Global Film Emperor

Chapter 97 Will the World Treat Us Kindly? (Warning: High-energy content ahead, skip if you're not into it, two chapters combined.)
one year later
"We collect junk! We recycle refrigerators, TVs, washing machines, household appliances, books, newspapers, and other junk for cash!"

"Collecting junk! Recycling~ Puff puff puff woo woo woo, hahahahahahaha."

Lu Ze pedaled the donkey backwards, and she sat on it. Lu Ze would call out a sentence, and she would repeat it. But after a year, she could only repeat it a few times. Then she would sleep and forget it the next morning.

The two have lived together for a year, spending more than 300 days and nights together. From being penniless at the beginning to still having nothing now, they are still together.

It wasn't all for naught; at least they survived, going from one freezing winter to the second.

The two did not move out of that bungalow, but chose to continue renting there. At first, they scavenged all the garbage dumps nearby, and slowly saved up money. They bought a second-hand scooter and opened a small scrap metal recycling station. Once they had enough scrap metal, they would sell it to a large recycling station to earn the difference.

She also got a new name, Dou Ying.

Now, everyone in the neighborhood knows about a young man who supports a mentally challenged wife, so they've taken pity on him and will ask Lu Ze to come and collect any recyclables they have.

"Sir, these bottles cost 15 cents each, and there are 102 in total, which is 15.3 yuan. I'll give you 15.5 yuan, is that alright?"

Lu Ze wondered if the old man had low blood sugar, as he was selling only Coca-Cola bottles. After deflating and flattening the bottles, Lu Ze threw them into a woven bag, took out a piece of cloth from his pocket, licked his fingers, and found some loose change inside.

"Sure, my wife steamed some red bean paste buns for Xiao Dou."

The old man was kind-hearted. Although everyone was poor, the old man had an easier life than Lu Ze. He went into the house, took out a plastic bag, wrapped two buns, and stuffed them into Dou Ying's arms.

"No need, we have food at home, really, you don't need it, sir."

"I didn't give it to you, it's for Xiao Dou. Eat it while it's hot."

As soon as she got the red bean bun, she opened the plastic bag and took a bite. The filling was plentiful, and she immediately tasted the sweet red bean paste. Her eyes narrowed with joy as she sat in the car, watching the old man grinning foolishly.

"Quickly thank the old man, hurry up."

"Thank you, sir. Lu Lu, you should have some too."

She was still very possessive of her food. Even when she bought a few ribs to improve her diet, she would gnaw them all up and then refuse to throw the bones to the dog. The only person she could share food with was Lu Ze.

Lu Ze knew that if he didn't eat, she wouldn't eat either, and she would be unhappy, so he took a bite from the part below that had no filling, so that she would continue eating.

Nodding to the old man, Lu Ze chewed on his steamed bun, gently tapping the handlebars of his small bowl with it, making a clanging sound.

"Collecting scrap!"

She answered the question first today, shouting loudly, which made Lu Ze very happy. He rubbed her head vigorously, and she turned her head with the steaming red bean bun in her hand, enjoying Lu Ze touching her like that.

The night market was a place where Lu Ze often bought her snacks. Even in winter, there were still quite a few people there before 11 p.m. Lu Ze bought her a candied hawthorn and walked along the way to a stall selling shoes.

Her shoes were damaged, and she didn't know how they got scratched. There was a tear on the side. Lu Ze didn't scold her. She just cried in the room for a long time. She knew how to feel sorry for others. She really loved Hello Kitty, and there was a Hello Kitty sewn on the damaged shoes.

Lu Ze was worried that her feet would get cold, so when she took off her shoes yesterday, he touched her feet and they were indeed quite cold. But she still wanted to wear those shoes, even though her feet were cold.

So today, Lu Ze wanted to buy her another pair. He asked the lady at the stall, but unfortunately, the size 37 of the same style was sold out. Lu Ze could only look for other cute shoes, hoping she would like them.

Lu Ze held a pair of pink, furry loafers in his hand, walked over to her, and took off the shoes she was wearing. Her feet were still cold, so he tickled the soles of her feet, making her immediately pull her feet back and laugh while hugging her toes.

Afraid of getting her shoes dirty, Lu Ze gently put the shoes on her feet and pressed down on her big toe: "Are they too tight? Do they fit perfectly?"

"Yeah, pretty much."

"Are you sure? Otherwise, we can't return it if it's too small, understand?"

"almost"

"These are the ones I'll take. Put the other one on too, let's go home."

He handed over forty-five yuan to the stall owner, who had originally priced the shoes at one hundred and twenty. He couldn't bargain down any further. Seeing that she really liked the new shoes, Lu Ze chose to compromise.

