Generation Z Artists

Chapter 98: "Cang Ye Xue" Part
Winter comes especially early in the Snow City.

Recently, Chen Cang discovered that a trace of worry would flash across Lou Yexue's face from time to time.

"What's wrong Loulou?"

"I'm fine. It's just..." Lou Yexue shook her head, seeming to stop talking.

"Hmm?" Chen Cang held her hand. "Although I may not be able to help, we are one. We should shoulder the burden together, right?"

These were not words that Chen Cang could have said before. The boy began to soften and mature, which made every reader feel extremely comforted.

Lou Yexue was of course very moved, so she revealed her true feelings.

"It's my father's side. He feels that something is not right. The problems in the machinery factory are bigger than expected. I don't know anything more."

"Oh, that's it!"

Chen Cang subconsciously wanted to avoid everything related to the machinery factory, but he controlled his depressed mood and reminded Lou Yexue.

"My father didn't commit suicide. He was pushed down by a worker by mistake. Song Zude has been behind this. Yan Lieshan is behind it. Anyway, it's a quagmire. If possible, persuade Uncle Lou not to get involved."

"it is good!"

Lou Yexue smiled gratefully, then turned her head left and right like a thief, and found that there was no one around. Suddenly, she pecked Chen Cang on the face like a dragonfly touching the water.

From this day on, their relationship entered a new stage. They were no longer hiding their relationship from everyone and it was almost an official announcement.

The golden boy and the jade girl, they are so sweet and loving, but it does not affect their studies, but makes each other better. Such love is the envy of everyone.

With Lou Yexue as a bond, Chen Cang was accepted by his classmates again.

He stopped fighting and stopped kicking the door of the shrew downstairs. He concentrated on studying and accumulated strength for next year's college entrance examination.

But in the even-numbered chapters, Lou Qingsong suddenly came to the door.

"Chen Cang, did you know that your father has a diary similar to an account book?"

This was the first time the two met, but Lou Qingsong didn't say any more nonsense. He looked serious and went straight to the point.

"Ah?" Chen Cang was stunned by the question. He frowned and recalled for a long time, then slowly shook his head, "Probably not. Anyway, I have never heard him mention it..."

Lou Qingsong was obviously relieved, and then asked: "Then where did your mother go? Do you know?"

"He went south!"

Chen Cang became more and more confused.

"Very good." Lou Qingsong patted Chen Cang's shoulder, "That's it, keep it up."

Chen Cang was no longer naive. He immediately realized that there must be something unusual going on here. However, Lou Qingsong not only did not explain, he even said a lot of inexplicable things to him.

"I didn't have a good relationship with your father. I was the production section chief before him. Your father was capable, so he blamed me for not promoting him. I explained to him that your personality was not suitable for being an official. He was not convinced and kept asking me what was wrong with me. Then, when you were about three years old, I decided to resign and go into business, and I took some time to explain it to him.

That day, it happened at your house, the old house you live in now. You and Xiaoxue were only that old. You looked at her and didn’t dare to approach her, and you didn’t move. Xiaoxue took the initiative to rush over and call you brother, wanting to play with you...

I looked at you two chubby little kids and said to your dad, you are such a weird person, you are selfish and aloof, your ideals are weak. Listen to me, just be a technical backbone and don't play with power, you can't handle it.

He was not convinced and had been for many years. He worked very hard, rising from the position of technical section chief to deputy factory director and then to factory director. On the day he became factory director, he called me to show off. I poured cold water on him again: Do you know what the situation of the machinery factory is now?

He didn't reply to me and hung up the phone angrily.

Now, I have made some achievements, and the county has called me back, giving me various benefits, hoping that I can revitalize the machinery factory. In fact, my original plan was to go south, but I couldn’t bear to leave, and always wanted to come back to take a look. As a result, when I came back, I was completely trapped by your father..."

“Ah?! Why…”

Without even waiting for Chen Cang to ask any questions, Lou Qingsong left in a hurry, and even left behind a particularly heavy reminder before leaving.

"If... never mind, it shouldn't be that serious. Anyway, take good care of Xiaoxue."

"Take care of Xiaoxue? Now she is taking care of me..."

The boy muttered something, confused and exhausted.

In the main perspective of the odd-numbered chapters, Chen Cang strongly doubts the world, but knows nothing.

In the past perspective of the even-numbered chapters, Lou Qingsong suddenly asked Lou Yexue one day: "What do you think of Yan Lieyu?"

Lou Yexue looked puzzled: "What do you mean?"

"That is, if you were asked to get engaged to him and live together in the future, would you be willing?"

"No! Dad, what nonsense are you talking about? I hate him so much!"

Seeing his daughter's intense emotions, Lou Qingsong quickly apologized: "I'm sorry, honey, it was County Magistrate Yan who had this intention. Dad will of course respect your opinion."

"Humph!" Lou Yexue turned around and walked away, "I don't want to care about you anymore."

"Baby." Lou Qingsong called his daughter, his voice and expression becoming serious, "After finishing this semester, go back to the province to prepare for the college entrance examination."

Lou Yexue's pupils shrank: "But..."

"No buts. I have no objection to you and Chen Cang dating, but you can only date in college. The last six months will be a test for you."

Lou Qingsong gave up the negotiations with the county and returned to the provincial capital with his lover.

Lou Yexue also confessed to Chen Cang the bad news that she was going to transfer back to another school.

"It's nothing." Chen Cang comforted her in return, "Half a year isn't a very long time. If love lasts forever, why would it matter if you're together day and night?"

"Pfft! So tacky."

Lou Yexue took out a beautiful letterhead with great enthusiasm: "I'll punish you to write it down!"

