhou Yan looked at Guo Xiaolei, confirming with him.

Guo Xiaolei nodded, though he still looked shaken.

Zhou Yan said: “I came to pick up my child, and seeing that neither of them wanted to part, I took them out to eat. I was just about to take him home.”

The woman snorted, a sneer on her face: “Don’t think I don’t know what you do. I’ve seen you at Candy.”

Zhou Yan’s calm expression vanished.

The woman wasn’t finished: “Looking at you, so young, I didn’t expect you to have such a big child. Were you deflowered by a man when you were ten?”

Zhou Yan’s eyes sharpened. She pulled Zhou Siyuan further back twice and walked towards the woman.

The woman didn’t understand what she was going to do. She retreated, backing up to her car door, her spine hitting it.

Zhou Yan was taller than her. She bent slightly, her lips close to the woman’s ear, and said: “In front of children, you should watch your mouth. Otherwise, you won’t know if I was deflowered at ten, you’ll only know that you’re about to be anally deflowered by a dozen men.”

“You already know, don’t you? I work at Candy; I’m not a good person.”

The woman shuddered, her face turning pale.

Zhou Yan continued: “I love my child very much, and I know you do too. How I live my life has nothing to do with children. If you’re a smart person, you should know that giving Guo Xiaolei a positive childhood is more important than anything.”

She hoped that Guo Xiaolei and Zhou Siyuan wouldn’t, under these circumstances, learn what a prostitute meant. It wasn’t about preserving her own image in front of them, but for their sake.

The disillusionment should happen to adults, not to these flower-like children.

She didn’t find being a prostitute shameful, but the secular world did.

To survive, she had to compromise.

Releasing the woman’s ear, Zhou Yan returned to Zhou Siyuan, stroking the back of his head: “Siyuan, say goodbye to Auntie and Xiaolei.”

Zhou Siyuan obediently extended his hand and waved twice: “Goodbye, Auntie. Goodbye, Guo Xiaolei.”

The woman regained her composure, pulled Guo Xiaolei, who was about to respond, into the car, got in, slammed the door shut, and started the engine.

Guo Xiaolei pressed down the rear window, poked out his small head, and waved goodbye to Zhou Yan and Zhou Siyuan, his mouth wide open, silently saying with exaggerated lip movements: “Goodbye, Zhou Siyuan. Goodbye, Sister.”

Zhou Siyuan pointed at him, laughing: “Sister, look, he’s like an idiot.”

Zhou Yan took his hand: “You are too.”

Injustice was targeted. Look at the child in the sunshine; he probably didn’t even know that in seemingly prosperous Qizhou, there was a place like a mass grave. No sunlight, surrounded by ditches, stinking and long, filled with maggots, feces, and piles of corpses.

The world in his eyes was fair and beautiful.

Zhou Yan hoped he could remain this beautiful, never knowing that there were places in this world where the sun didn’t shine.

She was also trying her best to bring sunshine to Zhou Siyuan.

Good children deserved it.

“Sister, do you know why we got a day off?”

“Why?”

“Because the school’s electricity system broke down. I saw many workers come to fix it.”

“Did they give you homework?”

“Yes, they did.”

“Then go to Grandma’s next door to do your homework. Sister will go get your medicine.”

“Okay.”

Zhou Yan hailed a taxi to take Zhou Siyuan home, then went to the hospital.

Last weekend, she brought Zhou Siyuan for a check-up, but the doctor wasn’t in, so they didn’t have a consultation or get medicine.

At the hospital, she queued outside the doctor’s office. After about an hour, it was finally her turn.

The doctor, seeing her, smiled, looking very tired.

Zhou Yan asked: “Have you been very busy lately? You don’t look well.”

The doctor took off his glasses, pulled out a cloth from the drawer, wiped them, and put them back on: “Not busy exactly. It’s mainly that I’m worried about my daughter, so life just feels harder.”

For outsiders, Zhou Yan didn’t know whether she should ask, so she didn’t ask any questions.

However, the doctor wanted to speak: “She passed away last week.”

Zhou Yan’s brows furrowed, and her lips tightened.

The doctor could still smile. He said: “Domestic violence. The man she married treated her badly, and that foolish child never said anything. She developed a mental illness and jumped to her death last week.”

That must not have been in this city; it would have been in the news.

Zhou Yan didn’t know how to comfort the doctor, so she remained silent, trying not to burden him.

The doctor was clearly very resilient; he was just sad.

He took out Zhou Siyuan’s medical record book, turned to last week’s test results. He wasn’t there that day, but upon his return, he immediately reviewed his patient’s tests and observations, specifically writing prescriptions and noting precautions.

Zhou Yan was suddenly grateful to him, but she wouldn’t say sentimental words.

She knew the doctor didn’t need them.

The doctor explained Zhou Siyuan’s condition to her one by one, told her how to take the prescribed medicine, and watched her leave.

