Chapter 4: Ring the Bell "What are your qualifications?"
Chapter four
Before today, Chen Qiudu had only thought that Wen Jiangchu was probably just a spoiled young master of a wealthy family in Suzhou City.
It was not until he followed Wen Jiangchu to the slums after the fire that he realized something was wrong.
Almost from the moment they stepped out of the house, they were followed by personal bodyguards, and the entire street was filled with luxury cars of brands that Shen Qiudu could not recognize.
Wen Jiangchu took him to the black Rolls-Royce Phantom in the middle of the convoy. The dark red seats made Chen Qiudu subconsciously tense up, feeling so cramped that he was afraid of scratching anything.
He already owed Wen Jiangchu a lot, and he absolutely could not owe him more money.
When the car door was completely closed, the light inside dimmed. Chen Qiudu looked up suddenly, and the originally plain roof suddenly showed starlight.
Chen Qiudu pursed his lips, his gaze fixed for a moment. Wen Jiangchu, on the other hand, saw nothing but ordinary things. He simply sat calmly in his chair, his expression slightly solemn.
I don't know if he did it on purpose, but after getting in the car, Wen Jiangchu quietly shifted his attention away, leaving Chen Qiudu enough breathing space.
Gradually, Chen Qiudu's stiff body relaxed little by little, and his breathing became smooth. However, perhaps because no one had ever sat in the back seat of the car, Chen Qiudu's height and long legs made it impossible to find a comfortable position in the cramped space.
But the huge gap between them made Chen Qiudu's self-esteem infinitely magnified. He didn't want to trouble anyone, especially Wen Jiangchu, and he didn't want to be looked down upon by him.
So Chen Qiudu endured it out of habit, straightened his body, pretended nothing had happened, and moved his eyes to the car window.
But the next moment when he straightened his back, the seat behind him actually took the initiative to cater to Shen Qiudu's body shape and adjusted to an excellent posture.
Chen Qiudu couldn't help but glance sideways, only to see that Wen Jiangchu had closed his eyes at some point, his head resting slightly on the back of the chair, as if he knew nothing.
However, Shen Qiudu had also heard those who worked for wealthy families mention at their workplace that whether they were drivers, chefs, or even cleaners, there were unified training standards in the wealthy families.
Thinking about it this way, it is not impossible that the driver is considerate.
Without self-restraint, Shen Qiudu's consciousness gradually faded. Even though Wen Jiangchu had only been in the house for a short while last night, he still couldn't fall asleep and forced himself to stay awake until dawn.
Chen Qiudi's heart began to lift at the thought that he might see his mother today. From the moment he closed his eyes, his mind was filled with random thoughts.
He only hopes that his mother can survive.
The car was driving steadily, his thoughts gradually drifted away, and Chen Qiudu fell into a deep sleep without knowing when.
It's strange, he has always been a light sleeper.
But this time, I slept very peacefully.
Damn Wen Jiangchu, he must have lit some special incense in the car.
What a scheming bad man.
I must leave here as soon as possible, preferably today.
The more he thought about it, the more his brows furrowed involuntarily in his sleep. It was as if someone was gently smoothing the wrinkles between his brows, and the lullaby sung for children could even ring in his ears.
Reason urged Shen Qiudu to wake up, but he seemed to be wrapped in the soft lotus petals of spring, with his cheeks supported by the soft stamens, which made him rub them subconsciously, wanting more and more.
The fragrance of the flowers felt strangely familiar to Shen Qiudu.
It seems like I've smelled it somewhere before—
Thinking of this, Shen Qiudu woke up immediately, his heart beating wildly.
He looked around and luckily he had just fallen asleep leaning back in his chair.
He cautiously glanced at Wen Jiangchu beside him again, only to see that he had opened his eyes and turned his face sideways to him, making it impossible for Chen Qiudu to see the expression on his face.
The car was still driving quietly, and the navigation system said that it would reach the destination in five minutes. Everything seemed to be just a dream for Chen Qiudu.
He deliberately ignored the redness in his ears, thinking it was just the result of long sleep. His eyes unconsciously glanced at the fragrance wafting from the driver's side, and he felt that the effect of this fragrance was really powerful.
