Translator: Lynn
Thank you to Crazy mama for the ko-fi! Here’s your bonus chapter <3
Sponsored chapter (1/3)
Help me.
Those two words jabbed into Cheng Ke’s heart like a blunt fork, not as sharp as a knife or as pointed as a needle, but rather like a series of dull, relentless cuts that were almost unbearable.
Numerous scenarios rushed through his mind. It couldn’t be a street brawl; no one excelled in that more than his San-ge. Even if he needed help, Da Bin and the rest of his brothers were more dependable. Besides, it seemed unlikely that he would reach out for assistance for something like this.
As Cheng Ke rushed to the scene, he was certain that “they” were involved. Yet, he hadn’t anticipated the gravity of the situation.
He never imagined that Jiang Yuduo, who had been trying so hard to conceal his struggles and evade discovery, would suddenly cast aside his facade so abruptly.
The sensation was suffocating.
Cheng Ke clung to him, his embrace fierce. One arm wasn’t enough; he even employed the plastered one, holding Jiang Yuduo tightly.
Jiang Yuduo’s injuries were severe. The scent of blood was unmistakable, and it seemed to permeate not only his exterior but also his innermost being.
For nearly a minute, Cheng Ke was lost, unsure of what he should do.
He felt an overwhelming sense of compassion.
In the span of his twenty-eight years, through his days as a one-year-old and as a two-year-old, this was the first time he had wept so fervently.
Tears streaked his face, mingling with the taste of salt. An unexpected sweetness tinged the bitterness.
It took him a while to release Jiang Yuduo gently, cupping his face with one hand. “Where are you hurt? Is it serious?”
With a face marred by scars, tears, and bloodstains, the aesthetic was overshadowed. The distance between the pear blossoms and rain might be over 800 times that from Earth to the moon, yet this ache cleaved the heart just as sharply.
“I’ll call for a car,” Cheng Ke wiped his face, “Shall we head back?”
“They haven’t left,” Jiang Yuduo’s gaze fixed on a certain point behind Cheng Ke. “We can’t allow them to tail us.”
“Whether they follow or not, we’ll manage,” Cheng Ke offered, glancing back again. This time, he had an intense desire to see people—anyone, whether one or several—just people. But there was nothing there, only dead branches swaying gently in the wind.
“Cheng Ke, you will see them,” Jiang Yuduo said softly.
Cheng Ke hesitated momentarily, then lowered his head to embrace Jiang Yuduo’s head once more, planting two kisses on the crown. “It’s alright. Whether they’re there or not, it doesn’t matter to Cheng Ke. He doesn’t care.”
Jiang Yuduo’s gaze shifted, fixing on Cheng Ke’s face. After a while, a faint smile creased his lips. “You’re crying.”
“Yeah,” Cheng Ke admitted, his hand wiping his face almost absentmindedly. “It’s been a while since I cried like this. I can’t hold it back.”
“Cheng Ke,” Jiang Yuduo gazed at him.
“Hmm?” Cheng Ke replied.
“You look really handsome,” Jiang Yuduo sighed softly, “Crying like this doesn’t diminish your looks much.”
“…Really?” Cheng Ke wasn’t sure how to respond.
“Let’s head back; it’s quite close,” Jiang Yuduo suggested. “Given my condition, taxis won’t take us.”
“Alright,” Cheng Ke agreed, “Are you able to walk?”
“I’m not badly hurt,” Jiang Yuduo assured himself, bracing himself against the wall and extending his legs.
“Where are you injured?” Cheng Ke inquired.
“The bleeding’s from my head,” Jiang Yuduo touched his scalp and glanced at the blood on his hand. “It’s not a gaping wound, but it’s not stopping.”
Cheng Ke suddenly felt a tad woozy at the sight of blood on his hand, almost panicking.
“We should get back and staunch the bleeding,” Jiang Yuduo recommended. “If it doesn’t stop, we can go to… the community clinic. It’s alright, even if it’s more serious than this.”
“Sure,” Cheng Ke agreed, flipping up the hood of his coat to shield Jiang Yuduo.
Perhaps due to their emotional rollercoaster, walking back with Jiang Yuduo made them feel so cold that they were on the verge of shivering the entire way.
Thankfully, the distance wasn’t long. Following the advice of the taxi driver earlier, taking the small road on foot was quicker than driving.
They strolled like this, and in just five minutes, they were back home.
Upon entering the room and shutting the door, Cheng Ke swiftly shed his coat, and flicked on all the light switches along the wall, illuminating the living room with several lamps.
“Let me see your wound,” he urged, dragging a chair over for Jiang Yuduo to sit.
“Just rinse it with water, you’ll see,” Jiang Yuduo suggested.
