Hemorrhoids

  Many years ago, I read a gossip article about a famous person in a magazine similar to "Reader" or "Youth Digest". The protagonist was a well-known writer from Shaanxi Province. To show respect for my senior, let's call him Teacher P. According to sources, Teacher P was notoriously stingy in the literary circle. One time, a friend went to Xi'an on business and visited Teacher P's home. As a host, Teacher P reluctantly treated his guest to a meal at a small street stall, ordering something called "Hulu Head" (a type of dish made from pig rectum). He boasted that it was the best representation of Shaanxi cuisine. When the two steaming hot bowls were served, Teacher P asked, "Do you know what 'Hulu Head' is?" His friend didn't know, so Teacher P explained, "'Hulu Head' refers to a pig's hemorrhoids." Needless to say, the guest's chopsticks stopped in mid-air, and Teacher P devoured both large bowls of food by himself.

  For years, I have been puzzled and couldn't calm down. Even after the market-oriented medical schools expanded their enrollment, I doubted whether there were enough surgical residents willing to take the lead in operations. It's unlikely that even the most precious livestock would have so many spare parts for them to practice on. So, I wanted to conduct a field investigation.

  Unfortunately, due to various reasons, I had to collect second-hand materials from the respected elders of the three Qin regions. As a result, almost everyone's tone was surprisingly uniform. The "gourd head" that shook the rivers and lakes turned out to be just a pig's large intestine. The so-called "anal venous plexus at the bottom of the rectum" was, at most, a concept that occasionally appeared, but was used to replace a more general concept.

  Actually, thriftiness is a traditional virtue of the Chinese nation, which has nothing to do with wealth or poverty. It's more like an inherited living habit in our genes. When Xu Zhen was studying in Australia, he enjoyed buying discounted frozen fries from a nearby fast-food restaurant that were near their expiration date. At that time, his finances were more than sufficient, and it wasn't necessary for him to be frugal about such trivial things. However, occasionally treating himself to some "bitter food" made it taste even better, so why not? Similarly, Teacher P, a renowned figure in the literary world, must have understood the dangers of being too full of oneself. He dared to go against the norms because it was his instinct. On the other hand, that fleeing guest who exposed this information probably earned enough from the article to make up for missing a meal, and everyone got what they deserved. To be fair, there are many genuine and kind-hearted people around us, but some people just want to tarnish others' reputations with biased views, all because of their obsession with fame. In fact, regardless of how high one's profile is, no one can escape being a member of the animal kingdom, class Mammalia, order Primates, genus Homo sapiens. We've all inherited our ancestors' strengths and weaknesses, which is something that fans who enjoy looking at celebrities' private photos should be well aware of.

  To be frank, that P teacher's calm and composed demeanor is indeed admirable. If it were some of the so-called "idol kings" who think they are above worldly affairs, they would probably cause more trouble for the diligent judges. Daring to face one's true self is a lesson that everyone in this world cannot escape. All beings in the three-dimensional space inevitably have a stereoscopic image of themselves, and only lonely ghosts and wild demons would be like the painted skin, exposing their true nature.

  It is said that Li Ze-kai, the "Superman" with a net worth of over 10 billion, sometimes wears only a pair of canvas sneakers known as "white rice fish" in informal settings, which cost only HK$15. Of course, it would be even cheaper when converted to RMB. Apparently, this young woman's heartthrob, the "Supreme King", doesn't need to dress up with exquisite clothes to get extra points for himself. On the contrary, those who are afraid of losing face are everywhere, talking about their own inferiority that they cannot hide.

