Chapter 1, The Groom's Mysterious Suicide

I do not know how long it has been; I felt as if I had become foolish. It was not until Zhao Shugang and Yao Hongwei shook me vigorously that I was pulled back from my shock. I swallowed hard, and my eyes regained focus, only to see Zhao Shugang and Yao Hongwei standing in front of me with anxious expressions, calling my name. My lips twitched a few times, but ultimately, I could not utter a word.

That night, Li Congying arranged a gathering at a restaurant, pulling everyone together for a meal, claiming it was to welcome me. Besides our few close friends, there were also his two university classmates and his newlywed wife, Ren Meier, who was a very beautiful woman. However, I was in a bad mood that night and hardly paid any attention.

Song Shujuan committed suicide. Today, we will not speak of her matters. Remember, today is Congying's wedding. No matter what, you must restrain yourself and not disrupt Congying's wedding. After a long silence, Zhao Shugang finally uttered these words. At that moment, my heart was filled with sorrow, and I did not notice the unease between Zhao Shugang and Yao Hongwei. Perhaps if I had paid more attention, I would have seen that both of them were slightly trembling as they spoke. If I had looked a little closer then, many subsequent events might have taken a different turn.

In the midst of our conversation, the three of us had already rushed upstairs. Although it was still early, the hallway was already crowded with people, all of whom were colleagues of Li Congying, chattering and creating a chaotic scene. As we squeezed our way up, we saw two of Li Congying's classmates huddled in the hallway, their faces pale and trembling all over, looking somewhat dazed, clearly having been extremely frightened. Upon seeing us, they rushed over as if they had seen their relatives and grabbed us. Sun Zhen was speaking with his teeth chattering: "You all should go take a look, Congying and - the book - he died so tragically, he - he - "

At that moment, I felt completely petrified, my mind echoing with a thunderous noise, unable to believe what my eyes were witnessing. Could it be that I was hallucinating? My entire body tensed as I stood there, though my eyes still gazed ahead, they had lost focus. I prayed in my heart that what I saw was not real, yet reason was telling me that it indeed was.

There was no response; at this moment, my mind was still in a chaotic state. I did not know how much time had passed when a police officer came over and called us aside. It was only then that my senses began to return. The officer inquired about our situation from the previous night, including those two intelligent university classmates, as we were the last people to see him. However, what could we say? I had drunk too much last night.

I shook my head with a bitter smile and sighed, "Don't say anymore, I'm almost at my wit's end. I simply can't buy a train ticket, so I had to take the bus. Little did I know that the bus had a flat tire on the way, causing a significant delay. I rushed back and ended up arriving late."

In the new house—this simple sentence nearly left Yao Hongwei exhausted, with a slight hint of tears in his voice

My lips trembled for a long time, yet I did not know what to say, something happened. The words stuck in my throat could not come out, and the corners of my eyes were slightly moist. Li Congying perhaps sensed my excitement, released me, and patted my shoulder: "Don't say anything, just come back, I've been waiting for you."

"You little rascal, I thought you wouldn't come back." Zhao Shugang lightly punched me, and the bond of brotherhood flowed between us

Gangzi, what is wrong with you? Why does your face look so pale and waxy? You are sweating profusely. Zhao Shugang's voice was filled with concern and anxiety as he held my arms, fearing that I might fall to the ground.

Yao Hongwei was almost in tears as he spoke, and I could still hear the anxiety and fear in his voice over the phone. This news struck like a thunderclap in my mind, causing me to instinctively leap out of bed. For a moment, I was at a loss for what to do, unable to believe it. However, I quickly forced myself to calm down and remembered to ask: "Tell me, where is she? Where is Congying?"

"We are the intelligent brothers." Before I could speak, Zhao Shugang shouted loudly. In our eagerness, we all wanted to go in and see what had happened to Li Congying, and why it was said that he had committed suicide.

Seeing the enthusiasm of my intelligent friend stirred something in my heart. After such a long time apart, the bond of brotherhood showed no signs of change. Unfortunately, I was completely unaware that this would be our last meeting. If I had known, could I have prevented a tragedy from occurring

When I arrived, Yao Hongwei and Zhao Shugang were already downstairs, seemingly having just arrived as well. As soon as they spotted me from a distance, they came over to greet me, each wearing an expression of deep sorrow. I grabbed Yao Hongwei's arm, my voice trembling, and said in a low tone: "What on earth happened? How could Congying have committed suicide? You must be lying to us, right"

When I hurried back to my hometown of Quyang, exhausted from my journey to Shanghai, I ultimately missed my friend Li Congying's wedding, which inevitably left me with a tinge of melancholy.

As I got into the car and headed towards Li Congying's new home, I looked at the familiar streets and suddenly recalled something. I patted Yao Hongwei on the shoulder and asked with some confusion, "Hongwei, why haven't I seen Shujuan? Where has that girl gone? She didn't even come to pick me up. It's not easy for me to come back this time."

When Li Congying and the book saw me enter, they jumped up from the sofa in surprise, embraced me tightly, and patted my back vigorously, their voice filled with joy: "Gangzi, you little rascal, I thought you weren't coming back!"

