49: Chapter 49 Memories

Zhao Feiyu froze.

This look was just too familiar.

It was this very same look that had made him fall in love with Zhao Yasi all those years ago.

Just as Zhao Feiyu was about to nod,

Zhao Yasi pulled out a cigarette and lit it, sitting cross-legged on the sofa and saying, "You'd find out even if I didn't tell you, right?"

Immediately after,

Zhao Yasi's gaze grew profound.

The first sentence she spoke in the next second left Zhao Feiyu stunned on the spot.

"I didn't get into university; I went to prison instead!"

"What?"

At these words, Zhao Feiyu was so shocked that he sat bolt upright.

"Heh!"

Zhao Yasi shook her head lowly and flicked the ash from her cigarette.

"Do you know why I used to be so realistic and so obsessed with money? Because I was desperate for it!"

"You never understood my family, nor did you know my situation."

"I come from the countryside, where they favor boys over girls."

"I had a younger brother who was seventeen and getting married that year."

"Marriage requires a dowry, right? So my parents pinned their hopes on me, forcing me to drop out of school to marry an old bachelor in another village."

"Haha..."

Speaking to this point, Zhao Yasi burst into laughter.

It was a laugh so bitter, so helpless.

"Do you know?"

As Zhao Yasi spoke, tears welled up in her eyes.

It was unclear if they were from laughing or crying.

"That old bachelor was already thirty-eight, and how old was I that year? I was only eighteen!"

"You knew my grades. After three years of high school, I was guaranteed to get into university. If I had just endured a few more years, I would have definitely made something of myself!"

"But what happened? Those stubborn, old-fashioned villagers—they just wouldn't listen!"

"I promised to scrape together the dowry money for my brother, so I went around looking for ways to make money."

"I didn't get the money, and my studies plummeted!"

"In the end, I was forced into a corner. Someone introduced me to a part-time job, which was just helping people transport some things."

"After a few times, I had actually earned several tens of thousands."

"Later, I found out that the things I was transporting were drugs!"

Hearing this,

Zhao Feiyu was completely unsettled.

He hadn't expected that Zhao Yasi had lived such a miserable life back then.

"Do you know? I only just got out a while ago!"

"Ten years! I served ten whole years in prison!"

"Oh, right!"

Zhao Yasi suddenly thought of something.

Smiling, she leaned in mysteriously and whispered into Zhao Feiyu's ear,

"Let me tell you a secret..."

Her warm breath, carrying the scent of alcohol, hit Zhao Feiyu's ear.

"Actually... I'm still a virgin!"

"Let me tell you, you've really hit the jackpot today."

"But, classmates are classmates, and feelings are feelings. You have to pay me extra for tomorrow's expenses, you hear?"

After saying this,

Zhao Yasi picked up the bottle and started drinking.

"You're drunk!"

Zhao Feiyu grabbed the bottle away from her.

"I'm not drunk!"

Zhao Yasi shouted loudly,

as if venting the unhappiness in her heart.

"My story just skipped ahead ten years. Do you know why I came to work here?"

Zhao Yasi smiled playfully.

"Boss Zhao, I'm playing the pity card with you today, hoping you'll really give me some more money tomorrow."

"After I got out of prison, my stubborn parents were finally dead!"

"But my good-for-nothing brother is still alive!"

Zhao Yasi's eyes were filled with regret.

"The hateful thing is... he's on drugs, he's on drugs!"

At this point,

Zhao Yasi seemed to go mad, pounding the back of the sofa with both fists.

"What did I go in for? Drug trafficking! But him? He's actually taking drugs now!"

Zhao Yasi seemed to lose all her strength at once, collapsing limply onto the sofa.

Then, she stared blankly at the ceiling.

"Tell me... wouldn't it be better if he were dead too?"

"Then I wouldn't have so many worries!"

"And I could do a job I actually like."

"But... but..."

"He's my only brother!"

At this point,

Zhao Yasi buried her head in her knees and began to weep in agony.

"I thought about taking him to a rehab center, but do you know? He would die if he went in there!"

"Ten years ago, he was in good health."

"After I got out, do you know what he had turned into?"

"Skin and bones, eyes sunken, only eighty jin. A grown man, only eighty jin!"

"Hiss... hoo!"

Zhao Yasi took a deep breath,

then wiped the tears from the corners of her eyes.

"Do you know? The way he knelt before me, begging me to earn money for his drug habit—how pathetic he looked?"

"I hate him, but at that moment, I really softened!"

"It was him who introduced me to work here."

"I just wanted to let him live out the rest of his life happily!"

Hearing this,

Zhao Feiyu fell completely silent.

He didn't know how to comfort the person before him, whom he had once pursued.

Her life's experiences were truly too miserable and pitiful.

It was her family who had ruined her.

Perhaps,

just as she said,

if her brother were dead, she would be completely liberated.

Ring, ring!

Just at this moment,

a phone rang.

Zhao Yasi collected herself and looked at the caller ID.

When she saw who was calling,

Zhao Yasi answered with some suspicion.

"Hello! Hello, is this Zhao Yasi, sister of Zhao Haizhu?"

"Yes, I am. May I ask who..."

"Hello, we are the Yunduan City Anti-Drug Brigade. Your brother is suspected of drug use and trafficking. He has been arrested. Please come to our Anti-Drug Brigade immediately to assist with the investigation!"

Because Zhao Yasi had been arrested for drug trafficking in the past,

she was also highly suspicious.

After hanging up the phone,

Zhao Yasi began to put on her clothes with an expressionless face,

as if all of this had been expected.

Even, Zhao Feiyu felt that her heart was without a ripple.

"I'm sorry!"

After Zhao Yasi finished dressing, she gave Zhao Feiyu an apologetic look.

"I can't accompany you tonight. If you don't mind, I'll come find you tomorrow, and I'll definitely make up for tonight!"

"I'll go with you!"

Zhao Feiyu stood up, put on his suit jacket, and walked out.

Seeing this,

Zhao Yasi's heart couldn't help but warm.

That trace of security coming from Zhao Feiyu made her unable to hold back her tears.

Since both of them had been drinking,

Zhao Feiyu and Zhao Yasi hailed a taxi and headed to the Public Security Bureau together.

Just after Zhao Feiyu and the other left,

Yuan Hong received the news.

"They left together?"

Yuan Hong had just finished exercising.

He pondered with some confusion,

then immediately took out his phone and dialed Zhang Baiyu.

After the two communicated, they had people start an investigation.

In less than ten minutes,

the two received news.

"Turns out that woman's brother got into trouble and was arrested, but his life is probably ruined from here on out!"

Yuan Hong asked, feeling a bit indecisive.

"Should we step in and help?"

"What did he do? Drug use and trafficking!"

"Damn it!"

Zhang Baiyu was left speechless.

"How the hell are we supposed to help with that? Forget it, I'd better ask Brother Feiyu what he thinks first. If he wants to help, we can pull some strings!"