Chapter 79

The rain outside was still falling. On the bed in the room, the two of them were still silently sitting close together.

“My dad agreed to make the sentence 6 years and reduce the penalty to 3 years.”

In the darkness, Yang Lei’s voice rang quietly.

“The condition is… I’ll go to ‘Lu Zhi.’”

This was the result that they had reached after a negotiation between him and Yang Dahai. Yang Dahai promised to solve Fang Yu’s problem, but only if Yang Lei immediately went to Lu Zhi. Furthermore, he was to move immediately and transfer.

Yang Dahai ultimately accepted this negotiation. Yang Dahai also realized that this was an opportunity to restore the father-son relationship. The important thing was that this could put Yang Lei on the right track. This was an opportunity for Yang Lei to once again return to the right path in life. Yang Dahai had changed his mind. To him, what Yang Lei was asking him was not something difficult to do. As long as Yang Lei could go to “Lu Zhi,” if he were really willing to be obedient in the future, Yang Dahai could do things that were ten times harder than this.

The hearts of fathers in this world were all the same.

“They will sentence first. After one year, the penalty will be reduced.”

After all, during the crackdown, they had to avoid the worst of the storm to reduce the penalty.

“I can’t trust my father, but I can trust my uncle. With him here, he won’t lie to me.

Yang Lei had already made three rules with Yang Dahai and Yang Datian. If they hadn’t fulfilled their promise after one year, if they couldn’t reduce Fang Yu’s sentence, Yang Lei would immediately drop out of school. No one could deceive him in this matter. As long as his father still wanted him to peacefully graduate from “Lu Zhi,” he had to complete this matter.

Fang Yu hugged Yang Lei, silently listening.

“If you want to run, I’ve also gotten ready.”

Yang Lei leaned in Fang Yu’s arms, his voice heavy.

“There is a road that can send you off. Leave at dawn. Go to Guangdong first and run to your two friends. Guangdong also isn’t safe. If you have to leave, I’ll find someone and take you to Hong Kong. There are still a few years before it returns. For now, Hong Kong is still not under the control of this place. It’s a little safer. When things here are settled, I’ll find you,” Yang Lei said.

Yang Lei’s heart was also confused to the uttermost.

From the beginning until now, Yang Lei’s heart was always very conflicted. Yes, he didn’t want Fang Yu to be a wanted criminal from now on and live in this shadow for a lifetime, using a fake name, fake identity, hiding everywhere, and living in fear. He wanted Fang Yu to openly live under the sun, but was he willing to make Fang Yu go to jail?? What was it like to go to jail?? Could he bear for Fang Yu to go to jail? Even if it were three years, even a minute away from Fang Yu was painful for him. He had to endure at least three years!

If it were according to Yang Lei’s personality before, Yang Lei may have already unhesitatingly chosen to send Fang Yu away and run far away with him. Why should he care so much?! Why care about the future?! He couldn’t care about that much!!

But right now, Yang Lei was different even compared to a few months ago. He was no longer the youth who only relied on courage and impulse. He was also no longer proud of this courage and impulse.

He understood that every problem had to be faced, and one must bear consequences for every action.

If there were gains, then there must be a price, even if that price made him suffer.

“…”

After Yang Lei said these things, he and Fang Yu were silent.

There was only the sound of rain outside the window. It knocked on the hearts of the two silent and embracing people.

These few short minutes decided the future, their entirely different destinies.

“I’ll turn myself in.”

After a long time, Yang Lei heard Fang Yu say these four words.

Heat rushed straight to Yang Lei’s eyes…

“Sell the Grand Century Restaurant, give the money to Wenwen, and send her to the United States.”

In the dark farmhouse, Fang Yu’s low voice echoed.

Luo Jiu was very kind to his men. If he had money, he would give it all to his brothers. HE didn’t have much in savings. Fang Yu knew very well.

“My classmate is in the United States and can take care of her.”

Only by completely changing her environment could Luo Wen quickly walk out of the shadows.

“…No, I’ll arrange the matter of sending her abroad. Grand Century Restaurant can’t be sold. When you come out…”

Grand Century Hotel was Fang Yu’s painstaking effort. No one knew better than Yang Lei how important it was in Fang Yu’s heart!

“Sell it.”

Fang Yu interrupted Yang Lei.

“I promised Jiu Ge to take care of Wenwen. This is the last thing that I can do.”

Yang Lei was silent…

“Whoever is willing to sign the contract for the arcade and Bright Billiards Room, give it to them, but they must feed the brothers. Tell Lao Liang, whoever is willing to stay can stay. Whoever wants to leave, let them go, make a living, and walk on the proper path. They can go, but if anyone ruins Jiu Ge’s reputation outside, when I get out, I’ll kill him.”

“The lease term of my house is until the end of the year, and I’ve already paid the lease. The landlord’s phone number is pressed under the slab of glass. I don’t have anything. Tell her to lease it to someone else next year.”

“Go to school and do well. Don’t mess around. The school won’t accommodate your personality like this place… You should change your hot temper. If something happens, endure it. Don’t lose your diploma, it’s not worth it…”

“This is my deposit book. I’ve saved some money. Before you leave, see Da Hu’s mother for me. See what she lacks and buy it for her…”

Fang Yu handed the deposit book to Yang Lei.

“The password is your birthday…”

Fang Yu said…

When there was nothing else to say, both of them were silent for some time.

“Have you heard of the millennium?”

Yang Lei suddenly asked Fang Yu.

“After another four years, it will be 1999.”

The end of the century was a topic for the whole society at that time. Everyone said that, at the turn of the century, it was a new era and new millennium, heading towards the twenty-first century. In 2000, this was entirely a future world of robots in elementary school students’ compositions. It was about to arrive before all of China.

Year 1999—people were excitedly and nervously talking about it. Some people said that the world would be destroyed that year. Some people said that aliens would come that year.

“Chuan-zi and the others said that they would stay up and drink crazily on the night of December 31, 1999. They will listen to the peals at midnight and run into the new century.”

Yang Lei said, with a smile. He could imagine, when that day really arrived, how the boys would cause trouble.

“At that time, you will already be out for a year, and I will have graduated.”

“Did you know? The night of December 31, 1999 until the early morning of New Year’s Day in 2000 is called Millennium Night. From the year 1000 to the year 1999, how many people must have existed in these one thousand years? Only we made it to that day. To meet the night from the year 2999 to the year 3000, we have to wait another thousand years. Very rare, don’t you say?”

Yang Lei seemed to have already seen the night four years later. That night at the turn of the century, that magical moment at the turn of the millennium. He seemed to have already seen himself and Fang Yu standing together in the excited crowd, shoulder to shoulder as they listened to the bells ringing for the new millennium and the cheers of the crowd. They were still the same as right now, young and free. Fang Yu was still wearing that snow white dress shirt, still so energetic, young, and frivolous, by his side, smiling with him…

“Why don’t we spend Millennium Night together?” Yang Lei said.

“At 12 o’clock, we’ll go to the streets and set off firecrackers. Heaven and earth will ring. We’ll set off tens and hundreds of them. We won’t stop until the police come out.”

Yang Lei described it, as though that night was tomorrow.

“Just you and me. Us two.”

Yang Lei turned back, looking at Fang Yu.

“It’s a deal. We’ll do it together. We’ll cross the century together. Go into the new millennium,” Yang Lei said.

Fang Yu looked at him and nodded.

“It’s a deal,” Yang Lei said.

“It’s a deal,” Fang Yu said…