563 I Have Something to Tell You
Han Fei left downtown and studied the overpasses. The sky was cut into different squares by the rapidly developing city. The skyscrapers rose and humans became so small. ‘Nineteen hours have passed for the Life’s Debt Mission, I have two more days.’
Han Fei took out his phone and looked through Fu Yi’s contact list. His main account was clean. His friends from the business world stopped talking to him after he was demoted. However, people kept sending him messages on his smurf account. There were many salacious messages, and even a few 18+ pictures. “Other than his team members, Fu Yi has no actual friends in his life.”
Han Fei studied the battery life and silently put away the phone.
Han Fei didn’t want to go home because it was still noon. He didn’t know how to face his wife, or talk about these things. He stood for a long time under the underpass until he was hit by dizziness.
“The pain became more intense.” Han Fei waited for the dizziness to pass. His hunger point began to drop. He walked down the street and realized he was moving towards home. He reached the familiar street. His neighborhood was not far away, but he didn’t want to go back home yet. “I better find a meal first.” Han Fei found a small restaurant and took the corner seat out of habit. “A bowl of tomato noodles.”
After ordering, Han Fei closed his eyes to rest, but the only television in the restaurant uttered a familiar voice.
“He is a bastard!”
“Don’t let him go! He abandoned his child!”
The shrill female voice caused Han Fei’s eyes to fly open. The television was broadcasting the drama outside the company this morning. The reporter who didn’t know anything was reporting on it. Many pedestrians had taken down videos.
“The television is broadcasting it?” The other patrons focused on the television while Han Fei slowly moved his eyes away to focus on the oil-stained table. The endless stimuli made him feel like his brain was about to be torn apart. This world was trying to shove everything that was Fu Yi into Han Fei’s mind. His brain pounded. Han Fei grabbed his hair. The reporter stood in the crowd. The overwhelming insults and humiliation echoed around him. Waves of pain rushed at Han Fei.
“Your noodle is here. It’s hot!” A young voice said. A pair of fair hands placed the bowl before Han Fei. Han Fei looked up and his eyes flashed with shock. The woman in the waitress uniform was the female netizen that Han Fei sent to the hospital a few days ago. The girl liked warm colors. However, she had to wear a standard uniform at work. She still embellished it with a cute hair clip.
“Why are you here?” Han Fei looked at her. The girl had just reached legal age. Her parents died early, and she had been living with her relatives until she was tricked by Fu Yi. She abandoned everything and ran away from home but Fu Yi didn’t want to take responsibility for her.
“You’ve used the most shameless method to make me understand many things, like how a person has to be independent and not rely on another person’s conscience. I had nowhere to go after I left the hospital. I accidentally found this place near your home. They were hiring, so I gave it a try. I was hired on the spot.” The female netizen put down the bowl and prepared to leave. But as she turned around, she added, “Don’t worry, I didn’t add anything to the food. If something happens to you, this whole place will be affected. I don’t want that. Unlike someone, I will never forget those who have helped me.”
The girl fainted in the storm, and it was Han Fei who sent her to the hospital. He paid for her medical bills and left her with some money. The female netizen walked to the counter, picked up the remote, and changed the channel. She was about to enter the kitchen when she heard a thud. She turned around and saw Han Fei collapse on the table. Blood poured out of his nose and mouth.
“Fu Yi? But I didn’t add anything to his food!” The netizen and the boss were frightened. They quickly called emergency. This time it was the female netizen who accompanied Han Fei to the hospital.
Different voices surrounded his mind, and Han Fei couldn’t differentiate them anymore. He could hear the female netizen calling his name. It felt like a giant stone had been inserted into his brain. The stone didn’t belong to his body. It pressed against his vessels and nerves, consuming his soul. The stone had a face similar to Fu Yi. It was rambling, making this horrible cackle, mocking everything Han Fei had done. With the doctor’s aid, Han Fei regained consciousness. When he opened his eyes, he heard the system. “Notification for Player 0000! You’ve lowered the hatred of the female netizen for 3 points.”
The girl was looking at Han Fei with complicated emotions.
“What’s wrong?” Han Fei sat up. “Did the doctor say what’s wrong with me?”
The girl didn’t look at Han Fei. She grabbed her fingers and stammered. “The doc-doctor said you are under too much pressure. You need to rest.” If he had a small illness, even if Han Fei had saved the girl once, her hatred towards Han Fei wouldn’t decrease by 3 points. Han Fei stared at the girl’s eyes. The young girl was like a white paper before Han Fei. She had no acting ability at all.
