After all, Liu Yong was still too young. When he finished reading the letter left by his beloved girl, his heartfelt like it was being twisted by a knife, and he was overwhelmed by unbearable pain. To think that the girl he loved so deeply had severed their connection due to his actions, and had left without a chance of retrieval. As for his family, whether he could pass the test of his father’s approval had become less important in his eyes. He made the decision to leave as well. However, he didn’t head south and he didn’t follow the footsteps of his beloved girl.

    Liu Yong’s choice was to leave completely.

    When Liu Chengyin and his wife, along with Liu Yong’s grandparents, were in the intensive care unit of Jinling Art Specialized School Hospital and saw the unconscious Liu Yong lying on the hospital bed, the entire family fell silent. No one could speak or cry.

    The doctor told Liu Chengyin that it seemed his son was determined to leave this world. He had ingested an excessive amount of sleeping pills, and all available life-saving measures had been taken. Currently, he was still in a critical condition, and it couldn’t be determined whether his life could be saved. The most crucial factor would be his own will to live.

    In a stroke of misfortune, there was a glimmer of luck. When Liu Yong made the decision to leave, he sent a message to a few of his classmates, with words that were incoherent and confusing. Although some classmates misunderstood, thinking that the charismatic Liu Yong was playing a prank, they felt it wasn’t appropriate to play such games since it wasn’t April Fools’ Day. Other classmates knew about the breakup between Tian Yueyue and Liu Yong and thoughthe was just venting his inner frustrations. However, a few classmates sensed a hint of death in Liu Yong’s message. They quickly reported it to a teacher and, with the class teacher, found the rented house outside of the school campus.

    Tian Yueyue, whom Liu Yong had been yearning for day and night, finally stood by his hospital bed. He had thought that he would never have the chance to see his beloved girl again in his lifetime.

    Seeing Liu Yong lying unconscious on the hospital bed, Tian Yueyue was overcome with bitterness, and tears welled up in her eyes. “Liu Yong, oh Liu Yong, how could you be so foolish? Why would you want to leave this world? How could you choose to end it when your journey in life was just beginning? Is this not too selfish of you? Have you ever thought about your grandparents who care for you like their own lifeblood? How will they live now? And what about my own grandparents, whom I’ve never met? They raised you from childhood, showering you with as much love as your grandparents. You left so heartlessly, how can they bear it? The ones who suffer the most from your decision are undoubtedly your parents who brought you into this world. They worked hard to raise you, and you don’t think about repaying their kindness. Instead, you make them lose their child in their middle age. How devastating would that be for them? How will they face the days ahead?”

    Liu Yong, oh Liu Yong, could it be that you chose to leave because of my departure? Do you realize how wrong and confused your actions are? How heartless you’ve become! We used to love each other so deeply, but you couldn’t control yourself and got entangled with other women in a way that was so indecent. How could you make me endure such pain? And now, instead of reflecting on your mistakes, you’ve taken an even more heartless step, making me the one who seemingly pushed you onto a path of no return. Do you want me to spend the rest of my life tormented by your departure? Do you want to ensure that happiness never finds its way into my life again?

    Liu Yong, oh Liu Yong, people often say that fortunes can change, and as long as we’re still living in this world and hold each other in our hearts, perhaps fate might arrange for us to meet again someday, somewhere. It’s all possible, you know. But by choosing to leave this world, you’ve squandered any chance or possibility of us reuniting, of us loving each other once more. Was this worth it? To take a step back, even if we can’t meet again in the future, even if we can’t love again, it would only mean that our connection in this lifetime has come to an end. There should be no resentment and no regrets. Sometimes destiny unfolds when the time is right; don’t force what’s not meant to be. If it’s truly like this, you should try to accept it. There are countless good girls in this world, not just me, Tian Yueyue. Letting go of one tree reveals an entire forest; dropping one flower in hand welcomes a garden of blooms. Don’t continue to mistreat and torment yourself. Your journey in life has just begun, and the King of the Underworld isn’t waiting to take you. Our connection has ended, so don’t burden me with the weight of this heavy emotional debt and guilt.

    Liu Yong, farewell. We will never see each other again. Take care of yourself.

