HR Chapter 56
by VolareWhen Lu Jianwei was fifteen, the old master Lu led a slender, frail boy to him and said, “This one will keep you company. Keep him if you like him, or change him if you don’t.”
Upon hearing this, the boy looked up at him and smiled slightly, then lowered his head to look at the ground. Lu Jianwei stepped forward, took his hand, and said to the old master Lu, “I’ll take him.”
After taking the boy to his own territory, Lu Jianwei began to inquire about his background: “What’s your name?”
The boy first glanced around the room, then turned his gaze to Lu Jianwei: “Bai Liushen.” His voice was soft, crisp, and pleasant to the ear.
Lu Jianwei then tried to get him to elaborate: “What’s the origin of the name? My name is Lu Jianwei, taken from the meaning of ‘knowing the great by observing the small.’ What about yours?”
“Quiet water flows deep, enjoying tranquility amidst noise.” Bai Liushen’s articulation was gentle, adding a touch of leisurely Zen to the words.
Old Master Lu had always spoken with great authority since he was young, and even when he lowered his voice, it never came close to being gentle. Lu Jianwei’s parents had died in a gang fight when he was just a child, and he was surrounded by a group of rough men who all spoke in loud voices. Hearing Bai Liushen’s refined and gentle voice was like listening to celestial music, even more elegant than a girl’s.
However, Lu Jianwei did not dare to underestimate him. Although he was two years younger than himself and looked tall and thin, with a frail appearance, he was actually a Sanda champion. As long as he participated in a competition, he was guaranteed to be the champion in his age group, with no defeats. Someone even gave him the nickname “Invincible Martial Star.”
Unfortunately, Bai Liushen did not have good parents. His father was a gambling addict, and his mother was extravagant by nature, spending every penny she got her hands on immediately. Despite winning countless prize money from his competitions, he was still penniless. However, he didn’t care at all. As long as he had money, he would give it to his mother to buy whatever she liked.
Lu Jianwei knew about his mother and felt it was unfair to him. Bai Liushen smiled and didn’t care: “She’s just a bit more delicate than other women. I can afford to support her, so why shouldn’t I? She’s my mom.”
Lu Jianwei secretly used some of his pocket money to help Bai Liushen support this delicate woman.
Because Bai Liushen looked particularly frail, Lu Jianwei played the role of an older brother, always thinking ahead for him. Bai Liushen loved to eat tangerines, so Lu Jianwei sent them by the basketful. He wouldn’t give them to anyone who asked, except for Lu Jianwei, who occasionally got one because he was the one who bought them.
Every time, Cheng Ruoyu would scold him for being stingy, but he would look at Lu Jianwei and smile.
No matter how much Lu Jianwei doted on Bai Liushen, he couldn’t change Bai Liushen’s identity. He was Lu Jianwei’s bodyguard and had to protect Lu Jianwei, even if it meant dying for him.
The Cheng family made their fortune from drugs, while the Lu family made theirs from gambling. With so much money, they naturally invested in several clubs. Between the two families, they had everything: gambling, drugs, and prostitution.
Winning and losing were more important than life to gamblers. A so-called invincible god of gamblers came to the club. Lu Jianwei sneered when he heard this, “You dare to call yourself invincible?” He went down and played a few rounds with him, and the man lost several games in a row. Losing his temper, he pulled out a gun and fired at Lu Jianwei.
Everyone was searched upon entering the club, so Lu Jianwei wasn’t prepared at all. However, he reacted quickly. He wanted to dodge, but suddenly remembered that Bai Liushen was standing behind him. He hesitated for a moment, and the bullet shot into his chest. But at that moment, someone slammed into his body from behind, deflecting the shot. The bullet grazed his heart, and although the injury was serious, it wasn’t life-threatening. However, he still had to recover for half a year.
Lu Jianwei always had nightmares of Bai Liushen lying on the ground, with blood flowing more and more, spreading a crimson pool beneath him. Every time he woke up, Lu Jianwei was always grateful that the shot had hit him instead. He realized that he couldn’t accept Bai Liushen suffering such an injury. He would go crazy.
However, when he opened his eyes and saw the man sitting by the hospital bed, Lu Jianwei felt relieved.
Bai Liushen had lost a lot of weight recently. He was already thin to begin with, and now he looked even more frail. He looked even more lovable in a white shirt.
