pjbooks Chapter 319 Thank you
Chapter 319 Thank you
Twenty minutes later, the taxi came to a smooth stop in front of Blue Moon KTV.
Ma Junjie paid the fare, opened the car door, and quickly got out.
I had only taken two steps when I caught a glimpse of an incongruous figure out of the corner of my eye.
Outside the Blue Moon KTV, well-dressed men and women walked by in twos and threes, chatting and laughing.
A middle-aged woman stood alone in the crowd, looking particularly conspicuous.
She wore a faded floral shirt and drab gray trousers, her hair casually pulled back, with a few strands of gray hair sticking to her forehead in the wind.
Her hands were clutching a crumpled cloth bag tightly, her eyes filled with panic and confusion.
She would occasionally tiptoe to peek into the KTV, then quickly lower her head, afraid of attracting the attention of others.
Ma Junjie's steps suddenly stopped.
A strong intuition surged into his heart, and as he stared at that slender figure, his heart tightened slightly.
He hesitated for a few seconds, then turned around and slowly walked towards the woman.
"Auntie," Ma Junjie said softly, afraid of disturbing her, "Are you Liu Cuie?"
As soon as she finished speaking, the woman turned around abruptly.
Upon hearing the name "Liu Cuie," her body trembled at first, then a glimmer of light suddenly flashed in her dim eyes as she stared intently at Ma Junjie.
His voice trembled uncontrollably.
"Was that...was that you who called me just now?"
Looking at her like this, Ma Junjie felt a heavy weight in his heart, as if something had been tugged at it.
He nodded, his throat tightening slightly.
"Yes, Auntie, it's me. My name is Ma Junjie, and I'm Liu Xiaoshan's...brother."
"Brother..." Liu Cuie murmured, repeating the two words. Her eyes shone brightly, but the next second, that light was drowned out by a torrent of tears.
She could no longer control herself; she suddenly stretched out her withered hands and gripped Ma Junjie's arm tightly. Her body trembled violently, and her voice shook.
"Boss, do you know where Xiaoshan is? Tell me, where exactly is he?"
"I've been looking for him for so long..."
"I couldn't get through to him on the phone, so I came all the way from my hometown after asking around, and I've been waiting for him here every day..."
"He called me before and said he worked at Blue Moon, that they provided food and lodging, and the salary was high..."
Liu Cuie's tears fell like a broken string of pearls, pattering down onto Ma Junjie's hand, cold and sharp.
"I've been waiting here for almost a month, watching people come and go every day, but I still haven't seen my little hill..."
She clung to Ma Junjie's arm as if it were her last lifeline, her eyes filled with pleading.
"Boss, you're his brother, can you tell me where he is? Even if he doesn't want to see me, he could at least call me so I can hear his voice and feel relieved..."
Ma Junjie stood there, listening to Liu Cuie's heart-wrenching cries, and felt a strange, dull pain in his chest.
Looking at his mother, whose hair was gray and who looked haggard, he felt a mix of emotions.
He didn't know if Liu Cuie knew the truth. Perhaps Jiang Hao had told her, but she refused to believe it, preferring to hold onto a sliver of hope and wait day after day at the cold entrance of the KTV.
But the truth can't be hidden forever; no matter how cruel it is, she has to know.
Ma Junjie took a deep breath, his voice low and hoarse, carrying an indescribable heaviness.
"Auntie, don't look anymore. Xiaoshan... he's dead."
"What?"
These words struck Liu Cuie like a thunderbolt.
Her crying stopped abruptly, and she froze on the spot. The hands that were tightly gripping Ma Junjie's arm also lost their strength instantly.
She stared blankly at Ma Junjie, her pupils dilating little by little, the light within them fading away until only a deathly emptiness remained.
Time seemed to stand still at that moment.
After a long while, she seemed to realize something, her lips trembling as she shook her head repeatedly.
"No way...you're lying to me...Xiaoshan was such a good boy, how could he die..."
"He also said that once he had earned enough money, he would come home and build me a new house... He also said he would take me to the city for medical treatment..."
