Chapter 1 (2)
Author: Kun Cheng Xiong Mao
Lin Yu Tong was disturbed awake by the noise of a ringtone. He was in a rush all night to finish his manuscript, he had just fallen asleep when the sun set, and an hour had not even passed. If it weren't because the number on the frantic ringing cell phone belongs to an important person he knew, he would have directly hanged up instead of answering it.
"Hello? Who is this?"
"This is Lao Ye, what's wrong with your new book? Right now, someone's accusing you of plagiarism!"
"What plagiarism?" Lin Yu Tong became silent for a moment, then suddenly sobered, "Are you saying that I plagiarized?"
"Yes, plagiarism, but it's not me who's saying it but someone else is! Quickly go online and check it out, then contact me as soon as possible!" The editor Ye Ming Chong's tone on the phone was very anxious, like he couldn't wait to kill him, and then immediately hang up.
Lin Yu Tong hurriedly turned on the computer and looked at the forums, sure enough, the post that he had plagiarized was pinned at the top, and the amount of response was quite alarming. The poster used a color palette to mark all the places where the two literary works had a similar description or settings. At first glance, the countless place written were almost exactly the same, just like, as if someone deliberately plucked it accordingly from a template at the top.
But how was this possible?
After reading the post Lin Yu Tong immediately picked up the phone and gave Ye Ming Chong a call, and forced himself to calm down, "Lao Ye, I don't know how this happened, but I absolutely did not plagiarize, I even have the evidence to prove that I have my own draft. I just need to... ..." he paused, and Lin Yu Tong who opened a folder suddenly stopped talking.
The place where the character set up and outline documents were originally located was now empty, not even a hair strand could be seen.
Ye Ming Chong sensed something unusual, and quickly asked: "Tong-zi, what's wrong?"
Lin Yu Tong self-mockingly smiled and said: "It's nothing, I'll contact you later."
At this point if he still didn't know that someone wanted to discredithim, he would be really stupid. But it doesn't matter, even if his electronic manuscript was gone, he still has other things that could prove his innocence.
Lin Yu Tong thought about how anxious Ye Ming Chong was, he didn't even care about washing his face, and hurriedly went out to find Shen Jun. Shen Jun was his lover, at the same time was a famous actor. Although his popularity wasn't particularly high, he was still popular. They used to live together but later considering how troublesome the paparazzi were in addition to how busy he was in catching up with his manuscript for the past six months, Shen Jun suggested that they live separately for a while, he thought about it and since they wouldn't be able to see each other for a while anyway, finally agreed.
Shen Jun has a copy of his manuscript, and back up of all his drafts. Originally his manuscript was always kept by him, but once he unintentionally mentioned that these manuscripts were like his children because it was created by him, Shen Jun took his manuscript, and said that since it was his children, it was also theirs, so everyone has a duty to take care of them.
He finally did something good.
Lin Yu Tong stood in front of Shen Jun's apartment door with a smile, and took out the spare key to open the door. He knew that Shen Jun wouldn't be there, because Shen Jun told him half a month ago that he would be filming outside, and it might take a month before he can come back.
However, after opening the door and saw the scene inside Lin Yu Tong's froze on the spot.
There were five people inside the house, two men and three women, Shen Jun, Shen Jun's mother, their college classmate Xiao Wei, and the remaining two people, which from appearance alone would be easy to guess, and nine out of ten chances would have to be Xiao Wei's parents.
The person who should be Xiao Wei's father looked at him, "This is?"
Shen Jun's complexion became ugly, but before he could speak, his mother Yu Yan Qiu spoke first, "This is a distant relative of mine, that was going to come today, but I totally forgot about it, this is very embarrassing." She said and then got up and pulled on Lin Yu Tong, "Xiao Lin, auntie has something to tell you, could you go upstairs with auntie first?"
Lin Yu Tong didn't move or speak, his eyes falling on Xiao Wei's stomach. There was an obvious bulge, she was obviously pregnant.
Xiao Wei lowered her head and didn't dare to speak, Lin Yu Tong turned and looked at Shen Jun, "Why are they here?"
Shen Jun only hesitated for a moment, before a trace of firmness entered his eyes, "I'll tell you later, go upstairs with mom first."
Lin Yu Tong suppressed his doubt and displeasure, "Where is my manuscript?"
