The next day, ZhouXiang rested at home. He kept thinking over and over again. Finally he decided to go to the Internet cafe and do a search on the things that happened two years ago and see how his incident was reported. Sitting in front of the computer, after the listing of the names of the crew, the page was redirected. His heart is literally suspended in that moment.
Nobody in the world can understand his feelings. He is actually looking at his own death report.
Although it happened two years ago, there were still a lot of reports about that accident. ZhouXiang looked at it one by one. His heart felt more and more pained.
At that time, he was not the only one that had an accident. There was also a very talkative young man in his early twenties that was buried under the mudslide. Several of the crews were injured. The ones that were scattered were rescued in the subsequent Soshan Operation. The expectations and enthusiasm of the crew when they entered the mountain were all shattered.
After he fell off the cliff, the rescue team couldn't find any clues because the heavy rain had already washed away all the traces. After looking for a week, they still couldn't find his body so they could only treat his as a disappearance. But no one believed that he was still alive, otherwise why would he not appeared in two years?
ZhouXiang also wanted to know where his body is. When he thought of his body lying in the depths of the mountains, exposed to all the natural elements, turning in a pile of bones, he felt such immense pain that made him want to cry.
For the first time, he clearly felt like he was really 'dead', but he didn't even get a chance to have a burial.
If possible, he really wanted to go back and find his body. But where he went that night, he didn't even know himself. Even the rescue team could not find him, how could he?
ZhouXiang stared at the computer screen for a long time and still could not get himself out of this heavy sentimental emotion. This body that had accompanied him for thirty years was the greatest gift left by his parents. It was healthy and full of life. Without that body, it's like the only thing left by his parents in the world has disappeared.
ZhouXiang sat for a long time. There was an indescribable pain in his heart but there was no one he could talk to.
It took him a long time to adjust his emotions and search for other important content but there wasn't any.
He thought about it and searched for LanXiRong. He found out that after his accident two years ago, LanXiRong left to develop his career abroad and only occasionally returned to China. He is already a hot commodity Chinese film star in Hollywood. Although he has not yet gotten the chance to play the protagonist, not many Chinese artists can compare to him in terms of international influence.
ZhouXiang is very happy for LanXiRong.
With this two years gap, he had too many questions.
So he searched news of WangYuDong.
In the end, WangYuDong didn't act in that film. But the reason for the fall-out is definitely not because Director Wang changed out his role. WangYuDong regretfully withdrew for 'physical reasons.' Missing out on this did not affect WangYuDong's career at all. In fact, after half a year of silence, he took on several films, pushing his acting career to a peak, getting awards one by one. Although ZhouXiang hated him, he had to admit that WangYuDong is a naturally talented actor. His acting skills pervaded into all aspects of life, helping him achieve the effects that he wanted...regardless of whether it was on the big screen or in his interpersonal relationships. With WangYuDong's cleverness in dealing with people, some people can't even achieve with a lifetime of practice.
WangYuDong not only have a full-fledged career but also successfully married his fiancée six months ago. His fiance's identity has always been mysterious. It was not until the wedding day that everyone knew that his wife is the sole favorite granddaughter of YanDeJiang. Although YanDeJiang's term will be ending at the XX Conference this year and he will be stepping down, his influence is still not to be underestimated. Not to mention that his son is now a rising star in the political arena. What WangYuDong became a part of is this towering tree that does not fall, making his position in the entertainment industry incomparable to any others.
ZhouXiang look at WangYuDong's proudly smug smile. He couldn't help but feel jealous.
WangYuDong can be said to have a smooth sailing life, surrounded by endless triumphs. But for him (ZhouXiang), he was met with an unfortunate death.
ZhouXiang smiled and laughed at himself. If it wasn't because of YanMingXiu, he would never have over-confidently compared himself to WangYuDong. He even had to grovel at WangYuDong in everything. But now everything has changed because of YanMingXiu. WangYuDong's success is like a mockery to his failures from time to time, though it is likely that WangYuDong has already forgotten him.
