Chapter 22 Friends

The river water is like ink, the heaven and the earth are like pictures

Du Cheng and I stood on the autumn night. In front of us was the surface of the Yongding River, and in the distance was the Lugou Bridge.

There is a golf course here. Du Cheng and I have played basketball and are quite familiar with it.

I heard the sound of the car behind me, and Liang Wei drove away

Before getting off the car, Du Cheng told Liang Wei to go home and have a good rest. After arriving at home, he called the company driver to come here to pick us up. Don’t tell us what happened today, just treat it as three old friends for a ride.

Du Cheng turned around and watched the red car go away, saying: Xiangzi, I just said that I did this for the company. I know you don’t believe it in your heart. You should be able to guess what I am for.

I thought about it and thanks to Du Cheng, I lost two women, one other's child, one who does not exist, and one who has a very good job. By elimination, the answer is obvious

Zhao Hui?

After hearing this, Du Cheng showed a bitter smile on his face, nodded and said: I couldn't say anything in the car just now

Du Cheng thought for a while, then looked up at the night in the distance, and said in a low voice

I met Zhao Hui earlier than you. You should know that we are from the same high school. I fell in love with her since the beginning of the first year of high school. I have only loved her in my life.

Du Cheng is very frank

I could vaguely guess that Du Cheng had liked Zhao Hui. One reason was that after Zhao Hui and I had sex in the dormitory for the first time, the underwear that Zhao Hui left in my dormitory disappeared. I suspected that Du Cheng stole it.

Second, during the period when Zhao Hui disappeared, he showed unusual enthusiasm and kept asking me about the situation, which made me more and more irritable.

However, I never expected Du Cheng's relationship with Zhao Hui to be so lasting and dedicated

Du Cheng has not married yet and seems to have never had any relationship. He even keeps a decent distance with Liang Wei.

Du Cheng continued: But she has never seen me directly. She fell in love with the basketball team in high school, and was in a stern relationship with you in college. She didn't notice that I was silently looking at her behind my back. I knew I was short and ugly. Zhao Hui wouldn't like me. She could only tell the truth with her forever in her fantasy. I was very jealous of you.

I remained silent, my heart was filled with turmoil

Du Cheng glanced at me and said in a low voice: It should have been an ordinary unrequited love story, but it was not until Zhao Hui disappeared that it became complicated. I saw you moving things to the dormitory with a large bag and small package. At first, I thought someone was moving the dormitory. You were helping someone to temporarily store some items. Later, I couldn't help but open a pocket and found that there were stacks of ladies' skirts inside, and the skirt looked very familiar.

I remembered my ugly behavior that day. In order to save some money on a hotel, Zhao Hui's clothes were moved from the rental house to the dormitory so that Chen Ying would not see through it.

I remember every skirt that Zhao Hui wore, and immediately knew that this was Zhao Hui's thing. I remembered that Zhao Hui was having a meeting in Dalian, and you had a small apartment that shared rent. I understand why you moved Zhao Hui's things to the dormitory.

There is another woman going to that apartment, Du Cheng said

His tone became cold, like the wind blowing towards me, I wrapped my coat tightly and listened to him continue talking

Who is that woman? I took a look at the call record on your phone while you went out to the bathroom. In addition to Zhao Hui, there is also a phone number without a name. I contacted it very frequently. I wrote down that number

You know the story after that. Zhao Hui is missing, you are looking for it everywhere, just like crazy.

I closed my eyes and my mind buzzed. It was the darkest moment in my life.

Du Cheng's voice rang coldly again, and he said: But what you don't know is that I received a call that day, asking me if I saw Zhao Hui, saying that she returned to Beijing from Dalian in advance.

The person who called was Ma Zheng, Du Cheng said word by word

I couldn't help but tremble when I heard Ma Zheng's name

Du Cheng looked at me and said let's take a walk around here, and talk while walking, it will be warmer.