"how to write?"

"Stupid, write it neatly on a piece of letter paper and then give it to me."

"Oh!"

Chen Cang was writing the poem silently with great concentration. As soon as he finished and handed it to Lou Yexue, he also gave him a page of letter in return.

There is also a little poem above -

May there be faith like the wind, and may the sun be with you forever.

Chen Cang had just read The Complete Works of Su Shi, and it was Lou Yexue who dragged him to read it together.

He suddenly felt as if his heart was about to explode, and an unspeakable emotion filled every blood vessel. He initially thought it was happiness, but then he felt that it was not, happiness was not that sacred. Later he realized that it was responsibility, and he decided, as if swearing an oath to himself, to never let Lou Yexue down.

Time flies in happiness.

This year is the millennium, and all high schools in Xuedu are going to hold New Year's Day performances to celebrate the New Year. The class teacher reported Lou Yexue.

Because this is the last semester in Xuedu, Lou Yexue decided to participate.

The uneducated Yan Lieyu actually passed the selection. When he showed off to everyone, Chen Cang found out that the newly appointed director of the Education Bureau, Song Zude, had given him the green light to pave the way for him to apply for the title of "Three Good Students".

Chen Cang was disgusted by this kind of thing, and Lou Yexue comforted him: "Let's ignore him. I am participating in this event to say goodbye. I want to play a song for you. Although it's not just for you, I will play it only for you."

"Wow! Then I must prepare a big bouquet of flowers for you!"

The matter was happily decided.

Because of rehearsals, Lou Yexue did not return to the provincial capital on this weekend in mid-December. Her parents drove here to see her.

Then, the bad news happened without warning - because the road was slippery due to snow, a large truck hit Lou Qingsong's car, and Lou Yexue's parents died on the spot.

The sky above Lou Yexue suddenly collapsed.

Chen Cang ran around and took care of her day and night.

Because he had experience in arranging his father's funeral, he managed to go through the entire process with some difficulty. After the seventh day, Lou Yexue threw herself into the arms of Chen Cang, whose eyes were bloodshot, and cried until she fainted.

The first words she said after waking up were, Brother, you are the only one I have from now on.

Chen Cang hugged her tightly in his arms and murmured: You have been my only one for a long time.

At this moment, Chen Cang is steady and reliable. He is no longer the little boy with slicked back hair trying to look cool. He begins to exude a charm from the bottom of his heart.

……

It was obviously a very warm and loving scene, and Yang Xin smiled like an auntie, but Li Hong always felt that something was wrong - she found it difficult to get into the mood.

The relationship between the two of them is too dreamy, while the death and aftermath of Lou Qingsong and his wife are too sloppy in the overall description.

What is the problem? Did Fang Fang deliberately downplay this part?
There was really no time to think about it, so she continued reading.

……

Lou Yexue raised her head and said emotionally: "Brother, please take me."

Chen Cang's heart was deeply moved. How could such a strong young man not have desires?
But when he looked down and saw Lou Yexue's pale and haggard face, his love immediately extinguished his desire.

"Don't worry, you are too tired today. We should pick a better day. I don't want you to suffer any injustice."

Lou Yexue's tense and shy expression suddenly relaxed, and an extremely brilliant smile appeared on her face.

"Brother, you are so kind. Will you love me forever?"

"Of course, I will study hard and catch up with you as soon as possible. Then we will go to the same university, have a sweet love during the day and a sexy love at night. After graduation, we will get married and have two beautiful babies. The boy will look like you and the girl will also look like you..."

"Hey, why do they all look like me?"

"Although I am handsome too, you are the most beautiful in the world! How adorable you are."

"Hehe~~~Brother is so sweet, mua! Let me reward you."

"Wow! Your mouth is sweeter, give me another kiss!"

The golden boy and the beautiful girl had fun in the dilapidated old house. Although they did not take the final step, their feelings quietly sublimated to another level.

Chen Cang put away his knives, guns, sticks, and clubs, picked up the spatula, and started cooking in a hurry.

Lou Yexue held a broom in her left hand and a rag in her right hand as she cleaned the old house.

A brand new little home, vitality and life bursting out from the hands of these two orphans.

Until the appearance of the head teacher interrupted it all.

Chen Cang looked at Lou Yexue worriedly: "Are you still going to attend the performance?"

Lou Lou looked pale but nodded firmly: "Of course! Now I don't need to play a song of love for you, but I will play a song of longing and vows for them. I will live a good life and be happy forever."

"Okay then." Chen Cang nodded in agreement, "I'll pick you up."

"Yeah, thank you brother~~~"

She was so good at acting like a spoiled child, and the two of them kissed passionately, and it took a lot of willpower to overcome the pure flames of adolescence.

"Brother, let's do it on New Year's Eve. I want to give myself to you completely."

"Okay." Chen Cang panted and swore through gritted teeth, "From now on, wherever you are, I will be there."

On the day of the New Year's Day performance, Lou Yexue completed a perfect performance. She was as dazzling as a goddess, and every strand of her hair interpreted beauty, stunning all the boys and girls in the Snow City high school. Then, in such a high-profile occasion, she took the rose from Chen Cang's hand, leaned over and gently kissed him on the cheek, making all of this frozen in the photos and in people's hearts.

"Oh~~~"

The sounds of exclamations, booing, and cheering almost blew the roof off the shed.

Xue Gao Principal Zhao Muyang was so angry that his face turned blue. He hurried to explain to Song Zude, but the other party said sarcastically: "What a good student Principal Zhao taught!"

After the performance, Principal Zhao came backstage angrily and criticized Lou Yexue with a dark face, but she didn't care at all.

