Chapter 54 – Love and hurt

It was windy yesterday evening, and the weather changed into a thunderstorm early this morning. It has been raining all morning and hasn’t stopped until now. Qin Wangzhi stood in front of the floor-to-ceiling windows of the office, looking at the city blurred away by the heavy rain, his mind was full of what Bai Xue said when she left yesterday.

    “What are you looking at? I’m still pretty even with a bald head.”

    What about this sentence? In the year he was with Bai Xue, he made many assumptions about the future. But why is that only this sentence that became reality?

    “Is it a coincidence, or did you know at that time that you had the terminal illness Paramecia?” Qin Wangzhi couldn’t bear the suspicion. Some kind of reasonable guess that made his already cold heart warmed up again.

    “Xue Er, why did you break up with me?”

    Knock knock!

    At this moment, there was a knock on the door.

    Qin Wangzhi retracted his thoughts, turned around, walked back to the desk and sat down before letting the person in.

    “Mr. Qin, this is the plan sent by Mrs. Du yesterday.” The assistant handed the plan to Qin Wangzhi.

    Qin Wangzhi opened the plan and glanced at it and said, “It’s done so soon?”

    “Yes.” The assistant said with a smile, “Isn’t this the Qixi Festival soon? Presumably the Du Group wanted to take advantage of the Qixi Festival to announce the marriage of the Du and Qin families.” (t/n: Qixi Festival also known as Tanabata in Japan is a like a Chinese Valentine’s day)

    Qin Wangzhi glanced at the plan and glanced at his assistant and asked, “Am I the one who agrees about the Qixi announcement?”

    “No, you…you did not. But aren’t the engagement rings ready?” the assistant asked in astonishment. The last time Du Pingguo, the daughter of Du’s Enterprise, came to ask President Qin to customize their engagement ring together and the assistant comrade was there at the time. But the way I hear what President Qin is saying now, it seems that he is going to change his mind.

    Qin Wangzhi frowned, thought for a while and asked, “Is the PR department already preparing?”

    “Yes.” The assistant nodded.

    “Let the PR Department formulate a new plan, the engagement has been cancelled.” Qin Wangzhi said.

    “Ah… yes!”

    “Make an appointment with the chairman of Du’s, I have something to talk to him about.” Qin Wangzhi continued.

    “Yes, I’ll go right now.” When the assistant turned around and went out, he couldn’t help but sigh silently. At this point, there’s probably nothing else to talk about except the cancellation of the engagement. I thought that the company would finally have a madam to serve and the female workers in the company will all be heartbroken. But it seems that everyone is going to be restless again.

    After staying in the hospital for one night, and having breakfast the next day, Brother Wolf personally sent Little Red Riding Hood back to the Bianhua Hospice.

    There was a huge lawn in front of Bianhua’s gate, therefore the car cannot enter directly inside the gated area. After the car stopped, Xiong Da stood outside the car door with an umbrella, waiting for Little Red Riding Hood to get off.

    In the car, Little Red Riding Hood pouted and looked at Brother Wolf, not moving.

    “Didn’t you couldn’t wait to come back, why didn’t you get out of the car?” Brother Wolf asked suspiciously.

    “Have you forgotten anything else?” Little Red Riding Hood reminded him.

    “No.” Brother Wolf recalled and shook his head with certainty.

    “Think again.”

    “No.” Brother Wolf still shook his head.

    “You…you didn’t say you wanted to take me to register my name.” Little Red Riding Hood saw that Brother Wolf seemed to have really forgotten, and couldn’t help but say it.

    A faint smile flashed in Brother Wolf’s eyes, but he pretended to be surprised and asked, “Are you proposing to me?”

    “It was obviously you who proposed to me yesterday.”

    “You said it, that was yesterday.” Brother Wolf said, “Is there something you haven’t heard of? Today is different from yesterday.”

    “Why are you like this? You changed your mind in just one night.” Little Red Riding Hood asked angrily.

    Brother Wolf looked at Little Red Riding Hood’s frantic look and he felt that she was really angry.

