Chapter 23
“I think I’m going to leave, I think I’m planning to leave.”
Upon hearing Gu Mengzhu's words, Chen Luo almost spat out the water in her mouth.
"What are you saying? Is this even human language? Stop speaking Martian. Even if they're from Mars, aliens could live here too. To be honest, Earth is pretty safe, so don't even think about going back."
"I'm going with him."
"No way, are you possessed? It looks like you're the one singing like a madman!"
"Yes, yes, I can't escape his clutches."
Enraged, Chen Luo reached out to wrap her arms around her neck, determined to strangle her to death. However, she turned back halfway and sighed, her head bowed.
Forget it, forget it. This woman is cursed. It's pointless for her to die. She might even harm others after she dies.
"Are you crazy? Are you insane?"
"I just wanted to experience a different kind of life."
"You're not going to sing the national anthems of every country and live a completely different life! Be careful you don't end up being sent to a brothel!"
Gu Mengzhu glanced at her speechlessly:
"Crossing the border isn't that easy. We live in a society governed by the rule of law. Stop spreading alarmist rumors."
"What border are you talking about? One dose of anesthesia, one scalpel, and your valuable organs are gone in a flash. What, you think you're going to wait for a call? You won't even know where you died!"
"Is it really necessary to go to such lengths?"
She buried her head in her knees, her voice muffled.
"Wait a while. Once he pays back that 50,000 yuan, you'll have money and confidence to go wherever you want."
Why wait? How many days in life are filled with waiting, and how many opportunities are gained through waiting?
Gu Mengzhu suddenly stood up, startling Chen Luo.
"I don't need to wait anymore, I've really made up my mind."
The sun had already set, and the sky was completely dark. In the deep night, illuminated by the streetlights, her face shone with an unusually excited light. Chen Luo quickly pulled her down and held her down:
"What decision have you made? Where are you going, and what are you going to do?"
"I want to go to the vertical bunk and go with him."
"You want to be a star?" Chen Luo looked her up and down, her expression incredulous. "Really? With your looks, you won't even make it as a nobody! Even if you're a good actor, it'll be hard to get ahead!"
"Oh, I just wanted to see what life is like over there."
"Cut it up."
Chen Luo waved her hand, and Gu Mengzhu raised an eyebrow at her:
"Wow—you seem really disappointed."
"I'd rather you pursue your dreams of stardom and disregard everything else just to go to another place for that good-for-nothing. Besides, do you even have money? You should know how expensive the rent is over there. Do you have the money to pay the rent?"
"Don't worry!" She waved her hand in mid-air, smiling broadly. "He paid me back over ten thousand, just a little bit. Anyway, I'm only staying for two or three months. No matter what the final outcome is, I will definitely come back."
"What? He didn't come back with you? Are you stupid?"
"I won't tell him."
Why?
She looked at the electric scooter driving by ahead, tilted her head to the right, rested her knee, and spoke in a rather calm tone:
"I went because I wanted to go, not because of him, and I came back because I wanted to come back, not because of him."
Chen Luo knew she couldn't persuade her, so she simply got up, turned her back to her, and walked away.
"Forget it, you might as well die out there, you don't need to tell me."
Gu Mengzhu gave a wry smile, watching the receding figure and apologizing softly:
"I'm so sorry."
When Qi Yaoguang returned home from work, he saw two suitcases neatly arranged as soon as he entered the door. His breath caught in his throat, and his hands clenched into fists, trembling. As if trying to hide something, his eyes blinked rapidly.
What did I do wrong again?!
He cried out in his heart in near despair, his mind so chaotic that he could barely think of anything, his mouth slightly open, breathing heavily with difficulty.
What should he do? Should he kneel down and beg her, shamelessly refuse to leave, or something else? What should he do?
But is it really useful to try to keep a disappointed person? Will it make things even worse for him? He used to live so freely, but now he's cowering in a woman's room, clinging to someone like a scoundrel. Isn't that shameful?
When Gu Mengzhu came out of the bathroom after washing her hands, she didn't know that Qi Yaoguang had already sentenced her to death in his heart. She only felt that his face was terribly pale, and he looked like a ghost, which scared her so much that her heart skipped a beat.
No way (really?), is working at an amusement park this grueling? You'd think he was in an escape room. She remembered he wasn't afraid of ghosts.
What are you going to do?
He was breathing heavily, his throat was sore, and he struggled to utter each word, his eyes bloodshot.
"I've already discussed the rent with the landlord, and I've also spoken to Sister Fang. Pack your bags and get ready to leave in the next few days. Oh, and remember to buy your tickets."
Qi Yaoguang forced a smile, his eyes unfocused, and nodded listlessly:
"Buy tickets, which ones?"