  It's all the same, for example, in this small corner of the graduate school, it's naturally a matter of course that everyone knows each other, but if you carefully consider the level of fame, among those three girls, Ai Mei is probably the most well-known, especially when it comes to same-sex rivalry. The reason why "official career smooth sailing" and "talent and beauty both flourishing" can only follow behind is not because Ai has some unbeatable magic formula, but mainly because her eight-sided cleverness in social interactions really catches people's attention. Don't look at these female geniuses who have read extensively and are bursting with estrogen on their faces, piling up big and small "unfulfilled desires", but if anyone dares to actually take action and stir up some trouble, the overwhelming gossip would be enough to make one drink a whole pot. But Ai Mei doesn't believe in this evil, no matter how many enemies surround her, she remains unmoved, still talking and laughing with elegance every day, appreciating beauty and recognizing talent. Of course, the male leads who are "chosen" by Ai and have the good fortune to play the role of "opponent" in her social circle are not ordinary people either, they are all carefully selected "high-quality goods", such as Jia Shi's wealthy family, Cheng Yi, and of course, that unfortunate professor from Peking University.

  Xu Zhēnliú was studying business in Australia when a teacher who treated him as an equal praised him as a top-notch economics student. Although he didn't finish his studies, he still had a solid foundation in supply and demand analysis. When faced with the "hot" Ai classmate, he also regularly engaged in mechanical irrigation, but it was basically just a courtesy, not trying to get involved in that unnecessary denominator. After all, rushing into things isn't good business. So when someone first entrusted him with their boyfriend's grand future plans, he just took it as part of casting a wide net and catching fish, without paying special attention. But accidentally, this time the "wolf is coming" became more real the more it was shouted about, and under the pressure of being pursued by socialites from both sides, Zhēnliú could only symbolically wave his flag and shout towards Yì Xīn.

  Recently, Yiguniang has been busy with that seemingly endless new project development, and the situation is getting more and more intense. As a result, the two of them rarely see each other. On the contrary, that familiar Honda has spent enough time commuting back and forth to the development zone to get through the running-in period. To be honest, Zhenliu really didn't want to mention this kind of thing at all, as if he was shamelessly selling out his outstanding girlfriend everywhere. Although the actual effect of his intentional or unintentional boasting is not great, nor is it far off either.

  The little fatty originally thought that Yi Xin would probably resist this unreasonable request with all sorts of excuses, after all, communication between two different cultures inevitably has obstacles in the language system, let alone when the initiator is a mini beauty who has never been seen before. Although the ultimate goal was to help her boyfriend save the country by curve. However, you can't guess what's on a girl's mind, no matter how hard you try, just like all the chess losses in the past twenty years, this time's move still couldn't escape the fate of losing. Yi Xin not only didn't show any displeasure but also managed to conduct "special treatment" amidst her busy schedule.

  Out of consideration for the avoidance principle, Yi Niang transferred this "good job" to her old classmate Li Bin, who worked for a foreign-funded software giant that was in the midst of its business development and needed talent. It seemed like a perfect match. However, as everything began to proceed according to plan, problems arose at the right moment, just like the saying goes. Du Xiaozhong, whom Ai Mei had boasted about as an all-around expert in the IT field, turned out to be only doing some maintenance and updates for a small website that was barely professional, which didn't fit with the company's globalized operations at all. As things developed to this point, it should have been a stillbirth, but unexpectedly, Yi Xin became more courageous despite setbacks. It just so happened that the person in charge of personnel at the company was her workout partner at the fitness center, and Yi Xin personally mediated from behind the scenes. Additionally, Ai Mei frequently went to Li Bin's free time to "network", and managed to arrange a job as a runner for Du Xiaozhong in the marketing department. However, according to later revelations, the reason why Du Xiaozhong was able to succeed was not because of his girlfriend's efforts, but rather because his "mentor" truly appreciated the perseverance and down-to-earth nature that Du Xiaozhong had developed from growing up in Guizhou, where the saying goes "no three days of clear skies, no three feet of flat land".

  It wasn't until Aimo came running to express his gratitude that Zhentao finally found out that things had already "fallen into place". He jokingly called himself a "lucky person who doesn't need to rush", and could grasp everything without even trying. Although he said so, he couldn't help but feel a little empty inside.

