Turning the phone around in his hand, Lu Qiang looked at the screen again, and after a pause, he picked it up.
He was not in a hurry to speak, the phone was close to his ear, and there was an unexpected silence on the other end. Through the microphone, there was the noise of the street and the sound of rain.
After a while, Lu Qiang spoke first, and he gave a hello.
It was quiet for a few more seconds, but it wasn't Qiu Zhen: "...Brother Qiang, I'm Wu Qiong."
Lu Qiang was silent. The other party might also feel presumptuous, and paused for a few seconds: "Is it convenient for you to come out?"
He was a little surprised, and looked sideways at Lu Yin, her head was rubbing restlessly on the pillow, her eyelashes trembling slightly. Lu Qiang stroked her hair, slid his palm down, and patted her back soothingly.
"It's too late, and I'm afraid it's inconvenient."
There was no sound on the other end, and Lu Qiang's phone was stuck to his ear for a few seconds, then he took it off and hung up.
He tuned to vibrate, and then another call came in, still from his number.
Lu Qiang picked it up with deep eyes.
Wu Qiong said, "Brother Qiang, I have a few words I want to tell you."
...
Gently, he picked up the boxer pants under the bed and put them on, followed by the jeans.
The bedside lamp was only turned on to the dimmest, exuding a warm yellow color, Lu Qiang fastened his belt, looked back at the bed, his eyes flickered, and then he looked over again.
"Did I wake you up?"
Lu Yin was lying on her stomach with her face pressed against the pillow, and the thin quilt only covered her waistline, revealing her undulating bare back and half of her breasts.
There was a warm light in her eyes: "No, I haven't slept very well."
Lu Qiang stood and looked at her for a while, then threw off the clothes in his hand and put them over her: "Did you hear the phone call just now?"
"Um."
Lu Qiang said: "It was Wu Qiong who hit her. It was the little girl who was with Qiu Zhen today. She is on Luzhou Road and wants me to go there. It sounds like she's not in the right mood." He was silent for a moment: "I think Should go and have a look."
His voice was very low, with some imperceptible inquiries in his tone.
Lu Yin turned over lightly, pulled the thin quilt to cover her chest: "Is it still raining outside?"
Lu Qiang glanced out the window, the curtains were not drawn tightly, and there were fine drops of water hanging from the glass.
He nodded yes.
"Then how did you get there?"
I really have nothing to hide from her. Lu Qiang said: "You're awake, then just go with me, maybe it's not easy to take a taxi on a rainy day."
Lu Yin didn't know the details of the past, but her sensitive delusion told her that this was not suitable, obviously the other party didn't want to see other people, otherwise she would stay in the afternoon and wouldn't go with Qiu Zhen.
Even though she was confident enough about Lu Qiang, today was a special day, and the other party was a woman, so she couldn't help feeling sour, but she still said, "I'm too tired, can you go by yourself?"
"Just sit in the car."
She squeezed his fingers: "I want to sleep, I can't cheer up."
Lu Qiang held her back and hung over her head for a moment: "Alright then, you sleep, I'll take a look and be back soon."
Lu Yin lowered her eyes and nodded lightly, "Yes."
Lu Qiang kissed her shoulder, helped her cover the quilt, the bedside lamp was turned off, and he walked out the door lightly.
Forgot to bring an umbrella, Lu Qiang went to a convenience store to buy one while waiting for the bus.
The residence is not close to Luzhou Road. Fortunately, it was night and it took half an hour to drive all the way there. This is the city that never sleeps in Zhangzhou. There are several high-end hotels, bars and KTVs, and there are many famous cars on the roadside.
Wu Qiong squatted under the eaves of the shop at the intersection. She was wearing a windbreaker hat to cover her eyebrows and eyes. The neon lights in the distance cast colorful colors on her face, and she couldn't see any expression.
Lu Qiang got out of the car, put away the umbrella, and stood it on the wall next to him.
He lowered his eyes: "What do you want from me?"
Wu Qiong raised her head a little bit, squatting still did not get up: "It's so late, thank you for coming."
Lu Qiang didn't speak, he put a cigarette in his mouth, and lit it with one hand around it. He exhaled the smoke into the sky, lowered his eyes, and Wu Qiong was looking up at him.
"Can I have one too?"
Lu Qiang threw the cigarette case to her directly.
Wu Qiong took out one, "Huoer."
He held the lighter in his hand, and he handed it over.
The two stayed silent for a while, Lu Qiang finished half of his cigarette, she had already lit the second one, looked at him several times, hesitated to speak.
Lu Qiang first asked: "Aren't you going home so late?"
Wu Qiong said, "I live near here with Qiu Zhen," she pointed, "it's the hotel at the end of the street." After speaking, her eyes fell on his feet.
Lu Qiang didn't do what she wanted. He looked at the street and kept silent.
Wu Qiong pursed her lips: "I met that one in the mall, is that your girlfriend?"
He nodded yes.