Hell or the underworld, it doesn't matter, it's all a one-way ticket anyway.
"Where are you going? Just tell me. But I still owe you all my money. You think you can just leave?"
He smiled brightly, his words laced with nonsensical jokes, but something seemed to be wrapped around his chest, and his hands hung limply at his sides. Gu Mengzhu found him strange; why did he suddenly look like he was about to collapse at any moment?
"Go to the vertical bunk. Didn't you say you wanted to go back to being an actor?"
"How long will it take you to pay off your debts by doing odd jobs? Becoming a big star is much faster. Besides, how many years can an actor rely on their youth? You should seize the opportunity to try while you're still young."
Bang, bang, bang! The streetlights switched on one after another in the night, gradually clearing his muddled mind. He stared, mouth agape, nearly dropping his jaw in astonishment.
"ah?"
Looking at his silly face, she rolled her eyes speechlessly.
"Hey, hurry up and pack your bags. You're leaving in a few days, and we'll have to clean up afterwards."
Qi Yaoguang rushed forward and pressed her shoulders tightly, his eyes dazzlingly bright:
Let's go together!
He only just realized that since he needed to get his rent refunded and clean up, she must have gone with him. He grinned foolishly, showing off his big white teeth, and chuckled several times.
"Hmph, hmph, you're as big as a sweet potato." (Like an idiot)
She cursed, but then laughed along, it was hard to tell who was more foolish. Their eyes met, and a crackling, trembling sound seemed to pierce their hearts. Gu Mengzhu felt a little embarrassed, awkwardly averting her gaze, patting his right arm, telling him to check what he needed to take, pack what needed to be packed, and throw away what needed to be thrown away, so as not to be too burdensome on the road. He scratched his head and responded in a barely audible whisper.
The next day, Gu Mengzhu yawned as she passed through the living room, glanced at someone reading a book on the sofa, and asked him how the tickets were coming along. Qi Yaoguang held up his phone to her:
"See for yourself."
She craned her neck like a fighting rooster to look over, her eyes wide with disbelief:
"Dude, it's just a ticket, it's a journey of more than ten hours, and you're trying to get a seat? Are you crazy? Thanks for thinking so highly of me, thinking I'm still young and strong, but I'm too old to handle it."
"I don't want to either, sis. It's good enough that I have a ticket. What kind of time is this now? Do you think it's a primary school field trip?"
"Is there really no other choice?"
He put down his phone, let out a heavy sigh, and shook his head.
"There really is no choice."
Alright, they're putting on another show there.
Gu Mengzhu closed her eyes, unwilling to face reality. Thinking of her soon-to-be-abusing body, she couldn't help but worry about her pitiful fate.
But the gears of fate never stop turning; they only make people miss one wasted day after another, until they see that predetermined station, and the bus marking its destination driving in the distance, only then do they tremble and straighten up:
Ah, it's time.
Oh, it's not their class, we'll have to wait a bit longer.
Gu Mengzhu glanced at the time, then turned back to say goodbye to her group of acquaintances. Qi Yaoguang stood to the side, dragging his luggage, watching their lively and reluctant farewell, and realized that he truly was a "lone wolf." He couldn't join in the atmosphere; he was just grateful he wasn't being chased with a knife.
Chen Luo handed her a large bag of food, but Gu Mengzhu waved it away.
"I've already bought it, it'll be less than a day, there's no need."
"Take this! You don't know when you'll be back, and you won't even have anything to eat when you're gone. Also, send me your location every day on your phone to let me know you're safe. If I don't hear from you for a day, I'll call the police."
"Some film crews collect cell phones during filming, and you never know when filming will be finished."
Qi Yaoguang chimed in, and was immediately glared at fiercely by Chen Luo.
"Then post it every two days, and make a video once a week."
"Wow, are you my mother? You're so nagging!"
"Hey, I'm just covering for you. Even if you die, at least there should be a corpse left."
She silently took the large bag of things:
"Hope I'll be alright."
Huang Jiansheng nodded after meeting her gaze, then put his arm around Chen Luo's shoulder.
"Take care on your journey. A-Luo and I are waiting for you to come back. If you encounter any difficulties, feel free to tell us. We'll do our best to help."
"Thank you, Brother Sheng. You all take good care of yourselves."
"Um."
The two walked a few steps to make way for the other person, and Gu Mengzhu bit her lip and obediently carried the bag up.
"Going on a long trip."
"Yes, Fang-jie."
For some reason, she always felt a little timid around Sister Fang, as if she had done something wrong, like a child caught red-handed by an adult. Sister Fang, expressionless, reached into her pocket and pulled out a long, large red envelope:
"Here's five hundred dollars, just in case you need it urgently."