  Here is the translation:

  Don't forget the person who dug the well when drinking water. In fact, from the moment her eyebrows and eyes first appeared on the horizon, Ai Mei had begun to spread Yi Xin's virtues everywhere without considering the cost, making this "behind-the-scenes politician" more famous than Xu Zhenliu himself. As for Li Bin, who delivered the final blow, she was relatively reserved, and Zhenliu managed to escape with his life. After all, it wasn't a big deal to "pick up" a sunny young man from his own girlfriend. However, Ai Mei didn't completely abandon this unexpected gain. Whether it was to return a favor or cooperate in the long term, upon learning that Li Bin was still single, she immediately thought of Yun Wen, who had been complaining about her life every day. With the spirit of "not letting good water flow into others' fields," she decided to take advantage of the situation and play matchmaker. When Yun Wen learned that the "last good man" had fallen into her trap, she naturally didn't want to miss out on an opportunity either. Having nothing to do was just as boring as having something to do. Moreover, since their first meeting was scheduled at that belated Christmas party, perhaps they could satisfy both their desire for food and sex at the same time. At least it would be a case of "killing two birds with one stone," and when dealing with girls, it's wise to prepare some excuses in advance.

  Foreigners doing business have an important characteristic, they are used to separating personal and professional relationships, unlike some "Beijing bosses" who dare to bend the law for personal gain during bidding and auctions, but then become very formal when eating. Young people working in foreign companies, especially European and American ones, probably all have a deep understanding of this. When foreigners celebrate holidays, they often organize lively gatherings that don't require fancy invitations, where relatives, friends, old acquaintances, and new ones can all attend together. As soon as you enter the door, you're a guest, and with just a nod, you become acquainted. There aren't many complicated formalities, and work-related grievances are not discussed. It's just about having a relaxing and enjoyable time after a busy period. Cantonese people like to drink tea and chat, the banter during meals replaces the open and hidden conflicts at the negotiating table. Although it still can't escape the utilitarian purpose, it's somewhat in line with international standards.

  This dinner party hosted by Yi Xin and her company is a typical example. On the surface, it's to thank old and new friends for their care and support, but in reality, it's just an excuse to get everyone together before Christmas. The so-called "social circle" in Western countries is built up from such gatherings. Of course, when things are brought from afar, they may become rotten or spoiled during the long journey, so to combat the increasing problem of freeloaders, the organizers required all attendees, whether they were part of the "Five Blessings" or not, to register beforehand and sign in upon arrival, revealing a mix of Chinese and Western flavors.

  "It's time for the big prawns!" The crowd surged towards one corner of the long dining table.

  Zhenliu had never been particularly fond of seafood, and always felt that his rather large belly was a bit out of place in this inland region where such delicacies were rare. So he stood there, savoring the blueberry flavored champagne from Scandinavia, as the empty space around him seemed to grow larger.

  Not far away, several blonde-haired, blue-eyed individuals who roughly fit Hitler's Aryan ideal smiled and raised their glasses towards Xiao Pangzi, before turning towards the crowd gathered near the large shrimp, where they were "divvying up the spoils". To be frank, their smiles seemed quite genuine, as if they felt that the extravagant feast was well worth it. But Zhenliu couldn't help but think of the Roman Emperor's thumb in the gladiatorial arena (according to the rules, the chairman would point his thumb upwards to give a defeated but valiant fighter a chance to live, and downwards to signify death). After all, these high-nosed, deep-eyed individuals were originally bred for human entertainment.

  As expected, Ai Mei's debut was quite successful, at least that's what she had hoped for and thought. From the moment she walked in, she followed Li Bin around, chatting and laughing with everyone. It wasn't until today that I found out that this low-key yet sharp-tongued young woman is actually the tourism cultural ambassador of a certain ethnic minority autonomous county in Guizhou Province. Ai Mei diligently introduced each Chinese and foreign friend to the enchanting place deep in the mountains, which seems even more mysterious than the legendary Shangri-La, and with her fiery smile, she conveyed her ardent longing for national unity and prosperity.

