Global Movie Emperor - Chapter 54

Chapter 54: Lu Ze’s Urban Records (2-in-1, Final)

“First phase simulation: Complete. Score: 82. Evaluation: Good. Course concluded.”

The duration of the first phase was a month. After coming out of the space system, Lu Ze couldn’t help but let out a sigh. Perhaps, the current version of him could already implant some simple mental cues in his mind, causing the degree of immersion to be not as powerful. He had been able to objectively assess himself in the course.

He admitted that he’d worked inside the course but still failed to address the root problem. First of all, the change in his mentality was too significant. In there, he had been too impatient, causing him to feel excessive pressure from both his work and daily life, resulting in his failure to manage either properly.

However, in reality, he was merely a spectator in the course, and all this self-assessment was possible only after everything concluded. He was powerless to do anything and could only go along with the course.

“Launching the second phase of the simulation. Duration: two years. Get ready. 3…2…1…”

…

After eight months…

“Take care, President Wang. Let me help you.”

Opening the car door, he waited for President Wang to enter the vehicle. Like Manager Liu half a year ago, he was seeing the client off with a smile on his face.

He had been promoted after Manager Liu was crushed to death by a truck one day when he was heading home completely wasted. Then, the company leaders had pondered who would be the best option for this position and decided that Lu Ze, who frequented social meetings with Manager Liu and had good relationships with the clients, was the most suitable candidate.

Undoing the topmost button of his shirt, Lu Ze turned around and looked at his current subordinate, Little Song. “Are you alright? Do you want me to call a cab for you? Tomorrow is the weekend, so have a good rest.”

“No need, Big Brother Lu. I live right around here. It’s just a few minutes’ walk.”

Lu Ze suddenly blanked out for a moment and couldn’t help but ask, “Where do you live?”

“Ronghua neighborhood. It’s quite close to here.”

Lu Ze suddenly had a hallucination, seeing his former self in Little Song. He rubbed his cheek before patting his staff and saying, “Then, I won’t see you off. Go on.”

Little Song flagged a taxi down for Lu Ze. After telling the driver the location, Lu Ze leaned on the window and watched the flitting scenery in a daze.

After paying the driver 35 yuan, he opened the car door, and wobbled out, still somewhat drunk. He took out a cigarette from the pocket of his pants and lit it up. While holding the suit in his hand, he headed home.

He arrived on the eleventh floor after entering the elevator. With a cough, the lights automatically turned on. He rummaged through his bag for his keys, unlocked the door, and headed in.

It was ten o’clock at night. Today’s drinking session did not go on for very long. Upon entering, he saw her sitting on the couch, watching a variety show.

He hung his coat and took off his shoes before pulling out the slippers from the shoe rack and throwing them on the ground while asking her softly, “Haven’t gone to bed yet?”

“I’ll go to sleep after watching this. Do you want tea? I’ll make a cup of lemon tea for you.”

She stood up and went to the kitchen. Lu Ze immediately planted his butt on the spot she had been sitting in. As he leaned on the couch, he let out a burp. After not even sitting for two minutes, he felt like peeing, so he went to the bathroom and opened the floodgates.

Grrr…

Because he felt a bit hungry, Lu Ze looked habitually at the dining table. There was nothing on the table. It was completely empty. He didn’t know since when he couldn’t find those meals, which would normally be warm even at midnight, upon returning home.

He lay down on the couch to watch the 42-inch LCD television. He had changed rental accommodation half a year ago. Although it was merely a little over 70 square meters large, it had far better furnishing and facilities than the previous one.

Thump.

Putting the teacup on the table, she also sat down on the couch. However, when she smelled the wine on Lu Ze’s body, she immediately frowned. “Go take a bath.”

“Hold on. I’m tired. I’ll go in a moment. Let me lie down for a moment.”

“Go take a bath.”

Lu Ze stopped in the midst of changing sides and threw a sideways glance at her before simply crawling up and heading to the bathroom. As he took off his clothes, he did not feel pleased. As if in revenge, he said, “I’m a bit busy tomorrow and won’t be able to go window shopping with you.”

“Alright.” Her reply was also blunt and clear as if not feeling the slightest disappointment.

As he turned the shower on, the water droplets fell down his protruding beer belly. Taking a shower in a drunken state could easily cause his blood pressure to rise, hence Lu Ze began to feel somewhat dizzy at this point.

After he wiped his body, he put on his bathrobe and let go of the discomfort in his heart. Hoping to get a bit intimate with her to improve the atmosphere, he sat by her side and rubbed her shoulders.