“It might get infected,” Cheng Ke observed, examining his head closely. Jiang Yuduo’s hair was cropped short, making the wound quite visible, catching his eye immediately.
The trio of gashes was concentrated at the back of his head.
“Damn it,” Cheng Ke clenched his teeth, “Don’t you know how to dodge?”
“It’s worse if you get punched in the face,” Jiang Yuduo replied.
“Should we disinfect it first and then stop the bleeding?” Cheng Ke suggested, walking over to fetch the compact medical kit that Jiang Yuduo often used.
“I’ll handle it myself,” Jiang Yuduo took the kit and popped it open, retrieving some alcohol, iodophor, and a bit of hemostatic powder.
Knowing his method, Cheng Ke grabbed the bottle and poured it, followed by sprinkling the powder, the entire process took less than five minutes.
However, today Cheng Ke didn’t object to Jiang Yuduo treating the wound in such a tough manner. He just sat beside him, watching.
“This injury… how did it happen?” Cheng Ke inquired.
“I crossed paths with Zhang Daqi’s guys,” Jiang Yuduo explained. “I was passing behind his bar.”
“How did you end up there…” Cheng Ke trailed off.
“I was trying to shake off the two that are tailing me,” Jiang Yuduo unscrewed the bottle cap and poured it onto his head, “I wasn’t paying attention as I walked.”
Cheng Ke let out a soft sigh and remained silent.
At this moment, he wasn’t sure if Jiang Yuduo was truly recovering rapidly or if he was skilled at pretending, capable of quickly returning to a “normal” state.
This time, however, the challenge seemed overwhelming.
As he poured alcohol onto his head once more, a large tear welled up in the corner of Jiang Yuduo’s eye and dangled on his chin.
He sniffled, shook his head slightly, and the tear fell.
“Let me assist you,” Cheng Ke stood up and picked up the hemostatic powder. “Sprinkle it, right?”
“Yeah,” Jiang Yuduo nodded, his voice slightly nasal from seriousness.
Gritting his teeth, Cheng Ke unscrewed the cap of the hemostatic powder bottle and proceeded to sprinkle it on the wound like a seasoning.
Unsure of the appropriate amount, the powder quickly turned red from the blood, requiring three or four rounds of application before the vivid crimson started to fade.
“At least you’re not feeling dizzy,” Cheng Ke commented.
Jiang Yuduo managed a smile and sniffled once more.
As Cheng Ke leaned in to check his face, he promptly averted his gaze.
“Don’t look,” Cheng Ke straightened up, reaching around him from behind and gently cupping Jiang Yuduo’s chin. “Does the wound hurt?”
“The pain’s gone,” Jiang Yuduo confirmed.
“Alright,” Cheng Ke acknowledged.
Side by side, Jiang Yuduo and Cheng Ke faced the window. When he returned earlier in the day, Jiang Yuduo had opened the curtains. Currently, the curtains weren’t fully drawn, leaving about a foot of the window exposed.
Surveying the view, Cheng Ke noted there were sporadic pedestrians and passing vehicles. A hint of uncertainty crept into his voice, “Should I close the curtains?”
“No need,” Jiang Yuduo responded.
“It’s just that, I’m afraid you’ll spot them,” Cheng Ke cleared his throat, “It’s just that all the lights are on in the living room.”
“Understood,” Jiang Yuduo said.
“The two of us standing here, facing the window,” Cheng Ke mused, “People outside can see us quite clearly.”
Jiang Yuduo wiped his eyes with his hand and chuckled, “It does look quite strange, a bit like a scene from a ghost movie, doesn’t it?”
“Yes,” Cheng Ke agreed, “For the well-being of the general public, let’s close the curtains.”
“Agreed,” Jiang Yuduo assented.
Moving over, Cheng Ke drew the curtains shut. Upon turning around, he spotted traces of tears that Jiang Yuduo had just wiped from his face.
He had never imagined that Jiang Yuduo could cry in such a manner—like an aggrieved child who couldn’t seem to stop, no matter how hard they tried.
Cheng Ke headed to the bathroom to retrieve Jiang Yuduo’s towel, intending to gently pat his face dry. However, just as he was about to do so, Jiang Yuduo’s cell phone rang.
“It’s Chen Qing,” Jiang Yuduo remarked while wiping away more tears. He reached for the towel, rubbing it across his face.
“Are you going to answer it?” Cheng Ke inquired. “How did you know it’s Chen Qing?”
“Everyone around here already knows that the San-ge is tangled with Zhang Daqi,” Jiang Yuduo explained. “So, Chen Qing will definitely call to inquire.”
