The Fickleness of Fate

May.

Dark clouds blanketed the sky, the gloomy masses of vapor resembling countless demonic claws that seemed to pierce straight into one's soul, creating an oppressive atmosphere that made it hard to breathe.

At the summit of Luo Family Mountain in Beichuan, a tall, thin young man in grey clothes stood perfectly still.

The young man's expression was indifferent, his eyes vacant. He stood before a cliff drop of several hundred meters without a hint of fear; judging by the struggle and conflict etched across his face, he was clearly contemplating jumping to his death.

"Heavens, why are you so unfair? Why did you give me life only to be so cruel to me? Since death is inevitable sooner or later, just take me away now..."

Following the young man's roar, a whirlwind suddenly whipped up at the summit, causing the surrounding rocks and vegetation to rustle as if they, too, were crying out against the injustice he faced.

This man's surname was Luo, his given name Cheng, and his nickname was Sanbao. He was from the Luo Family Village at the foot of the mountain. Because his parents had given birth to two daughters first, they had struggled to finally have a son; thus, he was the treasure of the family. Being the third child, he was called Sanbao.

Sanbao was twenty-six years old this year. Three years ago, he graduated from a certain traditional Chinese medicine university with a major in acupuncture. Since then, he had been trapped in the painful cycle of being employed, unemployed, re-employed, and unemployed again.

In this day and age, finding a suitable job was incredibly difficult. Because he had studied a niche major in university (acupuncture—which, aside from a few medical institutions like traditional Chinese medicine hospitals, was rarely in demand elsewhere), and combined with his family's dire financial situation and his lack of connections or background, he could only scrape by, living day to day.

Before graduation, Sanbao's initial plan was to get into a provincial-level medical institution; if that failed, a city-level hospital would suffice.

Although his family's financial situation was abysmal, Sanbao's grades in university were excellent. His personality was cheerful and lively, and his diligent, down-to-earth work ethic was widely recognized. Throughout his four years of university, he had been a regular in the student union. In his own words, he might be poor, but he couldn't be poor in spirit or ambition.

According to Sanbao's logic, with his good grades, his position as a student union cadre, and even his membership in a certain political party—and seeing that the employment prospects for his seniors had been decent—finding a suitable job shouldn't have been a problem.

When that time came, he would finally have the ability to repay his parents and two older sisters back in the countryside.

To support his education, both of his sisters had dropped out of school early to return home, and soon after, they were married off. His parents, who farmed the land, had worked themselves to the bone for his studies, their hair turned silver and their faces lined with wrinkles. They looked so aged it was heartbreaking; the couple, only in their early fifties, looked more weathered than people in their sixties or seventies in the city.

Even so, after four years of university, the family was still heavily in debt. There was no helping it; the cost of a university education was simply too high. No matter how much Sanbao scrimped and saved or how much he worked part-time, he still couldn't overcome this hurdle.

Whenever he thought of this, Sanbao felt a pang of sorrow, but fortunately, he had finally made it through those four years of university.

But life is unpredictable. Only when he actually started looking for work did Sanbao realize that reality was vastly different from what he had imagined.

Due to the rapid expansion of university enrollment and the poor economic climate (the whole world was suffering from a financial crisis at the time...), employment for college graduates had suddenly become extremely difficult, not to mention that Sanbao had studied a niche major.

At this point, let alone getting into a provincial or city hospital, even entering a county-level hospital required connections and bribes. In the eyes of these employers, his knowledge and abilities from university were worth nothing.

In utter desperation, Luo Cheng had no choice but to return to his local township health center, only to be told that his major was not a match and that they didn't need anyone anyway.

Only then did Sanbao feel more deeply than ever how cruel this society was. Without money or connections, many things were simply out of reach. After wandering aimlessly for two years, an opportunity finally appeared.

The Eighth Hospital of a certain city was hiring ten doctors, and they specifically needed someone with an acupuncture background. Unlike previous recruitment drives, this one was open to the public and held in conjunction with a well-known local media outlet. It was said that the goal was to eliminate backroom deals and connections to bring in genuine talent.

When he saw this news, Sanbao almost cried with emotion, because he knew that as long as it was based on real ability, he still had a good chance.

As expected, the results of the recruitment showed that Sanbao had entered the hospital as the third-highest scorer in the combined written and oral exams.

Soon, Sanbao and the other nine lucky candidates entered the hospital. Although they were only interns, the internship period was only one year. As long as their performance was satisfactory, they could transition to permanent staff. By then, his development opportunities would be much greater. At the very least, once he became a full-fledged doctor, he would have the financial means to take care of himself and his family. The reputation of doctors might not always be favorable these days, but there was never a shortage of ways to make money.

Thinking of this heaven-sent stroke of luck, Sanbao could laugh out loud while walking down the street. It turned out that the heavens were fair to everyone after all; the days of bitterness ending and sweetness beginning were finally here. Because of this, Sanbao was filled with hope and drive for his work.