  Of course, behind every success, there must be someone who makes sacrifices, either actively or passively. When Ai Mei was tirelessly running around the court, Yun Wen and Du Xiao Zhong had no choice but to stand still, one standing in a corner and the other looking at each other in dismay. In comparison, Su Yun Wen was relatively optimistic, occasionally chatting with the authentic beauties who came over to greet her, practicing their professional-level oral English. Fortunately, Zhen Liu was willing to accompany them to the end, anyway, he didn't feel like "chit-chatting" with those foodies and exchanging pleasantries, especially after eating Wu Yu's signature squirrel fish at home before coming. Moreover, Yi Xin had repeatedly reminded him that after the event, Lao Mo and Xin Jiao could order whatever they wanted, but under no circumstances should they take it further, as their colleagues were already eyeing her heavyweight boyfriend with suspicion.

  "How's it going, getting used to the food?" A rather stout man with a big belly walked towards the boy, stretched out his right hand a few steps away, and pretended to be enthusiastic, just like Nixon's expression when he stepped off the plane at the capital airport.

  Zhen Liang knew that this "middle-aged man" who had obviously reached his limit was actually the so-called Senior Vice Chairman of Yi Xin's company, Liang Puai. In the past, after experiencing the vast and severe tests of the old three classes and the high school entrance examination, he took advantage of the party and state's new and old alternation and the lack of connection between the two to sit on a seat in the party committee of a large state-owned enterprise that studied Marxist political economics. At that time, it coincided with the country's gate, which had been closed for half a century, slowly opening, and the capital giants who smelled blood came one after another, but were worried about the changing policies, so they also learned to cross the river by feeling the stones. It was obviously too long and costly to start from scratch, so it was more cost-effective to find an existing state-owned enterprise as a "cooperative partner". Coincidentally, the factory where Vice Secretary Liang settled had poor efficiency and was unable to recover, so he advocated for accepting the reform of Mr. Wang's government in Nanjing and decided to save the country through a curve. This circle has continued until today. As for the issue of valuing public assets, our country is too large and populous, how can we be stingy with international friends? Of course, the imperial army will not treat the "son of the era" who made historical contributions to Sino-Japanese friendship badly. Over the years, General Manager Liang has been stable in the company's high-level position, and after a night of urination, he became a well-known entrepreneur (upstairs).

  "It's very rich, thank you," Su Yunwen saw that "Liang teacher"'s eyes were moving up and down on her, and she hurriedly defended herself, but instinctively took a step back. Taking advantage of the opportunity, Zhuo Liu glanced at Liang Zong's Mediterranean-style bald head, which had been devoured by wisdom, with only a few strands of hair remaining from left to right, resembling an ancient zither playing the glorious history of its owner in a low voice, or more accurately, it was like an ancient guqin, because the former has usually developed into having around twenty-one strings nowadays.

  "Alright, alright," said Director Liang, massaging the richly textured shoulders of Yun Wen, his hands gleaming with a dull yellow oil sheen. In fact, this kind of banquet adopted a single-row long table arrangement precisely to avoid distinguishing between host and guest, let alone who was inviting whom. As the saying goes, it takes three generations to forge an aristocrat; it seems that even China's "muddy legs" will have to undergo a long, tortuous, and repetitive journey after being washed clean.

  "Excuse me," the tall and handsome waiter whispered as he swept past Qiu Meng's side, the boy glanced at the ceramic plate held steadily by his spotless white gloves, the lobster was gone, leaving only a solitary broken claw standing upright in a defiant "V" shape.

  As the sounds of satisfied burps gradually subsided, the guests began to disperse: "There are still a few more guests to attend to, wait for a few minutes and I'll send you back," Li Bin didn't show any signs of fatigue at all, and the company's specially assigned cruiser was completely free from overcrowding worries.

  "It's okay," Yunwen smiled encouragingly at him. The Chinese language is a typical analytic language (in simple terms, languages with rich morphological changes are generally synthetic languages, while function words and word order have relatively important grammatical functions, which are the basic characteristics of analytic languages). The function words in sentences play a crucial role in constructing meaning, such as the word "吧" here, which is quite nuanced. According to the authoritative interpretation of the "Xinhua Dictionary", it means: "A modal particle, used at the end of a sentence, indicating agreement, speculation, command, request, etc."

