Additional Inheritance - Chap 70
Chapter 70
Trigger warning: Negative portrayal of weight gain/fat-shaming
The driver seized Wen Xiaohui’s mobile, and he took the sim card back out. “It can be used for tracking. You shouldn’t use this sim card again.”
“No, I need to confirm that my friend is safe.” Wen Xiaohui stretched his hand out, intending to grab it back.
The driver gave his own mobile to Wen Xiaohui. “We have to leave right now. You can call my employer to persuade him to change his mind, otherwise I have to take you away from here.”
Wen Xiaohui clenched his teeth as he started to dial Li Shuo’s number, but it seemed to be engaged all the time.
The driver started up the car.
Wen Xiaohui shouted, “I can’t leave now! If you dare set off, I’ll jump out of the car!”
The driver turned his head, he said helplessly, “Mr Wen, look at the road signs. Where are we? Even if we set off now, we need to drive five or six hours before we reach Beijing. The quickest way is to take a flight from a nearby city. You should sit properly and your call should be connected before we get to another city.”
Wen Xiaohui looked around at the road signs and he realised that the driver was right. He could only lean back in his seat in despair. His face looked so pale that it was frightening.
The driver drove back onto the motorway. Wen Xiaohui’s eyes were glued to his phone.
Around half an hour later, his mobile phone started to ring. Wen Xiaohui answered the phone before the end of the first ring. His voice trembled so much that it was barely recognisable. “Li-dage, Luo Yi has Luo Rui…”
“I’m aware, Xiaohui, calm down. I’m aware.” Li Shuo interrupted him – his calm voice alone had the effect of putting others at ease.” He said, “Don’t worry, Luo Rui is fine now. I’ve just spoken to him on the phone.”
“Huh?” Wen Xiaohui wondered whether Shao Qun was really so awesome. How did he get Luo Yi to release Luo Rui?
“Luo Rui didn’t give me the details, but I spent the whole morning tapping into my connections to try and find him. Finally, I received his call a little while ago where he mentioned that Luo Yi suddenly released him. You can give him a call to confirm.”
Wen Xiaohui inhaled a deep breath. His legs and arms felt numb all of a sudden, so he was unable to hold onto his mobile phone. He felt as though he’d just survived a calamity.
Li Shuo’s gentle voice said comfortingly, “Everything’s fine now, you can feel reassured about leaving.”
Wen Xiaohui responded ambiguously, then he quickly hung up and called Luo Rui.
Luo Rui picked up quickly. His voice still seemed to be flustered. “Hi.”
“Luo Rui, it’s me.”
“Xiaohui!” Luo Rui called out in excitement. “Have you left Beijing?”
“Yeah.” The rims of Wen Xiaohui’s eyes felt burning hot. “I’ve made you suffer. Are you hurt?”
“Don’t worry, I’m fine. He asked me where you were going, but I wouldn’t tell him. He didn’t do anything to me… Oh yeah, he looked like he had an injury.”
Recalling the blood on Luo Yi’s face, Wen Xiaohui’s body trembled profusely. However, Luo Yi was still able to carry out a kidnapping, so his injuries were clearly not that serious.
“I don’t know why he suddenly let me go. I thought that…” Luo Rui’s fear lingered as his memories flooded back. “Anyway, I’m fine now. You can stop worrying.”
Wen Xiaohui was aware of the reason, but he was unable to tell him, since Shao Qun didn’t want to openly offend Luo Yi. Luo Yi was a psychopath. As for how Shao Qun managed to make Luo Yi release Luo Rui, he hadn’t a clue. But if his theory was right, Shao Qun might have been involved in the coordinated attack on Changhong’s stocks, so he must have something he could use to blackmail Luo Yi. Of course, these were all his theories and he had no interest in finding out the whole story. Luo Rui’s safety was all he cared about.
Wen Xiaohui breathed in through his nose. “It’s good that you’re okay. Luo Yi used my Weibo account to post a photo of you tied up.”
“Oh god!” Luo Rui said nervously, “How could that psycho be so brazen?”
“Our followers thought it was a joke… I’ve deleted it now.”
Luo Rui exhaled deeply. “I’m at home at the moment and I’ll go to my aunt’s in the afternoon. I changed my flight to Australia to tomorrow.”
Wen Xiaohui felt a headache brewing when he thought of his mum. “I don’t know if Mum’s read my letter and if she will understand…”
“I’ll help persuade your mum for you. Maybe you’ll be able to meet up when she’s back from the US next year.”
Wen Xiaohui sighed, “Luo Rui, when you get home, throw away everything you’re wearing. Change both your mobile phone and sim card, and try not to mention my whereabouts in general. Luo Yi’s an expert in tapping, so you need to be careful.”
Luo Rui drew in a breath of cold air. “I know.”
Wen Xiaohui started to sob a little. “Baby, I don’t know when I’ll be able to see you next.”
“I’ll come find you. You need to get well soon when you’re at your new place and adapt to your new life.”
“Okay.” Wen Xiaohui covered his eyes, his warm tears oozed from the gaps between his fingers. His heart ached terribly as if it were being yanked from his body. He suspected that his heart was already riddled with holes, so how could it function properly?
