CH 66end

The old madam still passed on in the end.

More than two years had passed since that operation. The old madam’s health never saw a turn for the better, and her departure wasn’t unexpected to anyone.

The mourning hall was set up at the entrance of the provision shop. Jiang Chijing and Zheng Mingyi drove the car around for a good while and made a call over before they found out that the provision shop was located within the residential community. The elderly couple had lived on the second floor of the provision shop.

Although the community was run-down, its residents still looked friendly. If this were a newly-built community, the property management team would never have agreed to setting up a mourning hall within the residential district.

“They’re watching us.”

After entering the community, Jiang Chijing surveyed their surroundings without turning a hair. He and Zheng Mingyi were wearing solemn black suits, out of place against the community residents curiously watching on from the pavements.

“Don’t mind them,” Zheng Mingyi said in a low voice. “Xu Sheng should get along with the people here quite well here.”

“Yeah,” Jiang Chijing said.

Xu Sheng had a very centred aura and could associate with people from all walks of life. He would definitely get by in a tight-knit community like this.

However, when the two of them approached the mourning hall, they discovered that there was a very slight discrepancy from what they expected.

“You piece of shit, hasn’t your mother taught you how to use the toilet?”

Next to the mourning hall, a tall, thin male in a short-sleeved black shirt was disciplining a wailing child. The man looked fair and delicate, and his attractive eyes in the shape of peach blossom petals were angrily glaring at the boy. If it weren’t for the truly unpleasant, foul language coming out of his mouth, Jiang Chijing almost would’ve missed that this was Princess.

That wasn’t quite right. Now that Princess was out of prison, perhaps it would be more appropriate to call him Li Yi.

“Don’t you know what kind of place this is?

There was a damp yellow patch next to the child. It was likely a fresh puddle of urine.

Invectives continued to rattle off Li Yi’s tongue. At this time, a woman rushed out from another apartment building. As she hugged her own child, she frowned, saying to Li Yi, “He’s still young; how can you run your mouth at him?”

“It’s because he’s young that’s why he should be scolded. It’s already in this day and age. Children should be taught not to shit and piss all over the place.”

“Boys will be boys. It’s normal for him not to know better. Are you really kicking up a row over this?”

“Not only do I want to kick up a row, but I even fucking want to educate you! Can’t you see that this is a mourning hall? If this little devil isn’t potty trained then don’t let him out and disturb others!”

“You!”

The woman obviously couldn’t out-talk Li Yi. A man came out of the building then, tugging on the woman’s arm, whispering, “Forget it. These people have done time; don’t provoke them.”

Several of Xu Sheng’s brothers were sitting in the mourning hall, each of their appearances sending a strong deterrent around them. The woman glared at Li Yi and brought her child away, telling him, “From now on, steer clear when you see this man. Otherwise, you’ll end up in prison, do you understand?”

“Your punk kid will end up in prison because you didn’t educate him!”

Li Yi cursed again. When he turned his head over, he happened to see Jiang Chijing and Zheng Mingyi standing to one side. He instantly put aside his quarrelsome attitude and confidently greeted them, “Yo, long time no see.”

This tone and attitude really did give him the flair of a lady boss.

“It’s been a while,” Jiang Chijing returned. Then, he went to the reception counter to give condolence money and log his name.

Right after, Xu Sheng coincidentally came out of the mourning hall with Guan Wei, who he also hadn’t seen in a while.

Guan Wei was the same as before, nothing much different from Jiang Chijing’s memory. However, this was the first time Jiang Chijing saw Xu Sheng in a white shirt, and the former prison kingpin inexplicably looked much more refined.

“You’re still in touch with each other?” Zheng Mingyi asked the two of them.

“I contact him quite often,” Guan Wei offered Jiang Chijing and Zheng Mingyi a cigarette each. “It isn’t convenient for me to show my face when handling some matters, so I’ve to inconvenience Xu Sheng.”

It appeared that after Zheng Mingyi’s case concluded, Guan Wei and Xu Sheng’s working relationship still carried on.

As they idly updated each other on their lives, Li Yi suddenly used an elbow to jab Jiang Chijing, pointing with his chin towards Jiang Chijing’s hand, saying, “What’s that thing on your hand?”

Jiang Chijing raised his left hand and gestured to the ring on his ring finger, asking, “You mean this?”

