I walked out of the smoky private room and stood outside for a while.

Xiao Wu came up to me and said, "Brother Lin, are we taking on a job?"

"Tell me about it."

"There's a construction contractor who finished renovating a building over a year ago, but the other party is dragging their feet on payment. What do you think...?"

Xiao Wu glanced at me cautiously, lit a cigarette, and then asked, "What's the commission?"

"The usual."

"Big?"

"Yeah, a large sum."

"Then let's take it. Call up two more guys to come with me tomorrow."

"How about Hei Zi and A Cheng?"

"You arrange it. I'm leaving first."

Just as I turned around, Xiao Wu asked, "Brother Lin, what time tomorrow?"

"What time do you think a company's boss would be in?" I thought for a moment and asked.

"Then... how about we go as soon as they open?"

"Let's make it nine o'clock. Send me the details on my phone later."

"Okay, then you go."

Xiao Wu was very casual with me, and our relationship was the same.

I waved at him and left.

Stepping out of the nightclub, I was immediately greeted by a blast of cold air. It was winter night, and besides a few barbecue stalls, there were few people on the streets. I tucked in my open coat, trying to ward off the cold wind, and went to a barbecue stall to order a few skewers of mutton and a can of beer.

After sitting down on a plastic stool, I lit a cigarette to pass the time, looking across the road. It was still early, not even ten o'clock yet.

A clear announcement came from the bus stop as a bus arrived. People got off, and others hurriedly got on, then were carried away by the bus to different destinations.

I smelled the aroma of mutton skewers, and finally turned my attention to the skewers on the table.

I opened the beer can and downed half of it in one gulp, the feeling sliding down my throat and into my heart and lungs. It felt great, with a numbing stimulation.

At that moment, a young couple came to the table next to me, looking incredibly sweet. I'd had countless women, but in the end, none of them stayed with me, and I didn't want a life of constraint.

Perhaps my personality determined that I was suited to being alone. No one would want to live with someone who couldn't settle down. Relationships needed a certain sense of security, and I myself lacked security, so how could I let others share the responsible side of me?

People in this circle relied on generosity to succeed, so money came quickly, and flowed away just as fast. I just lived day to day.

Lin Hai's phone call still seemed to be affecting my mood. I'd gotten so sentimental in such a short time. I shoved the last of the barbecue skewers into my mouth, and before I even swallowed, I pulled out my money and slapped it on the table, then strode away.

Behind me, I heard a shout, "You haven't gotten your change!"

I didn't even turn around, just replied, "Keep it."

I faintly heard, "Come again anytime, generous sir!"

I smiled. That was just being generous when you're broke. Truly rich people wouldn't spend money like that; they were sharper than monkeys when it came to calculating.

That day, I went home.

I turned on all the lights and went straight into the bathroom. Looking at my reflection in the mirror, I didn't know who I looked like. Lin Hai wasn't as handsome as me, so I didn't inherit his looks. I only inherited his tall build.

I didn't look like Lin Hai! Then I must have inherited it from that mom I had no memory of. I was only three years old when she left. How much could a child that young remember?

I continued to look in the mirror, covering my forehead with my hand. I remembered that year, when I was in the second year of junior high school. That day, when I came home from school, I heard voices before I even entered the house...

Lin Hai was saying to Grandma, "Mom, why don't you move to the city? You can help us take care of Lin Yang."

That woman also invited warmly, "Mom and Dad, why don't you come back with us this time? Lin Hai and I are both very busy, and I'm worried about Lin Yang being at home. Although we have a nanny, she can't control him. He often runs off to play alone."

I heard Grandma reply with concern, "What about Lin Che if we leave? We at least have to take care of him until he graduates from junior high. We'd love to go to the city, but we can't with Lin Che."

To me, Grandpa and Grandma were like my only family, but hearing those words made me feel very sad at the time. I eavesdropped for a while, then quickly ran out...

I couldn't stop running until I ran into the nearby small forest. I stopped there, hungry, and leaned against a tree to sleep all night. Luckily it was autumn, so it wasn't too cold.

I had never been so sad as I was then. Take care of me until I graduate from junior high. So, in their minds, they never even thought about me going to college. It was just a reluctant responsibility. I had good grades; I was always in the top three in my class.

I dreamed of getting into college myself. With knowledge, I could find a decent job and enter society. Their words extinguished all my ideals and hopes for the future.

Suddenly, I heard a car horn downstairs. I went to the balcony and looked down. Someone had parked their car improperly, blocking the road. The horns blared one after another, which was annoying...

The next day, Xiao Wu called me at eight-thirty in the morning. I was awakened from my sleep, and by the time I answered, there was no sound.

I quickly threw on a coat, and the whole process of washing up and putting on my shoes didn't take more than ten minutes.

The address Xiao Wu sent was on Commercial Street. As far as I remembered, this address should be a newly built and iconic building.

When I arrived, Xiao Wu and the others were already waiting there. When they saw me, they immediately came up and asked, "Brother Lin, are we going straight up?"

I glanced at the building management. There were security guards, but it seemed like there was no registration procedure for people entering and exiting.

"Let's go in. Do you know the boss's name?" I asked as I walked.

"I know, surname Pei."

"Full name?"

"Pei Shi Yu."

Hearing this name, I immediately stopped and frowned, asking, "A woman?"

"I don't know, but it sounds like a woman."

"Then let's go up first. Remember, you go talk to them first."

"Understood, Brother Lin, the same old routine."

Walking into the lobby, I stopped again, because with so many floors, I didn't know which floor to go to.

My eyes looked towards the reception desk. A young girl, wearing the company's uniform, was looking at our group. I stepped forward and asked, "Which floor is President Pei on?"

"Do you have an appointment?"

"Yes, but they didn't tell us the floor."

Perhaps it was a newly established company, so internal management wasn't too strict yet.

She answered without hesitation, "At the top, the exclusive elevator in the innermost part."

I thanked her and went into the elevator with Xiao Wu and the others. The building had more than sixty floors. I then pressed the top button. The speed of going up was very fast, like riding a rocket, and we reached the top at once.

It was easy to find. There was only one office with a sign. I knocked on the door first, and then pushed it straight in. Before I could see the situation inside, a woman's scream rang out...