Chapter 8

The number on the elevator stopped at the eighth floor, and after a while, it continued to descend, while the number on the adjacent elevator began to change, moving from the ninth floor to the eighth floor, and then ascending all the way up

Jiang Yuduo came out of the bathroom, already dressed in a T-shirt. As he was tidying up the medicine cabinet to put it back in the cupboard, Cheng Ge cleared his throat and said: "Don't leave this here, take it with you."

Cheng Ke twisted it a bit

"It can't be, it's only this early and we've already eaten," Cheng Yi said

Cheng Ke did not speak, nor did he move, as he stared at Jiang Yuduo's face

What is face

Although he did not get up until the afternoon today, perhaps due to being tense all the time, he unexpectedly fell asleep while leaning on the sofa

What happened?" Chen Qing stared at the bandage on his head, "Who did this? Damn it! Who did this!"

This awkwardness is something he cannot conceal; he does not possess the ability like Cheng Yi does, and even a simple phrase like "What a coincidence" is beyond his capacity to mask.

"Third Brother," Chen Qing said with a helpless expression, "Can't we just have a proper conversation?"

"Let me go," Jiang Yuduo said as he patted him on the shoulder, "Disappear within three seconds, or I will spray you with blood."

Forget about tidying up

"Brother," Cheng Yi smiled at him with a hint of charm, "let's have a meal together."

Even though there are not very pleasant memories for him here

Hmm. Jiang Yuduo responded.

Jiang Yuduo indeed walked out of the elevator

Is it serious? Chen Qing asked

Today, this matter is likely due to my own distraction

Cheng Ke stubbed out his cigarette and got up to enter the kitchen: "Why not just try it directly?"

"It is not only good, but it is also new," Jiang Yuduo said

Chen Qing dashed out of the door

Cheng Ke found a corner sofa to sit down. After taking a couple of sips of coffee, he took out his phone, but after looking at it for a long time, he didn't know what to do, so he put the phone back in his pocket

Cheng Ke looked at him, tugged at the corner of his mouth, and said nothing. He gazed at Liu Tiancheng, who was beside Cheng Yi, as well as a few friends with whom he had previously enjoyed food and entertainment. It seemed he had nothing to say either

"Saying nothing," Jiang Yuduo took out a piece of beef and began to chew slowly, "I fear that if I am late and end up bleeding all over, someone might call the police or something, which would be quite troublesome"

Over there on the small street, Jiang Yuduo furrowed his brows and said, "I didn't see the person clearly."

The store was not very crowded. When Cheng Ke finished ordering and was about to pay, he suddenly realized that it was the first time he had noticed the price behind the coffee.

A wounded individual whose head has just been injured actually ran out to eat spicy hot pot

No, why does he care about Jiang Yuduo

He tried to touch the table, which had dust on it, and the chair... had already been cleaned from sitting, and the bedside also had dust.

No, I want to see," Jiang Yuduo said, "how you managed to do this. The new water heater does not produce hot water, and the new gas stove won't ignite.

After pondering in the living room for a while, he took the keys and went out

Jiang Yuduo poured a little cat food into its bowl, and the cat came over to sniff it, taking a step back in slight disdain before sitting down. It then looked up and called out to him.

Let's go out for a meal tomorrow

"Do you need to go to the hospital for that injury?" Chen Qing parked the car and entered the house, placing a large bag of unknown contents on the table. "What did you injure?"

Jiang Yuduo raised his head and looked at Chen Qing

"It is not that I am saying this, San Ge," Chen Qing looked at him for a while and sighed, "What you have done is indeed a bit inappropriate."

He opened his eyes and looked at the cat that was still on a hunger strike in front of the food bowl: "Hurry up and eat, once you get fat, I'll take you to Chen Qing's place for hot pot... Have you ever had hot pot? It's incredibly delicious, the kind that makes you hungry just thinking about it."

Cheng Ke furrowed his brow and said, "Just say it..."

Jiang Yuduo said nothing, stood up, and went over to open the cabinet door, from which he took out a small medicine box

Considering that this house is now his own territory, Cheng Ge hesitated for a few seconds before following to the bathroom door

I have already eaten," Cheng Ke said

Cheng Ke was taken aback; indeed, he was afraid of mice, but how did Jiang Yuduo know that?

