Contest (3)
It was a quiet night. Wen Jie sat in meditation in the pavilion above the waterfall of Mirror Pond. He closed his eyes, his mind wandered. Opening them, he saw the water, unchanged for over a decade, and his mind wandered again. He had lived here for twelve years and would continue to do so. He could not travel anywhere else, could not harbor the desire to explore the mountains and rivers. Only this water seemed to carry his regrets and troubles far away, to carry his longing for freedom on his behalf.
Is this the reason why Master is reluctant to leave this place?
Why on earth did Shuixi want to fill this place up? He only knew that Shuixi worked for Hui Zifeng's family. Although Shuixi was young, and had been young too more than ten years ago, he was a powerful figure. Perhaps besides accompanying and protecting Hui Zifeng, he had other responsibilities.
That night, his body slowly sank, the feeling of suffocation etched deeply into his mind. When a person is near death, their memories become incredibly clear and profound. So he saw it.
Shuixi was indeed standing on the shore at that time... He thought it was on the surface, and Shuixi convinced him that it was on the shore. He felt that Shuixi was waiting for him and the other two to die. Shuixi explained that she waited longer because she couldn't understand why they all went into the water. He had no way to prove Shuixi's words were true, but even if they were false, he had to believe them.
Shuixi was even weaker than he was at this moment. Wen Jie felt protective and couldn't bear to question her. He asked again, "Did you put those gold and jewels underwater?"
"It's my property, what's wrong with that?" Shuixi was not afraid of being interrogated. His expression looked like he deserved a beating, but he wasn't afraid of being beaten. "You should be guarding everything in this temple. How could someone steal things right under your nose?"
"Weren't you expecting someone to dig up treasure in the Mirror Pond, and word would spread that the place would be vandalized and sealed off? You wanted to fill the Mirror Pond, and then all this mess suddenly popped up, all to further your goal."
He didn't know if Shuixi was fed up, or if he'd hit the nail on the head. Wen Jie still felt a chill when he thought of Shuixi's reaction. Shuixi was silent for a moment, then looked up and smiled faintly, calling him over. When he got closer, her weak hand tugged at his collar, slowly applying force. Her sharp eyes stared at him, and she said, "If you disrespect me again, you'll have to donate your heart."
Shuixi is very good at provoking people. He likes to irritate someone and then watch them fight back, fighting to the bitter end. In the end, Shuixi is unscathed, having just witnessed a joke, while the person who got angry first will bury everything with their own hands.
There is Fusu in the mountains, and usually even if the shop is open, no customers will come in. Shuixi has been unwell recently, so Mingyan asked him to close the shop and rest well. That evening, she came to visit Shuixi, and when she pushed open the door, she saw him cleaning the counter.
His slender figure was covered in an apron printed with pink flowers and cats. He was dressed in a slim-fitting black casual outfit, and his white, slender, yet powerful forearms were particularly sexy. He wore yellow SpongeBob SquarePants slippers and white socks, looking a bit cute.
Ming Yan hurriedly shifted his gaze, as if the man in front of him was naked. Thinking of this, he stiffly turned his head and tried his best to look him straight in the face.
"You're almost well now."
"Yeah, yes." Shuixi went to pour warm tea, just like before. "Will you open the store tomorrow?"
"Forget it, let's rest for a few days." Ming Yan climbed onto the low couch, kicked off her high heels, and leaned back on the soft pillow. She never cared about her image in front of Shui Xi. Perhaps she had treated him as her own servant from the beginning. "I see you seem to be out of breath. By the way, don't you have any friends you want to visit? How about a long trip?"
Ming Yan knew that he had no relatives, but he should have some friends besides Hui Zifeng.
"The boss wants to get rid of me," Shuixi stretched out his hand to wipe the pillar, and asked back after hearing Ming Yan's words.
"You're here every day, I'm afraid you'll get suffocated." Ming Yan took a sip of tea guiltily.
