Yang Lei made that phone call. After he called, he knew that Fang Yu had already arrived at Lu City and was negotiating.
Speaking about these things takes time. At that time, very soon and before Yang Lei had asked about where Fang Yu was, he had already met Fang Yu.
Under the circumstances of that day, Huang Gou-zi was hung over the fire. Since he had invited a middleman and held a negotiation banquet, he had to follow the Jianghu rules. Before that many Jianghu people, Huang Gou-zi was caught in a difficult position. He didnât want to let go of the person, but he couldnât not let him go.
Although Huang Gou-zi and Yan Ziyiâs matter wasnât finished, including Boss Wu and Yan Ziyiâs conflict, how it was later resolved didnât have much to do with Yang Lei and Fang Yu. It wonât be mentioned here.
That night at the hospital, Fang Yuâs wounds were properly dressed, and he stayed in the hospital overnight for observation. The doctors told Fang Yu and Yang Lei he nearly hit a big nerve which would have left his entire arm useless. If he didnât properly heal for several months and he kept fighting fiercely, then he didnât need to keep this arm.
When they returned to Jianghai, Yan Ziyi wanted to set out wine to thank Fang Yu. Fang Yu said, âYan Ge, maybe another day. Today, Yang Lei and I are both tired.â
When they got home to the eighth-floor house, Yang Lei brought Fang Yu to lay on the bed. According to the doctorâs requirements, he fixed his arm, took medicine, and changed his medications. Yang Lei was silent the entire time, focused on doing every task. His movements were agile and very quick.
When everything was finished, Yang Lei was about to leave the room and throw away the gauze.
âCan you say something to me?â
Fang Yu looked at Yang Lei, helpless.
Yang Lei stood for a while and turned around.
âYou really want to hear me speak?â
âYes.â
âThen okay.â
Yang Lei threw away the gauze, dragged a chair, and sat before the bed, but he was still silent. He looked at Fang Yu for a while.
He looked for a very long time. He didnât say a word.
Fang Yu met his gaze. Yang Lei stared right at him, like he had never seen him like this.
âFang Yu, do you know what I thought of you before?â Yang Lei spoke.
âWhat did you think?â
âYou can fight, youâre righteous, and you use your brain.â
ââŠâ
Fang Yu was silent.
âDo you use your brain?â
Yang Lei asked him, like he was looking for confirmation. Fang Yu glanced at him.
âDo you?!â
Yang Lei suddenly raised his voice!
âI know the limits!â
Fang Yu furrowed his brows. In that situation, he couldnât think about that much.
âYou donât know your limits!!â
Yang Lei suddenly stood up. The chair that was pushed away by his movements made a grating sound against the floor.
âYou know your limits?! If you know your limits, would you stab straight through yourself?! âŠYou almost lost your arm, you know?! âŠâ
The sound of Yang Leiâs roaring made even his own ears buzz. After roaring these words, a heat suddenly rushed up from under his eyes, rushing straight to the bottom of his eyes.
He held it in until now. He endured it, but he had nearly gone crazy from holding back! When he knew how this negotiation was âdiscussed,â when he saw Fang Yu like that in that room, until now, Yang Lei couldnât find a single word to describe his feelings at that moment.
Many years afterwards, when Yang Lei was middle-aged, no matter what kind of situation he faced, he never felt the same as he had on that day and at that time.
When Fang Yu saw him, he even asked him, âAre you okay?â Fang Yu, who had blood over half of his body and whose face was white, asked him, who hadnât even lost a single hair, if he was fine!!
âI really know my limits. I stabbed towards the flesh underneath and lost some blood. It canât hurt my nerves,â Fang Yu explained stubbornly.
