Jiang Xiaoshuai had also heard about the matter and came with Guo Chengyu to find Wu Suowei.
As soon as Wu saw Guo, he anxiously asked, “Well? Did you manage to find anything out?”
“I did, but not much,” Guo replied. “I didn’t expect them to keep things this tight-lipped this time. All the interrogations are being conducted in secret. Even the holding room is specially set up, he’s not being kept with the other suspects. Looks like I miscalculated. This isn’t as simple as I thought.”
Even Jiang started to get worried and began scolding Guo nonstop.
“What’s wrong with that brain of yours? The stuff you say is getting more and more unreliable!”
Guo shot Jiang a sideways glance and said in mock anger, “Who do you think I’ve been hanging around all this time?”
“Oh, fuck off! What do you mean hanging around me? I’m sharp as hell!”
“Oh, you’re so sharp you got tricked into coming to me?”
“You—!”
Jiang was just about to snap back when he saw Wu quietly move to a sofa not far away, sitting there lost in thought. Jiang felt a pang in his chest, shoved Guo aside, and walked toward Wu.
“Dawei, don’t worry. I think the secret investigation isn’t because the situation is serious, it’s because of Chi’s special status. If this went public, it might actually make things worse. Doing it quietly like this might actually help clear his name.”
Wu sat there with his arms resting on his knees, head hanging low, his big eyes blankly staring at the floor.
“Tell me… what’s Chi been eating these past two days?”
Jiang faltered. How the hell would I know?
Wu added, “It’s not really just hard bread and salty pickles, is it?”
“Uh…” Jiang forced a dry laugh. “What’s wrong with hard bread? I actually like that stuff. Cornmeal costs more than wheat flour now. Honestly, if he’s getting cornbread and buns, that’s already decent treatment.”
“Is he getting enough to eat?”
Jiang tentatively asked, “How much does he normally eat?”
“It depends,” Wu said. “Usually, however much I prepare, that’s how much he eats.”
Jiang broke into a cold sweat. “So basically he’s never actually gotten full, huh?”
Wu fell silent, his heart sour and heavy.
Jiang quickly tried to comfort him. “Don’t worry. I heard detention centers these days are pretty good. They have a different menu every week and make sure everyone’s fed. He might even be eating better there than at home. At least he’s getting enough.”
Wu’s dark gaze slowly shifted to Jiang’s face, and Jiang instantly shut up.
After a moment, Wu asked again, “Do you think he’s being beaten up in there?”
“Him? Getting beaten?” Jiang snorted. “He’s lucky if he isn’t beating them up!”
But Wu couldn’t bring himself to laugh.
After a while, Wu got a phone call. He only listened for a few seconds before his face changed.
When he hung up, Jiang asked anxiously, “What happened?”
“Something came up at the company.”
And with that, Wu drove off.
259
Jiang Xiaoshuai, worried that the pressure was too much for him, often went over to keep him company at night. But even waking in the middle of the night, he would still see Wu Suowei’s big eyes wide open, rolling about, which made Jiang feel awful and left him in a bad mental state these past few days.
One night, Jiang finally couldn’t stand it anymore and called out softly.
“Dawei.”
Wu stared at him blankly.
Jiang paused, then said, “If you’re really having financial trouble, I can sell that luxury apartment of mine to help you out.”
Wu’s throat tightened. True, emotions couldn’t be measured, but in a moment of such hardship, to have a friend willing to offer up something so significant, that took an extraordinary blessing.
To have one true confidant in life is enough.
Steadying his emotions, Wu said, “That was a gift from Guozi. How could you just sell it? Once it’s gone, you can’t buy it back.”
“I’m not planning to live there anyway. What’s the point of keeping it?”
But Wu was firm. “Xiaoshuai, listen to me. You can help me pull some strings, sure. But you don’t need to worry about my problems, I can handle them myself.”
“It’s not like I wouldn’t let you pay me back!” Jiang grumbled. “You’re always happy to take advantage of me usually, so why are you acting all polite now?”
Wu rolled over, hugged Jiang tight, and forced himself to sound cheerful as he said, “Stop worrying already! I still have a few properties I haven’t sold yet, no way I’d let you sell yours first.”
Hearing that, Jiang finally relaxed.