Chapter 3
I simply could not pull him away, with a pull he threw me aside, the strength difference is too far. Seeing Lu Yu Jiang viciously punching, I closed my eyes and rushed forward, like Xiao Yan Zi’s [1] awe-inspiring righteousness [2] in protecting Zi Wei [1], with open arms I shouted, “Stop! If you still want to fight, you can beat me to death all right!”
[1] Xiao Yan Zi and Zi Wei are characters from the Chinese drama “Pearl Princess” (還珠格格). Those who have watched the drama will understand what Jing Zhi is referring to.
[2] 大义凛然 Dà Yì Lǐn Rán: with a strong sense of righteousness — fearless of death for a just cause.
I carefully open my eyes again, I saw his fist less than three centimetres from my nose. He really is a master, telling him to stop he instantly stop.
At this point I just discovered, remarkably Chi Fei Fan’s one punch has knocked his eyes black, he even became a semi eye panda.
His usual appearance was a person with high morals, suddenly seeing him become panda eyes, it was very funny, I finally could not help but laugh heartily.
I had fought with him for so many years, I never touched half of strand of his hair, every time I lost in a complete mess, finally today Chi Fei Fan help me get justice.
He looked at me, finally he slowly lowered his fists, but fiercely stared at me.
I have always been more fierce than him, so ferociously stare back.
About two seconds later, I felt there’s a chance Lu Yu Jiang would throw knives at me, swishing me into thousands million of cave holes.
Fortunately, he didn’t have any knife on hand, so for a moment he just relentlessly stared at me, then turned away.
I paid no heed to him, hurriedly gone over to help Chi Fei Fan, his nose was black and his face was swollen, I murmur at him, “Why did you get into a fight with him ah, even the two of us combined could not beat him.”
Chi Fei Fan nose was still bleeding, lifting his face up, in a low m.u.f.fled voice he replied, “I’m angry!”
I know Chi Fei Fan was particularly angry, but I don’t know what made him so angry, for things to come to this.
When Chen Mo opened the door for us, he was frightened that his face turned pale white, “Oh, what is this?”
I grumpy told him, “We were robbed.”
“Oh, really……”
I waved at Chen Mo and asked him to cook a few eggs, then pull out the iodine cotton swab to help Chi Fei Fan treat his wounds.
I’m very knowledgeable in this area, during middle school, I fought with invincible hands, small injuries were unavoidable, I refused to leave because of minor wounds, only when I had a serious injury then I would go to the hospital. Many minor wounds were treated by myself. It’s really fortunate that my face didn’t leave any scars.
Finally, the soft white eggs were cooked, I let it cool down a little before giving it to Chi Fei Fan, “Roll it on where your face hurts.”
Chi Fei Fan nose was stuffed with cotton b.a.l.l.s, while rolling the egg on his face where the bruise was, he interrogated me, “Tell me what the h.e.l.l is going on?”
I hesitated, and finally I spilled the beans, I told him the whole story again, my many years of experience from beginning to end.
Nothing more than after my elder sister died, I busted my a.s.s and finally graduated, got married, then divorced, and finally got out of it. [3]
[3] 净身出户 Jìng Shēn Chū Hù: This refers to when both parties decide to divorce, and the divorce party require the other party to give up all the a.s.sets, leaving the marriage without gaining anything.
Talking about that sad place, Chen Mo on the side accompanied me, silently in tears.
Oh, I’m really a failure in life.
Chi Fei Fan silently listened, and finally held out his hand, and touched my hair.
When my elder sister was still here, she would often touch my hair, laughed and called me a silly child.
However gloomy life is, expressing it somewhat I felt a little better.
Sending Chi Fei Fan off, Chen Mo compa.s.sionately comfort me, and then fell asleep.
The next days I got up, my life is as good and tough as ever.
To live, one must live like a human but act like a dog.
So I was in a high spirits while in the crowded subway, in a high spirits while in the crowded elevator, in a high spirits while swiping my card, and in a high spirits while walking back to my seat……
Hey!