Wu Qiong's body was a little stiff, and she asked unintentionally: "It seems that your relationship is very good, when will you get married?"
Lu Qiang didn't think too much about it: "I just got the certificate today."
The finger holding the cigarette stopped on his lips, and then continued to wrap it in his mouth: "I'm so sorry, I called you out on such an important day."
Lu Qiang said, "It's okay, she knows."
Wu Qiong clenched her hands, and the smoke body was bent by her. She stood up from the ground, her legs were numb, and she supported the wall for a while, "She is very beautiful, you are lucky."
Lu Qiang didn't disagree, and asked her again: "What do you want from me?"
Wu Qiong smiled and smoked the last cigarette. What she wanted to say before was meaningless. She almost forgot his rejection that day in the hospital. Six years later, the person who had a seat in Zhangzhou had disappeared, he was nothing more than ordinary now, newlyweds, why bother to disturb his life with unreasonable demands.
The private luck in her heart was completely shattered, and to a certain extent, she finally became firm in her previous choice. God can't be fair to everyone, such a harsh and cruel arrangement has come to her, and she can't do anything except appoint.
Wu Qiong pinched a cigarette: "I'm sorry, I'm actually fine." She suddenly became calmer than usual, and her tone was as calm as white water.
Lu Qiang couldn't help turning his head: "Didn't you have something to tell me?"
"No." She resolutely said, "It's late, I should go back."
Lu Qiang still wanted to ask a few more questions, but she had already taken the lead.
Lu Qiang looked at her back with deep eyes: "I'll see you off."
"No, it's very convenient to walk over." She turned around and passed her hand: "Return the cigarettes to you."
Lu Qiang lowered his eyes and didn't answer: "You take it and smoke."
"Thank you." She retracted her pockets with both hands, took a step forward, and the toe of her shoe stepped into the puddle, causing tiny splashes of water.
Lu Qiang called her, she stopped, and he handed over the umbrella: "Let's go."
Wu Qiong's heart tightened, and the memories that had been sealed for a long time rushed out. She had cared, hated, and forgotten before, and since the time when she met again, she went around and around, as if she had returned to the original point.
It was also at this moment that she realized that she might have called him just for a simple meeting.
She loosened her fist slowly and took the handle of the umbrella: "Thank you."
Lu Qiang nodded.
Wu Qiong held up her umbrella and crossed the road. She turned her head for the last time and looked at the man standing quietly under the street lamp. There was an unreachable distance between them, separated by the rain curtain, the traffic flow.
"Goodbye." She smiled and waved.
This time, she stepped into the darkness without hesitation.
The big umbrella helped her to block the wind and rain. The rhythm of the raindrops falling on her head made her feel more at peace than ever before.
The sound of the rain was long, and Wu Qiong smiled.
If there is an afterlife, she will wash away thousands of dust and be worthy to stand side by side with him.
...
Wu Qiong went home, but she didn't dare to go up, she stood downstairs and looked up, this side was facing her parents' bedroom, the night was very dark, they had already fallen asleep.
She stared at the dark window for an unknown amount of time. Her neck was a little stiff, and she turned around slowly.
The phone in her pocket had already rang several times. In order to call Lu Qiang, she kept holding Qiu Zhen's cell phone. The screen flickered in the dark, showing that the number was his own.
She picked it up, there was silence for a few seconds, and he roared angrily: "It's the middle of the night, where the hell have you been?"
Wu Qiong was silent.
"What are you talking about? Where are you? I'll pick you up."
All she could hear was his heavy breathing.
After a while, Wu Qiong said calmly, "Let's go back now."
It was already three o'clock in the morning when she arrived in the hotel room, Qiu Zhen hadn't slept, and was half leaning on the sofa in his bathrobe. He held a goblet in his hand, and the dark red liquid swayed slowly with his movements.
The red wine bottle on the table was empty, and with his legs on the coffee table, he glanced at her casually and harshly.
Wu Qiong didn't take off her windbreaker, but with her arms tightly hugged to her chest, she stood in the middle of the room for a moment, then went to sit at the end of the bed: "It's so late, please drink less."
Qiu Zhen put down his wine glass: "What are you doing with my phone?"
Wu Qiong put the phone on the bed, lowered her eyes: "Hurry up, I'm going to sleep."
Her mood was fairly stable, and she didn't see any obvious abnormalities. Qiu Zhen got up from the sofa and walked over to sit next to her. As the distance got closer, there was a strong smell of alcohol.
Wu Qiong frowned in disgust, tilted her head to one side, and was forcefully turned over by him: "Where did you go?"
She resisted: "Go and relax."
"Slack in the middle of the night, what do you think I am two hundred and five? Tell you not to lie in front of me," he grabbed Wu Qiong's hair and pulled it back vigorously: "The wild man has gone?"
Wu Qiong's chin was forced to lift up, her breathing stagnated for a few seconds, "Yes." She raised her voice.
Qiu Zhen's teeth clenched, and he pinched her chin with the other hand, "You are so cheap, do you know what shame is?"
