Chapter 19
Even if one string is broken, the remaining three strings must continue to be played, and that is life.
–Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882), American poet, essayist, and philosopher.
***
Near the San He Manpower Market in Longhua District, Shenzhen, there is a group of people known as the “San He (Three Peace Deity”. They rely on daily wage jobs to make ends meet, and every day they have no next meal after this one. They have no house, no family, and live in a black Internet cafe for 15 yuan a night,eating $6 a bowl of noodles in clear soup.
Life is just like this every day, couldn’t see hope and could not see tomorrow.
But this is also life.
In 2000, when Gao Jiaxun was about to leave for Suzhou to work, a fellow villager from Shenzhen asked him if he wanted to go to the southern side to have a look.
“We have no culture and no background, not as good as those college students, to go to the big city, what can we do? Eat and drink every day, and at night you can go to the Internet cafe to surf the Internet, and then 50 cents a loose cigarette, very cool, the race of the gods.”
Gao Jiaxun did not even think about it, and refused the invitation.
“I still want to work hard.”
So he came to Suzhou with a tattered backpack on his back.
Nobody has a nobody’s world, living in a group house that could be filled with eight people, not being able to play with computers or watch TV, but it’s still better than having no next meal.
Every choice in the world may be insignificant at the moment, but when you look back in a few years, you will be standing at the turning point of your life.
Who would have thought that a country boy who lived in a group rented room and earned money by giving massages would end up becoming a high-ranking general manager now?
Chain Home Property Agency Hua Ting District Store.
Inside the shop with bright windows and clean tables, the old-timer sipped tea while lamenting to Xiao Liu: “Let me tell you, when Mr.Gao rented this neighbourhood, it was me who introduced him to it, and I took a brokerage fee from him. At that time, our company was not yet established, and I was just a part-time worker in a small agency. Now that we’re doing well, Xiao Gao has become a high-ranking general manager.”
Xiao Liu: “Then the house of Mr Gao, you also sold it to him later?”
Old Senior: “Yes, I bought it for Gao Zong some years ago. He was afraid that he wanted to be a keepsake of it,” Remembering this incident, the old senior’s heart sighed, “When they were in the house with eight young men, the last to live only Gao Zong alone, if this changed, whose heart can accept it? You tell me, do you think it is like a normal couple’s quarrel? Idle, have nothing to do, it actually can open the gas tank ah?!”
Xiao Liu remembered the information he saw, also sighing with feeling : “That couple, are they out of prison yet?”
Old Senior: “Who knows?! They moved away a long time ago, I don’t know what happened to them? When they opened a gas tank , it blew up, the explosion killed four on the spot but they were lucky that they didn’t get blown up, and were sent to the police station to mediate the disputes. Half the building was blown up, three neighbours and a policeman were killed! I remember that one of the three dead neighbours was a little girl from 1103 upstairs. She was in the fifth grade and played the violin on the balcony every day. That day, she had just finished her homework and ran out on the balcony to play for a while, and then there was an explosion, and the girl fell out of the balcony window. There were other people who could have been saved but the girl was not saved at all.Her mother was cooking in the kitchen, heard the explosion and ran to the balcony, saw half of the balcony was gone and knew that the girl had fallen. She almost jumped in with her, but her father stopped her.”
Xiao Liu gripped his heart: “Not a total of fifteen dead? This is only four ah, how could so many people die? After this bombing, why does everyone still not run?”
The old senior glanced at her, recalling the scenes of hell on earth.
Yes, after the bombing, why didn’t everyone run?
Isn’t this stupid!
At that time, his real estate agency shop was opened on the opposite street and the explosion shook the whole street twice. He rushed out the door thinking it was going to be an earthquake, but when he looked up, it was a fire.
Hua Ting District, Block 13, 803, is not the side of the household, it’s in the middle of the household.
It blew up, the fire roared up. With it as the centre, from up to down three floors of the balcony are blown away, and that’s not all. The blazing fire swept through the entire 8th floor, spreading upwards, threatening to overturn everything.
Lifts certainly can not go, there are stairs, not yet engulfed by the tongue of fire, many high-level people ran down, but there are still a lot of people who did not have time to run down, the building is full of fire.
