I didn't show any pretense, I treated my brother's back as a wall of human flesh and leaned against him.
Even though I just leaned on it, it took away a lot of my weight.
Soon I fell asleep.
In such an environment, under heavy psychological pressure, even if you can fall asleep, you will not be able to sleep well.
I don’t know how long I slept, but I woke up from a nightmare.
Then I lost my sleepiness.
"Thank you."
Seeing that my brother was not sleeping, I whispered.
"How old is the child?"
"Twenty-two."
"Eh."
The old man sighed first, and then said sadly: "As old as my son."
For the rest of the night, my brother and I just chatted like this.
I also got a rough idea of his story.
He is from Xiangfan, Hunan. He has a daughter and a son at home.
My wife is not in good health. She used to work in her hometown to earn a little money to support the family.
As the child reached the age of marriage, he followed the villagers to work at a construction site in other places.
One of his co-workers told him that he could make a lot of money abroad and asked him if he wanted to go with him.
He originally wanted to make money, and he had no sense of precaution, so he was deceived here.
Life was very difficult after I arrived. Because I was old and didn't know how to deceive people, and my family couldn't get the ransom, I was often beaten by thugs.
Two fingers were cut off and three toes were cut off.
According to him, if he can't get more money from the scam, he probably won't be able to survive the New Year.
I was shocked and asked quickly, do they really dare to kill people?
The old man smiled bitterly and shook his head, and said softly: "In the back mountain, I helped them dig at least five holes. What do you think they should bury?"
After listening to what my brother said, I was shocked again.
For the first time, I truly felt the fragility and cheapness of life!
"are you hungry?"
Brother suddenly asked this question.
I nodded vigorously.
I haven't eaten for almost two days and two nights. How could I not be hungry?
The old man put his hand behind his back and took out a biscuit as if by magic.
"Don't mind the smell, just eat it!"
I took it and before it reached my mouth, I smelled an unspeakable stench.
Although I was very hungry, I really couldn't eat it.
In the end, I stopped eating and said, "I can still bear it, but if I really can't hold on any longer, I'll eat again."
My brother didn’t say anything, he just told me: don’t let others know.
I asked him why you don't eat.
He said: I can go out today.
I asked him again when we could go out.
The old man shook his head and said that he didn't know either, and that those losers wouldn't starve us to death.
Because we have just arrived, the value has not been reflected yet.
Slowly, the light in the crack of the door brightened again.
I also saw clearly that my brother’s face looked very much like my father’s, with all the deep wrinkles.
It's just that his eyes are very negative, showing a strong sense of exhaustion.
Then, he said something to me again.
"After they let you out, you must be obedient and do whatever they ask you to do, otherwise you will be beaten."
"When I hit you, don't hide! But don't react at all, otherwise, they will think you are provoking."
"Here, no matter who you treat, you must have reservations! The only one you can trust is yourself."
"Don't escape if you're not sure! If you escape, don't trust the locals and the gendarmerie! Also, you must be ruthless."
When I heard these four sentences, I didn't feel much in my heart.
But I soon realized how right my brother was!
As the brother expected, he was let out not long after dawn.
As for us, even if we beg each other hard, say good things and admit our mistakes, it is useless.
He almost got beaten again.
Looking at the door being slammed shut, everyone's hearts sank to the bottom again.
"I'm starving. Whoever has something to eat, please give me some."
Naturally, no one responded to this nonsense.
Before entering, everything was taken away by them.
Besides, if there is food, why should I give it to you?
Don't you want to keep it for yourself?
But I just gave it to him.
Yes, what I gave him was the cookie that my brother gave me.
Mainly, thinking about the action of my brother taking it out, I really can’t eat it!
The smell is too strong!
Another point is that I regard the few of us as a collective victim. I feel that since he is hungry and can’t stand it anymore, then give it to him!
Little did I know, this kindness allowed me to see true humanity for the first time!
"I have a cookie."
After I said this, others stared at me.
The colleague closest to me snatched the cookie away and stuffed it directly into his mouth!
Before he could swallow it, he asked me, "Is there any more?"
I shook my head.
"He must have! Otherwise, he would give you the last cookie?"
Under the hesitation of the two colleagues at the back, these people asked me to take out the remaining cookies!
But where can I find it?
This piece was given to me by my brother!
No matter how I explain it, no one believes it!
Finally, two colleagues started to search me forcefully without any explanation!
When he saw that he couldn't find it, he was so angry that he kicked me!
He also asked me: "Where did you put it? Do you want to tell me? If you don't tell me, we will all beat you!"
Seeing everyone looking at me with the same hatred, I think none of you can imagine how cold my heart is.
Even when the bitch beat me, I never felt so uncomfortable.
I am very sure of one thing, if the losers tell them that they can get out if they beat me to death, I will probably be beaten to death by them!
It was also at this moment that I realized the third piece of advice my brother told me: In this place, no matter who you treat, you must have reservations!
Unfortunately, I just realized it, and the price I paid was a bit heavy.
Out of desperation, I said something.
It was with these words that everyone stopped targeting me and showed happy smiles.
This is what I said: That biscuit was indeed given to me by that old man. He also said that we would be let out today and we would be given food and drink.
The last half sentence was naturally made up by me, in order to give them hope and divert my current predicament.
Obviously, it worked.
They no longer asked me for biscuits, but looked at the door with excitement.
It seemed as if the door would open the next moment, and the dogleg would bring food and water.
It's strange to say that those scoundrels were obviously the culprits, but now they became the people they expected most.
If he gave them food and drink, they would probably be grateful to him.
Hey, they say that our countrymen remember good things but not bad things. It seems there is some truth in this.
I waited for a long time, but the door never opened.
Colleagues became impatient again.
"I'm going to die of thirst if you don't open the door! Whoever has water, please give me some."
Hearing such a plea again made me smile contemptuously.
Don't say you don't have it, even if you have it, I won't give it to you!
Even if you beg to drink my urine, I won’t pee in your mouth!
Nothing!