    After two days and two nights of intensive care unit treatment, Liu Yong’s vital signs have stabilized to a basic extent. Though he remains in a coma, he has overcome the critical phase, successfully passing through the perilous ordeal.

    Considering the unique status of Liu Chengyin and the special condition of his son, the school arranged a private room in the cadreward for them. With the four elderly individuals, along with Liu Chengyin and Su Hua, plus relatives and friends who came to visit, the hospital room was bustling with constant visitors, creating a revolving-door effect. Because it was a hospital affiliated with the school, the visitation rules were not as strict as those in regular hospitals.

    It was after Liu Yong had passed the life-threatening phase that Su Youliang and his wife received a call from their daughter, Su Hua, informing them about their grandson taking sleeping pills.

    With such a significant event involving Liu Yong, it was imperative to inform the elderly couple. However, when Liu Yong’s life was in a critical condition, Su Hua and Chengyin decided it was best not to tell them yet. The hospital room was already burdened with the emotional distress of the two elderly people; adding two more to their worries might be overwhelming. If, unfortunately, something happened to Liu Yong, it would be inevitable to reveal the truth. At this point, everything was still uncertain, and informing them would only add unnecessary worry without any practical benefit.

    Fortunately, on the third night in the wee hours, there was some movement from Liu Yong lying on the hospital bed. His family could hear him mumbling incoherently, “Yueyue, don’t go, don’t leave me. Yueyue, Yueyue, I won’t let you go.”

    Su Hua, who had been by Liu Yong’s bedside without sleep for three days and nights, saw her son move and heard him utter words. Tears gushed out like a flood from her eyes. The debt collector, as she affectionately referred to her son, had finally been saved. “Quick, quick, call the on-duty doctor! My son is saved, my son is waking up!”

    Hearing his wife’s shout, Liu Chengyin, who had been sleeping on a makeshift bed beside, quickly got up and went to the duty room to call for a doctor. The on- duty doctor arrived in the hospital room, placed a hand on Liu Yong’s forehead, and noticed that he was no longer running a fever. After gently opening Liu Yong’s eyes and examining him, the doctor announced that the patient was about to wake up, and the danger was over. After a brief examination, the doctor asked the patient’s family to come over and assist in adjusting the medication.

    As expected, after a few hours, Liu Yong, who had been in a coma for three days and nights, finally opened his eyes and woke up.

    Upon waking up, he didn’t notice his grandparents, his maternal and paternal grandparents, or his parents. He was fixated on asking, “Where is Yueyue? Where is my Yueyue? Wasn’t she just standing by my bed, talking to me with tearful eyes? Please help me find her quickly; I can’t let her go again. I need to apologize to her, right in front of all of you. I want to beg for her forgiveness. I also need to promise her that I will never do anything to hurt her in this lifetime, I won’t even have the slightest connection with other women. I’ll live this life only for her, TianYueyue, to love her and cherish her.”

    My child, you’ve just woken up. Let’s discuss other matters later. Right now, the most important thing is your recovery. Do you know that for these past three days and nights, you’ve made your father, mother, grandparents, and maternal and paternal grandparents extremely worried? If something happened to you, how could our whole family go on living? You, this thoughtless, rebellious child of ours! You’ve given your mother a heart attack from all this worry. Su Hua’s emotional defenses have completely crumbled at this moment. She knew that her son must be speaking nonsense. When did TianYueyue visit the hospital room?

    Tian Yueyue, who had already severed her emotional ties with Liu Yong through a text message, had no way of knowing about the choices Liu Yong made for her or what he had gone through.

    After the “sleeping pill incident,” Liu Yong seemed like a completely different person.

    In Su Hua’s eyes, the carefree and handsome demeanor her son used to carry was completely gone. The audacious and carefree attitudeshe had seen in his father was also no longer there, and the confrontational gaze was absent as well. During the time they spent in the hospital, he had mentioned wanting to find his beloved girl, but after he came back, he never mentioned Tian Yueyue’s name again. It seemed as if TianYueyue had never been a part of his life.

    Liu Yong’s spirit had departed, not accompanying him back home. What returned to the Liu family’s small house was merely a lifeless shell. As a father, Liu Chengyin could only feel a sense of urgency deep within. He realized that his son’s wounds could only be gradually healed with time, relying on his own inner strength to recover bit by bit. Some burdens must be borne alone, and no one else could take their place, not even his parents. Moreover, after resuming his duties, Liu Chengyin was even busier, seldom coming home. He was more preoccupied with the town and township merger than his son, but he had no choice; he was inherently a person dedicated to serving the Communist Party.