“Yep,” Li Yi responded, envy winning over the curiosity in his eyes.

“Wedding ring.” Jiang Chijing said, “He proposed to me.”

“Can you even register the marriage at the Civil Affairs Bureau?” Li Yi’s tone was vinegar sour. “As if a marriage proposal is worth shit.”

“It is useless,” Jiang Chijing held up his left hand, purposefully inspecting that dazzling ring on his hand, saying airily, “But at least I have it.”

Li Yi pursed his lips together. He didn’t say anything else and only snorted.

“Idol!” At this time, a very energetic bellow carried over from the community gates. Jiang Chijing turned his head towards the sound and saw that Luo Hai was walking over with a tall, tanned guy.

Xu Sheng had invited many prison guards, Luo Hai among them. However, other guards didn’t have weekends off like Jiang Chijing and Luo Hai did, and they wouldn’t go out of their way to take leave just to attend the funeral.

“This is?” Jiang Chijing looked at the man next to Luo Hai, not quite daring to believe his eyes.

A shadow of the man’s former appearance could be faintly made out from his visage, but Jiang Chijing was seriously unable to connect the tall, athletic fellow to Yu Guang of the past.

“It’s me, Officer Jiang,” Yu Guang greeted Jiang Chijing, then walked straight to Zheng Mingyi, chatting with his idol.

Jiang Chijing looked at Yu Guang, then at Luo Hai, saying disbelievingly, “This is him…?”

Luo Hai sighed, in a complicated mood, saying, “I didn’t expect it either. I sent him to the special ops unit for two years and he came back like this…”

Jiang Chijing knew why Luo Hai sighed. After all, Luo Hai went for the cute and adorable little brother type, definitely not the likes of the present Yu Guang.

He roughly eyed their heights. Yu Guang used to only reach Luo Hai’s ears, but now they seemed around the same height, and Yu Guang’s shoulders were also considerably broader than Luo Hai’s.

“Can you even hold him down like this?” Jiang Chijing teased softly.

“Hold him down? Me?” Luo Hai also lowered his voice, but his tone was full of indignance. “I’m the one being…”

Luo Hai stopped midway, probably feeling that he wouldn’t be able to take the blow to his dignity if he continued.

Jiang Chijing was rolling over with laughter on the inside, but outwardly, he merely patted Luo Hai’s shoulder, consoling, “It’s okay. It’s more comfortable to be the one underneath anyway.”

Luo Hai quieted down for a moment, his expression turning complicated, before slowly opening his mouth to speak, “That is true.”

This time, Jiang Chijing’s restraint broke, and he huffed in laughter.

Hearing this, Zheng Mingyi looked towards Jiang Chijing, and seeing he and Luo Hai happily chatting together, he flatly called out, “Jiang Jiang.”

Jiang Chijing immediately received the message; the vinegar jar in his family was on the verge of tipping over again. He parted from Luo Hai and walked over.

“Time passes really quickly,” Xu Sheng seemed to still have an impression of Yu Guang, and was surprised to see that someone could grow so much in just two years.

“Right?” Li Yi followed up, saying, “People always change.”

“Indeed. I never expected that I could be out of prison before I reached forty,” Xu Sheng said.

“I’m saying, people change,” Li Yi repeated. By this point, Jiang Chijing could catch what the other was getting at. He called it being worth shit, yet his heart still yearned for a promise from Xu Sheng.

“Not necessarily.” Xu Sheng obviously didn’t wasn’t as scheming as Li Yi. He took the words at face value, causing Li Yi to roll his eyes in annoyance.

Jiang Chijing was aware that it wasn’t easy for Xu Sheng and Li Yi to get to where they were today and wanted to give them a nudge. So, he held Zheng Mingyi’s hand, deliberately showing everyone the wedding ring. “It’s hard to say what the future holds, but what’s important is to cherish the present.”

Comprehension dawned on Xu Sheng; he looked at his moody little wife. Yu Guang also nodded pensively, seemingly inspired in some way as well.

Zheng Mingyi looked at Jiang Chijing, amused, asking with his eyes: Since when did you become a love expert?

Jiang Chijing arched his brows slightly, volleying with his eyes: Am I wrong?

Zheng Mingyi lifted his other hand and pinched Jiang Chijing’s face, unconditionally replying: No, my wife is always correct.