Retracing the Past

Xu Huizhou’s mother died by suicide when he was four, and his father did the same when he was five. Everyone avoided him like the plague, and no one was willing to adopt him. At the orphanage, he met four little boys who were willing to be his friends. Before long, the other boys were adopted one after another. He was the only one who stayed at the orphanage forever. In high school, Xu Huizhou reunited with them. When the college entrance exam results came out, he was the top science student in the city. The four of them arranged a trip to celebrate. He had no idea the trip was a carefully planned journey to his death. Deep in the mountains, Xu Huizhou was pushed off a cliff. His four friends brought back his suicide note and wept bitterly. “He inherited his parents’ mental illness.” Xu Huizhou endured a hellish ordeal at the foot of the cliff, but in the end, he survived. His body was already in ruins, however, and he had become a “dead man” who no longer existed. Xu Huizhou swore an oath. One day, he would repay them many times over for the harm they had inflicted on him. Ten years later, Xu Huizhou returned. Of the four from back then, one had “married” into the wealthy Lu family and spent his time doing charity work around the world; one was a hugely popular star with countless fans; one was a prosperous company owner; and one was a renowned, highly respected psychiatrist. On the giant screen at the airport, the star tearfully confessed his love during a concert: “Lu Su, I’m ready to get married. What about you?” The first thing Lu Su noticed when he met Xu Huizhou was the little rose tattooed on his right ankle. The moon-pale man lay barefoot on the roof of a car, breathing softly amid the roar of a hundred revelers. The rose danced with his breath, vivid and full of life beneath the moonlight. The next time Lu Su saw Xu Huizhou, his grandmother was gravely ill. His third uncle brought Xu Huizhou home, beaming with delight. “This is my son from outside the family, Xu Huizhou!” By seniority, he had to call him Third Brother. A little scene: In an empty swimming pool late at night, Lu Su pulled Xu Huizhou into the water. “If you’re going to seduce me, then see it through.” Xu Huizhou smiled. “You know I’m a liar.” Lu Su moved closer. “Bribe me, and I’ll cover for you.” Water splashed, making the rose on Xu Huizhou’s ankle look even more vivid and alluring. Later, Xu Huizhou told Lu Su that it wasn’t a rose, but a red spider lily. He had crossed through a field of red spider lilies and returned from hell. Reader’s guide: The setting is fictional. The legal system in the story serves the plot, and same-sex marriage is legal. The main characters have no blood relation or legal relationship. +Happy ending. Theme: Never give up. Do everything you can to save yourself