Chapter 4, Sleepwalking

Just when I was standing there in a daze, unsure of what to do, Chen Qiaoluo also saw me. A multitude of emotions flashed through his eyes, but before I could even catch them, they returned to a state of calm.

Upon seeing him like this, I immediately became furious. I pulled him up and said, "Don't pretend to be crazy or foolish with me, I will take you home right now"

When we reached the door, a taxi happened to pass by. Xiao Heige pushed Chen Qiaoluo into the taxi and apologetically said to me: "Jun, I’m sorry to trouble you to take A Luo home. I’m still at work and it’s not convenient for me to slip out."

I stood there in a daze as he walked over from the street across, tapped my head with his hand, and said with a hint of amusement: "What are you looking at, looking so daft?"

I felt somewhat uncomfortable under his gaze, so I turned my face towards Chen Qiaoluo and said once again: "Chen Qiaoluo, you will come back with me."

I called Chen Qiaoluo, but no one answered. I thought perhaps he was only pretending to attend class for my sake, and after I uncovered his lie yesterday, he felt there was no longer any need to maintain that facade for me.

The deepening relationship between Tong Xiaotian and Li Zi was within my expectations, but I never anticipated it would happen so quickly. Ever since the day Tong Xiaotian disappeared, it wasn't long before Li Zi, in a coy manner, secretly told me that Tong Xiaotian had confessed to her again, but this time she no longer appeared flustered like she did last time

Seeing me like this, Li Zi beside me leaned over with some concern and quietly asked, "Jun Hao, are you feeling unwell? Why does your face look so pale?"

Seeing Aunt He Pei like this, a sense of sadness welled up in my heart, and I could only nod vigorously and say: "I understand, I promise you that I will not let Chen Qiaoluo go astray"

I no longer speak, I simply hold him tighter. I believe I am incredibly fortunate to be his daughter

When I returned home, I saw my father anxiously waiting in the living room. As soon as he saw me come back, he rushed over and hugged me. Just as I was puzzled, he spoke up, saying: "Daughter, you scared your father to death. I woke up in the middle of the night and saw your room door open, and your phone was left at home. I thought something had happened to you."

I was taken aback, and then I suddenly remembered that I had forgotten to bring my phone in my haste earlier. Recalling everything that Aunt He Pei had told me at Chen Qiaoluo's house, I suddenly felt that all parents in the world are great

Indeed, Jun, let us return first." Li Zi echoed from behind me

This place has always been a realm of right and wrong, and Li Zi has no connection to this matter. Hearing her say this, I felt somewhat shaken, yet I still held onto Chen Qiaoluo's hand, refusing to let go.

I lifted my face to look at him, but I heard him speak again: "You should go back."

As soon as I entered the bar, the deafening music filled my ears. I squeezed through the crowd and moved forward, yet the short distance of just a few meters took me over a minute to traverse. Finally, I spotted Xiao Hei at the bar, and I hurriedly ran over, my growing concern for Chen Qiaoluo almost suffocating me.

His tone made me furrow my brows involuntarily. Before I could say anything, I heard Li Zi speak to me in a frightened voice, saying: "Jun, shall we go back?"

At this moment, I suddenly thought of my father. He loved me and spoiled me so much; no matter what I did, he could always understand me. He always said that I was his treasure, but in truth, was he not also my treasure?

I closed my eyes in sadness and took a deep breath, slowly dragging my feet towards my classroom. When I reached the door, the math teacher was already standing at the podium. Seeing me appear at the door, she asked a few questions with some displeasure, but I acted as if I had not heard her and simply returned to my seat and lay down.

After I finished speaking, as I was about to leave with Li Zi, I saw Chen Qiaoluo appear here. He had a cigarette in his mouth, and the man beside him was wearing a thick necklace, with a round face and big ears, looking rather unsavory. A shock ran through me, and a feeling of betrayal quickly engulfed me.

It seems as though nothing has changed; Chen Qiaoluo is still the same as he was at the beginning. Everything from yesterday was merely a nightmare I experienced, and today the sun has risen, causing the nightmare to naturally fade away

When I handed the two thousand yuan I earned from my part-time job to Chen Qiaoluo, he pushed it away. His gaze was filled with confusion as he said, "Zhu Junhao, what do you mean?"