  The crucial moment to test "chivalry" has arrived, and he is about to draw his sword to cut off the water, even the excuse for a quick escape is ready. Unexpectedly, Ai Mei on the side took the lead in singing a counterpoint: "It doesn't matter, we still have some things to discuss in the courtyard, let's go back first, you're busy." Looking at Ai's suspicious behavior tonight, this "matchmaker"'s intentions are quite suspicious. She seems not to really want to "bring together" Yunwen and Libin, otherwise she wouldn't have repeatedly deprived them of their already limited opportunities to be alone.

  "That's okay," before Xu could even react, Yi Xin took over the conversation. For almost the entire evening, she was acting as a translator next to Liang Zong, who insisted on doing everything himself. Although there was a hint of seriousness that occasionally stiffened her face, her elegant responses and gentle smiles remained unwavering: "We have similar events here, feel free to come and sit in anytime, no problem."

  Zhen Liufei didn't quite understand, who exactly was included in the so-called "we", because even Du Xiaozhong, who was already under the same roof, was nodding his head in thanks along with Yunwen and Ai Mei. It wasn't until now that Zhen Liufei somewhat understood why Yi Xin had been so willing to help Du Xiaozhong, who couldn't even get a job at Eight Treasures, jump ship. Looking at the girl's high-end figure in her tailored woolen evening gown, which trailed on the ground, despite the condescending gaze that carefully avoided the research student couple, who probably didn't make her lose face, or else she wouldn't have been so calm and collected, Zhen Liufei still felt like a beggar chief standing at the entrance of the banquet hall.

  "She doesn't have anything to say to us, does she? Why did she just leave like that?" As soon as they left the all-glass office building shrouded in darkness, Ai Mei made an excuse to help Xiao Zhong pick out clothes and "flew away on a yellow crane, never to return", leaving the other two to be jostled back and forth on the crowded evening bus. In fact, Zhen Liu had already vaguely guessed a few things, but was still indignant and unwilling to speak up.

  "Other people's boyfriends are more important, what kind of vinegar are you eating?" Obviously, girls understand each other even better, and not pointing it out adds a few points to their magnanimity. Perhaps it's also because they can "return two for one" like this that Su Yunwen's lower lip, which had been slightly moving to the left, regained its confident smile under the bright lights: "Isn't this to create some private space for us?" Her carefully chosen deep blue invisible glasses were teased by the receding streetlights.

  "You're too much of a flirt, we just finished the family gathering and you're already busy preparing for 'wild men'? Tonight's grievances are piling up, but joking around now is like sweeping with a limp broom."

  "What's the blind date for?" Yunwen said, looking at the ticket seller who had become increasingly idle after the introduction of IC cards. He seemed to be a bright and handsome young man, probably just graduated from a vocational school that charged higher fees than universities. In order to put into practice the concept of a green Olympics, the energy-saving lights on the new environmentally friendly bus were also turned off after departure. The student sitting next to her had no choice but to put away the pirated bestseller she had just opened and take out a vocabulary book to recite with her eyes closed: "It's just getting to know each other," the girl said, a hint of a smile appearing on her lips as if recalling something.

  In fact, social gatherings like tonight's are important occasions for young Westerners to make new friends and not forget old ones. However, how they will proceed with each other in the future is often without any mental or verbal planning or commitment. Even if they find a lifelong partner worth growing old together, it is usually after going through stages of getting to know each other, becoming close friends, etc., naturally and logically. I've never heard of large-scale singles gatherings being held solely for matchmaking.

  However, when the "civilized ancient country" that emphasizes "men and women not sitting together" discovered this "mixed seating" custom from a foreign land, it didn't miss the opportunity to combine it with local matchmakers' schemes. As a result, it lost both the simplicity and authenticity of Western culture and the moral integrity and propriety of Chinese poetry and teachings, instead becoming a modernized version of pimping.

