Shаng Zhi Тао drаgged her luggagе tо the entrаnce оf thе rеsidеntiаl сomplеx and ran into her threе dеar rоommаtеs hеаding out. Shе quiсklу stорpеd and asked thеm, "Whеre аre you gоing?"
"To find thе agenсу." Тhеу hаd аll been wоrking оvertimе аt hоme whеn the роwer suddenlу wеnt out. Аfter investigating fоr a while, theу disсоverеd that the agеnсу had росkеtеd thе elесtricitу feеs they hаd pаid. Whеn thеy саllеd tо confront thе agency, theу were ineхplicаbly сursеd out.
In аn era where shady agencies ran rampant, many people thought they were lucky enough not to be the ones who happened to encounter such trouble, yet they couldn’t escape it.
"Wait for me, then. Let me put my luggage back, and I’ll go with you."
"You don’t need to go." Sun Yuanzhu told Shang Zhi Tao to wait at home, then said to Sun Yu, "And you, I told you to stay home, but you insisted on coming out."
Shang Zhi Tao pushed her suitcase and ran, shouting as she went, "Wait for me! I’m coming too!" During that time, many news reports were about shady agencies, and Shang Zhi Tao knew deep down that they were not to be trifled with. As an adult, she felt she had to stand by her friends in times like this.
Zhang Lei and Sun Yuanzhu exchanged a glance and tried to persuade Sun Yu, "Go back. With two grown men here, there’s no need for you two. Wait at home."
"I’m not going back." Sun Yu stuffed a pair of scissors into her bag. "I know how to fight. If those thugs try to pull something, I can show them what I’m made of." Ever since an event in Handan was disrupted by troublemakers, Sun Yu had always carried something for self-defense. As she put it, "Even thugs have to think twice before messing with me!"
She talked tough but had never actually been in a fight. Life had forced a once delicate girl to become capable of anything.
Shang Zhi Tao dropped off her luggage and caught up with them. When they reached the agency’s small storefront, Sun Yuanzhu stopped and suggested, "How about this? You two wait outside. If a fight breaks out inside, call the police."
"No way," Sun Yu refused.
"Calm down and listen," Zhang Lei took off his coat and handed it to Sun Yu. "We can’t let them take us all down at once. If a fight really starts, call the police first, then shout for help. If you two come in, we’ll have to look out for you too. Deal, guys?"
"Deal."
Shang Zhi Tao had never been in such a situation before. She took out her phone, dialed 110, and kept a close watch on the commotion inside. Unbeknownst to her, her fingertips were trembling slightly. Soon, the sound of someone slamming a table came from inside, followed by a loud "Fuck you!" Sun Yu charged in, and Shang Zhi Tao quickly dialed 110 to report the incident. She didn’t realize she was crying from fear, her voice trembling as she gave the address. After hanging up, she shouted "They’re fighting!" a few times and rushed in as well.
Zhang Lei was right—they had to shout like that. Only then would people gather, and they wouldn’t be at a disadvantage.
She didn’t know where her courage came from, but it was probably the belief that she couldn’t let her friends face this alone. When she entered the room, she saw several agency staff surrounding Sun Yuanzhu and Zhang Lei, all of them tangled in a scuffle. Sun Yu, on the periphery, picked up an ashtray and swung it at someone’s head but was stopped by another person who tried to hit her. Shang Zhi Tao rushed forward and pushed that person away with all her strength.
A crowd began to gather outside. In those days, fights at agency offices were all too common. Finally, someone couldn’t stand it anymore and shouted, "The police are coming!" The aggressive agency staff stopped in their tracks.The crowd had gathered so tightly at the entrance that no one could get out. The young men from the agency tried to slip away through the back door, but Sun Yuanzhu, quick-eyed and swift-handed, blocked their path. His lip was grazed, but he didn’t bother to wipe it. Having just been in a fight, he now calmly reasoned with them, “Pay our electricity bill now. If you won’t, give us the money and the electricity card, and we’ll pay it ourselves.”
“Don’t push your luck! We told you, the money is with the company. It has nothing to do with us!”
“We don’t care who has the money, but we must have electricity today!” Zhang Lei was truly furious with these people. As someone in commercial work, he made friends everywhere and rarely lost his temper, but today he was seething with anger.
