Four-Faced Buddha [To My Shore] - Chap 79
Chapter 79 Life or Death
2024-10-13 07:31 Category: Four-Faced BuddhaTurn off the lights
The fountain in the city square is always punctual, and the huge clock hanging next to the train station turns on once every time it completes a full circle.
The water jets cascaded high and low, creating a rainbow. The splashing water vapor enveloped the soft music and the laughter of children.
A ball rolled to You Shulang’s feet. He lifted one foot and stepped on the ball, bent down slightly, held up one finger to the boy opposite him, then two, then three, and with a gentle push of his foot, kicked the ball back.
The fine strands of hair on his forehead fluttered slightly in the damp breeze, and a gentle smile briefly concealed the deep weariness on his face.
“Shulang, what’s your decision? Can you come and help me?”
Fan Qinghong sat on the bench, his gaze never leaving You Shulang.
“I don’t want him to get entangled with you.” You Shulang scattered breadcrumbs at the pigeons at his feet. “Fan Xiao is very difficult to deal with and often does illogical things.”
“You don’t need to worry about that.” The man’s voice was exceptionally calm. “We’re working on a key project with ample funding; we don’t need third-party investment. He can’t interfere with the project, and I’m all alone. What do I have to fear from him?”
The man rested his elbows on his knees and leaned over to look at You Shulang’s earlobe, where there was a small mole, a cherished memory from his school days: “You’re not the type to give up easily, so how did this guy manage to make you look so pathetic?”
“You… still have feelings for him?”
“How could that be?” You Shulang turned his face to the side and happened to see a faint rainbow formed by the interplay of water vapor and sunlight. The colorful colors were like Fan Xiao’s past love, dazzling and alluring, yet ethereal and nonexistent. He continued, “I’m not that sick.”
The tall man beside him seemed somewhat agitated, his fingers fidgeting with his trousers as if he had made a decision: “Shulang, I want to protect you… Is that alright?”
You Shulang slowly turned around and saw Fan Qinghong’s slightly flushed cheeks. He asked, “How do you protect her?”
Fan Qinghong placed her large palm on the back of You Shulang’s hand, her face filled with trepidation: “Let’s be together, let’s face that madman together, I’ll protect you.”
At first glance, Fan Qinghong’s appearance is ordinary, with no particularly outstanding features, but when put together, they are pleasing to the eye. Unlike Fan Xiao’s sharp and handsome features, his comfortable appearance does not give people any sense of oppression.
Now, tension and anticipation brought a lively expression to Fan Qinghong’s face as he awaited You Shulang’s reply.
You Shulang was silent for a moment, then suddenly laughed: “Shall we form a persecuted duo?”
Fan Qinghong was taken aback, his expression turning somewhat somber.
“I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have mentioned him.”
Fan Qinghong shook her head: “There’s nothing that can’t be mentioned. If I hadn’t gone to see that play back in school and hadn’t met Shen Gujiu, we might… have been together a long time ago.”
You Shulang lowered his eyes and subconsciously reached for his cigarette, but after hearing the children’s laughter in the square, he put the cigarette back in his pocket.
“How is he now, Shen Gujiu?”
“We broke up a year ago, and judging from his social media posts, he seems to be doing well.”
You Shulang nodded: “Later I heard from my classmates that… there were a few times when you guys had pretty serious arguments.”
Fan Qinghong wiped her face: “Yes, our personalities are extremely incompatible. I felt very tired and depressed when I was with him. I brought up breaking up twice, and he attempted suicide twice. Later, I didn’t dare to bring it up anymore. I thought I would just live like this, torturing each other.”
“Why did they break up again later?” You Shulang asked.
Fan Qinghong smiled bitterly: “I don’t know either. One day he suddenly came to me and said, ‘Let’s break up. He doesn’t love me anymore.’ He moved out the next day. After that, I could only see him on social media, posting pictures of food, scenery, and his new love. When we were together, he would go out with those ambiguous relationships and had to go through a lot of trouble to hide it from me. Now he doesn’t need to. He can do whatever he wants without having to go to great lengths to lie.”
Pigeons cooed and circled around my feet as they foraged for food. The sun began to set, casting a new angle in the west. The water jets in the fountain gradually weakened, and it would be forty-five minutes before the next fountain cycle started.
After a long silence, Fan Qinghong composed herself, her eyes softening, and continued the initial topic: “Shulang, we…”
“Qinghong, so many years have passed. The youthful feelings we once had are long gone.” You Shulang looked at the minute hand of the huge clock in the distance, which had moved to a new mark. “Time moves forward, and so do we. We may not be able to get along now. Besides, I’m tired and don’t want to start a new relationship anytime soon.”
“But I still want to thank you,” You Shulang said gratefully, “for reaching out to me when I was most helpless.”
The light in Fan Qinghong’s eyes dimmed slowly, but then rekindled in the next moment: “No rush, take your time to adjust your mindset. I can wait for you, as long as it takes. I’m not putting pressure on you, I just want you to move on, so could you consider me and give me a chance?”
Time isn’t always all-powerful; for example, it might not be able to take away the earliest, purest feelings of excitement…
Under the sunlight, the high-end leather shoes reflected a dazzling light, their footsteps echoing on the marble tiles of the square, creating a discordant melody amidst the peaceful atmosphere.
With measured steps, he moved forward, chasing away the plump pigeons. Backlit by the sun, casting shadows, he parted his lips and called out, “Director You.”