"Hmm, it's fine, I understand," I said understandingly. "However, do you know where Chen Qiaoluo lives? I've never heard him mention it. If you don't know, I can just find a hotel for him to stay in."

However, even so, I still cannot accept it. Chen Qiaoluo turned around, facing away from me, and said, "Let's go, Zhu Junhao."

I looked at my empty left hand and suddenly felt an overwhelming sense of loneliness. However, perhaps I should believe in Chen Qiaoluo once more, perhaps things are not as bad as I imagine them to be

Sigh. Xiao Hei sighed and said, "Isn't it true that today A Luo came to find Sister He Pei? Everything was fine initially, but while Sister He Pei was accompanying a guest for drinks, that man was a bit inappropriate. In the nightlife industry, such things are generally not surprising; we have all become accustomed to it. However, it just so happened that A Luo was present today. You know how he is; he cannot stand to see Sister He Pei suffer even a little. He got furious on the spot and rushed over, wanting to hit the guy. Fortunately, we were all there to stop him. Afterward, A Luo told Sister He Pei that she should not come to work anymore, but Sister He Pei disagreed. The two of them argued for a long time, and in a fit of anger, Sister He Pei left. After she left, A Luo drank continuously as if he had gone mad.

Li Zi, seeing this, pulled my hand from behind and said softly with concern, "Jun, there are so many people watching us here"

When I was brought to Chen Qiaoluo by Xiao Heige, the table in front of him was already filled with empty bottles. I walked over, snatched the bottle from his hand, and looked at him sternly, saying: "Chen Qiaoluo, have you had enough of this?"

Before long, a steaming bowl of Yangchun noodles was placed on the table. My father did not rush to go to bed, but sat beside me, waiting for me to finish eating so he could tidy up.

Indeed, I have become more understanding. I have come to realize what it means to cherish the people around me, and I have also learned the importance of gratitude

At this moment, it seemed that Chen Qiaoluo had already fallen asleep. I supported him and suppressed the nausea within me as I made my way up the stairs. Due to the lack of light, I nearly tumbled down the stairs with him several times. After much effort, I finally climbed to the 3rd floor and found room 302. I knocked on the door and called out: "Aunt He Pei, it’s Junhao, please open the door."

It seemed he did not expect me to suddenly bring up my mother; he was taken aback for a moment and then said, "Why are you asking this all of a sudden?"

I firmly grasped Chen Qiaoluo's hand and said coldly, "You will come back with me"

I pressed my lips together and looked at him for a while, then silently pulled Li Zi and returned along the same path.

There are no streetlights here, and through the faint moonlight, one can clearly see the piles of garbage heaped in front of each building. Even from several dozen meters away, the nauseating stench is still detectable. Mosquitoes and insects are constantly buzzing around, and apart from that, it is as silent as a desert. The driver also seemed unwilling to linger; upon seeing us get out of the car, he immediately turned around and drove away.

I had never been to that area in the south of the city before; I had only vaguely heard others mention that the environment there was harsh. However, when the taxi came to a stop and I helped Chen Qiaoluo get out, I realized how true that statement was

Little Black hurried over to lend a hand

My heart feels as if it has been struck hard by a hammer

"Why are you afraid? Miss, your words seem a bit unreasonable," he continued to smile charmingly and said, "Come on, I will treat you to a meal, and we can discuss some matters slowly."

I was taken aback and, without even having the time to ask further questions, I hung up the phone, changed my clothes, and rushed over. Throughout the journey, I kept urging the driver to go faster. Finally, upon arriving at the entrance, I threw a one-hundred-yuan note, not even waiting for change, and hurriedly got out of the car

He walked over to me and asked, "Zhu Jun, what brings you here?"

I followed her inside. It was merely a small room of several dozen square meters, where everything was piled together.

