The Last Mr. Dongguo

The water in the cup had gone cold, so Cheng Luan got up and added some hot water for Wu Lian.

"And then?"

"After that, I only received a little over a thousand yuan that month. What can you do with a little over a thousand yuan these days?" Wu Lian shed tears as she spoke of her painful experience, her hands clenching tightly around her water glass. "My mother is in poor health, and now I've contracted it myself... Sigh! Several of my coworkers eventually quit and found other jobs. I'm useless, I don't know anything, so I can only endure it. One night, I drank too much and discovered a secret."

The early morning hours reveal another face of a city; the darkness often reveals its true nature. A street lined with brightly lit restaurants and nightclubs attracts thrill-seekers.

"Waiter, the bill, please!"

Wu Lian stepped out of the restaurant, a gust of cold wind hitting him, making him feel the effects of the alcohol. He quickly tightened his collar and staggered forward. His vision was blurred; various red and green colors entered his eyes, like waves of blood mixed with filth surging towards him. The constant splashing of blood made his steps slower and slower, and the blood rising to his chest made it hard for him to breathe.

A group of glamorously dressed women stood at the entrance, waving to the passing guests. Occasionally, someone would approach them and exchange a smile before entering the pink room. Wu Lian had no time to pay attention to these women; he clenched his fists, struggling to suppress the hatred deep within him.

"Director Feng, you've had too much to drink. Let me help you!"

Suddenly, that familiar, piercing voice reached Wu Lian's ears. Wu Lian shook his head vigorously to clear his mind and search for the direction from which the voice came.

Across the street, downstairs at the hotel. Wei Li helped the tipsy Feng Zi into the hotel.

Wu Lian sobered up considerably immediately and quickly crossed the road. A black Audi suddenly braked and stopped beside Wu Lian.

"Damn it! Are you tired of living?! Don't you want to die?!"

Wu Lian apologized repeatedly, but her steps and gaze did not linger as she rushed straight into the hotel.

"Hello! Which room did those two people book?"

"Who are you?" The receptionist looked at Wu Lian with a puzzled expression.

"Oh, the person who just went in is our boss, surnamed Feng. My surname is Liu. Our boss left something in the car, and I'm bringing it to him."

"Oh, room 1206." The clerk checked the check-in register, confirmed the name, and told Wu Lian the room number.

Wu Lian thanked her and quickly entered the elevator.

The door wasn't closed properly, and Wu Lian quietly put his ear close to the door.

"Zi, you've been driving me crazy these past few days! You've even started showing wrinkles on my face. When are we leaving?"

The sweet, delicate voice sent a shiver down Wu Lian's spine.

"Don't rush, the factory's funds haven't been processed yet. Wait two more days, and we'll leave here. That money is enough for us to live abroad."

"Really? That's great! Just thinking about Wu Lian and his gang makes me feel uncomfortable. Now I can finally live a peaceful life, and have some peace and quiet!"

"Haha, feeling unwell? How about now?"

Then, a bright, shrill laugh came from under the door.

Wu Lian gasped, his head buzzing, and he nearly collapsed. He steadied himself against the wall, trying to calm himself. After a moment, Wu Lian reached for the doorknob with his right hand. But just then, a large hand grabbed his collar from behind.

"They blindfolded me, and several men took me to a secluded place and crippled my right hand. The next day, Feng Zi came to the hospital and gave me three thousand yuan, telling me to rest and recover before returning to work. Humph!" Wu Lian sneered. "They said they came to comfort me, but they were really just firing me early. What can I do with my right hand crippled? They're pushing me to my death!"

"You can seek help from the police."

"Captain Cheng, the police need evidence to file a case. I have nothing. They have money and power. I can only rely on myself. They forced me into this." Wu Lian looked at Cheng Luan and suddenly asked, "If you were me, what would you do?"

Cheng Luan sighed. "What about Hu Lan? He had no connection with Feng Zi or Wei Li, and he even treated your illness. Why did you kill him?"

"Hmph! Treating illnesses, isn't that what he should be doing? If Feng Zi and the others have taken away my life, then Hu Lan has taken away my life!"

When it comes to life, living is Wu Lian's bottom line. If anyone breaks Wu Lian's will to live, then he will turn into a ferocious beast.

Wu Lian finished the water in his glass and placed it on the bedside table. "Captain Cheng, a few years ago, uh, no, more than ten years ago, uh, maybe... Anyway, I had a very lovely daughter, but due to a doctor's misdiagnosis, what was originally a common cold ended up endangering her life." Wu Lian gripped the sheet tightly in front of him, his whole body trembling with his emotional words, as if he had been electrocuted. "Captain Cheng, you don't have children yet, do you? When you have children, you will understand my pain, especially having a daughter."

Wu Lian was unable to express himself in words. He slowly lowered his head, and the memories once again filled him with despair.

"From the moment my daughter was born, I was no longer just a father. From the moment I held her in my arms, I was destined to spend my life working for her, protecting her from harm. All my manly pride and courage are insignificant in front of her. The only thing I can do is ensure her healthy and happy growth. But, but, him! Hu Lan, he robbed me of my will to live. He ruthlessly extinguished the sacred fire in my heart, and he shows no remorse whatsoever, instead blaming me for bringing her in too late. What kind of medical ethics is this? He doesn't deserve this sacred profession." Wu Lian became increasingly agitated, his voice growing louder and louder. It seemed like he was venting, or perhaps pouring out his heart.

"Haha, in the end it's all because I didn't have the money to stuff that thick wad of cash into his office. For so many years, I've chosen to swallow my anger. For my elderly mother's sake, I can't do anything foolish. But, Captain Cheng, do you know what it feels like to be tormented? It's like being wrapped in fire all over your body, unable to escape, yet unable to die."

"Perhaps God took pity on me and wanted to take me back. But I can't die, I have to live. Over the years, medical care has improved, and I thought Hu Lan would be more restrained, but I didn't expect him to be even more outrageous. He said I had a terminal illness and that I should give up treatment. No! I want treatment, I want to live. When I made my request, he gave me an exorbitant list of prices, and the zeros at the end made me faint."

"There are so many hospitals across the country, you can try a few more." Cheng Luan handed Wu Lian a tissue.

"Hmph! Change? It's all the same, all crows are black. Besides, isn't our city's People's Hospital the best cancer hospital in the country?"

"Captain Cheng, tell me, is my illness really incurable? No, it must be that they don't want to treat me, they want money, so in order to live, I went into that office."