    Liu Chunyu and his wife, Yang Xuehua, were equally anxious. Their precious grandson had turned into a “l(fā)ifeless shell,” a mere body without a soul. They were eagerly looking forward to holding their great-grandchild, but now Liu Yong had become like this – sitting idle at home, barely speaking a word for hours on end. This situation was bound to lead to issues if it continued for too long. Liu Chunyu thought about the traditional beliefs of the older generation, those practices often referred to as “Four Olds” and “superstition.” He recalled his father, who had passed away years ago. So, after discussing it with his wife, they decided to take Liu Yong back to their ancestral home in Xianghe. They planned to visit Liu Yong’s great- grandfather’s grave, hoping that his great-grandfather could bring Liu Yong’s spirit back.

    As the saying goes, in times of desperation, people will try anything. Seeing Liu Yong in such a lost state, how could Su Hua, as a mother, not be worried? But no amount of worrying could substitute for her son’s well-being. He had gone through so much all at once, and now, whether he spoke correctly or incorrectly, it didn’t matter much. The emotional impact, the toll it had taken on his heart, was still there. Since there wasn’t a clear solution to help him, if her father-in-law wanted to try the “traditional methods,” they might as well give it a shot. Returning to their ancestral home might also be beneficial for Liu Yong, allowing him to clear his mind.

    Originally, Su Hua had planned to take a leave of absence to accompany her son back to Xianghe, but her parents-in-law stopped her. This time, they wanted to perform a “soul-searching ritual” for their grandson, and neither Su Hua nor Chengyin should be present. Being present would lead to unfavorable gossip; after all, having a Deputy Secretary of the Municipal Party Committee and his wife believe in superstitions in this day and age seemed ridiculous and backward. However, since Su Hua and Chengyin wouldn’t be there, the situation would be different. Liu Chunyu and his wife, Yang Xuehua, were simple farmers; they could take their grandson and perform the ritual without drawing much attention. Searching for their grandson’s lost spirit was a delicate matter; nobody would dare to criticize or gossip about it.

    Liu Chunyu brought his grandson back to pay respects at the grave of Mr. Liu Anran.

    In the village of Longxiang in Xianghe, the villagers joyfully spread the news. Ever since Liu Chengyin had become a “high-ranking official” outside the village, Liu Chunyu and Yang Xuehua had seldom returned to Xianghe. They had followed their successful son into the city and started living the life of urbanites, enjoying their blessings.

    Whenever the name “Liu family” was mentioned, the villagers’ faces would all express two words: “envious” and “admiring.” In the earlier years, Mr. Liu Anran ran a tofu shop in the village, conducting a thriving business and enjoying a good reputation. It was said that he had also taught privately and was a highly educated person. Whenever villagers encountered any troublesome matters, they were willing to seek his advice. Even if it was just trivial matters between neighbors, they would unanimously say, “Let’s go find Mr. Liu to discuss this.” When Mr. Liu Anran was alive, his reputation in the village was even higher than that of the village head.

    What made the villagers even more admiring of Mr. Liu Anran was that he  had raised a good grandson - Liu Chengyin. Liu Chengyin not only became the first  college graduate in Xianghe Village but also made rapid progress in his political  career. He became a “high-ranking official” in the county and later in the city, which  was no small achievement. The villagers knew well that becoming the village head  in Xianghe was already a prestigious position. But above the “village” level, there  was the “township” level; above the “township” level, there was the “county” level; and above the “county” level was the “city” level. To go from village head to  becoming a Deputy Secretary of the Municipal Party Committee was an impressive  feat indeed.

    What slightly disappointed the villagers was that Liu Chengyin’s son, Mr. Liu Anran’s great-grandson, didn’t follow in his father’s footsteps and enter the path of officialdom. Not only did he not pursue an official career, but he also chose a seemingly “l(fā)ow-class” profession, singing popular songs. This deviation from the deeply-rooted belief that “all islowly, only reading is noble” left the villagers somewhat regretful. Because in their view, following “reading” was the path to becoming an official. During earlier times of turmoil, there was even a critique of the “scholars becoming officials” idea. But come to think of it, historically, haven’t many scholars and successful examinees studied diligently for a decade only to end up pursuing a path in government service?

