Chapter Thirty-Seven: Soft Heart Gnaws Bone

  Back at the company with Old Qian, everything feels familiar, and seeing the boss's concerned inquiry brings warmth. In my heart, I think, this world is still peaceful after all.

  In the living room next door, Old Guo was actually sitting there. The boss said that in these few days, Director Guo has also been in close contact with me, mainly because these two cases are really difficult to crack. It's like seeing a ghost, so bewildering and confusing. The characteristic warehouse compared to my last time, no trace or clue at all.

  I thought to myself, of course, it was all just a facade. But on the surface, no one said anything, only that when the time came, everything would naturally come to light. Old Guo looked at me several times, then suddenly came over and patted my shoulder, saying, "When you're free, Director Li, let's chat with us about the Nan Village matter."

  I said it was just some trivial matters, not worth mentioning in the eyes of the law. Old Guo chuckled and said: "Maybe after a chat, we'll get some inspiration." I secretly laughed to myself, thinking "you think solving cases is like writing an essay?" But on the surface, I said: "Of course, of course, let's have a chat when we're free."

  Lao Guo bid farewell and left. To put it bluntly, this is a routine visit, coming over every now and then to ease people's minds.

  I and Old Qian roughly discussed the Nan Village project, the boss said that the construction side had talked to him about some things, and kept praising you for being responsible and diligent. This is really hard work for you all. When the project is completed, I will personally go to welcome the heroes' triumphant return.

  Lao Qian and I exchanged a few pleasantries, both saying it was deserved.

  Saying goodbye to the old boss, Old Qian said: "Together?" I knew it was going to the sauna, so I made an excuse that I had something to do and needed to go back to my place to take a look. I'll come pick you up tomorrow morning, and we can go to that deadly Nancun together. But you have to be careful today, don't let the little sister at the sauna take your life first!

  Old Qian chuckled and said, "You still understand me. Damn it, being with you is worth dying in the south village." I said, "Don't say such unlucky things, aren't you about to do something auspicious?" Old Qian laughed loudly and said, "I'm going, you go back and find your Yu Zhen, make up for a few rounds, that's how women are."

  I didn't care about Lao Qian, I really wanted to go back to my hometown and take a look.

  Drove back home in a hurry. Opened the door and went inside, damn it, something didn't feel right. The windows were sparkling clean, no dust anywhere like I had imagined.

  Just as I was in a state of shock, a red shadow suddenly pounced on me, embracing me tightly, almost making me lose my balance. A series of soft giggles echoed, and a sweet fragrance enveloped my entire body. Two peaks pressed against me, causing me to tremble. My mouth was sealed with a firm kiss, and a tongue slipped into my mouth like a snake.

  I pushed hard with one hand, and it turned out to be Yu Zhen. How did she get into my room? And how did she know I was back?

  Yu Zhen is still as lovely and charming, her waist has become even slimmer, her face is tender to the point of dripping with dew, at this moment, her pouting red lips are like an enticing fairy cave, really making one want to put something in and faint from intoxication.

  Yu Zhen pouted, making a soft and alluring sound, but suddenly remembered that this voice had also been so coquettish under a large piece of fat, feeling a bit nauseating.

  "You're so heartless, you came back without even telling me. It was my aunt who called and said she saw you yesterday, having a great time drinking and eating meat. She said you were coming back today, but when you arrived early, you didn't even ask if I was hungry or tired. What's with the long face? Ah, I get it now, this really is a 'global village' where nothing can be hidden. Yu Zhen indeed has a key to my place, and at that time, I was so angry that I forgot about coming back. Besides, there's nothing valuable in my house, except for me myself. Once I leave, the house becomes empty, and I never thought twice about this key."

  After hearing Yu Zhen's words, I cursed in my heart. This woman really doesn't consider herself an outsider, speaking as if she were a long-separated wife, pretending to be nonchalant. Is it true that all women become unrecognizable once they've been "hit" by that stick?

