Chapter 79: Past has vanished like smoke
Translator: Lionwwang Editor: Lionwwang
A bus driver?
I feel funny to see her eyes are almost falling off.
After all, she’s a little girl. After all, she’s still too young.
People of her age may not know, but in the past few years, mention about the city’s famous No. 13 bus, whoever are talking about, they must have their thumbs raised and say: “FXXX, crazy!”
Basically, the drivers of No. 13 buses could almost represent the highest racing level of the city.
Have you ever seen a huge and corpulence bus rushing at the speed of a train and leaving taxis behind on a city road?
Have you ever seen an old-fashioned double-trailer diesel bus overtaking in curve with a “drift” action on the road?
Have you ever seen a bus’s tyres burst into flames because of its speed?
If you are not this city’s person, you would not know that the bus starts with the feeling of pushing back.
The No. 13 buses in the past few years were really awesome! There were several famous legend stories at that time. For example, someone once held on to an iron handrail on the bus. As a result, the bus sped down all the way and the straight iron handrail was bent by that poor passenger.
There was a No. 13 bus that crashed into a tree, and the body of the bus was split by the tree for more than two meters. How fast speed that was!
Someone once sat in the last row of bus seats. As a result, the car braked and he fell out from the last row directly. In an instant, he rolled onto the cylinder next to the driver’s seat.
In this city, a No. 13 bus was overtaking the taxi on the road? It’s the homemade meal! What is fierce? One No. 13 bus was overtaking another No. 13 bus. That scene was terrible and spectacular!
All of these are the legends of the No.13 buses.
In the past few years, it is absolutely impossible to be late by taking No. 13 bus! At the same time, with the cost of a bus ticket, you could enjoy the feeling almost comparable to F1’s experience!
Super value!
Because in those days, bus companies’ bonus system was to calculate how many round trips you could run per day. The drivers’s income and bonus were according to the number of trips! The more trips you ran, the higher your earned!
It could be said that all the drivers of No. 13 buses are top-ranking drivers of car racing! If someone was not a tough driver, he dared not transfer to the fleet of No. 13 bus at all!
Of course, these years have been rectified because bus companies have revised the driver’s bonus system. This racing spectacle has gradually disappeared. Old-fashioned buses have all been replaced by air-conditioned buses. The performance of the buses is getting better and better, but the racing situation is fewer to be seen.
I look at Dorra and tell her all these things. The little girl is stunned. Then I say in a deliberate and understated tone: “Do you know who the guy is driving the NSR?”
“Well, don’t you say he is one of the drives of No. 13 bus?”
I smile and say lightly: “He was the captain of the No.13 bus drivers!”
She is silent for quite a while, then sighing: “FXXX!”
…
Unexpectedly, the NSR is taking the lead to come back. As the lights on the road are flashing and approaching, the roar of the engine is a bit harsh. When the NSR stops after over the finish line, the driver is jumping over. The screaming and cheering are all around.
The 7AA, however, waits for a cigarette time to arrive later.
I pull Dorra: “Want to know how he wins? I’ll show you around.”
The little girl goes with me in a surprise.
When we come to the NSR, the driver has removed the goggles and is checking the motocycle status. I go up, pat him, squint and laugh: “Moe!”
He’s looking back at me for ten seconds, and then his face is showing surprise: “Damn! It’s you, Little 5!”
I nod and point to Dorra behind me: “This is my sister. She wants to come over and see you. You were really fast just now.”
Moe is around 30 years old, with a calm look, short hair, rough skin, showing white teeth while smiling. He nods to Dorra, then turns around, opens the hood of the NSR.
Immediately, a burst of glaucoma is coming out. He’s sighing, looking down for a moment, smiling faintly. I look over and say: “Scrapped one more again!”
Moe shrugs his shoulders and looks indifferent: “Which time did I race and not scrap one? The engine has dead; the crankshaft bush has broken; the piston ring has scrapped; and the gauge has bursted too… This bike’s performance is too bad. I can’t help it. Little 4 was too careful to give me a good one.”
I’m laughing and hitting him: “Nonsense, if he gave you a good one, everyone would bet you win, what money can he make?”
At first glance, his NSR is second-rate, up to worth ten thousand. Within this game, Little 4 has earned at least 100,000, he does have earned a lot!
Dorra is opening her mouth and asking carefully: “But… How did you win the 7AA?”
“Cut!” Moe is laughing arrogantly, “Just two words: risk life! I was able to drive a bus to let the engine burning! This NSR is poor, but it is much better than a bus. I dare to risk my life, they dare not, so just wait behind me to eat fart!”
I shake my head and look at Dorra: “He is skilled. You see, the engine has been ruined. I tell you that the clutch can continue to accelerate in half-continuous motion. This guy was pumping acceleration while the clutch was in half-continuous motion. As a result, the engine is ruined.”
After hearing these, Dorra’s jaw is almost dropped. Looking at the smoking engine, she’s grinning with reluctant.
I pat Moe’s shoulder: “How much have you earned tonight?”
Moe slaps one hand.
“Five thousand?”
