C2 (1/2)

New Year's Eve, on the Yangzhou section of 328 National Road, a black SUV was steadily driving.

The car departed from a place called Zhai Jiu Village and headed for Yangzhou.

Inside the car sat a man and a woman, both in their thirties. The man was driving, but the woman in the passenger seat was shouting.

”My dad and my aunt only said a few words to you. Is there really a need to keep arguing with them? Don't you know how to respect your elders?”

The man remained silent while the woman continued:

”What's more, when did they say you, Gan Pei, were wrong? Every time I came to my house, my face was always tense and my work had not improved. In front of so many people, how could they not be angry when you were angry with me about the little matter of where your children would go to school in the future? In the end, it was the new year and you turned around to leave, not putting my family in your eyes at all, right? ”

The man called Gan Pei finally could not hold it in and said with a cold smile:

”Yeah, you're right. Who do you think your family is? It's their turn to point fingers at me? I'm in a good mood to respond to them a few words, not in a good mood to get out of the way. And you, Chen Shan Shan, before you met me, you were just a village girl.

”Heh …” You city people are really amazing! It's a pity you're a loser, you know that? I bought your car for you. I paid for the gas. I even bought a house for my family. How about you? How much money do you make a month? All the villagers that you look down on, all of them are more capable than trash like you! ”

With a squeak, the car suddenly came to a stop. Chen Shan Shan was shocked.

”What?” Do you want to die? If you want to die, then die. Chen Shan roared again, but when she looked at Gan Pei, she realised that his face was extremely ugly, as though he was about to eat someone.

”Say that again?” Gan Pei stopped his car by the side of the road and turned to look at Chen Shan Shan.

”If you can talk about me, can't I talk about you?” Seeing Gan Pei's expression, Chen Shan Shan was slightly afraid, her tone immediately becoming softer.

He knew that Gan Pei was very impulsive and would often do unreasonable things.

Looking out the window again, she noticed that the houses on both sides of the road were sparse. Apart from the open space, most of the buildings were constructed.

It was nearly ten o'clock in the evening, and there was no one on the highway. Even the cars were few, so it was gloomy.

”Alright, alright. Let's go. Stop talking.” Chen Shan's face showed impatience, and urged Gan Pei to leave.

However, Gan Pei pointed ahead and said, ”There's a cat.”

Chen Shan was surprised for a moment. She looked in the direction of the car and saw a black cat lying prone on the road under the lights.

The cat looked lazy, either sick or something.

Gan Pei pressed his horn a few times. The cat moved slightly but it did not leave.

”This damn cat!”

Gan Pei was already angry, but now that he was unhappy with the cat, a ball of anger shot straight to his chest. Thus, he slammed on the accelerator and charged straight at the cat.

Although the cat was agile, the car was too fast. With a low, muffled sound, the cat was immediately knocked away.

”Are you crazy?!” Chen Shan scolded, and even threw a punch at Gan Pei's arm.

Gan Pei quickly stopped the car and looked in the rearview mirror again. He saw that the cat had its stomach turned towards the sky, its body turned over, and it looked to be on the verge of death.

Right, I'm crazy! I'm a fucking lunatic! ”

Gan Pei was furious, he decided to vent his anger on the cat. Then he backed the car up, stepped on the gas, and the thick tires ran over the cat.

When the car stopped, he would run straight ahead. He only stopped after he had repeatedly crushed the cat more than a dozen times until it was badly mutilated and its bones completely shattered.

The first few times, the cat struggled to make strange sounds like bones rubbing against each other, but after that, no matter how tenacious its life force was, it could not withstand the weight of the car.

After Gan Pei finished venting, he had finally calmed down. Chen Shan however, had a face full of fear, she did not dare look at the cat, afraid that Gan Pei would use the same cruel method against her.

After that, Gan Pei started the car and continued on his way. The two of them did not speak another word.

As for the miserable black cat, it was like a pile of mud, remaining where it was.

After returning to Yangzhou, Gan Pei and his wife continued to argue. It was only a few months before they were divorced.

Gan Pei didn't feel any regret or sadness in the slightest. Instead, he felt that it was a kind of relief that allowed him to live a life without restraints.

Time quickly passed, and three years had passed. Gan Pei had not remarried, and changing jobs during this period of time, he was even busier than before.

One day in February, just after Spring Festival, Gan Pei had to go on a business trip to Nanjing for work. He then set off from the Jiangyang West Road, following the 328 national road all the way forward.

On that day, it rained continuously and it even encountered a long traffic jam. As a result, when Gan Pei left Yangzhou, it was already near evening.

After driving for almost an hour, Gan Pei suddenly felt hungry. Coincidentally, he saw a fast food restaurant on the roadside, parked his car, and went in to order a hamburger.

After finishing his hamburger, he walked out of the restaurant. He immediately felt that the scene nearby was somewhat familiar. Wasn't this the same place where he and Chen Shanshan had stopped and quarreled three years ago on New Year's Eve? He remembered crushing a cat to death to vent his anger. Now that he thought about it, it was quite fun.

Compared to three years ago, this place hadn't changed much. There were only a few new stores.