Scum Gong Walks the Career Line in the Crematorium

TL: Moonlit

[“Why didn’t they end up together in the original text?”] 001 couldn’t help but wonder, but quickly offered its own explanation, [“Because Zhou Yuntang is the main character, right?”]

Lin Hanchuan pondered for a moment and replied, [“Perhaps it’s because back then, the Zhou family hadn’t gone bankrupt, and Zhou Gao Dan couldn’t afford the scandal of an improper relationship, even if they weren’t biological brothers, they grew up together and had no difference from real siblings. Or maybe it’s because Zhou Gao Dan truly loves Zhou Yuntang, and since Zhou Yuntang had someone he liked, he didn’t want to force him. But now that Zhou Yuntang is unattached, Zhou Gao Dan wants to try forcing a relationship.”]

[“Maybe both reasons are true,”] 001 realized, feeling deeply moved, [“Love is truly a wonderful thing. It’s a pity that I can never experience emotions.”]

[“You can’t experience emotions?”] Lin Hanchuan chuckled and pinched the floating blue blob in front of him. This little blob seemed more emotionally expressive than anyone else, yet it claimed not to experience emotions.

Confused, 001 changed its color.

Lin Hanchuan didn’t explain further and instead suggested, [“No matter what Zhou Yuntang has done, he shouldn’t be treated like this. Use his number to send a message for help to Zhou Ziming.”]

Without hesitation, 001 promptly followed Lin Hanchuan’s instruction and sent a text message to Zhou Ziming.

Among all the members of the Zhou family, Zhou Ziming was the only one that Lin Hanchuan found somewhat likeable. Despite being regarded as intellectually inferior by his brothers, Zhou Ziming had the character to help others, especially given his persistence in working at an ordinary restaurant for a month. Even if he and Zhou Yuntang had fallen out, he wouldn’t ignore a life-and-death situation.

As Lin Hanchuan had anticipated, Zhou Ziming didn’t hesitate to help.

He read the message on his phone, which only said, “Save me,” along with an address. It was Zhou Gao Dan’s residence. Worried that something had happened, Zhou Ziming immediately headed to the address.

The disintegration of the Zhou family had a massive impact, affecting everyone from Zhou Ziming to Father Zhou, and even Zhou Yushu, who was still in prison. However, they were all helpless and filled with anxiety, unable to do much.

When Zhou Ziming arrived at the designated place, he rang the doorbell and waited for some time before the door finally opened.

Zhou Gao Dan, dressed in pajamas, had a satisfied expression on his face as he glanced from top to bottom at Zhou Ziming, showing no intention of letting him in. “Your shares are useless to me now.”

“I’m looking for Zhou Yuntang,” Zhou Ziming sniffed, detecting a strange scent in the air.

“He’s not here,” Zhou Gao Dan said and was about to close the door, but Zhou Ziming quickly squeezed in.

“I’ll wait for him to come back,” Zhou Ziming said, feeling suspicious about Zhou Gao Dan’s odd behavior.

As the two stood in a deadlock, strange noises came from upstairs, as if someone was pounding on a door. Zhou Ziming’s expression changed, and he swiftly followed the sound, climbing up the stairs in just a few steps.

“Zhou Ziming!” Zhou Gao Dan’s expression changed drastically, shouting, “Stop!”

In his haste, he even forgot to lock the door with the password.

However, Zhou Ziming easily opened the password lock and found himself dumbfounded upon seeing everything inside the room. Zhou Yuntang was kneeling on the ground, hitting the door with what looked like an iron basin, and he was tied with red ropes. From Zhou Ziming’s perspective, he could see all the toys on Zhou Yuntang’s body.

Taking a sharp breath, Zhou Ziming helped Zhou Yuntang up and asked, “Did Big Brother do this to you?”

Everything was exposed, and Zhou Gao Dan felt perplexed, wondering if he had forgotten to lock the door before leaving. He said, “We were both willing participants in these games, and it’s none of your business.”

“Willing participants?” Zhou Ziming couldn’t believe how shameless Zhou Gao Dan was, saying such things without changing his expression, “If you were both willing, then why did he come to me for help?”

Zhou Ziming took a deep breath, fetched a piece of clothing from the wardrobe, and helped Zhou Yuntang put it on. “We will call the police. Let’s see how you explain this in front of them.”

Zhou Gao Dan’s face changed as he tried to stop Zhou Ziming and the stumbling Zhou Yuntang behind him, saying, “This is between us, and it’s none of your business.”

Sensing the change in Zhou Gao Dan’s tone, Zhou Ziming reverted to the familiar role of a caring and reliable brother, saying softly to Zhou Yuntang, “Tangtang, come here.”

Zhou Yuntang hesitated for a moment but didn’t move.

With a slightly deepened gaze, Zhou Gao Dan softened his tone, becoming the indulgent and doting elder brother everyone knew, “Tangtang, haven’t I been good to you all these years? During this time, I didn’t harm you in any substantial way, did I?”

Damn it. Inwardly cursing, Zhou Ziming stopped Zhou Gao Dan from playing the emotional card, “After we report this to the police, he won’t force you anymore. You can go back to school, and everything will be free again.”

Go back to school… that seemed like a thing from several lifetimes ago.

These days, Zhou Yuntang had been subjected to too much and his mind felt foggy. He wanted to agree, but he realized that he didn’t want to go back to school. He didn’t want to face his classmates’ strange looks or witness Wan Li Shuang’s smug mockery.