Back in the yard, Lu Ze pushed the car in and locked it. She loved to run after putting on her new shoes, and in a flash she ran into the house, with Lu Ze following behind.

As soon as he entered, Lu Ze saw her lighting the stove. She enjoyed doing this job, and it also allowed her to warm her hands. She had been lighting the stove for a long time, so Lu Ze was quite at ease with her.

He went back into the room, made up the quilt, sat down and smoked a cigarette, picked up the thermos and poured a cup of hot water for her and himself, then lay down on the mattress and flipped through the novels he had collected.

She was already able to wash her own feet and face. After she finished washing, she acted like a real wife, bringing Lu Ze a basin of hot water to wash his feet.

She herself took off her clothes, crawled into bed, and was still shivering from the cold in her shirt and trousers. She turned to look at Lu Ze, patted the pillow next to her, and smiled with her eyes narrowed.

She doesn't seem to be too naive sometimes; she sometimes helps with housework and likes to warm Lu Ze's bed. By the time Lu Ze lies down, the bed is already warm.

She habitually snuggles into Lu Ze's arms, and sometimes she even snuggles into Lu Ze's shirt, pressing her face against Lu Ze's skin, which stretches Lu Ze's shirt out of shape.

This time was no different. She burrowed into Lu Ze's vest like an earthworm, constantly arching upwards until she was almost emerging from the collar of his shirt. Only then did Lu Ze slap her bottom to make her behave.

"Humph"

She retreated from her clothes as if she had been beaten, turning her back to Lu Ze to show that she was angry.

The two of them hadn't done anything out of line. Although Lu Ze didn't treat her like a child, but truly regarded her as his wife, doing so would result in having a child, and he had no intention of having children in his life.

Turn off the lights and go to sleep. Don't think about anything else.

"Stomachache"

Early in the morning, before dawn, Lu Ze glanced at the clock and saw it was only a little past five. He rubbed his eyes and, half asleep, placed his warm hands on her belly, rubbing it repeatedly in circles.

"It looks like...she's going to bleed."

There's nothing to be embarrassed about. After all, he bought a big basin in the summer, filled it with water, let it warm up in the sun, and then gave her a bath. He's seen her everywhere, so what's there to be embarrassed about?
Her period was irregular, so Lu Ze simply told her to call him when she had stomach cramps, and she did just that perfectly. But today, she seemed to be in particularly bad pain.

Thinking about it, it makes sense. His feet were so cold a couple of days ago, no wonder they hurt today. Lu Ze was momentarily at a loss. He had never actually collected any women's health magazines before, but Uncle Huang had collected a few.
"Drink the water, finish it all. I'll go out by myself today, and you stay home and wait for me to come back, okay?"

Drinking a full mug of hot water was the best solution Lu Ze could think of. Only after she finished drinking, burped, and lay motionless on the bed did Lu Ze get up to quickly heat up the stove before he could leave with peace of mind.

She cooked a bowl of noodles and added two eggs, then set it aside. She was a little full from drinking earlier, so she would eat later when she got hungry.

She lay there listlessly, looking pitifully at Lu Ze. She had also rested at home when she had severe menstrual cramps before. She was very panicked the first time, but Lu Ze always came back on time, which reassured her a lot. She was a little reluctant to let Lu Ze go.

Unlocking the car, Lu Ze got on and began collecting recyclables from house to house. When passing by garbage dumps, he would rummage through them to see if there was anything he could sell for a little money.

By morning, snowflakes were falling. Today's income was poor; he had only collected a little over eight yuan worth of recyclables all morning. He pedaled his bike, shouting loudly, hoping for a better harvest.

He simply didn't notice an SUV that was about to turn right.

The vehicle hadn't been fitted with snow tires or snow chains, and by the time it saw Lu Ze, it was too late to brake. Although it had slowed down considerably, it still collided head-on with the donkey Lu Ze was riding. The immense resistance sent Lu Ze flying, crashing into the front of the vehicle.

The driver hurriedly got out of the car. He was just an ordinary person, not Brother Long, so of course he was afraid that he might have hit Lu Ze and caused an accident. After all, traffic laws clearly stipulate that even if pedestrians and non-motorized vehicles violate traffic laws, the motor vehicle owner is still required to bear certain responsibilities.

Moreover, this road is a one-way, single-lane road with no pedestrian crossings. People riding donkeys backwards can only travel on the motor vehicle lane, so if this matter is really taken seriously, he bears a great deal of responsibility.

He walked over with a pounding heart and found that Lu Ze had already fainted. He wasn't a doctor and didn't dare to move him, so he dialed the police to report the accident and that he had hit someone. He then turned on his hazard lights, side marker lights, and rear lights, and marked the area ahead before returning to his car and waiting anxiously.