Shen Jun roughly said a place, then Lin Yu Tong joined Yu Yan Qiu and entered Shen Jun's study. As soon as the door closed, Lin Yu Tong asked again, "Auntie, why are those people outside here?"
Yu Yan Qiu was silent for a while, before saying, "Xiao Lin, those people outside... that girl is Xiao Wei, she is Jun Jun's, she is Jun Jun's girlfriend, she's been pregnant for six months and Jun Jun intends to marry her." After Yu Yan Qiu saw Lin Yu Tong's livid complexion, she quickly grabbed his wrists and said anxiously, "Auntie knows that you like Jun Jun very much, but auntie begs you, today is not an easy day for Jun Jun, if you let Xiao family know the matter with you and Jun Jun, won't you be ruining his future?
"Ruin his future?" Although he had already guessed when he was downstairs that Shen Jun may have done something and was trying to hide it from him, when he heard it with his own ears, Lin Yu Tong found that he could not be calm at all. He looked at Yu Yan Qiu with disbelief, "Auntie, why don't you tell me who made his future? When you were sick and he was outside working hard, who took care of you? When he was going around trying to build connections who gave him the money? Now you say I'll ruin his future? Am I Lin Yu Tong so worthless!" Lin Yu Tong raised his voice sharply, "Yes, I am cheap, otherwise why would I leave my own family and elope with him regardless? Why didn't I help my family when they needed me the most! Who was it all for?!"
"Are you blaming our Jun Jun for your family going bankrupt? Xiao Lin aren't you being too unreasonable!"
"Yes, I'm unreasonable." Lin Yu Tong couldn't help but rub his forehead, he felt dizzy, but his self-depreciating smile did not change at all, "Since you've already said that I'm unreasonable, why should I still be rational?"
"Where are you going?" Yu Yan Qiu grabbed unto Lin Yu Tong who turned and was intending to leave, "You can't go out!"
"Let go!" Lin Yu Tong shook her hand away, and shoved the other person unto the coffee table. Yu Yan Qiu's eyes fell on the fruit knife, and without even thinking about it, picked up the knife and rushed to the door and blocked Lin Yu Tong's way, "Xiao Lin, you, you can't go out unless you kill me first! Otherwise no one can ruin Jun Jun!"
"I also can't let people bully me and not fight back!" Lin Yu Tong raised his hand and tried to grab the knife, unexpectedly he didn't use that much strength and failed to grab it1, he was also pulled away by Yu Yan Qiu from the door.
(T/N: 1 - not sure how to translate as I got confused by the sentence 不料平日里也不算力气多小的他居然没能一下子抢过来, just translated it through context clues)
Yu Yan Qiu eyes were flashing with madness, she grabbed the knife and pointed it at herself, "Good boy, just let our Jun Jun go, okay?"
"Impossible!" Lin Yu Tong furiously tried to grabbed the knife, and was finally able to take it. However, something happened unexpectedly, Shen Jun suddenly came upstairs, and saw him holding the knife, so he strode over without hesitation and gave him a punch!
"Bam!"
Lin Yu Tong knocked over the flower pot on the window sill
Shen Jun looked at him angrily, "You f—king2 dare point a knife at my mother?"
(T/N: 2 - 他妈: mother f---er)
Lin Yu Tong's heart shattered to pieces, it was so painful that his voice trembled, "Shen Jun, this Lin Yu Tong was this kind of contemptible3 person in your heart?!"
(T/N: 3 - They also used the word 他妈 which means mother f---er here but I thought that contemptible was much more appropriate)
"I saw it with my own eyes, how can it be fake!"
"Yes, if I saw it with my own eyes, how could it be fake? In that case, tell me this, did you find someone to do the plagiarism?" He dared to conceal from him about becoming a father, what other things can't he do? He even secretly told himself that the alleged plagiarism had nothing to do with Shen Jun!
"What about it, I was looking forward to your Lin family going bankrupt, do you think I would give you a chance to change fortunes?"
"Go to hell4 Shen Jun!" Lin Yu Tong rushed and grabbed Shen Jun's collar, "What do you mean by saying this?"
(T/N: 4 - 操你大爷: a curse in Chinese, literal meaning f--- your uncle)
"Lin Yu Tong, I'll tell you now that I've had enough of you! Is your background that great? Didn't you just help me when I was in trouble? Was it worthwhile to tell everyone in the world that I, Shen Jun owes you a favor having spent your money?! Do you think smearing me like this makes you look good, huh?!"