  "Whatever, I heard it from your aunt," I said without even lifting my head, continuing to tidy up things at home.

  "You're still young and don't understand things, you can't even let people make a mistake or be lazy." Yu Zhen came over with a smile.

  Mom, this is a mistake, is it laziness? It's almost like stealing.

  I held up a hand to stop Yuzhen and said: "The project has just started, there are many things to do, I have to go back to the village tomorrow, I'm very tired, you can go back if you don't have anything else."

  "Then I can accompany you to the village, the scenery is good there, it's like a vacation." Yu Zhen was insistent and wouldn't let up. This woman must have suffered greatly at the hands of that fat man, now she remembers my kindness, but isn't she also aware that I'm poor?

  I said it's work, you thought it was play.

  "Then accompany me to eat hot pot, it's been a long time since I've had one." Yuzhen sees that one plan is not working and retreats to the second best option, in any case wanting to rekindle past warmth.

  I heard that eating spicy hot pot is unbearable, and I couldn't help but burst out laughing. Yuzhen also understands, this is a passage that has been circulating wildly on the internet for a long time. I'm selling it here, those who know can skip reading this section.

  There was a rich and beautiful woman from the capital, who might have been fed up with her luxurious life or maybe had watched too many Korean dramas. Anyway, she fell in love with a young man from a small town. This guy was of course a loser, and people online said that his only talent was writing poetry, like "You drink coffee, but I drink the shadow of you reflected in my coffee cup". They were so infatuated that they would travel by train or plane to meet each other.

  Generally, such losers are poor and have no money, but this rich woman was willing to spend money on him. In fact, she had so much money that she didn't know how to spend it all. People thought that this guy must have accumulated good karma in his past life to enjoy such a luxurious relationship. But life is not like that, and there is no deliberate design for a warm ending.

  The surprise finally came when the loser married into a wealthy family in the small town, achieving a stable future and a sudden rise in status. Of course, the rich woman from the capital was heartbroken, feeling wronged and angry. So she used modern media, such as online forums, WeChat, and other social platforms to expose the whole story.

  The most shocking part was when she revealed that "You think I traveled by train or plane for him, but in fact, he took me to a street food stall last month and bought me a 6-yuan bowl of spicy noodles. And then he wanted me 13 times that night!" This revelation caused an uproar.

  Nowadays, when people talk about inviting someone to eat spicy noodles, it's become a euphemism for something else. For a while, some colleagues would say with a straight face, "Don't mess with me, or I'll invite you to eat spicy noodles."

  So I really couldn't help it, and burst out laughing. Yuzhen of course understood, and chased me to hit me. This scene, really makes people feel sentimental, like a replayed plot. Unfortunately, the me at this time is not the me of the past, and the Yuzhen in front of me is no longer the simple little girl she used to be.

  It's really impossible to outdo her. Yu Zhen has made up her mind to be a pure and innocent girl to the end, besides, this Yu Zhen who is almost a woman of easy virtue can put aside her pride and pretend for half a day, if I still insist on bringing up that past affair, it would make me appear unmanly and lacking in grandeur. She agreed, and Yu Zhen jumped up with joy. Looking at the woman's lithe figure, damn, she's still well-preserved.

  He Yuzhen and I went downstairs to the hot pot stall we had been to several times before. He Yuzhen knew my taste, so as soon as we sat down, she asked the boss to add more chili peppers. The boss was still that oily fat man with a satisfied smile on his face all the time. When he saw us, he showed a familiar and friendly expression: "Hey, you two! It's been a while since you came here. You still remember my devilish hot pot, don't you?" No wonder this dead fatty's business is good - it turns out that even small businesses have big tricks to them. With his ability to remember every customer, ordinary people really can't learn from him. Indeed, his signature "devilish hot pot" attracts groups of young men and women who scream with delight at how spicy it is.