    “Forget it.” Little Red Riding Hood felt that Brother Wolf must have resented the fact that she had rejected him, so she said very generously, “Then let me propose to you. Brother Wolf, let’s go get the certificate with me today.”

    “Let me think about it, you may die at any time due to the illness. If I marry you, wouldn’t it be a hassle for me to think about my second marriage at any time?” Brother Wolf gave me a very disadvantaged expression.

    “I haven’t even gone yet and you’re already thinking about a second marriage?” Little Red Riding Hood couldn’t believe it, “I tell you, I won’t take a cheater lightly.”

    “Then don’t think about cheating casually too.” Wolf Brother suddenly approached Little Red Riding Hood.

    His hands gently caressed Little Red Riding Hood’s cheeks which were flushed with excitement. His voice sounded domineering yet gentle at the same time, “Remember your words.” She couldn’t stand from tearing up.

    “Hmm.” Little Red Riding Hood hummed softly.

    Brother Wolf’s eyes darkened, and he placed a gentle kiss in the corner of Little Red Riding Hood’s eye: “I’ll walk you in.”

    Brother Wolf got out of the car from the other side, took the umbrella in Xiong Da’s hand, and held Little Red Riding Hood’s hand, the two slowly walked in. Step by step towards the gate of the hospice.

    “Would you like me to show you around?” Although it wasn’t the first time Brother Wolf came to Bianhua, it was the first time he entered it. Little Red Riding Hood wanted to take the opportunity to show around the place where she lived to Brother Wolf.

    “Okay.” Brother Wolf also wanted to see the living environment of Little Red Riding Hood.

    “I’ll introduce it to you.” Little Red Riding Hood put the umbrella in Brother Wolf’s hand aside and began to introduce Brother Wolf, “The place we are staying is actually the activity room of the hospice. The first floor is the hall, and the second floor is the tea room. The third floor is the mahjong hall, the fourth floor is…”

    “What is the fourth floor?” Brother Wolf asked curiously when he saw Little Red Riding Hood suddenly stop talking.

    “The fourth floor is the mourning hall.” Little Red Riding Hood smiled awkwardly.

    “Mourning hall?” Yes, this is a hospice, and it is not surprising that there is a mourning hall.

    Little Red Riding Hood felt that it wasn’t too good to talk about death-related topics at this time, so she hurriedly changed the topic and said: “Let’s go to the back, there is a restaurant at the back. The restaurant here is very good, they serve the eight major cuisines here and the taste is super good.” (t/n: the 8 major cuisines are Anhui, Cantonese, Fujian, Hunan, Jiangsu, Shandong, Szechuan and Zhejiang.)

    After saying that, Little Red Riding Hood dragged Brother Wolf to the back, only to meet Xiao Ming who was dashing from the opposite direction.

    “Xiao Ming.” Little Red Riding Hood greeted happily.

    “Little Red Riding Hood, are you back?”

    “Yeah. Why are you running in such a hurry? Is that Lili you are holding in your hand?” Lili, the dog Little Red Riding Hood helped with tying a bell around her neck.

    “Yes, but I don’t have time to explain. I have to hurry up and take Lili to Grandma Lu.” Xiao Ming said his part without noticing Brother Wolf. He ran past Little Red Riding Hood and hurried towards the ward area. But halfway through he suddenly stopped, turned around and called, “Little Red Riding Hood, follow me too.”

    “What’s the matter?” Little Red Riding Hood asked.

    “I’m afraid Grandma Lu is dying. She doesn’t have any family. Let’s send her off together.” Xiao Ming said.

    Little Red Riding Hood was stunned. She had lived at Bianhua Hospice for more than a month. She knew from the first day that everyone here was waiting to die. Although she had experienced taking her memorial photos, researching the cemetery, and even discussing the style of the urn, but this was the first time she had actually heard that someone was going to die.

    Brother Wolf looked at Little Red Riding Hood’s slightly trembling palm, and his heart ached suddenly. Sure enough, no matter how strong Little Red Riding Hood appeared on the surface, she was still afraid of death in her heart.

    “Go and have a look, I’ll accompany you.” Brother Wolf said softly.

