Chapter 96: An Ordinary Person’s Story
According to the original plan, Pu Tong should have been studying at home right now...
Instead, he was chasing people along a mountain road.
Old Ye and Jia Yao had gone to get the car, while he and his mother followed the villagers to find out what exactly had happened in the village.
"How did they know where Second Brother was?" the chubby woman asked, her face turning pale as she stared at the tire tracks on the ground.
The vehicle had driven straight toward Du Guohang's hiding place without the slightest hesitation, as if it had known the location beforehand.
"San Nao said he saw Li Shun riding in that van while he was playing by the roadside..."
"So it really was that bastard!" the woman cursed angrily. "He was siding with those people the last few times too. Second Brother treated him so well, and this is how he repays him? Selling him out?"
...
Honestly, Pu Tong couldn't quite make sense of the complicated web of relationships.
But from what he understood, another group of reporters had bribed someone in the village, and that person had willingly led them inside.
Back in older times, someone like that would've been branded a traitor.
Although he had no idea what the other reporters were after, according to the usual story clichés, he and his mother should arrive just in time, scare away the petty villains, earn the gratitude of the villagers and Du Guohang himself, and successfully complete the interview.
"Today, no one is stopping us from interviewing Du Guohang... Wait, that's the mighty Emperor Pu Tong?!"
...
Uh...
That sounded way too ridiculous.
Pu Tong certainly didn't believe he possessed some overwhelming "protagonist aura" capable of frightening people away. Those face-slapping fantasy scenes were far from reality.
Following the villagers, they arrived outside a warehouse made of corrugated steel.
Pu Tong immediately recognized the black van parked by the roadside—it was the very same one they had seen earlier.
Apparently, the other reporters had already gone inside. Judging from the silence, there didn't seem to be any aggressive harassment or forced interviews taking place.
"So... he's been hiding in the village warehouse this whole time?" Ni Hui frowned. "If nobody told us, we'd never have found him."
The chubby woman hesitated for a moment. Since there were more urgent matters at hand, she didn't explain anything and hurried straight toward the warehouse.
Once the warehouse doors opened, they were greeted by piles of machine parts, scrap metal, and half-repaired appliances.
Everything from refrigerators and televisions to wristwatches filled the room.
It looked less like a warehouse and more like a repair shop.
There was no way all those belongings belonged to Du Guohang himself.
He had clearly been repairing things for the villagers.
Even while hiding away, he was still helping the people around him and continuing to live positively.
That alone was admirable.
Inside, two young men were adjusting a camera, but they weren't pestering anyone or forcing an interview.
The moment they saw the newcomers, however, they visibly panicked.
Meanwhile, sitting nearby were two middle-aged men chatting happily together.
...
Something felt off.
Wasn't this supposed to be corrupt reporters teaming up with local troublemakers to force an interview?
What was going on?
The chubby woman was just about to lose her temper when she noticed how strange the situation was.
"Second Brother... what's happening here?"
"You'd better ask this kid," the square-faced middle-aged man said with a bitter smile as he stood up.
"Shunzi, explain it yourself."
Pu Tong had seen the man's photo in the earlier news reports and immediately recognized him.
This was Du Guohang.
His rugged, weathered square face was darkened by years of hardship.
One glance was enough to tell he had lived through many stories.
"Sister-in-law," said the buzz-cut man sitting opposite him, scratching his head awkwardly.
"Actually... I was the one who invited these reporters."
Li Shun sighed.
"Second Brother spent so many years in prison, finally got out, and then had this happen to him.
"It's just too unfair.
"I couldn't stand watching it anymore.
"Honestly... I almost wish he hadn't saved that person."
"What nonsense are you talking about?" Du Guohang glared at him.
"Aren't I doing just fine?
"That kid was still young.
"How could I just stand there and watch him die?"
Du Guohang was far more open-minded than Pu Tong had imagined.
Even now, he showed no trace of regret.
Perhaps...
Even if given another chance, he would still make the same decision.
"Second Brother spends every day hiding in this warehouse repairing broken junk. I just couldn't bear it anymore.
"He saved someone's life, yet people online keep insulting him.
"Whenever he goes outside, people point fingers at him.
"I heard from the village chief that we should find reporters to tell the real story, so I asked around and found these reporters."
"Second Brother didn't want to trouble everyone because of his own problems, so I kept quiet.
"I thought everything would go smoothly...
"But every time they came, everyone chased them away."
The two young reporters smiled awkwardly and nodded repeatedly from the side.
He...
was the one who had invited the reporters?
So they weren't attention-seeking media outlets after all?
Everything suddenly made much more sense.
Three months had already passed.
The story had long lost its popularity.
Even clickbait media wouldn't bother with it anymore.
And after being driven away time and time again, anyone would eventually lose patience.
