I looked at him and said, "No one wants to lose their parents, just like you, I am an orphan. You still have an aunt and relatives to turn to, but me? I was abandoned as a child and lived on the streets. I don't even have a name. I don't know whose child I am or where I came from. Even if I wanted to complain, I wouldn't know who to complain to."
He looked at me doubtfully and said, "Are you telling the truth?"
I said, "Who would joke about their parents? I have no father, no mother, no name, no age. Everything about me is zero! Do you know the pain of a person who doesn't know where they come from? I've tried so hard for this, but the only result I got was no result."
He said thoughtfully, "If what you say is true, you're even worse off than me."
I said, "You were taken in by relatives as a child and had a place to eat when you grew up. Do you know how I grew up? My clothes were tattered, I had no fixed abode, let alone filling my stomach. It was a luxury just to get a bowl of thin congee. It's also my fate not to die, to be taken in by my master, have food and clothes, and regain my dignity as a human being. I've never feared death. In my dictionary of life, death is the most worthless thing because for the past decade, I've been with him every day. He's always wanted to take me away, and I've never guarded against him. It doesn't matter, one death and it's all over. Living is the hardest part."
I stopped after speaking. I was touched by my own words. I wondered if this Wang Dong, filled with hatred, would be moved.
Wang Dong stared at me, his eyes filled with doubt and contemplation, a complex mixture.
Perhaps, in his world, he only knew hatred. No one had ever spoken to him like this. He blamed everyone else for all his misfortunes, never considering why his parents were punished or why he became an orphan.
I continued, "Do you know how many countries the drugs you transport annually circulate in, and how many people consume them? You only see the economic benefits it brings you. Have you ever thought about how many people it harms, how many families it destroys? Have you ever thought about how many people suffer more than death, or fall into hell because of drugs?"
Wang Dong: "Stop lecturing me with these platitudes. We need to survive, to live. It's that simple. As for where these things go or what they're used for, it has nothing to do with us. What's the point of you telling me this!"
I said, "There are countless ways to eat and survive, but harming others is not one of them. That's why countries worldwide are cracking down severely. Your parents died in our country due to drug trafficking. No matter which country they were in, they wouldn't have escaped legal sanctions. Your hatred should be directed at these wicked drugs, not the law!"
Wang Dong: "If you hadn't said you weren't Li Hua, I really wouldn't have believed it. Could someone who was homeless and struggling to find their next meal spout these kinds of theories? However, I've thought it through. Whether you are Li Hua or not doesn't matter. You need to do something for me. If you do it, I won't bother you anymore."
I said, "First, let me reiterate, I don't know who this Li Hua you're talking about is. If what you ask me to do is related to this Li Hua, I won't do it even if you beat me to death. You should give up on that idea. As for my life and death, I'll leave it to fate. I won't force anything."
He said, "I haven't finished speaking, how do you know you can't do it? You are indeed from that side, aren't you? What I need you to do is related to the other side. I believe you can do it, it's just a matter of whether you will."
I said, "Since you say so, tell me. If I can do it, I'll try my best. But there's one condition: I won't do anything illegal, especially anything related to drugs."
He said, "This matter has nothing to do with drugs. I just need you to help me get someone out, my cousin. This person is my closest relative. If you can help him come back, we'll settle this with a life for a life, and I won't bother you anymore."
I said, "Your cousin? From our side? If he was involved in drug trafficking, I can't help. You know our laws, and no one can influence them."
Wang Dong: "It really has nothing to do with drugs. He just went there to kill someone and failed, so he was arrested. However, he's not in prison, he's at the original stone base. Now I admit you're not Li Hua. You're a disciple of the divine doctor. With your master's connections, you can surely help with this."
I said, "You make it sound easy. Murder is not a minor offense. I dare not get involved in this muddy water."
Wang Dong: "I said he went to kill, but he didn't succeed. According to your words, it's attempted murder, so it's not a capital offense. This favor, if you're willing, you can definitely help."
I said, "Is that so? I'll ask my master, but I can't guarantee anything. I can only try for you."
Wang Dong: "Fine, I'll trust you this time. I guarantee I won't bother you while you're here. But if you can't do it, I definitely won't let you live to see the next time!"
I said, "Me asking my master doesn't mean I can definitely help. How about this, I'll go back and ask my master if he has any connections in Ruili. If he doesn't or is unwilling to help, I'm powerless. As for whether you bother me or not, that's up to you. I have no objections."
He said, "Okay, I'll wait for your reply."
After speaking, he got up and left without looking back.
I waited until he was far away, then got up and returned to my room.
I walked to the guest room and looked around, finding no suspicious people, before knocking and entering.
Master had already washed up and came to open the door wearing his pajamas.
I entered, closed the door, and the divine doctor said, "Any gains?"
I said, "Yes. What's certain is that Wu Guodong is not in charge currently. Whether it's his third son or someone else, we still need to investigate further."
The divine doctor: "I heard that this third son is a dissolute young man, idle all day long. It seems he's not interested in Wu Guodong's businesses, so could it be someone else is in charge?"
I said, "If that's the case, it's highly likely there's someone else. Because I've always denied knowing who I am, I can't directly inquire about matters here. I can only understand from the sidelines who is the one controlling this drug empire. I'll need the divine doctor to focus on this."
The divine doctor: "I'll figure out a way. You keep Wang Dong occupied for now and prevent him from causing trouble these few days."
I said, "He asked me to help him get his cousin out. I said I'd ask my master if he had the capability, and he'll wait for my reply tomorrow."
The divine doctor: "Reply to him tomorrow. Master will help him with this favor. As for whether he can be released, I will do my best. You reply to him tomorrow like this."
I said okay. If he can truly help us and we can win him over, it's worth letting two people go.
The divine doctor and I talked for a while longer, and I asked him about some treatment matters before going to rest.