Seeing that Xu Tingsheng couldn’t answer, Tongtong asked nervously, “Is there no way?”


  Xu Tingsheng smiled and said, “There is! I’ll simply not let this kind of thing happen in the future. I won’t let you be threatened again.”


  Tongtong gazed at him, hesitating. Her brows were knit tightly as a bit of pain was even vaguely reflected within.

  Finally, she seemed to have come to accept the situation as she said, “Right.”


  Then, she lowered her head and asked softly, “Can I hug you for a bit longer……I’ve never dared to do so again afterwards.”


  Zhong Wusheng smiled and gestured to Xu Tingsheng that he would go elsewhere to wait for him.

  Xu Tingsheng lowered his head, saying, “Okay.”


  That day, Tongtong who had once dared to act all buddy-like with and tease Xu Tingsheng after getting drunk in Starry Splendour, the very same Tongtong who had later felt inferior and silently abided by her given role, quietly hugged him for a long time as if it was a farewell.

  Finally, Tongtong said, “There are many new things in my flat. They look quite nice……when things are settled and you’re free, how about you go and take a look?”


  Xu Tingsheng said, “Alright. You should take this time to rest then. Huang Yaming will settle stuff over at the bar.”


  ‘


  Tongtong nodded and slowly let go……

  Xu Tingsheng found Zhong Wusheng. He caught the cigarette that the latter threw over and lit it.

  “Bro Zhong, what do you think?” Xu Tingsheng sat down and asked.

  “How would I understand the hearts of women?” Zhong Wusheng asked.

  Xu Tingsheng replied despondently, “You know that I wasn’t asking about this! I’m talking about Ding Miao’s matter……”


  Enveloped in the smoke, Zhong Wusheng said as he looked into the distance, “It’s a good plan without any flaws. Ding Miao fully deserves his comeuppance.”


  “And?” Xu Tingsheng pressed him.

  In truth, the two were both very clear on what Xu Tingsheng was really asking. While it was not specific, it was more important.

  “And……” Zhong Wusheng quietly took a few more puffs before saying, “Actually, I can’t give you any ideas, Tingsheng. If it were me in your shoes, or Du Jiang, Wang Xiao, even Huang Yaming or Old Jin, there would actually be nothing to hesitate or be conflicted over. This world is just like this. Ordinary people will never know how many bodies end up floating in the Yellow River every year and how many sink to the bottom of the ocean, never to be seen again.”


  “I’m quite uncultured. Still, when reading in recent years, I once saw a sentence that read: Stupidity is a greater sin. The consequence of blind benevolence does not just fall on one themself but also on those beside them. You’re afraid of this, right? I can understand that.”


  “I also remember people on the internet saying that the saying ‘repaying evil with virtue’ is not right. It’s true meaning actually is ‘repaying evil with virtue, what shall repay virtue?”


  Xu Tingsheng laughed.

  Zhong Wusheng exclaimed vexedly, “Don’t you laugh! Here I was, being cultured for once.”


  “Nah,” Xu Tingsheng said, “So, you mean to say that you support me?”


  Zhong Wusheng shook his head, “I only expressed that I understand you. I didn’t say anything about supporting you.”


  Xu Tingsheng looked exasperatedly at him.

  “Do you want to hear my honest opinion?” Zhong Wusheng asked.

  “Yeah,” Xu Tingsheng answered.

  “The truth is that I really do understand you well, also finding that you have sufficient reason to do so. I’d like to do it too, a lot. Still, for some reason, because it’s you, I will feel conflicted, not wishing for you to do so……I believe that it’s the same for you too. While you clearly know that it’s right, you actually don’t like it as you’re really struggling inwardly.”


  Zhong Wusheng took another cigarette and continued, “Tingsheng, I’ve actually known you for very long. At the time, you hadn’t even founded Hucheng yet. So, I feel very fortunate to have watched you experience some things. When you acquired Principal Tang’s training institute, you behaved like you had done something wrong as while you clearly could have driven him to the brink, you gave him sufficient compensation to pay off his debts and even let this person who was already at the end of his tether and overwhelmed by despair continue to be the principal of the training institute. This was despite the fact that you knew he could not do much. At the end of your battle with Zhang Xingke, you became friends. He even became Hucheng’s Vice CEO afterwards. Getting into conflicts with people in school, you’ve never asked me for help. Even your family background was something that we only came to know about afterwards. You treat yourself like an ordinary university student……you’ve done many things which I thought were very silly at the time.”