Perhaps back when the incident first happened, everyone wanted to ride the wave of publicity.
Now, almost no one even talked about it anymore.
That was exactly why they had come.
Because nobody cared anymore...
Someone had to speak up.
"But you still shouldn't have sneaked them in," the chubby woman said. Seeing that even Du Guohang wasn't angry, she decided to believe his explanation.
"I kept telling everyone they were good people, but nobody believed me..."
So when the woman had mentioned earlier that Li Shun had defended the reporters, this had been the reason.
The villagers had become deeply distrustful of reporters.
Whenever they spotted cameras, they chased them away without even giving them a chance to explain.
"You brat..." the woman sighed.
"We don't understand anything about reporters.
"We only know Second Brother is a good man.
"We just don't want anyone disturbing him again."
"Shunzi meant well. Don't blame him," Du Guohang smiled.
"I never held it against him.
"I just feel bad that everyone has been worrying about me for so long."
"He already explained everything to me.
"I understand...
"But..."
What kind of development was this?
Pu Tong exchanged glances with Ni Hui.
Neither of them had expected things to turn out this way.
Even they—outsiders driven by a sense of justice—had come all this way to help.
Naturally, the people closest to Du Guohang wouldn't simply sit back and do nothing.
Reality wasn't as bleak as they had imagined.
There were plenty of people who genuinely cared about him and had been trying to help all along.
"And these two are...?" Du Guohang finally noticed the unfamiliar faces standing at the back of the crowd.
"They're reporters too. They came here on their own because they wanted to help you."
Reporters...
Who came of their own accord?
The photographers setting up their equipment couldn't help admiring such voluntary acts of justice.
They turned to look at their back, assuming they were ordinary, unknown reporters just like themselves.
But after taking a closer look...
The young man looked surprisingly familiar.
"Pu Tong?"
As reporters working in the news industry, they naturally recognized most public figures.
There was no mistaking it.
The handsome young man standing before them was definitely Pu Tong.
"We've also come to interview Mr. Du," Ni Hui said with a nod.
"We simply want to speak up for him."
Pu Tong could tell what his mother was thinking.
She still intended to involve herself in this matter.
Just because someone else had already stepped forward didn't mean she would stand aside.
There could never be too many voices speaking up for what was right.
Every additional voice made the message stronger.
"To be honest," one of the young reporters admitted with a sigh,
"we were pretty inexperienced.
"At first, we just wanted to earn a little money...
"And maybe take advantage of an old trending story.
"But after learning what really happened...
"We sincerely want Mr. Du to receive the recognition he deserves."
Looking at the genuine expressions in the young reporters' eyes, Pu Tong couldn't help feeling touched.
After being chased away so many times, they still hadn't given up.
That took determination.
There truly were more good people than bad in this world.
"Thank you..." Du Guohang sighed.
"But honestly...
"I still don't want to make such a fuss."
"I really don't care about what happened.
"That child survived—that's enough for me.
"I don't care what other people say.
"At worst, I'll just stay here in the village repairing things for everyone.
"The villagers won't look down on me, will they?"
The surrounding villagers smiled.
That alone answered his question.
Being broad-minded was certainly a good thing...
But—
"You can't think that way," Ni Hui said seriously.
"If people who do good deeds end up being criticized, condemned, and judged simply because of their past...
"If the meaning of their actions is erased...
"Then after seeing all of this...
"Will anyone still be willing to do good in the future?"
The man froze.
Thoughtfulness slowly appeared on his weathered face.
He wasn't uneducated.
He fully understood what she meant.
"What should I do?"
"Accept our interview.
"Speak up for yourself."
Ni Hui paused before continuing.
"I hope you'll tell your story.
"I want people to know...
"...that you're living your life well."
Good journalists possess a sharp professional instinct and a unique perspective on storytelling.
Especially experienced veterans like Pu Tong's mother.
Great journalists don't merely recite facts.
They tell stories with thought, warmth, and integrity.
They present real people and real lives in ways that move audiences, inspire empathy, and resonate deeply.
The interview Ni Hui had prepared wasn't only meant to clear Du Guohang's name.
She also hoped that, through his life story, more young people like the teenager who had attempted suicide would come to see life differently.
The original incident had begun because of the pressures and anxieties facing young people.
Everything that happened afterward was simply the result of others deliberately fueling conflict.
"My story?" Du Guohang frowned.
"It's nothing more..."
"...than the story of an ordinary man."
After all...
How many legendary stories are there in an ordinary person's life?
Even when extraordinary moments do happen...
At the time, they usually seem completely ordinary.
(End of Chapter)
✨ Love this novel?
Visit my Patreon for fast access and advanced chapters! patreon.com/BbingTranslations Thank you for your support.❤️
Comments
Post a Comment