At that time, he gave a silly scare and stood still.
But in this world, inevitably there will always be someone who is ‘honour permits no turning back’ and rushes towards death to save lives.
Old Senior: “Gao Zong and his eight young men had already escaped, but when they got downstairs, they looked up and saw that at least 20 people were trapped inside and couldn’t get out. They didn’t even think about it, they turned their heads and ran back to rescue them, going up and down, how much effort it took to save twelve people. The fire engine was running up and down. it was also almost there. Later on, the fire trucks would arrive.”
Eight people, only Gao Zong alone survived.
“Later, Gao Zong said that his brothers ran to the eighth floor when they suddenly found that there was still a very strong smell of gas. He hurriedly asked them to withdraw. When the final explosion occurred, Gao Zong was pushed out from behind. He didn’t know which one pushed him, but after waking up in the hospital, he was the only one who survived.
“Do you think that Gao Zong will feel good in his heart?”
Xiao Liu’s heart was clogged with panic: “There are still more good people in this world, and good people will definitely have good rewards. Look at Gao Zong, isn’t he becoming rich now?”
Old Senior: “Well, Gao Zong has always helped the seven young men who died that year by supporting their parents, which is also considered to be ‘extreme benevolence, utmost duty’ [idiom; meticulous virtue and attention to duty now?
……
It was getting dark and the lights were on.
After drinking a cup of bitter coffee and listening to such a long story.
The two of them, Lian Xi, stood at the entrance of the cafe, and the successful man in a suit took out a business card from his business card holder and handed it over. His eyes were slightly red, but his face wore a gentle smile, “I always feel like I’ve met you two somewhere before, and I have a sense of déjà vu. If needed, feel free to take this business card in case you wanna find me, I can listen to you guys talk about your project.”
This time, Lian Xi didn’t refuse, saying that he didn’t have a business project.
He took Gao Zong’s business card.
Gao Zong smiled and said, “Alright, then I’ll leave first.”
A luxury car slowly parked at the roadside, and Gao Zong got into the car and left.
Eyeing the car’s distant tail lights, after a moment, Lian Xi asked, “When did you know who he was?”
Hearing that, the handsome and peerless man slightly lowered his eyes and raised one eyebrow at the youth beside him: hmm?
Lian Xi looked at him, “At the entrance of the bun shop, the moment we decided to follow him, could it be that you had already found out at that time that he was the young little guy who lives across the street from us?”
Yes, from the beginning to the end, Lian Xi did not recognise that this Gao Zong was the guy who lived across the street from them until he received the information from Xiao Liu.
Because Gao Zong looked too different from that guy!
The guy across the street was young and sunny, always smiling, and his eyes were full of vigour and hope for the future.
But Gao Zong was much more mature. He didn’t look like a man in his thirties or forties at all, he seemed to be in his fifties, with grey hairs on his temples and wrinkles on his brows, even his steps were very heavy when he walked, as if there was something pressing hard on his shoulders, making him breathless.
Lian Xi decided to follow him, only he subconsciously felt that the little guy across the street and this person might have a relationship, otherwise they would not both go to the same bun shop at the same moment to buy breakfast. It’s his intuition.
Lie Chen: “You can’t see it?”
Lian Xi: “What?”
Lie Chen: “His soul.”
Lian Xi shows a blank look.
Lord Black Impermanence gently shook his head in disappointment and said, “You really have lost your memory.” You could not even do this, “His soul, it looks exactly like that person.”
Lian Xi was slightly stunned.
–His heart hasn’t changed, so it’s still the same youth from back then.
***
Back home, Shorty’s roommate had already finished his class. He was waiting at home for quite a long time.
As soon as Lian Xi and Lie Chen came back, Su Jiao was very excited to come over: “How about it, do you have clues? What’s going on across the street? It’s definitely not a ghost right?” Seeing that Lian Xi didn’t refute himself, the short roommate instantly had a sense of confidence and vigour, quietly glancing at Chief Lie humming, “I told you, if it’s a ghost, how come I’m also a Xuanxiu. Can’t you tell?”
Lie Chen laughed and unwilling to respond, turning around and walking towards his bedroom.