Tong Xiaotian reappeared in our sight after disappearing for a while. Every time I walked out of the school gate with Li Zi, besides seeing Lei Zi, I could always see him as well. It seemed that he had learned from the last lesson; this time he was more cautious and did not dare to provoke me, merely following silently behind us without saying a word

I once promised Aunt He Pei that I would always lend a helping hand to Chen Qiaoluo, and now seeing him willingly fall into depravity, how can I not fulfill my promise to Aunt He Pei?

Leizi thus appeared in our lives, becoming a taboo that I could not mention. Occasionally, Li Zi would ask me what Leizi did, and I would always remain silent and not answer. Li Zi has always been a good girl, naive to the ways of the world, and I did not want her to witness too much of the darker side of society

It seemed that he sensed our intentions, and Chen Qiaoluo struggled to escape from our grasp. However, his strength was no match for me and Xiao Hei, so he could only give up the struggle, repeatedly pleading for us to let him go, claiming that he could continue drinking.

It seems as if you still look the same as when I first met you

Aunt He Pei looked at me and then said: "You are the first friend of our Alo, and I know he is sincere towards you. So, Junhao, you must help me encourage him more; I do not want him to become a person like his father."

After downing two glasses of beer, Chen Qiaoluo spoke up: "Junhao, you know that our family is currently in dire financial straits. Recently, Gu Yu's mother's health has been deteriorating, and her medical expenses are like a bottomless pit; no matter how much money is thrown in, it never seems to be enough. If it weren't for the mistakes my father made back then, she wouldn't have ended up like this, so I must take responsibility going forward"

I looked at him in this way, and those words suddenly got stuck in my throat. I think everyone has their own obsession, and they will not rest until it is fulfilled, even if it means death. Chen Qiaoluo's obsession is Aunt He Pei; for her, he is willing to do anything, even knowing that those actions may be harmful to himself.

I sighed and wanted to say more, but he stopped me, saying: "Zhu Jun, I know what I am doing, so you don't need to say anything now. Since I have already decided to do these things, I will definitely not give up halfway."

Aunt He Pei placed Chen Qiaoluo on the sofa and then went to fetch a basin of water for cleaning. It was only after everything was done that she stood up and, looking at me with embarrassment, said: "I really appreciate your help, Junhao"

Before long, the door was opened by someone. Aunt He Pei came out wearing her pajamas, and upon seeing Chen Qiaoluo in this state, she immediately felt a pang of sympathy and took him in, supporting him as they walked inside

I did not speak again, but silently accompanied him in drinking one bottle of beer after another. I thought perhaps we are both still slowly growing up, and there are some things we cannot yet see clearly.

"Chen Qiaoluo, we are friends, right?" I met his deep gaze and said earnestly, "I originally worked for you to experience life. I know you would definitely refuse if I offered you money from my father. But this money is different; it is what I earned myself. I know you are in need of money right now, so I hope you can accept it"

I followed Chen Qiaoluo to the night market on the next street, still the same store as before

Chen Qiaoluo has gone mad

Chen Qiaoluo was momentarily stunned when he saw his bottle of wine being snatched away. He looked up and, upon seeing me, suddenly broke into a smile and said to me, "Zhu Jun, how are you? What brings you here? It's just in time; you can keep me company while I drink. Come on, Xiao Hei, bring us a dozen beers over here."

This time, there was an added hint of pleading in his gaze

"How can this be considered without reason?" I frowned and continued, "Chen Qiaoluo, we have known each other for almost a year, and I am quite clear about what kind of person you are. Since I now understand why you are so determined to make money, why can't I lend you a hand? I am your friend, not a stranger passing by"

I know that I have betrayed Aunt He Pei's trust in me, but I am powerless.

I do not want to shatter Chen Qiaoluo's beautiful dream, watching him indulge in his own fantasies. It is not that I do not wish to pull him back, but I know that saying anything now would be futile. The only thing I can do is to be by his side to offer comfort after he falls.

