Chapter 6

Chapter 6: Birthday

A week had passed before Meng Fu’s aunt arrived. For a moment, he had wondered if Gu Ze had helped to arrange it, but he quickly dismissed the thought. How could Gu Ze possibly help him?

"Meng Fu, I'm sorry. My aunt's been really busy these past few months. Please don’t hold it against me for not visiting sooner," his aunt, Meng Yu, said with a look of apology.

"It’s okay. I’m just glad you're here. But next time, can you bring Xiao Yi along?" Meng Fu asked, a hint of longing in his voice.

Meng Yu hesitated, her expression faltering. "Meng Fu, you know Xiao Yi’s IQ is only at a five-year-old level. We've always told him that he can't visit you while you're studying abroad. If I bring him here, it might confuse him. You know how sensitive he can be, and it wouldn't be good for him to hear that you're in prison. Can you understand?"

"I understand, Auntie," Meng Fu replied quietly, although a deep sense of loss began to settle in. He knew his aunt didn't want him to see Xiao Yi, but he also recalled what Gu Ze had told him about Xiao Yi's pollen allergy. A thought crossed his mind.

"Aunt, Xiao Yi is allergic to pollen. You need to be careful," Meng Fu said, his voice tinged with concern.

Meng Yu looked genuinely surprised. "Xiao Yi has a pollen allergy? I had no idea. Now that you mention it, I did ask him to hold a bouquet of flowers last time, and he broke out in a rash. But thankfully, we got him treated in time. I’ll make sure he stays away from flowers in the future."

Meng Fu studied his aunt’s face. Her sincere expression didn't give him any clue whether she was hiding something, but he couldn't be sure. He didn’t know what to believe anymore. Had Gu Ze lied to him? He couldn’t tell the difference between truth and lies, even though he could sense his aunt’s hesitation.

"Auntie," Meng Fu began, his voice steady despite the turmoil inside him. "The money in that card should be enough to take care of Xiao Yi. You can also use it for anything you like."

"Where would I use your money?" Meng Yu's words tried to deflect, but the glint in her eyes couldn’t hide the smile playing at her lips.

"I’m serious, Auntie. Take care of Xiao Yi. And when I get out, I’ll repay you," Meng Fu insisted.

Meng Yu, however, was unaffected by his offer. She knew well that someone who’d spent years in prison, like Meng Fu, had little to offer in terms of repayment. But she also understood that Xiao Yi was Meng Fu’s weakness. That knowledge made her feel more secure.

---

Five years had passed. Time had blurred for Meng Fu. He spent his days in monotonous routines—exercising, mining, painting the walls—and before he knew it, five years had slipped by. The law books by his bedside had become weathered and unread.

He hadn’t seen his aunt for a long time. Gu Ze had visited, initially taunting him with cruel words, but eventually, he stopped talking and simply watched him in silence. Meng Fu had lost count of how many visits he’d had, and he couldn't remember when his last birthday had passed.

That was, until the day he received a birthday gift. 

It was the first gift he had gotten in five years, but he had no desire to accept it. 

"It’s your birthday," Gu Ze said, his voice soft as he placed the birthday cake in front of him, lit with candles. "Here's your gift."

The number '23' shimmered in the flickering candlelight. He was 23 now—so quickly had time passed.

"Why are you celebrating my birthday?" Meng Fu asked, his voice distant as he watched the flames flicker. There was a momentary pause, as if the light was pulling him into a trance, leaving him vaguely unsettled.

Gu Ze smiled, but there was something cold in his eyes. "Because I have good news for you. You're doing well—you might get your sentence commuted," he said, his words hanging in the air. "But, tell me, what do you think will happen when you’re out of here? People like you... how can someone like you expect a commutation?" Gu Ze’s voice dropped with disdain. "What will happen when you’re free? Do you even know?"

Meng Fu didn’t respond. He didn’t know what to say. The candle continued to burn, each inch consumed by the flame, like tears slowly dripping onto the cake.

He didn’t dare hope. After all, hope only brought disappointment. So, he said nothing, letting the silence consume him. "Blow out the candles," Gu Ze urged, his tone casual, yet mocking. "Come on, make a wish before you do."

"Mister Gu," Meng Fu muttered, his voice barely audible.

Wishes, for him, were illusions—empty promises he no longer believed in.

"Don't you have a wish?" Gu Ze asked with feigned curiosity, though his smile seemed more like a sneer.

Meng Fu shook his head.

"What a shame," Gu Ze said, pretending to be disappointed. "If you're not going to eat it, I’ll throw it away. I’m sure there’ll be good news for you soon, anyway."

---

The celebrations were short-lived. Soon, word came that Meng Fu’s commutation had failed. His hopes were dashed when a prosecutor accused him of stealing, providing detailed evidence—fingerprints on a stolen wallet. The accusation was convincing, and no one believed his protestations of innocence.

"It wasn’t me. This is all slander!" Meng Fu shouted, but his words fell on deaf ears.

He knew, deep down, that it was Gu Ze’s doing. Gu Ze had orchestrated this, pushing him further down the abyss of despair.

"Meng Fu, someone is trying to ruin your chances," Di Jun, another inmate, said, trying to console him. "You should talk to your older brother, have him talk to people outside and fix this."

But Meng Fu knew better. He knew Gu Ze wouldn’t let him go so easily.

He couldn’t help but feel regret for ever having trusted Gu Ze, but that regret had turned to something darker—hatred.

He had been fooled, and now he would pay the price, extending his sentence by another two years. 

"I hate him," Meng Fu thought bitterly, his gaze distant. "But I know I deserve this. Two lives lost... I deserve it all."

His eyes closed, and a flurry of memories rushed through his mind—visions of the woman from the video lying in a pool of blood, of Gu Ze’s hateful face, and of two candles burning away, representing his lost chances, his lost life. 

He deserved this. He deserved everything that was coming to him.

---

"Mr. Gu, Meng Fu’s commutation failed," the secretary reported as he stood beside Gu Ze.

Gu Ze didn’t react at first. His eyes gleamed with a cold satisfaction as he turned to look out the window. "Really? That's good," he said, a faint smile on his lips. "No way that kind of person should be out so quickly."

"Mr. Gu, there’s something else you should know," the secretary hesitated, unsure of how to continue.

"Say it," Gu Ze replied without turning.

"Miss He has been gone for five years. You’ve been alone for so long, and maybe it's time you find someone else," the secretary said, his tone careful.

Gu Ze’s expression didn’t change. "Is this advice from my father?" he asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Yes, but I also think you should consider it. You've never taken anyone seriously after Miss He. Maybe it’s time," the secretary continued, watching Gu Ze closely.

Gu Ze put down his cup, turned back to face the room, and smiled faintly. "That’s none of your concern. I’m in a good mood today. You can leave early."

The secretary knew that Gu Ze’s mood had been lifted by the news of Meng Fu’s continued suffering. Over the years, he had gathered endless information on Meng Fu, sometimes even taking photos from the upper floor of a factory near the prison. 

Gu Ze would stare at these photos for hours, his eyes filled with venomous hatred. It was as if he wanted to see through Meng Fu, to crush him from the inside out, to watch him suffer in slow agony. 

There were several photo albums hidden in Gu Ze’s desk—albums filled with pictures of Meng Fu. The hatred in Gu Ze's eyes was palpable, like the fangs of a snake slowly squeezing the life out of its prey. He wanted to watch Meng Fu die, piece by piece.

Once, he had said, "You might as well commit suicide."

But deep down, he knew Meng Fu would never do that. Because if he did, the fun would be over. And Gu Ze wasn’t ready for that yet. 

END OF THE CHAPTER