Yang Lei swayed the liquor in his glass, thinking about Er Heiâs words.
Seven years. Seven years was enough for many things to change and wear away. Seven years was enough to make all strong and intense things become quiet and settled.
He once thought that some things, once one has made up their mind, were for a lifetime. No matter what was experienced, they could be tested. But at this age, he realized that there were not many things that could be tested in this world. The test itself was a luxury.
Only when one was young, frivolous, and arrogant and ignorant would they easily think about a lifetime. Now that Yang Lei thought back, he also felt that only in those years would he dare to think about a lifetime.
Four years ago, he happily counted the days and looked forward to the time when Fang Yu would get out of prison. When he got Fang Yu to call him privately in prison through his connections, Fang Yu told him that because he was helping someone who was wronged in prison, he took the lead in a group fight and caused trouble, the consequences were serious, so he was sentenced for an additional year.
âWhat? YouâŠâ Yang Lei felt like a basin of cold water had been poured over his head. He was angry, anxious, and skeptical! But this matter was truly like Fang Yuâs style. He was loyal everywhere!
ââŠWhy were you so stupid!! YouâŠâ Yang Lei knew that it wouldnât help to blame Fang Yu. âIâll take a leave and come back in a few days!â
Could Yang Lei let Fang Yuâs sentence be extended?! But Fang Yu insistently refused.
âNo, I have to serve this year. Otherwise, if I go out, I wonât have the face to be a boss.â
Fang Yuâs voice was very calm, but his attitude was very firm.
âFace? You will serve in prison for face? Are you stupid?!â
âIâm quite used to being in prison. Everyone listens to me here. Iâm even looking forward to gathering these people together after I go out and do great things. If I go out like this, then I would have gathered people for nothing these years.â
Before, Yang Lei didnât think that Fang Yu had such an ambition. He also didnât think that Fang Yu would think about these things. Perhaps the years in prison would change a personâs way of thinking. Yang Lei felt that this kind of Fang Yu was a little unfamiliar.
âYou have training and itâs hard to ask for leave. Donât come back. Even if you come back, I have to serve. Besides, you still have one year until graduation. If I go out now, it wonât be fun to be alone anyway. Iâve already served for three years. This one year wonât make a difference,â Fang Yu said.
In the end, Yang Lei didnât insist anymore.
He knew Fang Yu. Once Fang Yu really decided on something, he wouldnât change. He knew Fang Yuâs hard temper. Even if he went back and begged someone to reduce Fang Yuâs sentence, Fang Yu wouldnât go out. He even knew that Fang Yu didnât want to cause him any trouble because of his mistakesâFang Yu was such a person!
Yang Lei ultimately listened to Fang Yu and waited for another year.
During that time, he believed Fang Yu that much. He believed his every word and believed every reason that he gave him.
âThen letâs go out together. According to the time, Iâll come out before you. Iâll go pick you up then!â
One year, Yang Lei thought. He would grit his teeth, and it would be over!
On the phone, Fang Yu paused for a moment and said, âOkay.â This short pause did not attract Yang Leiâs attention at all during that time.
Yang Lei finished his graduation report drill. The day that he got his diploma and left the school, he nearly ran out of the school. There was only one thought in Yang Leiâs mind: return to Jianghai to see Fang Yu. Fang Yu would be released from prison a few days later. He had to bring his diploma to pick up Fang Yu. He wanted to see him and wanted to give him a surprise. He imagined Fang Yuâs expression when he saw him. He wanted to hug him hard and tell how he had passed these thousands of days and nights that dragged by while they were separatedâŠ
When Yang Lei walked to the school gates, the guard stopped him and said that there was a phone call for him.
âHe says that his last name is Fang!â
Yang Lei was taken aback and stunned.
He left his luggage and rushed to answer the phoneâŠ
âAfter you became a soldier, you didnât contact the brothers these last few years. Everyone said that you have no conscience. You took the broad and easy path, and you didnât remember your old brothers.â
Er Heiâs voice was still rambling in the smoke.
ââŠThink about when we messed around back then. It was so fucking great⊠Do you still remember? Once with Yu Ge, you brought Chuan-zi, Li San, and the others, and we fought Wu Kun and the others at the Soldiersâ Club. Haha, we fought that Wu Kun until he ran away wearing boxers! Those boxers were even bright red! Made the brothers laugh! Haha! âŠâ
Er Hei seemed to be talking about yesterdayâs events. He laughed and couldnât stop laughing.
ââŠSo fast.â
Er Heiâs smile faded. His face was no longer the youthful face of seven years ago.
ââŠNow Iâm not in the gangdom, and I have money. I donât know why, but now, I always think about the past,â Er Hei said, drinking again.
At some point, Er Hei had become drunk.
ââŠI really regretâŠâ Er Hei was already drunk, and his voice was tearful.
ââŠIf it werenât for me back then⊠Those things wouldnât have happened laterâŠ!!â
Stimulated by the alcohol, Er Hei was already crying.
ââŠThese years⊠I havenât had a single good dayâŠ!! âŠâ
Er Hei was completely drunk. He lay on the table, sobbingâŠ
Yang Lei listened to the sound of Er Heiâs crying and smoked silently.
He thought of his past brothers. After the crackdown in 1995, not many people remained in Jianghai. Li San and Chuan-zi were both not in Jianghai. In those years, the brothers each had their own way out, even Ding Wen. When Yang Lei left back then, he even asked Ding Wen. Since Ding Wen knew everything, he asked Ding Wen to help take care of Fang Yu. If something happened, he would take care of him if he could. But right now, even Ding Wen was not in Jianghai. It was said that he suddenly changed his job and went to a company in another place, and he had moved away.
Yan Ziyiâs business was already very big. It involved real estate, building materials, decoration, and catering, not only in Jianghai, but also expanding in various places. Right now, âYilian Groupâ was already a key private enterprise in the province and even became famous nationally. Yan Ziyi was the most successful gangdom boss to change careers in Jianghai. There was already no one deeply responsible for being a gangdom boss. At this point, he was a nationally famous entrepreneur.
Yang Lei had gone to see Yan Ziyi. Yan Ziyi even invited Yang Lei to change his job early and work with him again. Yang Lei smiled.
âDa Ge, what talent under your leadership do you lack right now? Do you still need me?â
âYouâre different. As long as youâre willing to come, Da Ge will forever keep a place for you here.â
Yan Ziyi treated Yang Lei with sincerity.
âThanks, Da Ge. But in the future, I probably wonât be in Jianghai.â
âYouâre also leaving?â
It was easy for Yan Ziyi to understand other people leaving, but Yang Leiâs family background, being from a distinguished family and the son of an official, what future couldnât he have in Jianghai?
âAfter wearing this uniform, I donât intend to take it off so soon. With a transfer order in the army, I may leave at any time.â
âWhatâs wrong with Jianghai? Thereâs nothing that would make you reluctant to leave?â
Yang Lei didnât reply.
âEveryone is leaving.â Yan Ziyi sighed. âYou and Fang Yu, I canât keep a single one.â
Speaking of Fang Yu, Yan Ziyi thought of Luo Jiu. It had been too long since he recalled the past, and Yan Ziyi sighed.
âAt that time, I asked Fang Yu to stay, but he didnât stay. He drank a lot and just said one sentence. There are too many past events in Jianghai, and when he thinks of them, he would be sadâŠâ