Two years later, in Jin City.
The progress of ti had made the city more radiant and colorful.
Once again, it was March.
The entire city was filled with flying catkins.
A high-end black sedan traveled on the street. The bright sunshine made Jin City more dazzling.
On the massive electronic screens, the news was being repeatedly broadcast, "Ji Baijian takes over Comrcial Managent Institution."
On the big screen.
The handso face of Ji Baijian appeared on the high-definition screen. Perhaps most people were no longer concerned about the news itself, but rather why this man could be so handso.
Xin Zaozao sat in the sedan, driving along the bustling street, while watching the high-definition screens around her.
After two years of recuperation, the once handso Ji Baijian had been nursed back to health by Song Zhizhi.
He beca a national heartthrob once more.
She wondered if Song Zhizhi would regret nursing Ji Baijian back to such handso splendor, as he seed even more popular among girls than celebrities now.
A smile hung at the corner of her mouth.
Thinking about the relationship between Ji Baijian and Song Zhizhi always made her smile like a doting aunt.
Their happiness was contagious.
Her eyes shifted slightly.
As she was about to take her gaze off Ji Baijian’s stunningly beautiful face, her eyes suddenly paused for a mont.
She turned her head to look at the place they had just passed, fixating on a sowhat familiar figure.
It was just a fleeting glimpse.
They drove away, and the crowd obscured the view.
"Chairman," voiced Song Lifei from the seat beside her, "What are you looking at?"
She turned her head.
She must have been mistaken.
With so many people around, it’s improbable she could spot him at a glance.
Moreover, there were still two months to go.
She said, "Nothing."
Her expression turned serious.
Song Lifei, understanding her cue, didn’t ask more and respectfully reported his work, "We’re going to et the CEO of a foreign-funded company in Yan. Though he’s originally from Jin City, he grew up abroad and only recently returned to work here. He’s ruthless and shows no rcy in his work. He doesn’t give face to anyone but himself. I had to make three appointnts just to secure this eting."
"Hmm." Xin Zaozao nodded.
After so many years in the business world, what kind of person hasn’t she seen? She’s used to it all.
She took a deep breath.
She took the materials Song Lifei was holding and started to review them seriously.
At the place where they had just driven past.
A crosswalk.
A man in a black suit stood, not crossing the street even when the green light appeared. He had a buzz cut, dark skin, and a thin physique.
So thin that his black suit hung loosely on him. Nevertheless, he still held himself straight. At first glance, one might think him to have a charismatic appeal, but upon closer examination, would shake their head at his frail fra, realizing they were wrong.
Crowds ca and went.
He stayed there.
The city had changed too much, he was trying to determine in which direction he should go, or perhaps, he was reacquainting himself with this now unfamiliar city.
He had been in prison for three years and six months. He was released two months early.
No one knew about his release that day. He didn’t even pass the ssage on about his early release. For more than three years, no one had co to visit him. Initially, there were so visitors, but after he rejected them, there was nothing.
He took a deep breath and finally crossed the street with the crowd when the green light shone again.
He went to the communication service center on the opposite side where he bought a new phone card with the few hundred yuan that had been returned to him from his prison account as he was released.
Using an old phone from years ago, he inserted the latest SIM card and dialed a number.
After a long while, a sowhat tired voice ca through, "Who is this?"
"Mom." Mu Cidian spoke.
His voice was extrely soft and deep.
After holding back for a long ti, the other side broke down into inconsolable crying, interspersed with stuttering words, "Mu Cidian, you unfilial son. Finally, you’ve been released from prison and co back..."
There was a flutter in Mu Cidian’s eyes, his throat moved, "Mom, where are you now?"
Wan Quan gave him the address.
Following the address given, Mu Cidian took the bus to a rather dilapidated neighborhood.
The environnt was dreadful, probably the only place in Jin City that hadn’t been improved. The residential buildings were densely packed, there was no proper property managent to speak of, let alone any greenery.
Mu Cidian entered the run-down elevator and pressed the floor button.
He knocked on the door.
The door opened.
Wan Quan’s eyes were red and swollen. Seeing Mu Cidian now, her tears flowed again. She slapped Mu Cideon’s thin chest, so thin she feared she might hurt him. She said, "Mu Cidian, you’re finally back. Do you know how wretched my life has been all these years? Can you even imagine what I have been through?!"
Mu Cidian didn’t respond.
He could easily see that Wan Quan now was vastly different from the person she once was. In the past, she always took ticulous care of her appearance, her face wouldn’t have been so lined, and she wouldn’t have gone about without makeup. She wouldn’t have worn such cheap clothes, and he certainly wouldn’t have seen countless lint balls on her coat. There were no signs of the refinent she once had, none of the elegance of a lady of high social standing.
His heart ached, but Mu Cidian silently endured.
Wan Quan guided Mu Cidian into the house.
It was a small one-bedroom apartnt. The living room had an old couch where an untidy heap of various items were thrown about. In the middle of the room, there was a dining table with leftovers still on it. The food was just so green vegetables, completely unappetizing.
Wan Quan led Mu Cidian to sit on the sofa.
In such a living environnt, she had no desire to tidy up.
She randomly threw the clothes that filled the sofa onto the floor to make room for her son.
She said, "Mu Cidian, you have no idea what I’ve been through over all these years; you have no idea what that wench Xin Zaozao has done to ."
Mu Cidian looked at his mother, watching the hatred that made her gnash her teeth.
He didn’t want to hear anymore about her entanglent with Xin Zaozao. By the ti his mother dared to cross Xin Zaozao for the last ti two years ago, he knew that Zaozao wouldn’t make things easy for her.
