Chapter 10

That night, perhaps because he had drunk alcohol, Fang Yu spoke a lot.

Da Hu and Glasses were Fang Yu’s childhood friends. From elementary school to middle school, they were classmates. They had grown up together.

The year that Da Hu committed the crime, just happened to be during the crackdown.

Da Hu had killed someone.

The person he killed was the son of a government official. That man saw Da Hu’s older sister in a restaurant, where she worked as a waitress. He locked Da Hu’s older sister in a private room. After drugging her, he raped her, and then told her who he was, who his father was, that she could report him wherever she wanted, and then swaggered off.

Da Hu’s older sister stopped going to work. She was completely out of it. When she saw anyone, she would scream hysterically. Later, she went out to the streets one day and never returned.

Da Hu’s parents appealed to government officials, but there was no response at all. They appealed to higher authorities, but were sent out the door again and again.

When that person was picking up his car from the parking lot, Da Hu went to argue with him. That person pulled out a knife. As the two people fought, Da Hu made a mistake and stabbed the knife into his body.

After Da Hu was arrested, many people said there wouldn’t be a heavy sentence. The court would consider the motive for the murder during sentencing. Da Hu had done away with evil for the people.

Before Da Hu was taken away, he told his mom that he believed there was justice in the world. He would return.

The verdict came out: the death penalty. Moreover, it was set as a model case for the crackdown.

Before Da Hu was shot dead, Fang Yu went to see him one last time. Da Hu only said one sentence: “I don’t accept.”

Fang Yu didn’t speak. He raised his head and drank, his throat moving rapidly.

Yang Lei kept listening silently.

“Da Hu has the kindest heart out of the three of us. When an elderly person fell, he would help them up, and he was tricked. He would still help them up the next time they fell,” Fang Yu said.

“He picked up many cats, feral cats. He built them homes and gave them food and water. If a cat died, he would shed tears. Fuck…” Fang Yu laughed. “He was like a girl.”

Yang Lei looked at Fang Yu silently. He couldn’t help but take the beer bottle away from his mouth.

“Don’t drink anymore.”

“I really don’t fucking understand.” Fang Yu had really drunk too much. He stared at Yang Lei.

“Should he have died??”

This was an unanswerable question. Yang Lei knew, and Fang Yu also knew.

“From then on, I knew this world’s truth and justice are only in the hands of a few people. Fists, knives, and guns can’t produce justice.”

Fang Yu was silent for a long time. He said, “I’m not saying any more. Drink.”

Yang Lei touched his bottle against the bottle Fang Yu passed over. Fang Yu raised his head. In the darkness, Yang Lei watched him rapidly drink. Only after finishing all the alcohol inside, did he put down the beer bottle.

Fang Yu didn’t speak again for a long time.

Under the moonlight, Yang Lei watched in shock as Fang Yu shed tears.

He watched Fang Yu dazedly. He hadn’t thought that a tough man like Fang Yu would also shed tears.

The moonlight shone on Fang Yu’s handsome face, reflecting the quietly glistening tears in his eyes. Under the moonlight, the hidden tears on Fang Yu’s pale face seemed to hit Yang Lei’s heart like lightning.

Yang Lei’s heart suddenly tightened.

He had never known that watching someone shed tears would shock him this much.

“Fang Yu…”

Yang Lei called him in a low voice.

Fang Yu realized, turning his face over. He forcefully wiped away his tears.

“Drink.”

Fang Yu’s voice was hoarse. He picked up the bottle.

Yang Lei didn’t take a bottle. He reached out his hand, put it on Fang Yu’s shoulder, bringing him towards himself.

“…It’s all in the past, don’t think about it,” Yang Lei said, forcefully tightening his hand on Fang Yu’s shoulder.

“Don’t think about it, it’s in the past…”

Fang Yu closed his eyes, resting his weight on Yang Lei’s arm. He silently brought the mouth of the beer bottle to his lips.

That night, they sat on the terrace until dawn. Fang Yu drank until he later fell asleep.

Yang Lei kept holding him. A sleeping Fang Yu seemed like a quiet child.

The next day, Fang Yu asked Yang Lei, “When did we stop drinking last night?”

“Your alcohol tolerance is too low. Just a few bottles of beer knocked you out. You didn’t even know that I carried you back.”

Yang Lei said.

“How did I get back?”

“You were carried back! Like carrying a girl!” Yang Lei emphasized each word.

“Fuck!”

Fang Yu’s expression was strange and cute. Yang Lei couldn’t help but laugh loudly.

Neither of them ever brought up that night again.