Chapter 22

Once again, it was that dark ocean. This time, even the moonlight had vanished, and the sky and sea merged into a bottomless ink-black abyss.

An Xiaohai sat on the dark beach, next to an immensely tall figure with a face he couldn’t see. But he knew in his heart that this enormous shadow was his father from memory.

Although An Xiaohai didn’t want his father to appear in his dreams, he couldn’t resist it.

“Xiaohai, remember, there are no paths on the ocean, because the ocean itself is the path…”

The shadow spoke, as if talking to An Xiaohai, or maybe just mumbling to himself. As he spoke, the sea breeze softened, and eventually transformed into a warm storm.

An Xiaohai let out a groan and finally awoke. As he opened his eyes, he saw Xu Tianyou’s face hovering over him.

This time, An Xiaohai had no reaction—he’d grown used to it.

“You’re awake, Idol Brother! I knew you wouldn’t go down that easily, ha-ha!” Xu Tianyou laughed, but his voice was low and restrained.

“What time is it? How long was I out?”

“It’s about 1 a.m. The old nurse just came by to check. You’ve been out for two days straight,” Xu Tianyou said, shaking his left hand, which was in a cast.

“Earlier, I thought I’d try breaking my own arm, and it worked! Man, it hurt like hell, but it was worth it. I get to spend a few more days with you alone. What do you think? Surprised? Happy?”

Xu Tianyou seemed nonchalant, but An Xiaohai knew that breaking one’s own arm wasn’t an easy feat and took immense willpower.

An Xiaohai managed a faint smile.

Suddenly, he felt that Xu Tianyou didn’t seem so scary after all. In this dark prison, Xu Tianyou would talk big, but he’d never really harmed him.

The so-called respectable ones, on the other hand, had pushed him to the brink of death several times.

An Xiaohai tried moving. Apart from his worsened right hand, he was still mostly intact and could function, albeit barely.

He scooted to the side, making space, then patted the spot next to him with his left hand.

Xu Tianyou looked surprised but quickly beamed. He clambered onto the bed and lay beside An Xiaohai.

In the dead of night, the two young men lay on the same hospital bed, staring blankly at the ceiling. One had his left arm in a cast, the other’s right hand wrapped in bandages. Strangely, they looked harmonious together.

“Xu Tianyou, what do your friends call you?”

“Heh, actually, my real name isn’t Xu Tianyou. It was Xu Zhigang before I changed it.”

“Why the name change? Xu Zhigang has an old-school charm.”

“I thought ‘Xu Zhigang’ sounded too dated, plus, out in the world, you need some divine blessing, so I went with ‘Tianyou’—‘Heaven’s Blessing’.”

“Friends? I don’t have friends.

People call me ‘Brother Tian’ to my face, but behind my back, they call me ‘Madman.’ As for you, Idol Brother, call me whatever you want; I’ll be happy either way.”

“Madman,” An Xiaohai thought. Fitting.

“Did you read a lot?” An Xiaohai asked casually.

Xu Tianyou may have acted wild, but his speech was different from typical street kids—surprisingly articulate, even refined.

“No. I didn’t even finish elementary school!” Xu Tianyou’s voice dropped; it was clear he didn’t want to discuss it.

An Xiaohai closed his mouth. Everyone has parts of their lives they prefer to keep hidden, and for someone like Xu Tianyou, those hidden corners were likely many. It was best to speak less around him if you didn’t understand him fully. Saying too much could trigger something that might cause him to lose control.

“Hey, Idol Brother, don’t go silent on me; keep talking!” Xu Tianyou nudged him with his elbow.

“Why do you keep calling me ‘Idol Brother’? And don’t tell me it’s because I’m your idol.”

“That’s a secret!” Xu Tianyou’s eyes gleamed with mischief.

“Why a secret?”

“If I told you, it wouldn’t be a secret anymore! Besides, it’s embarrassing. But if the day comes that I die, if you get a chance, I’ll tell you then.”

Something stirred in An Xiaohai.

He’d thought Xu Tianyou called him “Idol Brother” as a joke, but now it seemed there was more to it. Why couldn’t he remember?

Not very scientific!

An Xiaohai began to suspect that his pride in his memory might be unwarranted; he’d experienced several significant lapses by now.

“But Idol Brother, don’t worry; I don’t think I’ll live out the month.”

“Because of Ghost Six?”

“Ghost Six? That guy’s a nobody. Worthless.

Don’t ask. Knowing too much will only get you in trouble. Let’s talk about something else, like when you and Sister Idol are planning to make a little idol.”

Seriously…

An Xiaohai’s head was full of black lines, and he suddenly realized: had Lin Xuan accidentally attracted this guy’s attention? That could be trouble!

“Relax, Idol Brother, I’ve got no designs on Sister Idol. My heart belongs to you!” Xu Tianyou said in a mocking, high-pitched tone.

In the past, An Xiaohai would’ve cringed, but he felt immune by now, having gotten a read on Xu Tianyou.

Xu Tianyou’s “jokes” were often serious. The things he said seriously tended to be jokes.

“Fan Boy, how about a trade?”

“A trade? Sure! As long as it’s with Idol Brother! But my virtue is off-limits; I’m not that easy!”

“…”

Get lost! An Xiaohai almost kicked him off the bed but held back.

“I’ll help you find a way out. You just have to tell me why you call me ‘Idol Brother’.”

“Really?!” Xu Tianyou sat up, eyes gleaming. “You got a plan?!”

“No,” An Xiaohai shook his head.

“Then what’s that supposed to mean?”

“Shh…” An Xiaohai motioned for silence.

“Whoa! This is exciting! Idol Brother, you’re the real deal—escape? Damn, this is intense!” Xu Tianyou’s eyes sparkled as he lay back down.

“Idol Brother, if we break out, you’re coming too, right?”

“Of course,” An Xiaohai replied without hesitation.

Though Xu Tianyou acted crazy, he wasn’t stupid. If An Xiaohai planned an escape without intending to join him, Xu Tianyou wouldn’t trust him.

Despite all the “Idol Brother” calls, no one knew what Xu Tianyou truly thought.

“You’ve only got three years left. Isn’t it a waste to break out?”

“A waste? It’s better than dying here.”

“Fair point!” Xu Tianyou gave him a thumbs up.

“So, what’s the plan? Should we do it now?”

“No, not yet. We only get one shot at this. If we fail, it’ll be a disaster. We have to wait for the right moment.”

“How long?”

“Not too long.” An Xiaohai shook his head. “A month. I’ll think of something within a month.”

“Okay. I’m counting on you, Idol Brother.” Xu Tianyou rested his head on An Xiaohai’s shoulder and soon fell asleep, snoring softly.

An Xiaohai ignored him, still staring at the blank ceiling, his eyes bright as stars.

“You pushed me to this. You want me dead? Fine. Let’s see who goes down first!”

His eyes grew resolute.

Revenge is best served hot, and there’s no satisfaction in letting it cool overnight.