We walked along the desolate river bank, with brightly lit city to the east and night winds to the west

Du Cheng walked very fast and said with a little breath: I heard that Zhao Hui disappeared after returning to Beijing early. I thought maybe she broke the matter of you and another woman in the rental house. She ignored you in anger. If this is the case, I would have a chance. But this is just a guess. I need to know the real reason for Zhao Hui's disappearance, and I can't ask you directly, so I called the number I recorded.

I was shocked when I heard this. It turned out that Du Cheng and Chen Ying had contacted each other at that time.

The person who answered the phone was a hoarse female voice. She told me about your relationship since high school and her experience of being caught in bed by Zhao Hui.

I stopped, covered my face with my hands, and the painful memories flooded me again

In the darkness, I really wanted to lose my balance, but I felt dizzy. At this time, Du Cheng supported me

I stood for a while, woke up, thinking about what Du Cheng said, and a question arises:

Why did Chen Ying tell you this? You are a stranger to her, I ask

Du Cheng scratched his hair and said: Because I first spoke, I told a story: You and Zhao Hui met in the swimming pool, and having sex in the dormitory. As he was telling the story, there was a crying sound on the other end of the phone. First, he sobbed quietly, and then the hoarse crying sound. The girl on the other side of the phone told me in tears that she had finished telling this story innocently. The girl said thank you for telling her so much, thank you for being able to talk to her, and then slowly talked about her and you.

From that phone call, Chen Ying and I met. Although I had never met, I often chatted with text messages and had no WeChat. I saved up a dime message. I spent a dime and slept with phone bills every day. Chen Ying told me that she had an old boyfriend. After a while, she told me that she would not love anyone anymore. After another year, she told me that she fell in love with a man with a family. Finally, she told me that she was going to Beijing.

I also tell Chen Ying about my feelings, your stories, Zhao Hui’s pregnancy, and the teacher’s accidental death Chen Ying said she loved to listen to us, and felt that we were living in a lively world, while she lived in emptiness

Du Cheng spoke very emotionally, but I was confused:

How do you know about Zhao Hui’s pregnancy? The reason for the school break at that time was tuberculosis? I asked

Du Cheng sighed and said: I have developed a habit since high school. When I have free time, I will ride a bike downstairs of Zhao Hui's house. Standing in the distance, looking at the window of her boudoir, thinking that Zhao Hui is doing homework, sleeping, eating snacks, and even masturbating in the house. This habit lasted for six years. Until that day, I saw you helping her out of the unit door. Her belly is tall and her smile is warm.

Du Cheng stopped, scratched his hair, laughed a few times, and then continued: I know it's time to leave. You didn't notice me. I rode my bicycle and walked without looking back. I've never been to that place again.

Hearing this, my nose was a little sore, and I rubbed it hard, waved my hand and asked Du Cheng to continue talking.

Later, my work was not going well, so I joined you and told me to work hard to make money, but I knew in my heart that I went to find you for Zhao Hui. I worked in the company for a few months, and two major things happened.

First, I felt very wonderful when I met Chen Ying. We were extremely familiar with each other. We had confided to each other on the phone countless times. We were the closest friends. There was no taboo. She would tell me about her interesting things about her and the old men in bed. I also told her how I peeked at Zhao Hui, but we never knew each other's appearance. We could only imagine that she was tall and short when I was imagining, both plump and thin.

I still remember we met in a cafe in 798. I found that she was beautiful and understood a little bit why you saw me when she and Zhao Hui were hesitant and hugged me sincerely and enthusiastically. She didn't dislike my height and appearance. She felt very wonderful. It can even be said that I felt a little from her...

Motherhood, I said it for Du Cheng

This is also what Chen Ying gives me

Du Cheng nodded with a smile when he heard this

We talked a lot that day. Chen Ying invited me to her house and told me a lot of things that were inconvenient to say in the cafe. She said that she was given to the Beijing official by a high-ranking official in City H and arranged to join the PL group by the Beijing official. She met Mr. Ye in PL, and Mr. Ye gave her to Ling Feng. She said and cried. I knew that she could only keep these words in her heart before and could not tell her because of the special status of men. She didn't even dare to say these things in text messages. Now I finally sat beside her. She found a clear spring in the desert and told me that I was shocked and sad when I heard it.