Lian Xi glanced at his back and said to Su Jiao, “It’s indeed not a ghost.”
Su Jiao: “I told you so!”
Lian Xi: “But it’s not human either.”
Su Jiao: “Huh???”
Lian Xi thought for a moment, “A human’s obsession is perhaps even stronger than a ghost.”
……
Carrying a bottle of wine, Lian Xi knocked on the opposite door.
The one who opened the door was that very righteous young little guy – also known as Gao Zong.
When he saw Lian Xi, he froze for a moment, and then said angrily, “What are you doing, still carrying a bottle of wine, do you still want to make amends and apologize? It’s useless for you to come, it has nothing to do with you, just call the one in black to come over.”
Lian Xi laughed: “No, I just haven’t greeted you guys since I moved here a long time ago, I just want to have a meal together.”
Gao Zong said suspiciously, “Just you alone, without your sick roommate?”
“(I) Don’t bring (him).”
Hiding behind his own door and Su Jiao eavesdropping together with Gao Zong, “…Heh.”
The young guy looked several more times towards the door behind Lian Xi, and after determining that only Lian Xi was alone, he rubbed his nose and opened the door, “Okay, then you can come in. Hehehe, that said, how did you know we’re having pig’s head pork tonight? It smells good.”
The dark door slowly opened, and Lian Xi pondered for a moment before lifting his step and walking in.
With a click, the door closed.
In the empty room, without any furniture, there were only eight young men standing straight up, looking at Lian Xi with wide eyes and curiosity.
But they didn’t seem to think it was an empty room.
The guys were very enthusiastic, helped Lian Xi to move the “chair”, led him to the “table”, and took out a plate of “pork head meat” from the kitchen.
“By the way, do you like pig’s head meat?”
Lian Xi: “I’m fine with both.”
“Okay, then let’s do it together,bei. What kind of wine did you bring?”
“Bought it casually, you guys try it.”
“Fine ah.”
After taking the ninth glasses, the young man began to pour the wine. When he was about to pour the last cup, he was stopped by Lian Xi.
Lian Xi: “I don’t drink.”
The young guy was stunned: “Then you will watch us drink?”
Lian Xi: “Hn.”
Young guy: “Eh, that’s also fine.”
Eating the “pig’s head meat” and drinking the white wine, this is called enjoying to their heart’s content.
“Next week, the shop will give out bonuses, Xiao Gao, this time you’ll definitely be the top performer again.”
“He he.”
“Surnamed Wang, Xiao Gao work the most every day from morning to night, never rest, work from dawn to dusk,you should not take the bonus. What are you jealous of?”
“I’m jealous of what? If not because Xiao Gao work very hard. I want to let him rest a little more.”
“It’s a good thing, Xiao Gao is sure to have a good career in the future, he’s different from us.”
“Xiao Gao, you are working so hard to make money, do you want to save money to build a house and marry a wife back home?”
The crowd laughed.
The young guy Xiao Gao was also amused by them and couldn’t lift his head.
“You really don’t say it, among us, Xiao Gao is the youngest. Just nineteen, right? You all learnt from him.”
“I’ve always treated Xiao Gao as our younger brother.”
“It’s strange, why didn’t that girl upstairs play the violin today? I don’t feel comfortable not listening to her play the violin during dinner.”
“Yet not allowing people to get tired, you do not want to play today?”
“Ok, Ok, Okay, I’m afraid her mother will scold her again.” Said the kid pinched up the voice, like the girl’s mother’s voice: “Mum spending money for you to learn the piano is for my good right, not at all for you. You still don’t practice well, the money is all in vain, ah make me so angry…”
“Hahahaha.”
Xiao Gao: “I’ll give out bonuses next week, and I’ll treat everyone to breakfast tomorrow morning!”
The seven lads were instantly energized: “You said it, ah, I’ll have deep fried breadsticks and soya milk.”
“I want big meat buns!”
“I’ll have both deep fried breadsticks and buns, and I’ll have the one from Lao Wang Wang Ji on Old Street!”
Xiao Gao: “OK!”