The floor looks quite clean, but I didn't expect it to be so dirty

Jiang Yuduo looked at him, seemingly not understanding his meaning

I am leaving" Jiang Yuduo said as he put on his coat and walked towards the door with the medicine box in hand

Cheng Ke had not even had the chance to clearly see his physique before he was already stunned into silence by the scars on his body: "You this..."

"I am afraid," Jiang Yuduo said

Is your ID card real? Jiang Yu took it out of the kitchen

The last time I was in such a predicament was two years ago... No, the last time I was in such a predicament was when I fought with Cheng Ke by the trash can...

If I weren't afraid of my wound bursting, I really want to push you into the toilet and let you drink to your heart's content right now

"You don't intend to sneak into the house to bandage it, do you?" Chen Qing was very surprised

Jiang Yu closed the door behind him as he left

"With your coagulation function being practically nonexistent," Chen Qing said, "by the time you get to him, you must already be covered in blood."

Cheng Ke followed him into the restaurant

Hmm? Cheng Ke looked at him, then quickly nodded and said, "Alright"

"Where did you run into each other?" Chen Qing asked, "Why didn't you give me a call?"

Not serious, Jiang Yuduo walked into the corridor, "Park the car in the parking space, blocking here is asking for trouble. Aunt Wang will throw down a medicine jar again in a while, your salary for this month will just go to fixing the car."

Xu Ding responded quite quickly

Cheng Ke reached out again to turn the knob on the gas stove

"She doesn't like to eat these tough ones," Chen Qing looked at him, "Did you really go to Jaeger-LeCoultre to get it? How did you tell him?"

Da da da da ... ... bang ... ...

Cheng Ke used a wet tissue to wipe away the two drops of blood that Jiang Yuduo had left on the floor. He did not have a cleanliness obsession, but when he saw that the tissue not only had bloodstains but also a patch of black ash, he was still somewhat taken aback

In the past, I would certainly see it, but I have never experienced a feeling like this before; the price suddenly ceased to be just a simple number, and this sensation abruptly pulled him out of the slight sense of "familiarity" he had just acquired

Hmm? Jiang Yu turned back.

Jiang Yuduo put down the medicine box and walked into the kitchen, then said in the kitchen: "Come here and show me how you do it."

The elevator did not stop again, and it smoothly arrived at his floor, opening the door.

"Get lost." Jiang Yuduo took a bite of beef.

Ah. Jiang Yuduo turned around to take a look behind him

Cheng Ke hesitated for a moment, then reached out to open the gas valve

Upon thinking of Liu Tiancheng, he frowned

Old Wharf

calm down

He cannot understand what it means that he can fall asleep anywhere these past few days, and each time he does. However, this nap was quite appropriate, and he can now directly find a place to have dinner

Cheng Ke could not help but glance back at him

Jiang Yuduo did not speak and nodded slightly

"Then how come..." Cheng Ke stared at his face

Jiang Yuduo stood beside the table, slowly finishing the piece of beef, and then dug out the bag of cat food from the bottom of the bag, shaking it at the cat that had been staring at his hand: "Would you like to eat?"

Cheng Ke could not understand, but still decided to stand here, confirming that Jiang Yu had taken it away before going downstairs to eat.

"Twist it," Jiang Yuduo said

Cheng Ke did not speak

Cheng Ke looked at the blood on his face and felt that this injury could not be treated casually by himself. However, he remained silent, sitting there watching Jiang Yuduo skillfully take out alcohol, gauze, medical tape, and even a pair of scissors from the first aid kit.

Open the door, Jiang Yuduo looked at him with one eye, "I need to use the medicine cabinet"

Cheng Ke stood outside the elevator, staring at the fluctuating numbers above, unsure of what to do next

Jiang Yuduo did not close the bathroom door, standing with his back to him in front of the mirror, and with a flick of his hand, he took off his T-shirt and tossed it aside

Cheng Ke felt the knob being pressed down

It is unclear how large the wound on his head is, but it is indeed visible. The pressure from his palm has not stopped the bleeding, and blood continues to seep out from beneath his hand

"I made it myself," Jiang Yuduo said as he opened the bag, immediately catching the aroma of the dried beef. "You are truly thoughtful."