Yao Hongwei wiped his reddened eyes, his face filled with sorrow: "I don't know either. It was my intelligent university classmate Sun Zhen who called me. As soon as I heard, I immediately called you and Shugang. I truly have no idea what happened"

At the moment the door opened, though it was merely an instant, I caught a glimpse through the crack of a scene I would never forget in my lifetime. Through the narrow opening, I could barely see the unclosed bathroom; Li Congying was sitting inside, leaning against the wall, with her arms raised. However, that was not the main point. The small bathroom was now drenched in blood, intestines spilling from Li Congying's abdomen, with a piece still hanging from her arm, along with possibly other internal organs. Just as I was trying to get a clearer view, the door had already closed, blocking all sight.

I could no longer pay attention to my physical discomfort; while putting on my clothes, I rushed outside. Behind me, I heard my father's call, but I could not afford to stop and just ran out. In the early morning, when the air is at its freshest, a slight chill invigorated me, making me feel much more awake. I hailed a taxi and headed straight to Li Congying's new house.

I understood Yao Hongwei's meaning, silently nodding my head, taking a deep breath, temporarily suppressing the sadness in my heart. After all, it was my brother's wedding, and I couldn't meet them with a mournful face. After a moment of silence, I forced out a faint smile and walked with Zhao and Yao towards Li Congying's new house. It was a five-story building, a collective housing project from Li Congying's workplace, and it was quite well constructed.

Li Cong and Tu Shuying are newlyweds, filled with excitement, naturally unaware of my unease. I remained silent, not wanting my feelings to affect Li Congying. Watching him, full of spirit, I simply sat quietly to the side, forcing a faint smile on my face

When I reached the last sentence, I almost shouted it out, a wave of bad premonition surged from the depths of my heart. Could something have happened? Sure enough, Zhao Shugang's gloomy voice confirmed the unease in my heart: "Gangzi, don't ask for now. Let's wait until today is over, and we will slowly tell you. Song Shujuan, she, he—"

I can hear the anxiety in my own voice. If it weren't for the fact that I couldn't stand up in the car, I would have already stood up at this moment. My heart trembles incessantly, and I dare not think of the worst, yet I cannot stop doubting. In my heart, Song Shujuan, Zhao Shugang, and Yao Hongwei are just like my close friends, my brothers.

Dragging my heavy luggage out of the station, I saw my close friends Zhao Shugang and Yao Hongwei waving at me from that familiar old pickup truck in the distance. I gently shook my head as the two of them walked towards me, one taking my luggage and the other taking my shoulder bag, their eyes filled with the joy of reunion. It has been about a year and a half since we last met.

We arrived at Li Congying's new house in silence. Just before getting out of the car, Yao Hongwei patted me on the shoulder and said, "Gangzi, there are still Congying's classmates and relatives upstairs, so be mindful of yourself."

Ultimately, nothing was said, yet the deep tone in the voice indicated that Song Shujuan must have encountered some trouble. What exactly happened? That girl who had followed me like a little shadow since elementary school, for nearly twenty years, this is a heavy bond. What on earth is going on? Anxiety and fear entangled my heart, prompting me to cry out in despair: "What on earth is happening? Shujuan, is she in trouble? Speak up, have you all gone mute? What on earth is going on?"

Gazing at that door, the image of Li Congying lingered in my mind. Suicide—could that image truly represent suicide? Who would take their own life in such a brutal manner, with intestines and organs strewn across the floor? Congying has been squeamish about blood since childhood, and yesterday was his wedding day; the joy in his heart could not have been feigned. There was no sign of any blow or suffering. How could he possibly commit suicide on his wedding night?

At this point, I could no longer continue the conversation, as his expression was filled with fear. No matter how much I pressed him, Sun Zhen could only look despondent, unable to articulate anything clearly. Frustrated, I decided to head straight to the new house, but upon reaching the door, I was stopped by the police: "You cannot enter; we are currently investigating the scene. Who are you?"

However, the police were unwilling to let us in. After some entanglement, the door suddenly opened, and a young police officer rushed out from inside, forcefully pushing through the crowd. He squatted in the hallway and vomited with a loud "Wow," completely oblivious to those around him. His face turned pale as if he were determined to expel every last bit of bitterness.

As soon as the words fell, I realized I could not hear Zhao Shugang and Yao Hongwei's responses. Feeling puzzled, I couldn't help but look up, only to see Yao Hongwei and Zhao Shugang's shoulders slightly shaking. None of them turned to acknowledge me, remaining silent. I was momentarily taken aback: "What is wrong with you? Why aren't you speaking? Where is Shujuan? What exactly is going on?"

That night, I drank to the point of complete inebriation, to the extent that I didn't even know how to get home. I woke up to the incessant ringing of my phone; if it hadn't been for the constant noise, I truly wouldn't have wanted to move. The feeling of a hangover left me utterly exhausted, with no strength in my body and a splitting headache. Reluctantly, I reached for the phone, and as soon as I answered, I heard Yao Hongwei's voice: "Gangzi, you need to come out quickly; Congying, Congying has committed suicide."