The rag fell into the basin of water with a sharp sound, splashing everywhere. Ming Yan's attention was focused on Shui Xi's face. He slowly wiped his hands on his apron, took out his cell phone from his trouser pocket, and answered the call.
"He's...fine."
"Do you want me to go back?"
"Yes, I know. Uncle Hui, I understand."
Shuixi hung up the phone, picked up the rag from the water, wrung it dry, looked up and asked Mingyan, "Sorry, boss, I forgot what you just said."
Ming Yan was in no mood to joke. He watched Shui Xi grovel, both to the Hui family and to her. Just to survive, a handsome young man, attending a prestigious university, had to willingly give up his spiritual needs and work like a slave for someone completely unrelated.
"Shuixi, I'll hire someone to help you clean up. You just need to be responsible for managing this store. How about I find you a girl to work with?"
Shuixi pulled out her phone again and tapped a few times on the screen. Mingyan thought he was using this as an excuse to escape. Depressed, she bit her cup, her head swaying back and forth as she gazed at the intricate and beautiful paintings on the ceiling, gradually becoming absorbed in them. When she heard Shuixi speak to her, she was startled and half-sat up before she could clearly hear Shuixi saying, "I'm comfortable on my own and can handle it. I don't think I'd be happy if there were anyone else around."
After saying this, he put the phone to his ear, stood respectfully, and waited for a long time. The person on the other end of the phone finally answered the call, and Shuixi said, "Where are you?"
"The teacher came to me and asked if you hadn't been to the office. Did something happen?"
If it wasn't over, Shuixi would take the phone away. He stared at the black screen for a few seconds, then said to Mingyan, "Boss, Zifeng needs something. I need to go find him. How about I take you home first?"
"What happened to him?" Ming Yan recalled that when they said goodbye for the last time at the art exhibition, Hui Zifeng was absent-minded. She thought that was the state of contemplation of artists after appreciating their masterpieces.
"I don't know either. I've been staying in my room lately and haven't been out much, so I'm not sure. I didn't take good care of him, so Mr. Hui asked me to go back. I don't know if I can still work for the boss in the future."
Actually, you can stay with me. Ming Yan wanted to say this, but he thought that it would make him lose face, so he held back. He picked up his handbag from the table, put on his shoes, and raised his hand, "Let's go, I'll take you there. It's so late, how are you going to get there?"
Shuixi was flattered and stunned for a moment. She hurriedly wiped her hands, took off her apron, found a pair of outdoor shoes, put them on, and was about to follow. Ming Yan smacked his lips repeatedly, frowned and shook his head, "Can you at least put on some clothes? No, put on a coat?"
"Is it cold outside?" Shuixi asked, but didn't hesitate to go upstairs to get some clothes. He took three steps at a time, making a "thump, thump, thump" sound on the narrow staircase, which made Mingyan laugh. She remembered playing in her grandmother's garden with her brothers and sisters as she was little. The ducks ran on the wooden floor, making a "pa pa pa" sound, and she imitated them. The group of children laughed and giggled. Later, she often heard her grandmother say that when she heard the ducks running "pia pia pia", she thought of you and felt so happy...
There was a thud from upstairs, and the sound of something hitting the floor resonated above Ming Yan's head. It felt like something soft yet heavy. Unable to figure out what it could be, she shouted to Shui Xi upstairs, "What fell?"
Shuixi poked his head out from the corner of the stairs. "I accidentally bumped into the wall. It's okay!"
He brought down a thin black windbreaker, which made his figure look even thinner.
"Let's go!" Shuixi said excitedly, "Will the boss come back later? If so, will the boss stay here tonight?"
Shuixi opened the door and asked Mingyan to go ahead. However, a car at the door was blazing with high beams, nearly blinding Shuixi. He quickly stepped out and stood in front of Mingyan, completely shielding him. Shuixi squinted and gradually made out the person standing behind the light: a man in a suit and tie with a slicked-back face.
"Yan Yan!" Ming Yan poked half of his head out from behind Shui Xi and gently pushed Shui Xi, asking him to make way. The man immediately caught Ming Yan's position and greeted her while walking towards the two of them.