The sofa has not accumulated dust, as it is made of fabric

Cheng Ke was already bending down to open the cabinet door, but upon hearing this, he immediately sat down on the nearby chair: "Sorry, I can't."

"In these twenty-seven years of yours," Jiang Yuduo said, picking up the medicine box again and walking towards the door, "is there someone who helps you take off your clothes when you go to sleep?"

I do not have a medicine cabinet, Cheng Ke said

There is a Starbucks ahead, and Cheng Ke decided to go there to sit for a while and have something to eat

"Yes," Jiang Yuduo said, "in the small cabinet door of the TV stand."

Cheng Ke cast a glance at the person's face

extremely awkward

Indeed, when he was just a few meters away from leaving, the car door opened, and Chen Qing jumped down from the vehicle, rushing a few steps to reach him.

I placed it down, Jiang Yuduo waved his hand, "Hurry up, my platelet count is low, and soon I could bleed out and die at your doorstep, then Chen Qing will call the police and say you killed me"

However, it is quite normal, after all, it was empty before, and just now Jiang Yuduo entered the house without changing his shoes. He probably came here quite often when he was injured before... Thinking about this, he suddenly felt that there must be quite a bit of dust everywhere in this room

Then you are still afraid of mice Jiang Yuduo sat down on the chair

"Did your mother not hit you?" Jiang Yuduo asked

"Let it be," someone said nearby

Jiang Yuduo's actions were very rough; he cleaned the wound, poured powder on it, pressed on the gauze, and then applied adhesive tape. Each movement made one feel as if he was dealing with someone else's head, and it had to be that of an enemy

"There is still a bag of cat food down there," Chen Qing said, "It's better not to eat with you, it will get salty and cause hair loss, which is quite troublesome."

Jiang Yuduo turned to glance at Cheng Yi, then turned back to look at him. After hesitating for two seconds, he asked, "Shall we go in together?"

What? Jiang Yuduo twisted open the alcohol bottle and poured it directly onto his temple.

"No... oh, damn it." Cheng Ke felt a sharp pain in his forehead, yet Jiang Yuduo's expression remained calm, as if he had just poured a bottle of clear water.

Yes, Cheng Ke nodded.

That is my face towel!

Jiang Yuduo did not speak, but pressed his hand downwards: "Do you understand?"

When Cheng Ke wanted to turn around and leave, it was already too late. Cheng Yi called out to him: "Brother."

I did not change the lock as required by the rental agreement," Cheng Ge said, "Can't you also show some respect for the tenant?

It is indeed inappropriate to run over like this today, as it can be considered trespassing. Moreover, even if Cheng Ke truly has no issues...

"Hey, you person," Liu Tiancheng said softly, "Are you not even giving face to your own brother?"

Cheng Ke sat back on the sofa, lit another cigarette, and stared blankly at the drawer of the television cabinet for a long time

I thought he should not be at home at that time, Jiang Yuduo sighed, "The agent said he is an artist, I didn't expect artists to be so idle, actually not going to the studio to busy themselves with art for a while"

Brick, Jiang Yu took it to the side of the table, or a knife

"Um, you..." Cheng Geqing cleared his throat, "Are you also having a meal?"

Jiang Yuduo took a breath, slowly exhaled, and then grasped his hand. Before Cheng Ke could pull his hand away, it had already been pulled to the knob.

"... ... Third Brother," Chen Qing looked at him, "these two things are quite different."

After quickly bandaging the wound, Jiang Yuduo turned on the faucet and washed away the blood from his face and body, then casually grabbed a towel from the rack to dry himself off

"Brother," Cheng Yi took two steps towards him, "How about we..."

I didn't see clearly," Jiang Yuduo said

It ... ... won't start," Cheng Ge said

When his hand left the corner of his forehead, two drops of blood fell onto the floor

"Open that cabinet," Jiang Yuduo pointed to the TV cabinet, "Take the medicine box inside for me... You know how to open the cabinet, right?"

