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Chapter 92




The smoke relaxed the mood. The fight just now seemed to have brought the two of them back to the years when they fought side by side. It was pure, and there was only hot blood and loyalty.
“Why didn’t you go back on New Year’s Eve?” Yang Lei asked.
“I didn’t get a ticket.”
Fang Yu was smoking.
“What about Ying-zi? She also couldn’t come over?”
Fang Yu didn’t answer.
Yang Lei didn’t ask again. Fireworks exploded in the sky, illuminating their faces.
“I put you on the spot by making that phone call, didn’t I?”
In the silence, Fang Yu spoke in a low voice.
“I didn’t mean anything else. I just wanted to see you.”
Fang Yu’s phone call was made in the midst of conflict and struggles. After making it, he fell into regret. He shouldn’t have called, but he couldn’t control himself.
“I don’t know when I will come back next time. I wanted to see you again before I leave.”
Fang Yu’s voice was deep and clear.
“You originally didn’t plan on seeing me face to face, right? Otherwise, you wouldn’t not show up during the days that you returned to Jianghai.”
Yang Lei knew.
Fang Yu was silent for a moment.
“I was afraid that you’d be uncomfortable.”
Yang Lei looked at the fireworks that were lighting up the sky sequentially. The fireworks now were much more advanced than the ones he set off when he was a child. Brilliant halos constantly lit up the night sky, illuminating Jianghai brilliantly.
“I was also sitting here on Millennium Night.”
That night, he was sitting right here, listening to the sound of firecrackers and watching the fireworks, until the early morning.
“The firecrackers that went off, until now, I can’t stand the sound of firecrackers.”
Yang Lei flicked the cigarette butt. He spoke the truth. Right now, he was most annoyed from hearing the sound of firecrackers.
“We promised before that, when you came out, we would make the world ring that night and set off a hundred of them. You remember?”
“I remember.”
“The fireworks are about the same as the ones this evening.”
That night, he wanted so much to sit with Fang Yu and watch the fireworks fall all over the sky, like right now.
This day arrived three years too late. Now, they were sitting here, looking at the same fireworks, but the circumstances had already changed.
“That night, I really hated you.”
Yang Lei spoke quietly.
“But later, I thought, why should I hate you? I can’t even control my feelings. What did you do wrong?”
In those years, let alone saying that they didn’t promise each other anything, but even if they did promise, there was nothing that would never change. It was just a relationship. In one’s long life, it only occupied a very small part.
“You may not believe it, but I understand what you were thinking back then. You did it for my good. I know. Others might not know what kind of person you are, but how can I not know?”
If he didn’t understand, he would not be Yang Lei, and he would have loved in vain.
“I know that these years, you always feel like you owe me something. I always wanted to tell you that you don’t need to feel like you owe me anything. You don’t owe me. It’s all in the past. If you still feel bad about it, then there’s no meaning…”
Yang Lei said…
Fang Yu didn’t say a word…
Yang Lei smoked for a while before he spoke again.
“Are there issues between you and Ying-zi?”
Yang Lei had long noticed it. He wasn’t a fool. On New Year’s Eve, Fang Yu was holed up alone in this dark house, not eating and not turning on the light, lying on that bed alone. For three years, there was no news of Fang Yu. Right now, he suddenly returned. Wasn’t it strange? If he really wanted to go back for the new year, could Fang Yu not find a way? Even if he couldn’t go back, wouldn’t he try to find a way to bring his wife over for a reunion?
Fang Yu seemed very unwilling to mention those three years. Yang Lei could tell, and he didn’t keep asking.
Yang Lei felt that Fang Yu was not doing well.
“Are you having difficulties in the south?” Yang Lei hesitated and spoke.
“It’s nothing,” Fang Yu said.
He was a person with a prison background in an unfamiliar place, and unfamiliar with the people, without any background. Even with the help of those two veteran friends, if he wanted to start from scratch in a place where he had no foundation, how could it be as easy as it sounded?
These three years, Fang Yu must not have been doing as well in the south as it was said in Jianghai. But Yang Lei didn’t ask further.
Fang Yu had high aspirations and a very strong self-esteem. Furthermore, in the past seven years, Fang Yu had indeed become more silent. Up to now, Fang Yu had hardly said a few words. Yang Lei felt Fang Yu had changed after experiencing life in prison.
This was a man’s self-esteem. Yang Lei would not ask.
“If there are any difficulties where I can help, let me know,” Yang Lei said. “Don’t treat me like an outsider.”
Fang Yu nodded.
Yang Lei gave Fang Yu his mobile phone number.
