Chapter 17
Gu Mengzhu walked past the newly opened shopping mall once again. With nowhere else to go on her day off, she simply went there out of habit. Beneath the bustling shops, people moved about numbly, oblivious to what was happening above. She glanced at the building's entrance; last time, a row of migrant workers had sat there demanding their wages, but this time it was empty. A few people passed by, muttering about "jumping off the building," and Gu Mengzhu couldn't help but look at the rooftop. There was no one there anymore; firefighters were removing the air cushion.
Did they survive?
She pondered.
This should have been a good thing, but her heart felt nothing but cheap sympathy, nothing more. She had nothing left, or perhaps even more? In this wretched world, she was just an ordinary person.
For some reason, Gu Mengzhu remembered the smell of cement emanating from Qi Yaoguang's pants. She just hoped that this man could be strong and not let her see those bloody news stories in the newspapers.
Another month passed, and Gu Mengzhu counted the days, realizing that there were no other holidays to celebrate this year except for Lunar New Year's Eve. The autumn wind at the end of November felt chilly at night, so she wrapped her coat tighter around herself and hurried home.
"It's getting chilly, let's have some hot pot. I'll buy some watercress tomorrow..."
She muttered to herself as she walked, but unexpectedly encountered something unlucky. As if knowing she wouldn't open the door again, this person deliberately waited at the door to block her. Not wanting to get involved with Qi Yaoguang, she pushed him and then forcefully shoved him aside. But he was strong, and no matter how hard Gu Mengzhu tried, she couldn't close the door he was blocking.
What exactly do you want?
She kept her head down, not looking at him, and almost burst into tears. She was so tired; her body was exhausted after a long day at work, and seeing him when she got home made her even more emotionally drained. She had already told him she didn't want the money anymore; she just wanted him out of her life. Why couldn't this man understand?
"I'll pay you back."
He blocked the doorway and handed over a wad of cash. The money was wrapped in a plastic bag and tied up neatly, seemingly carefully arranged. He had become thinner and darker, his eye sockets were deeper, and his back looked more hunched. He seemed to have aged suddenly.
“There are ten thousand inside. Count them. It should be enough; I've counted them several times.”
"I already said you don't need to pay me back. Just consider it money I spent to avoid trouble."
"There's ten thousand inside, really, ten thousand. I didn't steal it, and I didn't gamble it away."
"I fucking told you I didn't want it! Can't you understand human language?!"
"You look down on me?"
She chuckled and looked up:
"Is that all you can say? Yes, I look down on you, I don't want your money, I treat you like a dog! Take it away!"
"Take the money and I'm leaving."
Qi Yaoguang opened his mouth dryly, his hand stubbornly hovering in mid-air, constantly moving towards her. Gu Mengzhu snatched the money, gripped the corner of the plastic bag, and slammed it at him. He flinched, then straightened his back, his muffled groan hidden in the sound of the hammer being pounded.
She smashed the glass harder and harder, tears streaming down her face. He looked at her sadly and reached out to wipe away her tears.
"Don't cry. I didn't mean to make you cry. It's just about returning the money. Shouldn't you be happier to get the money back?"
However, before his hand could even touch his cheek, she slapped him hard back with her elbow. Qi Yaoguang cried out in pain, causing her to look up.
His hand was hit by a piece of falling brick, but thankfully it wasn't broken in two. After receiving his wages, he didn't see a doctor; he was just rushing to repay her. Money, that deadly thing, can blind you while simultaneously numbing physical pain, making you feel nothing at all.
The scabbed wound started bleeding again, drop by drop. A crimson flower bloomed on the white floor. Gu Mengzhu stared blankly at that glaring red, then closed her eyes in despair.
He did it on purpose, using those self-inflicted suffering tactics to gain sympathy.
She thought darkly, like a woodlice in a damp corner. Her whole being was shrouded in darkness.
"Go to the hospital."
Qi Yaoguang remained unmoved. Tears still clung to her nose; she scratched her hair in frustration, her eyes red, and yelled at him:
"Didn't you hear me when I said we need to go to the hospital?!"
"Can I take the money?"
He stubbornly refused to say anything more, only insisting that she give him money. She silently struggled, her eyes filled with numbness. In the silence, she felt that a car should come and run them both over.
Qi Yaoguang was eventually dragged to the hospital by her.
The medical staff were cleaning his wounds, but Gu Mengzhu's wrists were held down and she couldn't get away.
"If you leave, I'll leave right away."
She struggled for a while and then stopped moving, as if giving up on arguing with him. The nurse secured the splint to him and carefully gave her instructions. She listened politely and patiently, but in reality, she didn't hear a single word.
That's hilarious! What does it have to do with her? Dying in her house is bad luck; it's better to die outside!
She took the medicine from the staff at the window and called them back as she left the hospital:
"Your hand is injured, and you still want to go back?"
"If we don't go back, we won't have any money."
She lifted the medicine and money into the air:
"Take it, and you'll have a way to live."
He glanced at her silently, then turned and walked away, hiding his right hand tightly. Gu Mengzhu watched him walk further and further away, letting out a painful sob:
Why do you always have to push me like this?
She quickly followed after him:
"That's not how you make money. You should find another job."
How can I refund you if I offer a different one?
"The waiter gets room and board included, why can't you pay it back? Or the security guard? The hotel receptionist? I wouldn't feel comfortable taking the money you earned as a cement worker, and I don't want it!"
He stood at the traffic light waiting, without turning around.
"Think about how I gambled away all your money, and you'll feel at ease."
Gu Mengzhu's eyes stung with tears. She lowered her head, took a deep breath, and the next second grabbed his right hand, pulling him aside and heading back towards the rented room.
"You can move back, and we can pay you back slowly."
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