Black Lotus

“What’s that expression on your face? Don’t you want to see me? Why do you look so disappointed seeing that I’m here?”

Zhou Yuanfeng went to the table and put down the laptop and several document envelopes in his hand.

After a while, he got a quiet response, “No.”

“Do you think I’m blind? Your eyes are full of disappointment. Who do you think came back?”

“No one.”

Zhou Yuanfeng seemed to have guessed it, and he turned to ask Uncle Xu, “Uncle Xu, is Niannan home?”

When Gu Yansheng heard Wen Niannan’s name, he panicked a little and stared back at Zhou Yuanfeng.

“Mr. Wen went out around noon and is yet to return.”

Zhou Yuanfeng glanced at Gu Yansheng with an I-see-how-it-is look on his face. This made Gu Yansheng want to punch him on the face.

“Where’s aunt?”

“She’s waiting for you in the study room.”

“Alright, I’ll hand her the documents first.”

Gu Yansheng walked to the door and saw Uncle Xu taking something outside from the basement.

“What are those?”

“The old lady wants me to loosen the soil in the garden and plant some flowers. She said that will make Mr. Wen happier.”

“Oh, go ahead then.”

Gu Yansheng was just about to return upstairs, but Uncle Xu spoke again, “Sir, do you want to come too?”

“I don’t like the smell of the soil.”

Uncle Xu didn’t say much more and went outside with the tools in his hand.

Gu Yansheng stopped and turned to look at the little garden outside.

When they married, Wen Niannan planted a lot of plants on the balcony. Everyday, he would water them with a bright smile on his face.

Once, when Gu Yansheng went smoking on the balcony, he didn’t see there was a little pot of plant on the shelf.

That day was windy, and the wind coincidentally blew over the pot and spilled the just-watered soil onto his clean suit.

Gu Yansheng’s face darkened as he looked down at the ugly and smelly soil on his shirt.

Wen Niannan also happened to come down from upstairs, and when he saw the stains on Gu Yansheng’s shirt, his face froze.

Gu Yansheng forgot what he said that day, but since then, he never saw another plant in the house.

“What are you thinking?”

Zhou Yuanfeng’s voice came from upstairs, and Gu Yansheng naturally looked up.

Zhou Yuanfeng walked down the stairs gently while looking at him. 

“I heard from the old lady that you don’t want to attend the concert with Niannan?”

“I’m too lazy to go with him.”

“Then why did Niannan refuse to go as well? Also too lazy to go with you? Looks like Niannan doesn’t want you anymore.”

Gu Yansheng balled his hand into a fist and said impatiently, “Why do you care?”

Zhou Yuanfeng suddenly pulled out two tickets and shook them in front of Gu Yansheng’s eyes.

“Are you sure you don’t want it? It took me a lot of effort to get them for you.”

“I said, I don’t need it.”

“You can go meet the piano master backstage with these. I remember that Niannan loved his music and would go for sure.”

Zhou Yuanfeng looked at his friend who still was hesitating, and he said, “If you don’t want it, then I’ll just go watch.”

As he pretended to turn and leave, the tickets in his hands were snatched away.

He looked back at Gu Yansheng with a pair of questioning eyes.

Gu Yansheng was also staring at the tickets in his hands in a daze. He only grabbed it because Zhou Yuanfeng was leaving.

“Didn’t you say that you don’t want them?”

“Of course I do! They’re a waste to be with someone like you that doesn’t even know how to appreciate music.” Then, he rushed upstairs.

Coming out of the hospital, Wen Niannan was a little dazed. Dr. Li said that someone came to ask about him yesterday night.

Who is it… Why does that person want to know about me…

Wen Niannan looked at the bright sunlight and pressed on his hurting head while walking toward his car.

In a corner behind, someone was staring at him.

As soon as he walked into the parking lot, Wen Niannan noticed that he was being stalked. He quickly opened his car door and slipped inside. 

Just as the door was about to close, a hand came and stopped it from moving. A sense of terror came across Wen Niannan, and just as he was about to kick the person, the hand’s owner appeared in his sight.

“Don’t, Niannan, it’s me.” A familiar voice sounded from outside of the car.

Translated by: Summit

Edited by: UnderTheMoon