Fifteen minutes later, traffic police and an ambulance arrived at the scene. When they arrived, Lu Ze slowly woke up. There was snow on the hood of the car, which Lu Ze had melted, making it very slippery. As soon as Lu Ze moved, he fell directly to the ground.

"Are you alright, comrade? Don't move. There are paramedics in the ambulance to check you out."

"No. No need, I have to go home, I have to go home."

He was dazed from the impact, his legs trembling. He looked around, took two steps, then stumbled and fell to the ground. He struggled to get up; someone was waiting for him at home, and if he didn't go home soon, she would be scared.

"I can't let you leave like this. It's snowing heavily, and it would be too dangerous if something happened. Besides, you caused an accident, so you have to cooperate with our work."

"I have to go home! My family is waiting for me! Don't touch me! I have to go."

The traffic police officer's actions were not problematic, but Lu Ze was indeed too impatient. He shook off the officer's arm and continued walking in the opposite direction from his home. "Please cooperate with our work! For your own safety, as a police officer, I have the obligation and right to forcibly manage you. After you go to the hospital for a check-up, if there are no problems, I will let you go! As for someone waiting for you at home, I will help you contact them. Get in the car."

"No need! I'm perfectly healthy! I don't have money for medical treatment! Don't worry about me! I have no money!"

These words were heartbreaking. The traffic police officer, seeing Lu Ze's pitiful state, felt compassion and didn't want to force him to go to the hospital. Besides, judging from Lu Ze's appearance, apart from being a little dazed from the accident, he didn't seem to have any serious problems. Most importantly, he repeatedly emphasized that someone was waiting for him, in case it was a child.
"Then I'll take you home first to meet your family. Once you're settled, you'll need to cooperate with my work, okay?"

"ah?!!!"

With his head buzzing, Lu Ze didn't hear what the traffic policeman was saying. He turned his head and saw Lu Weiguo staring at him, blood flowing down and melting in the snow.

"Daize, I'm dead. Will you miss me?"

"Don't come any closer! Don't come any closer! Please let me go! Please! Please let me go! Dad! I'm doing just fine now! Please let me go, I beg you!"

Something astonishing happened: Lu Ze was on the verge of a mental breakdown, kneeling on the ground and kowtowing repeatedly to the "traffic police," begging Lu Weiguo to let him go. This quickly made everyone realize something.

This person has mental problems.

"Get up! What's wrong with you? A nurse, come help!"

The paramedics in the ambulance rushed over, but in Lu Ze's eyes, Lu Weiguo had multiplied and was coming to grab him. He was scared and immediately got up and ran away.

He was still pinned to the ground by these "Lu Weiguo"s, blood flowing over his body. He began to convulse, his limbs shaking violently, and finally his head lolled to the side, and he fainted again.

The driver also felt unlucky. The visibility was poor in the heavy snow, and he was driving a bit too fast when he hit someone. His heart almost jumped out of his throat, but when he saw that the person was okay, he was relieved. Then he found out that he had hit a mentally ill person! Who could stand this twist and turn?

"What should I do, brother?"

The car owner, following behind the traffic police, asked helplessly.

“I’ll have someone tow the car away, and then you’ll come with me to the station. You’ll have to pay for this person’s medical expenses. He didn’t have any anti-skid devices installed, don’t you know what happened to him? There’s also a fine. You were definitely speeding, otherwise, how could you not have seen such a big person? Do you not want your driver’s license anymore? Or do you think you’re living too carelessly?”

He got into the police car in a huff, took the driver back, and Lu Ze was taken to the hospital for further examination.

Fortunately, Lu Ze was not seriously injured. He was just experiencing emotional fluctuations and a slight heart rate spike. He didn't even need to be hospitalized because he had no criminal record and no ID card was found on him. In the end, in accordance with the law, he was sent to a shelter for assistance as a person with mental illness was verified as a person with mental illness.

It's eight o'clock. Lu Ze usually gets home around six o'clock, but he's still not back.

She lay in bed, without turning on the light, staring at the glow-in-the-dark clock. She didn't know what the direction of the hands meant, but she knew that a long time had passed since Lu Ze was supposed to come home.

The kang (heated brick bed) was already cold, and her stomach was aching terribly. And where was her pillar of support? It hadn't returned yet. As the clock struck 8:30, she started to let her mind wander wildly. Had Lu Ze abandoned her?
Unable to contain her fear any longer, she got up, put on her clothes, and limped open the door. The wind was blowing directly towards the door, and a cold, snowy wind blew in. Only then did she realize that it was snowing.

The snow had been falling for ten and a half hours, and the snow in the yard was already above her calves. The snow was seeping into her loafers, and it was bitterly cold.

She started calling out as soon as she stepped out of the courtyard, hoping Lu Ze would respond, but unfortunately, her voice didn't travel far in the wind and snow.