ZhouXiang trembled as he entered the name of YanMingXiu in the search engine. The half year after his accident, YanMingXiu suddenly started to take on advertisements. Because of the huge sums of money spent on promotions, adding on to his extremely attractive looks, a short fifteen-second ad made him insanely popular. Since then, it never ended. It could be said that he didn't need to take more than a few steps to get to the position of a superstar.
That is the power of money. It can make any impossible thing possible.
At the same time, YanMingXiu is also a very controversial person. He barely smiled in front of the camera; his expression is always cold and indifferent. He does not autograph for fans nor did he participate in any variety shows. He didn't have any scandals and did not need to do any sort of promotions. As if, besides taking on ads and acting in some suitable roles, he didn't have to do anything else. He was already immensely popular without having to put too much effort into his fame.
The public's opinion toward him have always been mixed. Some people loved his 'coolness' to great extremes, others made him out to be totally worthless.
But regardless, everyone knows that he is the famous prince of Beijing. No matter how skeptical one is on how he became famous, no one dares to be pompous in front of him.
Just like that, YanMingXiu thrived in the entertainment industry using this weird way.
ZhouXiang looked at the chilly photos on the webpage and felt that this person is very unfamiliar to him.
Even though YanMingXiu used to be arrogant, he still smiled. Was WangYuDong's marriage to his sister that heavy of a blow to him? Why did he become a star? When ZhouXiang use to joke that YanMingXiu could get popular, YanMingXiu was full of contempt for this profession.
But for whatever reasons, all this have nothing to do with him.
Now, he only wants to quickly make money, pay off his debt and then live well with ChenYing in a better home.
Condo!
ZhouXiang thought of his former condo.
That was what his parents left him. After he 'died,' who helped him manage that? And now, whose name is it in?
He has this urge to go back and see. He never intended to sell that condo because it is full of his childhood memories and is the only link between him and his parents. But when he thought about how the condo would be managed after his disappearance, his heart is full of anxiety. He decided to go back and check today. Even if it already belonged to someone else, he needed to see it with his own eyes.
He left the Internet cafe and took the bus back to the neighborhood where he used to live. He is very familiar with this place. Because for him, he had just left a few weeks ago.
There have been some changes in the neighborhood, but it's not obvious. After all, it is an old residential area. He walked into his own unit, the stairs were dark and old, but for him, the intimacy he felt is indeed incomparable. He wanted to continue to live here. Going upstairs, he came face to face with an uncle (T/N). ZhouXiang was about to open his mouth to call out "Uncle Zhang," but suddenly stopped himself. He must always remind himself that he is no longer that ZhouXiang that many people knew, but is now this ZhouXiang that they don't know.
T/N: uncle- also a term of respect for older man
Uncle Zhang seems to think that this young man who had been staring at him is very strange. He nodded politely and passed by him.
ZhouXiang's heart jumped a few times as he walked stiffly to the third floor. He stood in front of his door. There were no changes at all to this door; it is still the old-fashioned security door with rusted copper.
ZhouXiang couldn't help himself from reaching out to touch his door. He wanted to pull out his key and open the door. This warm home would be as usual...welcoming his return.
But he didn't dare.
He didn't have any contact with his relatives so he use to put the spare key in the hydrant's box and hid it in the crevice of the fire extinguisher. He immediately wanted to open the fire hydrant and see if the key was still there, but he was afraid that someone was in the home.
In his moment of hesitation, there were footsteps from the room separated by the door panel!
ZhouXiang was frightfully shocked and panicked. Without even thinking, he went upstairs and hid in the stairwell.
After a long time, the door opened and a man wearing sunglasses and a cap came out from inside and turned around to carefully lock the security door.
Although he disguised himself a bit, ZhouXiang recognized him at a glance. It is YanMingXiu.
ZhouXiang's heart immediately tightened.
End of the chapter