Professional Body Double

“Dad, mom, sorry, I didn’t protect the body you gave me. I don’t know how to explain it. I was already dead, but I woke up in this other person’s body. Actually, dying is nothing. I could be reunited with the both of you. But since I’m still alive, even if it is in someone else’s body, I want to live well. I know that you definitely want me to live well...”

As ZhouXiang drank, he spoke intermittently about some illogical things. There are too many secrets in his heart that he couldn’t talk to anyone about. Now he wanted to come clean and tell everything that had been suppressing him to his parents

He completely forgot about the time and place of where he is at.

Until he heard footsteps from behind him, he wanted to turn his head but he heard a familiar voice, a voice that trembled and is full of bewilderment, "Ah Xiang?”

ZhouXiang’s body froze.

CaiWei looked at this person’s back that is wearing a black windbreaker sitting on the ground in front of him. This huge expectation and anxiety forced his heart to almost jump out.

ZhouXiang turned and saw that LanXiRong had the same expression. LanXiRong didn’t look at him; his red eyes were staring at that back, his lips white with no trace of blood.

Before, ZhouXiang never thought that he actually needed that much willpower for such a simple move like turning around. He used whatever little strength he had left to force himself to turn his body. He sees the two people he is familiar with, CaiWei and LanXiRong. In that moment, he only felt his nose stiffened. It quickly blurred in front of his eyes.

CaiWei’s expression turned from fright to ecstatic and then to ferocious. In just a short second, he had already rushed up and pushed ZhouXiang to the ground, roaring "ZhouXiang!" with his fist striking ZhouXiang in the face.

ZhouXiang and CaiWei have known each other for more than ten years. In his memory, they’ve only had one fight and it was when they first met. He didn’t even remember the reason. After the fight, they went to drink. And then he and CaiWei became great buddies.

When the heavy fist landed on his face, ZhouXiang thought, is CaiWei’s fist that strong?

CaiWei’s tears and snots flowed down his face as he crazily hit ZhouXiang while indistinctively cursing him, "I fucking kill you asshole! You bastard! You son of a bitch! ZhouXiang, you fucking asshole—." At the end, CaiWei had no more strength left and the two men held each other and cried.

LanXiRong is half-squatting on the ground, trying to pull them apart but his hands were not strong enough. Finally, he also followed along and cried with them.

There was no one in the cemetery in the morning. The cold and gloomy air filled every corners of the cemetery. The scene of three men hugging and crying together is strange yet their emotions are like the breaching of a dam where it can’t be stopped even if they wanted to.

After the crazy emotional ride, the three tiredly sat in the private room at the coffee shop. There was a lot to talk about, but they didn’t know where to begin. ZhouXiang didn’t know how many “sorry” he said today. In short, his throat had already gone coarse.

CaiWei somberly said, “If we weren’t in front of your parents today, I would’ve killed you.”

ZhouXiang lowered his head and did not speak.

LanXiRong sighed deeply, “Let’s calm down first and talk about it... Tell us what’s going on. Right now, I still......still can’t believe it."

Although he (LanXiRong) and CaiWei have already discussed countless possibilities, they eventually found one that was most unbelievable yet is the highest possibility, so they came to verify it. They didn’t expect it to be what they suspected. For a moment, elation and fury converged at the same time; along with being in awe of something so inconceivable made it hard for him to adjust his mood.

Everything that happened today is like a dream.

Xiang Ge is not dead, but is alive and living in another person’s body!

ZhouXiang drank some water and muttered, “I......let’s start from the beginning." He recalled his panic and fears when he was his true ’self’ getting lost on that raining night. "After we entered the mountain, there was a rainstorm and the heavy rain caused a landslide. Our team of more than 20 people got separated. I lost my way and was roaming anxiously around the mountains. My cell phone was out of battery. I fell off the cliff. These......I think you guys probably know."

“The rescue team searched the place where you had your accident for over a month and still couldn’t find you......"

ZhouXiang shook his head, “I don’t know. I’ve completely lost my sense of direction. Anyways, I lost consciousness. After I woke up, I was in the hospital. But I woke up in this body with this identity. Then I realized that time has passed for two full years.”

CaiWei took a long breath and painfully grasped his head, “Why didn’t you tell me? Why? You were......we met in the hospital. Why didn’t you tell me ZhouXiang!”

LanXiRong was also angry, “Xiang Ge, could it be that you don’t trust us? Why did you have to hide this from us?”

ZhouXiang responded hoarsely, “Wei Ge, I couldn’t say it. Will you guys believe it? Will you guys believe this kind of thing?"

CaiWei and LanXiRong were silent at the same time.

If ZhouXiang really told them at the beginning, would they believe it? Most likely the answer is no. If it wasn’t for so much evidence that led them to have this deep suspicion and the gradual process in their hearts that allowed them to slowly accept such possibility, most likely any ordinary person could not believe in such an incredible thing.

