MGAG: Chapter 130

The sound of rain gradually fell. There was a sound from the kitchen. Chen Qizhao’s mind returned and saw a figure coming out of the kitchen. Shen Yuhuai brought over noodles that contained meat and vegetables. There was more meat, all of which were the lean meats that Chen Qizhao liked to eat.

Chen Qizhao had a small appetite. He sat on the ground without caring about his image and ate the noodles at a suitable height.

Shen Yuhuai sat next to him. He saw Chen Qizhao in such a state, and he couldn’t help his eyes showing a bit of softness. “What do you want to eat tomorrow morning?”

Chen Qizhao took a sip of soup. “I didn’t think about it. I might leave earlier tomorrow morning. Don’t wait for me.”

“Then I’ll make some convenient sandwiches,” Shen Yuhuai said.

Chen Qizhao stopped and ate all the meat in the noodles. “Yes.”

It was late at night. After eating, the two of them chatted for a while. However, Chen Qizhao dozed off from time to time, apparently very sleepy. Chen Qizhao didn’t propose to go back to sleep until he felt full. The two of them lived opposite each other, and it was only a few steps to go back. He yawned as he walked. He said good night to the other person and entered his house.

The sound insulation effect of this community was only average. Chen Qizhao stood behind the door for a while. Sleepiness made his mind a bit chaotic, and he could barely find a trace of clarity.

He suppressed the sleepiness that welled up. Through the small peephole at the door, he only saw a pair of light-colored slippers at the doorway.

Soon, the pair of slippers left Chen Qizhao’s field of view. Finally, there was the muffled sound of the door closing.

Everything was expected. Shen Yuhuai was always like this. He never closed the door in advance.

Chen Qizhao walked slowly into his house. He entered his bedroom and glimpsed the potted plants placed on the bay window shelf not far away. It had been raining recently, and they couldn’t enjoy the sun.

The torrential rain in S City continued. The evidence against the Gu father and son was released one after another, stirring up a storm between the two cities. Every bigshot in S City was paying attention to the Chen and Shen families’ big moves. The stock market fluctuated every time, and the market turmoil made people tremble with fear. Just as other people thought that Gu Zhengsong, the chairman of the Gu Group, still had a chance to turn things around, he was arrested. Official notifications were issued one after another, and the Gu Group fell into internal strife.

People who didn’t know anything thought that the Gu father and son were reported for breaking the law, but people who knew the truth knew how many secret fights had been going on.

In particular, the Gu Group, a company that had experienced a lot of turmoil in the past ten years. It had just taken a breath, but it dared to get involved in such a market competition. It seized the opportunity in a situation where several groups were biting at the competition. Countless people’s eyes were on the young ruler of the Chen Group.

It was just that Chen Qizhao didn’t care. What he wanted was a death sentence against his enemy.

The half a month of planning ended after the Shen family submitted information about the location of Gu Zhengsong’s last den. The wealthy circle in the capital was turbulent and public opinion appeared on the Internet one after another… Chen Qizhao sat in his office in silence for a long time after hanging up the call with Shen Xuelan. The great revenge was finished, but there was only an indescribable sense of emptiness.

Xiao Zhou came in to submit the documents, and it was rare to see that Chen Qizhao wasn’t at work.

The man was sitting on the sofa and not looking at his phone or anything else. His attention seemed to stay on the ground while his mind had drifted to a more distant place. Xiao Zhou had been with Chen Qizhao for many years. He wasn’t a talkative person. When he first followed Chen Qizhao, he was just doing some tedious chores. Then he was promoted by Chen Qizhao and got to where he was now.

Now nearly eight years later, his boss was a talked about existence in the circle.

Only he knew that the Chen family’s reborn glory wasn’t easy to come by.

Xiao Zhou told Chen Qizhao about his itinerary for the next few days. After speaking, he paid attention to the man’s expression.

Chen Qizhao answered after hearing this. Then he asked, “Is it still raining outside?”

“Yes.”

The weather hadn’t been good. The rainy days lasted for half a month.

Chen Qizhao was silent for a while and asked Xiao Zhou to prepare the car.

The school bell rang. The students who hurriedly left class had almost all dispersed. Shen Yuhuai finished answering the students’ questions and saw the dark weather when he left the classroom. He glanced at the message on the phone. They were from the Shen family, from Yan Kaiqi… once the years-long battle came to an end, there was actually a bit of joy, as well as a type of calm when the dust settled.

Shen Yuhuai called Shen Xuelan and learned part of the situation from her.

“You don’t have to worry about these things… it is all solved. Gu Zhengsong can’t do anything else.” Shen Xuelan’s tone was a bit tired. “You should be out of class, right? Are you going home for dinner today?”

Shen Yuhuai replied, “No.”

Shen Xuelan paused when she heard this. She didn’t ask Shen Yuhuai why. They weren’t young people anymore. Some things were no longer considered. She had no reason to interfere with Shen Yuhuai’s life. “You aren’t young any longer. Haven’t you explained it to him?”

