RTCBM 18

The charity gala was packed with the city’s elite, including celebrities, tycoons, and socialites. It was a prime opportunity to build connections. Dressed in a sharp formal suit, Mu Yuan stayed close to Luo Yi, mingling with the guests and making easy conversation, laughter slipping in naturally.

Wen Shang had also been invited to the event. But the two of them didn’t interact at all. Each stayed in his own circle, talking to different people.

To liven up the atmosphere, the organizers had arranged a variety of performances: singing, magic, comedy skits… All kinds of celebrities and actors enthusiastically took part to help raise funds for charity.

At the moment, a ballet performance was underway on stage. But just as it neared the end, a strong acrid smell began to drift through the audience. People in the crowd started covering their noses, frowning.

“What’s going on?”

“Where’s that smoke coming from?”

“Seems like it’s backstage.”

A visibly panicked staff member rushed out from behind the curtains, ran straight onto the stage, snatched the microphone from the host, and shouted to the audience, “Everyone, evacuate now! There’s a fire backstage!”

The moment the words left his mouth, chaos erupted. All the elegant gentlemen and refined ladies abandoned their image in an instant, scrambling for the exits like their lives depended on it. Luo Yi was jostled from all directions, nearly losing his balance. Wen Shang spotted him and ran over to steady him.

“Uncle, hold onto my hand. Don’t get separated.”

Luo Yi nodded. He looked around and asked, “A Shang, have you seen Xiao Yuan?”

With everything happening so suddenly, Wen Shang couldn’t spare a second for that loudmouthed nouveau riche.

“I saw him by the banquet table earlier, grabbing something to eat. Don’t worry, Uncle. He’s young and fit. Quick on his feet. I’m sure he got out already.”

“That’s true.” Luo Yi nodded and followed Wen Shang through a side exit out of the hotel.

The fire spread fast. Thick smoke and flames devoured the building little by little. Within just a few minutes, it was already out of control.

Security had immediately called 119. While waiting for firefighters to arrive, the hotel manager instructed everyone to check who was missing.

“Has everyone made it out? If you know someone who’s still inside, report their name.”

Luo Yi looked around again, asking the people nearby one by one, but Mu Yuan was nowhere to be found. His expression grew tense.

“A Shang, I don’t see Xiao Yuan. You don’t think… he’s still trapped inside, do you?”

“Uncle, let’s wait a little longer and see,” Wen Shang said. He wasn’t particularly worried. In terms of physical strength and stamina, that guy was on par with him. The chances of him being trapped inside were slim.

Nearby, a couple was frantically calling for their daughter. During the chaos of the evacuation, their six-year-old had gotten separated in the crowd and was still missing. The mother was frantic, shouting that she was going back into the hotel to look for her child.

Others rushed forward to stop her, pulling her back while trying to calm her down.

“Please, try to stay calm. The place is full of smoke now. Rushing in like this won’t help. Let’s wait for the firefighters to arrive.”

But the mother couldn’t listen. Desperate to save her daughter, she thrashed and fought like someone possessed. Her cries mixed with the helpless voices around her and the heavy sighs in the air. The whole scene was thick with fear and panic.

What was supposed to be a classy charity gala had turned into a fucking disaster.

“Look over there!” someone suddenly shouted. Everyone turned in unison.

A tall man in a suit came running out of the burning building, holding a little girl in his arms.

The frantic mother recognized her daughter instantly. She bolted forward and took the girl from his arms. Aside from her dirtied clothes, the child was safe. Overcome with emotion, the woman bowed again and again, choking through her tears as she thanked the man.

Wen Shang froze for a second. The one who had carried the girl out of the fire was Mu Yuan.

Seeing that Mu Yuan was safe, Luo Yi finally relaxed. He clapped Wen Shang on the shoulder, beaming like a proud father.

“A Shang, did you see that? That’s Xiao Yuan.”

“I know that’s Mu Yuan.” But Wen Shang suddenly felt something strange. The person standing in front of him looked unfamiliar, and he couldn’t say why.

Luo Yi walked up to Mu Yuan and asked with concern, “Xiao Yuan, are you alright?”

Mu Yuan nodded. “I’m fine. Don’t worry.”

Then he added, “There’s still a cleaning lady inside. I have to go back in.”

Before anyone could stop him, he turned and ran for the flames. Luo Yi grabbed his arm in alarm.

“Xiao Yuan, the fire’s getting worse. Don’t go back in. It’s dangerous. The firefighters will be here soon. Just wait for them.”

“If we wait until they get here, it might be too late. I still have a chance. I’m getting her out now.”

Mu Yuan pried Luo Yi’s hand off and charged back toward the fire without a second thought.

Wen Shang stood rooted to the spot, watching that figure disappear into the blaze. For just a moment, something heavy and hard to name hit him right in the chest.

A sudden impulse surged in him. Wen Shang unbuttoned his suit jacket, pulled it off, and threw it to the ground. He grabbed a towel from someone nearby, soaked it with water, wrung it out, then tied it around his mouth and nose, and rushed into the burning building. No matter how loudly Luo Yi called after him, he didn’t stop.