One of the agency’s thugs, probably used to bullying others, saw that these young people weren’t intimidated and, in a fit of rage, threw a punch at Shang Zhi Tao’s face. Sun Yuanzhu swiftly struck his arm, but the fist still grazed Shang Zhi Tao’s cheek, instantly swelling her fair, delicate face.
This was just too much!
In her twenty-three years of life, Shang Zhi Tao had never suffered such humiliation. She leaped forward and bit down hard on the man’s arm. But with thick winter clothing, what damage could a bite do? She then clawed at his face, wishing she had long nails like Lumi.
The police finally arrived. Looking at the room full of men and women, it was clear the agency hadn’t suffered much—the four tenants were the ones who had taken the brunt. They were obviously law-abiding citizens who had been pushed to their limits today. The police decided to take everyone to the station for mediation and education.
“Who threw the first punch?”
“They did!” Fingers pointed at each other. The agency, clearly more experienced, knew there was no evidence they had started it—by the time bystanders gathered, the fight was already underway.
“What about the electricity money?”
“It’s with the company.”
“Where’s your company?” The officer asked casually, knowing full well what went on in this area. It was just procedure.
The shady agents exchanged glances, and one of them spoke up, “No idea… We’ve only ever been at the shop. Never been to the company.”
Bullshit!
The officer cursed them inwardly: Look at you bunch of scoundrels! Couldn’t find anything better to do than run a shady agency!
Seeing there was no reasoning with these agents—they were tight-knit and well-practiced—the officer turned to Shang Zhi Tao and the others. “How do you want to resolve this?”
“First, we’re injured and need to go to the hospital for a check-up…”
“We’re injured too! We need a check-up!” the thugs shouted loudly.
“Quiet!” The officer slammed his hand on the table, and everyone fell silent.
“Second, we want our money and the electricity card back, and we want to speak directly with the landlord.” Sun Yuanzhu glanced at Shang Zhi Tao and Sun Yu before continuing, “Third, the girls were frightened. We need them to apologize publicly and guarantee they won’t cause trouble again.”
“Let’s go to the hospital first.” The officer looked at these young people who had been wronged and thought to himself, You’ve got guts.
“I have one more request.” Sun Yuanzhu interrupted the officer. “There must be others in the same situation as us. Please contact them and resolve this together, or we’ll take legal action.”
The Sun Yuanzhu of the past had always been so gentle, yet today, over two hundred yuan, he stood firm. Shang Zhi Tao suddenly remembered her teacher talking about the May Fourth Movement during her school days: Look at those seemingly fragile students—they were the first to awaken. She suddenly understood the greatest gift education could give a person, and perhaps that was exactly what Sun Yuanzhu embodied today.They went to the hospital to have their injuries examined. The police had already raided the black agency's hideout, taken away their account books, and arrested their financial staff. The next day, Shang Zhi Tao and the others met with the landlord. The speed of it all was astonishing.
But the landlord said, "Things have gotten so messy, I'm afraid the agency might retaliate. You know, splashing paint, blocking locks—it could make the whole neighborhood uneasy. I'm sorry, kids."
Shang Zhi Tao and the others suddenly didn't know what to say to the gray-haired landlord. Her concerns were all valid. As an elderly woman with her children not around, she wouldn't be able to handle such trouble if it came her way.
"Auntie, could you give us a few days? We'll look for another place."
"How about three days?"
"Okay."
They returned home and sat in the living room, none of them seeming particularly eager to talk. It was Sun Yu who broke the silence first. Having been cheated by a black agency before, she had experienced similar situations: "So, should we look for a four-bedroom apartment or one with partitions next?"
"Let's look for a three-bedroom," Zhang Lei finally spoke up after a long silence. "I'm thinking of moving closer to the company. I just got promoted, and work is too busy. The long commute is affecting my rest."
The last time Shang Zhi Tao faced a similar situation was during her junior year of college. Her dorm sisters were discussing their future plans—some wanted to go to Beijing, others to return to their hometowns, some wanted to try their luck in Shenzhen, and others planned to pursue graduate studies. They were all young then, inexperienced with goodbyes, and that day's discussion had been particularly emotional, ending with everyone in tears.
Today, Shang Zhi Tao didn't cry. She knew that everyone would eventually go their separate ways. Changing jobs, falling in love, getting married, having children—the time they had together was just a year or two. At first, they might stay in touch often, but gradually, contact would fade until they eventually disappeared into the sea of people. Only a few would remain by her side.