Shen Yuhuai avoided the students coming and going and slowly said, “No.”

It wasn’t that she didn’t know about Shen Yuhuai’s matter. Her brother had confessed it to the family a few years earlier, and the family argued for a while. The Chen family was gone, and the parents of the Shen family didn’t want to interfere too much in their children’s lives. Too many things had happened over the years, and they had seen too many lives and deaths. Now they just wanted their children to settle down.

“Over the years, he has become a bit like Chen Shiming, but not quite like him. He speaks in a business-like manner. To put it simply, he has become a businessman who doesn’t lose to his brother.”

Shen Xuelan recalled her cooperation with Chen Qizhao over the years. She had also watched this junior grow up and knew how many things Chen Qizhao had experienced. There were times when she thought Chen Qizhao couldn’t support it, but Chen Qizhao showed unexpected resilience. “Some time ago, you had a cold for a long time. His tone was different when he called me. He asked about your situation and asked if your attending physician had changed.”

Chen Qizhao cared about him very much. Shen Yuhuai was aware of it. He listened to Shen Xuelan talking, but the rain around him became a bit bigger.

Shen Xuelan said something. She saw that Shen Xuelan’s reaction was flat. She opened his lips slightly and said another thing, “He probably won’t be there when you get back from work.”

Shen Yuhuai walked slowly with the umbrella. “Yes, he has been working overtime lately.”

Shen Xuelan’s phone was on speaker. She signed the document smoothly and casually mentioned, “I just spoke with him on the phone. He said that he is going to the suburbs.”

Shen Yuhuai paused slightly. “When?”

“An hour ago. It might’ve passed.”

Shen Xuelan’s tone was slightly calmer. “Gu Zhengsong went to prison today. You know that Chen Qizhao has been sweeping the graves of his family.”

Shen Yuhuai said, “Okay, I see.”

“Help drop off a bouquet of flowers for me when you pass by.”

Shen Xuelan’s signing hand stopped for a moment. “Forget it. It is raining too much. Do it next time.”

Shen Yuhuai walked to the side of the car. He put the briefcase into the back seat and put the wet umbrella under the passenger seat.

He took off his earphones and changed directions when he started the vehicle.

In the suburban cemetery, the rainy days covered the top of the mountain, making the whole mountain exude a gloomy atmosphere.

Xiao Zhou grabbed an umbrella from the back seat to pick up the person. Chen Qizhao didn’t let him follow after getting out of the car but entered the cemetery alone.

“Assistant Zhu, should I pick you up in an hour?” The driver asked.

Xiao Zhou watched the boss’ figure disappear. “Make it a bit later today. I’ll let you know about the time.”

Every time the boss came to the cemetery, he stayed for a while.

Xiao Zhou knew that it might take a bit longer today. He had seen the administrator of the cemetery more often. Every time Xiao Zhou waited for someone, he would wait in the administrator’s office booth. Today, it was raining heavily, and the administrator invited him to take a sip of tea.

“Boss Chen’s spirit looks better than when he came before,” the administrator said.

Xiao Zhou replied, “I have to trouble you to watch him. Nothing has happened here recently, right?”

“What can happen here? It has all been arranged for you.” The administrator looked at the weather. Out of the corner of his eyes, he couldn’t help looking at the location of the mountain and the layers of white graves on the mountain. He looked at the assistant in a suit and leather shoes next to him and didn’t talk much about other things.

This assistant didn’t talk much, and his boss was strange.

Boss Chen looked like he was in his 30s, and his health wasn’t that bad. All the bosses he knew couldn’t wait to live until 100 years. It was only this strange Boss Chen who didn’t have any taboos about life or death. He prepared a grave for himself early on.

He still came here on a rainy day like this… the administrator didn’t speak and just made an extra cup of hot tea. The sound of the TV sounded in the office booth. Xiao Zhou didn’t have time to relax and unhurriedly processed the affairs on his phone.

Soon, distant lights came over.

On a rainy day, the road conditions were unknown. The administrator was about to go out to take a look when he saw Xiao Zhou next to him answering the phone. “Mr Shen?”

“Yes, we are over here.”

Chen Qizhao didn’t bring flowers or anything else.

The mud around the three graves had been swept away by the rain. Several photos gradually became less clear in the hazy rain curtain. Chen Qizhao said a bunch of things. Once he had nothing else to say later, he just stood in front of the graves in a daze.

The rain that passed over the umbrella wet his shoulders. Chen Qizhao wanted to wipe the rain on the grave, but when he reached out his right hand, he habitually stopped and replaced it with his left hand. “Maybe I am really hardened by life. The heavens don’t want to take me away after so many years.”

He wiped some off, and it soon got wet again.

Loneliness was a silent response. The faces in the photos seemed to be gradually blurred by the flow of water. As time passed, he seemed unable to remember the appearances of these people in his memories. The familiar faces he recalled were gray and strange.

Chen Qizhao lowered his eyes slightly and watched these streams of water flow quickly.