    “Yeah.” Little Red Riding Hood nodded lightly and walked with Brother Wolf to Grandma Lu’s ward.

    When Little Red Riding Hood arrived, there were already a lot of people in Grandma Lu’s ward, two or three poker friends who played cards with Grandma Lu on weekdays, a few nurses from the hospice, and there were Wu Ge, Bai Xue, Cao Nuo, Xiao Ming and the others who want to accompany her.

    The atmosphere in the ward was not solemn, and everyone even had a smile on their faces. It didn’t look like they were saying goodbye to an old woman who was about to pass away.

    “Grandma Lu, I found Lili. She was hiding in the restaurant and eating the dried small fish fried by Chef Wang.” Xiao Ming put the fat cat in Grandma Lu’s arms.

    “Sure enough, she ran to steal it again.” Grandma Lu smiled and stroked the cat in her arms, not at all surprised.

    “Grandma Lu.” Little Red Riding Hood walked into the room and called out obediently.

    “Little Red Riding Hood is back, who is this handsome guy beside you, is it your boyfriend?” Grandma Lu asked with a smile.

    “Yeah.” Little Red Riding Hood nodded.

    “Hello, Grandma Lu.” Brother Wolf greeted politely.

    “Okay, okay, he’s really a polite and good boy, but it’s just unfortunate that you came to visit just to see this old woman dying.” Grandma Lu said with a smile.

    Brother Wolf was stunned for a moment, because he was eloquent, and he didn’t know how to answer at this time.

    “Grandma Lu, did you already know?” Xiao Ming asked in surprise.

    “Can I not know?” Grandma Lu said kindly, “You little devils are usually so busy on weekdays, but none of you left today and you sneaked into my room early in the morning. So I guessed it.”

    “No, half a year ago, if you dug into that house, wouldn’t that person burp that day?” said the white-bearded old man sitting beside him.

    “Also, also, half a year ago, when you went into that room next to me, didn’t that person pass away that day?.” Another old grandmother also provided evidence, “We secretly called you rascals in private. Whenever you entered a person’s room, they will definitely pass away that day.”

    Bai Xue and the others glanced at each other privately, and they were all embarrassed. Obviously, they didn’t expect that their thoughtful behaviour would become an image of the grim reaper in the eyes of these shrewd grandparents.

    “Okay, okay, we don’t have any other intentions.” Grandma Lu smiled cheerfully, “We all know that you children are pitying us lonely and widowed old people who have no one to accompany them. So you every time you come it was for us.”

    “Grandma Lu, we… we’re not…” Bai Xue tried to say something to ease the atmosphere, but she didn’t know what to say.

    “Okay, even if you don’t come, I can feel it myself. When I wake up early in the morning, I feel that today’s spirit is very good. It’s so abnormal.”

    “Yes, yes, she shouted for us to come and sit with her early in the morning, suddenly saying that she will return to the light, and I was afraid that she was going to leave. Just to remind us of the upcoming death.” The old grandfather on the side also nodded in agreement.

    “Actually, it’s a good feeling to have. Whether sooner or later.” The grandmother on the other side also said, “I guess I can live for another half a year at most.”

    “I guess mine is next month.” The old man calculated it carefully.

    “Then I’ll go first and prepare the mahjong tiles while waiting for you?” Grandma Lu said cheerfully.

    “…” The rest of the people who won’t die for a while are collectively speechless. Are you talking about death, or are you talking about going out for a trip together?

    “Knowing that you are going to die soon, won’t you be afraid and reluctant to give up on living?” Wu Ge, who had been silent all the time, suddenly asked aloud.

    “Wu Ge!” Cao Nuo, who was standing on the side, couldn’t help pulling Wu Ge, obviously disapproving of him asking such a sensitive question at such a time.

    “Of course we will.” Grandma Lu still smiled cheerfully, “Who is not afraid of death, those who are not afraid of death must have never really lived.”

    Brother Wolf was stunned again, he felt that Grandma Lu’s words were obviously referring to someone like him before he met Little Red Riding Hood. Since he never really lived, he never feared death.

