Chapter 5
Flaw
Lu Zhao had been afraid of him since childhood, Jian Hua had always been aware of this point.
Lu Zhao dared to knock on the door of Jian Hua’s home and shout at Jian Hua. However, as long as Jian Hua looked at him with dissatisfaction, Lu Zhao would immediately deflate like a ball.
It was common in small fights. However, Lu Zhao wasn’t the same as others. He was really afraid of Jian Hua. His face looked fine, but all types of small motions exposed his weak heart.
Jian Hua’s parents once scolded him. ‘Did you bully Uncle Lu’s baby?No? Then why is that child scared when you stare at him?’
Lu Zhao had given a serious explanation. ‘Auntie, Uncle, Jian Hua didn’t bully me.’
Jian Hua’s parents looked at someone else’s child who was more sensible and also helped conceal their son’s actions. His mother and father smiled and gave candy to Lu Zhao, while they hit Jian Hua.
Jian Hua wouldn’t lose to this trash, he would show him! The next day, Jian Hua instructed his classmates at school to knock out two of Lu Zhao’s teeth. The kid was very good-natured and only said that he fell.
At the age of 17, due to the turmoil from the financial crisis, the Jian and Lu family businesses suffered a complete loss. They owed millions to the bank and could only sell everything. They couldn’t continue high school, so Jian Hua and Lu Zhao dropped out of school to work and support their families.
What could they do with a junior high school education? They worked at construction sites, acted as couriers and were apprentices at a barbership.
They were born in good families, so there were many things to get used to. The people who used to treat them as brothers disappears, causing their personalities to sharpen and their hearts to feel bitter.
Jian Hua changed. He was no longer impetuous. He always remained calm and was good at enduring things. The essence of his personality was still there but he polished it into a sleek and transparent appearance, while still disdaining some rules.
In comparison, Lu Zhao was more flexible.
When he was an apprentice, he flattered his master. When he was a labourer, he would spend time eating or smoking cigarettes. His ability to be lazy and shirk responsibilities was the best, but he didn’t forget to give benefits to Jian Hua.
It was reasonable to say that sharing such a hard experience should increase the good feelings between the two people.
However, Lu Zhao always gave Jian Hua the weird feeling. It wasn’t the attitude of sharing, but the appearance of mercy. Sometimes it felt like Jian Hua was a business Lu Zhao was investing in. He always inadvertently exposed something with his eyes or his gestures and he was too eager.
If Jian Hua laughed, Lu Zhao was overjoyed. If Jian Hua went to eat with people and didn’t take him, Lu Zhao would sulk and be unhappy for several days.
It was clearly wrong!
Jian Hua confirmed that Lu Zhao wasn’t gay, that boy was only interested in beauties with a C cup or higher. It was like he wanted Jian Hua’s most trusted person to be him. If someone went near Jian Hua, he would try his best to get them away from each other.
Jian Hua couldn’t think of any good plans for himself and his mother died. His father couldn’t withstand the blow of his business becoming bankrupt and drank himself to death. After clearing the bank loans, Jian Hua was alone without a home or a small piece of land. He was free but if he didn’t find anything he was interested in, he wouldn’t be able to succeed in the future.
Lu Zhao’s concern for him wasn’t light.
Jian Hua didn’t want to accept Lu Zhao’s ‘care’ so Jian Hua moved alone to Huai City. To his surprise, Lu Zhao didn’t stop him or try to follow. He just kept in touch and after two months, he stuck to Jian Hua like meringue.
After not seeing each other for a while, the gap should gradually disappear. Young friends meeting against as adults. They should remind each other of their young years and the good feelings would come back.
Lu Zhao broke this system.
Jian Hua had mixed in the film and television industry for a few years, and he had seen too many people acting.
Good acting, bad acting, too many popular stars did it. Lu Zhao only had the ability to hide from ordinary people. In Jian Hua’s eyes, it was simply a monkey show.
Jian Hua became more tired of Lu Zhao since the discovery of his enthusiastic acting. Jian Hua was cold towards Lu Zhao and reduced the number of times they saw each other. Then six months ago, Lu Zhao won the lottery and went abroad to do business with others. Lu Zhao had always been bold and knew a lot of people, so Jian Hua ignored him.
This morning at the door, Lu Zhao said he heard that Jian Hua had offended people and couldn’t get a job. Heard? He obviously inquired about it!
At the time, Jian Hua had a splitting headache and couldn’t cope with Lu Zhao, so he closed the door on him.
He didn’t expect Lu Zhao to appear so quickly in front of him, or in such a weird situation. Lu Zhao had clearly jumped out and stunned the young man with a backpack.
Lu Zhao’s words were very beautiful. After he got into an accident in an elevator, he saw people killing others on the road. He was scare and hid when he happened to see Jian Hua. Due to the excessive stress, he hit the stranger.
Everything had a cause and effect. However, Lu Zhao’s panic, it was really too fake in Jian Hua’s eyes.
