What she didn’t expect was that the person who came to her door a few days later was her ex-husband. After seven years with Zhou Yuqian, she had never seen him angry until now, when she finally provoked his wrath. He didn’t smash her belongings, didn’t curse her, nor did he hit her, because Zhou Yuqian never tarnished his image. If someone angered him to the extreme, he would only choose revenge to vent his rage. He merely said to her: “Even if I ruined your youth for seven years, and you ruined my happiness for the rest of my life, now, you owe me.” That one sentence was terrifying enough. Who could ever repay a debt to Zhou Yuqian? She couldn’t.
Zhou Yuqian withdrew his investment from Peter’s company and openly told acquaintances that Li Yueqin was no longer associated with him. The implication was clear: anyone with grievances could take revenge as they pleased. Initially, those who had been offended by Li Yueqin were still watching, but then Peter issued a statement in their circle, declaring that anyone who was Li Yueqin’s agent would never work with him again. Consequently, her agent immediately paid a penalty and resigned, and others eagerly took the opportunity to expose her past wrongdoings, using the public’s national pride to turn her into a national pariah. Negative news followed one after another, and Li Yueqin’s reputation in the industry was ruined. Previously, Zhou Yuqian could have smoothed over any amount of bad press for her, but now, the internet, TV, and newspapers were filled with insults against her. She didn’t dare to go out, ordering pizza for delivery, and as soon as she opened the door, countless flashes went off, capturing her haggard appearance, providing material for the next day’s news. She avoided watching TV where hosts would maliciously bring up her scandals, and celebrities would dodge the topic, leaving her former prowess to be discussed and speculated upon. Going online was even worse; her news was on the front page of every website, with thousands of comments, most of which were insults, and some even photoshopped her pictures for ridicule. Li Yueqin could only completely disappear from the entertainment industry, the only place she could survive. China had no place for her anymore; soon, she sold her property and hurriedly fled abroad.
It’s hard to save someone at the end of their road, but it’s easy to push them to desperation. In City C, just after a snowfall, patches of white snow dotted the green hills. They climbed a muddy path, with mud sticking to their trousers up to their knees, each step heavy. They ascended the slope against the wind, panting, carrying the black wooden urn of their grandmother, who had said little. Jia Yi tried to strike up a conversation whenever she pointed the way, but the wind made their words fragmentary and hard to hear. Seeing how tired she was, he and Xu Ya flanked her to catch her if she slipped.
The grave of their grandmother had been refurbished last year by their uncle, with a white marble tombstone and a photo inset. Their mother’s grave was just to the left, freshly made. The urn was buried in the cold earth, and from then on, she would rest here. Next to the new grave grew a red-seeded tree, bearing fruit in winter. The small, clustered fruits were slightly sour when chewed. When they were in school, she and Xie Jia Yi often picked some to eat when they visited their grandmother’s grave, not yet having the life experience to appreciate the taste. Now, they no longer ate them; no one was desperate enough to seek out that sourness.
After filling the grave, a mound of brown earth formed behind the tombstone, soon to be covered with grass, perhaps even a couple of trees, like their grandmother’s grave, where a few years ago they had pulled out a wild pear tree. That autumn, it still bore fruit, which fell around the grave, rotted, and was covered with ants, attracting mice and snakes. Lai Feng thought she must come often to tend to her mother’s and grandmother’s graves, not letting it become a haven for snakes and rodents.
Firecrackers echoed loudly, smoke billowed, and the smell of gunpowder was carried by the wind to Lai Feng’s nose, making her cough and tear up. The fireworks continued for over ten minutes, and amidst the smoke, the mourners felt increasingly desolate—who would want to experience such a mournful celebration? The offerings were made, the incense was burned, and the paper money was scattered. After this, visits would only be made during major holidays. Jia Yi thought Lai Fen wanted to spend some time alone here, but unexpectedly, she left first, leaving behind a group she deemed heartless and the scattered white confetti from the fireworks. Everyone had left, and the paper money fluttered around the new grave before settling on the ground. Zhou Yuqian stood before the grave, bowing in respect. Secretary Lin stood at a distance, unable to hear what his boss was saying, but he knew that his boss, always focused on work, had cleared several days to come here to pay respects, indicating how important it must be. He sighed internally for his boss; the moment his mother died, Lai Fen left without a second thought for his boss’s feelings. After all these events, her drastic change in demeanor, cold and unfeeling, was something she remained oblivious to, despite his boss’s efforts. What was the point of those efforts if she didn’t even know?
Back at the hotel, Zhou Yuqian held a video conference. Secretary Lin made him a cup of tea, which remained untouched an hour later when the meeting ended. Thinking his boss might prefer coffee, Lin reached for the phone to order some, but Zhou Yuqian picked up the tea and took a sip. Lin immediately hung up and approached, saying, “The tea’s gone cold; I’ll make you a fresh cup.” Zhou Yuqian waved off the offer. “I’ve always enjoyed drinking cold tea!” He walked to the window, gazing in the direction where Lai Fen lived. “Ever since I moved to Nanling, she would always take away the cold coffee or tea and replace it with a hot one.” Of course, it was Lai Fen, and Lin felt somewhat ashamed. Despite years of service, he hadn’t been as attentive as Lai Fen. His boss must truly love her to share such personal details with a subordinate. A mature man, sharing his feelings like a lovestruck teenager, could only mean one thing — his heart was overflowing with love, so full that he had to spill some out to share with others.
“Xiao Lin, you’ve been with me for so many years. I assure you, your salary is no less than hers. If I were in trouble that night, and you were there, you would’ve waited for the rescue team, right?” Lin felt even more embarrassed. That night, he didn’t believe his boss was in danger; he thought Lai Fen was just overreacting. When confirmed, his first thought was to call the mayor for help. However, like Lai Fen, he rushed to the scene, cleverly finding a way to locate his boss. “If it were you in such a situation, in the wilderness, and the first thing you see upon opening your eyes is your wife, anxious and tearful, what would you feel?” Lin pondered for a moment, “It would be quite conflicting, both happy and distressed. I’d definitely cherish her more afterwards.” Zhou Yuqian smiled faintly, “Exactly, who would let go of someone like that?” Lin agreed, an absurd thought crossing his mind: if he were in a similar accident, perhaps his wife would be as brave and determined as Lai Fen to find him. He really wanted to experience it, though it seemed like cursing himself. For a man, having such a partner was a great fortune.