  "Hey, don't pretend to be innocent, you're the one who's been playing tricks. Now is the time to crack down on speculation and hoarding. As I look out of the car window, the restaurants and bars with their lanterns and feather fans are closing up, but the street stalls are still bustling with business. The city management officials have worked hard all day and are probably now playing cards with the god of wealth, while travelers at night are rubbing their fists and preparing to make up for their losses during the day. Things often go like this: in the corners where the mighty and powerful cannot reach, it is precisely the paradise where evil spirits thrive. Think back to when the pillars of heaven collapsed and the earth's foundation was lacking, those prehistoric giant beasts that rampaged unchecked were destroyed in an instant, but agile mammals managed to survive and multiply. It is because humans took advantage of this opportunity that we are able to rule the earth today."

  "What's that," Yunwen also noticed the bustling street stalls: "Can they appreciate me?" Her lips, which seemed to be blowing a gentle breeze, moved unknowingly, whether it was due to her proud and confident demeanor or because the cold desserts from earlier were not enough to satisfy her refined taste. It could be seen that Su Yunwen was not very accustomed to this kind of social gathering with flashing cutlery, probably because it clashed somewhat with the Chinese-style officialdom she was familiar with. After all, compared to a cheongsam, a tailcoat had an extra layer of elegance and aestheticism. However, youth is capital, and I believe that this canvas, which has not yet been fully colored, will surely become even more resplendent in the foreseeable future.

  A gentle breeze slipped through the circular hole left by a hand on the glass window, bringing a rare freshness to the warm and cozy train carriage. The topic of conversation had turned into an underground river, flowing into some slightly melancholic thoughts, and suddenly I thought of Li Bin. Calculating with my fingers, I realized that I had known this classmate from middle school for over ten years. To be honest, as a popular idol among girls, Li Bin had always found it difficult to get along with boys, and an example close at hand was that although Yi Xin repeatedly denied any basis for the rumors about her and Li Bin, I could still sense her ulterior motives. Nevertheless, anyone who knew Li Bin would have to admit that he was a favored son of heaven, blessed with all kinds of good fortune.

  Li Bin's parents were both surgeons in the neurosurgery department of a hospital. This "Condor Hero" couple had been childhood sweethearts since their fiery youth, and when they were assigned to work together at a certain breeding farm, they received comprehensive training from cradle to grave, including artificial insemination, pregnancy testing, childbirth, physical examination, treatment, sterilization, slaughter, processing, surgery, and cooking. This laid a solid foundation for them to be admitted to medical school in the future.

  In fact, being a doctor was a nerve-wracking profession during those tumultuous years. The "Kremlin Palace Doctor Spy Case" was a clear example of this. However, as time passed and the new era arrived, things began to change subtly: Firstly, the revolutionary masses realized that their lives were more valuable than those empty slogans, and they had to invest wisely; Secondly, with an oversupply of chicken, duck, fish, and meat, coupled with the law of the jungle, people who had already become wealthy or wanted to get rich quickly became increasingly anxious, making neurosurgery a thriving business; Thirdly, as the socialist market economy improved, the value principle was more thoroughly implemented in human bodies, and doctors discovered that frequently handling money made their surgical hands more agile.

  The economic base determines the superstructure, and there must be a son if there is a father. Whether it's innate or acquired later in life, or whether it's developed later in life based on what was innate, in short, Li Fei Dao's only son, who is both tall and handsome, was born with a clever mind. From the day he burst onto the scene, Li Bin left his peers far behind, and the various awards and certificates at home were enough to fill the interior and exterior walls of their luxurious villa. The small temples in our country soon couldn't hold this increasingly inflated Buddha, so they had to go to the "Silicon Valley" on the other side of the ocean to cool off. Of course, the outside world is both colorful and helpless, but after getting a master's degree in Information Engineering from Stanford, he still felt that domestic girls were more genuine and valuable, so he brought his almost tragic heroic spirit back home to "serve" this land that nurtured him.