I felt sour in my heart, and asked in a long sigh:

So from then on you... have been together?

Du Cheng shook his head and said: No, of course not, we don’t have the love between men and women. I think Chen Ying is my only friend. I think she is the same. That night, we did slept in a bed, but she did nothing. She was tired and cried. She fell asleep in my arms. I hugged her and didn’t close her eyes all night. Thinking about her experience, lamenting the unfairness of the world and the misfortune of life.

The wind is getting tighter, and the autumn grass on the river bank seems to be crushed by the wind, making a dull sob

Du Cheng rubbed his face, blinked a few times, and then continued to talk:

The second thing is even more terrifying. I went to Li Lanxin’s birthday party and learned about her birthday and age. Du Cheng turned around and stared at me and said

I rushed around and pressed down on the darkness, and I was a little breathless

I have checked the obstetrics books and calculated that Li Lanxin's conception date was the weeks when Zhao Hui disappeared. During Zhao Hui's pregnancy, Ma Zheng died and drowned. The entire process of the accident you were present at that time was based on your confession. In addition, I have also heard that Ma Zheng had gotten pregnant with a female student and married a student to connect these things. Don't you think it has any charm? Du Cheng's eyes were still staring at me, and his pupils in the dark were like two bottomless holes.

Before I could defend myself, Du Cheng continued:

The police would definitely find out these things if they wanted to investigate, but why did they treat them as drowning? I couldn't figure it out. Du Cheng frowned, took another step and walked forward

I hurriedly followed

Du Cheng's pace quickly got up, and he didn't look back at me, but said to me: Xiangzi, don't be too careful. I just said that there is such a possibility, but I didn't say that this is the truth. The truth is very simple. Ma Zheng drowned and died, and it was not enough to file a case in the Public Security Bureau.

Du Cheng sighed deeply, as if he had made up his mind, and then said: I just... I am sad for Zhao Hui that she married you and raised a child that does not belong to you. You also know that I can't imagine how she has to endure in life and how you will treat her.

Stop talking, I don't want to listen to this, I interrupt Du Cheng

Du Cheng turned his head to look at me, stared at me for a long time, and then a smile appeared on his face, looking at me as if he was looking at a naughty child

He smiled and shook his head, saying OK, then I won’t talk, you know if I don’t talk.

I was a little angry and said: Tell me how you saved Chen Ying

Do you remember the Xishan Club? Du Cheng asked me

Remember, I replied

The Xishanhui is a group of powerful figures from Jin, and the core of it is Ling Jianghua

The West Mountain was so grand, then collapsed with a bang and was crushed by the general trend.

Ling Jianghua, Ding Wenrui and other political and business celebrities are imprisoned

The political arena was in a treacherous way a few years ago. Bai Xilong in the southwest fell, Zhu Changjian in the central government was liquidated, and the West Mountains would be destroyed. Three major events

That was the tragic curtain call of the old era, and it was also the rise of the new era

Coal, railways, and electricity are the foundation of Shanxi and the entire source of our company's profits.

We inevitably gave some money to the Xishan Association, and Liang Wei also slept with several outsiders from the Xishan Association.

When the Xishan Association fell, Du Cheng was called by the Discipline Inspection Commission to ask questions, and then came back safely

But, what does this have to do with Chen Ying?

Du Cheng continued to talk without waiting for me to ask: After Mr. Ling Feng's car accident, the people from the Discipline Inspection Commission found me because Liang Wei and Chen Ying were arrested together. They suspected that our company had a deep connection with the Ling family.

I was called to a van at that time, and drove around the Fifth Ring Road just like today. I interrogated me in the car and gave a complete explanation. After the explanation, I asked another question. When will Chen Ying come back to interrogate me hear me ask Chen Ying, stare at me, and don't answer me

I have no choice but to talk about it with danger. This is still a rumor I have heard.

What rumors? I asked

You know that those years of discipline inspection people were very busy, and those at the grassroots level were under great pressure. For new clues, many times they would use the people involved in the case to exchange for clues. I tried to provide a clue to exchange for Chen Ying.

