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Chapter 83: Fortunately, someone walked with him for a while.
At the very beginning, when He Wanxin appeared, it felt like a bizarre accident.
She was domineering, vain, and exaggerated, so having such a pursuer was naturally unpleasant. Occasionally, Chen Wengang reluctantly looked back on his past with Zheng Yucheng. After overcoming his fear, he still wanted to understand some things. Since she intervened, it was like a wrong note in a piano piece at first, then it became a piercing alarm, ominously whistling in his ears.
But when he was young, he was also naive, failing to make correct judgments and respond promptly to such ominous signs.
It was wrong to be falsely accused, and paying the price was expected. But the price he paid far exceeded what he could bear.
When he was detained in the detention center, He Wanxin actually came to see him once—she was alone, but Chen Wengang did not agree to meet her. Needless to say, she might have come to flaunt her power. What he didn’t understand was that there were many people eager to show off their power to him, and the other party was determined to pursue him relentlessly.
Then came the imprisonment.
Having gone through the trial, he had already lowered his pride and face to a considerable extent, and his past arrogance was not worth mentioning.
If there was anything barely worth celebrating, it was that the sentences for economic crimes were mostly not severe. The lawyer said that among those who commit such crimes, there are even many highly educated individuals who used to lead respectable lives, which somehow seemed less embarrassing.
With the Zheng family’s connections, he might spend a year or two and then be eligible for parole, which wouldn’t be particularly difficult to endure.
However, most of the time, life doesn’t allow itself to be manipulated; it just throws a slap in the face.
Contrary to what the lawyer said, the day after being transferred to the prison, Chen Wengang was summoned without understanding the situation.
A group of menacing old-timers surrounded him, intending to teach him some rules. He was proud and unwilling to bow down, unwilling to take the humiliation. Outnumbered, he received a blow to his back, and if it hadn’t attracted the attention of the prison guards, the next blow might have landed on his head.
After the warning, things calmed down temporarily, but this was just the beginning of his prison life. The worst was yet to come.
Prison was a gray society ruled by factions, and being targeted by certain small groups was like provoking a pack of wolves and tigers. Chen Wengang initially didn’t understand why he was targeted, having led a peaceful life for the past twenty years. How could he be someone’s adversary?
It wasn’t until a skinny, bespectacled cellmate whispered, “Have you offended someone? I heard someone wants to get you.”
And then he shut his mouth and refused to say more.
Even if Chen Wengang knew, he was powerless.
So, the most profound lesson that experience taught him was to never hand over his freedom to others.
When the lawyer visited the prison, he repeatedly assured him that he would resolve the issue.
But everything remained the same. Naturally, he had also been bribed by He Wanxin, but this was only proven later. At the time, Chen Wengang had no means of understanding the situation outside. He could only wait.
He could guess that his old acquaintances were still living their lives in splendor. But perhaps no one knew what kind of days he was enduring behind bars.
Various forms of bullying existed in prison, and Chen Wengang suffered some hardships. On one occasion, several people pressed him down, almost burning a cigarette on his shoulder. It was stopped at the last moment when the guards intervened and punished those responsible with solitary confinement. But the guards couldn’t control the private death threats. Those punished with solitary confinement continued to harass him upon their release: “Don’t ever be alone with me; I’ll kill you sooner or later.”
Perhaps those with a handsome appearance were destined to suffer more. The expression of the man many called “boss” was always gloomy, hinting that following him would spare one from many troubles. But when Chen Wengang disobeyed, he beat him to the hardest, his gaze as cold as a bloodthirsty snake.
Later, during outdoor labor, a tall man who always accompanied the hunchback approached him.
Chen Wengang didn’t react in time. With a wave of the man’s hand, it felt like utter destruction to him.
This time, no one could save him. He curled up on the ground, holding his face in agony, feeling life was not worth living. Voices echoed from all directions, with the culprit and several accomplices coldly watching. No one came to his aid. The guards seemed to take an eternity to arrive, or perhaps Chen Wengang lost his sense of time. At first, he clung to his survival instinct, then he realized the harsh reality in despair.
He was doused with sulfuric acid; the pain was intense, surpassing the limits of physical endurance, rendering him numb. His only remaining thought was that he might not survive. His life had come to this moment.
But if death came, let it. With death, the pain would end. He was already ruined; what was there left to hold onto?
Various memories flashed through his mind. He didn’t know if this was just a montage of memories. He was born insignificant, caught in a fleeting dream. He had exerted all efforts, always believing that with struggle, a bright future awaited.
But he was wrong. He thought that by associating with the affluent and influential, he could soar to the skies in a single bound.
In the end, he was just an insignificant chess pawn, used up and discarded, never cherished, never remembered.
That was his life, fleeting in just over twenty springs and autumns, ending today.
That’s how it should be.
Chen Wengang never imagined he would live almost twice as long, albeit filled with pain. Fortunately, someone walked with him for a while, guiding him out of the darkness into the light. Then they left, leaving behind more sorrow, but he still lived on.
That was his past, which he dared not face. It wasn’t until over a decade later that he mustered the courage to ask about those people.
Mr. Zhu seemed puzzled, taking a while to respond. “You probably won’t find them in this world anymore.”
It took Chen Wengang a long time to snap out of his daze before he asked, as if just waking from a dream, “None of them are alive anymore?”
Mr. Zhu smiled tactfully but remained silent.
Chen Wengang stood on the balcony for a long time.
He wasn’t welcome at the dinner table, nor was he interested in the He family. He had already seen He Wanxin, and he didn’t intend to go back inside.