Lu Jianwei sometimes wanted to touch his face and say, “You’re too thin, eat more meat.” But he didn’t dare. If he made any move that went beyond brotherly affection, he would be harming Bai Liushen.
Old Master Lu was more ruthless than anyone. Lu Jianwei could indulge in gambling, drugs, and any other bad habits, but the only thing he couldn’t indulge in was men.
Lu Jianwei didn’t know why Old Master Lu was so ruthless on this matter, but he didn’t dare to gamble with Bai Liushen’s life.
This kind of feeling, suppressed and hidden, was only known to himself.
Lu Jianwei gave Bai Liushen everything he could. Bai Liushen was always very happy and smiled as he said, “Thank you, Second Brother.”
Sometimes, Lu Jianwei felt that Bai Liushen actually knew his feelings, but he didn’t dare to show even a hint of it.
Old Master Lu’s eyes were sharp. Although Lu Jianwei didn’t show his love for Bai Liushen, he still noticed a trace of it in his overzealous attitude. The way to eliminate this hidden danger was marriage.
After much deliberation, he settled on the Su family. The Su family was the only force that had successfully retired from the underworld without being killed. Naturally, the Su family didn’t want their daughter to wade into these troubled waters again, but Old Master Lu seemed determined to have his way.
“I don’t want to get married.” Lu Jianwei refused directly. Old Master Lu smiled and nodded: “If you don’t want to, I’ll let Liushen take a look. Such a good girl, she’s not bad for Liushen either.”
Lu Jianwei shouted out of control, “Grandfather!” When he met Old Master Lu’s cold eyes like a viper, he suddenly woke up. He licked his lips with difficulty, trying to calm his trembling throat: “Does Liushen know?”
Old Master Lu seemed very satisfied with Lu Jianwei’s reaction. He smiled casually and said: “I will have someone notify him. I think he will be very willing.”
No, no! How could Bai Liushen marry another woman! He’s mine, mine!
Lu Jianwei was agitated and roared in his heart, like a mad beast, almost losing his mind. Liushen is mine, mine, mine!
“You like Liushen.” Old Master Lu’s voice was like a tranquilizer, instantly calming Lu Jianwei down. He raised his head and stared blankly at his grandfather.
Old Master Lu took a puff of his cigarette, his voice old and deep, with the mellowness of years: “I was young too, and I was like you. Your eyes betrayed you, Jianwei. Would you rather let Liushen live with another woman, or let him die alone?”
Lu Jianwei’s throat tightened, and he swallowed: “Grandfather, this has nothing to do with Liushen.”
“You like Liushen, how can it not have anything to do with him?” Old Master Lu sighed: “But in our line of work, whoever you like is unlucky. If you really like him, then don’t like him.” After a pause, he added: “Marry the Su family’s daughter, that’s the path you should take.”
“Grandfather…” Lu Jianwei didn’t give up, but Old Master Lu suddenly said sternly: “Don’t be obsessed. Do you want to kill the person you like with your own hands? If you can bear this kind of pain, Grandfather won’t stop you, but Jianwei, you only have one life, and you only have one choice. If you make the wrong choice, there’s no chance to regret it. You need to think carefully.”
A living Bai Liushen, a dead Bai Liushen, a Bai Liushen living with another woman, a Bai Liushen dying alone. Lu Jianwei compared them back and forth. He had to admit that he wanted Bai Liushen to live, even if it was with another woman.
The moment he made his choice, Lu Jianwei immediately told Old Master Lu. Old Master Lu only said one sentence: “Jianwei, you did the right thing.”
When he got married, Bai Liushen and Cheng Ruoyu were the best men. Lu Jianwei looked at Bai Liushen in a white suit beside him and wanted to imitate those romantic scenes in the movies, taking the best man’s hand and eloping. But he knew deeply that if he did that, they wouldn’t be eloping, but courting death.
Bai Liushen was always smiling, as if he was happy that he was getting married, but Lu Jianwei felt that the smile was a bit fake, with an indescribable sorrow in it.
For a moment, Lu Jianwei especially wanted to ask: Liushen, do you like me?
But what qualifications did he have now? Lu Jianwei suddenly regretted it again, repeatedly thinking in his heart whether getting married was the right thing to do or not.