At this moment, Song Zude jumped out to play the good guy and invited her to attend the celebration banquet.

"I'm not going." Lou Yexue refused decisively.

Principal Zhao frowned: "All the teachers and students of our school have worked so hard for this performance. Everyone is going, why do you have to be treated specially?"

"Anyway, I'm not going." Lou Yexue was eager to go home, "Your school teacher or student? I won't be one soon."

Song Zude's face was somewhat gloomy and impatient, which frightened Zhao Muyang to the point of burning anxiety. He asked angrily, "What about Chen Cang? Isn't he one too?"

Lou Yexue turned around suddenly: "Why do you do that?"

"Puppy love!"

Lou Yexue's heart skipped a beat. It was not until this moment that she realized that her momentary impulse had brought Chen Cang huge trouble.

She is just a young girl, and it is inevitable that she will panic when facing such pressure.

She bit her lip and agreed humiliatingly.

But she immediately found Chen Cang and explained to him: "I have to sit at the celebration banquet for a while, can you accompany me?"

"Of course." Chen Cang didn't even think about it. "Where is it? I'll wait for you downstairs."

On the way to the government hotel, the two stayed close to each other, alert to all the glances coming their way.

……

When she saw this, Li Hong could no longer suppress the ominous premonition in her heart.

Fang Xinghe's writing style is extremely sophisticated. There are no common misunderstandings among adolescent lovers, nor the melodramatic and pretentious "I won't tell you, you have to guess" in Qiong Yao's romance novels. The two little people huddle together for warmth, carefully guarding against external malice, but this world is so dark and heavy, and the shadows that loom from every corner are simply suffocating.

Is this really a youth love story?

As expected, when Yan Lieyu saw Chen Cang accompanying Lou Yexue, he completely released the jealousy and resentment in his heart.

He secretly called his lackeys and said only one sentence: "Chen Cang is outside the government hotel, kill him!"

Black Dog, the only one who escaped from the iron theft case, called a dozen thugs and blocked Chen Cang in a dead end.

"Get out of the way, I don't want to kill anyone."

Chen Cang suddenly had an ominous premonition in his heart, his eyes turned blood red, and he pulled out a dagger with his backhand.

Most of the thugs were scared, but Black Dog raised his stick and laughed wildly: "Murder? I was afraid of you a year ago, but now you're about to get into a prestigious university, why should I be afraid of you? Come on! Stab me! Stab me here!"

The black dog patting his chest activated the courage of the gangsters. They did not come closer, but continued to harass them with bricks and sticks. Chen Cang did hesitate. He did not dare to kill them again.

The melee lasted for about a few minutes, and Chen Cang was hit hard several times. He knew that he couldn't go on like this.

"Black dog!"

Chen Cang took a step back and shouted angrily.

The thugs stopped attacking, looked at Chen Cang panting like a wolf, and asked hoarsely: "How can we end our feud? Must one of us die?"

Black Dog realized that Chen Cang had reached his limit, not his physical limit, but his rational limit.

Wasn't he afraid? No, of course he was afraid.

"The end? You broke my legs, broke my arms, broke my spine, and made me be laughed at like a dog. Now you ask me how to end it?"

Chen Cang did not argue with him about what happened or who was right or wrong. He slowly suppressed his anger and his expression turned into one of pleading.

"I have something important to do today. Draw a line for you and I'll give it back to you!"

The black dog's expression became stunned.

……

This chapter ends and the perspective switches back to the celebration party.

Lou Yexue's situation is very much like a trial of heresy - Song Zude suppresses her from a high position, Principal Zhao blindly agrees, the dean of studies Chang Ping works hard to flatter "Master Yan", and the head teacher just smiles.

The other acting students who came with her kept making sarcastic remarks, venting their long-suppressed jealousy towards the young lady in distress.

Lou Yexue endured the grievance, sat there without eating or drinking until Song Zude left, and then said goodbye immediately.

Yan Lieyu chased her out and harassed her one last time.

Lou Yexue ignored her and went out, but she did not see Chen Cang outside the hotel.

"Who are you looking for?"

Yan Lieyu crossed his arms and smiled evilly. The panic that appeared on Lou Yexue's face for the first time made him vent most of the depression in his heart. He felt an unprecedented happiness, a kind of happiness of domination, destruction, like a cat playing with mouse.

……

The view changes again and returns to Chen Cang.

"Dog brother……"

Chen Cang looked at the black dog pleadingly, and suddenly pressed the palm of his left hand against the tip of the dagger in his right hand.

"I owe you three knives, okay?"

The alley suddenly became quiet and the thugs looked at Chen Cang in disbelief.

Who among those who hang around Xuegao doesn’t know who Chen Cang is?

He is as cunning as a fox, as vengeful as a wolf, and as tenacious as an indestructible cockroach. No matter who he fights with, he will fight to the death.

When have they ever seen Chen Cang like this?
"I'll give you a blow first."

Chen Cang exerted force with his left hand and pressed down on the tip of the blade. The dagger slowly passed through his palm, blood gushed out, and the tendons of his entire arm twitched continuously.

But Chen Cang didn't even look at him, he just begged pitifully.

"Please, let me go today. I really have something important to do. Just let me go. You can do whatever you want in the future, anywhere, in front of anyone, and I will definitely return the remaining two knives to you. Is that enough?"

When Hei Gou looked at Chen Cang like this, his scalp felt tingling and his Adam's apple couldn't help but roll twice.

"Okay, that's enough!"

He threw down his stick and waved his hand, "Retreat, brothers, let Brother Cang pass!"

Chen Cang pulled out the dagger, clenched his left fist, and nodded gratefully to the black dog.