Cheng Ke was taken aback

"Damn you." Cheng Ke looked at him

It was just pain, and then everything went dark

He must be on guard now," Chen Qing continued, "It is probably not going to be easy for us to sneak in and look for clues.

"It was alright, I exerted myself quite a bit, using about 80% of my strength," Jiang Yuduo said, "I was startled when I suddenly saw him, which is why I let go; that was when the blood started to flow."

However, Cheng Ke did not extend his legs, because when Jiang Yu was brought out, his hand was pressed against his temple, and the blood that continued to seep out had already obscured his left eye, making him look more than twenty times worse than before

"Don't you think so?" Chen Qing said

Ah, Xiaoke! What a coincidence! Liu Tiancheng smiled as he walked up to him, "How about we go together?"

Cheng Yi's gaze became somewhat complicated

As Jiang Yuduo took off his coat and walked towards the bathroom with these items, Cheng Ge couldn't help but say, "You can't rinse that injury with tap water, can you"

Go eat something

I do not know, Jiang Yuduo said, let me have no peace for eternity

Cheng Ke smiled; at such a time, having someone like this to share a meal with made him feel a sudden sense of emotion

Cheng Ke stood up and left, filled with boundless admiration for himself

However, just as he reached the entrance of the old pier, he could not help but feel emotional. A few people approached from the opposite direction and arrived at the store entrance at the same time as him

I would like to ask you, is that gas stove in the kitchen good?

"Hey," Chen Qing thought for a moment and leaned closer to him, examining the gauze. "Did you go to the hospital... This isn't from the hospital, is it? The craftsmanship is too poor. Where did you get this wrapped?"

There was no premonition, no sound was heard, and no one was seen

... ...

I am leaving now. I originally came here just to deliver the beef. I still need to return the car to the store. " Chen Qing quickly walked towards the door, took a couple of steps, and then stopped. "Isn't beef a food that can cause inflammation? Is it not good for wounds?"

Cheng Ke held a cigarette, originally intending to prepare for a fierce battle, ready to exchange a few sharp words even if he didn't resort to violence. However, now that Jiang Yuduo suddenly apologized so sincerely and honestly, it was as if he had stepped into thin air and suddenly found himself at a loss for words.

When I woke up, the coffee had already gone cold

"No, I cannot." Cheng Ke said

The cat turned its head to look at the bowl, not eating, nor moving, remaining quite resolutely still.

A woman came in on the eighth floor, Jiang Yuduo said, "I fear she won't be able to hold on for two more floors before screaming"

Jiang Yuduo paid no attention to it and lay down on the sofa

Jiang Yuduo reached out and pushed the still bewildered Liu Tiancheng aside: "Step aside."

The flames leaped out from the stove, two circles, small blue flames

I apologize, Jiang Yuduo said, I was a bit anxious, so I came over since this place is the closest.

Chen Qing went to park the car, while Jiang Yu Duo entered the house and checked in the mirror to see if the gauze was applied properly.

Cheng Ke looked at him, unable to utter a word. After a long pause, he turned around and returned to the living room, sitting down on the sofa and lighting a cigarette

Cheng Ke was momentarily taken aback, glanced at the time on his phone, and replied to Xu Ding again.

He took out his phone and sent a message to Xu Ding

His head felt a bit swollen, and he was unsure if he had suffered a concussion from the blow. He closed his eyes and pressed on the bandage; the wound still hurt, a dull ache interspersed with sharp pangs, a very complex pain.

Should I go down after Jiang has taken it, or should I take another elevator down

"Eat if you want, if not, then forget it," Jiang Yuduo pointed at it and said, "a stray cat, yet it is picky about food."

"This house has already been rented to me," Cheng Ge said, "You can't still leave your things here, can you? If I'm not home today, do you plan to just let yourself in?"

Cheng Ke looked at him in silence

Cheng Ke suddenly became tense, staring at the elevator that was coming up layer by layer, and found a suitable position to extend his leg. If Jiang Yuduo were to come out of the elevator in a moment, he could kick Jiang Yuduo back into the elevator.

I have a business trip tomorrow, so today is the day.

