Gao Jian

  Thinking back to the first year of high school, I recall the chubby and timid boy who always followed me around. I remember all the scenes of us drinking together, chatting, and fighting. I think about everything about him. Suddenly, I think about that tall and handsome man from earlier. For such a long time, not even a phone call. It seems that he must have had a pretty good status and reputation in school, getting along well with everyone, at least better than me. Being beaten by Qin Xuan, being beaten by Yu Ming. Once your status changes, your identity changes, then you can just do whatever you want without caring about anything else.

  I'm getting more and more upset, and slowly tears start falling down. "Zi Hao, you used to be so timid that you didn't even dare to scold people, let alone hit them. Who brought out this side of you? You used to be shy and hesitant to speak up, who helped you become more confident? You didn't dare to find a girlfriend, who helped you get in touch with her? After you transferred schools, how did you manage to stand up for yourself so quickly? If it wasn't for me back then, would you have been able to develop this kind of personality? Would you have been able to stand up for yourself? After you transferred schools, who went all the way to your school and helped you deal with those people who were against you, making sure you could live without worries from then on? Zi Hao, no matter what happened back then, you never left our side. We would eat together, sleep in the same bed, play games at the internet cafe, and take baths together. I still remember that scar on your body. Brother, after all these years of brotherhood, you're just going to let it go like this? Why? Did I, Wang Yue, wrong you in some way? What's wrong with me? Don't you know what kind of person I am? You can tell me if there's something bothering you, and I promise I won't bother you again. Brother, you're really hurting me. Yeah, your face doesn't have that innocent smile from when we were in school anymore. It's full of determination now, and you've got your own ideas and status at school. But who made all these changes happen? I admit I'm not a good person, but Wang Yue has lived this long, and we've known each other for so long... have I ever done anything to wrong you? I don't want anything from you, nor do I think about you in any particular way. It's just that when I saw my old brother in this unfamiliar city, I wanted to sit down with him, drink some wine, chat, and make myself feel a little better. I just wanted to share my grievances with you. Do you have to avoid me like this? Have you really changed so quickly? Is your heart really that ruthless? Are you really willing to cut ties with me completely? You're not a murderer or an arsonist... you're just dressed up in a flashy way, but if you don't like it, I can change. Do I deserve to be treated like this by you? Is the woman by your side really worth you giving up everything for her? Brother, have you forgotten about the person who used to laugh with you until their sides hurt, drink with you all night, and stand in front of you whenever something happened? You're really breaking my heart. Seriously. Haha, time really is a great thing... it can change people so much. What's going on with your university degree? What about your undergraduate studies?" Thinking about this, I downed another glass of wine.

  "Damn it." Bao Long picked up a bottle of wine and got up from his seat, then ran out.

  "Big Dragon" Yang Qiong shouted from behind and also chased out.

  I didn't do anything, just quietly stayed here, drinking, eating meat, chatting and laughing. I always couldn't accept such things, it's like I'm dreaming, I smiled foolishly, and the image of Hao Ge when we first met in high school appeared in my mind, that silly and honest face. In the blink of an eye, he became a grown-up, only four years have passed, now he's tall, strong, with sunshine on his face, and has become a standard handsome guy. So, he forgot about me.

  I remembered Bo Long ran out, I paid the bill, and there were many wines that hadn't been drunk, wasting a lot of things. Suddenly, I didn't want to drink anymore. I was holding a bottle of beer in my hand, and then I strolled towards the ATM. At the school gate, I saw many people gathering together.

  I slowly made my way over, pushing through the crowd, and saw Bao Long lying on the ground with broken bottles scattered around him. Qiong Jie was shouting loudly on one side, while people were holding her back from both sides, but she couldn't break free. She just kept cursing at the top of her lungs. When Yang Qiong saw me arrive, she yelled out "Liu Er, I'm going to kill them! Quickly help Bao Long up, get him up!"