Sigh! Little 4 is still so mean like always. A crapped motorcycle for ten thousand, gave Moe five thousand, He only invested fifteen thousand, and earned more than a hundred thousand. It’s really a good business.
After greeting to Moe, I grab Dorra to walk away. Looking at the worship on this little girl’s face, I say coldly: “You envy him?”
“Of course!” She’s saying with a sigh, “So worshipful! He can run a broken NSR so fast. He’s a god of moto racing!!!”
“Cut!” I laugh scornfully and then whisper in a low voice, “Did you see his white teeth?”
“Well, I see, what happened to his teeth?” She has some complaints.
I sneer: “It’s all dentures! Because false teeth are so white! I tell you, doesn’t know he has experienced how many accidents. There are still several steel nails in his body. Most of his teeth were knocked off!”
She is shivering and her face is pale.
I deliberately laugh and say: “So, do you still want to race?”
The little girl is subconsciously touching her white teeth, presumably imagining that she has lost all her teeth and her mouth is flat, so she can’t help sweating on her forehead.
I laugh: “Do you think it’s so easy to be a master?”
She is a little depressed, sighing and shaking her head: “Forget about it! I’ll just fine to watch for fun. I have to keep my teeth for icecream!”
Seeing the time is a bit too late, I just pull her about to go. Just at that time, Bald 4 comes. He takes out an envelope and gives it to Moe. Moe doesn’t even look at it, puts the envelope in his arms, waves and strides away. The scrapped NSR is abandoned too.
“Little 5, let’s talk somewhere?” Bald 4 looks at me obliquely.
I shrug my shoulders: “What do you want to talk about? There’s nothing to talk about between us, right?” Then I pull Dorra and ready to go.
Bald 4 is grinning curiously: “I heard that you are not with Juan anymore?”
I stop, looking back at him: “You’re very well informed.”
The guy is making a mock sneer: “you are my old friend, of course, I should care more about.” He’s coming up and walking around, “How are you doing? How about come to work for me?”
“Work for you?” I laugh, “Little 4, did you drink too much tonight?”
Bald 4 is touching his bald head and humming: “What’s wrong? Looking down on me? Little 5, I told you before that in that kind of place, every day stuffy in women’s pile, sooner or later, you would be abandoned! It’s good to come out now. Just come back and work with me. You see the scene tonight! Now I’m earning gold every day! Come here and work together. I promise to forget our grievances. In the future, let’s have tasty food and strong drinks together. How do you think?”
I stare at him: “I’m no longer racing motorcycles anymore. I haven’t touched my motorcycle for several years, and I’ve almost forgotten the skills. Now even you let me ride the bicycle, I still can’t ride it.”
“Hum, don’t be kidding.” Bald 4 is sneering again.
“You just go for Moe. He is much better than me!” My face is still cold.
Bald 4 is shaking his head, “He can’t… This fellow is stranger than you. Usually, unless there is no way to get money, he would come to help me run once in a while. After running, he disappears for ten days or half a month. Nobody can find him.” He’s sighing, “You know, Moe is used to being the boss and refuses to follow others. If there’s any rice in the house, he would not even care about me.”
I still shake my head: “No! I won’t do it!”
Then I pull Dorra around and walk away. Suddenly, Bald 4 behind me is shouting: “You know? Now when it’s windy or rainy day, my leg hurts! Little 5! Hundreds and thousands of monies, can these moniea buy a healthy leg?”
I stop suddenly and take a deep breath, but still do not look back. After a while, I pull Dorra leave there.
Dorra sees that I look something wrong and dares not say anything along the way. We ride the hound back to her home. When we are downstairs, she gives me a gentle push: “Hey, Chen Yang, you just don’t look gloomy. What is the relationship between brother 4 and you?”
This little girl’s voice is obviously soft, and she looks at me carefully.
I look up at her and say: “Go up, go to bed early and go to school honestly tomorrow.”
“Hey!” She is reluctant, “Do you think I am a buddy? I’m not happy now! Just say it! If you don’t feel good, I’ll accompany you to drink wine!”
I laugh and scratch her tiny nose: “Little child, how dare you to drink wine?”
She tries to hide but doesn’t make it, says in upset: “What child? Please, I’m eighteen years old! I’ve had the government ID! If it is in the United States, I would be legal to get married!”
I think for a moment: “Do you really want to know?”
“For sure!” The little girl has more hopes in her eyes.
I sigh: “Well, I told you that it was me to break his leg.”
“Well, why?”
I smile, take her find a step on the stairs and sit down. Then I light a cigarette, take a deep breath. The smoke is rolling back and forthing in my lungs. The pungent feeling makes me feel as if I have relaxed all over.
…
That was about four or five years ago. I just graduated from the high school, my master has died, so I back to city and according to master’s last will, I wanted to make a good life.
Before, I spent two years of stable student life in that small town, but after I came back, some of my “friends” of that years still found me.
I was young and very good at fighting. Some of my bastard friends wanted to pull me into the water.
I didn’t forget master’s words, just was living honestly, found a job, and strived to support myself.