“We can go tomorrow, alright? I haven’t gone out with you for a while now. I’ll be closing a deal soon, so I’ll buy you something then.”

She didn’t push his hand away and continued to watch TV like a statue. Without replying to him, she merely ate the grapes, not taking her eyes off the television.

“Then…how about we go out for dinner tomorrow? I know a pretty good restaurant. Do you want to try it out?”

She still didn’t reply, causing Lu Ze to feel quite awkward. Eventually, he released her shoulders and picked up the cigarette from the table to light up.

“Put that out.”

“Hold on. Just two puffs.”

“Lu Ze, when did you become like this?”

His hand holding the cigarette clenched, and he scowled. He picked up the teacup she had brought just now and took a sip before feigning ignorance. “What are you talking about? Haven’t I been quite good? As you can see, I’ve been promoted and I’m also earning a lot now. We’ve upgraded to a better house and we eat much better than before. Don’t you think it’s pretty good?”

“Are these things important?”

“Aren’t they?”

The two stared at each other coldly. It was hard to imagine a couple who had been so intimate with each other a year ago would shoot each other such looks.

“A colleague of mine saw you holding another woman at the KTV.” She battled with herself for a long time before finally uttering these words. Rather than being stifled by keeping it to herself, she felt it was better to let it all out.

Lu Ze seemed like a cat whose tail had been stepped on. His tone turned somewhat abnormal as he argued, “When? Perhaps your colleague saw something wrong.”

“Hehe, 22 May in VIP booth number three at Dijiale. You were happily drinking and along with your so-called ‘clients’ and holding women in your arms. Am I wrong?”

“It’s…part of the job.”

His sketchy tone caused a sneer to gradually appear on her face. She mocked, “Getting drunk all the time is part of the job. Staying out all night is part of the job. Going to bars and hanging out with your subordinate is also part of the job. And now…even looking for prostitutes has become part of the job?”

These words infuriated Lu Ze. He dared to pledge that he’d not crossed the bottom line, never! He was still quite faithful in his relationship. Even through it all, he knew that somebody was waiting for him back home.

“Who’s looking for prostitutes? Are you done? Do you really have to throw whatever dirt you can find on my face? I admit that every time we have social parties, there are girls accompanying us, but is that really for me? If I didn’t do this, when could we have gotten out of that crappy house? When could we have gained financial liberty? When would I have managed to buy you gifts? In the end, who did I work so hard for?”

“For me? Have you ever seen me using those luxury products you gave me? When we lived back there, did I ever complain to you? Lu Ze! I can live eating 80 yuan instant noodles with you. Do I care how much money you have?”

“But I care!”

“Then, you’re too materialistic!”

Lu Ze somewhat couldn’t understand her and looked at her with a puzzled gaze. Wasn’t earning money good? Wasn’t improving one’s standard of living good? How could he marry her without money? Without money, how could he provide for his parents and his sister in Luhua? Should they starve to death?

He took a sip of the tea and lowered his head, no longer wishing to quarrel with her.

“Alright, go sleep. It’s too late. Don’t wake the neighbors up.”

“Lu Ze…can you resign? We don’t need such a job. If you continue to work and drink like this, your body will be ruined. I can go back to Luhua with you. Even if we have to struggle with money, even if you don’t want to do it for yourself, do it for me. Ever since your leader died, I’ve been on edge that the same will happen to you. Quit this job, Lu Ze. I just want us to return like we were before.”

Lu Ze remained silent for a long time. The two remained seated on the couch amidst the laughs and giggles from the variety show.

“I can’t do it. I just can’t.” Lu Ze couldn’t abandon his income. If not for her sake, then he couldn’t do it for the sake of his parents.

“Then, let’s break up. I’ve seen too many days like this. Every day, you’re gone before I wake up and you come back from your parties after I’ve gone to sleep. There’s obviously only one person in this house. I rarely ever see you in the house. I don’t need that kind of love.”

Lu Ze looked at her in shock and he could feel the anger rising up from within him. However, thinking about her words which were not wrong in any way, he found nowhere to vent it out. Feeling choked, he lowered his head and spoke without confidence, “Love isn’t everything in life…”

“It is for me!”

For Lu Ze, she could live through the bitter days. She could adamantly refuse the guy her parents had suggested, ignore how poor Lu Ze’s family was, and only value him as an individual. She had even given her career up. If it was not for love, then what was it for?