The fire kept spreading. Visibility inside the building was getting worse by the minute. Mu Yuan had wrapped half his face with clothing and moved forward, crouched low in the thick smoke. Behind him, he heard hurried footsteps. Thinking there was still someone else trapped, he turned his head and was stunned to see Wen Shang.

“What the fuck are you doing here?”

“Save it. Hurry up and get that cleaning lady out of here.”

This wasn’t the time for arguing. Mu Yuan kept his mouth shut. The two of them ran toward the break room as fast as they could. When they found the cleaning lady, she had already started to lose consciousness from inhaling too much smoke.

“Auntie, hang in there. I’m getting you out right now.”

Mu Yuan was about to lift her when Wen Shang moved in faster and hoisted her onto his back without hesitation, turning to evacuate immediately.

“Hey, where the hell are you going? That’s not the way out!” Mu Yuan shouted when he saw Wen Shang heading the wrong direction.

“This route gets us outside faster.” Wen Shang didn’t stop. Mu Yuan didn’t have time to argue either and followed right behind him.

They returned to the banquet hall. From here, they could cut straight through and take the stairs down to the exit. But this was also the heart of the fire. It was dangerous as hell. The flames had already weakened the stage, and the overhead rig was on the verge of collapse.

Then came a deafening crash. The lighting rig overhead came crashing down, aiming straight for Wen Shang and the woman on his back. If that thing hit them, they were done for.

Mu Yuan didn’t hesitate. He charged forward and used his own body to stop the rig from crashing down on them.

Wen Shang stopped in shock. For a moment, he couldn’t believe what he was seeing. He never expected Mu Yuan to do something like that just to save him.

“You fucking bastard. What are you standing around for? You want me to hold this thing up for you all day or what?”

Snapping back to his senses, Wen Shang led the woman around the fallen metal and made a break for the exit.

Outside, a crowd had gathered, waiting anxiously. When they saw Mu Yuan and Wen Shang come out carrying the woman alive, cheers erupted. The applause that followed was thunderous, roaring like a storm, and it didn’t stop for a long time.

“You two were completely out of your minds.” Luo Yi scolded them. He looked angry, but there was no hiding the pride in his voice. He was beyond proud of both his nephew and godson.

Wen Shang gave a faint smile but didn’t say anything. Mu Yuan stayed quiet too. Unusually quiet.

“Xiao Yuan, what’s wrong?” Luo Yi asked when he saw that Mu Yuan’s face had gone completely pale. That’s when he realized something was off.

Mu Yuan still didn’t answer. He simply gave a faint shake of his head. Then he suddenly lost balance and tipped forward.

Wen Shang caught him just before he collapsed. That was when he saw a deep wound stretched across Mu Yuan’s back, torn open by the lighting rig. Blood had soaked through his shirt, flowing down his back and dripping to the floor, forming a glaring pool beneath his feet.

—

Wen Shang and Luo Yi waited outside the operating room. The air felt frozen, heavy with silence and pressure.

After a long while, Wen Shang finally spoke.

“He got hurt because he saved me.”

Luo Yi nodded. “I see.”

“If I hadn’t changed the route at the last second… If we’d just gone out the original way, maybe none of this would’ve happened.”

Luo Yi knew very well that his nephew had always been strong-willed. There were very few things in this world that could shake him, even fewer that could make him feel genuine guilt. But hearing his tone now, Luo Yi could tell that Wen Shang really blamed himself for Mu Yuan’s injury.

He reached out and patted Wen Shang’s thigh.

“Xiao Yuan is just that kind of person. He saved you because he chose to. No one forced him to. You don’t need to punish yourself for that.”

Wen Shang didn’t respond.

Luo Yi went on. “Have you ever heard this saying? High society, low morals. Clothes come before character. In our circle, people judge too much by appearances. I know a lot of people look down on Xiao Yuan because of where he came from. I also know many never understood why I made him my godson. But I didn’t do it because he flatters me or knows how to sweet-talk his way into my good graces.”

He gave a small laugh, then added, “People only see him as some street thug, but they don’t see the honesty and courage underneath. Maybe you won’t fully understand what I mean right now, but what I want to say is, Xiao Yuan isn’t nearly as bad as some people think. As long as you stop looking at him with prejudice and actually try to understand him for real.”

Finally, the light outside the operating room turned off. The doctor stepped out.

Luo Yi quickly stood and approached.

“The patient’s out of danger,” the doctor said. “But the wound on his back is extensive. We need to monitor him for infection. He’ll have to stay in the hospital for a while.” He then gave some instructions on aftercare.

Wen Shang didn’t go into the room to see Mu Yuan.

In fact, even if he had, he wouldn’t have known what to say.

That night, when he returned home, he sat alone in his room for a long time, lost in thought.

Eventually, he stood up, walked to the bookshelf, pulled out one of the books, and took out the memory card hidden inside.

Then he went to the fishpond in the backyard and tossed it in.

On most nights, he and Xiao Xing would habitually message each other before bed. But tonight, Xiao Xing didn’t reach out, and for the first time, neither did he.