Originally, I also liked motorcycle racing. At that time, I was young, almost the same age as Durra’s now, around eighteen or nineteen years old. I was not afraid of the world and bold enough to race for fame. At that time, there are several good friends in this circle, including me, a total of five people.
I’m the youngest, so I’m little 5. Bald 4 is the fourth young. Moe is the second. In addition, the eldest and the third are two brothers.
At that time, I was very sincerely taking them as the true friends. Of course, in fact, in more senses, we are just friends with wine and meat.
When I came back, the two brothers had already started a brotherly motorcycle garage business and made a living for repairing motocycles. Like me, they all decided to quit race and live honestly.
Moe was no longer driving the bus that time. he went to the garage to work and help, while only Bald 4 was still keep racing.
At that time, he had already done pretty well. He wanted to pull a few masters over to help him. He looked for me first but I refused him. Then he looked for the two brothers and Moe.
Bald 4 said that he wanted to make his business bigger, but a big dealer in the circle was suppressing him. His racing skill is not good enough and he couldn’t compete with them. So, he wanted to let the two brothers and Moe to help him.
Moe had just suffered a car accident, fell pregnant with a leg and could not appear. The two brothers were seeing at friend’s morale and agreed.
As a result, the other side invited an “outside horse”, a professional master from Macao.
“An amateur player can never win a professional.” I say it lightly, “Don’t watch the movie stories are so fantastic, but riding a motorcycle all your life in the city, you will never be able to win the professionals on track! Speed racing, not that you are not afraid of death on the line, technology is trained by vocational training. The wild road origin, speed racing on the roadside can be a hero for a while. But when encounter to the professional experts, they are sure to lose.”
I am watching Dorra to say these.
Play motorcycle racing? Most young people are just looking for excitement because they are young and wanting to experience the sensation of extreme excitement. It’s great… But, so what?
The two brothers helped Bald 4 racing that night. They met the other side’s professional racer. Although they had tried their best, they could only follow the taillight.
“The next morning, I saw the newspaper. On the overpass, two motorcycles fell off the bridge, and the bodies of the two motorcycles fell apart on the spot. One rider died on the spot, and the other one died after being sent to the hospital.” I speak slowly in a light tone, with a faint pain in my voice.
Dorra is sitting beside me, leaning against me carefully, peeping at the look on my face: “Were they the two brothers?”
“Um.” I nod, “They were risking their lives and really lost their lives.”
I remember very clearly that day when I got the newspaper, my first reaction was to rush out of the door and run to Bald 4’s home, where he was not there. I rushed to the hospital again and found him outside the morgue.
I hit him like a madman. I even took a stick and broke one of his legs on the spot!
“That’s how you broke his leg?” Dorra is screaming.
“If not him, the two brothers wouldn’t go.” I say coldly, “They had all quitted and been pulled back by Bald 4.”
“… Well, then what?”
“Then, I broke his leg, and he owed a bunch of gambling debts!” I laugh powerlessly and say, “Actually, I didn’t want to break his leg. It was accidentally. After he really broke his leg, I regretted it. Later I learned that he was being chased for gambling debts, I sold my house and helped him pay the debt. I just took him as never knew him.”
I know, Bald 4 actually hates me all the time. Although I helped him to pay his gambling debts, but I broke one of his legs and made him limp all his life. In his opinion, the feeling to me must be more hates than the brotherhood.
But his words tonight still make me feel a little uncomfortable.
Yes! I paid hundreds of thousands money of gambling debts for him. But can these monies exchange a healthy leg?
Dorra is silent for a while, then sighing, “Damn! That’s really… Your story can almost make a motorcycle racing movie!” But when she sees me look at her coldly, she’s shuting up quickly, then smiling happily and whispering, “I don’t mean to say that. I just think your story is so tortuous…”
I’m sneering: “Tortuous? Two lives, one lifelong disability… Do you feel tortuous? Think about it a few years later, you will get the answer of whether it’s worth it?”
Huh, speed racing? Racers like to boast about how cool it feels and how exciting it is to race over a hundred miles.
Damn, it’s all about risk your own life! Is it worth it?
Is it worth it?!
I stand up and pat her: “Remember that bet? You have lost, so promise me one thing.”
“Well, you can say so.” She’s sighing helplessly.
I stare into her eyes: “From today on, before you graduate and go to the United States, you have to promise me that you will be a good girl, live a good life, and not touch those messy life circles anymore. Can you do that?”
Her face is pale: “It can’t be true! You want me to be the kind of a nerd good baby?”
I laugh, and I can’t help shaving her nose again: “No, I just ask you to think about it before you do anything. There are still people in the world who are caring about you! As for the others, I promise you that I will come to see you often and take you out to play around.”
“All right!” She’s promising somewhat reluctantly, “From today on, I will not go to the disco, not to race, not to smoke and drink wine. Is there anything else? Can I make a boyfriend?”
When she sees me staring at her, she quickly changes her voice and says: “I know! No!”
Then she’s making a face at me and sticking her tongue out at me: “Womanishly fussy! Like an old woman! Hum!” After that, she’s jumping upstairs.