Chapter Twenty-One: Gao Youde Is Also Human

I shivered from the cold in the water, yet at that moment, I felt an unexpected warmth blooming in my chest. Red Sister’s concern for me didn’t seem feigned this time. A complicated emotion flickered across her eyes as she took a deep breath and spoke slowly, “You have another choice. Leave this place, walk away from all this strife. Gao Youde won’t let you go easily, but at least you’ll have a chance to keep your life.”

Soaked to the skin, I stood up from the water and looked at Red Sister. “I won’t leave. If I go, you’ll be in danger. Besides, I still have to save Hu San.”

Hearing my words, Red Sister’s expression darkened. She suddenly stood up, glaring at me with such fury that she seemed ready to devour me whole. “You fool!” she thundered, her voice echoing like thunder in the cramped space. “You can’t even save yourself, and you’re still thinking about saving this person and that one! Who do you think you are? Some kind of savior? Go take a long look in the mirror and see what you really are!”

Her words cut into me like a sharp blade, straight to the heart. I stood there, stunned, overwhelmed by helplessness and shame. She wasn’t wrong—I couldn’t even protect myself now, let alone anyone else.

But I couldn’t just give up. I had to find another way out.

Truthfully, my state of mind was much steadier than before. In that instant, I even had the impulse to tell Red Sister that I might soon become the torchbearer of a market! Yet after a moment’s thought, I suppressed that urge.

I wrung out my drenched sleeves and looked at her. “Red Sister, I know I’m weak right now, but I can’t just stand by and watch something happen to Hu San.”

Clenching my teeth, I said with resolve, “I’ll get stronger. I’ll find a way.”

“If you were really strong, would you need to borrow money from Gao Youde?” she retorted.

I knew I needed to find a more practical solution, something beyond the plan Red Sister didn’t know about. This was just the first step. But how could I explain that to her?

I couldn’t. After all, I still resented her for using me as a bargaining chip. If I told her my plan now, all my efforts would be wasted. And as she was now, she didn’t deserve to know my plan.

Wringing the water from my sleeves, I said in a low voice, “Red Sister, just give me this one chance. If something really happens this time, I won’t drag you down with me.”

“To be honest, I only want to risk everything for Hu San because he’s on a dead-end path. If things really go wrong, the worst that happens is the two of us go down together! One man on a dead-end road might die, but together, two people are a force.”

Red Sister sneered, “Some force—just means one more bullet spent.”

Her words left me speechless. I had to admit, when it came to talking, I was no match for her.

After thinking it over, Red Sister realized there was nothing more she could do under the circumstances. With no other choice, she said, “Anyway, there are still five days left. I’ll have a few of the guys watch over you during that time. You must be careful!”

I quickly waved her off, but she shot me a glare. “You don’t get a say!” Her tone carried both exhaustion and resignation—she had already done all she could.

I nodded, grateful for her concern, but also acutely aware that these next five days would be crucial for me.

I followed Red Sister to the car, but my clothes were still drenched; when I reached the car door, I hesitated, unsure what to do. She turned, opened the trunk, and pulled out a large box. The box was beautifully wrapped but covered in a layer of dust, as if it hadn’t been opened in a long time.

I was still wondering what it was when she opened the box to reveal a complete set of men’s clothes, inside and out.

I looked at her in confusion.

She glanced at me. “They belonged to my late ex-husband. He died before he even wore them.” With that, she handed them to me to try on.

Looking around awkwardly, I said I’d change in the park restroom. She rolled her eyes at me and pointed at the car. “Just get in. I’ll smoke a cigarette. Don’t worry, no one’s watching you! It’s not like I haven’t seen a man’s behind before.”

Flustered, I climbed into the car and changed into the clothes. As I fastened the belt, I glanced outside. Red Sister was leaning against the trunk, her cigarette glowing in the afternoon haze. In that moment, I suddenly felt there was something inexplicable about this woman. Her gaze was cold, yet tinged with fatigue and resignation, as if she had weathered too many storms in her life.

After changing, I got out of the car. Red Sister stubbed out her cigarette and tossed it into a trash can. She looked me over and nodded. “It fits well enough. Don’t waste those clothes.”

I nodded my thanks, feeling a complex mix of emotions. Red Sister might be sharp-tongued, but her concern was genuine. She probably didn’t want me caught up in this dangerous mess, but she also knew I wouldn’t back down easily.

“What do you plan to do next?” she asked, a trace of worry in her tone.

Taking a deep breath, I replied with determination, “I’ll find Hu San first, see how he’s doing, and then figure out my next move.”

She frowned, clearly dissatisfied with my plan, but said nothing more. She just warned me, “Be careful. Don’t act recklessly. Gao Youde is not someone to cross.”

I nodded. I understood her worries, but I had no way back now.

After leaving Red Sister, I headed straight for Hu San’s place. He had moved again, this time to an even more run-down neighborhood. The conditions were abysmal.

I knocked. After a moment, the door creaked open and Hu San’s face appeared in the gap. He looked haggard, but when he saw me, his eyes lit up with surprise.

“What are you doing here?” Hu San asked, his voice tinged with unease.

“Gao Youde took the bait!” I said bluntly. “Now, he’s one of us!”

Hu San looked at me, visibly excited. “Brother, you’re something else! You really talked him around?”

I grinned. “People are all the same, chasing after the same things. Gao Youde is just another ordinary man…”

Hu San nodded eagerly and quickly pulled out a battered chair for me to sit on. “So, what’s your next move? How do I help you?”