I can't imagine how worried my family must be, especially my mom, who is already frail. The stress might just cost her half her life.
"Did that bitch Lulu call and scam my relatives and friends?" I gritted my teeth and asked, looking into Qiang's unfamiliar eyes.
Chen Weiqiang patted my face and said, "No. She said your phone had few contacts and couldn't even borrow money, so she threw it in the river."
Oh, how could I forget? That was my spare phone, used mainly for random calls, without even WeChat or QQ installed, and no contact list. There was no way she could scam money with it.
Hearing that no one was scammed, I finally felt relieved. If my actions had caused my relatives and friends to suffer, it would have been a grave sin.
"Please don't go after my parents, I'm begging you!" I finally bowed my head and begged him. If he kept torturing my family, I would be worse off than dead.
"Oh, so you know how to beg now? Weren't you tough just a moment ago?"
I didn't respond, just closed my eyes and lay on the ground, feeling sick. My body was aching, my forehead burning, and I felt weak and sleepy.
"If you hadn't completed a job in the past two days, you'd have been thrown into the river to feed the fish. You know, the guard you knocked out is now a vegetable, and the others have broken limbs."
Chen Weiqiang turned off his phone, felt my forehead, and said, "You really caused a stir with that crazy supervisor. If you don't want to die, you better listen to me."
I twitched my mouth, not wanting to speak. I secretly hoped more of them would die to prevent them from harming others.
"Did you hear me? If you keep going crazy when you see me, you'll lose your life here. And be careful, that old woman won't let you go unless..."
Chen Weiqiang sent all the lackeys out, then looked at me, stopping mid-sentence. His eyes were strange, with a complex emotion I couldn't decipher. His tone was calm, like when we were at Hunan University.
Back then, we were happy and innocent in the school's arts club, as close as real brothers. But now, my good brother wanted my life and to torment my family!
"Qiangzi, do you remember when you first came to Changsha for elementary school? An old man kept a Tibetan Mastiff, and it chased you one day. I pushed you away and hit it with my backpack, attracting its attention. If not for a traffic policeman knocking it over with a motorcycle, I would have been bitten to death. I was small back then, unable to run fast or hit hard..."
"Stop it!" Chen Weiqiang interrupted, his eyes red, his mouth twitching. He quickly regained his composure and looked out the window.
"Qiangzi, I've never begged you before. Today, I'm sincerely begging you. Stop contacting my family and just tell them I'm dead!" I pleaded, tears streaming down my face, my voice hoarse.
Going home was a luxury. Surviving the night was uncertain. While I could still speak, I lowered my head and played the emotional card, hoping to let my parents give up on me and not fall into debt, affecting my brother's future.
Chen Weiqiang seemed lost in memories from over a decade ago. He trembled, silently turned around, and looked up at the ceiling. I couldn't see his expression, but I felt his emotional turmoil.
After a few seconds, he moved to the desk and lit a cigar.
"Qiangzi, please! For the sake of our past brotherhood, spare my family! I'm an idiot, deserving to die, but my family is innocent..."
I used all my strength to continue begging. If he had any feelings left, he would agree to this not-so-demanding request. After all, my parents treated him like a nephew and helped his family a lot.
He exhaled a smoke ring heavily, walked to me, crouched down, and stared into my eyes, seriously asking, "Do you trust me?"
I didn't understand what he meant. Was he moved? I stared at him blankly.
"I'll give you a gun. You take that crazy supervisor hostage and escape north into the forest. There's a hidden border line."
He stood up, took an AK from the cabinet, and handed me 20 bullets and a military knife.
His drastic change left me stunned, staring at him dumbly. Maybe he had a conscience?
I decided to take a chance. I gritted my teeth, used the table leg to pull myself up, and reached for the AK. But Chen Weiqiang suddenly struck me with the gun butt.
"Damn, weren't you tough just now? Get up and fight!"
I fell hard, smashing my chin on the floor, my face contorted in pain.
"Damn it, if you weren't still useful, I'd have shot you already!"
He stepped on my right hand, pressing the gun to my neck. With a bit more force, my hand would be crippled.
Damn it! Chen Weiqiang deceived me again. He was just testing me. Despite my anger, I was helpless. I was foolish to still hold onto hope, thinking he had any conscience and would spare my family!
I was wrong, terribly wrong. He was no longer human, but a cold-blooded animal!
I coughed weakly, spitting out blood, lying on the floor like a dying dog, bleeding profusely.
The door suddenly opened. A woman in high heels walked in, followed by four tall lackeys. Chen Weiqiang moved his foot, grinning, and said, "Beautiful supervisor, what brings you here? Don't let this scumbag dirty your eyes..."