“Fang Yu, we are brothers. How many seven years can we have in our lives? These things do not need to be placed in our hearts. When we are in our seventies or eighties, we will regret them. You have a family, so live well with Ying-zi. You also don’t need to worry about me. I’m not a child, and I will live my life well.”
“At first, I rented this house and wanted to have a memento. Later, I got used to renting it and didn’t give it back. After the new year, this area will be demolished, and everything will be new. You see, everything is going forward. If we go backwards, it will be meaningless.”
“I’ll call the brothers to get together some other day. If your factory is really not doing well, then close it. Come back to Jianghai, and set up your home here. Jianghai is your place. Don’t be uncomfortable about coming back because of me…” Yang Lei said…
When he left, Yang Lei asked Fang Yu when he would leave.
Fang Yu put out the cigarette and said, “After the New Year.”
Yang Lei stopped for a moment before saying, “Why don’t you leave after drinking the wedding wine? You know Fang Mei too.”
Yang Lei knew that, if the two of them wanted to be brothers again without estrangement, there were some things that didn’t need to be avoided.
“The third day of the new year is your birthday.”
Yang Lei did not forget.
Before 1995, no one thought that the day of Fang Yu’s birthday was anything special, but in 2002, all of the young people in China knew that the day was called Valentine’s Day.
“Let’s have a meal together.”
On the third day of the new year, Yang Lei booked a room in the Grand Oriental Restaurant.
Fang Mei also came. Fang Mei heard that it was Fang Yu’s birthday and said that she would pay for the meal. She also wanted to see Fang Yu.
Fang Mei asked Yang Lei if it would be better for her to invite Fang Yu for another occasion on another day. Yang Lei said, “It’s fine. Let’s do it together.”
Fang Yu came on time. He wore a black leather jacket, making his figure appear tall, slim, tall, and cool. Ever since Yang Lei met him again, Fang Yu had always been wearing black clothes.
“Fang Yu, long time no see. I came here uninvited. You won’t blame me, will you?”
Fang Mei greeted Fang Yu gracefully.
Yang Lei had exhorted Fang Mei before not to say anything excessive and to not ask about Fang Yu’s past few years.
In fact, he didn’t need to exhort her. With Fang Mei’s intelligence, she knew what Yang Lei was thinking, and she wouldn’t say anything that she shouldn’t say.
She was a considerate woman. She wouldn’t expose people’s scars in front of them, and she wouldn’t ruin Yang Lei’s efforts. Her heart just ached for Yang Lei. It was already like this, but he was still thinking of Fang Yu.
“I’ve heard that you’ve come back, and I’ve always wanted to invite you to get together. We haven’t been together for a long time. Come, let me host today. Let’s toast! Just to… to all of us not looking old!”
Fang Mei raised her glass and said frankly.
Fang Mei was even more beautiful, with more of the charm of a mature woman, than when Fang Yu had seen her a few years ago. It was an elegance that young girls could not compare with.
The three people raised their glasses and touched them together.
“You are still so beautiful,” Fang Yu praised politely. He still remembered what Fang Mei looked like in those days.
“Don’t make fun of me. I’m already an old girl. Who’s beautiful or not beautiful? Just an old cucumber painted green to look tender!”
Fang Mei knew that today, she needed to enliven the atmosphere and conversation for this occasion.
“When she knew that it was your birthday, she had to come. So I let her,” Yang Lei explained to Fang Yu.
Fang Mei looked at Fang Yu and smiled.
“Fang Yu, you’re even more handsome. If you didn’t already have a partner, you must charm so many young girls.”
Fang Mei also expected that Fang Yu, who had experienced marriage and family, hadn’t gained weight or lost shape like married men. He also didn’t have that stable and settled down feeling. On the contrary, like many years ago, he still had the same unique air that gangsters had, with some maturity from the vicissitudes of life. It mixed into a more settled and colder temperament.
“Come, this glass is to celebrate the reunion of the three of us. Happy birthday to Fang Yu!”
Fang Mei always made the atmosphere seem natural.
Fang Yu drank all of the wine in his glass, and Yang Lei also drank it all.
Fang Mei was someone who would never let an awkward silence fall. She talked with discretion, and she frequently laughed as she spoke. The topic also diplomatically did not involve anything sensitive. She just talked about some casual topics, so that Fang Yu and Yang Lei would not feel awkward. Fang Mei spoke of a game that she was playing and invited Fang Yu to play together when he was free.
“Yang Lei can’t do it. In the army, he can’t play games. Even when he can play, his skills are very poor. He can’t even kill a little demon, let alone an old monster.”
Fang Mei deliberately dissed Yang Lei’s level.