After Du Cheng finished speaking, he looked at me, smiled and sighed, saying:

I confessed to Wei Pingyuan

When I heard Wei Pingyuan's name, I buzzed in my mind

Wei Pingyuan is an official who deeply participated in the Shanxi coal-fired power joint venture. He was a department-level cadre and accepted 200 million bribes. During the investigation, he burned four banknote counters. The so-called small officials were greedy.

Wei is an important fulcrum for us in the Energy Bureau, and the money we gave him added up to several million.

On the day the Wei Pingyuan incident, the whole company was in a panic. After that, Du Cheng and Liang Wei, I, were dealing with each other, but they were not affected.

Without Wei Pingyuan, the company was seriously injured, and it was not until it took over the Lanzhou project to make a little progress.

I was puzzled at the time why Wei Pingyuan was suddenly investigated without warning. Unexpectedly, Du Cheng used it for Chen Ying.

I didn't feel sorry for selling my son's land, but I said in my heart, but I didn't say it out

If it were me, I might have exchanged the entire company for Chen Ying back

Du Cheng expected the shock of this name to me, paused for a while before continuing to say: The people from the Discipline Inspection Commission are also very direct. They said that Chen Ying is very safe now and is not involved in the case at present. As long as the problem is found out, he can go back and tell me that he will ask me about it tomorrow. It is best to bring the account book to Wei Pingyuan to send financial services.

They recognized the exchange

The next day, I copied the account book and handed it over to them. Another day later, Chen Ying came back and didn't go to Liang Wei's place, so she came to me directly.

Du Cheng was a little gasping, took a few deep breaths, and then talked about it

I didn't ask what Chen Ying had experienced, but she stood in front of me and took off her clothes one by one. She didn't say a word in the whole process, her expression was dull until she was naked and covered in scars.

Since then, we have changed from friends to master and servant. Chen Ying has become more and more attached to me. It seems that only I can protect her. I see that her mental problems will occur when she continues like this, so she helped her immigrate. She bought her a small house in the Bay Area of ​​California and asked her to learn English. She started again in the United States. She said that I rescued her and sent her to the United States again. She also wanted to do something for me. It’s a pity that she was not Zhao Hui. Last year, I asked her to return to China and asked her to help. She agreed without hesitation.

My heart was so sad. I didn't expect that Chen Ying had long become Du Cheng's person. She was not a lover, but she was indeed the best friend.

And I have no friend anymore

The night is coming to an end. I heard too many stories tonight, and it seems like a dream

I can't ask any more questions, my throat seems to be pinched by huge sorrow

Thank you for telling me this, I told Du Cheng

After saying that, I realized that the deepest part of my consciousness had forgiven him

Du Cheng has been in love with Zhao Hui for so many years, but he saved Chen Ying at all costs and did two things I should have done.

No need to thank me, I just want you to know that I should spend the second half of my life with Zhao Hui and Lanxin

I was powerless to refute Du Cheng, so I could only ask indifferently: What are your plans next?

Take care of Zhao Hui and Lanxin for a while and then immigrate together

I was a little surprised and asked what to do with the company

Du Cheng smiled bitterly: You also know the current economic situation. The money we earn in a factory like us is far less than the profit of the increase in real estate prices this year. In addition, the last time we were blown, we were soaked and we were lucky enough not to drown. Will we be so lucky to change the next dynasty? How our business was negotiated, we all know in our hearts.

Du Cheng made sense. The wheel of history was over, and he didn't care about the death of a few ants. It's not easy for us to survive until today. My father-in-law's old friend was either retired or imprisoned. After the Lanzhou project was completed, the company could only sit in the vain.

Du Cheng sighed and said: The banquet is over. I know you and Zhao Hui understand it in their hearts, but I can't do it, so I'll help you.

The night ahead is dark, midnight is the darkest moment, I heard the sound of cars in the distance, maybe it was picked up by us

I walked to the Yongding River, smelled the fishy and cold river water, took out a small pistol from my arms, threw it into the river with force

After throwing the gun, I turned around and saw Du Cheng squatting on the ground, holding his head, motionless