  “So, it’s no good, but I seem to have gotten used to that version of you. Simple, warm-hearted, confident, without too many desires……”


  “I know that Ding Miao’s matter is different from all those earlier examples that I mentioned. I also know that what you’re experiencing now is different from in the past. Still, sigh……I’ll say it directly. If you were to personally scheme to kill someone……I wouldn’t support it. I’m afraid Xu Tingsheng will drift further and further away from that past version of himself.”


  “Deciding the life and death of others, authority shooting to the skies……is that what they call it? I’m not so good at the vocab. I’m afraid that this feeling of superiority as you gaze upon everything will be too nice and comfortable. You might accidentally get used to it.”


  “So, even if it’s hypocritical, hand him over to me to take care of……you just stay out of it. Is that possible?”


  Xu Tingsheng hesitated for a moment before standing up as he said, “I’ll think about it.”


  Zhong Wusheng said, “Right. Head home first and see that little girl of yours. Then, think it through again before making your decision.”


  Xu Tingsheng understood what Zhong Wusheng was thinking about.

  “I understand your worries, Bro Zhong,” Xu Tingsheng said, “Still, this may actually be very difficult. Once, I was at Xingchen, chatting with two investors who came from America. For some reason, we ended up talking about life and killing. Then, those two extremely wealthy Americans got very emotional. One said that once production capabilities have exceeded a certain point, in the age of peace, it’s bankers who kill the most people. The other added that actually, it’s the same with wars. There are no modern wars without bankers and corporations backing them behind the scenes.”


  “While they seemed to be scolding themselves too, they were very honest. People often think that killing is a very direct, frightening yet distant thing. It’s executed with knives or guns. Still, things are not like this in reality. There are actually also many other forms of killing. Many of these appear not so close, not so direct or brutal. Faced with this kind of killing, people will generally not have a strong, direct sense of hatred. The killer themself will also not feel so terribly guilty. Still, this is reality. It is silently happening everyday, and is even more brutal.”


  Zhong Wusheng might not get it, but Xu Tingsheng did not continue talking about it too. Many people can understand the logic behind these words. Take for example the large number of children who die of hunger and sickness in countries that clearly have abundant resources-who exactly did they die to? Take for example how while Soros may never have stabbed anybody with a knife before, he technically has indeed killed many people. Take for example……

  Yet, at this moment, perhaps only Xu Tingsheng himself grasped the full extent of what he was saying……

  Upon reaching home, Xu Tingsheng did not take out his key. Instead, he knocked on the door.

  Opening the door, Xiang Ning saw him standing there, an ingratiating expression on his face.

  Looking quite on the verge of crying, she said in a huff, “You’re late.”


  When a girl says that you are late, what is that textbook answer?

  Xu Tingsheng hugged her, saying, “You’re so beautiful today.”


  Miss Xiang laughed a bit but checked herself, saying, “Shameless.”


  She struggled hard for a bit but soon stepped forward and hugged him tightly.

  “I hate you……I missed you……I hate you to death……I missed you. Sob……you frightened me to death.”


  Xu Tingsheng scooped her up horizontally and kicked the door closed with his leg.

  “Du Jin isn’t home?” Xu Tingsheng asked.

  “Yeah. She just went out,” Xiang Ning answered.

  “That’s good then,” Xu Tingsheng exaggeratedly swallowed his saliva.

  Xiang Ning hit him on the chest, exclaiming ‘you dirty ruffian’! Then, she closed her eyes in his embrace.

  He kissed all her tears dry.

  He did everything besides what could not be done, kissed everywhere that should be kissed.

  Xiang Ning sensed Xu Tingsheng’s desires.

  “Can you wait a little while longer? We can do it when we’re engaged,” She said, her eyes closed.