Perhaps it was that his mother had pushed her to the extres, or perhaps it was just her unwillingness to see him possibly threaten her status after he was released.
But even so, he listened patiently to his mother’s cries, "That woman Xin Zaozao, she had the board mbers trick into investing in ventures they knew would fail, causing to lose a lot of money. Not only that, she deliberately lured into the casino, making believe I could win back the money I had lost. Who would have known that even though I won a few rounds at the beginning, I lost round after round afterwards, until I was completely broke and left with nothing!"
The more she spoke, the angrier and more upset she beca.
Mu Cidian just silently listened, with no comforting words to offer.
Wan Quan continued, "It’s all because of that woman Xin Zaozao. She can’t bear to see living well! She deliberately set up, so that I now have nothing and have to live in such a place, where I can’t even afford to eat. Cidian, now that you’re out, you have to take revenge for your mother. You must kill that woman Xin Zaozao, and seize back Xin Group!"
Wan Quan beca increasingly emotional.
Mu Cidian didn’t bother to remind his mother that they were completely destitute, and stood no chance against Xin Zaozao. As for the Xin Group, he had chosen to give it up years ago, and now had no intention to take it back. For him, his only goal was to live a good life with his mother, then once capable, to take her abroad with him and leave this city that brought them nothing but hardships.
He said, "I’ll support you from now on."
Wan Quan’s eyes reddened again.
She knew her son still sided with her, she knew it.
"I’ll go job-hunting tomorrow." Mu Cidian managed a smile.
"Hmm, your mother will be relying on you from now on." Wan Quan said with relief.
Mu Cidian nodded.
After a few more words, Mu Cidian went to the bathroom to take a shower.
The bathroom was rudintary, and still quite chilly at the start of spring, but the water was icy cold. To be honest though, Mu Cidian was used to it – in jail, he might even have to take cold showers during winter.
He removed his clothes.
His body was scrawny and his bones were visibly protruding from his skin which lacked any lustre. Scars and bruises from nurous beatings covered his body.
But at least, he had endured.
He quickly finished his shower, and put on the cheap suit he had bought at a street stall prior to returning ho. A full suit, from the inside out.
His hope was to beco a decent man after his release and start over.
He left the bathroom.
His mother was straightening out his blankets.
Wan Quan said, "You should sleep on the bed and I’ll sleep on the sofa. You must be tired after just getting out of prison, you should rest well."
"No need." Mu Cidian shook his head, "I’ll just sleep on the sofa."
Wan Quan gazed at her son.
Mu Cidian walked towards the sofa and lay down on it.
Wan Quan’s eyes reddened, "Since you were a child, I’ve never let you suffer like this."
Since he was a child, they had never been so financially strained. Regardless of the circumstances, they were never short of money.
Mu Cidian smiled a bit, "This is much better than the prison environnt."
"Cidian, promise , we must rise again, we must return to living in a big house."
"Mmm." Mu Cidian nodded.
He would work hard.
The first day after being released from prison.
Mu Cidian spent half a day resting at ho. In the afternoon, he went out to write a resu and bought a new suit. Although it was cheap, it made him look more professional. The suit was too big for him even in the smallest size, and it was also a bit short. He could only buy it back, have it adjusted at the tailor’s shop to a more appropriate size.
The following early morning.
Wan Quan was still asleep when Mu Cidian left the house.
He needed to find work quickly.
At least to have so inco.
He saw various recruitnt information on different websites and applied for jobs at different companies.
Initially, he set his expected monthly salary at 20,000 yuan. After being rejected, he lowered his expectations to 10,000 yuan, then 5,000 yuan, and finally even a job paying 3,000 yuan. All were rejected for the sa reason – he had a criminal record.
A criminal record was a red flag. No respectable companies would hire him.
Ordinary jobs were now out of reach.
He thought of starting his own business, but had no capital.
Mu Cidian was wandering aimlessly on the streets, clutching his resu, faltering amongst the bustling crowd.
He never imagined that finding a job would be this difficult for him.
As he continued to walk.
The phone rang.
Seeing the caller ID, he initially thought that it might be a company that wanted to hire him against the odds. The anticipation turned into disappointnt when he answered, "Mom?"
"Cidian, co ho quickly, soone is trying to kill , hurry back..." Wan Quan cried out on the phone.
The call abruptly ended the next second.
Mu Cidian quickly hailed a cab to get ho.
Taking a cab was a luxury to him now.
As soon as he arrived ho, he saw several large n standing there, with Wan Quan cowering in the corner out of fear. Upon seeing Mu Cidian, she ran and hid behind him imdiately.
Mu Cidian faced the n.
"You’re her son, right?" The leader of the group asked.
"Yes."
"Good, she owes us 50,000 yuan. Pay us back for her!"
Mu Cidian frowned, "How did she owe you money?"
"You don’t know? Your mom borrowed money from us to gamble. You can look at the loan agreent here in black and white. We’ve been lenient, but if we don’t get our money back today, we’re going to cut off her hand!"
"Ah, ah, no..." Wan Quan scread in fear.
Mu Cidian was calr, grabbing the loan contract to take a closer look. He saw the signature and thumbprint, and then turned to gaze at his mother.
"I...I thought I could win it back. Who knew I would just keep losing..." Wan Quan muttered, before suddenly defending herself, "They must have cheated!"
"Enough with the crap! Are you paying back or not?!" the man growled.
Wan Quan was too scared to say anything more.
Mu Cidian said, "Give so ti, and I’ll find a way to pay you back!"
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