Relying on his diligence and dedication, along with his strong work and social skills, Sanbao gradually adapted to his new job. Half a year later, the first girlfriend of his life appeared.

During his university years, although there were many opportunities, Sanbao had chosen to remain single due to his own humble financial status.

She was a young girl from the general surgery department. While her appearance couldn't be called exceptionally beautiful, she was above average. With her fair skin, well-proportioned figure, and fresh temperament, Sanbao quickly fell for her. The girl's father was even a director of a major department at the hospital. The girl told Sanbao that as long as he worked hard, his future would be very promising.

At that moment, Sanbao was so happy he felt like he might faint. Work, love, and a career had all descended upon him at the same time.

But the events that followed proved that all of this was merely a fleeting, beautiful lie.

One day, when the girl appeared before Sanbao while clinging to the arm of a stout, pot-bellied young man, Sanbao's blood rushed to his head. Without hesitation, his fist connected with the man's face.

"No wonder you've been ignoring me lately! So you found someone new and forgot about me, the old flame. Tell me, what do I lack compared to him?" Looking at the blood from that pig's nose on his own hand, Sanbao shouted at the top of his lungs.

The girl, while supporting the pot-bellied young man, said with a look of guilt: "His uncle is the deputy director of the Health Bureau. I don't want to become a haggard housewife the moment I get married, or a mortgage slave, or..."

Pfft.

Upon hearing these words, Luo Cheng slumped to the ground, letting the pot-bellied pig of a man, who had regained his senses, rain kicks down upon him with his fat feet.

Everyone has a most vulnerable weakness in their heart. Without a doubt, poverty and his background were Sanbao's fatal flaws. Being struck right there by the girl left his heart feeling like cold ash.

"Poor, poor... am I destined to be poor for the rest of my life? One day, I will make something of myself!" The grief-stricken Sanbao felt as if someone had kicked the most fragile nerve deep within his heart. The world spun, and combined with the blows from the pot-bellied man, he lost consciousness.

Clearly, Sanbao had been dumped. Not only that, but the aftereffects of the breakup soon caught up with him. Due to his "poor" performance during his internship, Sanbao was fired by the hospital.

Although he knew it was likely that the detestable pig was pulling strings behind the scenes, Sanbao had no way to fight back. The world was just that dark.

Sanbao was unemployed once again.

The misfortune was far from over. A month later, during a medical examination for a new job, Sanbao, who had always been in good health, was diagnosed with a rare form of leukemia—a terminal illness that even a bone marrow transplant couldn't cure. The doctor said that if he stayed in the hospital for treatment and regular blood transfusions, he might live for another year or two. If he didn't, his days could basically be counted on one hand.

It truly never rains but it pours. Hearing this bolt from the blue, Sanbao was devastated. How could he afford to stay in the hospital now? Even if he did, it would just be a lingering, painful existence; what would be the point?

All his dreams and all his expectations vanished in an instant. Carrying a body full of exhaustion and on the verge of a breakdown, the helpless Sanbao returned to his hometown in Beichuan.

Only now did Sanbao understand why those old people insisted on returning to their hometowns before they died—to let the fallen leaves return to their roots.

Seeing his aged parents once again, Sanbao felt his heart bleeding.

"Father, Mother, your son is unfilial; I must go before you! In the next life, I will surely repay your kindness."

Sanbao did not tell his parents or family about his condition; he was afraid the elderly couple wouldn't be able to handle such a blow.

When successful, help the world; when failing, cultivate your own virtue. Since my life is nearing its end, I shall bear everything alone.

"Forget it, forget it. I'm sorry, Mom and Dad, I won't be able to repay you for raising me. I'm sorry, sisters, I've let you down. I'm leaving!" Gazing at the scorched, yellowish rock and soil beneath the cliff, Sanbao felt there was nothing left to cling to, save for the lingering memories of his family.

The mountain wind blew even more fiercely, as if it sensed Luo Cheng's intent to die, and the entire earth began to tremble violently...

"An earthquake? That's impossible. It must be a hallucination before death. Heaven wants to take me, so be it. I'll go with you~"

"Oh Heavens, if you truly have eyes, give me one more chance to be a human, give me a chance to become a powerhouse~"

Thinking this, Luo Cheng closed his eyes and leaped off the mountain...

His body felt light, and Luo Cheng was already suspended in mid-air.

"So, death isn't as terrifying as I imagined; it's actually quite relaxing." At this moment, nothing else mattered. Suspended in the air, Sanbao suddenly felt a sense of liberation. It turned out that death wasn't so frightening after all.

To be honest, Sanbao had been terrified of death before, and he hadn't wanted to die, but since fate had already decreed his tragedy, he might as well let it end sooner.

A long while passed, and Luo Cheng felt no pain at all.

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