  Yu Zhen took a sip, and then quickly picked some up with her chopsticks for my bowl, saying it was truly exceptional. She fanned her mouth with her hand, and that delicate gesture was just as it had always been. As I tasted it, it was indeed refreshing and invigorating, a rare delight that made me temporarily forget the dark and eerie atmosphere of Nan Village, and I couldn't help but feel carefree and joyful.

  Am I fully revived? I don't know, but after three beers, the lively Yu Zhen in front of me seems as lovely as ever. Yu Zhen carefully wipes away my sweat with a tissue, and I remain still, but a wave of bittersweet emotions rises up inside me. Life is never perfect, and reality can be terrifyingly true.

  After eating and drinking, the cool breeze approached me, which was a rare delight. Suddenly, I found it very funny that a woman who had dumped you for being poor in the past was now surrounding you with enthusiasm, yet you still couldn't let go of your feelings. Perhaps this is just the pitiful self-esteem playing tricks on you. But if one loses that bit of self-respect, can they still be considered human? I couldn't find an answer, while Yuzhen on the side was genuinely jumping up and down, urging me to take a walk with her.

  Arriving at Citizen Square, the crowd is in an uproar, life will never be short of excitement.

  Yu Zhen insisted on riding a tandem bicycle, so I rented one. I was in the front and she was in the back, and we rode along the track inside the square.

  The wind is gentle and the people are gentle, alas, what a difference between now and then.

  The wind is blowing my clothes, and it's waving behind me.

  Suddenly, a pair of hands gently wrapped around me, carefully tucking my hem to the front. Then, one by one, they carefully buttoned up my buttons. A gentle voice whispered, "It's windy, be careful not to catch a chill!"

  I couldn't help it anymore, tears gushed down, good people and good things, but everything has changed, the creator is playing tricks on humans, it's hard to distinguish between what has feelings and what doesn't.

  My tears, perhaps contain the bitterness of this period. Originally a green-headed turtle, but in an instant, so many changes have occurred. Entering Nancun, it's been a matter of life and death. And now, can I say that the person behind me is my entire emotional world?

  Yu Zhen felt my sobbing, and she leaned against my back, motionless for a long time. The warmth on my back penetrated deep into my heart, oh heaven, if it weren't for that thing that happened before, this night's scenery would have been ours. Suddenly, I felt a chill on my back, and I faintly heard the sound of sobbing, I knew Yu Zhen's tears were flowing, but I didn't know who they were for, maybe at this moment, it was for the two of us to share in this night's scenery.

  The car stopped and people got out, I was thinking about how to tell Yuzhen that it's better for us to go our separate ways tonight.

  But then I found Yu Zhen standing there for a long time, her tears falling like pearls. At this moment, even if we had a life-and-death feud, I would have to buy some single tickets for the sake of a woman's tears, I thought I'd go and wipe them away for her. But Yu Zhen raised her head, smiled with tears in her eyes, and said in a chilling tone, "Xin Xin, I know you hate me, and I know I was too extravagant today, monopolizing you for an entire evening. Whether or not you believe me, from the moment I left your side, I regretted it. But at that time, there was no turning back. Now, I don't even ask for your forgiveness. I just want to be alone with you again for one more night, and then I'll be at peace. Now, I've gotten what I wanted, and that's enough. Xin Xin, take care of yourself!"

  After finishing speaking, Yu Zhen, who looked like a dust-woman in my eyes, walked away without looking back. I just wanted to shout something, but the hand that was raised retracted, what did this mean, a change of heart?

  But it's uncomfortable in my heart, can't say what's uncomfortable, just feel a sharp pain.

  Wait a minute, I really need to gather my thoughts.

  I was just thinking about how to make excuses for Yu Zhen, but I didn't expect that I still have a loser mentality, always underestimating others. This might be my fatal weakness. Giving Yu Zhen dignity is also giving myself dignity. As soon as I thought of this, I quickly went back.

  Pushing open my door, I suddenly found a black shadow in the room. Oh no, I was startled, this is not Nan Village.

  Upon closer inspection, it turned out to be Qing Shan Dao Chang.

  The leader has come again, there must be something big going on.