Chapter 38 - 2#

In the modestly sized room, several long sofas were arranged. Du Yijie had his back to me, and my gaze met Third Master Ren’s. Behind him stood only a few people, disciplined and upright, while Du Yijie had but one man by his side. The air carried a chilling, oppressive tension.

Third Master Ren had been resting his chin on one hand, but when he saw me, his eyes widened first, then he slowly sat up straight.

“Young Master, why would you…” Zhang Ting’s usually smiling face froze as if seeing something terrifying.

Du Yijie immediately turned around too, pausing slightly when he saw us.

Ade carefully closed the door, lifted his head to look at Zhang Ting, and sneered, “Don’t bother thinking about it. The men you sent to keep an eye on your precious young master have all been dealt with along the way.”

Zhang Ting’s face instantly changed dramatically.

Ade slowly moved to my side, shifting the gun muzzle to my temple. With a laugh, his gaze swept over the two men ahead. “Sorry, Brother Du, I came without permission. After thinking it over carefully, I felt this deal might not be easy to negotiate. Better to bring Lawyer Ren along. With a lawyer present, there’s a safety net for everything. Third Master, don’t you agree?”

My eyes met his squarely.

Third Master Ren’s eyes widened. His left hand groped around until it found the green jade staff, and then he slammed it down violently.

His expression was one of extreme fury. I had seen him like this before.

In my past life, when Old Master Chang had smashed a hole in my forehead, he had worn the same expression. I used to think he only showed that face when his authority was challenged.

Third Master Ren’s usually icy demeanor seemed to crack. He shifted his gaze to Du Yijie.

Du Yijie looked shocked as well. When his eyes met mine, he softly called out, “Xiao Qi.” Third Master Ren suddenly grabbed the stack of papers on the table and, without a word, took out a pen to sign.

“Third, Third Master! You must think twice—” Zhang Ting reached out to grab Third Master Ren’s hand holding the pen.

Third Master Ren turned and glared at him. Zhang Ting flinched, then lowered his head with a grimace and stepped back.

The pen scratched harshly across the paper. Setting the pen down, Third Master Ren raised his eyes to look ahead.

Ade pulled me slowly over beside Du Yijie. Du Yijie’s expression wasn’t great either, his brows tightly knit.

The stack of papers was clutched tightly in Third Master Ren’s hand. His bony fingers trembled violently, and the paper was already crumpled.

“Let him go,” he said.

His voice was as grating as the scrape of a saw.

Du Yijie clasped his hands together, glanced at Ade, and said in a deep voice, “Let him go now.”

Ade looked ahead, sneered, and said through gritted teeth, “Brother Du, I can’t follow that order. Third Master, hand over the contract first. I’ll need your precious nephew to accompany us a short distance—just to the entrance downstairs. Once we’re in the car, we’ll return him immediately.”

Third Master Ren, seeming to lose his composure, hurled the papers in his hand at Du Yijie. Pointing at Ade, he said coldly, “Don’t even think about it.”

Du Yijie’s expression also soured. Looking at Third Master Ren, he said in an icy tone, “Third Master, we came to negotiate in good faith. I respect you as an elder, but my subordinate has a point—you need to leave us an escape route.”

Du Yijie turned his head to look at me, his expression complicated.

Ade pressed the gun muzzle against me and whispered coldly in my ear, “Speak up. Beg your Third Uncle. Isn’t he the one who dotes on you the most?”

I felt like only cold air was left in my lungs.

“Third Uncle,” I finally managed to force out. Third Master Ren turned to me urgently, as if about to walk over, but Zhang Ting grabbed him in time.

“Third Uncle, I…” His face was deathly pale. Suddenly, my chest tightened.

How could I say it? How could I even voice such words?

Du Yijie folded the papers and put them in his pocket. He stood up from the sofa, glanced at me, and said, “Third Master, let’s take a step back and make a deal. Pull back all your men outside. I originally wanted to be a long-term friend with you, but at this point, I don’t think that’s possible. Still, Young Master Ren and I have a cooperative relationship. Let’s just drop today’s matter.”

Third Master Ren stared at him, then nodded emphatically. Grabbing Zhang Ting, he whispered a few words through gritted teeth. Zhang Ting rubbed his nose, opened the door, and stepped outside. Ade, holding me, slowly moved to the doorway. He carefully checked the outside, then whispered to Du Yijie, “Brother Du, you go first.”