……

Li Hongsong took a deep breath and felt the heart that had been hanging in his throat finally fall back.

"call!"

Fortunately, fortunately...

She hurriedly saved two pieces of toilet paper, one to blow her nose and the other to wipe her tears - she had no idea when her eyes were filled with tears.

Just then, she heard suppressed sobbing coming from the office.

The heart that had finally recovered was hung up again.

……

Chen Cang failed to leave.

We worked hard to deal with the black dog, but then the police came.

This place is next to the government hotel and is surrounded by various government agencies. If a fight breaks out here, you can imagine how quickly the police will respond.

A group of thugs and Chen Cang were stuck in a dead end, with nowhere to run.

Although Chen Cang was extremely anxious, he was still held down and handcuffed because he was holding a dagger and had injuries on his body.

Not far away was the Second Branch, where he met Wang Zhigang again.

“Uncle Wang, Uncle Wang!” Chen Cang didn’t care about anything else and struggled frantically, “Uncle Wang, talk to them! I didn’t fight! I got hurt by myself!”

"Don't mess around!" Wang Zhigang walked over and looked at Chen Cang's injuries, then waved his hand, "Take him to bandage his wounds quickly, and then come back to take notes."

"Uncle Wang, I'm not kidding! Uncle Wang!"

Chen Cang's ominous premonition became stronger and stronger. He begged with tears in his eyes: "Please let me out, my girlfriend is in danger, I have to go pick her up!"

Wang Zhigang's expression suddenly became serious: "Where is your girlfriend?"

"In the government hotel..."

"Nonsense!" Wang Zhigang snorted coldly and walked away.

The hope and joy on Chen Cang's face froze together. At this point, everything was a foregone conclusion.

……

Li Hong didn't even dare to read that extremely heartbreaking text and quickly skipped the chapter.

Lou Yexue wants to sue Yan Lieyu.

"Don't!"

Chen Cang retorted subconsciously, and a look of deep pleading appeared on the face of this man who had been so tough in the past.

"Don't fight anymore. We can't beat them. I don't want fairness, punishment, or justice. I just want you to be fine and not get hurt again... Let's go back to the provincial capital. I'll go with you. We'll hold on for the last six months, get into college, and fly away, never coming back here..."

"I also want to forget all this, but... before I passed out, I saw a camera in the room."

Chen Cang's expression changed and he took a deep breath.

"Okay, then sue him."

……

Li Hong subconsciously thought that this passage was profound.

Chen Cang's fear and weakness, Lou Yexue's toughness and determination, and the unity that is produced after being pushed to the limit, the original text is so charming.

But the tight plot left her no time to think and she could only follow along.

……

After the case was reported, the criminal police team took over.

Wang Zhigang looked at the weak and numb Lou Yexue, then at the angry but restrained Chen Cang, and covered his face with his hands.

He squeezed out four words from between his teeth: "I will try my best."

Record, collect evidence, sign...

After completing the entire process and sending the two children out, he spoke with difficulty: "I'm sorry."

"Don't tell me you're sorry."

Chen Cang was unusually calm: "Help us get the photos back, send the people who should be in jail, and show your badge that I have done you justice."

……

Li Hong felt a chill in her heart as she watched the chapters reach even numbers.

The reality is colder.

From this moment on, the originally youthful and vigorous writing style of the odd-numbered chapters gradually turned cold and heavy.

This transformation is subtle and gradual, seeping into the reader's heart bit by bit.

Even though the suspect has been identified, there are always various interferences.

Principal Zhao testified: "Lou Yexue left the table halfway through, and Yan Lieyu sat until the end."

All the faculty and staff who attended the celebration banquet that day either remained silent, saying they didn't remember, didn't see, or didn't pay attention, or nodded in agreement.

Chang Ping swore, "That's impossible! I personally sent Xiao Yan home, and County Magistrate Yan even shook hands with me!"

Then, the evidence was destroyed.

Afterwards, the forensic unit issued a report that "Lou Yexue's clinical manifestations showed that she had been suffering from hallucinations and delusions for a long time", because the reason was that the mental trauma she suffered when her parents had the accident was too great.

They sought help from the media again. Chen Cang found a major southern newspaper in the old house that was famous for its "fair supervision". When the machinery factory went bankrupt and Chen Aiguo jumped off the building, they did an in-depth report to redress Chen Aiguo's grievances and criticized government intervention as the main cause of the company's bankruptcy.

With great hope, Chen Cang called the other party, and surprisingly, a major newspaper sent a reporter. After hearing about Lou Yexue's experience, he was filled with indignation, but there was no news after he left.

Chen Cang and Lou Yexue were waiting for help from the media, but in the even-numbered chapters, Song Zude said coldly to the reporter Xiaochuan: "This is not the first time we have dealt with each other. There is a truth that you know, I know, and everyone in the world knows: for your company, praising or discrediting someone is all business. Since it is business, we can talk about it. We didn't reach an agreement last time, but it won't affect our greater sincerity this time..."

Xiaochuan returned to the South with a smile on his face.

Even more outrageous rumors spread across the campus. Suddenly, it seemed as if everyone was pointing fingers at Chen Cang and Lou Yexue.

During the entire process, Chen Cang never even saw Yan Lieyu again.

Chen Cang felt so sorry for Lou Lou and couldn't bear to let her suffer from new injuries again and again, so he advised her to let it all go.

"I am willing to spend the rest of my life loving you. You healed me before, and I will heal you in the future, okay?"

But Lou Yexue yelled with red eyes: "I must make him go to hell! Otherwise, I will never be able to face you calmly! Yes, he didn't take away everything I had, but he destroyed the dignity of both of us! If there is no result to prove to everyone that I was forced, how can I love you openly?"

