The city's night sky was dazzling with neon lights, overshadowing the stars and moonlight. Suddenly, Mu Zi felt as though his head was covered by a thin layer of transparent plastic film. Though it barely affected his vision, it gave him a suffocating feeling over time. He felt that he and everyone else in this concrete jungle were like being covered by this film, and when exhausted, suffocation would easily claim their lives.
Beautiful, yet dangerous. The city hid perils at every turn. Was there anything left to trust among people?
Even Ouyang Liuse, his beloved, sometimes didn't truly understand him.
Mu Zi downed his drink and gasped for air as he looked up at the night sky. He longed for the quiet, peaceful, and fresh air of nature. As a child, he couldn't remember exactly how old he was, but he remembered visiting his grandmother's village in the countryside with his mother. It was a small village in the north, and he visited during the summer. He loved running into the endless fields, watching the green corn swaying in the wind, various flowers blooming everywhere, cicadas singing joyfully on the trees, frogs calling out to each other in the water, and the air fresh and fragrant. He remembered a small river at the east end of his grandmother's village, shallow enough to jump into and splash around like a fish.
Those beautiful times felt so close yet so far away. The splashes of water seemed almost tangible, but the exact look of his grandmother and the name of the village had faded from his memory. He knew that after he and his mother left the village, his grandmother passed away soon after, and he never had the chance to return to the countryside, to that village...
So, when the opportunity arises, he'll return to nature. Break free from the constraints of this urban jungle, find a scenic village with Ouyang Liuse, and quietly live out the rest of their lives...
Mu Zi reached for his glass only to find it empty.
He laughed at himself, feeling silly for thinking about retirement at such a young age. Little did he know that soon, he would indeed find refuge in the countryside, hiding in a village for a long time, though not for retirement...
Bennie was no simple character.
He was a super-rich man with the power to influence many, but he was certainly not a high-ranking official. He had a certain ruffian air that officials didn't have. His eyes, which appeared nonchalant, sparkled not just with triumph but also cunning, slickness, and ruthlessness.
Those with such eyes and demeanor were usually up to no good.
The first thing he did upon checking into the hotel was to personally explore the structure and layout of the aircraft carrier. He refused to use the hotel staff for service, even replacing the cleaning staff with his own men.
Whenever he went out, at least five or six people followed him, their expressions indifferent and movements swift and efficient, their attire unconventional, clearly not ordinary people.
He liked to be surrounded by his men when walking, always looking around as if expecting danger. Before getting out of the car, he would have his men disembark first, then cautiously step out after carefully checking his surroundings.
At meals, he would have his men taste the first sip of every bottle of wine…
Below Zero's target was He Li, but Bennie was He Li's strongest protector.
Below Zero, with his crude plans, was actually up against Bennie. How could he win against such an opponent?
As Mu Zi said, the most likely outcome was that Below Zero would fall into Bennie's hands.
These details were the result of Mu Zi's careful observation and investigation.
And these conclusions were reached after much deliberation.
Ouyang Liuse, while admiring Mu Zi's observational and reasoning skills, also hated herself for not being attentive enough, not understanding and trusting Mu Zi enough.
She felt uneasy and ashamed, feeling she hadn't honored Mu Zi's sincere and passionate love.
Her phone had heated up from prolonged use.
A message, written and deleted multiple times, was finally sent to Mu Zi's phone, empty.
She believed that Mu Zi would understand her unspoken message. Sometimes, the most profound and moving poems are those unwritten...
As dawn approached, He Li woke from her slumber, feeling exhausted and sore all over.
This terrible feeling was a 'gift' from the dark-skinned, strong man beside her. At thirty-nine, his energy and stamina surpassed any other man she had encountered in her twenties.
The man, still asleep, lay exposed before her, his body contrasting sharply against her pale skin.
She frowned involuntarily at the sight of his large hand resting on her chest. He Li felt frustrated at her situation.
She despised this man and wished to be miles away from him, yet she had to appease him, pretend to enjoy his company and their romantic moments.
It was all so absurd and tragic.
He Li resisted the urge to push away the hand on her chest and rinse herself off in the shower. She shifted slightly and closed her eyes again.
She tried to imagine that lying before her was not a person, but a pile of cash and precious jewelry. Thinking this way, she felt more at peace...