The scorching sun blazed intensely, soaking Meng Xinghui’s long sleeves in sweat. The light blue shirt, washed until it had faded nearly white, clung tightly to his skin. Beads of sweat hung from his eyelashes, and his lips were dry and chapped. Yet, he did not cross the street to the convenience store to buy a bottle of mineral water; every single coin had to be saved so he and Gao Jiade could buy a house in Kyoto.
They wanted to buy a two-bedroom, one-living-room, one-kitchen, and two-bathroom apartment facing south, where the sunlight was good. That way, it would be convenient to dry clothes and quilts later on. Once the renovation smell cleared out, they would bring Gao Jiade’s mother over to live with them.
His apricot-colored pupils remained fixed on the company entrance, unwilling to miss the figure of anyone passing by.
Suddenly, his eyes lit up in an instant, and he waved his hands vigorously.
Gao Jiade hurried over with a flustered expression, a look of displeasure in his eyes and discontent in his voice.
Why didn’t you say hello before coming directly to find me? Besides, I have my own hands and feet; I don’t need you to deliver meals to me every day. I can order takeout myself.
Meng Xinghui lowered his head, his hair drooping despondently as he explained, I called you, and I even sent a text message. It’s not like I didn’t say hello.
Gao Jiade grew angry at Meng Xinghui’s forced logic and pulled at the tie tied around his neck. I’m very busy with work and have no time to answer your calls or read your text messages. I need to make money to support the family. Do you think that meager salary of yours is enough for us to buy a house in Kyoto? It’s not enough, not nearly enough, Meng Xinghui!
Meng Xinghui did not understand why Gao Jiade was acting this way. He had rarely seen him this angry or heard him call his name with such fury. The only time he had ever been this angry before was when he was beaten up, seeing him covered in scars, furious that Meng Xinghui wouldn’t fight back.
Tears mixed in his eyes. Gao Jiade, don’t be angry. I just wanted to see you a few more times and show you some care. Also, a customer left some unfinished dishes today that weren’t touched with chopsticks; they are clean.
Gao Jiade brushed away the bag in Meng Xinghui’s hand, sending the lunchboxes spilling across the ground. How do you know if anyone touched them with their chopsticks? You have no hygiene at all! I don’t want to eat leftovers from a hotel, saliva from so many people. Don’t you find that disgusting? Go back early when you have nothing to do, and don’t ever come to the company again. He glanced at the worn-out shoes Meng Xinghui had been wearing for several years, his eyebrows furrowing deeply.
At this exact moment, he felt that Meng Xinghui was unworthy of him. Meng Xinghui wore cheap long sleeves with the frayed yarn at the cuffs standing out conspicuously. His skin had a yellowish tint; he lacked academic credentials, and he did not know how to read. Meng Xinghui only knew how to wash dishes and do housework his entire life, obsessing solely over the money in his hands. Whenever too much money was spent, he would blame him for spending recklessly and without restraint.
He was already exhausted from going to work, and now he had to return only to listen to his nagging.
A sense of powerlessness and regret coursed through his entire body.
The career he wanted was something Meng Xinghui could never help him with.
Meng Xinghui was only a drag on his forward momentum, a stumbling block, an obstacle, and a person who had to be eradicated.
At that very moment, Gao Jiade figured everything out. However, now was not the time yet; Meng Xinghui still had some value left. His gaze instantly softened, resembling the gentle and reliable older brother in Meng Xinghui’s eyes, and he spoke: I’m sorry, Xinghui. I’ve been too busy lately and couldn’t control my emotions. Don’t deliver food here anymore in the future. Go back early; I have a meeting in the afternoon, so I’ll be leaving first.
Meng Xinghui stood frozen in place, the corners of his lips pulling upward with effort. It’s fine, Gao Jiade. Go ahead and get to work.
Gao Jiade walked into the company entrance without looking back, while the tears in his eyes could no longer be contained, spilling over and sliding down his cheeks.
Passersby walked around him. Coming back to his senses, seeing that the food had stained the asphalt road, he pulled out a piece of tissue, squatted on the ground, and meticulously cleaned it up, pressing hard with the tissue to wipe away the oil on the ground.
System: Host, hurry up and make a move! At this moment, the protagonist’s soul is emotionally vulnerable. If a handsome and dashing man appears to help him, he will definitely be moved to tears and then fall in love with you.
Shen Qiu silently rolled his eyes slightly. Thank you for the compliment, but why should I go up there, and why must he fall in love with me? Does the protagonist shou really have to love someone else just to get rid of the scum Gong?
The rapid-fire questions short-circuited the wiring of the rookie system, driving it nearly to a crash.
Uncle Zhang, drive toward that person’s direction.
The driver, Uncle Zhang, was puzzled and blurted out, Huh? Yet the autonomous steering wheel automatically directed the car toward the young man’s location.
Yes, just like that.
A black Rolls-Royce Phantom brushed right past Meng Xinghui.
Meng Xinghui had no time to dodge and watched helplessly as the black luxury car ran over his electric scooter. The front end was crushed, and only the shape of the rearview mirror was barely recognizable.