Hearing me say this, Chen Qiaoluo raised his head to look at me, his expression very serious. He said: "Zhu Junhao, I know you care about me, but please believe that I can distinguish between right and wrong. Perhaps Lei Zige did not leave a good impression on you yesterday, but he is just a bold character. Over these days, I have learned a lot by following him. Do you know? The only thing I want to do now is to repay the debt our family owes to the Gu family, so that my mother can live a good life with me as soon as possible." Over these days, I have learned a lot by following him. Do you know? The only thing I want to do now is to repay the debt our family owes to the Gu family, so that my mother can live a good life with me as soon as possible.

That night I could not sleep, keeping my eyes open as I waited in the boundless darkness for dawn to break. The matter concerning Chen Qiaoluo clung to me like a nightmare, and I wanted to struggle but it was of no use

However, until the class bell rang, Chen Qiaoluo still had not arrived

I promised Aunt He Pei that, no matter what, I cannot stand by and watch him fall into such depravity

"More than half an hour?" I exclaimed, unable to contain myself. "Does he think he is a wine barrel? What on earth happened?"

I arrived at school in a daze from home at 6:00 in the morning, and there were very few people on campus. I stood at the door of Chen Qiaoluo's classroom waiting for him to come to class, and everyone who saw me couldn't help but glance at me a few more times.

I looked at Li Zi, whose face was filled with sweetness and happiness, and suddenly felt a warm current flow through my heart. I think Li Zi is fortunate, as there is at least one Tong Xiaotian who has been waiting for her with all his heart.

When Xiao Hei Ge called me, I had already changed into my pajamas and was ready to go to bed. However, upon seeing his name flashing on the phone screen, a sense of unease quickly engulfed me. I almost immediately answered the call and asked, "Xiao Hei Ge, has something happened to Chen Qiaoluo?"

Such words made me unable to help but clench my fists

Before he could speak, the man named Lei Zi spoke first. He clicked his tongue twice and said, "Alo, is this your girlfriend? She is so beautiful. It is not very appropriate to come to a place like this so late."

Thank you for loving me so much, thank you for tolerating all my emotions and caprices

I could not resist her, so after school, I went with her to the street where she claimed to have seen Chen Qiaoluo. This street is notorious for its poor security in the city, and I have always kept my distance from it.

That Lei Zi has started to frequently appear at the entrance of our school waiting for Chen Qiaoluo, and every time I see him, I have no good feelings towards him

Seeing me like this, the man named Lei also took notice of me. I saw his gaze scrutinizing me for a long time, gradually revealing a hint of a malicious smile.

"You must be mistaken," I insisted on my inner trust in Chen Qiaoluo, saying to Li Zi, "Look how messy it is here; it’s not good for us two girls to stay here. Let’s just let this matter pass, and I think we should head back first."

My nose suddenly felt a bit sore, and I pushed him slightly, scolding with a choked voice: "Chen Qiaoluo, how dare you appear in front of me!"

And behind me, I could still faintly hear that guy Lei's voice, saying: "Alo, why did you let your girlfriend leave? Since she is here, why not all have some fun together? Am I really going to eat her or something?"

"It's nothing, Chen Qiaoluo is my friend, and it is only right for me to do this," I replied politely

I thought we were the best of friends, I believed there would be no secrets between us, but I truly did not expect that deception often occurs in an instant. I said: "Did you not say you were going to work at the fast food restaurant after school? Tell me, why are you here? And that man, who is he?"

Although I am worried about Chen Qiaoluo, I know that no matter what I say, he will not listen. The current Chen Qiaoluo has already fallen into a trance, and his obsession is not caused by Lei Zi, but by his own inner demons.

The man who was originally not far away also walked over at this moment and asked Chen Qiaoluo: "Alo, what are you doing?"

Well

After listening to me, my father was stunned for a while before suddenly bursting into laughter, saying: "Our daughter has truly grown up, she has become so understanding."

Indeed, I am unwell; every organ and every joint in my body is crying out in distress. I remain silent, closing my eyes and burying my entire face in the crook of my arm. It seems that tears are flowing down my face, landing on my arm and creating a sticky patch.

In fact, am I not the same? Looking back on the past two years, it is surprisingly filled with so many memories. It turns out that I too am afraid to bid farewell to high school, and I also fear facing an even more uncertain future.