He did this every day, day after day, year after year. He saved so many people, yet he couldn’t save his own daughter.

Zhou Yan left the hospital, didn’t take a taxi, and just walked leisurely along the road.

Qizhou was truly vast. So vast that when you needed help, you could walk for half a li and barely see a soul.

Yet it was also truly small. So small that filth and sadness always clung to me like ghosts.

________________________________________

After the auction, Si Wen signed the contract under everyone’s gaze and was issued receipts. The funds also arrived promptly in the organizer’s account.

The evening event was followed by a private party, intended to provide an opportunity for these business elites and high-society women to network.

For most people, this was supposed to be the main event.

Some people who were stunned by Si Wen’s grand gestures during the day didn’t want to miss seeing what he looked like without that silver-white suit. Some who disdained his high-profile actions stayed to participate, but not for him.

The people who were well-behaved at the auction were now unruly, looking flashy and acting like pretentious snobs. On the surface, they appeared aloof and composed, but inside, they were like dogs that had been caged for too long; once the cage was removed, they ran wild with joy.

This time, however, Si Wen was dressed very formally in a dark blue two-piece suit with a white shirt, completely contrary to their unspoken rules.

He seemed to be just going through the motions. He took a glass of white wine from a server and stood in front of the infinity pool, his eyes not looking at anyone in the pool. His disdainful posture seemed to say: “Just because you have breasts and buttocks, does that make you a woman?”

He was waiting for someone.

A woman with a swaying, serpentine waist walked up to Si Wen: “Mr. Si. Do you mind if we get to know each other?”

Si Wen didn’t turn around, his eyes still fixed on where he felt they should be: “I do.”

The woman’s eyes darkened by seventy percent, but her face didn’t fall: “You don’t think I have any intentions towards you, do you? If so, you’re overthinking.”

At this moment, a wine glass appeared from somewhere: “I think Mr. Si means: I mind getting to know you because you offer no value to me and waste my time. Most importantly, you are ugly.”

How cruel. The woman looked up, wanting to see who was so brazen, but saw a grinning face. It was one of the four young masters of the area, who had made his fortune in coal mining. After the industry declined, he switched to film and television, and had become quite successful.

The woman’s remaining thirty percent of color vanished.

Staying any longer would only increase her vexation. She picked up her wine glass and left, slinking away.

The man placed his hand on Si Wen’s shoulder.

Si Wen raised his hand, gently covered the back of the man’s hand, pulled hard, then pushed away, instantly twisting the man’s wrist. The man gasped, stomped his feet twice, and squatted on the ground, clutching his hand: “Shit!”

Si Wen looked at him: “I mind her, and I mind you too.”

Before the man came, he had ordered an investigation into Si Wen. Dongsheng Pharmaceuticals. He knew he couldn’t gain any advantage by being confrontational, and he was afraid Si Wen wouldn’t be interested in his softer approach. He had just wanted to make a casual acquaintance, but Si Wen’s attitude was one of “do not approach.”

He couldn’t afford to provoke him, so he wouldn’t.

In front of most people who didn’t know him well, Si Wen was still gentle, at least politely answering their questions, and apologizing if he didn’t want to answer. This was a natural behavior that emerged after he reached such a high position.

But this time, he didn’t have time to play games with them. He had to ensure that no one lingered around him.

Only then would the people who were supposed to come, actually come.

As the party drew to a close, someone finally handed him a room card, saying Director Feng wanted to see him.

He took it, glanced at it, and with a casual arc, tossed it into the infinity pool.

He turned and left.

________________________________________

Feng Zhongliang was frowning in his room. He wasn’t nervous or scared; he just couldn’t fathom Si Wen’s intentions for being there, so he sent someone to give him the room card, hoping he would come for a meeting.

Soon after, however, his subordinate informed him that Si Wen had thrown away the room card.

Si Wen had stayed there for so long, waiting for him to appear, but when he sought him out, Si Wen refused to meet.

This was what was terrifying.

He was toying with him, openly.

Feng Zhongliang’s masseter muscle twitched. His temper flared, and he overturned the table.

His subordinate rushed in at the sound: “Master! What happened?”

Feng Zhongliang was panting heavily, his chest heaving like a rollercoaster: “You hand over the Hejiazai drug trafficking network case to Chaozi to follow up, and come with me to Qizhou.”

His subordinate looked astonished but dared not ask.

He had just agreed, but Feng Zhongliang changed his mind again: “Forget it. You’d better go dig up the Liuhuo case from back then.”

Liuhuo? The subordinate wanted to know: “What happened? Wasn’t that case closed long ago? Only one leader is still at large, but we haven’t encountered an opponent with a similar style in recent years. He must be dead by now, right?”

He actually just wanted to put Feng Zhongliang at ease, but he didn’t expect his words to add fuel to the fire.

