Chapter 667 -665: Because of Love (Part 3)

Jiang Feng found himself standing outside the door of Golden Carpenter’s home.

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It seemed to be the time when autumn turned to winter, as the leaves on the trees by the road were nearly all gone. Next to him, Zhang Chu had already put on thick clothes, dirty and drab in color, making them appear dull and gray. Zhang Chu stood at Golden Carpenter’s doorstep, which was closed. Jiang Feng found it strange that Zhang Chu didn’t go in but just stood there in front of the closed door, motionless.

Jiang Feng stared at Zhang Chu. His expressionless face just gazed at the door. He neither knocked nor left, with a weird look in his eyes that held an indescribable and complex emotion.

In Jiang Feng’s mind, this emotion was sorrow.

But it was more than just sorrow.

Could it be that something happened to Golden Carpenter?

...

Unfortunately, Zhang Chu could not provide Jiang Feng with answers, and Jiang Feng could only stand by quietly and observe him. Compared to the Zhang Chu from the memory of breaking a window frame, the change in him was quite significant. His face still bore the handsome features with defined brows and large eyes, but his aura was completely different.

If the previous Zhang Chu was still a green youth, the current Zhang Chu had the air of someone battered by social hardships. It’s not to say he was a corporate slave, but Jiang Feng just felt as if he had been severely beaten by society, which left him looking somewhat deflated.

Minutes passed, and Zhang Chu was still standing in the same spot. Jiang Feng began to stroll around the area. His range of movement was limited, roughly to a seven-meter radius centered on Zhang Chu, which was just enough to pass through the walls and slip into the front yard of Golden Carpenter’s home and the yard of the house next to it.

It seemed like no one was in Golden Carpenter’s home. The yard was a mess, not a single good piece of wood to be found, just sawdust and shavings everywhere. The cooling arbor had collapsed for some reason and was left unattended on the ground.

There was someone in the house next door to Golden Carpenter’s. A middle-aged woman was washing clothes in the front yard and telling her young daughter not to go outdoors.

“But I just saw Zhang Chu come by, and I want to go out and play with him. Mom, I haven’t been out for ages. I have nothing to do all day at home since school isn’t in session,” the little girl complained.

“What are you talking about playing with Zhang Chu for? Next door…” the middle-aged woman’s voice suddenly dropped as if discussing something taboo, “Next door isn’t the same as it used to be. Jingjing, be good, don’t go out, and don’t go looking for Zhang Chu to play with. We should keep our distance from him from now on.”

“Why?” the little girl looked visibly upset, “Uncle Jin and Aiguo were the ones who got arrested. What does that have to do with Zhang Chu?”

The middle-aged woman sighed, “How is it not related? You… Anyway, you’re not allowed out.”

The girl had to give up, “Mom, when is brother coming back? He said he would bring me specialties from the grasslands when he returns, and it’s been almost a year. Why isn’t he back yet?”

The woman patted her head, her voice grew much softer, “Soon, he’ll be back soon.”

Jiang Feng felt like he understood something. Just as he was about to step forward to listen more closely to the mother and daughter’s conversation, the air wall slammed right into him.

It hit his face hard, making Jiang Feng feel like his features were about to be rearranged.

The air wall moved slowly, and Jiang Feng quickly got up from the ground and went through the wall to catch up with Zhang Chu, rubbing his face as he walked. Although the air wall caused him no real harm, it was genuinely painful.

Zhang Chu walked very slowly, clearly preoccupied with his thoughts, his expression heavy, barely looking at the road, just staring down at his feet.

All along the way, Jiang Feng observed people. Some seemed to recognize Zhang Chu and would nervously avoid him from a distance as if he were some kind of disaster. Zhang Chu showed little reaction to this. He might have seen them but didn’t care. He just kept moving silently at a snail’s pace, all the way to the entrance of Yonghe House.

The entrance of Yonghe House appeared quite desolate, with no one around, the doors wide open. The drapery store next door was shut tight, its sign askew.

Zhang Chu walked in, and Manager Zhang, as usual, stood behind the counter doing the accounts. Seeing Zhang Chu, he smiled and said, “Zhang, you’re here. Guixiang just stepped out, go ahead and get your tools from the storeroom.”

“Mm,” Zhang Chu nodded.

Manager Zhang came out from behind the counter and accompanied Zhang Chu to the storeroom.

“How have things been recently?” Manager Zhang asked.

“Not bad,” Zhang Chu forced a smile.

“Zhang,” Manager Zhang looked around to make sure no one was listening and then whispered, “Things are different now, the world has changed. If you get a chance to see your master, advise him not to be so stubborn and rigid. He should bend when he needs to, write a self-criticism if he has to, even sweeping the toilets would be better than how things are now. He shouldn’t lose his life over a bed.”

“Advise him, even if he wants to be stubborn, Aiguo…” Manager Zhang could only sigh.

The two reached the storeroom door, and Manager Zhang also went in, closing the door halfway.

Manager Zhang pulled Zhang Chu into a corner and whispered, “I really shouldn’t be telling you this, but it can’t be kept secret. I’m worried you might hear some exaggerated version from others and feel even worse. Manager Yin has gone mad.”

Zhang Chu was stunned; this was the first time Jiang Feng saw such an evident fluctuation in his expression since entering this memory.

“Why… why?”

“Her daughter committed suicide, just last night. She hung herself with a rope in the silk store, and it’s said she left a suicide note, but the note has been burned. Now, the silk store is completely shut down,” said Manager Zhang, shaking his head. “This young lady… she hasn’t suffered much, it’s understandable.”

“Manager Yin lost her mind this morning when she heard the news. The reason I’m telling you this is to urge you to persuade your master. With Manager Yin in such a state, there’s no need for him to risk his life over a bed.”

Zhang Chu’s face was bitter: “I can’t even see him.”

“Now, my parents have also divorced, I have no work, and only you dare let me come over to repair tables and chairs. I don’t think I can stay in Beiping anymore; I’m planning to go to the countryside as an educated youth, heading south.”

“Have you thought it through?”

“I have.”

Manager Zhang didn’t know what to say and only after a while said, “That might be good as well. Changing places…being a carpenter, you can make a living anywhere.”

“Have you told Guixiang?”

“I’ve told her.” Zhang Chu said stoically, “The purpose of my visit was to break it off with Guixiang. Guixiang has a job, a good social status, there’s no reason for her to be with me. I don’t want to drag her down. She’s argued with her parents about this many times already, it’s time to part ways.”

“You,” Manager Zhang wanted to say more but ended up saying nothing, “It has to be this way, then. Guixiang is a stubborn girl too, find a suitable time to talk about it.”

“Mm.”