Chapter 027: The Choice

A month passed in the blink of an eye. By the end of April, the weather in Wuni City had grown quite hot.

After a month of recuperation, Dong Cuo’s injuries had improved significantly. Although not fully healed, he could manage his daily activities without issue.

A month ago, after Zhong Yuan had driven him, Zhong Da, and Xiao Hua to the outskirts of Wuni City, he had left on his own. The three of them hid on the outskirts for one night. At the first light of dawn the next day, a middle-aged man named A Le arrived in a pickup truck, picked them up, and drove them to a durian plantation north of Wuni City.

The plantation was vast. It was late March, the peak of the durian harvest season. With workers coming and going, the three of them posed as laborers and blended in, remaining completely unnoticed.

A day later, A Le brought a doctor to examine Dong Cuo’s leg, using the excuse that he had fallen from a durian tree while harvesting. Following this, he officially settled into the plantation to recover. Zhong Da and Xiao Hua stayed for another week, working as laborers, and once they were certain his injuries were stable, they departed.

Since then, Dong Cuo had not been in contact with them. It wasn’t that he didn’t want to, but he wouldn't have known what to say even if he had reached out.

During this time, he often replayed the conversation he had with Zhong Yuan in the woods that night. He knew that what Zhong Yuan said was likely the truth, but the terror and despair he had felt on that boat—the moment Brother Ma’s men dragged him away—were equally real. He didn’t necessarily blame Zhong Yuan, nor did he harbor any resentment.

However, whenever he thought about the future and the possibility of facing such "nerve-wracking" ordeals again, an overwhelming fear would instantly grip him, as if he were back in that dark, cramped cabin, feeling the blows of those men raining down on him, wishing he were dead.

Because of this, he had long harbored a desire to retreat, though he hadn't known how to voice it. Zhong Yuan had likely sensed this, which is why he had brought it up himself. But now, where was he to go? Should he follow Zhong Yuan’s suggestion and return home, or remain here in Southern Thailand? Dong Cuo was torn.

That afternoon, after lunch, he was sitting on the concrete yard with a group of workers, folding cardboard boxes. Suddenly, A Le walked over from outside. His gaze swept over the crowd before landing on Dong Cuo. He called out to him, and when Dong Cuo looked up, he beckoned him over. Dong Cuo stood up and approached.

"Brother A Le, are you looking for me?" Dong Cuo asked with a smile.

A Le nodded. "Manager Wu has arrived. He says he wants to see you."

Dong Cuo was stunned. Manager Wu wanted to see him? He didn’t ask why, knowing he wouldn’t get an answer. Soon, he arrived at the office building on the east side of the plantation to meet the man he had only ever heard of through A Le.

Manager Wu was a man in his thirties, roughly the same age as Zhong Yuan. He was slightly plump with a nascent beer belly. His eyes were small, and a smile seemed permanently etched onto his lips.

"Dong Cuo, right?" Manager Wu greeted him the moment he entered.

Dong Cuo nodded, then tentatively asked, "Manager Wu, you wanted to see me for..."

"No need to be nervous!" Manager Wu said, gesturing for him to sit.

Dong Cuo sat down opposite him, feeling hesitant. No sooner had he settled into the chair than Manager Wu continued: "There’s no need to be tense. You’ve been here for a month, and I haven't really had a proper talk with you, so I thought I’d bring you in for a casual chat!"

A casual chat? Dong Cuo didn't believe that for a second. But now that his leg was almost healed, he wondered if Manager Wu was planning to kick him out. His heart sank at the thought.

Across from him, Manager Wu watched him, his narrow eyes shimmering with shrewdness. "I heard from A Le that you’ve been helping out with the workers lately?"

Dong Cuo gave a self-deprecating laugh. "I was just bored, so I helped them fold a few boxes. It’s hardly real work!"

Manager Wu chuckled. "Folding boxes is work, why wouldn't it be?" He paused, his gaze lingering on Dong Cuo’s face, before asking, "How is your leg? Still hurting?"

Dong Cuo shook his head. "It’s mostly recovered! Thank you for your concern, Manager Wu!"

Manager Wu stared at him with a smile for a moment before asking, "Since you’ve recovered, do you have any plans for what comes next?"

Dong Cuo hesitated. "I haven't decided yet."

"Is that so?" Manager Wu replied casually, before his tone shifted slightly. "How about I give you a suggestion?"

Dong Cuo looked at him, slightly startled. "Please, go ahead."

"I’m short of someone to run errands for me. I think you’re a good fit, if you’re interested!" Manager Wu took a sip of tea from his cup, then added, "Of course, you can take your time to think about it. No need to answer right away."

Dong Cuo was caught off guard. He looked at Manager Wu and almost wanted to agree immediately, but he bit his tongue. Reason told him not to rush; he should think it over. He lowered his eyes and said, "Thank you, Manager Wu. I’ll go back and consider it."

"Hm. No rush!" Manager Wu smiled warmly. "I heard from A Le that you arrived in a hurry and didn't bring much. Since your leg was injured, I had A Le prepare some things for you. Now that you can walk, I’ll tell A Le to take you out sometime in the next few days to buy some clothes and such."

Dong Cuo was flustered by this show of hospitality. He laughed awkwardly and waved his hands. "There's no need, Manager Wu. What you’ve already provided is plenty. I don't need anything else for now. Besides, Brother A Le is busy, there's no need to trouble him!"

"What trouble? It's settled!" Without giving Dong Cuo a chance to refuse, he called A Le in from outside and gave the order.

Once A Le agreed, Manager Wu smiled at Dong Cuo again. "Alright, that’s all. You can go back with A Le. If your leg isn't fully healed, just rest more. Don't bother with the workers; just focus on getting better!"

Dong Cuo lowered his head, stood up in a flurry, and rubbed his hands nervously against his trousers. "Thank you, Manager Wu!"

"Off you go!" Manager Wu waved him away.

Dong Cuo muttered an acknowledgment and followed A Le out. As the door closed, Manager Wu let out a soft, dry chuckle. That was the thing about young people—a little bit of kindness was all it took to make them feel deeply grateful.