“Lu Ze, I’m asking you again. We’ll go to Luhua and start over. If you agree to go back, I’ll marry you, then we can buy a house on loan. If you worry about your parents, we’ll stay with them too. I’ll look after them. Do you dare to do that or not?”

“I…can’t…”

Lu Ze was doomed to not have his family in this city. He only intended to work and earn money before going back home, buy a car and a house, and take care of his parents. He’d been under this pressure since he was young and couldn’t walk away before reaching this point.

“Then, let’s part ways here. I’ll pack my things.”

She had made up her mind. Lu Ze knew that since she had made her decision, it was impossible to make her change her mind. Therefore, he didn’t try to stop her.

He could hear the sound of a zipper being pulled from the bedroom, then the sounds of a cupboard being opened and things being stuffed into a suitcase. Lu Ze didn’t move. He merely sat on the couch, holding his face in his hands with a blank mind.

Half an hour later, having completed her packing, she walked out dragging her trunk. At the door, she turned around and glanced at Lu Ze and opened the door. Just as she was about to step about…

“Hold on.”

“What is it now?”

Lu Ze hurriedly rummaged through his pockets, took out a jewelry case from his pocket, and skipped to her side with a fawning appearance. He opened the case and revealed a bracelet.

“Um…Didn’t you want this for a long time? I saved up for a bit and bought it for you. Can…you try it on?”

“There’s no need for this. Since you are not willing to leave this place, we can’t be together. Alright, go back and return it. Buy something nice for your parents with this money.”

“Give me your hand. Just take it as something to remember me by.”

Directly pulling her hand, he slid the bracelet on her arm. Her arm was quite soft and fair and looked quite beautiful with the bracelet.

“Gorgeous. It suits you, hehe.”

She suddenly felt like crying but she forced her tears back. Patting his beer belly, she said a few words and left, “Take care of yourself. Don’t drink so much, or your liver will be done for.”

“Can I see you off?”

“No need. Just go back in.”

When he went back in, he trudged to the kitchen and took out a bottle of whiskey from the wine cabinet. Stretching his neck, he looked downstairs and watched her walking out of the neighborhood while dragging her luggage before calling a taxi and leaving.

Perhaps maintaining a balance between work and family was impossible for many men, and Lu Ze was one of them.

He suddenly recalled a song of Cao Dong’s. Picking up a wine glass, he poured the whiskey and set it on the table while humming, “She knows, she knows, I’ve got no answer…”

Raising his head and downing the cup, he turned his gaze to the TV and forced himself to smile as he watched the laughter and cheers.

After he drank until he was completely wasted, he passed out on the couch.

…

Life would continue with or without anybody. If you ought to make money, you had to make money. If not for her, then for your parents.

This was the case for him. In the day, he worked, and at night, he partied with his clients. His work became increasingly exceptional and the attention of the higher-ups on him kept growing.

The third phase went on for three years. He was promoted again. By the time the course was about to end, he’d accumulated enough savings that if he went back, he could directly buy a house in Luhua without any loan. After all, the prices of property in Luhua were not that high.

“Big Brother Lu, there is an express delivery for you.”

“Oh, no problem. Alright, President Zhao. Tonight, your little brother will treat you well. No problem. Okay, okay. Leave that express delivery on the table. Right, we’ll meet in the evening then.”

After hanging up the phone, Lu Ze turned around and chair and picked up the mail. It looked like some contract papers.

However, the document was quite thin. Perhaps, there was only one sheet of paper. When he tore it open, there wasn’t even a single paper. As he flipped it, what came out instead was a bracelet…

That night, Lu Ze drank a lot. Even President Zhao was frightened by his actions. His relationship with Lu Ze was already very good, so there was really no need for the former to drink himself to death.

“President Zhao…it’s snowing outside. Please…please take care of your safety. Alright, start the car, driver. See you later, President Zhao.”

“My boy Lu, are you…alright? Why don’t we go together, and I’ll drop you off first?”

“It’s fine. I stay nearby. It’s just a few minutes’ walk. Bye, President Zhong. Thank you for your concern.”

After telling his subordinate, who also wanted to drop him home, leave as well, he headed to the old building where he had once lived before. Actually, this time, the location of the meeting was determined to be quite far from his old house. However, he still wanted to walk there.

The snow falling on the ground turned into layers of ice. As the snowfall increased, the alcohol started getting to his head.

Bam.

Due to his slight carelessness, he fell on the ground. Just when he had barely managed to crawl himself back up, he discovered a bright light shining on his face. He raised his head and saw a huge truck speeding towards him.

Beep Beep Beep Beep!!!

Bang!