  "To be honest, Li Bin is actually not bad," Xu Zhongliu stretched his waist and tried to clear up the bias of "annoying people but not making them laugh": "He's quite sincere and enthusiastic." This was indeed true. Li Bin belonged to the type that basically conformed to the national quality system certification of "sunny fruit meat type", although a small amount of carbonic acid had been added. His support for Du Xiaozhong this time was just his consistent policy of "you have me, I have you". He had always adhered to the foreign policy of "coming and going without rejection", basically welcoming everyone, despite also inevitably granting the "bad money" Lingbo Luo's socks a non-discriminatory treatment. Of course, just like the diplomatic struggle where one has to take sides, interpersonal relationships cannot be completely smooth sailing either. A high market share often comes with antitrust lawsuits, regardless of whether the chicken or the egg came first. The interaction between Li Bin and his male friends would inevitably produce a sense of distance in the midst of awkwardness."

  "By the way," Yunwen seemed to suddenly remember something: "Have you heard about Gu Shuang's thing?"

  It's not hard to guess what this refers to, and the fact that they've been together day and night only to evaporate into thin air is a news lead worth paying attention to. "I don't know," he shook his head, but the unease was gone, replaced by an instinctive step back into the vastness of the sky.

  "Don't tell anyone else, okay?" Yuwen was about to speak up, but first excused herself: "She went to the US, didn't our college have an exchange program with a foreign country?" Maybe it was Li Bin, who had also eaten Western bread, that made the girl think of this connection. She looked mysterious, as if Chinese people all had some innate talent for storytelling in their subconscious. Yuwen thought that this late weather forecast would also have explosive appeal to Meng Liu: "I heard it from my senior sisters at the research conference," The final footnote hinted at its credibility.

  It is said that when the People's Police are chasing after fugitives, they often conduct thorough searches in areas with many brothels, as these places tend to gather all sorts of information and don't have any deep, unpredictable undercurrents. Wei Xiaobao was able to successfully "catch a turtle in a jar" and "snatch a fish from the sea" probably because he had a natural affinity for the red-light district. Now, after being passively and indirectly involved in a "flesh trade" that might have been strangled in its cradle, Zhen Liu easily gained Yunwen's trust, even daring to share this kind of "inside information" as a way of returning a favor - and she was someone who never did business at a loss. It seems that in our society where men and women are different, the best way to open up someone's heart is to strip away all civilized pretenses together; of course, if you can "exercise and be happy" for a bit, the effect might be even more direct.

  "Do you know what's going on with the student union?" Probably seeing that the ratings were increasing slowly, Su Yunwen decided to take a high-profile approach. This is not surprising, as it's really not worth making a big deal about, and revealing too much would be crossing the line of what was originally set by humans. After all, in the capitalist market, many countries don't even require visas for each other: "Don't say I told you," the dry branches blown by the wind tapped against the car window, and the 200-odd pounds beside her made Yunwen feel a warm sense of reliance. She retreated from keeping secrets to refusing to acknowledge anything: "It seems like Gu Shan is a bit involved with him, so..." Yunwen nodded meaningfully, using body language to replace the indecent words that a lady shouldn't mention, and this heart-to-heart talk was clearly a dramatic finale.

  "Oh", Xú Zhěn Liú didn't seem too surprised by this rumor, in the crowded courtyard where new varieties that couldn't withstand the test of time would often "emerge": "How did your fellow sisters find out?" Nevertheless, he thought it was still necessary to make some polite conversation, as rumors like these usually only needed a little probing to reveal the "culprit".

  "I don't know," Yunwen hesitated for a moment, as if she had just realized that such rumors were actually hard to verify with concrete evidence. As for the remote sensing from afar, it was even more absurd: "They're very familiar with the hospital, it's an inside story." The girl herself felt that this wasn't a valid reason, so she shrugged and made a nonchalant gesture. Perhaps rumors don't need to be verified by facts; their success or failure depends only on how well they conform to their own rules, such as the status of the protagonist, the distortion of relationships, the absurdity of the plot, or the reversal of morality.