They soon arrived at their destination, and Chen Qiudu didn't have time to think about these things. However, before getting off the car, he happened to hear the driver and Wen Jiangchu talking.
"Master, why are your hands red? Is it an allergy? Do you want me to get some ointment?"
"...No need, I just pressed it down while I was sleeping."
＊
Shen Qiudu, who got out of the car, was only shocked.
The place where I have lived for more than ten years is now devastated and unrecognizable.
The slums after the fire were full of ruins, making the already dilapidated and dirty place even worse.
Every meter you walked across the muddy ground was filled with bodies or people suffering severe burns. In front of the makeshift tents erected after the fire, desperate, weeping relatives lay everywhere. They clutched either the remains of their loved ones or their belongings, propping themselves up with broken bodies and repeatedly asking passersby about their loved ones' whereabouts.
What is even more heartbreaking is that there are even children who are only a few years old and know nothing, standing alone in the rubble with food given to them from nowhere, at a loss, their eyes empty and lifeless.
Chen Qiudu tried hard to control his emotions. His feet felt like they were filled with cement as he dragged his drooping body towards the place where the injured were being treated.
As soon as he took a step, Wen Jiangchu grabbed his wrist tightly. His tall body blocked the flying dust for him and concealed the desolate scene.
Wen Jiangchu changed his appearance in the house. His face darkened slightly, his brows lowered, and he actually had the temperament of a high-level decision maker.
He quickly released Shen Qiudu's wrist, put his hands on his shoulders, and whispered comfortingly: "Shen Qiudu, listen to me."
"I have sent people to look for your parents. Even if they really meet with misfortune, I will find their bodies for you."
"Now just follow me closely and don't run around, okay?"
At this moment, Chen Qiudu was calmer than ever. He just nodded, but his movements were stiff and slow, as if he had lost his soul and could do nothing.
His body gradually became colder, and the wailing of the people around him was so piercing that it made Shen Qiudu breathless.
Soon, Wen Jiangchu took Chen Qiudu into another tent that had been set up, which contained a temporary meeting room.
Seeing Wen Jiangchu walk in, several people in the tent immediately stood up and nodded to him, but their eyes all stayed on Shen Qiudu for a few seconds.
Seeing someone struggling to speak, Wen Jiangchu waved his hand and said, "Just say it directly."
"Okay, Mr. Wen."
"Although the fire started in a slum, it also affected an area within a two-kilometer radius. Both the casualties and the affected areas are within the jurisdiction of your company, President Wen."
"The company's public relations department has done enough to handle the emergency, but the financial losses are still severe. Many shops have closed and moved out. Most of the people who originally worked in the real estate industry for Wen's Group came from here. According to statistics, almost half of them..."
Wen Jiangchu flipped through the documents handed to him by his assistant, then rubbed his brow with his fingertips helplessly. "What's the cause of the arson?"
When this was mentioned, Shen Qiudu's heart began to lift.
He absolutely did not believe that those people would destroy an entire area just for a million-dollar gambling debt.
"It's said that the two men came to collect a debt, but were stabbed several times by the debtor, but it wasn't fatal. In a fit of rage, they set fire to the house, but they didn't expect the fire to spread so quickly."
Wen Jiangchu chuckled disdainfully, "It was a rainy day. What kind of fire could burn so fiercely under such circumstances? Was it oil? Don't tell me such nonsense. I want to hear something normal."
"Boss Wen, those two have been working as debt collectors for the casino, and their profiles have been deliberately erased. However, I discovered that one of them seemed to have had contact with the Song family...a few days ago."
"I should have known this earlier. They are always ruthless and treat the lower classes like ants, leaving them no chance of escape."
"Debt collection is probably just a cover, a deliberate stunt to hide their sole purpose of arson."
Shen Qiudu's eyes flashed.
Speaking of the Song family, Shen Qiudu actually knew a little about them. This was because he had previously worked in a commercial area controlled by the Song family. Once, while he was working, a member of the Song family suddenly appeared, and he had seen them from afar.