“Can’t you be modest? I was going easy on you.”
Yang Lei kept cooperating with Fang Mei to make the atmosphere relaxed.
“How were you going easy on me? What time did I not spend blood to save you?”
“Was that saving?”
“Why isn’t it? If I say it is, then it is.”
“Okay, okay. It is what you say it is.”
“Don’t deny it. You still have a long time before you can win over me!”
Fang Mei hoked. The two of them were used to bickering.
“…”
Fang Yu listened to them bicker in silence.
Yang Lei casually put aside a piece of egg in the salad. He had a bad habit since he was young. He didn’t like egg yolks and only ate egg whites. Fang Mei had sharp eyes and saw it. She took over the piece of egg in his plate, dug out the egg yolk with a small spoon, ate it herself, and put the egg whites back into Yang Lei’s bowl. Yang Lei glanced at it and ate it offhandedly.
Fang Mei knew about Yang Lei’s issue since they were children. The two of them often did this when they ate. They were used to it long ago, and they did it very naturally.
Fang Yu looked at them.
This day was Valentine’s Day. There were many lovers in the restaurant, and touching love songs kept playing. The restaurant was very considerate. Through the stereo, the lovers and friends who were eating were wished a happy Valentine’s Day.
At that moment, the three of them just happened to not be speaking. There was a moment of silence at the table, and they all heard it.
“Sorry that I didn’t let you two have a good holiday today,” Fang Yu said.
That year was when businesses and media had just started to hype Valentine’s Day. There was publicity all over the streets. Fang Yu knew what day it was.
“Here’s to you both. Today was costly to you two. Thank you.”
Fang Yu raised his wine glass.
“What are you saying? You’re even being polite to us?”
Fang Mei said. Fang Yu had already raised his glass and finished it.
“…”
Yang Lei and Fang Mei also finished the wine in their glasses. All three of them didn’t really know what to say.
“You’ve decided on the date, right?” Fang Yu asked Fang Mei.
Fang Mei and Yang Lei still hadn’t gotten their marriage licenses yet, but Yang Lei had told her not to mention any of this.
“We’re still picking the day. The elderly are more particular.” Fang Mei smiled.
“Fang Yu, you shouldn’t go either. Come and drink the wedding wine at that time. I won’t give you an invitation card. You are Yang Lei’s closest brother, and you are also my brother. We won’t go through those formalities.”
Fang Mei knew that Yang Lei had already invited Fang Yu. She was a smart person and knew why.
Yang Lei heard Fang Mei say these words. He acquiesced to Fang Mei’s words, but when he heard them now, he couldn’t tell what his heart was feeling.
Fang Yu didn’t reply. He paused for a moment and took out a box from his pocket.
“I don’t have anything to give you. This is a golden Buddha, which was given to me by Jiu Ge. He said that it gives you everything that you ask for, and it’s effective. It’s not worth money, just for good luck.”
Fang Yu handed it to Fang Mei.
“…”
Fang Mei looked at Yang Lei, somewhat perplexed.
“Take it,” Yang Lei said, word by word…
There were other guests passing by outside the private room. They inadvertently looked inside and started shouting.
On the same day, several classmates from Yang Lei and Fang Mei’s junior high school were also gathered at Grand Oriental Restaurant for dinner. These people were either married or single, and they were eating together for the festivity of Valentines’ Day. Their junior high school class was very close. After graduation, they would often gather together, frequently contacting each other. That day, they also originally invited Yang Lei and Fang Mei, but they had already made plans with Fang Yu, so they brushed it off. They didn’t expect that it would be such a coincidence. They just happened to meet each other at the Grand Oriental Restaurant.
“Great. You two don’t even meet with us. You sneakily ran over here to celebrate the holiday by yourselves!”
Several old classmates ran into the private room and made fun of them.
“What’s the rush, bridegroom? She’s already yours, and you still can’t bear to let us have a look?” a classmate joked as soon as he came up.
“Don’t talk nonsense! We’re celebrating a brother’s birthday.”
Yang Lei didn’t expect to meet these classmates here. These people also just now saw Fang Yu and greeted him.
They didn’t know Fang Yu. When Yang Lei and Fang Yu were together, they had never met the social circle of these students.
Originally, Yang Lei and Fang Mei didn’t tell anyone about their marriage. Most of their acquaintances saw the wedding photo, and then only knew about it from word of mouth. So when this group of classmates knew, they all blamed Yang Lei and Fang Mei for being so uncool for not saying a word. Now that they met them, they had just arrived and had not yet chosen a private room. Seeing that Yang Lei’s private room was large enough, without allowing for any explanation, they directly merged with them.