This was the first time Chen Cang saw her angry. He was too familiar with this state, so he stopped trying to persuade her and just put the dagger back into his waist.

"Okay, I'll fight with you as long as you want. But there's one thing..." Chen Cang tore off the gauze on his left hand and showed her the scar that had not yet healed.

"If you die, I will die."

Lou Lou cried, and then laughed. That smile was so beautiful, embellished with crystal tears.

……

However, Yan Lieyu was acquitted.

The recklessness of youth paid a terrible price, but ultimately failed to break through the net.

Chen Cang decided to take Lou Yexue back to the provincial capital by force.

Lou Lou remained silent.

The night before returning to school to get her student status, Chen Cang still tried to make her laugh using clumsy means.

Lou Yexue turned around, bit her lips tightly, and tears flowed down her face.

The next day, it snowed heavily.

Chen Cang completed all the transfer procedures despite all kinds of strange looks.

But when he walked out of the office building, he did not see Lou Yexue.

He panicked and was about to shout, but at this moment, Wang Baoyue, their only remaining friend in the class, rushed over in panic.

“Chen Cang, Chen Cang!” She was at a loss, wanting to raise her hand but then putting it down again, “Today, there were suddenly a lot of these photos scattered around the school…”

Chen Cang snatched the photo from her hand and took a look at it, and his heart suddenly turned cold.

"Loulou!"

He no longer cared about anything and yelled, "Where are you?!"

On the top of the head.

Lou Yexue suddenly revealed half of her body from the rooftop of the teaching building, scaring Chen Cang to death.

He said nothing and ran for his life. When he finally reached the rooftop, he saw only a bunch of black hair fluttering in the wind and snow.

There were no last words, no farewell, the string suddenly broke, so all that was left for Chen Cang was the blood flower blooming in the white snow when he leaned over and looked down.

In Chen Cang's eyes, this flower bloomed more and more beautifully.

Wang Baoyue finally rushed up breathlessly and broke down in tears. She knelt there, not daring to look down. She just howled while looking at Chen Cang's frozen silhouette.

He supported himself with his elbows on the edge of the wall, his upper body lying there, motionless. Only the white mist coming out of his mouth proved that he was still alive.

I don’t know how long it took, but the noise echoed throughout the entire campus, and Chen Cang finally moved.

Wang Baoyue was extremely scared. She was afraid that Chen Cang would suddenly turn over and jump down as well.

The girl asked tremblingly: "What are you going to do?!"

"rest assured."

Chen Cang took the photo from her hand, folded it gently, put it in his arms, turned and walked towards the stairs.

"I still owe her a funeral..."

Wang Baoyue looked at his hunched back and his zombie-like movements, and suddenly had a feeling: the Chen Cang who was closer to the real him in her stubborn memory was back.

……

Chen Cang was taken back to the police station for questioning because he was the last person to come into contact with Lou Yexue before she fell from the building.

Wang Zhigang sat behind the interrogation table, looking reluctant, evasive, and muttering, "I'm sorry, I'm sorry..."

Chen Cang looked at him coldly: "Are you sorry to her or to me? No need, no need at all..."

……

Three years passed in a flash, and it was winter again.

The outside world is changing with each passing day, but time in Snow City seems to have stood still.

In the first year, the story of Chen Cang and Lou Yexue was widely circulated, but with the disappearance of Chen Cang, those true and false rumors finally returned to where they belonged.

In Li Hong's opinion, it is not time that has frozen, but Fang Xinghe's brushstrokes that have frozen, as solid as frost and as solid as steel.

……

A few years ago, the Yan family welcomed a big happy event - Yan Lieyu brought his girlfriend home.

Yan Lieyu was admitted to the best university in the province. The girl was his classmate. She was not good-looking, but her father was an important official in the province.

When the news of their upcoming engagement came out, people in the county speculated that Boss Yan, who was already the executive deputy, would soon have to remove that title.

However, Yan Lieshan, who should have been in high spirits, became increasingly low-key and cautious.

"Why do you want to live here during the New Year?" Song Lihua complained while cleaning, "Why don't you live in a good government house instead of this unlucky place..."

"A woman's view!"

Yan Lieshan stood in front of the window with his hands behind his back, looking at the increasingly dilapidated family quarters of the machinery factory, his heart filled with the joy of an old man reminiscing about his youth.

"There are so many people in the government compound, and any small movement will spread throughout the county. I am now at the most critical moment. If I don't stay still and bide my time, should I continue to be greeted and sent off under everyone's eyes?"

Song Lihua understood all this, but she still disliked the machinery factory’s leadership building, which was once considered very luxurious.

"Why didn't you tell me earlier? Now you're just starting to clean up. When will you be able to finish it?"

"Leave it there!" Song Zude rushed over and snatched the rag from Song Lihua's hand, "Sister, let me do it, you guys do what you need to do, I'll clean up the house!"

"Just take your time to clean it up. There's no need to rush to get it done." Yan Lieshan smiled meaningfully, "Xiaoyu's boyfriend is from a wealthy family in the province. They have everything they need, so we have to show her something different... like our family tradition."

"Oh! I see!"

Song Zude suddenly realized what was going on and started to flatter him.

"It has to be you, brother-in-law! Then I know what to do. I'll find someone to take care of the inside, and I'll ask my sister and Xiaoyu to take care of the trivial things."

"Ah."

Yan Lieshan nodded with satisfaction, raised his hand to check the time, and went out to work.