"You're an asshole spitting out blood!5 When have I done this!"
(T/N: 5 - 血口喷: to spit blood; to strongly express one's anger, typically verbally, or a venomous slander)
"You having done this should know this better than anyone!"
"You!" Lin Yu Tong with a displeased face pointed at the person who slowly appeared at the door, "It was her, wasn't it? Except for her, only your mother knows our matter! Your mother wouldn't tell anyone, who else could it be besides her?"
"Don't put the blame on others! It's obviously you! Besides Xiao Wei is pregnant with my baby, what reason could she have to slander me? But you have always wanted to hold me in the palm of your hand and listen to you... ..."
"Pow!" Lin Yu Tong punched Shen Jun in the face. Xiao Wei screamed, and quickly rushed in front of Shen Jun, "Lin Yu Tong! If you want to hit someone just hit me, don't hit him! I was the one who seduced him first!"
"Give me a break!" Lin Yu Tong pushed Xiao Wei away, picked up the vase beside him and smashed it on Shen Jun's head, Shen Jun's head was cut open, and drops of blood dripped down blurring his vision. Lin Yu Tong didn't give him a chance to breathe, he was like a wild animal, he threw himself unto Shen Jun and hit him hard.
When Shen Jun saw Lin Yu Tong push Xiao Wei away, he used his remaining strength, and violently overturned Lin Yu Tong to the ground, but Lin Yu Tong couldn't feel any pain, after getting up he continued to rush and pounce on him wanting to tear him apart.
Lin Yu Tong was thirsty for the bright red fury he was feeling, he longed for something that could relieve him from this predicament.
It has been eight years already, he thought that after the seven-year itch6, Shen Jun's heart would have settled down, but he didn't expect for this to happen.
(T/N: 6 - 七年之痒: idiom; the inclination to become unfaithful after seven years of marriage.)
Shen Jun was able to endure it initially, however after losing too much blood he gradually became overwhelmed. Xiao Wei went and pulled at Lin Yu Tong, she saw Shen Jun look straight up looking terrified. In her memories Lin Yu Tong was always smiling like the sun, she never would have thought that this person would one day look like a devil.
"Stop hitting him Lin Yu Tong! You're going to kill him!" Xiao Wei didn't care about her body, as she rushed to stop it.
"That's right Xiao Lin, do you want to go to prison?!" Yu Yan Qiu also yanked at Lin Yu Tong hard.
However, Lin Yu Tong couldn't stop at all, his fist continuously fell on Shen Jun's face, his sweat dripped down unto the bright red, and a strange picture faintly appeared, the picture stung his eyes and hurt his heart. If it wasn't for helping Shen Jun to develop his journey to stardom by spending his savings, wouldn't he have been able to help his family when they encountered problems at home? How was it that he would spend every day in self-pity, but this was how Shen Jun repays his trust?
It was Shen Jun! No, it was him, it was because he was blind and looked at someone who was worse than a pig and a dog!
Lin Yu Tong's hands unconsciously started to get heavier and heavier... ...
Xiao Wei couldn't stand it anymore, Shen Jun who was at the bottom and was at a complete disadvantage made her really concerned. It so happened that she saw a glint on the ground as she was swaying, she found that it was a fruit knife, and like a ghost she picked it up, then forcefully pierced it into Lin Yu Tong's back!
"Oh!" Lin Yu Tong stopped due to the pain, and with all his might pushed Xiao Wei hard, Xiao Wei stumbled back a few strides and hit the guardrail, scared while slightly breathless. Lin Yu Tong was shocked, but was relieved when he saw Xiao Wei hold unto the guardrail. Suddenly in the next second, the unfinished guardrail flipped back, Xiao Wei's body suddenly lost balance and quickly fell down!
"Ahhhhhh!!!!"
"Xiao... ..." Yu Yan Qiu collapsed before she could call out and fainted on the ground.
"Lin Yu Tong you madman!" Shen Jun was furious, the pain of losing his fiancée and unborn child made him lose any composure he had, he got up, and slammed hard into Lin Yu Tong, who had some difficulty standing, was rammed into the guardrail. Lin Yu Tong became powerless to resist, but a second before falling, he suddenly grabbed unto Shen Jun's shirt!
"Thud!"
A loud sound passed through his ears, but the expected pain did not come.
Lin Yu Tong instantly opened his eyes, he found that opposite him, there two were people, and they were staring at him silently.