The responsible vehicle stopped right in front of him. Meng Xinghui looked up toward the sky, the sunlight shining into his eyes so dazzlingly that it brought tears. Today was truly an awful day; heavens above, not only was he scolded by Gao Jiade’s older brother, but he also lost an electric scooter.
Through the rearview mirror, Driver Uncle Zhang saw the young man crying up to the heavens. They had thoroughly wrecked someone else’s vehicle, and although he was just following the boss’s orders, he still felt rather guilty. He tentatively spoke up, Boss, we might not be very good.
Knock, knock, knock
A sound came from outside the window beside Shen Qiu. Meng Xinghui’s eyes widened, his delicate eyebrows knitted together as he hammered on the window, intending to make the person inside roll it down quickly.
The car window lowered from top to bottom.
Meng Xinghui prepared to vent his fury, but what came into view was a man in a tailored suit. The man possessed a noble and aloof temperament, with pitch-black pupils reflecting indifference, showing not a shred of care about having destroyed someone else’s car.
The words stuck in his throat paused for a moment. This person looked very fierce, difficult to get along with, and met his gaze with cold eyes. Remembering his electric scooter once more, he shouted out loudly:
How could you hit my car? And you, driver, how are you driving? Can’t you pay attention? What if you had hit a person?
Driver Uncle Zhang held onto the steering wheel and remained silent.
Shen Qiu watched the little white flower shou lecture them with a leisurely expression, crossing his arms. Turns out your temper isn’t so small either. His temper was big, yet he still managed to act as a free nanny to take care of a family of three, clinging on stubbornly and refusing to leave the scum, Gong.
The nonsensical words left Meng Xinghui bewildered, baring his teeth in frustration. It’s none of your business! Pay for the damage!
When he originally bought the electric scooter, it cost him a full two thousand two hundred and fifty yuan. He had only ridden it for five years, and he never expected it to be scrapped like this today. His heart was bleeding- literally bleeding.
How much compensation? Shen Qiu asked rhetorically.
Two thousand two hundred and fifty yuan.
Shen Qiu chuckled lightly. How long have you been using this vehicle?
Five years!
Five years. You have to factor in depreciation. This scooter of yours is only worth five or six hundred yuan now.
Following Shen Qiu’s gaze, Meng Xinghui looked at the shattered electric scooter. It had accompanied him through wind and rain for five years; the brake handle was unresponsive and required him to exert extra force and squeeze hard when using it, while the mirror had broken previously and been tightly bound with transparent adhesive tape.
Its tattered appearance truly did not match that price tag.
With pale lips, Meng Xinghui asked dryly, What is depreciation?
Items suffer from wear and tear. For example, your electric scooter cost two thousand two hundred and fifty yuan when you bought it, but after five years of use, it’s equivalent to the price of your scooter dropping every year because you used it. How should I put it? For instance, if you sell it secondhand, the price you sell it for will always be much lower than the price you bought it for. Shen Qiu’s sudden burst of kindness enlightened the little white flower shou.
Meng Xinghui seemed to understand; it certainly made sense, but still
You pay me five hundred, six hundred yuan. He couldn’t go any lower. Meng Xinghui hung his head dejectedly, his voice for compensation growing softer and losing its original robust volume, while his dark brown hair seemed to lose its luster along with its owner.
Driver Uncle Zhang watched the young man get completely bewildered by his own boss. His boss possessed a net worth of tens of billions and wouldn’t care about such loose change; there was no need to quibble over how much compensation to pay.
Besides, they had done it intentionally!
The system grew angry: Host, what are you doing? Stop right now! How can you treat Meng Xinghui like this? He is already miserable enough.
Miserable? Is he miserable? Pitiful is more like it. With eyes and a nose, yet blind and deaf? Knowing full well that his boyfriend is cheating, he can still willingly sacrifice himself- that’s called being a fool and a waste! After finishing his mockery, Shen Qiu sized up the Meng Xinghui standing before him.
There was no meat on his face; he was as thin as a bamboo pole, with a yellowish complexion, dry and rough hair, and clothes bought from a roadside stall.
Thinking back to how tall, broad-shouldered, and elite-dressed Gao Jiade looked, driving himself to death to raise someone else so well while looking so shabby himself, he was truly speechless.
A check appeared before his eyes. Meng Xinghui looked up in a daze; the man was no longer looking at him, but the check in his hand remained extended toward him.
Taking the check, he saw the Arabic numerals for six hundred yuan clearly written on it. It really was just six hundred yuan, not giving a single extra coin.
The bank teller was planning to take a midday lunch break when someone suddenly sat down at the counter and pushed a check through the slot. Hello, I would like to cash a check.
Upon hearing this, the teller smiled and took it with both hands. Anyone using a check was most likely a wealthy person; they definitely had to pitch some financial investment products to meet this month’s target. But upon looking at it, their heart turned to ashes, and both eyes emitted a light of abandoned hope.
The check was neatly inscribed with the meager amount of precisely six hundred yuan.
Rich people really knew how to play around!