What suspicious creature was on the table? On closer look I could not help feel thunderstruck, it’s actually a large canopy of delicately pretty sweet-smelling even with dew can be broken……
Roses!
Haven’t eaten pork meat, but have seen the pig run [4], although I haven’t ever received rose before, however for the period of time I was Mrs. Lu, Lu Yu Jiang sent me to learn flower arrangement, I didn’t learn anything from it, but every day the Florist would deliver flowers to our home, so I knew such rose was the most expensive, a single rose is enough for me to eat meal now.
[4] 没吃过猪肉还见过猪跑: Used to describe the things people although have not experience, but also have heard, seen, or know a little.
Who is so generous, in one breath sent such a large bunch, the death of me, do not know if I could return these and get a discount.
Could it be they sent it wrong?
Today is not April’s fool.
Seeing the expression on those women gossip left and right, I picked up the card within the bunch of roses and purposely read aloud, “Jing Zhi: Please forget the unhappy things, your future happiness will be guaranteed by me.” On the back of the card there was a slightly familiar English signature: “Fred.C”
Fred.C?
My foreign language sucks, stammered I read it three times, it took me a long time to realized… could Fred.C be Chi Fei Fan?
Once again I was thunderstruck.
No doubt, today this will be the office most sensational gossip: The well-known elite Technical Director Fred.C, unexpectedly humbly sent roses to the company’s administrative pa.s.ser-by Ye Ying Zhi.
I don’t know what Chi Fei Fan was up to, I adopt the ostrich policy, honesty buried my head in the sand, I won’t listen, ask nor see, as if the bouquet of roses never appeared, as if those around whispering to one another and strange eyes did not exist. Even Lin Xin Fei a few times intentionally or unintentionally wandered to my seat, wanting to ask me. But I who was never grossly absorbed in work, rearranged all the files again, sent out all the notice that should be sent out, clear the inventory out, check the purchase order again, and for the first time ever I even got rid of the virus and cleaned the computer disk fragments.
I managed to make to off duty, carrying my bag I scamper ran.
I forgot one thing, if I was Sun Wukong [5], then Chi Fei Fan and Lu Yu Jiang would have belong to the cla.s.s of Buddha.
[5] 孙悟空 Sun Wu Kong: The monkey king, a character from the Novel/Drama “Journey to the West.” (西游记)
Finally I was stopped by Chi Fei Fan company downstairs, under the watchful eyes those around he said to me, “Get into my car, don’t you really like this kind of car, today I’ll let you drive it.”
Colleagues were hurriedly off work, so no one look back at us, but I clearly felt that the air was eerily distorted, a frightening magnetic field.
I loudly said, “I didn’t bring my driver’s license.”
“Then let me drive.” He was very natural pulling my hand, like holding a child, “I’ll take you to a good place to eat.”
Oh my G.o.d, this is too weird.
So although Chi Fei Fan took me to a unique grand place, I was on tenterhooks, I ate without relish.
And he skilfully used his knife and fork, he ate with a great appet.i.te.
The wound on his nose also had a band-aid, not that it wasn’t funny, however I couldn’t laugh, I sighed as I pushed the expensive steak aside.
“Brother-in-law, what do you want?”
“Shh!” He lifted his finger, “From now on don’t call me brother-in-law, I didn’t expect Lu Yu Jiang to be such a jerk, so it’s up to me take care of you in the future.”
I became stammered, “But…… Elder sister, she……”
Originally I wanted to say was my elder sister had pa.s.sed away for several years, how can you do this? However, once I thought of those shameful things I’ve done. I decided to close my mouth.
He diverges his words, “Do you not like me?”
“Like is like…… But it’s not that kind of love……”
He interrupted me, “You like me will do, rest a.s.sured, I will take good care of you, make you feel happy.”
But I am not a bit happy.
Alas, a person’s heart is inconstant.
Originally I just thought it was Lu Yu Jiang who harbor ulterior motives, elusive, however it seems that even Chi Fei Fan I also could not figure out what he was thinking.
