Shared weal and woe

Author: Long Mingjing Yi Qinghua
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2005-10-01
Features: Chapter 1 Whenever Fang Xiaoliang feels down, he strips completely naked and screams wildly under the powerful spraying shower head. After screaming, he wraps himself in a blue bath towel and lies softly on the sofa, motionless, with half-open eyes, often staying like this for hours. Doing nothing, thinking of nothing—almost as if he were dead. Fang Xiaoliang calls this state "vegetative state." On a Saturday night, Fang Xiaoliang lay wet and drowsy on the sofa. Just as he was drifting off to sleep, he was woken up by a phone call from Xiao Dake. Xiao Dake told Fang Xiaoliang to hurry to Golden Years Bar, saying that several of his friends were waiting there. Fang Xiaoliang thought for a moment and said, "Alright," in a weak voice. Golden Years Bar is a bar located on Dragon Slope Avenue. Dragon Slope Avenue is the bar street of Yunmen City. At night, it can be said to be the most lively and story-filled place in Yunmen. When Fang Xiaoliang arrived at Golden Years Bar, he checked the time on his phone—it was 10:10 PM. Xiao Dake met Fang Xiaoliang at the noisy entrance of the bar. Fang Xiaoliang was still half-asleep, and Xiao Dake smiled and said, "You’re not a night owl, are you? Why are you sleeping so early today?" "I’m not feeling well," Fang Xiaoliang said. "Did you catch a cold?" "No." "Did you have a fight with Liu Beibei?" "Don’t mention her," Fang Xiaoliang said weakly. "Don’t overthink it, it’s nothing," Xiao Dake said, patting Fang Xiaoliang on the shoulder. When Xiao Dake and Fang Xiaoliang entered, the bar was already packed. Someone suggested finding a quieter spot, but the host, Pan Erge, refused and said mysteriously, "I think this place is fine. It has more flavor than anywhere else." Pan Erge was a northerner who had lived in Yunmen for eight years and knew how to have fun better than the local Yunmen natives. Hearing Pan Erge’s ambiguous suggestion, the group grew excited and said, "Alright, let’s listen to Pan Erge." Some people’s eyes even glowed green in the dark as they said this. The bar was crowded with people, with a rectangular stage in the center. As they entered, a wave of washed over them, as if they had stepped into a boiling pot of porridge. Fang Xiaoliang frowned involuntarily. It wasn’t that he couldn’t adapt to the environment—it was just that he wasn’t in the mood for a noisy place and just wanted to find a quiet bar to sit in. As they were looking for a seat, a waiter from the bar walked over. He whispered a few words in Pan Erge’s ear and then bowed to lead them to a bar counter, seating them one by one. Clearly, it was a reserved spot for them. Fang Xiaoliang didn’t know Pan Erge, but Xiao Dake told him that he was the head of a company and that he was very loyal, making him a good friend. Choosing someone to be friends with takes courage, especially for a police officer. Fang Xiaoliang nodded. Xiao Dake was always good at judging people, and he trusted him. Naturally, friends should drink together. Before he could even settle in, two glasses of beer were placed in front of him. Pan Erge was indeed a man of few words, and he clapped Fang