The interior of the car descended into endless silence. The level cement roads flitted past in the corner of his eye – the scenery outside was like the passage of time – it could never be turned back. You could never catch up to it or overtake it, and instead you could only look on helplessly as it lapsed. Wen Xiaohui rested his head on the car window and he stared until he began to lose focus.
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They finally arrived at Pengcheng after two days of driving. It was Wen Xiaohui’s first time in the coastal city, and he found it difficult to adjust to the muggy air and summer heat. He started to sweat as soon as he left the air-conditioned compartment of the car.
The driver carried Wen Xiaohui’s luggage and escorted him into a hotel. He knocked on the door and Li Shuo appeared in front of Wen Xiaohui.
Wen Xiaohui looked haggard. He felt the urge to cry as soon as he saw Li Shuo.
Li Shuo sighed, stroking Wen Xiaohui’s head and taking the luggage. “Come on in.”
The driver nodded at Li Shuo and left. Wen Xiaohui was absentmindedly dragged into the hotel room.
Li Shuo left him in a chair and asked anxiously, “Xiaohui, are you alright?”
Wen Xiaohui closed his eyes. His voice was hoarse. “I don’t know, I feel as if I’m in a dream… What am I? A missing person? I have a home that I can’t return to, an identity I’m scared to use, and a job that I can’t stay in. I’ve run away to an unfamiliar place to begin a new life, but I didn’t do anything wrong. Why do I have to live like a fugitive?”
Li Shuo said gently, “Xiaohui, nobody’s life is plain sailing, and everyone must experience difficulties in life. It’s only a matter of time. You’ve run into issues, but don’t feel down, there’s always a way out. What you need now is to maintain a calm outlook and start living your life. Gradually, you’ll find that you can get your life back on track.”
“Really?” Wen Xiaohui looked at Li Shuo. “I feel like I’ve been derailed for a long time. Can I really get back on track?”
“You can.” Li Shuo said resolutely, “You definitely can as long as you don’t give up on yourself.”
Wen Xiaohui lowered his head and covered his face. His voice sounded hoarse as he said, “But I don’t know what to do in future.”
“Try not to think about anything and have a rest. I’ve rented an apartment for you; I’ll take you there tonight. When you’re sick of being idle, you can find a job or start your own business. In a nutshell, you’re so young, you’ll get over it.”
Wen Xiaohui tilted his head up and sobbed, “Li-dage, thank you. You’ve helped me so much, I don’t know how to repay you.”
Li Shuo smiled slightly. “I thought carefully whether I should help you or not, and after some consideration, I’d feel ashamed of myself if I watched you suffer without extending a helping hand. That’s why…” He shrugged. “Don’t mention it.”
Wen Xiaohui observed Li Shuo’s handsome and refined smile, and his eyes began to feel warm again. His gratitude and respect for Li Shuo could no longer be expressed in words. At the same time, he also felt very guilty. He rejected not only Li Shuo, he also rejected a genuinely good relationship. It was a pity you could never turn back time.
Wen Xiaohui took a shower, then went to bed. After Li Shuo had taken him out for dinner, he brought him to a small neighbourhood.
Li Shuo rented an apartment with two-bedrooms and a living room for him. Although it couldn’t be considered large, it had just been refurbished and it was very clean and attractive. It came with all the necessary appliances and furnishings. Wen Xiaohui decided that he liked this cosy little den at a glance. It reminded him of his apartment in Beijing – the home where he lived for 20-something years.
“It’s not bad. It’s situated in a residential area and it’s convenient for eating out, shopping, and it has good transport links. If you can’t be bothered to leave the house, you can call for a takeaway.” Li Shuo opened the curtains, looking at the scenery outside. “The community park is downstairs. They’ve done a great job at increasing the number of green spaces. You can get a dog if you feel bored.”
Wen Xiaohui smiled faintly. “I’m too lazy to look after myself, I shouldn’t mistreat a dog.” He just wanted to shut himself away and not have to be in contact with anyone. In the best case scenario, he would have liked to break all contact with the whole world, so that he could feel safe, his mind would be at ease. It was difficult to imagine that he used to be an extrovert who liked to have fun. He used to feel like he would suffocate if he hadn’t left the house in a few days.
Li Shuo winked at him. “You can call me if you’re feeling bored. We’re both out-of-towners, so we can discover stuff that’s fun or tasty in this area and in the nearby cities.”
“Sure.” Wen Xiaohui feigned interest when he replied.
Li Shuo looked at Wen Xiaohui’s eyes which were devoid of spirit, and he felt a little upset.
Wen Xiaohui stared out the window in a daze. He suddenly thought of something. “Li-dage, are you starting a firm here?”
“Yeah, my partner actually opened a firm here for over a year, but business hasn’t really taken off. After I join the partnership, there will be a large-scale restructure and we’re also planning to open an accountancy training college.” Li Shuo smiled. “I thought I’d be able to take a break, but work is relentless.”
“It’s very fulfilling. I used to hate work. I wanted to lie in and wake up naturally, and find money that had fallen from the sky.” Wen Xiaohui laughed quietly, “Afterwards, I realised there’s nothing to envy about this lifestyle.”