In the same year, one day, Bai Liushen brought a girl to Lu Jianwei and introduced her: “Second Brother, this is my girlfriend, Rong Mumu.”
Lu Jianwei knew this girl. She was a relative of Cheng Ruoyu’s wife and had come to the Cheng family to play this year. He had met her a few times.
Rong Mumu was not outstanding in appearance, not even as good-looking as Bai Liushen. Lu Jianwei felt that this girl was not worthy of Bai Liushen, so he repeatedly asked Bai Liushen: “Are you serious? Do you really like her? What do you like about her?”
Bai Liushen asked back: “Is liking really that important? Do you like Su Fan?”
Bai Liushen’s jealous reaction made Lu Jianwei both surprised and delighted, and at the same time, he felt regret and sorrow. He covered his eyes and replied in a low voice: “It’s very important.”
Bai Liushen became scenery in his eyes, scenery he couldn’t touch. He could often see Bai Liushen smiling at the girl named Rong Mumu, peeling his favorite tangerines and saying to the girl: “Try it, it’s very delicious.”
That was the treatment that Lu Jianwei had dreamed of, all occupied by the girl named Rong Mumu.
Not long after, Rong Mumu became pregnant, and coincidentally, Cheng Ruoyu’s wife, Bu Xingzhi, was also pregnant. The two pregnant women often went out together.
Cheng Ruoyu had more enemies than the Lu family. One afternoon, Rong Mumu was kidnapped when she went to say goodbye to Bu Xingzhi. The kidnappers mistook Rong Mumu for Cheng Ruoyu’s wife and threatened Cheng Ruoyu to give them a way out.
Cheng Ruoyu was almost crazy, but when he saw Rong Mumu being held in front, he suddenly calmed down. He almost immediately saw that the kidnappers had mistaken the person.
Cheng Ruoyu regained his composure and negotiated with the kidnappers calmly. For a while, they were at a stalemate. The kidnappers threatened: “If you don’t agree, we’ll cut open your wife’s belly and let you meet your son in advance!”
Cheng Ruoyu’s face was heavy and he didn’t say a word, but he still refused to budge.
The kidnappers really hardened their hearts and cut the child out. The child was too young, only six months old, and there was no sound of crying at all.
Rong Mumu was covered in blood, calling out weakly in a hoarse voice: “Child, Liushen, child…”
At this moment, Bai Liushen suddenly appeared among the kidnappers, throwing punches and kicks at the kidnappers, almost solving all the kidnappers in a few minutes. He turned his head, looked at Cheng Ruoyu, and then at Lu Jianwei, who had chased after him, and smiled.
Cheng Ruoyu was close, so he clearly saw the two lines of tears flowing from his eyes and the desperate sorrow in his eyes. In that instant, his heart trembled violently, and something uncontrollably collapsed.
Rong Mumu hadn’t breathed her last yet. Seeing Bai Liushen, she just opened her mouth, but couldn’t say anything. The tears in the corners of her eyes were like a disaster. Bai Liushen touched Rong Mumu’s face and comforted her in a low voice: “I’m here, don’t cry, does it hurt?”
Rong Mumu shook her head, staring unblinkingly at Bai Liushen, and smiled slightly. Bai Liushen also smiled: “Mumu, is it okay if I accompany you?”
Rong Mumu still shook her head, but she was already powerless. Bai Liushen leaned his body and fell beside Rong Mumu, saying with infinite regret: “But if you don’t accompany me, I can’t walk.”
Bai Liushen’s death was a great blow to Lu Jianwei, and it also caused unpleasantness with Cheng Ruoyu.
One afternoon after Bai Liushen’s funeral, Lu Jianwei suddenly received a package addressed to him. It was unsigned, but when Lu Jianwei opened the package and saw what was inside, he knew who the sender was.
Inside the package was a small box of small tangerines, with a greeting card inside that read:
Second Brother, I should have left with Mumu by the time you receive this package. This is a wedding gift for you.
He picked up a small tangerine at random, and each one had a smiley face on it. Lu Jianwei couldn’t help but shed tears as he ate. When he ate one, Lu Jianwei suddenly froze. That tangerine no longer had a smiley face on it, but a crying face.
Lu Jianwei burst into tears instantly.
He was wrong, terribly wrong, ridiculously wrong, deservedly wrong.