Chapter Sixteen (Part 4): Heaven, Hell
Life went on as usual.
A cold rain brought the whole of Zhangzhou into the end of autumn. The morning after it fell, a layer of brittle ice already coated the roads.
They had originally said they would change the bed, but it had been dragged out for more than a month. Afterward, Lu Yin became busy. She went to Zhentian Entertainment City three or four times just by herself. Several styles were modified back and forth, and she personally handled every matter. Only when this batch of clothes finally went into production at the workshop did she at last breathe a sigh of relief.
This day, she finally had a day off. Half-asleep, she caught the faint aroma of food drifting to the tip of her nose. Her stomach obligingly rumbled, jolting her fully awake. Outside the window, the sunlight was bright, and the sun was already high in the sky.
Lu Yin moved, her lower back and abdomen aching, discomfort in her lower body, with a faint flow of liquid. Lu Qiang had not returned home for days. Having only just been made legitimate, he was even more brazen about shamelessly staying at her place and refusing to leave. Their after-meal exercise was usually in bed. Having gotten a taste for it, he was unrestrained when it came to sex. Even though he tried his best to take her feelings into consideration, it was still a little more than she could handle.
Lu Qiang had completely refreshed her understanding of this aspect of things. Her only previous experience had been with Liu Zecheng during their final two years together. Liu Zecheng had never been particularly enthusiastic about sex, much less willing to spend twice the effort on his partner. Every time, he only cared about himself and hastily got it over with. There had been a time when Lu Yin was extremely resistant to getting intimate with him. Liu Zecheng did not force her either. Sometimes they would not do it even once in an entire month. Over time, she came to believe that this was how couples were supposed to be: calm as still water, mutually sustaining, emotional communication more important than anything else...
But ironically, in the end, all that communication had produced was an affair.
Then she met an old hand like this, someone who had originally been on a completely different path from her, yet through a twist of fate, they ended up together. She had feared him, been afraid of him, until finally she bravely stood at his side. Sometimes, when she looked back on it, it still felt like a dream, unreal and hazy. Fortunately, the feeling was not too bad. He was rough with himself, yet had begun learning how to take care of other people. Once accustomed to being waited on by others, he had now turned around and begun serving someone else, occasionally clumsy, yet taking endless pleasure in it...
Lu Yin's thoughts were pulled back by a crisp sound. The kitchen was quiet for a moment, followed by the sound of dishes being picked up. She turned over, and more liquid flowed out. She reached down to check, only to discover that her old friend, a week late, had finally come to visit. The discomfort in her body was caused by her period after all.
Lu Yin let out a breath. Her uneasy heart finally relaxed, though a faint trace of sadness and anxiety remained. Lu Qiang liked zero-contact sex, only agreeing to take precautions at the very last moment. There was always the possibility of an accident, yet after so many times, no accident had happened. She thought of Liu Zecheng's child and that heavily pregnant woman, and something stabbed hard into her chest, making her mood grow heavier.
She leaned over to pick up her pajamas, wanting to go to the bathroom and clean herself up. Before she could reach them, footsteps sounded outside the bedroom. Lu Yin instinctively and swiftly lay back down, closed her eyes, and pulled the blanket over her chest.
Before long, the bedroom door opened softly. Lu Qiang walked in, and the mattress sank slightly beside her. He pinched her cheek, but she continued sleeping soundly. Just as Lu Qiang was about to get up, the sunlight outside favored the person on the bed. The bare branches cast shadows, dividing the light into scattered patches that mischievously danced across her face. Her thick eyelashes trembled, and her eyes shifted slightly.
Lu Qiang smiled. A mischievous impulse arose in him, and he sat back down steadily, leaning over to kiss her. His lips and teeth nibbled at her lower lip, the tip of his tongue curling around and lightly pressing against it, attempting to pry open her teeth and force its way inside. Their lips remained tightly joined at every inch, leaving no gap between them as they exchanged breaths. She gradually ran out of breath. Having endured to her limit, her eyes rolled around nonstop.
Amused, Lu Qiang pinched her nose.
Lu Yin turned over, trying to use the movement to evade his harassment. She stretched her waist before opening her hazy eyes. “What time is it?”
Lu Qiang did not call her out. “Did I wake you?”
Lu Yin blinked. “No. I slept really well.”
“I just broke a bowl.”
“Broken things bring peace.” Lu Yin looked at him and smiled. The sunlight was tranquil and lovely, making her smile exceptionally gentle. “What did you make?”
