Chapter 43#

The cemetery was located on a hill by the sea. The winter wind blew from the sea, piercingly cold.

The cemetery administrator stood beside him, bowing and scraping, apologizing profusely.

“I’m sorry, I’m really sorry, Mr. Fu. Look at this, it wasn’t here when I patrolled a few days ago. I don’t know which grandson did it. Damn, what kind of people are these? Such poor quality. We will definitely find a way to clean it up for you, but the photo…”

“It doesn’t matter, it’s not entirely your fault. No one wants such an accident to happen.” Fu Jinchi glanced at him, smiled gently, and even comforted the administrator in return, “Just develop a new photo. I’ll have someone send it over later.”

The cemetery administrator felt as if he had been granted amnesty, thanked him profusely, and stole glances at him.

The man in front of him was wearing an exquisite black cashmere coat, tall and slender, hands in pockets, standing straight as a line from head to toe, feeling a bit like a gangster in old Hong Kong movies.

Added to the red characters sprayed on the tombstone, it was hard not to associate it with grudges in the underworld.

But it didn’t seem like it, the attitude didn’t seem like it.

This Mr. Fu was particularly polite and surprisingly easy to talk to. You say, seeing one’s own mother’s grave desecrated like this, even a clay figure would have some blood nature, right? He didn’t vent his anger at all, and even considerately cooperated with the cemetery management office to agree on a solution. It was truly an unusual good cultivation. Where can you find such an elegant gangster?

The cemetery administrator made up his mind right then and there to handle it well for him, otherwise, he would be truly ashamed.

After discussing the follow-up work, Fu Jinchi said: “I’ll stay here alone for a while, is that okay?”

“Ah, sure!” The cemetery administrator reacted and made a gesture to leave, “Of course, call me if you have any questions.”

The cemetery was boundless and bleak. After all, few people would make a special trip to sweep graves and pay respects on such a festive day as New Year.

Fu Jinchi looked up at the sky. The sun was cold and white, dim and lightless. The sun couldn’t be seen in the sky, only a thin layer of floating clouds.

Yet it made people feel shrouded in boundless sorrow, a floating and lonely feeling hitting like a tide.

His gaze returned to the tombstone.

Bitch.

The ugly font was glaringly red.

Fu Jinchi didn’t blame the administrator. He knew who did this mess—this was a blatant threat signal.

But he heard that even with the rules of the underworld, insults should not extend to ancestors, otherwise it would be considered lowly.

He raised the corners of his mouth without a smile: Did Mrs. Fu leave a mad dog for her useless son?

If it hadn’t been sprayed with red paint, this stele was originally beautiful. Below the photo, a complex and realistic camellia was carved on the stone surface because his mother liked camellias when she was alive. He handled everything himself when moving the grave and erecting the stele, spending quite a lot of money.

But when Fu Jinchi paid his respects, his hands were always empty; he had never brought real flowers once.

Before going to Hong Kong, he was also like this, standing expressionlessly in front of the stele, saying to her: “I don’t know if you have learned your lesson now. Only cowardly wagging your tail and begging for pity, no one will give you charity. If you want something, go grab it yourself.”

Of course, his mother couldn’t grab anything, nor could she express opinions on this; she had been sleeping for many years.

Not only did she not grab, she even let go of everything and left him behind too.

Slender fingers touched the woman’s face in the photo. The red paint had long solidified and dried, and it was also miserably scratched by a utility knife.

When he was a child, reaching out like this, he could touch his mother’s face directly. Now there was no chance, yet he surprisingly didn’t feel very sad.

These hands had grown up, becoming a pair of hands that could stir up wind and rain.

Fu Jinchi’s feelings for her only remained indifferent, without joy or sorrow, without love or resentment.

He always believed that everything he did was neither for revenge for her, nor even for himself.

He just had too much hatred in his heart, with nowhere to place it.

Fu Jinchi stood for a long time, facing her, unable to find even words he wanted to say. In the end, only one sentence remained: “I’m leaving.”

At this moment, the phone vibrated. He took out the phone; it was just an advertisement SMS from the carrier.

Fu Jinchi switched to other app interfaces and stared at the message Yan Zishu sent for a while.

Only one, carefully worded, as if as long as it was inconvenient for the other party, he would never disturb again.

He clearly saw it but didn’t reply. Looking at the sending time, almost a day had passed.

Fu Jinchi could almost imagine the other party’s cold yet slightly troubled look.

But after thinking about it, he still locked the phone and put it back in his pocket as it was.

*

After the New Year holiday, as soon as work resumed, the company began various work summary meetings. Personal work reports to the department, department work reports to the boss, branch work reports to the headquarters… Running around, the busy work of a whole year, credit was claimed in this one act.

The only encouraging thing was that after the debriefing, they would go to the hot spring resort for the annual meeting, and it wouldn’t take up weekend time.

The coolest thing for corporate slaves is nothing more than team building on workdays, so there was an atmosphere of joy throughout the company.

The night before leaving, Yan Zishu packed his things, but was dressed neatly, sitting on the sofa waiting.

For others, it was a paid vacation; for him, it was a plot node.