    Nowadays, there’s a rumor going around the village that Mr. Liu Anran’s great- grandson, the grandson of Liu Chunyu, and the son of Liu Chengyin, the one who appears to be quite clever on the surface but is actually just pretentious (a local expression to describe someone falsely intelligent), Liu Yong, couldn’t even succeed at singing popular songs and has lost his spirit. As a result, he’s returned to his ancestral home to find his lost spirit.

    This is just the perspective and mindset of the older generation. In families with middle and highschool students, their views and opinions are different. What do you guys understand? Liu Yong’s career choice as a popular singer is the most fashionable one. He’s becoming a pop star, and he has a massive fan following. With Liu Yong’s handsome appearance and charisma, he’s destined to become a “king of pop” level figure in the future, creating a sensation. Do you know Jackson? Michael Jackson, the king of pop in the music industry, a globally renowned figure. He was a person who commanded attention and influence, unfortunately passing away too early. If Liu Yong becomes a figure like Jackson, that’s beyond what your local county or city officials could achieve, OK!

    As people often say, nothing lasts forever. Despite the continuous legacy of the Liu family, they haven’t been able to bring new surprises to the villagers. The fate of Mr. Liu Anran’s great-grandson, Liu Yong, is uncertain, and it’s hard to predict what lies ahead for him.

    On the elevated mound of Xianghe Village, weeds grew wildly, and trees were scattered. This place was where villagers were buried, and aside from occasions like Qingming Festival, few people visited. As Liu Yong looked around, he spotted a few magpie nests in the nearby trees, quite large in size. Several colorful magpies and gray magpies were fluttering around the trees, repeatedly crying out, “Magpie, magpie!” They seemed unaware of the purpose of Liu Yong, his grandparents, and their visit here. Perhaps they were concerned about the safety of their nests.

    To reach the mound in Xianghe Village from the village itself, one had to take a boat. This method hadn’t changed for decades. Xianghe Village was situated in the lower reaches of a river, with waterways winding like wild vines, bending to the east and curving to the west. Building a land road would be difficult and costly. It seemed that Xianghe Village was also lacking in funds; otherwise, why hadn’t they constructed a land road to the mound? Looking at it now, society seems to truly revolve around the word “money.” Without it, many things can’t be accomplished.

    In the eyes of Liu Yong, the appearance of Xianghe had completely changed.  The water surface of Xianghe no longer displayed the water chestnuts he used to see  when he returned to his hometown with his father in his childhood. In Liu Yong’s  memories, those water chestnuts with four-petaled white flowers were gently rippling  with the water of Xianghe, exuding extreme elegance. If someone was rowing a boat  and flipping the water chestnuts on the water’s surface, Liu Yong would have a treat.  Eating fresh water chestnut kernels, tender and sweet, that’s what real freshness  meant. Moreover, the willow trees that used to sway in the wind and touch the  water on both sides of Xianghe had disappeared, and even the originally lush and  winding embankments were almost non-existent. Now, all Liu Yong could see on the  embankment were the roots of trees and the pits left by trees, as if reminiscing about  the “swaying in the wind and touching the water” and the “willows swaying gently” he once experienced. But the tree roots andpits left on the embankment now were  no different from scars on a person’s body, causing a heartache when one looked at  them.

    Looking from the distant Mound Field towards Xianghe Village, there was no longer a sense of “green trees concealing” the area. As Grandfather and Grandmother led Liu Yong through Long Lane in the village, they saw rows of two-story buildings that went straight up and down, quite a lot of them, but compared to the original traditional “  人 ” character rooftops and the traditional green tiles and black tiles, the fortress-like small buildings now didn’t seem as pleasing to the eye. It felt like something was missing. What exactly was missing, Liu Yong couldn’t quite put his finger on it. Perhaps he had been influenced by his father since he was young, and his father, in turn, had been influenced by his grandfather. He had a preconceived notion that the original village houses were good-looking, acceptable at the very least.