"Can you still walk?" Jiang Yuduo looked at him

A so-called boss, the kind who can fight with others over a trash can, what is there to care about when someone has their head smashed? ... But why did he come here?

Or stay inside the house

"Are you parading here?" Cheng Ge was truly at a loss for words

"Why don't you sit down and insult me for a while longer, let's aim for two hours of insults," Cheng Ke said, "hopefully, I can die from excessive blood loss."

The cat meowed once, putting in great effort, and it meowed very loudly

Cheng Ke could indeed understand him; at this moment, Jiang Yuduo, with a blood-stained bandage on his head and several lackeys following him, exuded an aura of a bully, the kind of person with whom Cheng Yi would never have any intersection in his lifetime

At this moment, there is still some time before dinner. Cheng Ke wandered around the neighborhood but did not find a shop he wanted to enter. Eventually, he ended up on the street where he had fought with Jiang Yuduo.

"How many years has it been?" Chen Qing kicked the table, "The lingering spirits refuse to disperse, and I have no idea what they actually want! What do you think they are trying to achieve?"

The manuals for the appliances are all in the drawer of the TV cabinet, Jiang Yuduo opened the door and said, "If you don't understand, just take a look."

"Are you eating?" Jiang Yuduo looked at him

When Jiang Yu returned home, an Audi with its engine still running was parked downstairs. Based on his experience, the person sitting inside should be Chen Qing

How many years have we been friends, yet in the end, I find myself not as close to you as I am to Xu Ding, whom I have only known for two or three years and with whom I cannot even claim to be familiar

Chen Qing rarely has such a moment of clarity, and he is deeply moved

What does it mean? Cheng Ge turned off the fire

"What my aunt brought is almost all here," Chen Qing said, "enough for you to chew on for a while."

While applying the bandage earlier, Cheng Ke was being watched closely from behind. He felt somewhat uncomfortable under the scrutiny and just wanted to finish quickly and leave, resulting in a rather haphazard application.

Cheng Ke took a step back, and when the person walked between him and Cheng Yi, he suddenly stopped.

Jiang Yuduo turned and entered the bathroom

"Why don't you go to the hospital?" Cheng Ke gritted his teeth and turned to open the door.

After all, he used to come here often, accustomed to the bustling prosperity and the throngs of people. In these past few days, he has remained in a state of unease, and any hint of familiarity makes him want to draw closer

The sound of the door closing is very soft, much more civilized than the sound of Chen Qing closing the door

Jiang Yuduo's back was marked with several large scars, crisscrossing in a chaotic manner. One of these scars stretched from his shoulder to his waist, crossing the entirety of his back, and was particularly shocking.

Cheng Ke looked at his younger brother, his pride had been shattered like a trash can over the past few days, no one gave him any respect, and he was too indifferent to show respect to anyone.

I couldn't even see the person clearly; the first hit left me stunned with pain. Jiang Yuduo sighed, saying, "This person hits way too hard."

Look. Cheng Ke pointed at the stove

Cheng Ke walked back and forth in the room several times; if he were to tidy everything up, given his level of expertise, it would likely take him a day or two to complete the task

Oh," Cheng Ke responded, thought for a moment, and then called out to him, "Hey.

Arriving in half an hour

Should I make another phone call, or should I directly follow up and ask what happened

Cheng Ke noticed that a few young people were following him, to be precise, young delinquents, exuding an aura that suggested they were on the verge of imprisonment

As he exited Building 1, his mood was not very good, probably because he had not slept well the night before. Any situation would lead him to overthink, and once certain feelings emerged, it became difficult to shake them off, to the extent that he was unaware of when the person behind him had started to fixate on him

Given that he hadn't eaten properly for several days, the moment he caught a whiff of something delicious, his stomach began to growl. He decided to go eat hot pot, just ahead, at the restaurant called Lao Matou, where he used to frequently dine with Liu Tiancheng.

"Yes." Jiang Yuduo said, and for the first time, his expression changed, although Cheng Ke was quite surprised that he could display an expression of "embarrassment".

Is it strange? Jiang Yuduo said

Da da da da da ... ...

"Hmm, use alcohol," Jiang Yuduo turned his head to look at him, "You actually know this?"