"Mom, do you think the mouse-shaped dumplings I made look good?"
William showed off, shaking his head with joy as he looked at the mouse-shaped dumpling in his hand.
"The mouse dumplings are all filled with meat. When you eat them, you pick out all the meat. You're as skinny as a stick, you need to eat more."
Nina playfully slapped him, "Good job, you really know how to pamper your husband."
William sent a photo of the dumpling he made to Brian, telling him that he made it himself and would cook it for him when he returned. "Can you come back for lunch?"
The sky was overcast. The late autumn rain drizzled, making it especially chilly. The northern autumn is characterized by heavy fog and smog. If it rains at night, the morning fog will be even thicker. Without wind, the entire day remains foggy. In the morning, visibility can be as low as a few dozen feet, and by noon, it's only about 1,000 feet. Highways would be closed due to such conditions.
Brian started his inspection as soon as he arrived at the location, signing contracts with the local government. In the evening, he saw the dumpling photo sent by William and smiled, longing to return home early to taste them. The next morning, the fog was thick, and visibility was down to 100 feet. Brian's brow furrowed deeply.
The driver approached with a phone in hand.
"Mr. Liu, the highway is closed. It rained last night, and with the low temperatures in the mountains, there's frost. The roads are wet and slippery. Maybe we should wait."
"We have a work summary tomorrow. If we don't make it back today, many branch managers will have made a wasted trip. Let's take the back roads."
The weather forecast indicated that the foggy conditions would persist for the next few days. Whether they left early or late, they had to return, and the weather wouldn't change.
William also called multiple times, asking if Brian could return home today.
"Drive carefully."
The boss had given his orders, and without hesitation, everyone decided to take the back roads.
The road, nestled between towering mountains, was full of uphill climbs, downhill slopes, and sharp turns. The fog was thick, and visibility was low, so they drove slowly. After 10 am, the sun, neither bright nor dim, began to shine, dispersing some of the fog. Visibility improved slightly, and even though a thin mist still covered distant areas, the car sped up.
At this rate, they would be home by noon.
In the morning, there weren't many vehicles on the road. As the dense fog turned into a thin mist, traffic increased. The two-lane road wasn't very wide. They saw several cars that had crashed into ditches, probably due to the thick morning fog. As they got closer to home, the driver checked the time, thinking they might make it back for lunch.
Theodore invited William for a meal. It was evident that Brian was not pleased last Friday. Theodore wondered if he had upset Brian by inviting him to the nightclub. Was the hospitality not up to par? Next time, he wouldn't bring him to a nightclub but maybe a private club.
"No, he was just upset about having to go on a business trip."
William always believed that Brian's displeasure stemmed from the unexpected business trip. It was rare for them to both be home on the weekend, and the trip meant they couldn't spend intimate time together.
"My husband is quite clingy these days. He hardly goes out for dinners and returns home on time. He says he loves the food I cook. We haven't been together for a while, so we're trying to recapture that newlywed feeling."
William took a sip of his drink, looking pleased.
"Once you find that newlywed feeling, you'll be searching for the honeymoon phase, and then you'll settle into a comfortable routine for the rest of your lives."
Theodore blinked in confusion. He hadn't noticed any "newlywed" vibes. Weren't things still the same?
"People become complacent when treated well. Take Brian, for instance. If you're kind to him, he'll return the favor tenfold. He's very considerate and understands when I need to be at the company. He might seem cold on the outside, but he's warm-hearted. You might need to woo your girlfriend with diamonds and designer bags, but not Brian. I once gifted him a brass knuckle, and he was overjoyed for days. What do businessmen say? Low investment, high returns."
William bragged.
In reality, Brian didn't want him at the company because he feared William might impulsively give away business opportunities, treating them as favors to friends. That's money, real money.
By offering Theodore this contract, the company lost hundreds of thousands. All because William said, "My buddy isn't an outsider." Each word cost tens of thousands.
"Brian likes weapons, right? I can get him a samurai sword, traditionally forged. It can cut through several bamboo stalks without a problem," Theodore said.
William shuddered, recalling how Brian had once brandished a knife at him.
"No, no, no. He's into high-tech stuff. Get him the latest iPhone when it's released."
""William, you don't have to be frugal for me."
The latest iPhone wouldn't be available any time soon.
"Then buy me ten kilograms of caterpillar fungus. I'll make chicken soup for him."
Theodore didn't even bother responding to William's outrageous request. Ten kilograms of caterpillar fungus would cost a fortune. Was he planning to deplete all of Tibet's resources?
William took another sip of his drink, his eyes inadvertently catching sight of a beautiful woman in high heels approaching.
"Hey, isn't that Miki?"
Theodore saw her too. William stood up and leaned against the window, spotting a black car parked not far away. A burly man quickly opened the car door as Miki approached.
She was about to get into the car.
William quickly dialed a number.
"What's going on?"
There was a pause, and whatever was said on the other end wasn't clear.
"I see. I'm on my way."
Without another word, he headed downstairs.
"Theodore, I have to go."
Theodore quickly paid the bill and followed.
"Bro, if you need help, just say the word."
They were dining on the second floor. William hurriedly descended the stairs, with Theodore close behind. Dodging waitstaff and diners, William reached the entrance just in time to see Miki get into the black car.
He rushed to his own vehicle.
His phone rang.
As William was starting the car, he answered.
"Honey, I..."
Before he could finish, Brian's anxious voice interrupted.
"William, I've had an accident, about fifty miles from the capital. Can you come help? The ambulance is..."
"I can't make it right now."
William, ready to chase after the black car, hastily interrupted Brian.
"Wait for me. I'll be there in two hours."
Without giving Brian a chance to respond, he hung up. The black car with Miki was about to leave. Theodore reached William's side just in time.
"William, where are you going?"
"I'm chasing someone. My husband had an accident. Please go check on him."
Everything was happening at once. Thankfully, Theodore was there to help.
Before he could finish speaking, William's car sped off, following the black vehicle carrying Miki. Theodore watched as both cars disappeared into the traffic.
"Is chasing someone more important than your injured husband? Has he lost his mind?"
Your partner has an accident, and instead of rushing to their side, you're off doing something else. No wonder you're headed for a breakup.
Theodore quickly called Brian.
"Brian where are you? Is it serious? Are you hurt?"
"The driver is severely injured and trapped in the car. We've called the police and an ambulance, but I'm worried about traffic delays. If you can, please bring a doctor."
"No problem."
Theodore immediately arranged for a van and two doctors to head to the accident site.
Brian's driver had overestimated the visibility on the road. As they got closer to home, he increased speed. They were on a narrow back road instead of the highway. An oncoming car, trying to avoid something on the road, swerved into their lane. To avoid a head-on collision, the driver sharply turned the wheel, causing their car to veer off the road, crashing into a tree. The impact was so strong that the tree broke, and the car ended up in a ditch.
Brian had just enough time to brace himself. He was thrown forward against the front seat and then jolted back.
He checked himself for injuries. It hurt, but not the kind of pain associated with broken bones. He seemed to be okay. The cars following them stopped, and the secretary and lawyer rushed over, pulling him out of the wrecked vehicle.
The front of the car was completely crushed, the windshield shattered, and Brian was in a sorry state. His face had abrasions, glass shards covered him, his clothes were torn, and there was blood splatter. His right hand, already injured, was in excruciating pain.
The driver lay unconscious on the steering wheel, blood pouring from a wound on his head. The car's deformation was severe, with the engine almost reaching the passenger side. The driver's legs were trapped. Brian checked the driver's pulse; it was weak but present.