Chapter 15 Brother Lin Zhun, I like you. Please buy me a gift in return...
Chi Liuai finished her lunch happily. After eating and drinking her fill, she regained all her strength to continue playing the role of the woman who deeply loved Meng Yuzhi.
"Brother Yuzhi, do you have time? We can take some time to go see a movie, go shopping, and have dinner together." Chi Liuai made plans for the two of them to get along with each other. She described the luxury stores in Haicheng that she had always wanted to go to but had never been to. Now, she thought that she was different from the past and was no longer short of money. As long as she brought Meng Yuzhi in, the entire shopping mall would be hers.
She tried to remind men that they should give their future wives a gift every day in exchange for their wives' attention.
What he said was, "Brother Yuzhi, I like you so much, so please buy me a gift to repay my love for you!"
——But Meng Yuzhi said that wouldn’t work.
Chi Liuai lowered her head, looking very sorry. Her gift list had not been cleared yet.
Meng Yuzhi watched the girl's poor acting, only the hint of disappointment and sadness was genuine. There were many people in the industry like Chi Liuai who deliberately provoked him for petty gains, but she was the only one who had the expression "Brother Yuzhi, I'm going to trick you!" written on her face.
He caught the girl's acting and said softly: "I'm sorry, this is Hangzhou. If you like, maybe you can go somewhere else to relax."
Chi Liuai said happily, he is such a nice person.
Chen Hui handed Chi Liuai a black card.
Meng Yuzhi is indeed very busy.
It seemed as if the half day he spent with Chi Liuai was a day meticulously planned out from a rigorous schedule. After lunch, he went back to change into a black striped suit, tie, and neatly ironed trousers, looking refined and elegant.
This is about going out to work.
At this moment, Chi Liuai was curled up on the sofa watching short videos. Before leaving, Meng Yuzhi greeted her and reminded Chi Liuai.
She still needs to study.
Chi Liuai said casually: "I see, Brother Yuzhi, I'm studying at the American University."
Her tone was proud, implying to Meng Yuzhi that she was both good in character and in study, and that she could get excellent results without any extra effort.
Meng Yuzhi just nodded lightly.
Chi Liuai is a natural procrastinator.
It took Meng Yuzhi only half an hour from changing clothes to going out, while Chi Liuai took a full four hours from the time he planned to go out to the time he stepped out the door.
At that time, the driver reminded her that Mr. Meng had an 8 p.m. curfew, which meant she only had two hours to shop. Chi Liuai was persistent, insisting the driver leave, saying she preferred shopping alone.
Chi Liuai, holding a black card, watched the driver get in the car and drive away. She hummed a song softly and bought herself a few pieces of jewelry. She didn't choose carefully, choosing only the biggest, flashiest, and most expensive ones. Then she turned and went to the men's clothing store.
As autumn approaches and the sky darkens in Hangzhou, street vendors begin setting up stalls in the city's streets and alleys. The aroma of cumin barbecue and the clamor of drinking and playing finger-guessing games bring a new life to this long-abandoned commercial street. Many migrant workers cannot afford affordable housing in these residential complexes, and the alleys slated for demolition, located on the city's farthest edge, are drawn by their lower prices.
Workers who have worked hard all day like to order some skewers at their doorstep and drink a bottle of wine with friends to relieve the discomfort and fatigue of leaving their hometown.
When Lin Zhun arrived in Hangzhou, he had only 1,000 yuan in his pocket, so he couldn't even afford to rent a bungalow. He decisively asked his landlord for a basement. Perhaps because the landlord saw how handsome Lin Zhun was at the time, or perhaps because he was in trouble, he gave him some extra furniture that was still usable to make do.
He runs a tattoo shop during the day and often goes out to set up stalls at night.
Within a few months, Lin Jun's business became better and better, and he moved from the basement to an old small building.
He closed his stall as usual, returned home, and called a few poker friends to get together.
Lin Zhun had a cigarette between his teeth. Unlike the big-bellied man with a yellow collar soaked with sweat next to him, he was dressed neatly and freshly.