Then he raised his voice: “If something happens to you on the way, I’ll turn their precious young master into a sieve!”

Third Master Ren had already risen from his seat.

Du Yijie nodded and gave me a deep look before leaving.

After Du Yijie left, Ade took a call. Before pushing me away at the elevator entrance, he tossed out, “Don’t put on that pathetic, shameful face. This time, your uncle was the one who was unreasonable, and we were just reciprocating. He couldn’t hold back and stirred up this mess, so we had to sacrifice you, big shot.”

He pushed me forward a few steps. When I looked up, I saw Third Master Ren trudging over with difficulty.

Zhang Ting, supporting Third Master Ren, was shouting left and right, “Hurry! Go downstairs and block that car! Block every intersection! He wants to run? Not so easy! Hey, Third Master, Third Master, watch your step…”

“Qi…” He reached a hand toward me, then suddenly his eyes rolled back.

My eyes widened as he fell backward. The people around didn’t react in time, just watched helplessly as he collapsed.

“Third Uncle!”

I rushed toward him. He convulsed, his eyes rolling up, letting out wheezing sounds as if struggling to breathe. In a daze, he grabbed my arm.

“Third Master! Go call a doctor!” Zhang Ting, apparently never having seen Third Master Ren have an attack, just frantically gave orders.

“Medicine! His medicine!” I frantically searched Third Master Ren’s body but found nothing. I quickly grabbed Zhang Ting. “Where’s the inhaler?”

“Huh?”

“Where’s his inhaler? He’s having an asthma attack!”

Zhang Ting rushed back into the hotel room in a panic, and the sound of rummaging through boxes and cabinets came from inside.

I helped Third Master Ren lean against my chest. The people around stepped back appropriately, letting him have enough air. By the time Zhang Ting found the inhaler, he was drenched in sweat, his lips as pale as paper. I took the inhaler from Zhang Ting, my hands trembling violently. I brought it to his mouth, trying several times before getting it right.

“Third Uncle, Third Uncle.” I administered one dose and called out to him a few times. He closed his eyes, and the wheezing subsided slightly.

“Where’s the doctor? Why isn’t he here yet!” Zhang Ting yelled into his phone. “What? Traffic jam? What traffic jam? Someone’s about to die!”

I stroked his chest repeatedly. His convulsions gradually stopped. I looked up and grabbed Zhang Ting, saying urgently, “If the doctor can’t make it in time, we’ll go to the hospital!” Third Master Ren’s attacks were always severe; prolonged asthma wasn’t unheard of before.

“Alright, alright, alright—” Zhang Ting was panicking too. He turned and hurriedly ordered someone to find a wheelchair.

I helped lift Third Master Ren into the wheelchair with some difficulty. The bodyguards nearby also rushed to assist. He clung tightly to my arm, his head tilted back, air seeming to go in and out with difficulty as he panted, “Qiqi… Qiqi…”

I remembered that year, when he had an attack, he also kept grabbing my hand. But back then, I couldn’t make out what he was murmuring.

Suddenly, I felt a pang in my heart.

In the past, I also felt uncomfortable when he had attacks. But never as much as now.

During treatment, he still held my hand, his fingertips trembling, his eyes slightly open. The doctor looked at me with some hesitation. I glanced at him, then turned to the medical staff. “Can I stay here… with him?”

“I won’t disturb you.” My breath seemed stuck in my nose. I inhaled a few times and said, “My uncle needs someone with him when he has attacks. I… haven’t been with him for many years…”

I lowered my head.

I saw my tears fall onto the back of his hand.

Just like Wang Zheng said, I couldn’t reject everything tied to the past just because it wasn’t truly past for them.

And I couldn’t try to make up for all the regrets of the past in this life.

In truth, all of this was just my own self-gratification.

In the middle of the night, he had another attack, but it was much milder than the first, and it subsided quickly. Zhang Ting stayed outside, occasionally peeking in.

By the time he came to, it was already the next morning.

The doctor cautiously performed another check. When I walked in from outside, he was already sitting up in bed, the auxiliary equipment removed. Zhang Ting craned his neck beside him, shouting, “Careful, careful!”

As I approached, Zhang Ting noticed me and immediately changed his tone. “Young Master, you stayed up all night? Are you tired? Oh, right, are you hungry? Ah, Third Master, what can you eat? I’ll go arrange—”

I said to Zhang Ting, “Brother Zhang, please prepare some congee and a little fruit.”

