Chapter 87 p1: Leaving
Su Yu returned to his dorm, covered in dust. He took off his work coat, which was covered in mud and dust, and was only wearing a wrinkled tank top underneath. The slightly bulging muscle lines on his arms were exposed. These past few days of hard work had actually made him much stronger than when he had first arrived in Lin’an. His skin was no longer so pale, and he was gradually getting a rosy complexion.
He pulled a basin from under the bed and went to the simple bathroom behind the dorm, which was made of a waterproof curtain and a wooden frame, enduring the cold wind of late autumn. It was early in the afternoon, and there were not many people in the bathroom. Otherwise, he would have to wait in a long line when it got dark.
There was no shower head, but fortunately, there was hot water. He directly pulled a water pipe and poured it on his body. He wiped his body with a cheap soap and then washed away the dirt and sweat that had accumulated from a whole day’s work, washing away his fatigue. He suddenly felt much more energetic.
The work at the construction site was much more tiring than he had imagined. Since he had no experience, he couldn’t do any skilled work. He could only follow the others to stack bricks or push cement. Old San said that he didn’t like to talk and was always working in a muffled voice. But he could only smile and not say anything. He didn’t know what to say.
The work during the day was heavy. He would plunge into the mud and dust and would no longer be able to care about anything else… his mind would wander. He would be exhausted after a whole day’s work. Sometimes, he would be too tired to take a shower and would lie on the bed with his undried sweat and would sleep through the long night until the next morning.
This kind of life was busy and fulfilling. He seemed to be able to really step on the uneven concrete under his feet, instead of being in that empty and deserted rental house, floating in the air and unable to find himself.
He felt that the empty and lonely heart in his chest seemed to have been filled, and the loneliness that had made him feel embarrassed and in pain day and night had all disappeared. He seemed to have completely gotten rid of the constant state of being alone.
Even though he still couldn’t find the reason why he was suddenly afraid of death… and the things he was worried about, he was still secretly hinting to himself that everything was about to get better… soon.
“Hey, why are you always cooped up in the dorm when you’re free? It’s such a small place, and you work like you’re not afraid of dying.”
Old San pushed open the door of the dorm with his safety helmet on. He patted the choking dust at the door before he walked in and shouted at him.
“I’m resting. I’m tired from work…”
Su Yu curled his lips and smiled. The air after autumn was too dry, and his thin, red and pale lips were so pursed that they were almost invisible. He bit a small piece of skin on his lips, and a stinging pain arose.
“Let’s eat. This boxed lunch finally came today. After eating so many, this one is still the best.”
“You always bring me food. Sorry to trouble you.”
“Oh, it’s been so long. The thing I dislike the most about you is this. You always have to be so clear. It’s no fun.” Old San was suddenly not happy. He forcefully stuffed the boxed lunch in his hand into Su Yu’s arms. He took a few bites himself and suddenly said, “By the way, the boss wants to see you. He said he has something to tell you.”
“Okay, I’ll go over in a while.”
He took off his clothes and was shirtless. The sweat was dripping down his strong waist and back, which had been working for many years. He smacked his lips. “Don’t forget to come out for a drink tonight. The boss is treating.”
“Then I’ll have to eat less. I’ll save some room for tonight.”
Su Yu smiled and lifted the plastic lid of the boxed lunch. There were two meat dishes and one vegetable dish, and there was a layer of greasy oil on top, which made him feel a little nauseous. Perhaps it was because he was not used to eating food that was too oily, but his appetite had never been good. But if he didn’t eat, his stomach would keep growling, and he would have no strength to work. He didn’t care about those things and ate quickly with his head down, almost swallowing it directly without tasting it.
“By the way, I met that girl from last time again today. It’s a pity I couldn’t see her face because she was wearing a mask. Good heavens… her skin is so fair. The more I look at her, the more I want to go home and find my wife.”