When the clock pointed past ten, he unexpectedly received a call from Ji Chen, whom he hadn’t seen for a long time.

However, before putting the phone to his ear, Yan Zishu already knew clearly what had happened.

Recently, Ji Chen and Fu Weishan had been fighting for a long time over the blind date issue. Ji Chen questioned that the other party didn’t really love him, but Fu Weishan was arrogant and conceited, the type who would never admit mistakes until death. Instead, he felt that the obedient little white rabbit had learned to show its claws, and it wouldn’t do not to discipline him.

After arguing until their faces were red and necks were thick for an unknown number of times, Ji Chen proposed breaking up.

Fu Weishan sneered and told him there was no turning back once the bow was drawn, asking him not to regret it.

—This was what Yan Zishu and Helen overheard outside the office before.

But breaking up was definitely impossible. According to the routine of dog-blood novels, when the protagonist “shou” falls out with the protagonist “gong,” it must rain when the roof leaks, encountering some misfortune he cannot solve himself, only then forcing him to bow his head and ask for help, continuing to be abused all the way.

Based on the stammering description on the other end of the phone, Yan Zishu hailed a car and found a dilapidated residential area.

He knocked on the door, and a burly man took him inside. In the dead of winter, he was bare-armed, still with flower tattoos, but he couldn’t remember if they were the two he met before. In the center of the living room, there was no coffee table or sofa, but a backdrop and flashlights, with a “white strip pig” tied in the middle.

It was Ji’s father, stripped naked and tied up, with a bruised and swollen face.

Three or four burly men suppressed the room, making the space very cramped. One with a mohawk held a camera in his hand.

Didn’t know where they learned this set, but it really lacked novelty.

Yan Zishu glanced at Ji Chen who was pressed aside by someone, then looked at the ground: “How much does he owe?”

The man with three gold chains around his neck spoke, the transverse flesh on his face twitching: “Easy to say, two hundred thousand. Pay enough money and leave.”

“No! Not that much! He’s extorting!” Ji’s father wailed, “It was eighteen thousand last month!”

Gold Chain kicked him like a dead dog: “You fucking have the ability to borrow, don’t know what usury is called?”

“I beg you, stop beating him!” Ji Chen nearly collapsed.

Yan Zishu was calm in his heart, just saying that gambling dogs would have this day sooner or later; it was impossible not to have accidents.

Gold Chain turned to Yan Zishu and pointed to the “white strip pig” on the ground: “If you can’t take out the money, we will do things according to the rules today.”

Yan Zishu coughed: “You taking photos of such an old man naked… might not be worth much money either.”

“What nonsense!” The flower-armed man who opened the door pinched Ji Chen’s face, “Isn’t his son quite fair and clean? Using him is also fine.”

Ji Chen struggled desperately. Yan Zishu stopped them: “Wait first, lend a room, I’ll talk to him alone for a while.”

The group of debt collectors exchanged glances, and finally let them go to the adjacent room: “Decide quickly!”

Yan Zishu threw the crying Ji Chen in like lifting a chick, turned around and closed the door.

Ji Chen’s eyes were teary. He was like a small animal scared stiff by a predator, having lost the ability to respond to danger, grabbing his sleeve and not letting go. The moment he saw Yan Zishu enter the door just now, he was like seeing a life-saving straw.

After all, among the people he knew, except for Fu Weishan, this was the only person he could think of who had both financial resources and ability to help.

Given his kind character, at such a critical juncture, as long as he could save his father, even kneeling to beg would be okay.

“Stop—I know what you want to say.” Yan Zishu stopped him in time before Ji Chen’s legs went soft, “But I won’t lend you money.”

Ji Chen’s urgency was mostly extinguished by his coldness, and his expression of wanting to speak but stopping was somewhat comical.

Yan Zishu felt a bit of a headache.

According to the plot, he should have acted with a gloating mentality, making things difficult for the protagonist “shou” and humiliating him.

It would be best to be ambiguous, causing Ji Chen to misunderstand that this was Fu Weishan’s intention, fanning the flames, watching them harbor grudges and hate each other deeper and deeper.

He wasn’t good at this. Exposing the white moonlight before was really awkward. He decided to resolve it quickly.

“Forget it, let’s make a long story short.” Yan Zishu put his hands on his shoulders, trying to be concise and precise to avoid ambiguity, “I came here for the sake of President Fu. In this situation, I can only give you two paths.”

The confused eyes of the boy in front of him were full of uneasiness.

Yan Zishu sighed: “Either leave your father behind first, I can take you away alone. After getting out, whether you go to raise money, call the police, or ask someone else for help, you decide for yourself what you want to do.”

“This won’t work!” Ji Chen was greatly shocked and anxious, “How can I leave my dad and go by myself? They will drive him to death!”

Yan Zishu signaled that there was a phone in his pocket: “I arranged people before I came. If you want to call the police, it won’t be very slow.”

However, Ji Chen still shook his head: “In that case, will my dad also be arrested?”

Yan Zishu said: “If it is proven that he participated in gambling, probably.”

Ji Chen mumbled: “He… you don’t understand. In the eyes of the older generation, as long as a person enters the station, everyone around will look down on him.” What he dared not say was that if Ji’s father was really photographed in embarrassing nudes, he would never be able to lift his head in this life.