  I turned my head and saw Qi Hao, with four or five other tall boys standing beside him. On the other side was that woman from earlier. "Everyone saw it, this thug came up and wanted to hit our Director Qi. We were just defending ourselves, even if we spread it out, it's still reasonable for us." I don't know why, but looking at these people, I suddenly felt like we weren't on the same path in life.

  I smiled and slowly walked to Bó Lóng's side, reached out and helped him up from the ground. Those people with Qí Hào were about to lay hands on me when Qí Hào stretched out his hand to stop them. They looked at Qí Hào but didn't move. Bó Lóng wiped the corner of his mouth, Yáng Qióng also broke free and came to Bó Lóng's side, supporting him by the arm.

  Bo Long woke up, rubbed his eyes, calmed down, pointed at Qi Hao and said: "You've lived for so long, if you can't even remember the principal, it's better to die. You have today because of someone, think about it carefully, who was it in the beginning? Without Liu Er, what would you be like now, you know it yourself." The people around us looked at me and Qi Hao thoughtfully after hearing this.

  "Alright you, what's with the nonsense? Don't spout rubbish." The woman stood up and said "Our Director Qi doesn't know any of you."

  I reached out and wiped away the blood on Bao Long's forehead with my hand, although it wasn't much, but for some reason, I felt an intense atmosphere inside me saying "Who did this."

  Yang Qiong pointed at Qi Hao "It was him. He's really ruthless. We came over and saw him talking to someone at the school gate, Bo Long grabbed him and he started fighting back. Then everyone around us joined in."

  I turned around and looked at Qi Hao "Good job, Brother Hao." Then I smiled and clapped my hands.

  Qí Hào's mouth twitched slightly "I didn't know you two were together."

  I shrugged with both hands "Whatever." Then I supported Bolong and looked at Yang Qiong "Sister, let's go."

  Yang Qiong nodded heavily and the three of us were about to leave.

  "Just as we were about to leave, someone blocked our way. 'Are you just going to leave like that? Come back with us to the school security room and let's clear things up. What did you mean by suddenly hitting Director Qi?'"

  I looked up at him, the wine bottle in my hand smashed onto his head, and the surroundings immediately fell silent. After smashing it on, that person covered his head with one hand, I let go of Boguang, stretched out my hand and grabbed a handful of his hair, pulling it down hard. The broken wine bottle was pressed against his neck.

  The surroundings were very quiet, I smiled and said "I'm a hooligan, you all listen up, stay away from hooligans, or else the consequences of what the hooligan does will be unbearable for you." Then I rushed to Yang Qiong and said "Take Bao Long out."

  Yang Qiong looked at me and hesitated without moving.

  "Listen, go quickly." Yang Qiong nodded and then supported Bo Long as they left the crowd.

  I watched Bo Long and the others leave the crowd, I smiled, released the person in my hand, this person went limp and fell to the ground, I was quite happy, holding a bottle, looking at Qi Hao "Director Qi, can I go now?"

  "Hao Ge, their kid beat up Ming Ming and can't let him go. Let's take him down together, see what he can do. Look at his build."

  I turned around and looked at Hao Ge, who was holding a wine bottle and pointing at him, saying "You go first."

  "Director Qi." Another person also spoke up "Damn it, let him be arrogant for now. No big deal, we'll investigate the school side and take responsibility together."

  "Are you going together?" The woman spoke again "Qi Hao still wants to be the student union president, but he can't do it with you guys."

  "Alright, let's just split up and separate Hao Ge then."

  "Right, right, can't just let him go like this."

  I smiled and ignored their words, giving a thumbs up to Qi Hao "Congratulations in advance, President Qi."

  "This time, someone looked at Qi Hao and said, 'Hao brother, do you know him?'"

  I heard this news and was very interested, I originally wanted to leave but didn't.

  Qī Hào listened to his words and fell silent for a long time. I saw the woman pulling on his arm, but in the end, Qī Hào still shook his head.