Song Zude was extremely efficient. He called a group of professionals to his home in the afternoon. In order to avoid gossip, he did not use people from the government or the Education Bureau, but hired workers from outside.

Two are responsible for clearing the sewers and repairing the bathroom, one is responsible for installing valves and air tanks, and another is responsible for checking the lines.

The coming and going of people and the moving around soon attracted the attention of the residents. In less than a day, the news spread throughout the factory area - Boss Yan, who had left the factory, returned to the machinery factory to celebrate the New Year.

In the crowd, a figure wearing a dog-skin hat and hunched over seemed to be shivering from the cold wind...

……

Li Hong was stunned to see the youth love story turn into something that she could never have expected.

Fang Xinghe used cold brushstrokes, careful thinking, and delicate techniques to complete a revenge that could be described as genius.

Chen Cang climbed into the corridor from the rain terrace and replaced all the advertisements for air exchange tanks, pipe repairs and sewerage in the same unit with stickers. Then he waited for an opportunity, and finally waited until the Yan family upstairs needed an air exchange tank, and then quietly blocked the kitchen drain downstairs.

Immediately afterwards, at Song Lihua's invitation, he went to her house to provide her services.

When clearing the drain, he used a particularly pungent chemical reagent to drive Song Lihua out of the kitchen, and replied with a silly smile: "This is a unique skill to kill bacteria and prevent insects. I guarantee that there will be no insects in your home in the future."

After obtaining free space, immediately apply hydrofluoric acid on the rubber tube connecting the gas tank and the stove, then wipe it clean, take out the alcohol blowtorch to evenly roast the connection, and finally evenly apply sodium hydroxide solution to the entire rubber tube.

Wait for 5 minutes and wipe the entire rubber hose with a neutralizer to remove all traces.

Finally, he took out the dropper, carefully checked the depth of the rubber crack with a probe, and then dripped in 15 mg of a special oxidant with extreme precision.

After finishing all this, he cleared the sewer, cleaned up the dirty places in the kitchen, took the money, nodded and bowed: "If you have any other work, just come to me. I can do everything except fiddling with electricity!"

Song Lihua took a look at the man's dirty mask. The area around his eyes was covered with pockmarks or rashes. She felt sick for no reason. Perhaps she was disgusted by the man's overly naked eyes. She waved her hand impatiently, "Got it. Let's go!"

"Hey hey!"

Chen Cang hunched over, walked out of the room backwards, closed the door, and went upstairs silently.

He hid next to the large vat used for pickling sauerkraut on the sixth floor. He opened a snakeskin bag, tucked the four corners with stones and bricks, and locked himself in the narrow corner.

Time passed by minute by minute, Chen Cang curled up with his eyes closed, letting the fire in his heart burn his cheeks red.

At 4 a.m., he suddenly opened his eyes.

He quietly went downstairs, lay down at the security door and sniffed, then suddenly put his finger in his mouth and bit it hard.

Next, he sat at the stairs until dawn, took out a piece of paper from his arms, read it again and again, cried and laughed.

That was the first and only love letter Lou Yexue wrote to him, with only ten words in total.

May there be faith like the wind, and may the sun be with you forever.

……

The snow suddenly became agitated like an explosion.

The Yan family, who were about to celebrate the double joy of promotion and engagement, died at home at the same time due to gas poisoning.

The government, police, and hospital all came, but they couldn't find any problems.

Just when the process was about to begin, Song Zude started making a scene.

"Impossible! What's with the aging of the gas pipe? That's impossible!"

No one paid any attention to him. Everyone knew that he would only stay in the position of director until the middle of the year at most.

Yan Lieshan is gone, it's time to settle accounts.

But Wang Zhigang was moved and talked to him alone: "Why do you think it's impossible?"

"That rubber hose should be new!" Song Zude's face was filled with fear. "I asked someone to handle it when I was cleaning the house. I took a quick look and saw that the worker specially replaced the rubber hose for the stove. It's impossible that he replaced the original one with an older one, right?"

"So, you think someone tampered with it?"

"Of course! This is murder. Someone murdered my brother-in-law's family!"

"Who?"

"How should I know? This is your job!"

"No." Wang Zhigang shook his head and said meaningfully: "Our job is to follow the orders of our superiors."

Song Zude's expression suddenly became dazed. This sentence was so familiar...

He tried hard to recall, and suddenly, his body trembled violently.

Three years ago, when Wang Zhigang was investigating his nephew's case, I said this to him in person!
"Three years ago, three years ago..."

Song Zude went from mumbling to fear, and his whole body jumped up with a bang.

"It's him! It has to be him! He studied chemistry in college!"

"Ha!" Wang Zhigang sneered, then patted Song Zude on the shoulder, "Take care of yourself, Director Song!"

"Fuck!" Song Zude was furious. "You are neglecting your duty! You are shielding a criminal! I will sue you! I will skin you alive!"

He was panicked, frightened, annoyed, confused, and completely thrown into disarray, no longer as calm as before.

But no one paid any attention to him. The bureau hastily closed the case and ignored his questions.

Song Zude couldn't sleep for whole nights, and in just a few days, he lost more than ten pounds.

On the 16th day of the first lunar month, the senior year of Xuedu High School started.

As per convention, the Education Bureau will go to inspect and give encouragement to this key high school.

Coincidentally, the 16th day of the first lunar month this year also happens to be Lou Yexue’s memorial day according to the Gregorian calendar.

Out of interest, Wang Zhigang investigated in the county for several days, but still could not find any trace of Chen Cang. He had a hunch that if the incident was really related to Chen Cang, then today was the only chance to solve the mystery.

He took a bottle of wine, went up the mountain alone, and found Lou Yexue's tombstone.