“Oatmeal porridge and fried eggs with ham.” He kissed her. “I was the one putting in the effort last night. All you had to do was lie there and moan, and afterward I still had to wait on you. Sleeping until the sun hits your ass, isn't that great?”
Lu Yin covered that annoying mouth of his, stopping him from talking. “I'm going to take a shower.”
Lu Qiang turned his head away. “I'll carry you over.” With one hand, he pulled back the blanket. “Buy a bed as soon as you finish eating. My waist hurts from sleeping on this one.”
“No, no, I can do it myself...”
Before she could stop him, Lu Qiang had already seen the bloodstain on the bedsheet. His mind went blank. “...I did that?”
Lu Yin was embarrassed. “No.”
He thought for a moment. “Then your period came?”
She gave a muffled “Mm” and pulled her pajamas onto herself.
Lu Qiang was still standing there. He looked at her for a moment, then hooked a finger against his forehead. “What do you need me to do?”
“Get out first.” She glared at him. “And close the door behind you.”
Lu Qiang gave a snort of laughter and turned to walk out. Halfway there, she called him back. Lu Yin pursed her lips. “Let me tell you something funny.”
He raised an eyebrow and returned to sit at the edge of the bed.
Lu Yin gathered her words. “I saw it in the newspaper. It said there was a married couple who had been married for many years without having a child. The mother-in-law was anxious to hold a grandson and thought her daughter-in-law couldn't have children, so she encouraged her son to borrow another woman's womb to have a child. And the daughter-in-law actually agreed... Isn't that funny?”
“Not funny.”
“...”
Lu Qiang looked at her. “That useless bastard had an affair just because of this?”
“I saw it in the newspaper.” Lu Yin tugged at the corner of her clothes. “I'm not talking about myself.”
“Is that so?”
“...Yes.” She paused for a moment. “You knew?”
“Old Li told me.”
“...”
Lu Yin simply asked outright, “Then do you mind if we don't have children?”
“I mind.”
Her breathing caught. Lu Qiang said, “Our bloodline has to continue.”
“There might be something wrong with my body.”
“Who has a problem is still unknown. My genes are strong. Every one of them will be fighting to get in. When the time comes, we'll do it a few more times and there'll be one. You don't need to worry about this.”
The more he talked, the more improper he became. Lu Yin's expression turned serious. “What if there isn't one?”
“Then we'll find someone to lend us her womb and have a child.”
“...Get out.” Lu Yin's eyes reddened. The matter that had always bothered her had been treated by him as a joke, her pain disregarded and turned into his teasing. Lu Yin's expression darkened. She dressed on her own and stopped paying him any attention.
Lu Qiang came closer. “It's a fucking tiny matter, what are you making a fuss about? You couldn't tell I was teasing you? Even the most goddamn beast of a man couldn't do what he did. Medicine is advanced nowadays. There are infertility specialists everywhere. If all else fails, IVF. Adopt ten or eight children from an orphanage. There are plenty of ways. Why are you sitting here worrying yourself sick over nothing?”
Lu Yin sniffed. “Do you really mean that?”
“I do.” Lu Qiang gazed at her for a long while and kissed the tip of her nose. “I won't lie to you. At any time, you can trust me.”
Lu Yin punched him once and finally smiled. The sensitivity and suspicion in her heart, along with her uncontrollable worrying over nothing and tendency toward melancholy, had been eased considerably by his words. The chest before her was broad and warm. She felt incomparably safe and at peace.
Lu Yin smiled, tapped his forehead, and asked lightly, “Then tell me, how did you get this scar?”
Lu Qiang's eyes darkened. After a moment, he said, “Cut it myself.”
Lu Yin gave a “Tch.” “And you said you wouldn't lie to me.”
“I didn't lie to you.”
He used to run with the underworld crowd, so who knew which time he'd gotten hurt in a brawl. Lu Yin did not take it seriously and simply treated it as a joke. She pulled on her pants. “I must've gone stupid listening to you brag. Only an idiot would dare do something like that. I'm going to take a shower.”
Lu Yin pattered off to the bathroom. Lu Qiang watched her back until she disappeared, only then raising his hand and touching the scar.
***
By the time the two of them left the house, it was already afternoon. There was an IKEA and a Red Star Macalline nearby, only a ten-minute drive away.
Lu Yin picked out styles and compared prices. Lu Qiang did not care about any of that. He first tested the softness, firmness, and springiness. After buying the bed, they simply replaced the wardrobe and curtains as well. Lu Yin chose everything meticulously, spending the entire afternoon in the shopping mall. By the time they came out, dusk had already fallen.