Anyway, absolutely cannot do this.

But Yan Zishu’s gaze was aggressive, making him understand despairingly that the other party really didn’t intend to help him.

“Okay, you are unwilling.” Yan Zishu said, “Either you go bow your head to President Fu and let him pay off all the money for your father.”

Ji Chen’s face showed unwillingness again: “There is… no possibility between him and me anymore.”

Yan Zishu let go and sat on the single bed aside, clearly giving him time to think.

Ji Chen begged bitterly: “Assistant Yan, please, just help me this once. I will definitely pay you back.”

Yan Zishu’s eyes reflected his helpless face, but he spoke coldly: “Two hundred thousand, do you know what concept that is? For a gambler, it can be lost clean in a few days or weeks. For someone who works hard, depending on the salary level, it takes a few months at least or a few years at most to save up. But for President Fu, it’s almost not money, not enough for one of his outfits, a watch.”

He raised his chin towards the outside: “So either you harden your heart and cut ties with your father, and I take you away by yourself. I can still do this small thing. Or I help you make peace with President Fu. As long as he is willing, he can fill the hole for you in minutes.”

After speaking, Yan Zishu got up, walked two steps in the room with hands in pockets, and suddenly remembered something: “By the way, your mother doesn’t know about the things here, right? heard her health is not good. Do you want to call her first so she won’t worry too much.”

Ji Chen bit his lip until it turned white: “Are you… threatening me?”

“Not really.” Yan Zishu scrutinized him, “But I wonder when you can grow up a little and make decisions like an adult?”

Ji Chen looked at him, his throat felt blocked by cotton, his heart felt like being gouged by a knife and burned by fire.

Fate seemed to hide in the shadows, showing a mocking look; no one would help him.

After a long time, after giving the answer, his whole body seemed to lose strength.

Several men outside pushed the door open impatiently: “Have you discussed it yet? Dilly-dallying!”

Ji Chen dodged a bit, his eyes somewhat empty.

“What are you arrogant about?” Yan Zishu glanced at Gold Chain, “Give me an account number, someone will transfer money to you tomorrow.”

Ji’s father was trembling from the cold, put on the greasy cotton coat, shrank his neck, and the father and son followed him out of the residential building.

The man looked pathetic, but his mood was extremely good: “Oh my, you are really this!” He gave a thumbs up: “You are our family’s benefactor! Xiao Chen, why don’t you thank your friend quickly! Rich man!”

Ji Chen finally shouted at him: “Still in the mood to say this! Can you stop playing mahjong anymore!”

Ji’s father scratched his Mediterranean forehead: “Not playing anymore, not playing anymore, really won’t. I was just playing for fun.”

Ji Chen was suspicious: “Really? Can you guarantee?”

Yan Zishu thought to himself, not even half a word is worth believing.

Confused people are always confused; how can they never learn to be sober.

But this had nothing to do with him anymore. He looked at the father and son: “I didn’t drive here today, so I won’t send you two back.”

Then he said to Ji Chen alone: “Tomorrow is the company annual meeting, remember to come. Check the group for specific notifications.”

Ji Chen lowered his eyes and gave a “hmm.”

He understood; this was Fu Weishan’s condition.

To save his father, he abandoned his dignity, and thus lost the stance to break up.

*

The next day, all personnel gathered downstairs at the company to take the bus.

Yan Zishu went downstairs very late, and bumped into Helen on the way. The two waited for the elevator side by side.

Seeing no one around, Helen whispered: “Xiao Ji came to the company today, but the atmosphere with the boss is weird…”

Yan Zishu made a “shh” sound: “Don’t say, and don’t ask.”

Helen understood and shut her mouth.

Although the company leadership also went to the hot spring resort, they naturally wouldn’t take the bus with ordinary employees; they were all picked up by special official cars.

Fu Weishan used his own driver and luxury car. Even if Ji Chen was unwilling, he had to sit in the same car with him.

Yan Zishu couldn’t help but feel lucky that he didn’t have to drive for the boss now.

He found an empty seat by the window on the bus, looking a bit tired. After all, he stayed up half the night last night, hoping to close his eyes and rest for a while on the road. However, heaven didn’t fulfill people’s wishes; someone sat down heavily beside him.

Looking up, it was Fu Xiaoyu.

This second-generation ancestor was very spoiled. Yan Zishu was undoubtedly surprised that he didn’t drive a sports car or bring a driver, but actually squeezed onto the bus to have fun with the people. What was even more surprising was that Fu Xiaoyu even condescended to open the chat box and insisted on chatting with him.

Yan Zishu had to cheer up and deal with him hypocritically for a few sentences.

The bus started slowly. Yan Zishu remembered something and beat around the bush, mentioning in a normal tone that Fu Jinchi hadn’t come to work recently.

He didn’t have much hope originally, but unexpectedly Fu Xiaoyu said: “Heard his mother’s grave was dug up by someone; he went back to deal with it.”

“What?”

Yan Zishu was stunned for a moment before reacting. This might not be cursing, but stating a fact in a rather unpleasant way—