Chen Cang was also found.

Chen Cang did not hide himself, but stood openly in front of the tombstone, with a bouquet of flowers at his feet, a bottle of wine in his hand, and a stick of incense burning in front of the tombstone.

Wang Zhigang walked over slowly, closed his eyes and observed silence for a moment in front of the tombstone, and then spoke slowly as if chatting about family matters.

"You're a chemistry major. Is there a chemical that can corrode the rubber tube so that it looks like it's aged naturally?"

"Have."

Chen Cang nodded with a smile.

Wang Zhigang was stunned for a moment, then turned his head and stared at Chen Cang's face. In an instant, his pupils shrank into needle points.

Chen Cang’s face…

It was bluish-gray and swollen, covered with red rashes, and was almost disfigured.

He suppressed his strong uneasiness and surprise and asked, "So, you know how to prepare that chemical?"

"It's not that I know, but I prepared it myself." Chen Cang's smile widened a little, and he suddenly raised his eyebrows at Wang Zhigang, "Do you want to take me away directly?"

"Do you know what you are talking about?"

Wang Zhigang was furious. He took a step forward and clenched his fists.

He hated it so much, but he didn't know why or what he hated.

Maybe it was because of Chen Cang’s attitude, maybe it was because of the mistake he made, or maybe it was because he could only hate.

"Of course I know. I did it. Congratulations, you solved the case."

Chen Cang restrained his smile, looked back coldly, and his brows were knitted into a bow.

"No one cared about her death at the beginning, but I did! Later, no one dared to judge them, so I did it! Now everyone is mourning for their unfair fate, but I want to tell you, this is damn fair! Cough cough cough cough..."

Perhaps because his emotions were too intense, Chen Ye suddenly started coughing violently, and a blush appeared on his sickly pale face.

Soon, a strangely bright blood color quietly flowed out from between the fingers that covered his mouth.

"You..." All the words Wang Zhigang originally wanted to say were blocked in his mouth, and his face was full of horror. "What's wrong with you?"

Chen Cang raised his head, his eyes were exceptionally calm: "It's just chemical reagent poisoning, it's normal when studying chemistry."

"Normal shit!"

Wang Zhigang was furious, "Doesn't your school even provide protective clothing for chemical experiments?"

"What are you thinking about? Of course I will provide it." Chen Cang looked at him with a very strange look and said with a smile, "It's just that I didn't protect myself well."

"Are you crazy? Do you want to die so badly?" Wang Zhigang's pupils shrank into pinpoints and he cursed, "If you miss, why didn't you just jump off the building earlier? You're doing this to make yourself look so affectionate? Stupid!"

Chen Ye lowered his eyelids and murmured softly: "You know what? Time really can wash away everything. The flame of revenge in my heart is getting stronger day by day, but my will for revenge is getting weaker day by day. So I can't give myself too much time. I'm afraid that one day I won't be able to make up my mind. Cough cough cough cough..."

Chen Cang coughed more and more violently. He bent over and trembled like a shrimp that had left the sea.

Wang Zhigang couldn't bear to watch it, so he closed his eyes for a moment. When he opened them again, he quickly wiped away the tears from the corners of his eyes.

"So you use death to drive yourself crazy?"

"The most ingenious design of the Creator is to install a death countdown for humans. This cruel romance forces us to pursue beauty and makes us willing to burn for our beliefs, but this is still not enough..."

Chen Cang staggered and sat in front of Lou Yexue's tombstone, leaning against the tombstone and stretching his legs comfortably.

“Death, which is still 70 or 80 years away, is too long. It is neither cruel nor romantic enough to remind me to kiss every sunrise that comes next as a miracle and to hate every snowfall that comes next as a wedding dress that I have yet to put on.

And now...

You see, every breath I take carries the stench of death, the fear of death that makes me cold at the slightest touch, just squeezes and ignites every bit of my faith, isn't that good? This is great. "

He grabbed a handful of snow, wiped his fingers clean nonchalantly, looked up and asked Wang Zhigang: "Do you have a cigarette? One."

Wang Zhigang looked reluctant and lit a cigarette for him himself. Then he put one in his own mouth and tried four or five times to light it.

"call……"

Smoke and cold air were exhaled together, and Wang Zhigang asked hoarsely: "How long will it take?"

Chen Cang looked up at the sky and said, "Just for today. I'm tired."

"Is it worth it? You're still so young..."

"I just want the world to remember me and her."

"Remember? Why do you think you can?!"

Wang Zhigang was inexplicably furious again, cursing: "Even if I fucking arrest you, this matter will be suppressed without a sound! Who the fuck would remember a nobody like you? Ah? You stupid idiot!"

"Ah."

Chen Cang smiled and did not argue. He just held the cigarette in his mouth but did not smoke it.

The moment's silence weighed on Wang Zhigang like a mountain.

At this moment, a shrill ringtone suddenly rang from his pocket. He hurriedly took out his cell phone and put it to his ear.

The hurried voice of a colleague from the bureau came through the microphone: "Gangzi, come back quickly, something big has happened at the Experimental Middle School! A large-scale food poisoning has occurred inexplicably on the second floor of the faculty and staff cafeteria. More than 20 leaders have been caught in the net, and several of them are almost dying..."

Snapped!
The phone fell to the ground, Wang Zhigang turned back stiffly and looked straight at Chen Cang.

Chen Cang's gaze was still fixed on something in the void, and he asked as if talking to himself: "Officer Wang, do you think those people who ignored or even caused all this to happen, and then spared no effort to help cover it up, regretted their evil deeds when they were dying, or regretted not killing me earlier? Ha! Hahahahahaha..."