“And for you, Young Master—”

I shook my head. “I’m not hungry.” Zhang Ting frowned and lamented, “How can that do?”

Third Master Ren looked at me too. I smiled. “Make it the same for me.”

I spooned the still-warm thin congee. Usually, he didn’t have much appetite at times like this, but he couldn’t just leave his stomach empty.

I scooped up a spoonful and brought it to him.

He lowered his eyes, obediently eating it. Then, looking at me, he said softly, “Qi Ri, you eat too.”

I hummed in response. When I tried to feed him again, he slightly turned his head to refuse.

So it turned into a strange pattern of one spoonful for him, one for me.

He drank half a bowl. I asked, “Is your breathing smoother now?” He nodded, the corners of his mouth lifting slightly.

Soon, someone came to clear the dishes.

His hand moved toward mine, and I proactively reached out to hold it slowly.

“I’m sorry, Third Uncle.”

I looked up at him. He held my hand, slowly bringing it to rest near his chest.

Suddenly, I choked up. My voice hoarse and babbling, I said, “I’ve caused you trouble again. I made you… have an attack.” He didn’t speak, just looked at me.

After a long while, he finally said, “It’s Third Uncle who should apologize to you…”

“Third Uncle… forced you.” His other hand reached out to touch my face. He spoke haltingly, “It won’t happen again… Don’t say it’s trouble to Third Uncle. Third Uncle… is willing, Qiqi…” He spoke with difficulty, taking a while to get the words out properly.

I shook my head, lowering my eyes.

When I got home, Wang Zheng was still sitting at the entrance, holding a cookbook. When I pushed the door open, he looked up at me.

“Back…?” He stood up, wobbling a little from numbness in his legs. “Is your colleague feeling better? Are you too much of a good person? Busier than a firefighter.”

I smiled and nodded at him. I didn’t tell him the truth, afraid his temper would flare up again.

Wang Zheng came over and squeezed my shoulder. “I know you must have stayed up all night. Go take a shower. I made soup. Drink some before you sleep.”

I looked at Wang Zheng and said, “Wang Zheng, I want to tell you something.”

Wang Zheng froze instantly, staring at me.

“What, what’s up?” He hesitated, speaking uneasily.

I pulled him over to sit on the living room sofa.

He nervously looked me up and down, sitting up straight. “What’s so serious?”

I smiled faintly and shook my head.

“Don’t be so tense.”

“How can I not be? Are you kicking me out?” He suddenly pulled his legs up, slouching back in the chair, lifting his chin arrogantly. “Don’t even think about it. I’m staying right here. No matter who you like or who you’re moving in with, I’m not leaving!”

I looked at him, torn between laughter and tears. “Where do you get these wild ideas from?”

He snorted gloomily. “It must be. You lied, saying you were taking care of a colleague, but you were actually spending the night with someone else, right!”

I rolled my eyes. He was about to go on, but I quickly stopped him. “No—! I’m planning to resign!”

Wang Zheng’s eyes flew wide open.

I said, “I’ve been thinking it through. Lately, I’ve felt too tired. I want to take a break for now.”

Wang Zheng stared at me blankly, then nodded vaguely, stammering, “Wh, why… well, you, aren’t you…”

I smiled. “Li Ling has someone to take care of her now. Cheng Chen can do a better job than me. It’s better if I don’t interfere. And… there’s something else I want to talk to you about.”

“What…”

I looked at him, smiling. “It’s true you can’t stay here anymore.”

He jolted, eyes bulging, and shot up.

“You—”

“I plan to leave this place.”

I looked at him, still smiling, and said softly, “I want to go somewhere else, to travel and see the world.”

“Last time I heard you say you couldn’t find a job. I thought… how about this—would you like to come with me somewhere else? You mentioned before that if you couldn’t find a job, you’d start a small business.”

“I suddenly think that idea is actually pretty good. You have great skills; it would be a waste not to use them. Whether we stay in the U.S., go back, or go somewhere else is fine—what do you say? Ah!”

Wang Zheng suddenly rushed over and tackled me onto the sofa.

He hugged me and said, “Wherever you want to go, you have to take me with you.”

Then he chuckled, lifting his head. His already handsome face seemed even more radiant. He sighed and said, “I’ve lived over twenty years, and it feels like only now… am I truly alive.”