“In that case…” Cheng Ke looked at him, uncertain if Jiang Yuduo might start crying again while talking to Chen Qing. If that happened, it might come as quite a shock to Chen Qing.
“It’s fine,” Jiang Yuduo stated. He retrieved his phone, glanced at it, answered the call, activated the speakerphone, and placed it on the table. He continued to dab his face with the towel. “What’s up?”
Cheng Ke was somewhat taken aback by this tone. From the sound of it, there was no discernible difference from his usual manner of speaking.
“San-ge, are you alright? Damn it! Are you okay? Any injuries? I’ll be at your place shortly!” Chen Qing’s voice came through the phone, accompanied by the rustling of the wind.
“I’m fine,” Jiang Yuduo reassured. “What are you going to do here?”
“If I’m not demolishing Zhang Daqi’s bar tonight, then my last name isn’t Chen!” Chen Qing shouted indignantly. “You’re being a pain in the ass, preventing me from settling scores!”
“Then maybe you can tell me your real last name,” Jiang Yuduo teased. “Just head back home first. I’m alright.”
“You jerk!” Chen Qing’s voice escalated. “I’m damn well bringing someone with me!”
Cheng Ke was left stunned, his gaze fixed on Jiang Yuduo.
“How many people did you bring?” Jiang Yuduo inquired.
“How many do you need?” Chen Qing’s query seemed directed at someone by his side.
“About forty for now,” came Da Bin’s voice from the background. “Not everyone’s here yet.”
“Are you all out of your minds?” Cheng Ke exclaimed, Just by walking around the streets like this, you’re only a hundred meters away from inviting the police to question you!”
“Brother Ke?” Da Bin heard Cheng Ke’s voice, “Don’t worry, we didn’t move in a group. We separated, and we are not accompanied by anyone. They’re positioned close to the bar, awaiting instructions from Brother Qing. Once he’s ready to initiate the plan, the vehicle will transport the necessary items.”
“Got it,” Jiang Yuduo affirmed.
Cheng Ke’s anxiety intensified upon hearing about the situation. They had dispersed to gather weapons, and this seemed to be shaping up into a large-scale gang war. Such a development wouldn’t be easily resolved with just a few days of detention.
Once Jiang Yuduo ended the call, Cheng Ke regarded him with concern. “Jiang Yuduo, have you guys ever resorted to this before?”
“No,” Jiang Yuduo lifted his gaze to meet Cheng Ke’s. “No one has dared to mess with me like this before.”
Cheng Ke’s head was already spinning, and coupled with his mounting unease, his vision seemed to blur.
He couldn’t allow this to happen, particularly not when Jiang Yuduo was in his current state. Jiang Yuduo wouldn’t want his brothers to witness his emotional turmoil, but now it was clear that he couldn’t control his emotions as he normally did. Cheng Ke didn’t even dare to imagine the consequences if these people discovered Jiang Yuduo’s emotional vulnerability.
“They’ll be arriving soon,” Cheng Ke asserted, his voice urgent. “Listen to me first.”
“What is it?” Jiang Yuduo inquired. Cheng Ke had wiped his face clean, but he wasn’t sure if it was due to Jiang Yuduo’s current state or not, he still perceived a touch of the wronged expression on his face.
“Don’t engage in a fight. If this escalates, it could lead to a major ordeal,” Cheng Ke urged. “Chen Qing, Da Bin, and the others all have jobs to keep. What if they get arrested? What’s our plan then?”
Jiang Yuduo cared deeply for his little brother, and Cheng Ke was aware of it. And indeed, after he finished speaking, Jiang Yuduo fell silent.
“Let’s approach this differently,” Cheng Ke suggested. “I really want to give them a taste of their own medicine, but we could handle it more discreetly later.”
“What do you mean?” Chen Qing slammed the table and gestured toward Jiang Yuduo. “Did you see the state the San-ge was in after getting beat up?”
“Don’t point at me,” Jiang Yuduo retorted.
“Whom I’m pointing at…” Chen Qing aimed his finger at Cheng Ke, hesitated, then at Da Bin, and after a moment’s pause, he pointed firmly at the table several times. “You know who! The San-ge was brutalized like this! Jiang Yuduo, you’ve been in this game for so many years! Nobody’s ever laid a finger on you like this!”
“Listen to Cheng Ke,” Jiang Yuduo sighed.
“Alright,” Chen Qing sat back down. “Go ahead, tell me. Whatever we do, we have to maintain our dignity.”
“Aren’t you numerous? Get about a hundred or so people to come in and sit down. When he’s about to start a business, what do you do? Walk in at the right time and sit until the place closes,” Cheng Ke explained. “Do this every day.”
Chen Qing scrutinized Cheng Ke. “And just sit there without ordering anything? Isn’t that embarrassing?”