From here, the Crown Hotel still shimmered with brilliance, light and shadow dancing and intertwining, radiating splendor.
Unlike through the gray concrete walls and barbed wire, where all he saw was a divided sky.
It was already late, but Zheng Baoqiu, who remained at the table, didn’t give him any indication that they were leaving.
After a while, another unwelcome guest arrived to bother him, “Don’t you still need to go upstairs?”
He Jianjun truly seemed like a plague, clinging to him relentlessly. It could also be that He Wanxin said something again after returning, as she was skilled at inciting behind the scenes. He looked like he had had too much to drink, squinting at Chen Wengang’s empty wrist and asking, “Where’s your watch?”
Chen Wengang remained silent, casually glancing at his own wrist.
He Jianjun found Chen Wengang’s calm demeanor particularly irritating.
The world was divided into two levels for some people, and He Jianjun seemed to be one of them. To someone above him, he dared not act rashly. Below him, everyone bowed and scraped, flattering him, and he couldn’t tolerate anyone who didn’t adhere to this rule.
“I know, I can tell, that’s Huo Niansheng,” He sprayed a pungent alcohol breath, and burped, his mouth full of the taste of fish and meat, “You just sold yourself to Huo Niansheng again, he gave you a broken watch to wear, and you’re so happy you don’t know what to do? Damn, I hate people like you the most, so cheap. Why do you think you’re qualified to sit at the same table with us and eat?”
Chen Wengang stared at him coldly, his eyes sharp, harboring a hidden danger.
He Jianjun’s brain was numbed by alcohol: “Your dad was just a lousy driver. What skills does he have? If he hadn’t been lucky enough to die conveniently, would you be sitting on the same level as us today? The biggest blessing in your life is that your dad died…”
Chen Wengang delivered a fierce punch to his stomach.
He Jianjun was completely unprepared, staggering backward. Although Chen Wengang hadn’t anticipated it either, He Jianjun doubled over, clutching his stomach, vomiting all over the ground.
Chen Wengang rarely got into fights; that was back in his student days.
But not after he had been to prison.
It’s hard to imagine someone as usually refined and quiet as him being so reckless in a fight, but that’s how it was now. Compared to this, the time Huo Niansheng fought Huo Yingfei seemed like child’s play. Thanks to his previous experiences, he understood that once you’ve started a fight, you need to strike first. So, his first punch was aimed at He Jianjun’s stomach. He doubled over instantly, and his face contorted in pain.
Without waiting for He Jianjun to recover, Chen Wengang landed another punch, causing He Jianjun to slip and fall into his own vomit.
However, this made Chen Wengang somewhat disgusted. He grabbed He Jianjun by the collar and dragged him to the side.
He Jianjun seized the opportunity to catch his breath and, leveraging his weight advantage, flipped Chen Wengang off, landing a hefty kick with his thick, sturdy thighs.
But Chen Wengang, fueled by determination, flipped over and climbed back up, straddling He Jianjun and raining down punches.
The two of them wrestled, escalating into a brawl, with Chen Wengang inevitably taking a few hits himself. He Jianjun was bulky, his punches heavy, but with each blow, Chen Wengang’s ferocity intensified, his attacks becoming more vicious. His fists pounded into the layers of fatty flesh, causing them to quiver and contract with each impact.
He was like a wild beast that had sunk its teeth into its prey, refusing to let go, his eyes gleaming with an almost savage light.
This was how it was in prison; when pushed too far, he would latch onto someone and beat them within an inch of their life. At the very least, they would have to suffer for their transgressions!
Still, no waiter came over to notice the situation. He Jianjun finally couldn’t take it anymore, and in the end, he surrendered, clutching his head and wailing, “Stop hitting me; I won’t say anything, okay? I won’t say anything, I’m sorry… I apologize to you…”
Chen Wengang lowered his eyes, looking at this coward.
Yes, this was the reaction of an ordinary person. Getting hit made them realize the pain, and feeling the pain made them afraid.
As for He Wanxin, he had once suspected whether she had antisocial personality disorder, but did it matter? That was a topic for psychologists to study, and Chen Wengang had no interest in understanding her psychological journey. In fact, ever since Huo Niansheng had provided him with this opportunity through Mr. Zhu, he had made the most straightforward request.
Send her where she needed to go, and then he could rest easy.
That was it.
As for the person in front of him—
Chen Wengang held one hand against He Jianjun’s neck, the other hand clenched into a fist, raised high in the air. That fist was filled with power, ready to strike at any moment. He Jianjun’s face was now like a pig’s head, with his tears and snot mingling together, making him almost unrecognizable.
In the past, despite being insulted by the other party repeatedly, the timing never seemed right to retaliate. He had to consider ladies, children, and the exhibits in the hall. But now, he was about to leave the Zheng family.
Chen Wengang’s eyes burned red, as if a lot of anger, unwillingness, and grievances were building up in his chest.
Until someone gently caught his arm.
Huo Niansheng hugged him from behind, wrapping his arms around his waist, holding his left hand, and bringing him close. He spoke softly, “Alright, baby, you’ve let out your anger; that’s enough. Don’t let it escalate. You’re not that kind of person.”
Chen Wengang pursed his lips, silent, turning his head to look at him.
Huo Niansheng sighed, “If you really hate him that much, let me handle it; I’m not afraid of trouble.”
Chen Wengang’s tense muscles suddenly relaxed.
Huo Niansheng helped him up, and he took a stumbling step, leaning his shoulder into Huo Niansheng’s chest.
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