Even if they have personally validated this matter, they still have doubts in their hearts. They still have skepticism and feel that this is too unbelievable.

If this happened to them, most likely they can’t tell others too.

LanXiRong sighed, “Wei Ge, let’s not talk about this. You’ve already hit him...what’s most important is that Xiang Ge is still alive.” His eyes were red, with him on the verge of crying.

CaiWei wiped his face; he is so riled up that he couldn’t speak. There is obviously a lot to say but they didn’t know what to say. This is what the three people thought at this time. CaiWei ordered a lot of liquor and they let go of all their apprehensions and drank to their hearts content. The three people got utterly drunk. During this time, what they did or said, they were completely unaware.

They huddled on the sofa in this simple private room and slept all night.

ZhouXiang didn’t remember how he got back home that day. ChenYing said that his colleague sent him back. When he heard of that person’s appearance, it should be Ah Liu. He gave Ah Liu a call. It turned out that CaiWei had called Ah Liu to take them home one by one.

ZhouXiang’s body is dirty and he stunk. He took a shower and ate something. His mind is already clear and his eyes not blurry. In that moment, he felt that he is reborn again. His body experienced an unprecedented serenity. The shadow that had been covering his heart seemed to have disappeared. This feeling of not having this burden makes him want to run out to the streets recklessly and shout. The feeling that he no longer had to carry this secret is so good. He no longer needed to be troubled by his worries, guilt and skepticism that often makes him unable to sleep. He didn’t have to talk cautiously and do things carefully for fear of others knowing that his existence is one that can’t be explained by science. And most importantly, is that in this world, someone can prove that he, ZhouXiang, once existed, not in this body but the body that his parents gave him. Even if he had become a completely different person, there is still someone that could remember his past with him.

He really regretted not telling it earlier. This sense of relief is what he longed for the most in the past year.

ZhouXiang’s entire person felt different, as if he had suddenly lightened up. When ChenYing noticed this change in him, she asked, “Son, what is making you so happy?”

ZhouXiang smiled softly, “A lot of things.”

As ChenYing looked at ZhouXiang’s glimmering bright smile, she is immediately startled.

Since ZhouXiang woke up, she never saw him smiling like this. It was as if something that was suppressing him is gone. After her son woke up, not only did he lose his previous memories, his character also changed greatly. The previous ZhouXiang was weak and naggy, had no opinions, loved to play, and was very immature. His livelihood was very dependent on her. But after waking up, this ZhouXiang, although something was always on his mind, he is very responsible. He looks like a man who can support the family, not like his younger self. She always felt that ZhouXiang is always somber because of the family’s dramatic changes and her illness. But even after ZhouXiang got the money, he still didn’t laxed a bit but worked even harder. After all, the money was also borrowed. But now, ZhouXiang is very different. She really didn’t know what happened to her son that made him so cheerful. But as long as he’s happy, it is a good thing.

ChenYing smiled, “Like what?”

“Like my work has been going very well lately. Like mom’s condition is well controlled.”

“Nothing else?”

ZhouXiang touched her white hair, “Our days are going smoothly, isn’t that worthy to be happy?"

ChenYing smiled, “Happy... happy.”

“Mom, let’s not eat at home today. I’m going to take you and Auntie Wang to a restaurant.”

ZhouXiang took the two elderly ladies to eat Sichuan food. When they were eating, he received a phone call from LanXiRong.

ZhouXiang still don’t know how to face LanXiRong. He picked up the phone and walked outside the restaurant, “Hey, XiRong.”

LanXiRong’s voice sounded very hoarse. He has a very valuable and extraordinary good voice. But because he drank too much, it’s harmed his voice, likely causing a lot of delays in his work. LanXiRong said, “Xiang Ge, I want to see you.”

ZhouXiang sighed, “Today?”

“The sooner the better.”

“Today then. I’m eating right now. After eating, I’m going to take my mom home and come find you."

“Where are you? I’ll come to pick you up and also take her home.”

ZhouXiang gave him the address.

The moment he hung up the phone, the billboard across the street flickered under the lights. He is surprised to find that it was an advertisement he did for a real estate developer last month. He didn’t expect it to be broadcasted in such conspicuous place.

With his mouth gaping wide open looking at the billboard, he probably made himself very noticeable. A couple passing by couldn’t help but glance at him. The girl quickly glanced between him and the billboard and said in astonishment, "Oh! You are that model.”

ZhouXiang suddenly felt a bit embarrassed and smiled, “Ah, yes.”

The man smiled, “Brother, you are handsomer than the one before.”

“Thank you.”

“Really, look at you.”

After the two of them left, ZhouXiang still felt a trace of excitement. He had been a stuntman and minor actor for so many years, no one had ever recognized him. This is the first time he has encountered such a thing in his life. Maybe after LanXiRong’s MV is broadcasted, he will receive more attention. He really hoped he could get a little recognition; fame directly equates to money.

End of the chapter