“Order a glass of orange juice,” Cheng Ke proposed.
“The costs will add up, Brother Ke,” Da Bin chimed in. “If about a hundred people sit in for a night, and they all order drinks, the expenses would…”
“It’s not for just one night,” Cheng Ke clarified. “It’s for however long it takes until they stop going in.”
“Damn it,” Chen Qing stared at him. “Do you even have a clue about the expenses?”
Cheng Ke retrieved his bank card from his pocket and placed it on the table. “I’ll cover it.”
“That’s not feasible!” Chen Qing exclaimed. “This amount of money…”
“This money came from an illicit source,” Cheng Ke stated firmly. “It needs to be spent in a manner that reflects that origin.”
“But…” Da Bin frowned.
“We can’t resort to violence,” Cheng Ke insisted, “especially not on such a grand scale. If you’re not on board with this approach, find other solutions, but fighting is not an option.”
Chen Qing appeared stunned, and after a while, he turned to Jiang Yuduo. “San-ge?”
“Let’s avoid fighting if possible,” Jiang Yuduo said.
Jiang Yuduo had often uttered this phrase, but after hearing it this time, Chen Qing remained silent.
“If you’re feeling down, drop the cup after finishing your drink,” Cheng Ke suggested.
“Then you’d have to pay for it,” Da Bin interjected. “He had the audacity to charge a hundred yuan for a single cup.”
“Report it to the police,” Cheng Ke proposed.
“But if he finds out, he might ban us from entering in the future,” Chen Qing questioned.
“Why let him dictate it?” Cheng Ke retorted. “Whether one person doesn’t enter, two don’t, or even a hundred don’t enter, if they try anything, we’ll call the police.”
“Have you done this before?” Chen Qing inquired, looking at Cheng Ke.
“…Yes,” Cheng Ke admitted.
“Damn, are rich people so boring?” Chen Qing quipped.
“The wealthy can indeed be dull,” Da Bin chimed in.
“Where did you find so many boring rich people?” Chen Qing quizzed him once more.
“Two teams were contracted,” Cheng Ke explained. “Forget about that for now; let’s focus on the task at hand.”
Chen Qing scrutinized Cheng Ke and then sighed deeply. “This is to force us into behaving…”
“Brother Qing,” Da Bin interjected gently.
“Fine, fine, I know, I’m not using the right words,” Chen Qing waved his hand, pondered for a while, then finally clenched his teeth and turned to Da Bin. “Inform those who arrived first. They should go in and order a glass of orange juice. It’s even better if they occupy a table each. Make it as annoying as possible, even to the point of making others sick. Those who can’t get a table should sit at the bar and stand behind it. Whoever gets the chance can head to the restroom and occupy spaces. Come get the money from me once you’re done.”
After Chen Qing left with Da Bin, Cheng Ke let out a sigh of relief, sank into a chair, and rubbed his face.
“That was quite ingenious,” Jiang Yuduo commented.
“It doesn’t matter as long as it prevents a fight,” Cheng Ke said.
“Are you worried about me?” Jiang Yuduo gazed at him.
“I’m not afraid of something happening to you,” Cheng Ke assured him. “I won’t allow anything to happen.”
Jiang Yuduo remained silent, fixing his gaze on Cheng Ke for a prolonged moment. Then, a grin spread across his face, accompanied by tears.
“You didn’t finish crying earlier, did you?” Cheng Ke leaned on the table and reached out to touch Jiang Yuduo’s face.
“Yeah,” Jiang Yuduo replied.
“It’s alright,” Cheng Ke stood up and walked toward him. “If you feel like crying, go ahead. You’ve grown up so much; have you never cried like this before?”
“No,” Jiang Yuduo rubbed his eyes. “I don’t know why I’m crying.”
“There doesn’t have to be a reason,” Cheng Ke reassured, hugging Jiang Yuduo’s head. His gaze fell on the haphazardly placed gauze patches.
“Don’t stare at me,” Jiang Yuduo requested.
“Sure,” Cheng Ke agreed.
Jiang Yuduo clasped his waist, gently turned him around, enveloped him with his arms, and buried his face into Cheng Ke’s back.
Before Cheng Ke could grasp his intention, he was struck by Jiang Yuduo’s sob.
It resounded against his back, resolute and loud.
Cheng Ke had always believed that emotions were discernible through the sound of tears. Authentic sobbing, feigned sobbing, tears of joy, tears of sorrow—each carried distinct emotions.
In Jiang Yuduo’s cathartic weeping, there was no sense of relief, only an overwhelming sense of unease resonating within Cheng Ke.
Please let me know if there are typos/mistakes in the chapter.
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