The moment he set foot in “Ge An”, Qi Xiu Yuan went straight to the bar counter and requested a glass of liquor. Afterwards, his eyes searched around for any familiar faces in the crowd. Enjoying the atmosphere and the several gazes that met his own, his mood became quite good.
He absolutely did not expect to run into anyone here but, to his own surprise, he really did saw a familiar face.
Qi Xiu Yuan turned his head around and asked the bartender: “What’s going on with that person over there?”
The bartender finished wiping the glass, looked a him and hinted for him to look at the direction he glanced at. He laughed and said: “Did you fall for him? He’s not cheap.”
Qi Xiu Yuan’s brows knitted together: “He’s an MB*1 here?”
“Doesn’t look like one right?” admitted the bartended covertly, then he enthusiastically describe that person, “He’s the type that attracts people. Pure looking with a delicate side. The more you look, looks just like a senior high school student.”
Of course that’s a senior high school student, thought Qi Xiu Yuan angrily as he got up and walked over. He patted that person on the shoulder.
“Jiang Xiao Ning, did you finish your math assignment yet?”
Jiang Xiao Ning is a pretty and delicate boy with a doll face. Being asked this in such a startling manner, he was taken aback. When he turned to look at the person behind him, an inexplicable feeling ate at his face and made way for his eyes to widen slightly. He was extremely stunned and became speechless for quite a while.
All of a sudden, the tall and thin man that sat, chatting with Jiang Xiao Ning on the opposite side of the table, just a moment ago, spoke, “Xiao Ning, aren’t you going to introduce us?”
Jiang Xiao Ning returned his eyes back to that man and frenetically said, “This is our Qi Laoshi, this is……this is my older brother……his name is Jiang, Jiang……”
“Jiang Xiao Dong,” completed the man with a faint smile while his face exposed a charming demeanor, “Qi Laoshi, please sit.”
With no trace of politeness at all, Qi Xiu Yuan sat down beside Jiang Xiao Ning and bluntly said, “Mr. Jiang, do you know that Xiao Ning is underage?”
“He’s not yet eighteen years old,” responded Jiang Xiao Dong calmly, “but, in the legal system there seems to be a general rule that states, a citizen sixteen years of age and not yet eighteen, who works to received a decent income in order to support his own livelihood is considered a capable person,” as expected the words he spoke were smooth and on point, as if he had said it countless times before.
“What kind of decent work is this?” retorted Qi Xiu Yuan, his eyes now raging with fire.
Jiang Xiao Dong looked askance at the young boy, “Xiao Ning, it seems you need to have a nice chat with your teacher,” then he stood up, “I’ll wait for your reply tomorrow.”
Jiang Xiao Ning stood up as well, “Oh, okay. Take care.”
He waited until Jiang Xiao Dong left before he sat back down: “Laoshi, you almost scared me to death.”
Qi Xiu Yuan glared at him, not saying anything.
Jiang Xiao Ning first lowered his head, face riddled with a guilty conscience. All of a sudden he remembered something, raised his eyes and hesitantly smiled, “Laoshi, you come here too?”
Qi Xiu Yuan still glared at him, continuing not to say anything.
Jiang Xiao Ning thought that this teacher’s aura is even more scary, more dreadful than the chief of the political education office that stood in front of the school’s gate inspecting whether the students were behaving or not. Beads of sweats gradually formed on his head just from glancing at Qi Xiu Yuan.
Finally, after a long moment of silence later, quite ashamed he became somewhat angry instead: “Laoshi, what are you doing here? I didn’t steal or fought you know!”
Qi Xiu Yuan groaned in anger which scared Jiang Xiao Ning causing him to lean back.
“I haven’t heard that Jiang Laoshi was short on money recently huh?”
Jiang Xiao Ning’s large eyes blinked, a flattering smile appeared on his face, “Qi Laoshi, Qi gege, uncle Qi. Please you must not mention this matter to my father. I’m begging you, I’m begging you, I’m begging you.”
“Then tell me exactly what is going on. And say it all clearly.”
Jiang Xiao Ning grumbled around for about half the day before clearly imparting the matter.
As it turns out, this kid had found out along time ago that he was not like the other boys of his age. He wandered at a loss, deranged for quite a while, not knowing where to find a gay bar. So he built up the courage and spent a night with a guy that was pleasing to his eyes. Who had expected that the next day, the person was gone. However, beside the pillow was a stack of money. Since Jiang Xiao Ning is still young in age, he was easy to tempt. On one hand, he had tasted the allure of sex and on the other hand, money seem easy to come by, so he simply considered this a side occupation.
Jiang Xiao Ning said it all the way through in one go then worriedly glanced at Qi Xiu Yuan from the corner of his eye.
“Qi Laoshi, you must help me keep this from my father.”
Qi Xiu Yuan felt his head throbbing. While rubbing the side of his head, he asked: “Then that Jiang Xiao Dong from a moment ago is also not your older brother?”
