EIP 78

Zhou Jun stayed at Yong Jin’s room for the night. The bed was small, and he slept inside, with Yong Jin tightly pressed against his back. They talked occasionally, their conversations drifting aimlessly without any particular topic. Sometimes, Zhou Jun would mention something he had recently discovered. For example, he had just learned that many of the places where one would need a rickshaw could actually be reached by passing through a few narrow alleys.

He also found riding the tram to be quite relaxing. The sound of the bells ringing, the wind drifting into the carriage, and the view of the old Western-style buildings made him feel like he was rediscovering the city all over again. Near the Zhou family’s neighborhood, there were many small eateries serving soup dumplings, fresh porridge, and other snacks that only appeared in the evening. In the past, when he went out for drinks, he would fill up at a restaurant, but now he had found many delicious little shops to enjoy.

Zhou Jun spoke with a light and lively tone, sharing his recent discoveries with enthusiasm. But as he spoke, Yong Jin’s hand around his waist tightened, and he bit gently on his shoulder, murmuring, “You’ve worked hard.”

The things Zhou Jun was discovering now were a result of no longer having the luxuries he once did. Yong Jin saw it as trying to find joy in difficult circumstances. However, Zhou Jun thought life had always been this way. The present wasn’t necessarily harder than before. Even though his older brother’s medical bills were a big concern, he felt that as long as the person was alive, everything would be okay.

Besides his pocket watch, Zhou Jun also carried a small silk pouch. Inside it was a copper coin he had bitten into while eating dumplings during the New Year. He handed the pouch to Yong Jin, whispering that it should always be kept close and in good condition, with no dirt and no damage, or else his good fortune would leak away. He sounded like a superstitious old man, rambling on about the beliefs he had heard along the way.

Yong Jin touched his face, played with his hair, and eventually kissed his eyes. Gradually, Zhou Jun’s voice grew quieter. He didn’t want to fall asleep. He knew that time was slipping away, and each blink could mean the dawn was coming, bringing his departure with it. But the long journey, the shocks of the day, and the weight of the events in the afternoon had drained his energy completely.

Before long, Zhou Jun’s eyes grew heavy, and he succumbed to a deep sleep. When he finally stirred, Yong Jin had already left. He’d eaten the noodles a soldier had brought him before leaving the room.

Yong Jin hadn’t come to see him off. The medicine had been transferred onto an unremarkable truck, not a military one, and Yong Jin’s officer had handed Mr. Xu the necessary clearance documents for their departure.

Zhou Jun stood by the truck, smoking, unsure of what he was hoping for. The sun was harsh, making him squint. His neck craned, as if expecting something, but nothing happened. As the truck began to move, Lao Mao called his name, urging him to get in. Zhou Jun slowly acknowledged him and walked toward the truck. He climbed in, and the vehicle passed through the base’s checkpoint and onto the road. He leaned his face out the window, watching the dust swirl behind them.

Xiao Ren sat quietly next to him, likely still cautious after the scolding from yesterday. Zhou Jun leaned back in his chair and instinctively reached into his pocket. His fingers brushed against his familiar pocket watch, but this time, something else was attached to the chain. A ring. Zhou Jun’s eyes brightened at the sight of it. He smiled for a moment before tucking it back into his clothes.

The ring had made its way back to him again, no matter how hard he tried to get rid of it. He couldn’t help but feel a mixture of annoyance and a small sense of pleasure.

Up ahead, Mr. Xu looked back and said they’d take the train on the return trip, traveling light. After a few more days, the shipment was finally completed. The journey back took three days. That evening, everyone felt a sense of relief. Mr. Xu invited everyone to a hotel for drinks and dancing, and Zhou Jun didn’t hesitate to join.

It was probably because he had relaxed too much that Zhou Jun didn’t notice something was off with the alcohol until after drinking a few cups. Normally, he had a good tolerance, so it didn’t make sense that he would get dizzy and weak so suddenly. A body pressed close to him, steadying his hand. His ears were fuzzy, but he could vaguely make out Boss Xu’s loud laughter, teasing him about his poor alcohol tolerance.