She was feeling unwell, while Lu Qiang could only manage simple food, so they simply ate outside.
Lu Yin drove while Lu Qiang looked from side to side. “What do you want to eat?”
“Anything is fine.”
“How about hotpot?”
“Sure.”
Lu Qiang lowered the car window. “Find somewhere to park on the right. There's one up ahead.”
Lu Yin followed his directions, slowing down and signaling right. A ringtone sounded inside the car. It was Lu Qiang's phone.
He smiled and answered. “Genzi, what's up? You need your brother for something?”
Whoever was on the other end said something. Lu Qiang glanced to the side. “Another day. I don't have time today.”
Genzi said, “You're with sister-in-law? Perfect. Let a few of us meet big sister-in-law.”
“Fuck off.” Lu Qiang lit a cigarette. “You guys are a bunch of unruly idiots. She's shy. You'll scare her.”
“Ooh, look at you protecting her.” It was obviously not just one person on the other end. Kun Dong leaned toward the phone. “Qiang-ge, how long has it been since we had a drink with you? The brothers have been missing you. It's really not specifically to meet sister-in-law. Just take advantage of today.”
“Fuck off, fuck off.” Lu Qiang cursed with a laugh. “Go stay wherever it's cool. Don't ruin my mood.”
Lu Qiang flicked the ash out the window. They were still shouting on the other end, so he simply hung up. He glanced to the side. Lu Yin was watching him intently. Lu Qiang jumped. “What are you doing?”
“Listening to you talk on the phone.”
“You heard all that?” Lu Yin nodded. He glanced outside. “Find somewhere to park.”
Lu Yin looked a little dazed. “Oh.”
Lu Qiang got out of the car ahead of time and waited for her by the roadside, watching as she slowly backed the car into a parking space.
They chose a popular restaurant, which was packed with people. As luck would have it, a table had just opened up. Once the waiter finished clearing it, they sat by the window. The window was broad, with a layer of heat misting the glass, and through it they could vaguely see the crowds passing outside.
Lu Yin withdrew her gaze. “Invite your friends to come over.”
Lu Qiang was flipping through the menu. He looked up at her, then lowered his gaze again. “Are you messing with me?”
“No.” Lu Yin said, “You should let me meet your friends eventually. And Ye Fan too. She's my only friend in Zhangzhou. We should have a meal together someday.”
“Seriously?”
Lu Yin gave a quiet “Mm.”
“Those guys are all no good.”
She propped her chin on her hand. “Compared with you?”
At those words, his hand stopped. He narrowed his eyes at her. The cigarette was still hanging crookedly from his mouth, with only one last puff left. He inhaled, then pinched it between two fingers and crushed it out in the ashtray. His dark, heavy gaze fell on her.
“Your skin's getting tight again. Need some discipline?”
Lu Yin glared at him.
He casually turned another page of the menu and teased her. “When you were begging me, you kept calling me a good man. Don't know anymore? Whether I'm any good or not, you'll find out tonight.”
“Don't mess around.” Lu Yin's body instantly tensed. She glanced at the waiter beside them and whispered, “I'm not convenient...”
Lu Qiang laughed. His gaze followed the menu down to her hands. Her fair hands were clasped tightly together at the corner of the table, delicate and soft, as though carrying their own warmth. His gaze lingered for only an instant before finding her lips, small and thin, with a little fleshy point in the middle. Her white teeth showed only halfway, and because of her period, her lips were slightly pale. He thought to himself that they could go somewhere else, but he did not dare actually say it.
His eyes narrowed slightly, and he turned his gaze away. “When the time comes and they tease you, don't cry. I can't afford to lose that face.”
Lu Yin said sullenly, “It's not as exaggerated as you make it sound.”
They had already been inside for a full fifteen minutes, and Lu Qiang had done nothing but flirt with her without ordering a single dish.
The waiter was growing impatient. “Why don't you order in a little while?”
Lu Qiang swept him a glance. “Order now.”
He finished ordering the dishes in a few quick motions, then actually made a phone call.
The few of them came faster than if they had flown, arriving in ten minutes. The moment they met, they all called out in unison, “Sister-in-law,” and Lu Yin's face inevitably reddened.
Genzi and the others were surprisingly well-behaved. They did not swear recklessly, much less dare to make suggestive remarks. Their table manners were impeccable. Even when drinking, they only took small sips.
