Chapter 421

To avoid frightening the hospital's cats and dogs, the children, elderly, and beautiful nurse girls. As soon as I shaved my head, I bought a big hat and put it on my head. The next day, when I went to visit Pangzi on his sickbed, I was inevitably teased by him again.

Suppressing the urge to beat this scoundrel badly, I left his ward. However, this scoundrel's days weren't easy either. Little Fat still seemed to remember the scene of him being struck by lightning, and from time to time would run over to fight him fiercely, preventing him from resting while recovering.

Immediately after, I went to the orthopedics department to visit Fan Wuchang.

Although Fan Wuchang's physique is much better than an ordinary person's, if it were anyone else—even if you were a top-tier special forces soldier—first being stabbed in the abdomen, then immediately suffering a penetrating wound to the chest, surviving would already be a miracle; without a hundred days, one absolutely cannot bounce around like a normal person.

When I went to visit Fan Wuchang, his whole body was wrapped in thick bandages. Fan Wuchang's mood seemed not good; he looked worried and his face had grown much thinner.

Having gotten along with him for so long, I naturally know what he's worried about. He's worried about Chen Zheng and Dong Yumin. Of course, this is also what we all worry about.

After leaving his ward, I immediately went to the eleventh floor. Dong Yumin was the most severely injured among everyone, and due to being corroded by gu worms, the toxicity on her body was extremely fierce, so the hospital listed her as a critical patient—not only placing her in the emergency room but also isolating her from the outside world. Apart from doctors, no one is allowed to visit her; even doctors must wear masks and protective gear before entering.

This reason starts from when Dong Yumin was first admitted to the hospital.

When Dong Yumin was first sent to the hospital, a terribly unlucky white coat got stained with her blood; afterwards, that unfortunate old doctor lay on the operating table, being rescued by his colleagues for several days, and even now he still lies half-dead on the hospital bed.

After that, the hospital listed Dong Yumin as a critical patient and also as a high-risk individual. Apart from QingSongShu and Chen Zheng, who could walk in as if nothing were wrong, the rest of the doctors and nurses, upon entering this ward, were extremely cautious, trembling as if going to the battlefield to die.

Due to the hospital's strong demands, even Chen Zheng could not stay long in the ward to accompany Dong Yumin. If one wanted to see Dong Yumin, they could only observe through the ward's high-definition camera; unless necessary, they would not enter that ward.

When I arrived at the thirteenth floor's ICU, Chen Zheng was guarding in front of the small TV with a weary face. The small TV's screen showed only a frail woman lying on a hospital bed… that was Dong Yumin.

Upon seeing me enter, Chen Zheng gave me an apologetic smile, then turned his body and continued to gaze affectionately at the screen showing his wife.

On the small TV's table, three ashtrays were filled with cigarette butts, and the room was filled with a heavy smoke smell. Besides, there were several meal boxes and cigarettes; from these things one can imagine how agonizing Chen Zheng's days have been, and how long he has been keeping watch in this small room.

Chen Zheng might still feel guilty, but I don't hate him either; for everyone's sake not to be unhappy, I pretended to forget the past, sat down slowly beside him, lit a cigarette and smoked with him, neither of us speaking, unusually tranquil.

I couldn't bear to disturb him, and at this moment Chen Zheng's eyes held only Dong Yumin.

Suddenly, the silent Chen Zheng slowly spoke, but what he told me was a recollection of his and Dong Yumin's story,

"Back then, I was still a loitering little rascal on the streets, a petty thug despised by everyone. All day I either chopped people or went around collecting protection fees. In my world, there was only chopping people or being chopped, only chasing others or being chased; I… never imagined I would have a home."

Chen Zheng lowered his head, his tone somewhat desolate, his eyes filled with myriad thoughts; at this moment I became a listener, quietly hearing his confession. Don't ask why—the reason is simple: I want to listen, I want to know his and Dong Yumin's story.

"At that time, she was truly beautiful. Her beauty intoxicated me, drew me in deep, making it impossible to pull away. From the moment I first met her, I had already fallen helplessly in love with her. I cannot describe that feeling inside, but at the time I could be certain she was the first person in my life to evoke such feeling in me; after our chance encounter, I often sneaked to the school to see her, even wishing night would come sooner and day linger longer, so I could have more time to see her."

"I fell in love with her," Chen Zheng smoked, giving an undeniable smile, then his tone filled with a hint of bitterness and helplessness.

"Although I liked her, I didn't dare tell her, for my adoptive father once told me: our path is one paved with bones. Those who mix in society will eventually have to pay; no one can wash their hands clean and leave this road. When you grow old and fade, your past enemies will swarm in—some want to kill you, others want to step on you to rise. Thus… most who walk our path meet a bad end. We dare not love; at this moment we may be flanked by followers, standing above ten thousand, but the next second we could lie dead in the street, unable to even look after our own lives, let alone give a woman happiness. Those in our trade are born unable to give women a sense of security."

By this point, Chen Zheng had finished smoking a cigarette, but soon he lit another. Perhaps the stimulation of tobacco could make his mind clearer.

Just then I realized that Chen Zheng and Dong Yumin's love story is not the version circulating outside. People think Dong Yumin saved Chen Zheng, after which he came to like her. In fact, Chen Zheng had secretly loved Dong Yumin all along.

But as Chen Zheng said this, I couldn't help feeling a bit strange. Could it be that the outside rumor of Dong Yumin saving Chen Zheng twice is false? Or perhaps Chen Zheng deliberately arranged it?