Gatherings and partings are unpredictable—such is the truth of life.
No one knew what else to say until Zhang Lei scratched the back of his head and spoke up: "Please forgive me for leaving first, but I really do like all of you. It's just that all good things must come to an end."
"Why so sentimental?" Sun Yu stood up and clapped her hands. "Alright, alright, let's not talk about what kind of apartment to look for today. Today, we're sending Zhang Lei off! Let's go have a drink!"
Shang Zhi Tao nodded. "Good idea, let's drink."
They went out to a barbecue restaurant nearby to drink, their faces still bearing bruises that drew curious glances from others. They felt a little embarrassed too. Never in their wildest dreams did they think that after over a decade of studying, they'd end up in the same boat as the troublemakers from their school days—all destined to get into a fight in society sooner or later.
While waiting for their food, Shang Zhi Tao looked at her nails and said to Sun Yu, "I'm going to grow my nails out, like Lumi's. Then I'll file them to a point so I won't be at a disadvantage next time we fight." Over the past year or so, Luan Nian had forced her into the habit of constant self-reflection and summarization. After the fight, she kept replaying it in her mind, thinking about how to win next time.
Everyone laughed at her. One side of her face was still swollen, and the corner of her mouth was split, making her look a little comical. They glanced at each other—all of them battered and bruised. What a sorry sight.
Sun Yu raised her glass. "Let's toast to Zhang Lei. Congratulations on moving out of this dump and starting a new life.""Don't say that." As someone accustomed to the commercial world's inside and outside scenes, she was genuinely moved today: "These past two years have truly been the happiest time since I came to Beijing. No matter what grievances I faced at work or how angry I was, coming home and seeing you three made everything better instantly. Even though I've decided to move out, our bond can't be broken."
"In Beijing, finding friends you can fight alongside isn't easy."
The day's events were actually quite absurd—over two hundred yuan and a matter of pride, they'd suffered such a loss yet felt no shame. Instead, they felt that fighting together had truly cemented their friendship.
But life always comes to an end eventually!
Amid the bustling crowds and constant comings and goings, no matter how lively, it still has to end!
They all drank heavily. The two guys, for the first time ever, relieved themselves under a tree by the roadside on North Fifth Ring Road, patting each other's shoulders as they did: "Don't copy me; don't copy me, it's uncivilized and impolite." Then they vomited messily.
Shang Zhi Tao and Sun Yu stood some distance away, backs turned to them, braving the cold wind, shivering slightly from the chill.
Sun Yu rubbed her swollen arm, then looked at Shang Zhi Tao's bruised face, suddenly feeling a pang of sadness: "Look at us, what have we accomplished all year? Ending the year with injuries."
"Going out with a bang makes the year worthwhile."
It felt like a dream—experiencing both good and bad. Early the next morning, Zhang Lei moved out, Sun Yu went to organize an event, while Shang Zhi Tao and Sun Yuanzhu went house hunting.
Before heading out, Sun Yuanzhu noticed the bruise on Shang Zhi Tao's swollen face—that punch had been heavy—and felt a twinge of heartache. He went inside to fetch some alcohol: "Let me clean it for you?"
"Okay. Thank you."
Shang Zhi Tao turned her face aside. Sun Yuanzhu moved gently, dabbing a cotton swab soaked in alcohol lightly against her skin, asking softly: "Does it hurt?"
How could it not hurt?
But Shang Zhi Tao shook her head: "It doesn't. Sun Yuanzhu, I think you shouldn't fight anymore. Scholars aren't suited for brawls."
"They threatened us, said if we kept making trouble they'd put sacks over you and Sun Yu's heads. That's why we fought."
Shang Zhi Tao's heart warmed. She sniffled: "It wasn't worth it."
"It was."
Adults always weigh whether something is worth doing first—since when are there so many interests to measure?
"Meeting each other isn't easy. If I hadn't been there, I wouldn't have interfered, but since I was, I had to protect you."
Shang Zhi Tao felt her eyes grow slightly moist. She punched Sun Yuanzhu lightly in the chest, imitating Zhang Lei's tone: "Thank you, brother."
"You're welcome."
No need to be so polite.
OpenNovel