ââŠDid it reach that point? Did things reach that point?! âŠYouâre just a fool! An idiot! âŠHow many arms do you have available to stab? If you stab for this little matter and become crippled, how will you still be able to use it for the rest of your life?! âŠCanât you treat yourself like a human being?! âŠâ
Yang Lei didnât know what he said⊠He was incoherent and had a splitting headacheâŠ
âI thank you for doing it for me, okay?! âŠâ
Yang Lei finally shouted out. His eyes were bright red and his throat was tightly blocked by somethingâŠ
ââŠHave you thought about what I feel?? âŠâ
He forcefully suppressed his voice to prevent it from changing pitch, choking out these wordsâŠ
Only when Yang Lei calmed down did Fang Yu speak.
âToday, if it werenât you, if it were Jiu Ge, Lao Liang, or Er Hei, I would do the same. Today, if I were the one who was ambushed, you would also do the same. Am I right?â Fang Yu said.
Yang Lei didnât speak.
That was right. Things like this, in normal peopleâs eyes, were bloody and unimaginable. But in the gangdom, it was normal, too normal. For righteousness, fierce fights, for one or two words, stabbing someone to death and taking someoneâs life was too common. What did bleeding matter? What did being crippled matter? To these Jianghu fighters who had truly come over from the edge of the knife, what did it all matter? Death was no big deal! Even killing someone wasnât a big deal. What else mattered??
Had Yang Lei seen little? Had he participated in little?
Before, Yang Lei didnât think this way. He thought that this was the gangdom. If you were here, then you had to bear it. These were the rules. Those who couldnât even fucking bear this, why would they be in the gangdom??
But now, when it was placed on Fang Yu, when it was placed on the person he truly cared about, Yang Lei realized that these were all different. Completely different.
When he followed Yan Ziyi, there was a word that Yan Ziyi once said to him.
If youâre out here, donât have any cares.
Yang Lei hadnât thought about it before, but now, he started to think about it.
He started to think about things that he had not considered before. He started to think about the future, think about what he really wanted, and what he neededâŠ
In a sense, it was now that Yang Lei started to really think about his life.
Only once a boy started to really think about his life did he become a man. This change was at a certain moment of his life.
To Yang Lei, this moment in his life was because of another person.
Later, Yang Lei didnât say anything else.
Fang Yu understood what he wanted to say. He also understood what Fang Yu wanted to say.
In that situation that day, no matter which one of them it was, they would do this.
Between them, no matter what else they were, they were brothers first. They could die for the other, and they could give up their lives for the other.
This could even have nothing to do with love. This didnât need to be defined by love.
At night, Yang Lei lay by Fang Yuâs side. Fang Yu hadnât fallen asleep. He turned his head and watched Yang Lei lie down.
âStill ignoring me?â
When Yang Lei had lain down, Fang Yu asked him.
ââŠâ
Yang Lei didnât answer, turning his head to look at Fang Yu. He looked at Fang Yu for a while and turned over. His hand put his hand under Fang Yuâs body, avoiding Fang Yuâs left arm. He used force and pulled Fang Yu over.
âThe doctor said that you have to lay on your side. Didnât you listen?â
Yang Lei said in a rough tone. He held Fang Yu in his arms, making Fang Yu face him. He pressed Fang Yuâs head into his shoulder.
âSleep!â
Yang Lei hugged him tightly.
ââŠFuck⊠Can you let me breatheâŠ?â Fang Yu wasnât used to this position. His face was tightly blocked by Yang Leiâs solid shoulder. Fang Yu didnât know whether to laugh or cry.
âThen donât breathe!â
Yang Lei still didnât let go. He subtly loosened his arm a little.
ââŠYouâre too overbearing. You wonât even let me breathe?â
Fang Yu joked. Yet his right hand moved, moving to Yang Leiâs back, like he was pacifying him. He patted him lightly.
Yang Leiâs heart seemed to also have been lightly patted by that hand. Yang Lei lowered his head and mercilessly bit Fang Yuâs neckâŠ
ââŠYouâre a freaking foolâŠ!!â
Yang Leiâs voice was pressed into Fang Yuâs shoulder. He cursed fiercelyâŠ
ââŠFuck! When I turned over the entire Jianghai for you, how did I fucking feel?! âŠâ