“No,” I said in a hoarse voice, wiping my tears and snot on Qu Ling’s shoulder, “I came by train, in a soft sleeper.”
Qu Ling burst out laughing, reached out and pressed my head into her arms, hugging me tightly.
Neither of them spoke, they just hugged each other tightly. After a while, I felt I was holding my breath to the extreme, so I moved slightly, moved my nose from Qu Ling's embrace to her shoulder and took a deep breath, then pulled it back to continue holding my breath.
Although my movement was slight, Qu Ling seemed to be startled awake. He suddenly released me and exclaimed, "Damn it! He got away!"
"Huh?" I was still basking in the joy of our reunion and had no idea what was going on. Qu Ling stood up and ran out. I rubbed my eyes and then remembered that there was someone else in the room, but that person was gone. Without thinking, I ran after her.
I hadn't run more than a few steps when I arrived at the hospital center and witnessed a human tragedy.
Grandpa Fang chased after the person who had been talking to Qu Ling in the house, wielding a large wooden stick and beating him mercilessly. The person had already been hit many times and was being chased up and down, screaming incessantly.
"Dad! Calm down! Calm down!"
"You little rascal, you think you're so loyal? You want to help Yang Zhe cover up the truth? Let me tell you, if you don't reveal the whereabouts of Yang Zhe and those eight hundred million, I'll make sure your blood is spilled right here today!"
Qu Ling breathed a sigh of relief when he saw that the man hadn't run away. Instead of chasing after him, he pulled Old Master Fang aside and advised, "Old Master Fang, don't get angry. If you really kill him, then no one will be able to get those eight hundred million back, and my father will never be able to clear his name."
Grandpa Fang, panting heavily, brandished his cane and said angrily, "That brat and Yang Zhe committed such a disaster together, even harming your father. How can I face your grandfather?"
Qu Ling comforted Old Master Fang and helped him sit down on the stone bench, but her eyes never left the guy who was ready to run out the door at any moment.
Seeing that guy moving along the courtyard wall and getting closer and closer to the gate, I grabbed the watering can from the pine tree and rushed to his side, pouring it over his head.
A large pot of ice-cold water was poured over his head, making him scream in pain. After thumping twice on the spot, he didn't dare to run outside anymore and rushed into the house to take off his clothes.
Grandpa Fang and Qu Ling were both stunned. I stood by the gate with the empty kettle in my hand and smiled brightly, "See? No need to hit or scold, they obediently went home. My trick works, doesn't it!"
"Pfft—" Old Master Fang couldn't catch his breath and laughed so hard he almost passed out. Qu Ling probably thought this scene was too farcical, so she shook her head helplessly at me and helped Old Master Fang into the house first.
After locking the gate and checking it inside and out several times, I followed them into the house.
****
The room was heated, and I was still hot even though I was wearing a sweater. The gentleman I had watered like a flower was shivering under a thick quilt.
Later I learned that this gentleman's name was Fang Luo, and he was Mr. Fang's youngest son. He was probably a late-born child, and he was spoiled rotten from a young age. It was inevitable that he was arrogant and pampered, a typical son of a high-ranking official.
Mr. Fang and Grandpa Qu were sworn brothers, their relationship so strong it could be said they would exchange blood for each other. It's estimated they saved each other's lives on the battlefield. Whenever Mr. Fang mentions Grandpa Qu, he gets teary-eyed, beats his chest, and apologizes to his old brother.
I don't know the whole story, but I can guess about 80-90% of it from their conversation. If I'm not mistaken, the incident was caused by Fang Luo and another high-ranking official's son named Yang Zhe.
Fang Luo and Yang Zhe, the two young masters, also joined the army, but instead of staying in Beijing, they insisted on setting up a trading company in H City in the southeast. This company had quite a background, with the military as its backing, and the commander of the military district in H City was Qu Ba, a close friend of Fang Luo's father. The company, established for only a year, was thriving. As is typical in business, large-scale operations inevitably involve dealing with the government, so Fang and Yang sought out Mayor Qu, taking advantage of his influence to benefit from his connections.
Whether Fang Luo and Yang Zhe had planned it all along or it just started slowly, they eventually got bored with doing legitimate business and started smuggling.
In my estimation, these two must have planned this all along. H City is near the sea, and many smuggled goods enter the country through there. The fact that they traveled so far to register a company shows they were already planning something shady. These two didn't make a lot of money; I heard they only had 800 million yuan in their accounts before the incident. After the incident, the company's legal representative, Yang Zhe, vanished with the 800 million yuan, and Fang Luo also disappeared without a trace. Mayor Qu, a shrewd man known for his iron-fisted approach, was somehow ensnared by these two. Before he could even defend himself, he was placed under investigation.
After everything that's happened, I understand what kind of person Qu Ling is. How could he just stand by and watch his father be wronged? The Qu family has been a powerful force in H City for over a decade; they've always been the ones to scheme against others, never the ones to be schemed against. This time, they've been so badly wronged. If they don't fight back with all their might, the Qu family is probably finished.