Feng Zhongliang walked over and slapped him on the back of his neck: “What are you! Huh? Tell me! What are you?”

The subordinate’s face turned pale, but as a police officer, he still stood straight, taking every slap, his voice still loud: “I am a police officer!”

“What kind of police officer!”

“I am an anti-drug police officer!”

Feng Zhongliang’s eyes were red, his face filled with disappointment: “This was your own choice, no one forced you! Since you chose to dedicate your life to the country! You must know what you’re doing! Are such irresponsible words supposed to come from your mouth?!”

The subordinate’s nose tingled, and his lips began to tremble: “I was wrong!”

Feng Zhongliang was annoyed: “Get out!”

The subordinate saluted him stiffly and properly, then turned and left the room.

When the door closed, Feng Zhongliang’s legs went weak. He leaned on the table, his hand trembling as he reached into his bag for medicine.

He twisted open the bottle, shook out two pills, and swallowed them directly, without even water.

Putting the pill bottle down, he sat down, tilting his head back, staring at the ceiling, questioning how much longer this worn-out body could last.

Just hold on a little longer. Please. At least fulfill this last wish.

________________________________________

Si Wen left the hotel and got into the car.

Lying back, facing the car ceiling, he closed his eyes, his mind filled with Feng Zhongliang’s eyes, desperately trying to hide his astonishment.

He wasn’t afraid of him; he was just surprised.

But whatever it was, Si Wen’s objective had been achieved.

He took out his phone and notified his secretary to return to Qizhou tomorrow and to arrange the flight path.

The call connected, and he spoke first: “Going back tomorrow at ten.”

The other end was silent. He frowned: “Can’t you hear me?”

“Are you asking me to pick you up?”

It was Zhou Yan’s voice.

Si Wen opened his eyes, his brows furrowing.

He picked up his phone. It was indeed her number.

He pinched the bridge of his nose and said: “Pick me up at the airport tomorrow at two.”

Zhou Yan asked him: “What am I going to pick you up with?”

Si Wen: “Figure it out yourself.”

“My car broke down and is being repaired.”

“I wouldn’t ride in your car anyway.”

“...” Zhou Yan took a breath: “Then go back by yourself.”

“There’s an SUV in the basement garage. The car keys are in the foyer.”

Zhou Yan thought for a moment: “Are you lending it to me temporarily, or giving it to me for good?”

Si Wen was tired, so he hung up on her.

The driver, seeing he had hung up, asked: “Sir, where are we going?”

Si Wen closed his eyes: “Back to the hotel.”

________________________________________

Zhou Yan didn’t care much about being hung up on; it wasn’t the first time. Moreover, it felt very much like him getting revenge for her hanging up on him.

She looked at the string of numbers on the screen, saved it, and noted it as “Si Wen.”

After looking at it for a while, she deleted it and changed it to “Old Bastard.”

Looking at it again, it looked much more pleasing.

She was in the Candy changing room, her elbow propped on the table, her palm supporting her chin, her eyebrows curving into a smile.

She herself was completely unaware of it.

The door opened, and the manager came in to inform a few hostesses about the large private rooms. She wasn’t among them.

She reached for her cigarette pack, left Candy, and went to the adjacent pool hall, buying an hour’s worth of time.

The hall manager brought her a cup of Earl Grey tea and a milk packet: “Sister Yan hasn’t been around for a while. Busy?”

Zhou Yan thought about her past few months; it didn’t seem particularly busy: “Not bad.”

As they were talking, Wei Lian came up from the staircase.

He saw Zhou Yan, his eyes lit up for a moment, then quickly dimmed. He walked over just to politely say hello.

Zhou Yan acknowledged him, not perfunctorily, but without much interest either.

The hall manager set up a table for Wei Lian, then returned and quietly told Zhou Yan: “He’s been coming frequently lately, staring blankly at Candy while playing.”

Zhou Yan’s reaction was calm, and her mood matched her expression. Her attention was solely on the ball. After a standard break shot at her pool table, the balls scattered.

The two of them, in the same hall, played pool separately.

Zhou Yan’s expression and mood were aligned; her focus was entirely on the ball.

Wei Lian was not. On the surface, he was playing pool, but his mind was entirely on Zhou Yan.

After two games, he finally walked over and spoke to her: “Who taught you billiards?”

Zhou Yan held her cue stick and said indifferently: “Si Wen.”

Indeed, Si Wen had taught her, but he wasn’t a patient teacher; he taught her once and then left her to it.

Later, Zhou Yan grew fond of playing pool and started playing by herself. Gradually, she became better than him, and he stopped playing pool altogether.

Wei Lian clenched his cue stick, his knuckles stark white.

Suppressing his jealousy, he made his voice sound normal. Following his panicked call to her last time, he asked again: “Do you love him?”

This time, Zhou Yan paused.