“It’s alright. Give me the diagnostic report.” The girl hesitated before pulling out the folded paper from her pocket. She handed it to Han Fei. Han Fei read it, and his expression never changed.
“Should I contact your family?” The girl didn’t know what to do. In essence, she was still a kind and innocent girl.
“It’s alright.” Han Fei shook his head. He glanced at the wall clock and then reached to pluck off the IV drip. He put on his coat and walked out. “I should head home.” The girl wanted to leave with Han Fei, but she paused when she heard the word home.
She stood there and watched Han Fei leave. After Han Fei disappeared around the corner, her tears fell. “Bastard! Liar! I never liked you! I merely treated you as my meal ticket! I am the real liar!” The girl wept as she grumbled, “I never liked you… I merely thought the time I’ve spent with you was the best in my life.”
Han Fei left the hospital and took a cab home. He jogged down the corridor. As he knocked on the door, the tiredness on his face disappeared, and he revealed a warm smile. Fu Tian screamed as he rushed to get to the door. He was always the happiest around the house.
Han Fei picked up Fu Tian. “Did you listen to your teacher at kindergarten today?”
“I was praised! I know the math problem that no one else can solve!” Fu Tian was good with numbers. He also had a curious heart.
“Impressive, you’ll change the world one day.”
“Then, can I make all the carrots in the world disappear?”
“But there are many people who like carrots. If you make them disappear because you don’t like it, wouldn’t that be unfair to the others?”
“Hmm… okay.” Fu Tian pondered. His scrunched-up face was very cute. Han Fei carried Fu Tian to the dining table. He changed.
As he walked into the kitchen to help, his wife had already finished all the dishes. “Time to eat.” His wife shouted. The bedroom door on the second floor opened. Fu Sheng walked down the stairs with a book. This dinner looked normal, but Han Fei captured the small changes in his wife and Fu Sheng.
“Mom, I want to watch television.” Fu Tian jumped down his seat. He picked up the remote but it was instantly swiped by his mother. “Focus on your dinner.”
“But the cartoon is starting soon!” Fu Tian complained, “You promise I can watch half an hour of television per day!”
“You have to rest early today.”
“A little television won’t affect that.” In the children’s eyes, adults should follow their words. Fu Tian leaned against his mother and tried to grab the remote.
The normally kind wife slammed the remote on the table. She glared at Fu Tian. “No!” Fu Tian, who had never seen his mother like this, started to cry. He stood beside the dining table and wiped his tears.
Han Fei already guessed the reason when his wife denied Fu Tian the chance to watch television. His wife and Fu Sheng probably had seen his news on the television. Han Fei stood up to hug the crying Fu Tian. “You guys eat first.”
He patted Fu Tian’s back and carried him into his bedroom. He used the gentlest word to help Fu Tian calm down. Han Fei walked out of the bedroom and grabbed Fu Tian’s plate. He walked back into Fu Tian’s bedroom. He sat beside the boy’s bed and slowly fed him food. Han Fei also told him interesting stories. When Fu Tian finished his meal, he had stopped crying.
“Not living up to a promise is wrong, but this is not mom’s fault but dad’s fault.” Han Fei lay down on Fu Tian’s cartoon bed. “Mom has done so much to care for us, don’t make her mad anymore.”
“But…” Tears still stained Fu Tian’s face. He didn’t understand these things.
“Live up to your promises, be a kind and principled person. Mom and dad have always taught you that. This is because society won’t teach you that when you grow up.” Han Fei patted Fu Tian’s shoulders.
“I don’t understand.”
“How about this.” Han Fei looked into the child’s eyes. “When dad is home, if you think mom has done anything wrong, you can come to complain to dad about it, you can insist on what you think is right. But when dad is gone, you have to listen to your mom, and don’t make her mad because she loves you very much.”
“Okay.” Fu Tian still didn’t quite get it, but he agreed with Han Fei.
“You have to protect her, look after her, and don’t make her mad, okay?”
“Okay.”
Han Fei left the bedroom after Fu Tian fell asleep. Fu Sheng had returned to his room. His wife was cleaning up the table. However, she left a plate of food for Han Fei. “Is Fu Tian asleep?” His wife walked out of the kitchen. She heated the porridge and placed it before Han Fei.
“Yes.”
“Okay.” His wife continued to work. Han Fei looked at her and sipped on the hot porridge. ‘Should I tell her everything?’
Han Fei sat at the dining table and thought for a long time. After finishing, the bowl, he picked up the bowl and walked into the kitchen.
“Actually, there is something that I’ve been meaning to tell you.”
