But whether it was because he felt guilty or what, he blurted out without thinking, "Works on construction sites."

When he said that, the girl was stunned and her first reaction was disbelief.

He's the kind of guy who'd be more believable as a gangster than someone who works on construction sites.

"He works on construction sites?"

"It doesn't look like it to me..."

"I think so too."

"They're just saying that because they don't want to talk to you anymore."

"..."

Qin Gang even found smoking boring and couldn't bring himself to smoke anymore.

Xiangyang said he wanted to stay in the city, but he doesn't know if he will stay now.

Although last night, it really wasn't anything special.

But Xiangyang had already made up his mind, so there was no point in him explaining further.

Everyone had left before Xiangyang finally dawdled out the door.

Qin Gang was still waiting there.

The two met, but remained silent for a long time.

"Go back?" Qin Gang asked him.

Xiang Yang didn't say anything, so Qin Gang grabbed him, hailed a taxi, and shoved him inside.

He didn't even look at Xiangyang on the road.

Qin Gang asked him, "How is it?"

Xiangyang ignored him.

Qin Gang: "...Do you still want to stay in this city to pursue graduate studies?"

Xiang Yang paused noticeably, then fell silent again.

After getting off the car, Qin Gang pulled Xiang Yang to go back.

When they arrived at his doorstep, Xiangyang abruptly shook off his hand and refused to go inside.

He got on the bus and followed him to his doorstep, but then refused to go inside. What did he mean by that?

Qin Gang asked him, "What do you want?"

Xiangyang just squatted down in front of his house and ignored him.

Qin Gang lowered his eyes and kicked him. Xiang Yang turned his face away, looking extremely aggrieved.

Qin Gang felt a pang of pain in his eyes and squatted down beside him.

He had just taken out a cigarette when Xiangyang snatched it away, put it in his own mouth, and then groped him all over, taking the lighter from him.

Xiangyang squatted on the ground, awkwardly biting a cigarette and awkwardly pressing the lighter.

Qin Gang snatched the lighter from him.

Xiangyang immediately got angry and yelled at him, "What are you doing!"

Seeing Xiang Yang come to snatch it, Qin Gang easily pulled him into his arms.

Xiangyang, with a cigarette still in her mouth, stayed in his arms, looking up at him.

Qin Gang asked him, "Are you still staying here?"

Xiangyang: "Then can you find a proper job?"

Qin Gang paused, his eyes gradually clearing, and he seemed to want to let go of him. The way he looked at Xiang Yang seemed to find it somewhat ridiculous.

Ironically, this kid actually thinks he's something special.

"What do you mean?" Qin Gang looked at him with amusement, waiting for his overestimation of his abilities.

Xiangyang looked at him and said, "I'll stay."

Qin Gang's eyes twitched.

"I'm hungry," Xiangyang said. "Is there any food?"

Qin Gang let go of him. "...Let's go out to eat."

“Okay,” Xiangyang stood up and said, “Let’s go celebrate.”

Xiangyang said he wanted to eat fish, so Qin Gang took him to eat fish.

As Qin Gang watched Xiang Yang eat fish with his head down, noticing the marks on his neck, he felt a void in his heart.

This kid wants to gloss over last night and doesn't plan to mention it again.

Qin Gang scoffed.

This kid is quite generous.

Qin Gang had no idea how miserable Xiang Yang was inside.

Xiao Guai: "...Is this really going to be over just like that?"

"Otherwise what!" Xiang Yang ate the fish greedily, as if determined to eat Qin Gang out of his mind. "He's the mission target, how can I leave him! What else can I do but forget what happened yesterday?"

Little Darling: "Then, what about after that?"

Xiangyang: "I'll stick to the original plan. I'll go to school and be a good socialist youth to show him. Look at him, I said I wouldn't let him do loan sharking anymore, and his face turned up in mockery."

On their way back, the two passed a furniture store, and Qin Gang deliberately said, "How about I buy you a bed to take back?"

Xiangyang remained silent.

Qin Gang squinted and actually bought him a bed. After buying it, he threw the bed into the storage room and told him to clean it up himself.

Then he left on his own.

Xiangyang didn't say a word to him, he just looked at the filthy little storage room, sighed, and started cleaning it up.

The next day, Xiangyang went to find a part-time job. He worked at a milk tea shop during the day and at a barbecue stall at night.

For a whole week, Xiangyang didn't see Qin Gang come back even once.

Xiangyang also felt it didn't matter anymore; even if they met, it probably wouldn't be of any help to the mission.

Until the day the postgraduate entrance exam results were released.

Qin Gang's family didn't have a computer, and Xiang Yang originally wanted to go to a bar.

On this day, just as Xiang Yang finished getting ready and was about to go out, Qin Gang, who seemed to have had a little to drink, returned from outside.

"Where are you going?" Qin Gang asked without even glancing at him as he walked over.

"I was originally planning to go to an internet cafe to check my grades," Xiangyang said, deciding against going out. He walked towards Qin Gang, but instead of calling him "Dad" and rubbing against him like before, he said, "Uncle Qin, can I use your phone? I won't go out and spend that money."

Qin Gang looked at Xiang Yang, who was sitting next to him but seemed much more distant, and tossed his phone to him.

"Thank you, Uncle Qin!" Xiang Yang happily took the phone, his heart pounding with excitement, his eyes barely blinking.

After all, something like that happened that day, so it would be a lie to say it had no impact whatsoever.

To be honest, Xiangyang was a little nervous.

Looking at the search results, Xiangyang hesitated to look. He glanced at Qin Gang, handed him the phone, and said, "Uncle Qin, please look at it for me. I'm afraid to!"

Qin Gang: "You've got guts!"

Qin Gang stared at his phone screen. Before pressing the button, his hand trembled, and he pressed it twice before finally succeeding.

Xiangyang sat on the small sofa, keeping a safe distance, and asked him, "How much?"

A faint smile appeared on Qin Gang's face, and he raised an eyebrow.

Xiangyang couldn't wait any longer, so he snatched it away. After looking at the score, he smiled and said, "Uncle Qin, that's enough points!"

That's enough...

Qin Gang leaned back, reaching for a cigarette, but didn't. After a pause, he asked, "What do you smell like?"

"Huh?" Xiangyang sniffed himself. "I found a part-time job at a barbecue restaurant. It's three thousand a month, and I'll get paid in ten days. I'll treat you to a meal then!"

When he heard that it cost three thousand a month, Qin Gang couldn't help but twitch his lip, but he managed to hold back and didn't say anything before getting up and going back to his room.

Xiangyang: "Uncle Qin, your phone!"

Xiangyang caught up with him and stopped at his door.

Qin Gang looked at him, took the phone, and scratched his hair as he turned away.