It seems that Wen Jiangchu may have offended the Song family.
Although Chen Qiudu didn't like Wen Jiangchu, the bad man, but considering that Wen Jiangchu was willing to help him find his mother, Chen Qiudu still walked forward and gently pulled Wen Jiangchu's sleeve in front of everyone.
Everyone was stunned, and the person who was reporting didn't dare to breathe, looking at Chen Qiudu in shock.
Wen Jiangchu was stunned for a moment, then immediately asked softly, "Chen Qiudu, what's wrong?"
"Wen Jiangchu, I know the Song family. They are very powerful and influential."
"You...can't beat them."
"Why don't we go find someone else to help us first."
The man who was holding a teacup and about to clear his throat was caught off guard when he heard this. He coughed a few times and wanted to say something, but when he met Wen Jiangchu's gaze, he had no choice but to shut his mouth.
"Chen Qiudu, are you concerned about me?"
Wen Jiangchu narrowed his eyes and spoke with a strong smile in his tone.
This actually made Shen Qiudu feel a little unhappy.
Doesn't this guy care about his own safety at all? Or is he so well protected that he has developed this fearless attitude?
Or maybe, the people who are worried about him have already lined up from here to France, and they don't need someone like him, Shen Qiudu.
It was all in vain that I worried.
Anyway, some people stick to people like Wen Jiangchu.
As expected, this kind of guy who has money and everything he needs prefers to pursue these exciting things, which makes others worry.
Shen Qiudu swore that he would never care about him again.
"No, Wen Jiangchu, don't think too much about it."
"Really...consider me meddling in other people's business."
Chen Qiudu finished his words quickly and unhappily, then turned around and wanted to leave, but he bumped into someone who rushed into the tent in a hurry.
He was the man Wen Jiangchu had just asked to find the whereabouts of his parents.
Wen Jiangchu, who was originally on the other side of the table, moved faster than Shen Qiudu after seeing who was coming. When Shen Qiudu was so excited that he tried to hold the man's hands, he took the lead in protecting him to his side and held his wrist.
"How is it, did you find my mother?"
Under Shen Qiudu's expectant gaze, the man shook his head. "I'm sorry, Mr. Wen. We sent people to search inside and outside twice, from where the bodies were piled to where the injured were being treated, but we couldn't find the couple."
"Impossible, impossible... Could someone have been left out? Is there someone else who hasn't been rescued? I don't believe it. I'll go with you..."
His already frail body could not withstand any bombardment of bad news. Shen Qiudu almost collapsed completely the moment the man shook his head. If Wen Jiangchu had not hugged him in time, he might have fallen to the ground in a mess.
"No, the search and rescue personnel were all completed last night, and we checked again today and found no signs of anyone alive."
"So... are they dead? Buried in the collapsed house? No... maybe worse. They could have been consumed by the fire and burned to ashes, right?"
The heavy pain caused Shen Qiudu's heart to rot and soften, and he could no longer support his body. But even so, he did not cry. He was like a bad dog whose sharp teeth had been maliciously sharpened, his mouth full of blood, and the pain was so severe that he could only whimper softly.
"Chen Qiudu, Qiudu..."
"No, maybe they managed to escape. Don't think too badly—"
"But things will always be this bad!"
Chen Qiudu gathered his strength and pushed Wen Jiangchu away. Due to inertia, he took several steps back and bumped into the tent, and finally fell to the ground.
His face turned pale, and he couldn't help but curl up in a corner to protect himself, just like a kitten that had been abused and abandoned on the street.
"Even if...even if I tell myself in my heart that I won't always be unlucky, I won't lose everything, and I will be the one who can stand in the sun and live a good life..."
"But it's no use, it's all useless! What's meant to come will come, and it can't be deceived by fakery!"
"If I don't do this, if I don't imagine the worst possible outcome, in the end, these fantasies will only laugh at my ignorance just like the outcome itself!"
"Wen Jiangchu, I am not you."
"People like you will never be able to experience the same feelings as me in your lifetime, right?"
"What qualifications do you have to tell me here that everything will be fine?"
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