The crowd ate and drank with high spirits, Xiao Gao suddenly caught sight of Lian Xi sitting quietly on the side, he froze and laughed: “Sorry, I was too happy, I didn’t pay attention to you. You eat more ah, your wine is really good, I haven’t drunk since I came to Su City.” While saying this, Xiao Gao picked up the “wine cup” and was about to pour it into his mouth.
Lian Xi stretched out his hand and blocked his glass.
Xiao Gao froze and looked up at him.
Inside the dimly lit room, the outside world’s lights and bustle seemed to be unable to be reflected in it, and only quietness and calmness enveloped the room.
Lian Xi looked at the confused youngster in front of him and said, “It’s the wine for the dead, let’s not drink it for the living.”
Xiao Gao was violently stunned.
Lian Xi’s voice was quiet and soft, “I once heard of a disease. For example, war survivors, earthquake and natural disaster survivors, after experiencing a major horrific and serious disaster, they will be depressed, fall into nightmares, feel guilty and blame himself, and always unconsciously ask——
“Why me?
“Why was it me who survived?
“Why is me?”
Xiao Gao’s pupils trembled slightly as he slowly opened his lips wide.
Lian Xi: “This is called survivor syndrome.”
In the spacious house, the voices of the seven boys laughing with each other came to an abrupt end, they turned their heads in silence, and just like Lian Xi, they quietly looked at the person who was holding the “wine cup”, with his mouth open, not realizing that he had already burst into tears.
Lian Xi: “It’s not your fault, and they’re glad you survived. It was never your fault that you survived, it was a stroke of luck that the seven of them were willing to give you.
“You’re not a shameful survivor, you’re the lucky one who tried.
“They’re underground, and they’re happy for you, too.”
There was a long silence in the room.
For such a long time.
Lian Xi turned his head and looked at the place where the seven boys were sitting. There were no more tables, chairs, bowls and glasses. On the ground, there were only seven puddles of wet traces. It was wine, a tribute to the martyrs, to the seven men who had risked their lives to save them.
“Thank you.”
Lian Xi turned his head and looked at the young little guy.
He slowly let go of the hand that was holding the “wine cup” and looked at Lian Xi, revealing a warm and sad smile.
“Thank you for the wine, it’s really good.”
The voice stopped, and the youngster’s figure suddenly dissipated in the air.
Meanwhile, in a certain high-class flat on the other side of the city, the middle-aged man in pajamas suddenly woke up from his nightmare. His forehead and body were covered in sweat, he was obviously only thirty-eight years old, but his forehead was crawling with wrinkles, and his sideburns carried a white colour that couldn’t be finished by dyeing his hair.
He breathed heavily, his fingers trembling.
After a long time, he suddenly roared out in a low voice and covered his face in grief.
“I’m sorry, I’m sorry…. why me, why only I survived…?”
“I’m sorry for all of you!”
The words that had been pressed in his heart for nineteen years, at this moment, all of them roared out, with tears and guilt.
Yet it was also at this moment that he seemed to have truly come alive.
No longer so heavy and sad, no longer so trapped in the past, unable to extricate (free) himself.
The next morning, Su Jiao woke up early for class, and as he passed by the old street next to the neighbourhood centre, he suddenly saw a shiny luxury car.
“Crap? Mercedes Benz?!”
The car stopped in front of Su Jiao.
A middle-aged man in a high-class suit stepped out of the car, came to a shop called “Wang Ji Bun Shop” and laughed loudly, “Old Wang, one deep fried breadstick, one meat bun, and a cup of soya bean milk.”
In the shop, the busy boss heard this, stopped kneading the dough action, surprised to look at the middle-aged man: “Hey, today do not buy some more?”
The middle-aged man laughed: “No more, they should have eaten enough already.”
Boss: “Haha, Okay.”
The middle-aged man carried his breakfast and turned towards the big run.
Su Jiao wiped his eyes, in a trance, he actually saw that the guy across the street who should have been sent to reincarnation by Lian Xi and this middle-aged man overlap in silhouette. Only one turned to the west, the other turned to the east. That young guy didn’t hold anything in his hand, his footsteps were light, humming a little song, his face was filled with a bright smile, his figure gradually dissipated in the air.
Under the bright and warm sunlight, Gao Jia Xun straightened his back and looked up at the brilliant sunrise.
Such good weather!