Chapter 146: Clamor

"What... what is wrong with her?" Lin Chuanzhi looked at Xu Fei with a touch of bewilderment.

"It seems you are still in the dark, aren't you?"

"Know what? Stop playing games with me. If you have something to say, just say it. If you have nothing to say, then please leave my company." Lin Chuanzhi was clearly growing impatient.

"It seems Lin Fang was right. I imagine that when she's at home, this is how you treat her, isn't it? You never bother to care about what she truly thinks, right?" Xu Fei said, casting a glance at Lin Chuanzhi’s grim face.

"How we raise our daughter is none of your business as an outsider. What exactly are you trying to say?" Lin Chuanzhi replied, taking a bronze-colored cigar from a wooden box on his desk. He used a gold-tipped cutter to snip off one end.

He then pulled a silver lighter from his pocket.

*Click!*

With the crisp sound of the flint wheel being pressed, a pale yellow flame slowly ignited the cigar. Grayish-white smoke curled out as Lin Chuanzhi exhaled slowly.

"Are you still holding a grudge because my wife threw you out of our house last time? Oh, by the way, what was your name again?" Lin Chuanzhi seemed certain that Xu Fei had an ulterior motive for coming today; he looked as if he were well-accustomed to such things. "Whatever. Tell me, how much money will it take for you to leave my daughter alone?"

Xu Fei was so incensed by his words that he nearly slammed the desk and walked out, but he held back and shook his head.

"Lin Chuanzhi, I don't think you understand yet. I didn't come here for money. I came to tell you that this morning, Lin Fang boarded a southbound train. She is running away from home."

"What!?"

Lin Chuanzhi froze. He braced his hands on the desk and stared coldly at Xu Fei. "Was it you?"

Xu Fei nodded. "She originally wanted me to go with her, but I stopped her."

*Hoo.*

Lin Chuanzhi exhaled a long breath. He set his cigar in the ashtray and paced back and forth a few times.

"You came here to..."

"I came to tell you to care about her. Don't force her to do things she doesn't want to do."

"But we arrange her work, we find her suitors—isn't everything we do for her own good?"

Seeing him speak this way, Xu Fei could only shake his head. "It seems my coming here was pointless after all." He stood up. "General Manager Lin, I really think you should ask your daughter if she actually wants any of the things you're giving her."

"Are you saying she doesn't need these things?"

Xu Fei offered a bitter smile. "Well, I've said my piece. I've sent her to school, and the rest has nothing to do with me anymore. Goodbye."

He turned and walked toward the door. Watching Xu Fei's retreating figure, Lin Chuanzhi frowned and muttered to himself, "Xu Fei... his name is Xu Fei..."

***

Xu Fei returned to the hospital. Inside the ward, Zhang Ze was being helped by An Laosan, walking back and forth to exercise. The surgery had been a success, and according to the doctors, Zhang Ze would be able to be discharged in about ten days. As for his recovery, it would depend on the physical therapy that followed; if he persisted, there was hope for him to return to his best possible condition.

"Brother Zhang, you should rest for a bit. Take it slow." Xu Fei set down the food container he was carrying and opened it with a smile, letting the aroma of the food drift through the room.

"Hmm, it seems Liu Erpang's cooking skills have improved these past few days," An Laosan chuckled as he helped Zhang Ze sit on the edge of the bed.

He turned to help Xu Fei move the bedside table in front of Zhang Ze. Xu Fei looked at An Laosan. "Brother San, take out your treasure. Shall we have a drink today?"

An Laosan glanced toward the door. "Better close the door. If the nurses smell alcohol, they'll surely confiscate my stash."

Seeing this, Zhang Ze laughed and pointed at Xu Fei. "Are you leading Brother An into trouble?"

"Not at all! Hahaha..." Xu Fei smiled, walked to the door, and peeked left and right. Since the nurses were all at lunch, he quietly closed the door and sat back down by the bed.

An Laosan reached under the bed and fished out half a bottle of white liquor. The label had long since been torn off so that if a nurse caught him, he could play dumb and claim it was water.

Xu Fei saw through him and smiled. "Brother San, you old fox, you even stripped the label off?"

"Haha, that's what we call meeting the enemy with the right strategy..." An Laosan unscrewed the cap, poured a cup for Xu Fei, and then poured one for himself. "Cheers!" He raised his glass.

Xu Fei raised his glass as well and looked at Zhang Ze. "Brother Zhang, here's to your speedy recovery!"

"Indeed!" Zhang Ze nodded with a smile.

An Laosan and Xu Fei downed their drinks. Xu Fei quickly picked up Zhang Ze’s bowl; Zhang Ze wasn't yet able to feed himself.

"You two go ahead and drink..." Zhang Ze waved a hand.

"We already had a drink. Now, I'm going to feed you, and then we'll have more..." Xu Fei used a spoon to scoop some food into the bowl, mixed it, and held it to Zhang Ze's lips.

"Come on, Brother Zhang, open up."

Zhang Ze opened his mouth slightly, but his lips began to tremble violently.

"Brother Zhang, don't shake," Xu Fei said with a smile, only to notice that Zhang Ze's eyes were glistening with tears. "Why are you crying, Brother Zhang?"

Zhang Ze reached up to wipe the corners of his eyes. "It's nothing. I just feel that being able to know you two is something I must have earned in my past life."

An Laosan laughed. "We're all of the proletariat; we don't talk about past lives. Brothers like us only care about this life."

"Exactly," Xu Fei agreed with a nod. "Brother Zhang, meeting in this life is our greatest stroke of fate. You helped me, and it's only right that I help you now." He held the food to Zhang Ze's mouth again. "Come on..."

Zhang Ze smiled, opened his mouth, and swallowed the bite.

"That's the spirit." An Laosan raised his refilled glass again. Xu Fei followed suit.

Just as they were about to drink, a commotion erupted in the hallway.

"Xu Fei! Xu Fei, get out here!"

Xu Fei, having just taken a sip, set his glass on the table. "Sounds like someone is calling your name?" An Laosan looked toward the door.

Xu Fei frowned; the voice sounded familiar. He stood up and walked to the door. As he stepped out, he saw several people standing by the nurse's station, including a woman who was shouting his name.

"I'm sorry, there is truly no patient named Xu Fei here," a nurse was explaining.

"I don't care! I know he's here! Find him for me!"

"Stop shouting. I'm right here," Xu Fei said, walking toward the woman.