The man seemed overly excited. "Your place is so hard to find! It took me ages to find it. Why did you choose a place like this to open a shop? What do you do here? Can you please let me in to take a look? Oh, let's do it another time. We have an appointment to see Mozart today. Did you forget?"
"I haven't forgotten, but I..." Ming Yan looked back at Shui Xi, hesitated, and finally handed the car keys to Shui Xi, "How about you drive my car?"
"Who is this?" The man looked at Shuixi repeatedly with disapproval, his disdain clearly written on his face. "Oh! Your employee? Nice to meet you." He pulled Ming Yan aside and continued to ramble, "I'm telling you, don't be too nice to your employees. They're prone to getting ahead of themselves. They want this today and that tomorrow. Especially students like this, they're so arrogant."
"Stop talking." Ming Yan pinched the man, and the man, amused, pinched Ming Yan, who was trapped in his arms. The two of them were particularly close, which was always inappropriate in the quiet night.
The two headlights suddenly exploded, and Ming Yan screamed in fear and shrank back. The man also lowered his head, protecting Ming Yan from the shoulders up. Ming Yan quickly reacted, and emerged from the man's protection to see the car's headlights completely shattered. It was not normal. He accidentally glanced at Shui Xi and found that his face was calm, as if nothing had happened.
"What's going on?" the man asked. "What's going on? I just finished a maintenance job today! Is someone trying to kill me? I'm done. Ming Yan, take me home. You take me home."
What's with that trembling voice? It's disgusting. A stinky man in his forties flirting with a pretty girl! Shuixi couldn't bear to watch it. He took a deep breath, rolled up his sleeves, and prepared to go drive.
"Boss, let me take your friend home. It's getting late now, and it's not safe for a girl to go."
The man snatched the key from Shuixi's hand roughly, regardless of whether he hurt someone else's hand.
"Ming Yan, why is this guy you're looking for so ignorant? Tell him to leave quickly. I'm going to vomit blood if I look at him any longer." The man turned around and leaned on Ming Yan's car, one hand on his waist, breathing heavily.
"Shuixi, you go back first, okay? Get off work early and have a rest." Ming Yan pushed Shuixi towards the door and hurriedly went to coax the man.
Shuixi looked at the two of them sitting in the car. Mingyan reached out and patted the man's shoulder, smiling gently, and it could be seen that she was happy from the bottom of her heart.
A bird flew by, stopped for a moment above the man's car, excreted a lot, and then flew away.
Shuixi's face was expressionless. The man in the car was extremely corrupt and wanted to rush out, but Mingyan stopped him. After they left, more and more birds relieved themselves in the car. Shuixi turned away and went back into the house.
The moon is dim and the stars are sparse. The twinkling lights of the distant city seem insignificant, yet unrelated to you. The ripples on the river surge like an old man, suffering with nowhere to turn, dying to carry out his task. Through the window, the room is a mess. Hui Zifeng gazes blankly at the vast world outside, unable to find the answers he seeks, like a vine that can't find a tree to climb, dying young from exhaustion.
Suddenly, a shadow of a person appeared in front of the window. Hui Zifeng watched as the shadow gradually approached, becoming clearer and clearer, until a face he recognized emerged.
Shuixi opened the window and looked down at the mess of books, paintings, photos, maps, seals, cloth, and other items in the house. She was afraid that if Mingyan came, he would make a fuss and say that Hui Zifeng was trying to steal her business. Shuixi smiled, "What's wrong with you?"
"Why are you here?" Hui Zifeng was not very clear-headed at this time. The acquired behaviors developed from years of living in the human group were transmitted to nerve signals, and he spoke normal words.
Shui Xi certainly understood him. He stretched out his hand and snapped his fingers in front of his eyes, but the other party's eyes were still not focused on him. Shui Xi was unhappy and sat on the window frame, facing the endless river. "You bastard, can't you live like a puppet? You have no meaning to exist now, right? If you exist, I have to exist. Isn't it good for you to live a simple life? Marry a wife and have children, and continue the incense. What's wrong with you that you have to ask for trouble? You bastard." He turned his head to look at Hui Zifeng, his eyes without any emotion, but on his sick face at the moment, one could read a huge hatred.