As I reminisced about the little details from the past with my father, Aunt He Pei suddenly spoke up solemnly: "Junhao, I know you are a good child and that you genuinely consider our Alo as a friend. So, as your aunt, I earnestly ask you to please help him as much as you can in the future"

On the other end of the phone, the sounds of the bar remained noisy, and the voice of Xiao Hei Ge sounded somewhat unclear. He said: "Jun, hurry up and come here, A Luo has gone crazy"

Several times I turned around to scold him, but he brushed it off lightly, nothing like the hot-tempered young man he used to be. Seeing him like this, Li Zi became more curious and often couldn't help but look back at him. There was even one time when Tong Xiaotian, for some unknown reason, did not come to wait for her, and she appeared distracted all the way home.

Seeing him like this, a wave of disbelief surged in my heart. Is this still the Chen Qiaoluo I know? Why is it that I cannot comprehend the person standing before me?

Upon seeing me, Xiao Hei immediately grabbed my hand and led me inside, his voice filled with concern. He said, "Jun, you finally made it. A Luo has already been drinking for over half an hour."

I stared intently into his eyes and, after a long while, said despairingly: "Chen Qiaoluo, you deceived me"

Throughout this journey, Chen Qiaoluo was rather unruly, constantly mumbling nonsensical words. I could not tell if he was truly drunk or merely pretending to be. I understood that he was also concerned for Aunt He Pei, not wanting her to work in such a deplorable environment. They both cared too much for each other, which is why they could be so easily hurt.

I nodded vigorously and followed him to the kitchen, watching him fry an egg and cook noodles for me

As soon as Li Zi and I arrived there, several men whistled at us. Li Zi, frightened, hid behind me and said, "I passed by here yesterday after school and saw Chen Qiaoluo. He was walking with a tall and strong man."

Sigh. Aunt He Pei sighed and said, "This child has suffered too much since he was little, dealing with the mess left by his father back then, and now it has all fallen on him to clean up. It is our fault as parents; we did not fulfill our responsibilities, which is why he has become what he is today"

In the blink of an eye, we have entered our third year of high school. Li Zi has complained to me more than once about how quickly time passes; she said she is afraid of graduating just like that

"Alright, alright, you're all grown up yet still acting like a child with your father." My father released me and said, "Are you hungry? I'll go make you a bowl of noodles. After you finish eating, hurry off to bed; you have class tomorrow."

After finishing his speech, he said to the driver: "Sir, could you please take me to Room 302, Building 3, in the Temple Alley near the South City Central Primary School."

At this thought, a wave of emotion surged within me. I reached out and embraced my father, feeling a bit teary as I spoke: "Dad, thank you."

I took a bite of the noodles, hesitated for a moment, and then asked, "Dad, is Mom still in contact with you?"

Turning my head illuminated my entire youth

Seeing him approach, Chen Qiaoluo immediately put on a smile and said to him: "It's nothing, it's nothing, Brother Lei."

Your smile is radiant

Time seemed to stand still as Chen Qiaoluo reached out to pry open the hand I was holding onto him with, looking into my eyes with a cold gaze. He said, "Zhu Junhao, you should go back now"

He looked at me for a while before speaking: "I understand what you mean, but Zhu Junhao, I hope you understand that these are all my own matters. Even if you are my friend, I cannot accept such a significant favor from you without reason"

Seeing her so serious, I was taken aback and quickly replied: "Auntie, you don't need to say it, I would do the same. I know you care for Chen Qiaoluo, and everything is for his sake, but you also know that he doesn't want you to suffer. In his world, aren't you also one of the most important people to him?"

He took a sip from the cup and then said: "A few days ago, when I was working, I met Brother Lei, the guy you saw yesterday. At that time, he was parking in front of our store with his friend, and coincidentally, someone came to cause trouble for his friend. Without a second thought, he stepped in to block a blow for his friend. At that moment, I thought this person was quite loyal; although he is a rough man, such people are genuine. Gradually, we got to know each other. Brother Lei is truly a good friend; he knew I was short on money and not only gave me money more than once but also said that as long as I worked hard with him, I would definitely achieve success in the future." At that moment, I thought this person was quite loyal; although he is a rough man, such people are genuine. Gradually, we got to know each other. Brother Lei is truly a good friend; he knew I was short on money and not only gave me money more than once but also said that as long as I worked hard with him, I would definitely achieve success in the future.