“If you want to work, you can work anytime. If you’re worried about being recognised by others in the industry, you can start your own business.”
“It’s fine, it’s not like I’m that famous anyway. Let’s talk about it again after I’ve had a break.”
Li Shuo gave him a run down of the nearby supermarkets, subway, gym, etc., then he left after reassuring him a little.
The sun had already set. The living room gradually became darker, but Wen Xiaohui didn’t turn on the lights. He lay on the sofa as if he were boneless, as he stared blankly at the rays of light being swallowed up by the darkness. He felt lonely, like he was the only person left on earth.
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In the first two or three months after arriving in Pengcheng, Wen Xiaohui’s days were a blur.
Every day, he would eat and then sleep, then eat after he woke from his sleep. He would watch films or play computer games when he was awake. He didn’t want to leave the house or get dressed, and he didn’t want to come into contact with anyone else. Li Shuo was too busy with work; he only managed to drag him out a few times, and mostly, he had no time to worry about Wen Xiaohui. Wen Xiaohui continued to live like a degenerate. He couldn’t find any joy in living. He couldn’t find a way forward, and everything in his line of sight was an endless grey.
Until one day his nose was so sore that he couldn’t fall asleep. When he decided to get it checked out at the hospital, he found that he couldn’t fit in the trousers that he wore when he arrived.
He froze as he grabbed onto the waistband.
Did he put on weight? Standing on his trousers, he hopped all the way to the full-length mirror like a Chinese vampire1. It was the first time he’d been shocked by the person in the mirror.
Who’s that?
He’d put on a total of 10kg. His messy hair was dry and yellow, his skin was dull, and his eyebrows had grown out of control. He had large eyebags and dark circles, a swollen nasal bridge, pale lips – he looked haggard. He finally realised why Li Shuo was initially shocked and ended up frowning when he last saw him. Wen Xiaohui nearly couldn’t recognise himself in the mirror.
W-Who the fuck is this person?
Wen Xiaohui wailed as he wriggled out of his trousers. He kicked the mirror onto the floor in a fit of anger. With a crash, the mirror shattered. His look of embarrassment was divided into dozens of identical pieces, mocking him as they lay on the floor and forcing him to look closely at himself.
He felt devoid of strength as he sat on the floor, wailing with his hand covering his face. It was like the breaking of a dam, his tears gushed down his face from the resentment and pain that had accumulated for an unknown amount of time. The room that was originally empty was instantly filled with pain, anger, and resentment, and it became so crowded that it was difficult to breathe.
Wen Xiaohui cried for ages; he cried until he became hoarse and his body trembled. Even his fingers were lacking strength before his cries started to weaken.
He opened his eyes and looked up at the light above his head. After the baptism of tears, his vision seemed to become clearer – it was as though the layer of mist floating in his brain and covering his eyes had been washed away by the heavy rain.
He lay on the floor for most of the day before he propped himself up and got off the floor. He changed into a set of loose-fitting sportswear from the wardrobe and he washed his face. He left the house with some money and his medical records.
He knew why his nose was sore. He should have gone to hospital a month ago to have it re-examined and discuss the next stage of treatment with the doctor, but he didn’t go. Perhaps it was because he’d forgotten or maybe he just didn’t want to face up to his problems. He intended to start with the thing at the bottom of his heart that he didn’t want to face the most – his nose. As soon as he thought about that good-for-nothing and sorry figure in the mirror, he felt as though he’d rather bash his head in than have to look at that face and expression every day.
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When he got to hospital, the doctor told him that the fracture hadn’t fully healed because he didn’t seek medical attention in time, leading to inflammation. Thankfully, it wasn’t serious, but he would have to have his second operation soon.
Wen Xiaohui looked at his nose in the mirror, smiling in an unsightly way. “Doctor, will my nose look different after the operation?”
“It already looks different, so you can’t count on it being the same after the operation.”
“Then… you can make it a little taller for me and give me a good-looking nose.” Wen Xiaohui gently stroked his nasal bone. He felt devastated.
“Of course. You’re so handsome that having a taller nose will be the icing on the cake. Don’t worry.”
“Haha, that’s what I think too.” Wen Xiaohui consoled himself – he’d already taken so many selfies in the past that he didn’t have to worry about forgetting what his real nose looked like.
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After the date of the operation was set, Wen Xiaohui returned home and started giving up greasy and spicy foods. He stripped his clothes off and stood in front of the mirror, and he felt an urge to beat the crap out of the idiot in the mirror who had a little belly and thick waist. He turned to the side and even his ass looked saggy – he fucking couldn’t stand it.
He put on his pyjamas, then rushed to the kitchen and threw out all the snacks, beer, and instant noodles. He went to the supermarket and bought a shopping trolley full of healthy and low-fat food. He finally couldn’t stand living like this anymore. He was Wen Xiaohui, and he was going back to being himself.
Footnotes:
In Chinese mythology, vampires (jiangshi) are nothing like Edward Cullen and his Western counterparts, and instead they tend to wear Qing dynasty robes and hop with their arms outstretched.
