My question seemed unbelievable to Nicole, who replied, "Are you out of your mind? Why are you asking this all of a sudden?" Before I could answer, Nicole seemed to have sensed something and asked me again, "Who called you just now?"
"Don't ask that, answer me first."
"Was it Cao Xue who called you?"
Even though Nicole had some suspicions, she still didn't expect Chen Jin to be suspected of being infected... I don't believe it either. Although everyone talks about HIV infection, for normal people, it is indeed a very probable thing. That's why Nicole mistakenly thought that Cao Xue suspected that she and Chen Jin were not clean.
I remained silent because I suddenly realized that it was inappropriate for me to ask Nicole directly. I should ask Chen Jin himself about this. Asking Nicole at this time, regardless of whether she had had that kind of relationship with Chen Jin or not, would put a lot of mental pressure on her.
I didn't mean to, but this is a really creepy story. I was worried about Nicole, which is why I was so eager to ask her for confirmation.
Seeing that I didn't speak for a long time, Nicole said in a very dissatisfied tone, "What do you all take me for? Do you think I'm that casual?... If Cao Xue is worried about my relationship with Chen Jin, tell him to go and ask Chen Jin directly. Don't try to find out from here. I don't like this kind of dishonest behavior."
Hearing Nicole say that, I breathed a sigh of relief, then picked up my coat and walked towards the door, saying to Nicole, "I have something to do and I have to go out for a bit... Don't take it to heart, I was just mentioning it casually."
"You men are all the same, one protecting the other!"
...
I found Chen Jin in the bar we co-owned; he was sitting in a corner, looking worried, and the ashtray on the table was overflowing with cigarette butts. He only looked up when he noticed someone standing opposite him.
I sat down opposite him. He smiled at me, but his hand holding the cigarette trembled violently. He asked me, "Michael, have I been too free?... The more I think about it, the more uneasy I feel. It must have been that woman from Shanghai who gave it to me... After we... she seemed to give me a sinister smile... I didn't think much of it at the time, but now, thinking back on it, it gives me the creeps. She must have done it on purpose. She was just taking revenge. She wanted to take as many people as she could before she died!"
Do you know her name?... Is it possible to get in touch with her?
"We met at a bar, and we were both fantasizing about something... What contact information could she possibly have given me?... I'm sure I fell for her. The more I think about it, the more suspicious it seems. This morning, before I was even awake, she left, and the ID she used to book the hotel room was mine. She didn't leave a single trace!... I've encountered a demon!"
I sighed. To be honest, Chen Jin doesn't deserve any sympathy. Even if that woman wanted to take revenge on the CCP, he would have to give her the opportunity first. This isn't a one-sided matter. I've pointed out his problematic conduct before, but he just wouldn't listen...
He was right; he had gone too far with his freedom! But at this point, even blaming him wouldn't help.
After a moment of silence, I finally spoke to him, "Don't be so quick to regret it... Think about it carefully. Which of these women around you could have been infected by you? This is no joke. You should tell them as soon as possible so they can get checked out in time..."
Chen Jin held his head in his hands and said painfully, "ia, a singer at the Wooden Horse Bar, a student from the Fine Arts Department of Dali University, and a car model who lives in the mountains and rivers..."
I don't know what his mindset was, but every time Chen Jin mentioned a woman, he had to explain where she came from. Maybe he was repenting, but I found it shocking... The next moment, I interrupted him, not letting him continue. I said, "You don't need to tell me such details. You know it in your heart... I'm just asking you, Nicole, you haven't caused any harm, have you?"
Chen Jin stared at me blankly for a long time, then shook his head.
I let out a heavy sigh of relief and replied, "This matter hasn't been confirmed yet, so don't overthink it... Even if you unfortunately contracted it, this disease isn't incurable now... You have to think positively."
Chen Jin growled, "I fucking want to chop that thing up right now... I deserve to die, but I pity those people I harmed... I'll definitely go to hell when I die!"
Just then, Ia walked over to Chen Jin and me carrying a tray. Chen Jin stared at her with a deathly expression, but she didn't notice. She smiled and said to me in broken English, "Michael, you have to quit smoking and drinking, you know?... I made you a cup of milk, drink it slowly."
"Thanks……"
"When you get to Thailand, you must do your best... All of us friends will support you... Don't miss us too much, but we will be thinking of you."
"Yeah... Good luck to you guys here too."
Ia smiled and nodded, then gently patted my shoulder before going to greet the other guests; but I felt uneasy. If Chen Jin really ruined her, it would be a terrible sin!
...
After leaving the bar, my heart was still in my throat... I suddenly felt a bit disgusted with human nature. Why do we always have to wait until the last minute to regret and repent? If Chen Jin had listened to me and found a good woman to marry and settle down with, he wouldn't be in this terrible predicament today.
That's just how he is. He always feels that he has been hurt by Ding Lin. Ding Lin is indeed not a good woman, but that is absolutely not a reason for him to choose to fall into depravity... The price is just too high.
...
Back at my lodgings, the empty house was empty except for me. After washing up, I lay down on the bed and started searching for information about disease A online. The results were not optimistic; Chen Jin's current symptoms matched those described above.
If there really were a "regret pill" in this world, I would buy one for Chen Jin no matter what... Unfortunately, the answer is cold: there is no such "regret pill" in this world. So we are all busy regretting, and after regretting, we continue to make mistakes... Thinking about it, people are really a mess... Maybe Coach Ma is one of the few among us who has grasped the true meaning. At least since he went to Jizu Mountain, I have never heard him mention the word "regret" again.
He is more confident and more detached.
...
I put my phone down, then picked it up again, and habitually scrolled through my WeChat Moments... Ye Zhi posted another update, publicly announcing on her Moments that she would spend a year living a healthy life. She even included two photos with the post: one of her working out and the other of her vacation at the beach.
This might seem ordinary to others, but to me, it suddenly felt like a ray of sunshine had entered her life; she was finally no longer so closed off! To chat with more like-minded people about "My Tenant Sister," follow "Hot Articles" or "rd444" on WeChat to discuss your favorite books with other book lovers.
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