Wu Qiong opened her lips and teeth slightly, and a distorted laughter came out of her throat: "What shame is being slept by a beast like you every day?"
She looked at him provocatively, the smile on the corner of her mouth was extremely ironic, an expression was enough to arouse his anger. Qiu Zhen cursed in a low voice, and pushed his palms back forcefully. He was in high spirits after drinking, and couldn't bear the slightest provocation.
Wu Qiong's posture was awkward, and she squinted at him: "Why are you angry? Are you angry that I know a wild man? Or are you angry that I call you a beast?"
Qiu Zhen stared at her with scarlet eyes.
She found that she couldn't help it anymore, and moved her hand in the skirt, "Aren't you a beast?"
His eyes were dark, and he suddenly smiled cruelly, "It seems that I can't bear this stigma for nothing."
Qiu Zhen let go and tore off her collar, together with the underwear inside, the fabric was torn, revealing her snow-white shoulders. She concealed her chest, and a silver light shone into his eyes, Qiu Zhen was instantly on guard.
She didn't hide her hatred, she drew out her dagger, and stabbed him suddenly. Qiu Zhen moved quickly and instinctively fell backwards.
In the moment of anger, the power is boundless. She was so angry that she straddled him halfway, pointing the tip of the knife at his face.
Qiu Zhen grabbed her wrist, "You're fucking crazy!"
"I'm going to kill you—" she growled.
Qiu Zhen was shocked, and the moment he panicked, the point of the knife almost pierced his eyeball. He turned over desperately, pressed her under him, exerted force on his hand, and the dagger was slightly deflected, lying between the two of them.
She had a terrifying face, holding the dagger tightly in both hands, Qiu Zhen was shocked: "Qiong Qiong!" He tried to slow down his voice: "Don't be impulsive... Sit down and talk if you have something to say."
She had fallen into a madness, she couldn't listen to it at all, she hit her knee hard, and hit him hard to collapse.
Qiu Zhen snorted, moved his body upwards, and pressed his chest against her cheek. Wu Qiong straightened up and turned over, facing the direction of the floor, the two entangled and rolled off the bed.
He only felt that she was being cushioned under him, there was a muffled touch, and there was a small, unfamiliar crumbling sound. Suddenly there was no sound below him, and the room fell into an eerie silence in an instant.
He was still in shock, a hot breath spewed from his nostrils, his chest was gradually stained with warm moisture, his heart was terrified, he bounced off of her suddenly, and fell to the floor.
Wu Qiong lay there motionless, the dagger across his neck was shocking, it had penetrated seven or eight parts of his flesh, and dark red blood continuously overflowed along the blade. Her pupils dilated and her limbs twitched frequently.
Qiu Zhen roared angrily, took off his nightgown to plug her wound.
She was out of focus and made a 'ho ho' sound from her throat.
Qiu Zhen's veins burst: "Qiong Qiong?" His lips trembled, and he called her name over and over again, his hands were stiff, and he had never been so panicked for a moment. In just a few seconds, the snow-white nightgown was quickly stained red with blood.
Qiu Zhen felt like being struck by lightning, he moved his hands away from her neck, and tore off the nightgown. His hands were bright red, and he held her face tremblingly, "Qiong Qiong, don't... stand up..." He crawled to the side of the bed, pressed three numbers on the phone, and the screen showed that it was dialing. With a movement of his thumb, he suddenly subconsciously hung up and threw it far away like a hot potato.
Wu Qiong was lying in a weird posture, her convulsions were not so frequent, and her nerves twitched from time to time.
He rushed over, collected the blood on the ground, and sent it to her wound without hesitation, his eyes were clouded, and he gradually couldn't see her face clearly.
Qiu Zhen raised his arm and wiped his eyes. She lay quietly in the bloody slope, covered in dirt. He panicked, with a distorted roar overflowing from his throat, hoping to get a little response, even if she jumped up and stabbed the dagger into his body.
However, it was too late.
The liquid in my hands was cold, and the room was full of fishy sweetness. The girl was out of breath, her round eyes were slightly opened, and a drop of liquid slowly slipped from the corner of her eyes, she still chose this extreme and extreme way to end everything.
...
At dawn, the dim light outside the window hit her pale face.
Qiu Zhen was startled in vain, and rushed into the bathroom. He had been sitting there for two hours. Washing the blood off his hands in a panic, he put on his clothes, grabbed his phone, and ran out of the room as if fleeing for his life.
The drizzle that lasted for one day and one night finally stopped, and the streets were washed clean, except for a few passers-by and a few cars.
He had no direction, drove for half an hour, and glanced at the mobile phone at the end of his eyes.
In a panic, he clicked on the screen, and accidentally turned to the call record. He glanced over, but was taken aback. It showed that the last call was to Lu Qiang, and the time was 1:03 in the morning.
His mind was confused and he couldn't make up his mind. Make a call and go out.
Soon, the other party picked up.
After a long time, Qiu Zhen murmured, "Dad, I killed someone."