    Indeed, human beings are often a complex amalgamation, and it’s not unusual for contradictory feelings to arise within individuals. Take Liu Yong as an example – a young person studying popular music, yet he seems to possess a nostalgic heart, which is a contradiction that might be hard to comprehend. In reality, our understanding of ourselves as individuals is still quite limited, even in fields like medical research and broader scientific exploration. Some aspects of research even remain “pitifully” underdeveloped. Ultimately, humans haven’t truly come to understand themselves. Whether it’s Xianghe or Xianghe Village, the images of the place that Liu Yong saw during his childhood have been deeply stored in his brain. Trying to introduce a new version without altering the programming and expecting Liu Yong’s mind to naturally accept it is not feasible. This is why people often reflect that memories are beautiful – because of this very reason.

    In front of the tombstone of Mr. Liu Anran, Chunyu arranged “six large bowls” and a bottle of Yanghe “Dream Blue”. This “Dream Blue” was specially prepared  by Liu Chengyin for his grandfather. He mentioned that his grandfather never  had a chance to enjoy good liquor while he was alive, so this time he brought a  bottle of fine liquor. Among the members of the Liu family, no one’s feelings for  their grandfather could compare to Liu Chengyin’s. Although the eldest son, Liu  Chungeng, was engaged in transportation business and had some financial strength,  and the two grandchildren, Xiao Long and Xiao Feng, were filial to their elders,  their filial piety was mostly manifested materially. They couldn’t quite achieve the  deep emotional connection that Liu Chengyin had with his grandfather. Even with  some knowledge,Chunyu was well aware that not everything in this world could be  solved with just the word “money”. Now, with his grandson facing spiritual troubles,  he sought help from his own father, earnestly asking his late father’s spirit to assist  in bringing back his grandson’s lost soul.

    Uncle (the term used by villagers in the Xianghe area, which means father), he’s your great-grandson, you know. The future continuation of the Liu family’s lineage depends on him. Please, old man, help this young man out!

    Liu Chunyu, Yang Xuehua, and their grandson, Liu Yong, stood before the tomb of Liu Anran. They lit candles, burned incense, performed kowtows and salutes, made toasts and offered food. At the same time, a few “folk experts” specially invited for the occasion wielded various ritual objects, burned paper money, chanted incantations, and moved dramatically, swaying and twirling. They circled around the grave, three times to the left and three times to the right, spinning, jumping, dancing,and reciting incantations.

    After several hours had passed, suddenly, one of the “experts” collapsed with a thud, foaming at the mouth, and appeared to lose consciousness for a moment. Among them, a seemingly leading figure shook a ritual object near the fallen person’s ear, producing a sound like “ding ling ling—” “ding ling ling—”. After a few of these sounds, the person who had fallen down began to speak. When this person started speaking, it startled Liu Chunyu and Yang Xuehua. The voice sounded just like that of their late father! In an astonishing turn of events, this person called Liu Yong over and whispered something in his ear. Even more surprisingly, Liu Yong nodded repeatedly as if he was listening attentively to the teachings of his great- grandfather.

    After whispering into Liu Yong’s ear for a short while, the person collapsed again with a thud, losing consciousness. The other “experts” followed with another round of ritual actions, circling around Liu Anran’s grave—left three rounds, right three rounds—spinning, jumping, dancing, and chanting. The leader then continued by burning a bunch of paper money, sprinkling Yanghe liquor in various directions on the offering table in front of the grave. Finally, the leader lightly tapped Liu Yong’s forehead three times with a ritual object. Following this, the leadershook the object and shouted loudly, “All deities, return to your positions—”

    The other “experts” quickly arranged themselves neatly in front of Liu Anran’s grave. The person who had collapsed suddenly performed a fish-like jump and bounced back up, joining the ranks of their companions. This scene made Liu Chunyu and Yang Xuehua, the elderly couple, feel a bit nervous. They quickly pulled Liu Yong close. The leader of the “experts” instructed the elderly couple that after this ritual, they should also offer incense at the local “Upper Temple” for a month to ensure the safety of their grandson.

    For Liu Chunyu and Yang Xuehua, the two elderly individuals, all they wanted was for their grandson’s spirit to return promptly and for his mental state to recover quickly. They were willing to follow the advice of the “experts” without hesitation, even if it meant offering incense for a year instead of just a month.