Lu Qiang knew Lu Yin's tolerance for alcohol and poured her half a small glass of baijiu. With the hotpot warming her up, she soon worked up a thin sheen of sweat, and even the discomfort in her abdomen eased considerably.
Halfway through the meal, Lu Yin went to the restroom. The moment she left her seat, the shoulders of those men immediately sagged, each one reverting to his true self. Kun Dong stood up and fished several mouthfuls from the pot with his chopsticks, huffing and wolfing them down.
Da Long hurriedly lit a cigarette. “Fuck, I didn't even dare breathe too loudly.”
Lu Qiang sat across from him and viciously kicked him twice under the table, the chair scraping against the floor with an ear-piercing sound.
The cigarette fell onto Da Long's hand. He cried out and slapped it away, baring his teeth in pain. “Why the hell are you kicking me, Qiang-ge?”
Lu Qiang pointed at him. “Keep staring at her like that and see if I don't dig your eyes out.”
“I wasn't looking.” Da Long stiffened his neck and put the cigarette back between his lips. “But, Qiang-ge, where'd you find such a soft little chick?”
Lu Qiang gave him a murderous look. Genzi immediately stood up and hit him. “Shut the fuck up already. Are you tired of living?”
Da Long ducked backward. “Fine, I won't say anything... Hehe, I'm smoking, smoking.”
Genzi put down his chopsticks, lit Lu Qiang's cigarette, then lit one for himself. “Ge, serious this time?”
Lu Qiang glanced at him. “You little monkey, what do you know about whether it's serious or not?”
“I know.” Genzi grinned. “Just like me and Li Qing.”
Lu Qiang kicked him.
Genzi dodged and hurriedly explained, “I'm not saying sister-in-law is like Li Qing, ge. It's a metaphor for the feelings between us.”
The other two started gagging. “Who are you trying to disgust?”
Genzi's face turned bright red. “Anyway, I can tell now that our boss didn't choose this girl wrong.”
Lu Qiang did not answer either. He merely curled his lips and glanced toward the window.
The fire beneath their pot had gone out, and much of the steam had dissipated. Outside the window, people passed by in sparse clusters. Before long, a pair of figures seemingly struggling with each other entered his field of vision. He watched for a while, and his eyes gradually darkened.
The others at the table noticed as well and, without exception, looked over.
Outside the window stood a tall figure. A black coat wrapped around his sturdy body, his lips pressed tightly together and his features cold and severe. In front of him stood a petite woman with a short bob brushing her ears. She was exceedingly delicate-looking, a red padded coat covering her chin. She clutched her backpack tightly, yet her eyes were filled with resentment.
She moved one step to the left, and he stepped back to block her. She moved to the right, and he stretched out an arm and pulled her back.
He said something, then turned as if to leave. The big man hooked an arm around her waist, trapping her entire body against him, and dragged her toward a car in the distance. The woman beat at him and struggled, but it had no effect whatsoever.
The car's taillights flashed. The black car drove off for a stretch, tracing an arc onto the main road. Before long, its rear end jerked and it stopped sideways. A slender figure jumped out from inside and quickly disappeared into the darkness.
The car remained there for a long time before finally kicking up dust and driving away.
Silence descended over their side of the table. No one made a fuss anymore. Kun Dong also put down his bowl and chopsticks. After a long while, Genzi finally ventured to ask, “Ge, Qiu Zhen came back?”
Lu Qiang withdrew his gaze. His cigarette had burned to the end, a section of ash falling onto the corner of the table. He crushed it out directly. “Qiu Shizu came looking for me before. I saw him once.”
“She was Wu Qiong, right? That girl from back then.”
Lu Qiang said, “Yes.”
“I heard they were university classmates.” Genzi said, “About what happened back then... sigh... how did they end up tangled together again?”
Lu Qiang said nothing and lit another cigarette.
“He's been following you around since he was little. You really were good to him.” Genzi looked at him. “Ge, what are you thinking now?”
Lu Qiang said, “Nothing.”
“Then has he come looking for you?”
“No.”
Genzi thought of something and suddenly looked startled. He raised his head and glanced at Da Long, then at Kun Dong, and only afterward turned his gaze toward Lu Qiang.
“Ge.”
“Hmm?”
“That thing... have you told sister-in-law about it?”
After a long silence, Lu Qiang slowly inhaled and exhaled. The smoke made him narrow his eyes. He raised a hand and waved it away.
There was no one left outside the window. The streetlights stained half the sky with their glow, while the upper reaches remained pitch-black. No moon, no stars.
Lu Qiang said, “No.”
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