Regardless, I have to be firm, and told Chi Fei Fan, “Brother-in-law, I have always regarded you as my own elder brother, my elder sister is gone, you have been in a foreign country, I think you roughly feel a little empathy for me, but we’re really not suitable, I also cannot accept this. “
“It does not matter.” His gently smile, patted my hand encouragingly, “I know that you temporary cannot accept this, I will let you slowly come to accept this, give me some time, I will make you see…….”
I felt a headache, what has the world become ah……
It is…… So much that a person is left without any strength.
Whatever Chi Fei Fan says he will do it, he no longer vigorously send roses, but every morning, there’s always a small gift on my desk, sometimes sea lavender, sometimes chocolate, sometimes just a card, sometimes even a small pot of cactus.
After work, he would ask me to dinner, to play ball, watch a movie, very, very standard pursuit mode.
At first, a group of colleagues in the company’s were scared out of their chins, and then, it became the norm.
If an unexpected incident has become the norm, it is not called an accident.
A Technical Director, clearly, is seriously pursuing a corporate administrator, in fact, it was not a big deal.
It is not an office romance? As long as they do not hinder their work, from the Big Boss to cleaning old lady, who wouldn’t turn a blind eye?
Day after day I was in such ostrich, and found myself trapped in people’s offensive ocean.
Everyone in the company will definitely have acquiesced that Chi Fei Fan was pursuing me, after work there are people who deliberately left the elevator in an open position, so he told me to stand together. Chi Fei Fan’s secretary also treated me with a hint of favoritism, occasionally when it’s still lunch break, intentionally or not she would explain to me recently Director Chi has been working overtime and attending meetings every day, so his very tired very busy, perhaps his mood isn’t particularly good and so on ……
Kao!
I’m not in the troops.
In such a solemn and stirring, depression and incomprehensible atmosphere, one day after another pa.s.sed.
The only good news is, I finally find a suitable house, I can move.
When it was time to sign the lease contract, I suddenly found, I didn’t bring my permanent residence booklet [6] from the villa.
[6] Permanent Residence booklet is basically the Cizitenship Certificate.
When I got married my permanent residence booklet was still at school, from the collective households directly moved to Lu Yu Jiang’s residence account, after our divorce I forget to move it out.
The landlord would not have it, regardless life or death insisted I needed to show my permanent residence booklet.
Left with no choice, I had to go back and get it.
I have purposely chosen an auspicious time—— eight o’clock on a Sat.u.r.day morning, this time regardless of the weather Lu Yu Jiang will go play tennis, so he certainly will not be at home.
Originally I didn’t bring my key door, I was afraid that I wouldn’t be able to enter. Who know just coming out of the cab I would encounter the neighbor Mrs. Lee, she showed up in a small red sports car driving towards the gate area, upon seeing me she deliberately stop to say h.e.l.lo, “Ah, Mrs. Lu, today there’s no driver to pick you up?”
This Mrs. Lee lived in the building next door to us, her husband is also a businessman. They once had a Christmas party at their place, also specifically invited Mr. Lu Yu Jiang and his wife, so I know her. This is so-called luxury villa, with an entire private garden. The neighbors who came out to walk their dog would occasionally see each other. We didn’t have a dog, however I had lived here for the three years, so in an instant I was quite familiar with a number of neighbors. Mrs. Lee is actually very hospitable, urged me to get into her car, “Come, I’ll take you in, to save you from walking.”
I didn’t think it’ll turn out so smoothly.
Arriving at the entrance I thanked Mrs. Lee, after getting off I began to wonder, I still don’t know the pa.s.sword, how am I going to get in?
The study room’s French windows are open, white screens flutter in the morning breeze, as if there’s a giant hand gently stroking them. I have not earnestly observed the house before, although I lived here for a few years, but unexpectedly it seems like so strange.
I took my coat off, since there’s really no other alternative, but to climb!
I knew that the area was full of the probe, a climbing terrace surely be found by the security guards, however since they thought I was the owner, even if I climb my own villa, it will be considered a whim prompted by a sudden impulse.