"Lu Lu is hungry."

"what"

The roads in the suburbs were uneven, and her soft calls turned into piercing cries. Tears streamed down her face and froze into ice. Her stomach ached more and more, and she had to grit her teeth with every step she took, but she was afraid.

They reached the garbage heap where the two of them often rummaged through for scrap. She was in too much pain to walk and could only rest for a while.
When Lu Ze regained consciousness, he already felt despair, a real and tangible despair, even though he was lying on a warm bed in the shelter.

He had nothing left in his pockets, and he didn't want any of it. He wanted to leave; he had to leave.

Just as he was about to leave the rescue station following the safety arrows on the ground, he was forced to the ground.

"Where are you going? Where are you going! Go back and stay there!"

The two security guards, looking rather menacing, tackled Lu Ze to the ground and pressed his head down.

"I want to leave! Let go of me! I want to leave!"

"Then you have to sign a waiver of aid form! Who the hell told you to just leave?"

"I sign! I sign!"

When a form was handed to him, he signed it without even looking at it and ran outside. But where was he?
The snow on the road was very deep, and I trudged onto the highway with uneven steps. There were no pedestrians on the street, only snowplows and sanitation workers clearing the road.

Not knowing where he was, he walked to the middle of the road, stood in front of a snowplow, and knelt on the ground.

"You fucking want to die! Get lost!"

"Big brother, please save me! My wife is mentally challenged, she only has the mental capacity of a four or five-year-old. I'm already late, she'll be scared. Big brother, please help me!"

"Then what the hell are we waiting for! Get in the car!"

Lu Ze told the man with the cigarette in his mouth the address. It wasn't too far. The snowplow sped along and arrived in just over ten minutes. Lu Ze thanked the man repeatedly, but he just shook his head and told Lu Ze.

"Spend more time with your wife. It doesn't matter what you were doing before. This is only because things were urgent. Otherwise, I would have beaten you to death first."

Lu Ze nodded and ran towards home until he saw the open door. This time, the person being called was Lu Ze.

"Dou Ying! Dou Ying! Where are you!"

Just as she called out to Lu Ze, Lu Ze did not receive a response from her until they stood in front of that garbage heap.

"hehe."

He fell on the snow, stood up, walked towards her, sat down beside her, and gently tucked the frost-covered strands of her hair behind him. She was lying there, turned to the side, with her back to Lu Ze, just like when she usually threw a tantrum at him.

What people fear most is not a sudden cataclysmic event, but the world gently killing all their hopes and dreams.

"I don't want to live anymore, I don't want to live anymore~ It's meaningless."

He took off his coat and covered her with it. Lu Ze lay down on his side and, as usual, put his arm around her waist to cheer her up.

"I'm late, slow down and wait for me."

Lu Ze kept staring at her until she transformed into Lu Weiguo, turned around, and said to Lu Ze, "Da Ze, don't sleep, you'll freeze to death."

"So what if I die? Living is tiring and meaningless."

"Don't you want to live anymore?"

"Okay, I'm going to sleep."

Gradually, Lu Weiguo began to "become younger," and suddenly, he transformed into Lu Ze himself. He stared at his original self for a while, then silently turned his head away. The two "Lu Zes" closed their eyes at the same time.

"The simulation of the first group of people has been completed, with a score of 0, which is extremely poor. The course has ended."

Lu Ze opened his eyes in the system space, took off the pajamas and pajama bottoms he had brought into the system, spread the pajamas on the ground, lay down, and twisted the pajama bottoms into a rope and bit them in his mouth.

"Come on! If I utter a single word today, I'm your son!"

"Snapped!!"

"Ouch, you son of a bitch!!!"

One reminder: Lu Weiguo is not a ghost, nor is he the shadow that Lu Ze harbors about Lu Weiguo. Rather, he is Lu Ze himself who has transformed into the image of a father after losing his fatherly love, a version of himself who wants to live and live with dignity.

These are three short stories. Let me share the ideas I wanted to convey in them. University: "Youth Should Be in Your Hands"; Society: "You Are Made by Society, Just a Reincarnation of the Previous Person"; Mental Disorder: "Don't Let Another 'You' Remind You to Live Well."

This is the most depressing piece, offering no catharsis whatsoever. I hope to provide a negative example, not that Lu Ze was inherently pathetic, but that his fate was sealed because he only knew how to escape and go with the flow. From the moment he fled his hometown, he never made an effort, never fought for his destiny, and ultimately ended up as a scrap collector, passively accepting his fate. This is unacceptable. If he had truly fought for it, Lu Weiguo would never have existed. I hope you enjoy reading! I'm Matchstick, see you tomorrow!

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(End of this chapter)