Liu Cuie's eyes were unfocused, and she kept muttering to herself, as if she were possessed.
"You're lying to me, you're definitely lying to me..."
Before she could finish speaking, her body swayed, her legs buckled, and she collapsed to the ground.
"Auntie!" Ma Junjie reacted quickly, reaching out to support her and pulling her swaying body into his arms.
He could clearly feel that the person in his arms was as light as a feather, and that their body was trembling incessantly.
"Auntie, it's true, I didn't lie to you." Ma Junjie's voice was filled with deep guilt and helplessness.
"He had an accident and passed away suddenly, which is very regrettable."
"Auntie..." He opened his mouth, wanting to say something to comfort her, but found that all his words seemed so pale and powerless.
Liu Cuie leaned against his chest and finally burst into a long-suppressed wail.
The crying was no longer as urgent as before, but filled with despair and grief, so intense it was heartbreaking to hear.
Her tears soaked through Ma Junjie's clothes, the icy touch against his skin making his heart sink little by little.
Ma Junjie looked down at her. She looked to be around fifty years old, but the wrinkles on her face were as deep as if they were carved by a knife, and most of her hair was white. She didn't look like a middle-aged person at all.
Ma Junjie could only gently hold her, letting her vent her grief, unable to utter a single word.
It was unclear how much time had passed before Liu Cuie's crying gradually subsided.
She lifted her head from Ma Junjie's embrace, her swollen eyes now devoid of tears, only a deathly gray remained.
She looked at Ma Junjie, her lips moved, her voice was so hoarse it was almost inaudible, yet it carried an unusual calmness.
"Thank you."
"Thank me?" Ma Junjie was taken aback and looked at her with some confusion.
Just then, a loud voice suddenly came from behind, tinged with surprise: "Ah Jie?"
Ma Junjie suddenly looked up and followed the sound, only to see Jiang Hao walking out of Blue Moon with a cigarette in his mouth.
Jiang Hao was all smiles, but when his gaze swept over Liu Cuie in Ma Junjie's arms, his face instantly darkened, and the smile on his lips froze.
Jiang Hao stubbed out his cigarette, walked over slowly, his gaze sweeping over the two of them, his tone somewhat complicated.
"Ah Jie, you guys... ran into each other?"
Upon hearing Jiang Hao's voice, Liu Cuie instinctively shrank back, a hint of panic flashing in her eyes. She quickly broke free from Ma Junjie's embrace, lowered her head, and dared not look at him.
Liu Cuie turned around and faced Ma Junjie, her voice barely audible.
"Boss, this Boss Jiang mentioned this to me before... He said my son is dead, but I don't believe it..."
"I don't believe my little mountain is dead..." Her voice trembled slightly, yet she forced herself to remain calm.
"Thank you for telling me this again. I understand, I really understand..."
Liu Cuie wiped away the tears on her face, as if she had made up her mind, her voice filled with deep weariness.
"I'll leave right away, go back to my hometown immediately, and never come here to cause trouble again... I'm sorry for the trouble I've caused you..."
Seeing her so cautious, Ma Junjie felt even worse.
He knew that Jiang Hao must have used words to dismiss her before, and might even have said some unpleasant things.
Seeing Liu Cuie's reaction, Ma Junjie then looked at Jiang Hao.
Suddenly, Ma Junjie had an idea.
He patted Liu Cuie on the shoulder and said,
"Auntie, don't worry, wait for me."
After saying that, he turned to Jiang Hao and said,
"Brother Hao, come here, I want to talk to you for a bit."
Jiang Hao's expression changed in surprise, and he seemed somewhat astonished.
He gave an awkward, wry smile, nodded, and followed Ma Junjie to the side.
Ma Junjie leaned close to Jiang Hao's ear and whispered a few words.
Jiang Hao's face immediately fell, his expression turning gloomy.
Ma Junjie glanced at him, said a few more words, and Jiang Hao instantly showed an expression of surprise and delight.
He nodded repeatedly in agreement.
Then he quickly turned around, a smile on his face, and walked towards Liu Cuie...