Qu Ling somehow learned the inside story. When he rushed north to Old Master Fang's house, Fang Luo was hiding in his family's air-raid shelter. Fang Luo recognized Qu Ling, but thought to himself, "He's just a math student, not a politician. What could he possibly know?" He had underestimated this younger member of the Qu family. Old Master Fang was unaware of what had happened in the south, simply believing his youngest son had suddenly changed his ways and returned home to reform. Only when Qu Ling came knocking did he learn that his unfilial son had committed such a heinous crime and caused such a terrible disaster.
Old Master Fang's network of connections was not to be underestimated; it was well-connected both above and below. The matter gradually faded away, but the higher-ups said that everything else was negotiable, but the 800 million yuan had to be recovered. Regardless of whether the company was operating under the military's name or not, the money it earned was still the military's money.
Qu Ling thought Fang Luo would obediently reveal the 800 million yuan and Yang Zhe's whereabouts, but Fang Luo seemed to be having some kind of mental block and refused to say anything. Qu Ling was anxious. As long as the 800 million yuan wasn't recovered, the higher-ups wouldn't let up on the case, and his father would be stuck in that living prison under investigation. The Qu family had offended many people over the years, and now the line of people waiting to kick them while they were down could probably stretch across the canal.
Grandpa Fang planned to use ten cruel tortures to force Fang Luo to confess. His first torture method was: beating with a stick! The second was: a forceful beating with a stick! The third was: a brutal beating with a stick! ...
In other words, besides beating his son with a stick, he didn't have any more effective methods like pricking his fingers with bamboo needles or sitting on a tiger bench.
Qu Ling saw that the beatings were too brutal. Fang Luo fainted after every three blows, and when he woke up, he refused to talk, so he was beaten again, only to faint again. At this rate, even if Fang Luo was beaten to death, they might not be able to find out the whereabouts of the eight hundred million. He quickly pulled the old man aside and asked him to hand Fang Luo over to him, saying that he had a way to force Fang Luo to talk.
Qu Ling wasn't particularly violent, but he was very skilled at mental torture. He demanded that Old Master Fang lock him and Fang Luo together in the basement, thinking he would find a way to slowly get Fang Luo to talk.
Unexpectedly, Fang Luo, who seemed like just a spoiled brat, was actually very loyal and valued Yang Zhe more than his own father. No matter how much Qu Ling mentally tormented him, he always managed to swallow back the words that were about to come out. When I barged into the basement, Qu Ling was having her routine afternoon heart-to-heart talk with him. They talked every day, all the time, she wasn't afraid of talking him to death.
At this moment, Fang Luo was huddled on the edge of the sofa, shivering, wrapped in a quilt. I looked him over carefully; he was only about thirty-five years old, with a fairly handsome face. I guess he would have looked quite imposing in his military uniform. It's a pity he's so wicked, actually causing trouble for the Qu family and making Qu Ling suffer so much! Looking at him, I couldn't help but grind my teeth. Hmph, Fang Luo, if you continue to be so stubborn, don't blame me, Su Yuanyuan! Hmph, I subconsciously clenched my fist, ready to beat you to a pulp!
Qu Ling took Fang Luo back to the basement, intending to continue his mental torture. As Fang Luo was forcibly dragged into the basement wrapped in a blanket, she clung tightly to the doorknob, her face deathly pale, her eyes filled with terror as she looked at Qu Ling.
I think that Dean Qu's mental torment must have involved decades of his hard work in studying mathematics, otherwise how could he have scared someone like that?
On the other hand, Fang Luo is really tight-lipped, not letting go even when he's so scared.
***
Delivering meals to Qu Ling and Fang Luo, who were like enemies in the basement but had no choice but to share a room with each other, became part of my daily work.
Qu Ling tried all sorts of ways to torture him, such as starvation, intimidation, and nagging like Tang Sanzang. Fang Luo's face turned ashen, and his eyes were dark-rimmed. He was almost driven to the brink of insanity, but he just wouldn't say a word.
If this continues, Fang Luo might not develop a mental illness, but Qu Ling will probably do so first.
Torturing Fang Luo was also torturing Qu Ling himself. Because he locked himself in a small, dark room where sunlight never reached, his face was pale and his body thin. Every time I saw him sitting hunched over in a corner of the room, smoking a cigarette, racking his brains for a way to get Fang Luo to talk, my heart ached terribly.
Who exactly is Yang Zhe? How could Fang Luo keep such a tight-lipped secret about him?
I thought about this question all day long. It wasn't until I went to Fang Luo's room and accidentally discovered his laptop hidden in the closet that the answer finally came to light.
Fang Luo's MSN is set to log in automatically, so it logs in as soon as I turn on my computer. A short while after booting up, a dialog box pops up on MSN.
Shen Tong Tiandi: "Fang Luo! Where have you been these past few days? Why haven't I heard from you at all? I'm very worried!"
Who is this "Divine Power of Heaven and Earth"? Should I answer? After thinking for a moment, I typed something on the keyboard.
Eternal Elegance: "I was sick and stayed in bed for a few days, but I'm much better now."
Fang Luo's MSN name is really nasty: "Eternal Splendor"? He must have read too many martial arts novels.