Old San wiped the grease from the corner of his mouth with the back of his hand and glanced at Su Yu. “You’re really wasting such a pretty face. You’re still a bachelor. You’re not even as good as this big black face of mine.”
“Haha, I’m done eating. I’m going to find the foreman. I’ll be there tonight.”
Su Yu didn’t answer this question. He grinned and showed no interest. How could there be such a coincidence? He thought he must have been deranged that day. After all, he had been cooped up in the rental house for so long. He hadn’t thought about the past these past few days, just as no one would pick up a knife that would stab them all over.
He felt that he might be getting better soon. After being away from society for several years, he had found a sense of fulfillment in returning to the trajectory of his life for the first time, both physically and spiritually. Even if he didn’t stay at the construction site and work hard all day and night, he would definitely be able to get out of the pain of loneliness.
…
Wu Yong was the foreman here. He was from the same village as Old San. Many of the people here were the younger generation of the Wu family. Most of them had grown up playing in the same river. But Wu Yong was different. He was very old, in his fifties, but his body was very strong. He had put together a construction team to find work in the city.
This dark-skinned man was always taciturn. Su Yu always felt that there was something very heavy on the other party’s back. But he could still stand up very straight, which made him inexplicably… a little envious.
When Wu Yong was free, he would teach him some things, like carpentry or how to paint. The chair he had made in his spare time was still in the dorm. Old San would always complain that the dorm was too small, and that his chair, which couldn’t even stand steadily, was taking up too much space.
“Come in.”
Just as Su Yu knocked on the door, a voice from inside called him in. He pushed open the door, and the man was sitting at his desk, writing something. He only put away his pen and paper when he saw him come in.
“Brother Yong, is there something you need?”
The man pulled him to sit down. His dark and rough face was silent. After a while, he finally said in a muffled voice.
“Well, you’ve been here for a while, right?”
“Ah… yes. What’s wrong?”
“This is your wages for today. Take it.”
“This… is a bit too much, right? Is there a mistake?” Su Yu took the money and counted it. The amount was double.
Wu Yong shook his head and forcefully stuffed the money into Su Yu’s pocket.
“That’s right. You should have earned enough money to go home by now. It’s the New Year. You should go back. Don’t let your family worry.”
“But… but the project is not… can I come back after the New Year?”
Su Yu was a little hard to accept. How could it be so sudden…
“Is that ID card of yours fake? You’re not a student of Lin’an University at all.”
Wu Yong suddenly raised his eyes and looked at Su Yu. His cloudy and unclear eyes were locked on him. Su Yu opened his mouth but couldn’t say anything.
“When I first came to the city, my family was in debt. I didn’t dare to let the news leak. Later, I got a fake ID with a friend. I saw that ID card of yours at that time. You’re in trouble. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have hired a recent college graduate to work at the construction site…”
“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have lied to you.” Su Yu lowered his voice and apologized. “I just… had nowhere to go.”
“How could you have nowhere to go?” The man sighed, and his strong and powerful fingers pressed on Su Yu’s shoulder.
“At that time, I really did everything. As long as I could make money, I would sell phones, stand up for people, and be a bartender and sleep with women… haha. Later, I learned a carpentry skill and settled down at the construction site. Because I met my wife. She accepted my past, and we also had a daughter. I think it will always be better if someone is with you… but you can’t find anything here.”
“Yeah, you’re right, Brother Yong. Then I’ll leave tomorrow.”
Su Yu smiled and nodded, not saying anything more. Leaving was something he had expected sooner or later. It was just that he hadn’t expected it to come so suddenly. He was already getting better. It was no problem to be alone. He hadn’t been back to the rental house for too long. It was time to tidy it up.
“Remember to go home and see.” Wu Yong let go of his hand and suddenly patted him on the shoulder. “Remember to go to the party at the construction site tonight. Just consider it a farewell for you. Old San doesn’t know yet.”
“Okay, I know.”
Su Yu let out a breath as if he were exhausted. The expression on his face was tense, and he couldn’t relax at all.
