Chapter 36

The summertime heat had not yet passed, and the sunlight that hit the asphalt road still reflected a bright white, but the most unforgettable summer vacation of Fang Jianyuan's life was coming to an end.

In the afternoon, he sat alone in the grocery store, minding the counter. His mother had just gotten better but was already off playing mahjong next door. Even if no one played with her, she would insist on sitting there all afternoon.

Fang Jianyuan took a pen and casually scribbled random doodles on an old newspaper. This was when a woman came and announced that this beautiful summer vacation was over in advance.

The woman had shoulder-length hair and appeared to be twenty-seven or twenty-eight years old. She was not particularly beautiful, but she was tall and thin and wore a stylish white dress and had lipstick on.

She stood in front of the grocery store counter and asked Fang Jianyuan, "Little brother, does Yu Haiyang live here?"

Fang Jianyuan, who had been lying lazily on the counter, gradually straightened up. He stared at her and asked, "What are you here for?"

The woman was carrying a small red bag and a big one in her hand. She said, "I'm looking for him. Does he live here?"

Fang Jianyuan was still holding a pen in his hand. His eyelashes trembled unconsciously, "Who're you ah?"

The woman smiled and said, "I'm his wife."

Fang Jianyuan's ears rang, thinking that he didn't hear her words clearly, he asked again seriously, "Who are you?"

The woman probably thought he was a little silly. She raised her hand and grabbed the small bag on her shoulder and said, "I'm Yu Haiyang's wife. The address he gave me earlier is here. He said he rented a room. He lives here, right?"

On the display counter beside Fang Jianyuan, his image was reflected on the glass. The colour on his cheeks and lips paled in an instant. He didn't know what had stealthily wiped out all the sweat on his body, but he suddenly felt a little cold and unconsciously shivered.

He heard his own voice saying, "Oh, he lives here. On the third floor." But it didn't feel like he was the one speaking.

The woman entered the grocery store with her bags. "Then I'll go up to his room."

All of a sudden, Fang Jianyuan stood up and came out from behind the counter, blocking the woman. "He's not here right now. And how do I know that you're really his wife?" He stubbornly refused to admit it, nor did he want to let the woman in, even though he sounded like he was about to cry.

The woman gave him an odd look.

The sound of hurried footsteps came from outside. Yu Haiyang gasped roughly, drenched in sweat, as if he had run a long way. He came into the grocery store and grabbed the woman's wrist. "Why are you here?"

The woman replied, "Didn't I tell you I was coming?"

Panting, Yu Haiyang looked at Fang Jianyuan. He opened his mouth, but failed to speak, then swallowed another mouthful of saliva and said, "Xiao Yuan, this is my wife, Xu Jia. You can call her Jia jie."

Turning to his wife Xu Jia, he said, "The landlord's son, Xiao Yuan."

Xu Jia smiled and waved at Fang Jianyuan.

Fang Jianyuan didn't respond. He looked straight at Yu Haiyang, the corners of his eyes gradually turning red, and his eyes slowly grew from lifeless to vicious.

Yu Haiyang took the big bag from Xu Jia's hand, put his arms around her waist and urged her to walk inside. "Go to my room first."

Xu Jia followed him through the grocery store and walked over to the stairs. When they got to the second floor, Yu Haiyang stopped and handed the bag back to Xu Jia. "My room is on the third floor. The door isn't locked so go up first, I forgot something downstairs."

Xu Jia received the bag and said, "Hurry up."

Yu Haiyang turned and went back down, speeding up and running after turning a corner. He returned to the grocery store and saw that Fang Jianyuan was still standing in the same place, so he went over and hugged him.

On a summer afternoon, there were hardly any pedestrians on the street.

Fang Jianyuan was held in Yu Haiyang's arms. He was motionless at first, but after a while, he began to struggle violently.

Yu Haiyang tried to press his head on his shoulder, lowering his voice and saying, "Baby, don't worry, I'll explain it to you later."

Fang Jianyuan pushed him, his throat letting out a hoarse roar. He wasn't strong enough to push Yu Haiyang away, so he sank down so Yu Haiyang wouldn't be able to hold him.

Yu Haiyang could only grab his arm, trying to pull him back up.

Unexpectedly, Fang Jianyuan suddenly opened his mouth and bit Yu Haiyang's palm.

Yu Haiyang let out a pained groan, but he didn't push Fang Jianyuan away, still holding him with his other hand as he let Fan Jianyuan bite him.

It wasn't until blood flowed from Fang Jianyuan's lips that he slowly released his mouth.

Yu Haiyang couldn't hold Fang Jianyuan with one hand, letting him slide to the ground. He looked down at his bloody bitten palm.

Tears mixed with snot and blood from the corner of his mouth ran down. Fang Jianyuan's whole face was a total mess.

Yu Haiyang opened his mouth in pain and gasped for breath. He rummaged for a new roll of gauze from the counter, then opened it and wrapped it around his arms carelessly. After, he crouched down, stretching his arms under Fang Jianyuan's underarms, and lifted him from the ground, helping him sit on the chair.

There was still unused gauze on the counter. Yu Haiyang used his remaining hand to wipe at the blood and tears on Fang Jianyuan's face and said, "I have to go to the hospital. You take care of yourself. Don't let your mother–them–notice."

With that, he went to the head of the stairs and facing the upper floor, he shouted, "There's something going on in the factory. I have to go there right away." Without waiting for Xu Jia to respond, he hurried out of the grocery store, his hands covered with gauze, already soaked through with blood.

Fang Jianyuan remained still on the chair without saying a word.