You Shulang suddenly looked up and found Fan Xiao standing in front of him!
He had lost a lot of weight, his eyes were dark and swollen, and a cold mist lingered in his eyes. A white gauze was wrapped around his forehead.
At this moment, Fan Xiao was no longer wearing that gentle and polite facade; he was sinister, like a battle-damaged messenger from hell.
“What are you doing here?” Fan Qinghong stood up first and stood in front of You Shulang to protect him.
Fan Xiao ignored Fan Qinghong’s words and continued to look at You Shulang: “Shulang, you haven’t been home for four days. I’ve come to pick you up and take you home.”
“No need,” Fan Qinghong said again. “Shulang will be living at my house from now on.”
Fan Xiao finally looked at Fan Qinghong properly: “Your home? I’m You Shulang’s boyfriend, why should he go home with you?”
“Boyfriend? You’ve done so many things to hurt Shu Lang, and you still dare to call yourself his boyfriend?! I’m officially informing you that you’re no longer a couple. You Shu Lang, you’re with me!”
!!
You Shulang and Fan Xiao were both shocked, but the latter was more furious.
All three fell silent. In the bustling square, this was the only place so quiet it was impenetrable.
Fan Xiao was silent for a moment, then suddenly smiled: “Brother Fan, is that all you’ve got? You think I’ll believe you just because you told a few fabricated lies? That you’ll back down when things get tough?”
He pulled out some rouge from his pocket and chewed on it with his teeth: “You’ve been watching too many prime-time dramas, haven’t you, Brother Fan?”
With a cigarette dangling from his lips, he leaned down and grabbed You Shulang’s wrist, his voice sharp and stern: “Let’s go home.”
But he failed. You Shulang dodged to the side, and the severed wrist slipped from his hand.
You Shulang sprinkled the last bit of breadcrumbs from his fingertips onto a few pigeons still circling around his feet before calmly getting up from the bench.
He glanced at Fan Xiao and said coldly, “Take off your cigarette.”
Fan Xiao glanced at the children in the square, remembered You Shulang’s rules, and snatched the cigarette from his mouth, clutching it in his palm.
“I won’t go back with you.” You Shulang’s voice rang out again, its target extremely clear. “Fan Xiao, haven’t you gone crazy enough? When are you going to let me go?”
“Let him go?” Fan Xiao crushed the cigarette in his hand into an ugly ball. “You Shulang, don’t you understand? I love you! We’re going to be together forever!”
Before You Shulang could speak, Fan Qinghong grabbed his shoulder and glared at him angrily: “Your love is a threat? It’s about making him look bad in front of his classmates? Shulang is really unlucky to have fallen in love with you!”
Fan Xiao looked at the hand that was around You Shulang’s shoulder, his eyes growing darker and darker: “Let him go.”
His tone wasn’t harsh, yet it inexplicably conveyed a sense of oppression. Fan Xiao, with a bandage on his forehead, seemed devoid of any light in his pupils even standing in the bright sunlight.
You Shulang knew he was crazy and, fearing that innocent people might be harmed, he distanced himself from Fan Qinghong.
Unexpectedly, Fan Qinghong did not back down, but instead hugged You Shulang tightly.
“What if I don’t let go? I’ve heard that President Fan is quite capable, and anyone who gets in your way will suffer. I’d like to experience it for myself.”
In the cheerful central square, amidst plump pigeons and mischievous children, two tall men stand facing each other, ready to clash at any moment.
“I don’t have that kind of ability.” Fan Xiao raised his eyelids. “However, I just wanted to ask if Brother Fan knows Shen Gujiu.”
Fan Qinghong frowned suddenly: “What do you mean? I’ve already broken up with him!”
“That’s true. My ex-boyfriend, whom I’ve already broken up with, is seriously ill. I really shouldn’t be involved with him anymore.”
“What did you say? Who’s seriously ill?!” Fan Qinghong released You Shulang and grabbed Fan Xiao by the collar. “Explain yourself!”
“It’s a wonder you work at a medical school, how could you not notice your boyfriend’s health problems? At the Capital Bofa Hospital, in room 422, if you hadn’t been there any longer, you probably wouldn’t have seen him again.”
“You…you lied to me!”
Fan Xiao shoved Fan Qinghong aside and casually flicked his collar: “Whether I lied to you or not, you can verify it for yourself.”
Fan Qinghong stumbled and hurriedly walked towards the outside of the square. After a few steps, he stopped and turned to look at You Shulang.
“Go ahead.” You Shulang forced a smile and waved his hand. “I’m fine.”
As Fan Qinghong went further and further away, the once arrogant Fan Xiao became more and more cowardly. At this moment, he was like a helpless quail, only wanting to find a safe place to bury his head.
He dared not look at You Shulang’s cold and hard face, and tremblingly hugged him. When there was no objection, he lowered his head and buried his face in You Shulang’s neck.
“Director You, Fan Qinghong’s boyfriend is dying. If you don’t talk to me, your boyfriend will die too. My head hurts so much, I feel dizzy, and sometimes I feel nauseous. The doctor said I have a mild concussion.”
Before he could finish expressing his grievances, someone suddenly and forcefully pulled up the hair on the back of his head.
Looking at the man with his chin held high, You Shulang calmly said, “Fan Xiao, I have already foreseen our ending. If you don’t force me to my death, I will definitely kill you.”
