Chapter 42 - Peace Bracelet

"Thinking about it, it’s quite funny, isn’t it?""I was constantly looking for you in the audience," Ling said. "Always looking."

"I saw you turn and leave. At that time, I still held on to a sliver of naivety, thinking you were just going to earn some money and would return soon to redeem me."

"I waited day after day, year after year, my value kept plummeting, from being a star courtesan to a prostitute no one wanted even if I paid them, from a young and beautiful girl to an old and haggard woman."

"Watching through the window as time passed, from spring to summer, and then to winter."

"It wasn’t until I fell seriously ill recently that I truly gave up."

"But..."

Tears welled up in the woman’s eyes:

"At that time, you came, but now I cannot leave."

"Why..."

"Couldn’t you have come a little earlier?"

These words completely shattered the man’s pride, the man who appeared so successful to the outside world, the underworld boss respected by countless followers, now left abashed.

His tears fell onto the bought flowers, onto his expensive suit, onto his polished shoes.

He stood up, choking, the words of apology stuck in his throat, unable to speak them no matter what, he turned and walked towards the door.

"Are you going to run away again?" the woman asked.

"No... I will find a way to make it up to you."

Deerman said, pushing open the room door, leaving without looking back.

The woman’s room became empty again, she sat by the bed, looking at a string of bracelets, her gaze wandering.

Suddenly, she started to cough dryly, her complexion pale, even her breathing became rapid.

As if everything just now was a facade she was barely holding up.

"Don’t stand outside, little girl, come in," she said.

The door slowly opened, and a blonde girl stepped in.

"What’s the matter?" the woman asked.

Xu Xiaoyou’s gaze was complex, standing in front of her, the woman’s weathered eyes seemed to see right through her.

"You’re here for him, aren’t you..."

"Sneakily following him, it’s certainly nothing good."

The woman chuckled, then started coughing violently again, Xu Xiaoyou moved forward, handed a bowl of hot water to the woman, but was refused.

She leaned against the headboard, her gaze kind and gentle, the candle flickered, as if many scenes flashed before her eyes.

"Really, what’s the point in being at odds with yourself, spending the last few days leisurely, isn’t that nice..." The woman chuckled lightly, perhaps mocking herself.

"He owes money," Xu Xiaoyou said.

"How much?" the woman asked. "For someone like him, he still owes money?"

"I always thought he was very strong-willed, cared a lot about dignity and face."

"Hundreds of thousands of credit points."

"He owes you money?"

"No... It’s the company, he owes the company money, I’m responsible for helping the company retrieve it."

"If you can’t get the money back, little girl, you’ll be punished by the company, won’t you?"

"Mm," Xu Xiaoyou replied softly. "Might even die."

Xu Nian’s matter didn’t seem like a coincidence. She had checked many employee transfer records these days, most transferred employees faced some accidents.

Especially their kind of debt collection security department employees; getting dismissed for underperformance is almost like having a foot in the grave, with both the company and enemies watching them constantly.

"Surviving alone in this city until now, it’s not easy, right?"

"Mm."

"Really, I hate to see young girls suffer even a little, it’s like seeing my younger self..."

"The feeling of being wronged is really unbearable."

"Let me tell you something about him, okay?"

"Okay," Xu Xiaoyou nodded gently.

"He’s always bragging, actually, I knew it long ago, he has no money, a guy who can’t even afford a meal, scavenging in the theater every day."

"But when he was bragging to me, his eyes were very serious, like they were shining, I’ve never seen such an unwavering look during my time underground."

"From then on, I knew he would definitely succeed, he would definitely accomplish the things he once boastfully claimed."

"That’s why I chose to believe him..."

"You see, right, the suit he wears now, those shoes, are all luxury brands he bragged about to me before, how is he now?"

"He now runs a gang," Xu Xiaoyou said.

"How’s my judgment?" the woman asked.

Xu Xiaoyou remained silent.

Seeing the woman start coughing again, Xu Xiaoyou felt a bit worried, but the woman just held her hand, gently shaking her head.

"He managed it all..." In her blurred vision, there was a hint of relief.

"Do you hate him?"

"Hate him to death," the woman said, "how could I not hate him? Any little girl experiencing such things at that age, how could they forgive him?"

"I knew since I was a child the kind of dark, lightless environment I lived in, knew how the fate of the girls around me would unfold, including my own."

"Huamanlou, Huamanlou..."

"So, when other girls were still crying and begging others not to harm their mothers, I was already working hard, practicing piano, chess, calligraphy, painting, learning poetry and prose, and practicing opera skills with the mentor in the yard."

"That mentor was very strict, often hitting if a move wasn’t right, so during that time I was always bruised, picking leaves from the yard at night to mash and apply with some brown sugar on the swollen parts, then continuing to practice the next day."

"Such days went on for many years before I knew it, I gradually grew up."

"People here thought I was a talented woman, only I knew how much I sacrificed in the process, my first performance stunned everyone, I became the star courtesan of Huamanlou, where girls here when they came of age took over their mother’s work, but I was different, until he appeared, I was still untouched."

"A virgin courtesan from the Moon Store, what a novel and remarkable thing. My reputation spread quickly here, soon after, I noticed that as long as I appeared in a play, the audience was always full, people even carrying stools to watch from the outside."

"That was the most glorious time of my life."

The woman sighed deeply: "I used to naively think that those days could go on forever."

A moment of silence.

"I must think about how to help you, with his temperament, I know him very well, you’re definitely going to have a hard time getting the money back."

"This string of bracelets, take it little girl," the woman said, handing the bracelet to her. "Don’t wear it, just keep it in your hand when necessary, I think it can help you."

Xu Xiaoyou wanted to refuse, but the woman suddenly found strength, her last burst before dying tightly wrapping her hands around Xu Xiaoyou’s, forcing the bracelet into her palm.

Her eyes were sincere: "This is a Peace Bracelet, keep it with you for safety."