Gu Mengzhu quickly pushed the red envelope back:
"No need, Sister Fang, I have money."
"Stop! Enough with the nonsense! You don't listen to me anymore! If things aren't going well, come back. My fruit shop will always welcome you. Uncle Jiu and the others have to mind the shop, so it's not convenient for them to come over. I'll see you off on their behalf."
After reprimanding the man, Fang Jie turned to stare at Qi Yaoguang. He felt the imposing presence in her gaze, and his previously relaxed posture gradually stiffened, unconsciously adjusting his stance. Seeing how "sharp" he was (clever and perceptive), she nodded in satisfaction, a small smile curving her lips.
“Young man, you must be upright and honest, don’t have crooked thoughts, learn to be down-to-earth, and don’t act impulsively and cause trouble for others. Take good care of her and make sure she is healthy and safe. I don’t know what’s going on between you two, but since she left with you, you have a responsibility to protect her, understand?”
"Cicada."
"Anyway, Heaven is watching what people do, and there are gods three feet above your head. If you do something wrong, you will definitely be punished."
She stopped laughing, but her gaze made his hair stand on end and his legs go weak.
"Alright, have a safe trip."
The bus arrived, and the three men waved goodbye to her.
Bye-bye, take care!
As Gu Mengzhu got into the car, she turned back and waved. She watched the three people getting further and further away until they were no longer visible before turning around and sitting down. For a moment, she suddenly realized that she really didn't want to leave. She wanted to just get off the car and run back, leaving all her things behind, to tell them that she wasn't leaving, that she would never leave again, and that she wanted to stay with them forever.
Qi Yaoguang noticed her unusual mood and patted her shoulder to bring her back to her senses. A pair of red eyes stared straight into his vision, making his thoughts feel empty and heavy, unable to find peace.
A long whistle in the distance interrupted the passengers' reverie. The train was gradually approaching the empty platform, hissing as it came to a stop. Gu Mengzhu raised her head, which had been hanging low, and looked around. The ticket line was gradually shortening, and soon it was their turn. She looked back at the endless queue behind her; the bustling crowd was filled with the joy of returning home, and the young people's eyes shone with starlight. Only she felt the melancholy of leaving home.
It was clearly her own choice, so why is she so sad?
She couldn't understand it and remained silent. Along the way, Qi Yaoguang tried every possible way to coax her to talk, but she remained listless, refusing to eat and only drinking a few sips of water.
"Are you feeling unwell?"
She nodded, seemingly too weak to speak.
"I'm so sorry, I should have just gone alone—"
Gu Mengzhu shook her head to stop him from speaking:
"I came here on my own initiative, it's none of your business."
He leaned to one side and nudged her twice with his shoulder:
"Hey, aren't you worried I'll just run off with the money? It's 50,000, not just a few dollars!"
She closed her eyes, responding slowly like a sloth, exhausted:
“I’m not expecting anything. Anyway, the day you become famous, I’ll expose your theft, and then your agency will buy out the contract, which should be more than 50,000 yuan.”
Why not look forward to it? It's because you don't care anymore, right?
He didn't dare ask, afraid of the expected answer, afraid that once the words were spoken, the already close distance between the two would widen even further.
"Besides, if I go with you, many people in the crew can be witnesses. Everyone knows we're close, so people will definitely believe you owe money. Maybe some will even say I'm keeping you as a mistress."
Qi Yaoguang placed his right hand on his philtrum to hide his overly obvious smile. He couldn't imagine such a scene; he found it ridiculously comical.
"You're just telling me your plans so bluntly? Don't be silly."
"Hey, so you can't even afford 50,000 dollars after becoming famous? Really? As a celebrity, you've really fallen so low, you should just give up, okay?"
"What I mean is, aren't you afraid I'll kill you to cover up our secrets after we become famous? I'm a big star!"
Gu Mengzhu turned her head away, forcing her eyes open to look at him:
"Who would be interested in our trivial business? Besides, once you've returned my 50,000 yuan, rest assured, we'll forget each other and never meet again."
She spoke slowly, yet his heart skipped a beat. He knew she had altered the lyrics of "Why Must We Have Met Before?", but he couldn't quite bring himself to praise her cleverness. A dull ache in his chest made him uncomfortable; though he couldn't quite articulate it, he felt he understood.
This is the best possible outcome.
Qi Yaoguang said silently to himself.
Yeah?
Really?
He dared not respond, afraid that if he spoke, it would become true, and she would really run away, far away. Qi Yaoguang took a deep breath, shook his head to clear his mind, and hurriedly changed the subject. The other person remained lazy and gave only half-hearted replies.
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