However, Chen Qiaoluo is different; he is very satisfied with his current state of life. According to him, life is very fulfilling now. Lei Zi takes him to various social gatherings in the evenings, which Chen Qiaoluo sees as an opportunity to expand his network. He believes that by following Lei Zi, he will carve out a niche for himself. Yet, Chen Qiaoluo forgets that he is merely a child who has not even graduated from high school. How could those people truly appreciate him or regard him differently?

Since that night, Aunt He Pei's words have been etched in my heart. I began to take Chen Qiaoluo to the library, making efforts for the final sprint of our high school year. Chen Qiaoluo always appeared disinterested. I understood that he had something on his mind, but no matter how much I asked, he never revealed a thing.

I ignored his drunken antics and directly led him outside. Along the way, many people glanced over, but I pretended not to see.

For an entire day, my mind was filled with countless possibilities. I wanted to find Chen Qiaoluo, but I had no idea where he was. After a long wait, as soon as I stepped out of school, I unexpectedly saw Chen Qiaoluo waiting there. The sunlight fell upon him, making him appear so unreal.

Unlike the heavily made-up and alluring appearances in the bar, at this moment, Aunt He Pei is the most authentic version of herself. Although her natural face is far less glamorous than her makeup, this is truly her. Just a moment ago, while she was taking care of Chen Qiaoluo, I clearly felt the greatest love that comes from a mother.

"It's nothing." I lowered my head and remained silent for a while before saying, "Something happened just now that made me think a lot. I believe that perhaps I should not be so stubborn in hating her, after all, she is the one who gave me life."

I know, I know. Xiao Heige said with a smile, "Sometimes when Sister He Pei gets drunk, it is I who take her home."

Take my father as an example; he doesn't even ask me where I went so late, he only worries whether I might get into trouble

Hearing me say this, Dad freed his hands to ruffle my hair and laughed, saying: "You silly child, what nonsense are you talking? There is no need to say thank you to your own father."

I loudly questioned, causing many people to turn their heads, including the man who had previously walked beside Chen Qiaoluo

Chen Qiaoluo may have long understood that that Lei Zi is not a good person, yet he is still willing to indulge further

Such words make my heart ache. Chen Qiaoluo has always been a dutiful son, and I believe he is willing to do anything for Aunt He Pei. But is this really the right way to go on?

Li Zi said that she saw Chen Qiaoluo with some people from the society after school. At first, I didn't believe it, after all, he had already turned over a new leaf, and I couldn't believe he would repeat his past mistakes. I smiled and told Li Zi that she must have mistaken him, as Chen Qiaoluo goes to work at a fast food restaurant every day after school. However, Li Zi did not believe me and even insisted that she had absolutely not mistaken the person, saying that she would take me with her after school to prove that what she said was not a lie

I clenched my teeth and remained silent, merely staring intently at Chen Qiaoluo

That sum of money, in the end, I still did not deliver to Chen Qiaoluo. I understood his pride and self-esteem, so I secretly included that money in Gu Yu's mother's medical expenses. I thought this might be the only thing I could do to help Chen Qiaoluo.

Seeing Chen Qiaoluo's bewildered expression, I felt a surge of anxiety. That Lei Zi was clearly not a good person. I glanced at Chen Qiaoluo, hesitated for a moment, and finally spoke up: "Chen Qiaoluo, you had better not trust that Lei Zi too much"

In the days gone by, I was reluctant to mention my mother, after all, she was the one who abandoned me and single-handedly destroyed this family. However, after witnessing the events involving Gu Yu and Chen Qiao Luo, I suddenly realized that love and hate are merely a matter of perspective. I do not wish to spend the limited time of my life endlessly hating someone; such a life would be too exhausting.

Previously, I had speculated on the road whether it was related to Aunt He Pei, and it turns out that it indeed is. Whenever it comes to her matters, Chen Qiaoluo becomes so irrational.