Chapter 104: 104 Borrow So Money
In the morning, at half-past seven.
Chen Xu, carrying breakfast, arrived at the rental apartnt, unlocked the door with a key, and saw Chen Ziqi standing by the bed with two suitcases next to her. He paused and asked, “You are…”
“I’m going back,” Chen Ziqi replied, her hands clasped behind her back, her eyes fixed on her toes. “My dad will be here to pick up soon.”
Chen Xu was montarily dazed. There had been a ti when he thought she would always live here.
“You really should go back; you’ve missed so many classes.” He quickly recovered, put the soy milk and rice noodle rolls on the table, and asked, “So, what about your dad’s issue…”
Chen Ziqi looked up, a triumphant smile on her face, “It’s resolved. They are officially separated now.”
“I didn’t expect you to ta your dad so quickly.”
“That’s nothing. Actually, it’s just that the woman couldn’t handle pressure well,” Chen Ziqi said disdainfully. “I put a bit of pressure on them, and she couldn’t take it. She made a huge fuss a few days ago, forced him to choose between us, saying it’s her or . Pfft.”
“At my dad’s age, what he wants is peace. He favors the obedient and gentle type. That woman could put on an act before, but I exposed her true colors. How could my dad not get sick of it? After I stirred things up a bit more, they broke up.”
Looking into her eyes, Chen Xu suddenly felt a bit uneasy. “Where did you learn all these tricks?”
“Did I even need to learn? I saw through Old Chen’s intentions in a glance,” Chen Ziqi said, her eyes full of pride.
“I know you’re capable now.”
For once, Chen Xu complinted her and said, “When you go back, make sure to study hard, okay?”
“Chen Xu, can we not do this? One dad is enough for ,” Chen Ziqi nearly couldn’t take it anymore. “Save those words for your future daughter.”
The sentintal feeling that had just arisen in Chen Xu was interrupted, leaving him sowhat amused. He ruffled her hair and said, “Alright, I’m off to work now. Rember to eat your breakfast.”
After speaking, he turned around and headed for the door.
“Chen Xu, bring a girlfriend ho when you co for the New Year,” Chen Ziqi called out to him.
Chen Xu turned back to look at her and said, “No respect for the elder, I’m your brother.”
Chen Ziqi’s lips moved, but as he walked out the door, she couldn’t bring herself to shout. Heading to the balcony, she watched him leave the building; after a while, she saw Chen Xu coming out of the stairwell.
“Brother,” she called out softly.
…
While in the car, Chen Xu received a call from Third Uncle about coming to pick up his daughter.
After hanging up, he felt a strange emptiness inside; he really hated this feeling.
When he was young, his parents were often away on business, leaving him alone at ho with his grandparents. He would only see them during sumr and winter holidays.
Whenever the holidays ended, and he had to part from his parents and return ho, a relentless sense of loss overwheld him, leaving him in discomfort for a long ti.
At the company, during the routine eting, Luo Xiyun still hadn’t shown up.
“Chen Xu, what’s wrong? You seem down,” Dai Zixin noticed his unusual deanor and asked.
“It’s nothing, probably just tired,” Chen Xu answered while packing up his things.
Dai Zixin hesitated, then asked, “Uh, did you receive the money?”
“Yes, I got it,” Chen Xu said. “Just speak your mind. It’s uncomfortable to see you like this.”
Dai Zixin felt a bit embarrassed and said, “It’s about the live stream. Do you have ti these days, could you help out?”
“I really can’t make the ti recently,” Chen Xu apologetically said.
“Oh, okay then,” Dai Zixin sounded disappointed.
“I’m heading out now, bye.” Chen Xu packed up his things and left for work.
The day flew by, and after changing into his tracksuit, Chen Xu ran all the way back to the rental.
Chen Ziqi had left in the morning, and now the place was eerily empty. After more than a year, he had thought he’d grown accustod to being alone. Now, he realized that deep inside, he still longed for soone’s company.
In the dreams, it was so, and in reality, it was much the sa. It’s just that, in reality, he had always suppressed it, and as ti passed, he thought he had grown accustod to it.
The arrival of Chen Ziqi shattered that state of his.
He ran, but his heart remained restless.
Unconsciously, he found himself in that alley again.
This ti, under that electric pole, there was no young girl, only three mottled kittens crouched in a shelter from the wind, their heads slightly tilted up, staring in one direction as if expecting sothing.
Chen Xu glanced at the three kittens and walked toward the small supermarket across the street. He bought a pack of cigarettes and a lighter, stood at the doorway, lit one, and took a deep drag.
He didn’t usually smoke, only when he felt particularly agitated.
He looked up at the sky; in the dark night, even the clouds were stained black, adding to the oppression.
He exhaled a puff of smoke and then heard footsteps. Turning around, he saw the young girl. She was still in her school uniform, carrying a backpack, and wearing earbuds, as if she had just co back from school.
He thought she was going to the store to buy sothing and stepped aside to make space. To his surprise, she walked straight up to him, her clear, bright eyes showing a hint of embarrassnt. She asked softly, “Can I borrow so money?”
It was the first ti he heard her speak, and her voice was pleasant.
“How much do you need?” he asked.
The girl slowly raised a finger.
“Hmm?”
She walked into the store, picked up a sausage.
One yuan?
…
Chen Xu watched the girl run back to the electric pole, breaking the sausage into small pieces and laying them in front of the three kittens. His mood inexplicably lightened.
He tossed his cigarette butt on the ground, stamped it out, and headed towards his rented room.
………
“Mr. Yang, here are the docunts you requested.”
In the car, Yang Jinxia had her secretary go upstairs first and, while alone, took the USB drive that Sister Lin handed her.
Sister Lin said, “My friend ntioned that he hopes you will delete it after viewing.”
“I will,” she replied, placing the USB securely and stepping out of the car to head towards the elevator.
Turning the corner, she heard her secretary speaking, “I’ll be off work in a while. You guys go ahead, send the address.”
It sounded like a voice ssage.
She wasn’t particularly concerned or interested in her secretary’s personal life and walked on.
The secretary quickly received a reply, had just opened the voice ssage when footsteps from behind made her turn around hurriedly, hiding her phone behind her. She could still hear the voice ssage from the phone, “I’ve already sent the location, rember, the place is 2003 noodle shop…”
“Sorry, Mr. Yang,” the secretary fumbled to turn off the voice ssage, her head bowed, not daring to look up.
After a few seconds of silence, Mr. Yang’s voice arose, “Play that voice ssage again.”
She reluctantly replayed the voice ssage, “I’ve already sent the location, rember, the place is 2003 noodle shop.”
After a few more seconds of silence and amid nervous tension from the secretary, Yang Jinxia spoke with an unexpectedly gentle tone, “Got a date?”
She was a bit confused and replied, “Yes, with a few college friends.”
“Alright, I have to head out for a bit anyway. I’ll give you a ride there.”
“Ah?”
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