After explaining the matter, he felt exhaustion rushing up as he stood up straight. He stood for a long time. By the time his mind returned, there seemed to be a slightly muffled sound in the sky.

Chen Qizhao said silently, “I’ll come and see you next time.”

The rain urged people to leave. Chen Qizhao walked slowly, but as soon as he turned around, he saw Shen Yuhuai holding an umbrella and standing behind him. The two of them looked at each other, and Shen Yuhuai put a bouquet of flowers in the middle position.

Chen Qizhao watched him quietly. The other person’s words turned into a silent pantomime.

After waiting a while, Shen Yuhuai finished speaking, and the two of them walked down the mountain side by side.

“Why did you come here?” Chen Qizhao asked.

“I knew you came here, so I came to see.” Shen Yuhuai looked slightly sideways and noticed the wet clothes on Chen Qizhao’s body. “Don’t catch a cold.”

Xiao Zhou was still waiting at the bottom of the mountain with a driver, So after Chen Qizhao said a few words, he got a cup of hot tea from the administrator.

“Thank you,” Chen Qizhao said.

The administrator also poured a cup for Shen Yuhuai. “The rain is going to be heavy. Go back to the city quickly, or the road won’t be easy.”

Xiao Zhou went back to the company with the driver. Chen Qizhao got into Shen Yuhuai’s car, and the two of them headed home.

Fortunately, the thunderstorm only fell when they got home. It was louder than the previous days. Chen Qizhao went back to his house to take a hot shower. Then he went to Shen Yuhuai’s house to eat.

“I thought you would go back today.” Chen Qizhao sat face-to-face with Shen Yuhuai. “Sister Xuelan asked if I would go to dinner.”

Shen Yuhuai stopped when he heard this. “You didn’t go.”

Chen Qizhao hummed.

Shen Yuhuai looked quietly at the person in front of him. The two of them mentioned work as always when they ate. Shen Yuhuai spoke about the students he met today, while Chen Qizhao said that a high-level executive engaged in small tricks and was caught by him.

It was a very ordinary conversation, but the next sentence that followed might not be so.

Shen Yuhuai listened to his usual tone… It was just that when the other person was scooping up the rice, he used his left hand.

Chen Qizhao finished eating and wanted to help clean up. However, Shen Yuhuai refused. He could only go to the TV to find a movie to watch. There was nothing to do at night. He didn’t want to deal with work. His mind was empty, and he wanted to find something else to fill it with.

“What about that series we watched last time?” Chen Qizhao asked.

Shen Yuhuai put the dishes and chopsticks in the dishes. “We finished watching it last time.”

Chen Qizhao paused. “Did we finish watching it?”

Shen Yuhuai replied, “We finished watching it.”

It was just that for the last few episodes, Chen Qizhao fell asleep on the sofa and was half-dreaming and half-awake.

Chen Qizhao was forced to find a new movie. He adjusted the viewing light in the living room. After adjusting it, he was about to ask Shen Yuhuai if he was busy when he saw the figure walking out of the next room.

“I found a movie. The rating was quite high.” Chen Qizhao clicked play. The sound at the beginning of the movie was heard.

In the dim light, the thunderstorm was blocked by the heavy curtain.

The light from the TV illuminated the entire living room. Chen Qizhao was about to give a brief introduction to the movie. Then as he turned his body, the hand that had been on his leg was pulled by Shen Yuhuai.

A warm feeling spread along the place of contact. Shen Yuhuai’s hand was warm. When it was held by the other party, the dense pain in his bones seemed to be covered by warmth.

“Why didn’t you tell me that your hand hurts?” Shen Yuhuai untied the plastic bag. The rustling sound was accompanied by the strong smell of plaster.

On rainy days, the pain of the car accident occasionally struck him. It was especially the case in his hands. Dense pain spread from the bones. A few days ago, he was still putting on a plaster. But the plaster finished, and he didn’t have time to find a doctor to get another one.

The movie was still playing. Chen Qizhao noticed Shen Yuhuai’s movements through the light of the movie.

His right hand was almost disabled. The bones were shattered, and there were still some scars on the fingers. Shen Yuhuai’s hand brushed over these scars. Soon, he put a plaster on. “Does your arm hurt?”

Chen Qizhao was a bit distracted. “It’s okay. I didn’t use a lot of strength tonight.”

Shen Yuhuai finished sticking the plaster on the back of his hand. He pushed up the pajama sleeves and stuck another plaster on. “Okay, what is this movie about?”

Chen Qizhao smelled the familiar scent of Chinese medicine and said the introduction he just read.

He missed the plot in the beginning, and now he couldn’t even say the name of the male protagonist.

Shen Yuhuai said, “It is a bit icy.”

Chen Qizhao responded, “It is like this when it is raining.”

The warm feeling relieved the pain little by little. It was accompanied by a slight force and heat as if smoothing something.

Until the movie was over, Shen Yuhuai didn’t let go of his hand.