This exaggerated acting—
Jian Hua watched quietly as he thought about what the young man had been about to say. Had Lu Zhao’s action been to stop the truth that this person had been saying?
Plot of the story?
“Are you okay?” Lu Zhao asked carefully. His forehead was covered with sweat and hidden fear flashed through his eyes.
The fireworks at Linjiang Bridge finished. Lu Zhao was anxious and pulled Jian Hua into the darkness. “This place isn’t safe!”
His words were quickly verified. A group of menacing people wearing ghost masks and riding bikes headed in the direction of Linjiang Bridge. After seeing the young man fainted on the ground, without any explanation, they jumped off the bike and cut him several times.
Screams rang through the night as bloody soared, causing Jian Hua to feel a sharp burst of pain in his head.
Lu Zhao trembled on the ground. The thugs didn’t find their hiding spot and soon sped away with wantonly arrogant laughter.
“Run quickly!”
Lu Zhao shouted. He didn’t forget Jian Hua, even when fleeing. He tightly grasped Jian Hua’s hand and moved forward.
Jian Hua recalled the bloody scene he just witnessed and tightened his grip on Lu Zhao’s hand.
Lu Zhao was obviously very scared, but had stood firmly next to him. Lu Zhao’s slippery temperament was hard to explain. However, his behaviour showed ‘goodwill’ and he had always been ‘loyal.’ He never really did any harm to Jian Hua, which was why Jian Hua didn’t completely turn away from Lu Zhao.
Lu Zhao ran madly through six streets into an alley, then he stopped when he saw the distant sign for a clinic.
“Should we find a place to temporarily rest?”Lu Zhao said to Jian Hua.
“…”
They had ran to Old Cheng’s clinic. Jian Hua couldn’t help wondering if this was a coincidence or not.
Jian Hua didn’t speak so Lu Zhao continued, “Or should we go to your house?”
Jian Hua nodded slowly.
The two of them passed by the clinic door and Lu Zhao wondered aloud. “This is a clinic. We should go in and see if we can find any medicine and bandages. It is too messy outside, so we should be prepared in care there is an accident.”
Lu Zhao excitedly entered.
Of course, Old Cheng wouldn’t allow people to easily take his things. Lu Zhao shouted to Jian Hua with surprise that someone was here. Old Cheng heard the familiar name and didn’t chase the two people out with a mop.
“This person is?” Old Cheng’s anger didn’t disappear so he glared at Lu Zhao.
“An acquaintance.” Jian Hua explained briefly.
Lu Zhao’s face stiffened.All their years of friendship and he was just an acquaintance?
“Friend, you are—” Too unkind!
Old Cheng asked about the situation outside. Jian Hua ignored Lu Zhao’s plea and explained. Lu Zhao could only stand dumbly next to him.
Jian Huan told Old Cheng about the violence and killing he saw.
Old Cheng paled. “It seems like two forces are fighting each other? The city is big so as long as we don’t go out, we should be safe. But…”
How would they survive without eating or drinking? When would this stagnant time return to normal?
“I saw someone carrying food.” It was useless to that person, so Jian Hua thought about taking it.
“No! It is too dangerous, you can’t go!” Lu Zhao quickly cried out.
This reaction wasn’t like Lu Zhao. Jian Hua looked at Lu Zhao. It was impossible for Lu Zhao to think so quickly that Jian Hua intended to risk himself to take the food from the body.
“Um, I mean.” Lu Zhao quickly realized his mistake and immediately tried to fix it. “If you are hungry, I have food here.”
He took out a few pieces of chocolate from his pocket. It had high calories, high sugar and good taste, so the dead wouldn’t tire of it.
“You should keep it for yourself to eat.” Jian Hua’s voice was hoarse and he was pale. Old Cheng recalled that Jian Hua just received an IV so he quickly ran to the rest room, prepared medicine for Jian Hua and had him take it.
Lu Zhao obviously wanted to say something, but he determined that consuming a few pills wasn’t bad. His gaze shifted to the chocolate on the table.
“We have been brothers for many years yet you are still polite with me. This chocolate isn’t anything valuable.” He said goodbye to Jian Hua. “I have to rush home to see my parents. You should be careful.”
Once Lu Zhao left, Old Cheng sighed and picked up the chocolate. “That young man is kind but unfortunately, this food—”
“Keep it. You should be hungry.”
“What?” Old Cheng was confused.
Jian Hua whispered, “It seems like anything in the pockets on the back stays after the time stagnation occurs. On the road, I saw a man carrying a large bag stuffed full with food and water.”
“Hey, he left us his food—”
“Don’t worry, he must have more.” Jian Hua didn’t say anything more.
Old Cheng sighed and they sat together in the clinic. Jian Hua subconsciously took out his phone, saw that the time was stuck at 18:15 and stared stupidly for a while before remembering that the standby image had been changed.