News

At a low table in a street food stall, Yutou Xu held a cigarette in his mouth with one hand and a garlic oyster the size of his palm in the other. With a mouth full of oil, he shouted at Yang Chu, who was sitting across from him, "Hey Chu, what do you think of this place? Cheap and tasty—perfect for a big eater like you!"

After the short-haired man got out of the car, the two did not leave.

Yutou Xu found a temporary parking spot nearby and took Yang Chu into the night market on this street, saying he wanted him to try some authentic local food.

"Not bad," Yang Chu replied, momentarily pausing from his relentless attack on the variety of dishes in front of him to nod at Yutou Xu.

To be honest, he didn't care much about whether the food tasted good or not. As long as it met his caloric and nutritional needs, that was enough.

His sense of smell and taste could discern the quality of flavors, but the feedback from his nervous system didn't trigger a dopamine response that would bring him pleasure.

It was like pain or any other sensation—he could distinguish and feel it, but that was all.

"I really like it here. Earlier, you asked me about the meaning of life or something like that. I don't have an answer for that. But if there's food to eat and fun to be had, and seeing so many people around, I just feel happy to be alive," Yutou Xu said suddenly, turning to Yang Chu as he took in the bustling surroundings with his cross-eyed gaze.

Since meeting Yang Chu, he had gradually realized that his newly acquainted little brother was quite different from others.

After speaking, Yutou Xu suddenly chuckled, stood up, and waved to Yang Chu, "Hurry up and finish eating; let's go! There are many more places to visit, and I'll get you some clothes too."

Yang Chu quickly finished the food on the table, wiped his mouth with a napkin, and followed Yutou Xu into the lively night market.

Temple Street, Ningbo Street, Saigon Street, Woosung Street, North Point Road.

Chaotic neon signs, loud music, and the bustling sounds of people.

Shops and stalls lined up—selling everything from the latest VCDs and portable music players to sexy lingerie, cosmetics, tattoo parlors, banks, gold shops, silver shops, watch shops, pharmacies, hair salons, video stores, clothing stores, magazine shops, herbal tea stalls, and upstairs nightclubs and karaoke bars, to downstairs sellers of Maca Viagra and "royal secret remedies."

Endless food stalls, small restaurants, snack bars, burger joints, and pizza places—a mix of East and West, Chinese and foreign.

The crowd was dense, vendors calling out their wares, and the clanging of stir-fry sounds mixed with various music created a constant cacophony.

As Yang Chu and Yutou Xu walked, they bought all sorts of snacks and dishes, eating as they went.

Looking at the diverse people and hearing their varied conversations, Yang Chu felt a deep sense of smallness and reality amidst this bustling human atmosphere.

Not as a detached observer but as someone deeply immersed.

In such an environment, it seemed he could also sense various emotions and desires.

The two continued their eating and shopping spree until around ten o'clock at night, finally emerging with bags in hand. After retrieving the car, they drove for another ten minutes back to Yutou Xu's place.

"Exhausted! I'm going to take a shower first," Yutou Xu said, turning on the TV as he entered, and then headed to the bathroom.

Yang Chu sat on the living room sofa, closed his eyes slightly, and began stimulating his body's digestion and absorption through several systems.

He couldn't remember how much he ate that night. A lot of it had been digested and absorbed while sitting, but eventually, he had to store the rest.

"…Mr. Zhan, tonight you didn't invite any guests, and your two co-hosts aren't here, so there's no 'Defense or No Defense.' What are you planning to talk about? You know, everyone in Hong Kong loves to hear you get gossip out of celebrities that you can't hear anywhere else," a voice came from the TV.

"Tonight, I'm going to talk about a major event that happened recently in Hong Kong," said a man in his fifties with a flat-top haircut, dressed in a suit and glasses, facing the camera with a serious expression.

"Wow, what major event? You're being so serious; that's not like you!" a young female co-host asked curiously.

"It truly is a significant event. I don't know how many people are already aware, but as a responsible public figure, I feel it's necessary to talk about it again. Let me clarify first: what I'm going to say next isn't targeted at any specific profession, it's just stating facts."

The man in glasses, with a stern face, made a habitual hand gesture and began speaking:

"…Today, Tuen Mun Police Station released information about a case. In the early hours of July 19th, on Castle Peak Road near Ching Lung Tau, close to the Marine Police Station—many of you might have heard about it—a taxi driver was found murdered, his chest bones shattered, and his heart and lungs pierced by the broken ribs, causing massive internal bleeding that led to his death.

Around six or seven in the morning, the taxi driver's body and his taxi were discovered, and the police were called immediately. Initially, the police thought the driver was a victim, but upon further investigation, they found—"

At this point, the host paused, a hint of anger flashing across his face.

"This is where the twist comes in. Upon deeper investigation, the police discovered that the taxi driver was actually a suspect in the murder of several female passengers at night. Moreover, in his home, they found a large number of organs preserved as specimens and various obscene photos. It's beyond heinous and cruel…"

On the sofa, Yang Chu, who was accelerating his digestion and metabolism, suddenly opened his eyes upon hearing this.

"What are you watching?" asked Yutou Xu, who came out of the bathroom shirtless, drying his sparse hair with a towel as he approached the sofa.

Yang Chu did not reply; his eyes remained fixed on the TV screen where the host continued to speak.

"The police speculated that this vicious taxi driver had kidnapped a 17-year-old girl in the trunk and was planning to drive to a remote area to commit a crime.

Then, while driving along Castle Peak Road near Ching Lung Tau, a stranger flagged down the taxi. The girl trapped in the trunk cried out for help, catching the stranger's attention. A conflict ensued between the driver and the stranger, and the driver was beaten to death, rescuing the kidnapped girl. Wow, this is truly heartwarming; I almost clapped my hands raw," the host said excitedly, clapping his hands repeatedly.

After a while, he continued, "However, after this heroic act, the stranger disappeared. Only the rescued girl and a convenience store clerk who saw his figure from a distance can describe him.

The police are now gathering clues and looking for this hero. They've promised to apply to the court for immunity in light of his brave actions. I'm also making a public statement here: If this unnamed hero needs anything, I'm willing to provide money and support…"

"Wow, a real hero!" exclaimed Yutou Xu, watching the news with excitement. He glanced at Yang Chu, who was watching intently, and asked, "Hey Chu, you're watching so closely—could that hero be you?"

Yang Chu slowly withdrew his gaze. He neither nodded nor shook his head but finally had some understanding of the taxi driver who had died at his hands.

Yutou Xu wasn't bothered by Yang Chu's lack of response, as he was used to his personality. He suddenly pointed at the still-excited host on the TV and said, "See, that's one of the 'Four Talents' I was telling you about in the car. I've seen him at film sets a few times—he's hilarious, especially good at telling dirty jokes."

"Oh?" Yang Chu's half-closed eyes lifted slightly, showing a hint of interest.

"Alright, I'm off to bed," Yutou Xu yawned, not really believing that Yang Chu was the person in the news. He patted the sofa and turned back to his room.

Shortly after Yutou Xu went back to his room, Yang Chu got up from the sofa, turned off the TV, picked up the keys that Yutou Xu had tossed on the table, and quietly left the house.