"Are you fucking crazy?"

Wang Zhigang rushed over, grabbed Chen Cang by the collar, and shook him vigorously.

"What kind of poison did you use? Is there an antidote? Damn! Don't force me to slap you! You fucking... I fucking... I was wrong, okay? Don't do this, please! Do you know how many lives that is? You are a human being, don't let yourself become a ghost!"

Madness, panic, regret, and heart-wrenching pain.

He shouted until his voice broke, and then burst into tears: "You can't do this, don't do this..."

In fact, Wang Zhigang hated himself more than he hated the child. What's the point of blaming someone who has already decided to die?

But Chen Cang just coughed and laughed while coughing.

"Brother Wang, after death, everything is gone. She didn't leave with dignity and left nothing behind. And I am so insignificant that I have nothing to commemorate her except a glass of wine in front of her grave. The two of us are just a pair of wild children who don't deserve happiness."

Chen Ye felt his vision was a little blurry, so he tried to open his eyes wide. A snowflake fell, swirling and landing on his eyelids, bringing a chill.

"Snowing."

Chen Cang's lips curled up, his smile was not big, but it was full of surprise and joy.

"Yeah, it's snowing..." Wang Zhigang nodded mechanically.

"What a beautiful snow, perfect for meeting my girlfriend..."

Chen Cang stared at the falling snow with wide eyes, "It was just as beautiful last time."

Wang Zhigang looked up at the sky and wiped his face hard.

He still didn't know what to say, so he had to repeat himself.

"You shouldn't be like this. You really shouldn't get stuck in this dead end..."

Chen Cang's smile changed slightly, and he said softly: "Snow comes year after year and melts year after year. Perhaps the snowflakes falling on our faces at this moment and the snow that witnessed the rise of mankind in the Yellow River Basin ten thousand years ago are the eternal reincarnation of the same body of water. We and our ancestors are breathing the same water vapor. Isn't it romantic to think like this?"

"Yes...very romantic...you are a natural born writer."

"But do you know what the most important thing our charming old ancestor taught us is?"

"What is it?"

"It is to grind teeth and suck blood from the beasts, to rise up against tyranny, to exterminate the nine clans of the aristocratic families, to plunder the houses and graves of those who offend us, and even the corrupt scholars agree that a vengeance of ten generations can be avenged!"

Chen Cang was breathing heavily, and his hatred was like substance, burning in every subtle look and expression.

"When the law no longer supports the truth, when the masters in office no longer uphold justice, the only customary morality of our nation is blood revenge, so what do you want to advise me?"

"You can take revenge, but the scope of your revenge is too large."

Wang Zhigang paused, and asked with a last glimmer of hope: "Those people, there is still hope..."

"There's no hope. Not all of them will die, but the best outcome is lifelong disability."

Chen Cang raised his eyebrows slightly, as if he was very pleased, but his stiff facial muscles were not enough to support him in completing this youthful movement.

Realizing that he didn't have much time, Chen Cang quickly quickened his speech.

"Snow is her suicide note, and I am her relic. As a relic, I just want the world to remember me and her.

I know I deserve to go to hell, so I'll go.

But please tell me again: Will anyone remember us now?"

Wang Zhigang had no idea how to face the expectation in Chen Cang's eyes, so he had to move his gaze downwards. However, he immediately saw that the boy's face had turned pale due to rapid hypothermia.

His heart felt like it was being cut by a knife.

"Yes, yes... I'm sorry, if I had... I'm sorry, wuwuwu!"

He felt that he shouldn't cry for a crazy criminal, but he couldn't stop crying.

Chen Cang gasped twice in rapid succession, then suddenly pursed his lips tightly, as if laughing and crying. After half a breath, his hand dropped down.

The last ray of light in those beautiful eyes was quickly extinguished when Wang Zhigang was stunned.

He suddenly hugged his head and roared out the most vicious curse words in the world.

"Fuck your mother! Fuck your mother, oh my goodness! Aaaaaaaahhhh!"

Snow is getting bigger and bigger.

Under the gloomy sky, the earth was covered in white, just like the day Lou Lou passed away three years ago.

Three years ago today, Chen Cang suddenly realized that he would never see Lou Yexue again.

After enduring these 1095 days with great difficulty, he now no longer has to feel sad about it, fortunately.

…………

With a cry, Yang Xin threw the book aside and cried heart-wrenchingly at her desk.

Right today, right at this moment, Fang Xinghe killed her completely from the inside out.

Li Hong was also in tears. She was the kind of person who was not easily moved by stories. Her own life was already very difficult, miserable and sad, so although she cried hard, she noticed that there were a few more pages of paper at the end.

Is it an epilogue?

She turned the next page tremblingly, but did not see the words "afterword". It was another new even-numbered chapter -

【44. Death is not salvation】

The chapter title seemed to be another review with a strong sense of sadomasochism, but there were only a few lines of text on the entire page. She took a deep breath and read on.

……

The snow fell heavier and heavier, and night fell.

Suddenly, there was a sound of hurried footsteps in the distance. Before the person arrived, angry curses had already come out of his mouth.

"Fuck! They're hiding here to play in the snow again!"

A pair of rain boots stepped through the mud and landed beside Chen Cang.

Then, a hand came over without warning and slapped the boy hard on the cheek.

"Get the fuck up! It's your turn to get your shot!"

The young man suddenly opened his eyes, and a hideous face was reflected in his beautiful but empty pupils.

<Complete book>
……

"!!!"

Li Hong stared at the last line of words, her heart stopped, her breathing stopped, her whole body felt numb from her toes to her scalp, and her brain went blank for a long time.

(End of this chapter)