I successfully got into the study from the balcony, landing on the ground I let out a sigh of relief. Luckily the study room’s door was not locked, in the quiet corridor, it was absolute silence.
Mr. Lu Yu Jiang, your sense of security is really bad……
But small towering wall, 24 hour grid probe monitoring, not only was there’s security, there was even the patrol dogs are very loyal…… So when I was at home, I always forget to lock the door leading to the balcony.
There was no one in the empty guest room, it seems Lu Yu Jiang indeed has gone to play tennis. I was full of confidence, boldly rummage through the cabinets, did not expect to be covered in sweats, and still have not found my permanent residence booklet.
Strange, where did my permanent residence booklet go?
Lu Yu Jiang was responsible for keeping the family’s important doc.u.ments and money. I know the bedside drawer there is always a wad of cash, originally it was pocket-money given to me, after it’s all taken he would put more in, in fact, he didn’t care about the money, because after the divorce, I once I was pressed hard for money, so I secretly took one thousand block from the drawers, then after I received my salary I replaced the money, he also didn’t notice, but I never asked him where he put the permanent residence booklet.
I felt defeated sitting on the carpet, I didn’t make this trip to go back empty-handed, right?
Never mind, there’s still the master bedroom.
Plucking my courage I crept through the corridors, gently pushed open the master bedroom’s door.
The curtains closed, the room was obscure, after a few seconds my eyes adjust to the indoor light.
The next thing had me stunned and exclaimed, “Ah!”
There was a person on the bed!
Lu Yu Jiang!
He…… He…… He still sleeps here!
I have forgotten that if I moved out, he would have to move back to the master bedroom, but isn’t he supposed to be playing tennis?
On closer look, fortunately it’s okay, there’s only him on the bed.
However, my screaming has roused him, he opened his eyes and looked at me.
I stayed wooden and stoned. I originally thought that he would be ablaze with anger asking me how I came in, I didn’t think he would just glance at me, then closed his eyes.
I cautiously approached near the bed, tried to call his name, the results he just grunted, seems like not awaken, I ventured to move forward, who knew he would suddenly grab my wrist, frightened me out of my wits.
His palm was burning hot that it was startling, I touched his forehead, also terrifyingly hot, turns out he had a high fever.
No wonder he didn’t go to play tennis, no wonder the sun is three poles high and he’s still sleeping, the formerly fierce tiger really has become a sick cat.
In my impression, Lu Yu Jiang was never sick.
Every time when it was spring and autumn flu season, I always was the first to get infected, even if I didn’t take two-step out of the entrance, ultimately I’ll be at home by the tissue box, taking cold medicine, affected by a cough, and then finally forced to go to see the doctor to get antibiotics. And Lu Yu Jiang always seems to be immune to bacteria, even a sneeze didn’t affect him. In my mind, he is the deformation of steel in Megatron, never aged, never ill, immortal, the ultimate impeccable villain BOSS, ten Ye Jing Zhi combined also was no match for him.
I didn’t think he would have a day like this.
The great man saying is so right, all reactionaries are paper tigers! [7]
[7] 一切反动派都是纸老虎 All reactionaries are paper tigers: The term refers to something that seems threatening but is ineffectual and unable to withstand challenge. The expression became well-known in the West as a slogan used by Mao Zedong’s Chinese communist state against its opponents, particularly the U.S. government.
I wickedly want to fill his drink with salt water, give him rhizoma coptidis to consume causing him to have diarrhoea, while he was sick, wanting his life!
Forget it, a day together as husband and wife means endless devotion the rest of your life [8], even if we’re divorce, I cannot do this extremely cruel and merciless thing, right?
[8] 一日夫妻百日恩 Yī Rì Fū Qī Bǎi Rì ēn: one day of married life breeds a hundreds day’s attachment; one day of love between husband and wife cannot be easily forgotten; one day of married life fosters enduring affection
“Hey!” I asked him, “Where did you place the permanent residence booklet?”
He didn’t answer me, his eyelids seemed to flutter, however he continue to sleep.
This guy!