The vicious dog was chained and kept smiling and trying to please its owner. Who could have known that the lackey beside Hui Zifeng was really a dog, but a vicious one.
Hui Zifeng lay on the sofa, sobbing. He couldn't understand the emptiness in his soul that had filled him for so many years. How could he possibly fill it? Nothing was right. Every piece of evidence before him was wrong. He suddenly felt like he had lost all hope of guidance, a forsaken child, left to his own destruction. No one could point him in the right direction.
"Si Tan." Shui Xi adjusted his mood, his hatred receding, and gently patted Hui Zifeng's shoulder. "There's a student aid project in Changxi Village. We need you to stay there for a month and be an elementary school teacher. Do you want to go?"
It didn't take much to know that this was another one of his father's arrangements. Hui Zifeng was used to it. His father constantly talked about "accumulating virtue and doing good deeds." He had carved out a new world with his own abilities, but he didn't know how he could remain so stubborn and conservative in such a rapidly evolving society. It wasn't called "accumulating virtue and doing good deeds" anymore, it was called "giving back to society." His father hadn't shown any awareness of progress.
Hui Zifeng had never considered disobeying his father, simply because he rarely criticized his choices. Even when he was growing up, he rarely pointed out his mistakes. Why? Why? Why? His mind was so filled with questions, nearly exploding, that he had no energy for answers.
"Because you have never done anything wrong." Shuixi gave the answer kindly.
Hui Zifeng, from a young age, resembled a wise man. He observed the world in silence, his actions always impeccable, well-educated and understanding, yet cold and aloof. When his mother fell ill, he showed little concern. When someone criticized him, he said, "It'll be fine." The family cat constantly caught wild birds in the yard and tortured them to death. When he heard his aunt complain about the birds, he couldn't stand it anymore and would ask, "Where do you place the nature of a cat? It's a cat, not a human. Why judge a cat by human standards?"
He doesn't interfere in other people's lives, essentially keeping his distance. He's unhelpful, his heart as dull as stagnant, devoid of emotion. His philosophy is to "follow human nature and human affairs." This personality is clearly another person Shuixi once knew.
This personality doesn't prevent him from participating in charitable activities. He treats everything in life as work, ensuring it's completed with 100% high quality and impeccable execution. He's quick to smile and expresses warmth.
"Okay, Si Tan, let's leave tomorrow. I'll help you pack your luggage."
Hui Zifeng regained some of his sanity and looked up with a resentful look in his eyes. "Don't call me Si Tan. I hope you can understand the concept of hierarchy."
"I understand, Xiaohui."
The pillow that hit him from behind landed at his feet. Shuixi picked it up and tucked it under his arm. He pulled out a suitcase from the shelf, packed some clothes in the bedroom, and then went to the bathroom to pack some toiletries. Standing by the door, he asked, "Do you need anything else?"
Hui Zifeng was savoring a steaming cup of sweet coffee that Shuixi had taken the time to brew for him while packing up. Hearing his question, Hui Zifeng glanced at him and deliberately remained silent. Shuixi sighed, listening to the second hand of the wall clock tick sixty times before asking again. Just as Hui Zifeng was about to speak, a pillow hurled its way towards him.
The coffee nearly spilled on Hui Zifeng. Hui Zifeng was right to accuse Shuixi, but Shuixi interrupted him, "I'm sorry, I was too quick."
"Forget it, I forgive you. Besides, what else can I do?" Hui Zifeng continued to sip his coffee, turned his head and looked out the window. The moon was really round. His head was reflected on the window. His mind was clearer and he felt comfortable. Thinking of Shuixi, he felt helpless. "I haven't thought of a way to make you suffer. By the way, Shuixi, did you just come from this side? There's a cliff outside. Am I hallucinating? Oh, it turns out I'm the psychopath."
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