    As the saying goes, “Fall down where you stumble, get up from there.” For Liu Yong, who was just starting his journey in the performing arts, the fact that his carefully planned debut performance was cut short undoubtedly dealt a heavy blow to his future dreams. What he couldn’t have dreamed of was that not only did his debut work come to a premature end, but also the girl he loved departed from him. Such setbacks can be considered devastating for his aspirations.

    Faced with such a double blow, it was indeed quite harsh for a young person on the brink of making his debut. Fortunately, as the saying goes, “When one door closes, another opens.” Just when Liu Yong was at his lowest and most disheartened, a fortunate turn of events occurred in his destiny. This fortunate individual was none other than his father’s childhood friend, whom he had addressed for decades as “Uncle Tan” – Tan Saihu.

    Speaking of Tan Saihu, he used to be the prominent figure in real estate development in Chuxian County. At the height of his career, he unexpectedly disappeared from the public eye, leaving Chuxian County and staying out of sight for many years. This sudden departure from the public’s view naturally added a touch of legend to the persona of Tan Saihu. Dear readers, please bear with me and allow me to tell the story slowly.

    Back in their childhood days, when they were “egg-dragging kids” (a term used by the villagers in the Chuxian area), Tan Saihu and Liu Chengyin were playmates in Xianghe. Like a bunch of mischievous monkeys, every Sunday, they would skip school and spontaneously grab a bathtub tied with a long rope, head to Xianghe River, and swim together, have water fights, collect river mussels, and catch small white shrimp. During those summer days, Xianghe turned into a massive natural swimming pool for Tan Saihu, Lao Chengyun, and their group of buddies.

    Of course, back then, Tan Saihu had a charming nickname too – “Moyuer,” which means “Fish Catcher.” Similarly, Liu Chengyin had another nickname, “Xiao  Xizi,” which translates to “Little Joy.” To this day, Tan Saihu still remembers the  time when Little Joy helped him out of an unexpected situation.

    Tan Saihu, that mischievous Moyuer, somehow managed to get himself into a tricky situation that time. While catching river clams, one of his toes got caught by a clam’s grip, causing him to scream in pain as if he were slaughtering a pig. Meanwhile, not far away, Liu Chengyin was intently focused on catching river clams, preparing for a showdown with Moyuer. When he heard Moyuer’s cries and the shouts of Xiaoyingzi (Liu Chengyin’s childhood friend and later love interest, who became a key character in the novel Floating City and eventually sacrificed her life during a flood), Liu Chengyin swiftly abandoned his tub and swam over to the scene of Moyuer’s mishap. When Liu Chengyin dived underwater and reached Moyuer’s location, he pried open the clam holding onto Moyuer’s toe. As he lifted the clam out of the water, there was a burst of cheers from those on the water’s surface.

    Despite being a strong swimmer under normal circumstances, Moyuer, with his  bitten foot, struggled to keep himself afloat. “Xizi, take a look. Is my toe broken?” he asked. “You’re exaggerating, as always. A clam that’s only half grown can’t  possibly bite off your toe,” Liu Chengyin responded, kicking the water to keep his  injured foot above the surface. He casually tossed the clam he had pried off into the  tub containing their collected clams. Today, they were competing to see who could  gather the most river clams. If he didn’t toss the clams into the tub, Moyuer would  accuse him of cheating. Suddenly, with a splash, Liu Chengyin turned and swam  vigorously toward the floating tub not far away, containing the fruits of their labor  from the better part of the day.

    When Liu Chengyin became the Secretary of the Chu County Party Committee, Tan Saihu contributed greatly to the urban redevelopment of Chu County. He played a pivotal role in successfully completing the first major road expansion project in the city. This accomplishment earned enthusiastic approval from the citizens of Chu City, and they all praised Secretary Liu Chengyin for his leadership. And of course, Tan Saihu himself also rose to the position of General Manager of the Chu Shui Urban Development and Construction Company.

    In the following years, Tan Saihu’s career development can be described as smooth sailing. During a long train journey, he met a woman named Shen Yan, which not only led to significant changes in his career trajectory but also resulted in the deconstruction and reconstruction of his family. The woman named Shen Yan soon became his second wife, making him the son-in-law of the Deputy Commander of a military district in the northern region. As a result, his influence naturally extended to a certain military unit in the northern area.