  I felt my heart was bleeding, as I continued to stare at Qi Hao's thumb, which was stretched out in a very carefree manner. He picked up a cigarette and held half a bottle of wine in his hand, and under the gaze of countless people, as well as their threats, he simply walked out of the crowd. "It was me who brought you out back then, I don't believe it, now you dare to betray me? Get the hell out of here!" After finishing speaking, I walked towards the outside of the crowd, with everyone around me discussing and arguing, some saying not to let me go, others scolding me. However, in the end, no one came forward to stop me.

  I stepped out of the crowd, turned around, looked at those people with disdain and smiled, threw the half bottle of wine in my hand to one side, and watched as the person I knocked down was helped up by several people and supported into the school.

  The taxi stopped on one side, and I looked at Qi Hao again. His eyes were so dull, without a hint of emotion. He raised his head and looked at this magnificent regular undergraduate campus. He glanced at these so-called key undergraduates, and a contemptuous smile rose from the corner of his mouth.

  Get in the car, roll down the window and throw out the bottle. "First go to the agent, go see the house." After finishing speaking, I turned my head and looked at Bao Long "So many people, you still get on."

  Bo Long also smiled "So many people, didn't you go in too?"

  "I was watching you go in, so I followed, is everything okay?"

  "I was sad watching you, that's why I came up." Bao Long smiled "It's nothing. You should let it go, we're not traveling the same road, and we won't enter the same household door." Bao Long pointed to the band-aid on his forehead "My wife had already prepared this for me in advance. More professional than you bringing red medicine and Yunnan Baiyao to school"

  I smiled silently and gazed out of the window at the chaotic crowd.

  The driver started the car, Yang Qiong hugged Bo Long's arm, and some birds leaned in "Liu Er, do you really know that Qi Hao? Are you guys really brothers?"

  I thought for a moment and then smiled at Yang Qiong "No, I don't know him either."

  Bolong also laughed and hugged my neck. "Not recognizing is good, it's really good. Let's go see the house, damn it. This day is passing"

  Yang Qiong said on one side, leaning against Bao Long's shoulder "It is, even if it's brothers, it's all in the past tense now, everything will change"

  I smiled at them and said "You two must be happy."

  "That's for sure," Bo Long said, "I will never let go of my wife in this lifetime."

  Yang Qiong nodded "As long as you don't wrong me, I won't leave you for the rest of my life."

  "Come on, wife, I'm in a great mood, give me a kiss."

  Yang Qiong smiled and then leaned over onto Bao Long's body, kissing his lips.

  I leaned back in my seat and didn't say anything else.

  Followed Yang Qiong and Bao Long to look at houses, then went shopping to buy various daily necessities. After everything was settled, it was already evening. Bao Long and Yang Qiong didn't plan to move in immediately, I didn't ask why either.

  I ate something casually, took a taxi back to school. When we were almost halfway to our school, the driver stopped the car and then backed up a few steps. "What's wrong, master?"

  "Hey guys, let's wait a minute, there are people fighting up ahead."

  I, Bao Long and Yang Qiong all came with interest to watch others fight. It was quite interesting. Following us, several people also looked forward, it was two large groups of people, holding various objects in their hands, some held sticks, some held knives. Anyway, they were fighting fiercely, looking like more than 20 people. The driver lit a cigarette and said "Nowadays, people are really impossible to deal with."

  "They're not students." Bao Long looked at the people in front of the car window "Should be some small hooligans from society." There was an internet cafe next to them, and they started fighting at the entrance of the internet cafe.

  It didn't last for more than a few minutes. There were also several cars stuck behind us, and no one dared to move forward. After the fight was over, there were several people lying on the ground.

  I saw a bald man with bare arms, and there was a tattoo on his back. It was quite large, but I couldn't make out what it was in the dim light of the internet cafe entrance at night. However, it seemed to be an eagle.