What would happen after studying? Zhou Ziming probably wouldn’t support him anymore and might make him work to earn his tuition, just like those financially challenged students. In university, there would be no time for rest, only a busy life of work, like shedding non-stop, never-ending skin.

Zhou Yuntang slowed down his steps and finally looked up at Zhou Gao Dan.

Despite the hardships of these days, he couldn’t deny that he felt somewhat comfortable. And… as he looked at Zhou Gao Dan’s anxious eyes, he realized that his big brother truly loved him. Even if he lost everything, Zhou Gao Dan was willing to provide him with the best life.

“I…” Zhou Yuntang swallowed hard, “I’m doing this willingly.”

“Don’t be afraid of his threats. Even though he was good to you before, he should know that he’ll pay the price for what he’s done to you now,” Zhou Ziming mistakenly believed that Zhou Yuntang had been persuaded.

After those words were spoken, the psychological pressure on Zhou Yuntang eased considerably. When he spoke again, his tone was less hesitant and more determined. “Fourth Brother, I’m doing this willingly. He’s my big brother. How could I let him go to jail?”

Zhou Ziming looked deeply at Zhou Yuntang and said, “I’ll only help you this once. No matter what happens in the future, I won’t help you again.”

After much contemplation, Zhou Yuntang finally nodded. “I understand.”

With that, Zhou Ziming had nothing more to say. He had done all he could.

“We said it’s consensual, no need for your intervention,” Zhou Gao Dan said coldly, showing Zhou Ziming out.

Zhou Ziming deleted the cry for help message and left the place.

With only the two of them in the house, Zhou Gao Dan’s expression immediately turned grim. He looked at Zhou Yuntang with a sinister gaze, “You want to leave me?”

This was not the reaction Zhou Yuntang had anticipated. He thought that by choosing not to call the police and staying with Zhou Gao Dan, hiding the truth for him, Zhou Gao Dan would surely love him more and treat him better.

Zhou Yuntang faintly felt that he might have made the wrong choice again. His gaze followed the direction of Zhou Ziming’s departure at the door. In the next moment, Zhou Gao Dan grabbed him and tried to drag him back into the room.

This time, Zhou Yuntang didn’t know when he would be able to leave. He dared not resist and pleaded softly, “Big Brother, I will be good and obedient. Please don’t lock me up. I promise to listen to you…”

“If I don’t lock you up, you’ll only think about leaving. Do you think I don’t know why Zhou Ziming came?” Zhou Gao Dan’s suspicion flared up, and he sneered, “Tangtang, you’ve been getting more and more disobedient lately. You deserve punishment.”

Thinking about the strange punishments, Zhou Yuntang’s pupils suddenly shrank. Seizing the moment when Zhou Gao Dan was distracted, he suddenly broke free from his grasp and ran downstairs. But just as he had taken a few steps down, Zhou Gao Dan caught up with him.

“You see, you still want to run,” Zhou Gao Dan gasped and pulled Zhou Yuntang back.

Desperate, Zhou Yuntang clung to the stair railing and struggled. His voice trembled with a touch of sobbing, and tears fell heavily, “Big Brother, Big Brother, I’m sorry…”

In the past, when Zhou Yuntang shed a tear, Zhou Gao Dan’s voice would soften, and he would gently comfort him. But now, Zhou Gao Dan’s anger clouded his judgment, and those tears were no longer pearls of endearment but mere physiological saltwater on his cheeks.

The two wrestled and struggled at the staircase, not knowing how it happened, but Zhou Gao Dan slipped and was pushed down the stairs.

Zhou Yuntang was taken aback, feeling a hint of relief. He didn’t even spare a glance at the disheveled Zhou Gao Dan and immediately ran towards the exit, disregarding the fact that he was only wearing a loose white shirt.

However, in the next moment, his ankle was grabbed, and he was thrown to the ground. Zhou Gao Dan pinned him down, consumed by pain and rage. He grabbed a fruit knife from the table haphazardly, “You think I don’t know? You rely on your pitiful face to seduce others. Not only did you seduce me, but you also seduced Second Brother, Third Brother… and that Jiang Tian. Do you want to seduce him too?”

“You want to run? Now that I’ve lost everything, do you still want to leave me, to find Jiang Tian? Impossible!” Zhou Gao Dan rambled on, his face no longer showing the elegance and aloofness of the Zhou family’s young master, but only a paranoid madness.

Before Zhou Yuntang could retort or beg for mercy, he felt a sharp pain on his face. The smell of blood filled the air, as if it was right under his nose.

Zhou Gao Dan recklessly cut into Zhou Yuntang’s face a few times, unsatisfied with just a few scratches. He left several deep but non-fatal wounds. Finally, he smiled, “Now you’ve become an ugly monster. Let’s see how you’ll leave me.”

Since the Zhou family went bankrupt, Zhou Gao Dan had lost everything. Even the few possessions he had left might be taken away during the settlement. The only thing he could firmly hold onto was the person in front of him—the one he had cherished for more than a decade and loved for three to four years.

If he lost Tangtang as well, Zhou Gao Dan didn’t know what would be left of him. Just like before, he clung to the screaming and sobbing Zhou Yuntang, comforting him softly while ignoring the excruciating pain in his own leg.

Zhou Yuntang cried uncontrollably, gasping for breath amidst the intense pain and fear. He finally fell into unconsciousness.

In a pool of blood, the two clung to each other, entangled in a complicated and tragic situation.

 

Author’s Note:

Tomorrow, we’ll start a new world~