"Perhaps it's fate, or perhaps it's destined. The first time, I was chased to an orphanage; she kindly saved me and even bandaged me. At that time she truly seemed like an angel, foolishly not thinking that this ruffian, once healed, might harm her. I pretended to be indifferent toward her, but in fact she had already taken root in my heart."

Chen Zheng slowly told me this; while recalling, he also clarified my doubts—they two indeed had quite a fateful connection.

Chen Zheng recalled saying: "The second time, she saved me again. After that, we gradually became familiar and began to approach each other. On a night eight years ago, she stormed out of home in anger, later clashed with members of the Fierce Tiger Gang at a coffee shop. I protected her, fighting our way out of the coffee shop, sustaining injuries in three places on my body."

"That very night, shy as she was, she fiercely hugged and kissed me for a long time. After she finished kissing me, she said, somewhat playfully and somewhat domineeringly: 'Rascal, I don't know if you can remember me for a lifetime. But I want to leave a long, long shadow in your memory—so that whenever you eat strawberries, you'll think of me.' She nibbled my lips and told me, 'Always remember, strawberries are a flavor that belongs only to me.'"

"After being stunned, I only then noticed a faint strawberry scent lingering on my lips. Only then did I realize that, before kissing me, she had already placed a strawberry candy in her mouth."

At this point, Chen Zheng recalled Dong Yumin's playfulness, and a faint smile unintentionally crept onto the corner of his mouth.

I chuckled and casually said: "I wouldn't have guessed, but sister-in-law is still quite mischievous."

Chen Zheng also turned his head and sighed: "I can only say she succeeded. Even if later I hardened my heart and avoided looking at her, the moment I see strawberries, the moment I eat strawberries, my mind inevitably conjures her; her shadow has completely become a brand, filling my inner self."

I felt somewhat surprised and asked Chen Zheng: "You and your sister-in-law, did you later split up?"

"En," Chen Zheng nodded, then slowly said: "After we had known each other for two years, something happened that made me think of leaving her."

"At that time, I was collecting a bad debt for a boss, but unintentionally offended an uncle from East Mausoleum, cutting off his source of wealth. That uncle was a tough guy from Aomen, the big shot of three streets. That night, he executed family law on me, beating me half-dead; finally, my adoptive father arrived just in time and rescued me from near death."

"After that night, I began to understand. No matter how glamorous I became, my identity remained that of a mere thug. In the eyes of those big shots and wealthy people, I am just a dog—a dog that can be squeezed with money, a dog that can be smashed to death with money. When they're happy, they'll toss me a bone; when they're unhappy, they can at any moment grab me for a hot pot."

"I know my life is cheap, so cheap I don't know when I'll meet King Yama. So I dare not, I dare not burden her; she was born into an aristocratic family and deserves a better life."

"What next?" I anxiously followed up, I began to be unable to extricate myself from this story. As Chen Zheng's tone shifted abruptly, my mood grew ever more tense; I seemed to anticipate that Chen Zheng at that time was preparing to leave Dong Yumin.

"Loving someone, if not unavoidable, how could one bear it, how could one bring oneself to push her into another's embrace? This world not only has a love called eternal; there is also a kind of helpless, heartbreaking letting go."

Not long after that night, I started distancing myself from her, intentionally or unintentionally, even deliberately having friends spread rumors that I was fooling around in bars, looking for prostitutes. I also tried, right in front of her, to be lovey-dovey with another woman. Later, she stormed off in anger. Not long after that, I heard her father had arranged a marriage for her; the groom was a wealthy young man who had returned from overseas studies. Apparently they hit it off, and after a brief meeting, both families began preparing the wedding.

How did it turn out in the end? Did Dong Yumin really marry that rich young master? I asked anxiously. After asking, I realized I was a bit foolish—if Dong Yumin really married that rich man, how could she possibly end up with Chen Zheng?

Sure enough, Chen Zheng slowly shook his head.

Upon hearing the news of her marriage, I got drunk for several days. I am weak; loving someone, I could only watch helplessly as she threw herself into another's arms.

But… I never imagined that, just three days before her wedding, she would suddenly show up looking for me. After finding me, she smashed a beer bottle cap hard against my head.

After smashing me, she tears streaming, fiercely said to me: "Chen Zheng, I'm getting married in three days; you figure it out yourself. If I really marry him, I will hate you for the rest of my life, I will hate you to death."

The corner of my mouth twitched a little, because ever since I first saw Dong Yumin, her image had always been gentle; yet hearing that she had smashed Chen Zheng's head, I still found it hard to believe. Of course, this surprise was only temporary; I was more curious about how things would turn out—how Chen Zheng and Dong Yumin ended up together.

I asked Chen Zheng: "In the end, how did you and Dong Yumin get together? Could it be that Dong Yumin regretted the marriage on her wedding day and didn't go through with it?"

"No," Chen Zheng slowly shook his head, crushed the cigarette butt in one grip, and said, "On her wedding day, I directly brought a hundred people to smash the church, then knocked her father down, lifted her onto my shoulder, and carried her away."

As a bystander, I instantly froze, the corner of my mouth twitching in a rhythmic manner.

After all that buildup, the final line is the punchline. All the setup, when boiled down, comes to just one sentence: beat up the father-in-law, snatch the bride. This love story is really just that: a hooligan pig, beats up the pig boss, right in front of him, carts off his family's cabbage.