Zhou Jun bit down hard on his tongue, the pain snapping him back to some semblance of awareness. However, a deeper haze surged over him, almost drowning him.

It felt like a ghost pressing down on his chest. No matter how much he struggled, he couldn’t escape the heavy, suffocating dizziness that enveloped him. He bit his tongue again, forcing himself to regain some clarity.

He violently shook off the person holding him up and staggered backward. He collided with someone, a loud crash echoing in his ears. He heard someone angrily scolding, then felt himself being yanked by the collar and lifted up, along with the sharp scream of a woman.

Zhou Jun was thrown to the ground, shards of broken bottles scattered around him, their jagged edges piercing into his palm, jolting him back to some clarity. Sweat soaked his body as he felt kicks landing on him and heard people trying to break up the chaos. The scene was a blur of confusion, shouting, struggling, and a tangle of bodies. Zhou Jun curled up, protecting his head, his vision filled with a sea of feet, some poised in confrontation while others stumbled backward like a battlefield.

He clutched a shard of glass in his hand, pushing it deeper into his palm. In front of him, the hem of a cheongsam stopped, revealing apricot-colored high heels. Someone reached out to touch his face, but he grabbed their hand. Zhou Jun struggled to lift his gaze. The person’s face blurred into three or four overlapping images, none of them fully merging together. He realized the person was looking at him. Zhou Jun’s hair was a mess, sweat dripping down his face. His lips parted and closed weakly, and as the person leaned closer, he barely managed to whisper a faint help me.

His body gradually went limp, the shard in his hand slipping loose and falling away. He didn’t know how long he had been unconscious, but when he suddenly opened his eyes, a sharp headache and nausea immediately hit him. His tongue was bitter, and he felt an overwhelming urge to vomit. His hand touched his stomach, but all he could feel was bare skin. He froze for a moment, then pulled back the covers, only to realize he was completely naked.

He glanced around and quickly realized this was clearly a woman’s room. The air was thick with a sweet fragrance, and there were scattered high heels and a handbag on the floor. Zhou Jun hugged the blanket, leaning against the headboard, deep in thought. His body didn’t feel the relief one might expect after intimacy, but that didn’t necessarily mean he hadn’t done something he would regret the night before.

Outside the room, the sound of running water and a door closing echoed. Someone, wearing slippers, walked toward the room with a soft patter. The door opened, and the room’s occupant appeared, her hair wrapped in a large towel. She wore a dark green spaghetti strap nightgown with a white sweater over it, her face makeup-free. Despite her somewhat plain appearance, Zhou Jun still recognized her. He nodded at her. “Long time no see.”

The visitor was Xin Wanjun. Zhou Jun had once hired her to accompany him at several business events for three months. By the time his family faced financial problems, he could no longer afford anything beyond her taxi fare.

Later, the businessmen he met were all kinds of people, and it no longer seemed appropriate to bring a woman along. So, he stopped meeting with Xin Wanjun. He never expected that last night, she would coincidentally be the one to help him.

Xin Wanjun loosened the towel around her head, letting her damp hair fall over her shoulder. She walked over to Zhou Jun and sat down at the edge of the bed.

During the time Zhou Jun spent with her, he had always felt she was a sensible and understanding woman. But this morning, he sensed something different. Xin Wanjun took a cigarette from a nearby box, lit it, and held it between her fingers. She looked at him lying on the bed and said, “Mr. Zhou, I may need a favor from you.”

She had helped him, and naturally, there had to be something in return.

Xin Wanjun’s brow furrowed with sorrow as she looked down at her abdomen, struggling to find the words. “I’ve gotten myself into trouble… I’m pregnant. I need someone to act as a father to this child.”

Zhou Jun was startled by her request. Just as he was about to refuse, he saw her watching him through the smoke. “You might not be able to refuse,” she said. “While you were gone, I became famous. There are reporters downstairs now, drawn by the rumors. It won’t be long before everyone knows you spent the night here.”