  It was actually a well-known rumor that originated from the end of the semester. As the semester was about to end, Gu Shuang needed to take several exams to show her determination to work and study without any mistakes. Coincidentally, some documents were being prepared to be sent back to China for signatures from relevant leaders (although electronic documents have the same legal effect, but in order to make each level of leadership feel their value, a little bit of money for a business trip was not worth mentioning). So it was just right to send her on a public-private trip. The graduate school people were busy all day and had forgotten what they were busy with, and had long put aside the matter of Xiang Shang setting up a central government. At this time, seeing Gu Mei, who had been nurtured by the water and soil of Virginia, holding the key but not being in charge, they suddenly remembered that there was still a pair of lonely men and women dominating the foreign land. As a result, everyone's mouth was filled with gold, and their reputation was ruined. Before long, the joke became a shocking rumor.

  In those days, the loyal ministers of the Han Dynasty secretly plotted to eliminate the treacherous Dong Zhuo. Following the example of resisting US aggression and aiding Korea, the Soviet Union provided equipment, and we contributed our efforts. It was decided that Cao Cao, the General of the Cavalry, would take the Seven-Star Sword of Wang Yun, the Minister of Works, to complete the task in one battle. However, the old thief's life was spared, and he discovered the murderous intent behind him through a mirror. Cao Cao had no choice but to change his plan and pretend to offer tribute, presenting the family heirloom sword as a gift to Dong Zhuo. Although Dong Zhuo escaped death and had good fortune later on, he still sensed that something was amiss, but couldn't make up his mind. He feared that in the midst of danger, he would wrongly suspect the loyal and dedicated Lu Bu, his adopted son. When Lu Bu learned of this, he suggested summoning Cao Cao to the palace for a meeting, daring him to come and offer tribute. If he came, it would be an opportunity to capture him; if not, it would be a clear sign of guilt. Later events are not worth mentioning, but Cao Mengde was so frightened that he fled in disarray, encountering Chen Gong, killing Lü Bu, and destroying his family. From then on, the legendary hero began his reign.

  This story tells us the necessity of being open and honest. If one's heart is clear, they won't be afraid of transparency in the workplace. As the saying goes, "Good things don't hide from people, and hidden things are not good." However, Chinese people tend to prefer operating behind closed doors, as if this is the only way to show power and authority. The result is that no one is honest with each other, and rumors spread everywhere. Xiang Shang is a victim of this, having chosen Gu Shan without any evidence, and now he can't even win the lawsuit. Since everyone doesn't know the inside story of this internal and external collaboration, it's not surprising that others will fill in the gaps according to their own logic for those who "have a guilty conscience".

  Of course, this does not mean that confessing will necessarily lead to leniency. After the Xi'an Incident, Zhang Xueliang dared to personally escort Chiang Kai-shek back to Nanjing, just to show his magnanimity, but in fact, it was a reluctant move, having pulled out the tiger's whiskers, he had to bandage them at least twice, or else he wouldn't be able to mix with others in the future. But old Chiang didn't appreciate this, and as soon as he escaped danger, he turned his back on Zhang, this matter has been going on for half a century, after all, this example cannot be followed, this wind cannot be allowed to prevail, otherwise, who will dare to play with guns in the future?

  Descendants of the Yan and Huang emperors believe that "justice is in people's hearts". At first glance, it seems reasonable, but after some thought, it's not hard to discover that this is an extremely dangerous concept. It's equivalent to saying that as long as everyone believes it, a coal ball can be white. In a certain sense, the "tyranny of the majority" cannot be explained away by saying that someone's later work was exploited by a small group. The reason why tragedy often occurs in China is probably closely related to our traditional practice of only applying democracy to questions of truth.

  Qingyun said it well: If I had known earlier that I would be burdened with so many false names, I might as well have made a proper plan from the start.

  All girls have innate cleverness, and Gu Shuang is no exception.

  What a pity...

  As early as the 18th century, when the ideal of equality and fraternity was still struggling in its cradle, Rousseau had already warned with profound meaning: if women, who were exceptionally favored by the Creator, received the same secular education as men, the result would only be that they could never escape the embarrassing position of being enslaved. Even from today's perspective, three hundred years later, the rose on Rousseau's tomb in the Temple of Honor still looks eerily beautiful.