    “I’m scared, but it’s not something you can run away from forever.” Grandma Lu held her hands helplessly, without a trace of fear on her face, “I don’t have much time left, so instead of spending this time being afraid, it’s better to continue to do things you are interested in.”

    “Grandma Lu, is there anything else you want to do?” Cao Nuo didn’t want to continue the sad topic and hurriedly continued Grandma Lu’s train of thought.

    “Yes, I’ve been chasing stars recently, and my dream is to go and watch my idol’s concert live,” said Grandma Lu.

    “Who is your idol?” Cao Nuo’s mind was already searching for the classical handsome guys of the last century.

    “Three little ones.” (t/n: this is a real band called TFBoys, debuted in 2013)

    “What?” Everyone was stunned.

    “Those three children are so handsome, and I am their old lady fan.” Mentioning the idol grandma Lu gave a kind smile.

    “That, their concert is probably a bit difficult.” Cao Nuo said dryly.

    “It’s okay, it’s okay, or you three can play it for me, just sing the famous song, the one in slow motion with the left hand and the right hand.” Grandma Lu demanded unceremoniously. (t/n: it’s this song Youth Practice Manual by TFBoys)

    “I…we?”

    “Yes, Xiao Ming is cute, Cao Nuo is the most handsome, Wu Ge is cool, and the temperament of the three of you is somewhat in line with them.” Grandma Lu directly began to arrange the roles for each of them.

    The three looked at each other, Xiao Ming was the most straightforward and walked out directly. Cao Nuo was an actor himself, so he naturally had no pressure when asked to perform, only Wu Ge was stunned.

    “Wu Ge, your Grandma Lu doesn’t have much time.” Grandma Lu looked at Wu Ge resentfully.

    Wu Ge choked and spit out a sentence for a long time: “I… I won’t.”

    “Oh, it’s very simple. I’ll show you a video in front of you, and you can dance along.” Bai Xue took out her mobile phone and sat beside Grandma Lu’s bed, and started playing the famous song of three little ones.

    The three of them jumped up stupidly in the video. Especially Wu Ge, who was usually unsmiling on the other side, suddenly need to jump around with such a childish action, making people think that he has a cute point and everyone laughed out loud. Wu Ge had a dark face but he didn’t dare to go against Grandma Lu’s last words, so he closed his eyes and forced himself to keep jumping.

    Over and over again, until the three of them gradually became familiar with each other, and their movement started to synchronize. Grandma Lu closed her eyes with satisfaction in the middle of the laughter.

    “Okay, she’s gone.” The grandfather announced softly.

    Bai Xue turned off the music on her mobile phone, and several young people stood by the bed, bowed respectfully to the old woman who was sleeping peacefully, and then left one after another.

Please read The Attack on Little Red Riding Hood at ibastranslation.wordpress.com

    It was the first time in her life watching someone die right in front of her eyes, but Little Red Riding Hood didn’t feel that sad but she gained a lot of insight: “Brother Wolf, I’m actually quite afraid of death.”

    “I know.” Brother Wolf gently held on to Little Red Riding Hood.

    “But it’s useless to be afraid.”

    “Well.”

    “So I want to use these times to do what I like.”

    “What do you like to do?” Brother Wolf thought, as long as it was Little Red Riding Hood’s wish, he would definitely help her realize it.

    “I like you.”

    “I agree.” Brother Wolf said generously.

    Little Red Riding Hood couldn’t help but burst out laughing, she thought that Brother Wolf was a bit rude. I like you, so whether you agree or not, you will like me too.

    “Will you be very sad if I die?” Little Red Riding Hood suddenly asked again.

    “I should be.” Brother Wolf replied.

    “Then I agree too.” Little Red Riding Hood said mischievously.

    Brother Wolf couldn’t help but snorted, wanting to say that when you are dead you will not care if he’s hurting or not.

    But people don’t stay away from each other just because they are afraid of hurting each other. If you agree that I will be sad for you, isn’t it also that you agree to receive my love? That you will no longer escape and be separate from me and agree to face our feeling together.

    Because love and hurt can never be separated or exist independently.