    To be honest, at the time, it was not easy for Tan Saihu to leave Chuxian County, and he felt reluctant. Leaving his familiar hometown, departing from his childhood friend who shared both a deep bond and provided career assistance, and embarking on a new journey – could it really be that simple? It’s just like they say in television commercials, venturing bravely into the unknown.

    However, the alluring and enchanting Shen Yan truly opened up a new realm of experience for Tan Saihu in the realm of passion. It was a kind of delight he couldn’t have imagined, something he could never have received from his dutiful and obedient wife of several years at home. What’s more, Shen Yan also bestowed upon him the identity of being the son-in-law of a Deputy Commander from a military district in the northern region. Even though it was for a Deputy Commander of a relatively small military district, the allure to Tan Saihu was still quite strong. After much contemplation, he decided to give up his current shining prospects and daringly venture into the unknown. There’s a saying by a famous figure often seen on national television, advising everyone that a man needs to be tough on himself. Tan Saihu was undoubtedly a man, and he needed to follow this advice – to be tough on himself.

    During his years in the military, Tan Saihu was involved in various endeavors  within the military unit, with his primary focus still being the real estate industry. To  be honest, the profits generated within the military compound were truly substantial,  to the extent that you couldn’t even imagine. If you dared to contemplate it, you still  couldn’t come up with the actual figures. Therefore, it’s not surprising that Tan Saihu  became successful. His talents, his status, and his attractive and charming wife were  all his keys to success and capital. As a song goes, “No one can succeed casually.” This is absolutely true. Tan Saihu succeeded, of course. However, whether it was  his success in Chuxian County or his success after relocating to the northeast, was it  achieved effortlessly? Of course not. Even a fool would understand this point.

    After experiencing the breakdown of a marriage, Tan Saihu became indifferent towards marital relationships. Who says a wife must be exclusively yours? Today she’s your wife, but who’s to say she won’t belong to someone else tomorrow? Just like ShenYan, who initially didn’t belong to Tan Saihu at all – in the blink of an eye, she was sleeping by his side, sometimes even underneath him, and became his wife. But what about the future? Could she become someone else’s wife? Tan Saihu didn’t dare to draw such conclusions from the depths of his heart. Therefore, sometimes, when his wife had social engagements and left him alone at home at night, he didn’t feel too aggrieved. Didn’t he kick away his once kind and virtuous wife? She was left in the county town with your son. Isn’t that a hardship? Wasn’t it the woman you discarded, who fought for her life to protect you, scaring your son with the threat of death, that allowed you to smoothly pass this hurdle?

    Of course, over these years, Tan Saihu covered all the living expenses for himself and his son. Not only did he cover everything, but he also provided his ex-wife with a six-figure bank card every year, with the password being her birthday. However, Tan Saihu, don’t misunderstand – in this world, money truly can’t solve everything.

    At times, Tan Saihu himself would ponder: What has become of the world? How come everyone only sees “money” in their eyes? Everything that people desperately chase after, in the end, revolves around “money.” However, in his everyday life, he keenly felt that things shouldn’t be this way. Human beings shouldn’t be like this, and life shouldn’t be defined solely by money.

    However, the harsh reality remains that no matter how deeply you feel, not a fraction of change can be brought to the actual situation. It seems as though people are immersed within an immensely vast “arena,” governed and driven by some sort of energy. Like spinning tops, they spin, revolve, whirl at breakneck speeds, and even spin into madness – unable to stop, unable to break free. Immersed in such an “arena,” it’s akin to being lost in an infinite “black hole,” a terrifying and helpless feeling.

    These thoughts are merely fleeting in Tan Saihu’s mind. Most of the time, he doesn’t confine himself to an empty room. He indulges in extravagance, reveling in the allure of luxuries and excesses – it’s all part of his routine. When he doesn’t wish to be entangled in the “arena,” he occasionally acts as a “deserter,” sneaking away in absolute secrecy to visit his former home in the county town. Even though, strictly speaking, it’s no longer his home. His generous ex-wife still prepares a few of his favorite homemade dishes for him.

    It was during one of Tan Saihu’s visits that he learned from his ex-wife about

    Liu Yong’s consumption of sleeping pills.