“No, that’s the boss, Han.*2 laoban,” replied Jiang Xiao Ning as if he was presenting a treasure, “Qi Laoshi have you heard of ‘Jin Ting’ before?”
“I’ve heard.” Isn’t it just a hotel business or something?
“Han laoban*3 is the boss at Jin Ting,” said Jiang Xiao Ning with bright eyes, “He wants me to go work over there.”
“Do what?” Qi Xiu Yuan was anything but reassuring at this point.
“The same as here ah. But, over there at Jin Ting, it’s more high class than here. Han laoban said, it’s all upper class clients there. They —“
“Stop, stop, stop!” Qi Xiu Yuan did not know if he wanted to laugh or cry, “You bastard, you’re fucking planning to do this occupation for the long term?”
“Qi Laoshi, why are you swearing?” Jiang Xiao Ning’s big eyes blinked again and again, trying to act cute. “I made you angry.”
Qi Xiu Yuan scowled, “You’re not afraid of humiliating your father!”
Jiang Xiao Ning did not say anything. It was only a moment later did he spoke in a small voice: “Qi Laoshi, I also don’t want to humiliate my father, but I’m quite happy doing this. I don’t think it’s bad either. Now I can make money and provide for myself. As a matter of face, this wouldn’t give him any trouble?” He suddenly pouts his lips, “My father is not short on money, but he never bought me anything before. I’ve talked with him several times about wanting an MP3 player, he always says he would buy it, buy it, buy, yet once he turns his ahead away, he forgets. On the contrary, he remembers all the students’ birthday so clearly……”
Qi Xiu Yuan was dumbfounded, the more he listened to Jiang Xiao Ning, the more he felt grievance.
“……it’s been like this since I was little. When I had a fever, he rather gives the students extra lessons than watch over me. In the end, who exactly is his son? Even if I don’t see him, all he talks about are his students, students, students, over and over again, trying to compare us……in just half a year, I’ve gotten a cellphone, an MP3 player, and even new clothes and he still hasn’t even noticed. Even if I sell myself, he still won’t find out!”
Qi Xiu Yuan silently watched as he talked until tears formed around the corner of his eyes. He could not help but to think that he was hateful yet pitiful at the same time so he raised his hand and caressed his head.
“Jiang Laoshi is a very good teacher like that. You’ve been his son for more than ten years, you should know this a lot better than me right? Don’t complain about how he doesn’t care about you. Think for yourself, if I give him a call right now and tell him that you’re an MB here, how would he react?”
“Don’t! Qi Laoshi you can’t!” Jiang Xiao Ning was so scared he pressed tightly onto his hand, “My father will kill me! He will definitely kill me! He……he will definitely be broken-hearted……”
“Okay, okay, your tears are already coming down, how old are you huh?” Qi Xiu Yuan passed the tissue that was on the table over to him.
After Jiang Xiao Ning wiped away his tears, he sat silently for a while, calming his own feelings before he begged again: “Qi Laoshi, don’t talk about this with my father……”
“I don’t have to say it, but there’s a condition.”
“What condition?” Jiang Xiao Ning gave him a quick glance, but then he suddenly covered his chest with both of his hands, “Qi Qi Qi Qi Qi Laoshi, don’t tell me —“
Qi Xiu Yuan smacked the back of his head: “What are thinking? I’m not a pedophile.”
Jiang Xiao Ning resentfully pouted, “Then what condition?”
“Don’t wander around here all day long and peacefully attend school instead. Also, that whatever Han laoban, stay far away from him,” said Qi Xiu Yuan with a stern expression, “He doesn’t look like a good person.”
“Okay. I know.” Jiang Xiao Ning obediently nodded his head, “Actually, I had no plan on going. That would be a profession in prostitution and it also requires a signed contract.”
Qi Xiu Yuan smiled mockingly, “So you’re not stupid after all huh.”
Jiang Xiao Ning glared at him and continued to say, “I came here because I feel depressed. Also, I don’t dare to let my father know and at least here I can find people that are the same like……”
Qi Xiu Yuan caressed his head again, “It must be hard for you as well. Don’t be so foolish later on. If you have any problems, you can talk it over with me.”
In the end, Jiang Xiao Ning cried again.
Qi Xiu Yuan felt that he himself have hooked this person into hopelessness so he simply gave up for now.
After taking Jiang Xiao Ning all the way home, he depressingly returned home.
—–
The next day during math class, Jiang Xiao Ning was lively and full of enthusiasm as he answered all the questions positively which caused his desk-mask to immediately look at him.
Qi Xiu Yuan held in his laughter until class was over and thought that this kid was actually quite adorable.
Who had expected that by the evening, there was an accident.
Around nine o’clock he received a phone call. Jiang Xiao Ning’s low yet frantic voice transmitted through.
“Qi Laoshi, help me……”
“Xiao Ning, where are you?”
“I’m at Jin Ting, I………AH!” the phone call was cut short.
QI Xiu Yuan dialed back but no one answered.
There wasn’t enough time to explain to Susu as Qi Xiu Yuan rushed out of the door.\n