In the clouds and mist, he unbuttoned his collar, looking carefree.
I got the best hand of cards I've dealt this month.
With a "Hu" sound, the mahjong table began to mix and deal the cards again.
Chi Liuai got out of the taxi, frowning uncomfortably.
The street entrance was dominated by metal stalls with red cloths. With so many students, it had become a famous snack street. When Chi Liuai walked in, he was very eye-catching.
But definitely not her face.
It was the first time that everyone saw a student who was still childish wearing luxury goods openly and walking in a very adventurous manner.
How to describe that momentum?
It's like the little daughter in the rural drama who was abandoned and kicked out of the house, married into a wealthy family in the city, and was dressed in gold and silver, and she couldn't wait to tie her rich husband to a rope.
Chi Liuai walked swaggeringly from the beginning of the street to the end, and then from the end of the street to the stairs at the corner of the street and disappeared inside.
Take a look at the nearest stall owner.
Wow! Isn't this the tattoo parlor opened by Lin Zhun?
Many beautiful girls come to him because of his face.
Business is good.
Chi Liuai was wondering what she should say when she saw her brother. The luxury goods in her hand hurt her hand. Inside were all men's clothes, similar to Meng Yuzhi's style.
Meng Yuzhi was very particular about her clothes. She observed that the color of the tie and the style of the suit were both of high quality, so, relying on her memory, Chi Liuai also bought a set of straight and wide suits.
Her brother's size.
Humph, when the time comes, she will throw the clothes in Lin Zhun's face and let him know how good he has been these past few years! Lin Zhun will definitely regret abandoning himself to the Chi family.
The sound of mahjong became clearer and clearer. Chi Liuai could hear the noise of men drinking and making noise in his childhood memories. Everything that could be said and could not be said was in the wine. Lin Zhun asked for a certificate of qualification in those words with a few so-called block managers.
She smelled that sour stench again.
The shared sink was not cleaned, and was clogged with leftover food, hair, cigarette butts, and the smell of cheap laundry detergent.
The taste of poverty.
After a few years of good life, Chi Liuai felt that such a life was unbearable. She was unwilling to go back, but she could not forgive Lin Zhun for abandoning her.
She decided—
First, don’t smile at Lin Zhun.
Second, don’t call Lin Zhun brother.
Third, don’t enter Lin Zhun’s house.
The door opened.
There is no good etiquette for knocking on the door in a shared house. Chi Liuai is not without progress in the Chi family. She smiled obediently and asked if Lin Zhun was here.
The uncle who played cards all night glanced at Chi Liuai and muttered, "Why are you girls never going to stop?" He turned around and shouted inside.
"Xiaolin! You have a guest."
After a while, Lin Zhun appeared in front of Chi Liuai, his cigarette butt still burning at his lips. He was still like this, thinking it was a waste if he took a few less puffs.
The two looked at each other quietly.
Then, Lin Zhun sighed and closed the door.
The moment the door closed, Chi Liuai banged on it with the gift in his hand, making a loud noise. Lin Zhun didn't want to pay attention at first, but then everyone upstairs poked their heads out and shouted, "Whoever owes the debt should settle it. Why keep it here and disturb everyone?"
Finally, Lin Zhun pushed his cards aside and said, "Let's all go back. We won't play today. Just consider it all my loss."
After having a great time playing cards, why not take the money and go to the next game?
Chi Liuai squatted on the stairs on a higher level.
Her shoes were scratched from kicking the door, and she wiped them with her hands out of pain, but the scratches wouldn't go away.
As long as you are hurt, it will not be gone in the future.
She watched people leave the house one by one. After she was sure the last person had left, she immediately stuck her head into the half-closed door.
The people in the room obviously knew her too well.
Chi Liuai's head didn't hit the hard door panel. Instead, it hit a warm palm with the smell of tobacco, which was not unpleasant.
He pushed her out again.
Now, Chi Liuai couldn't hold it in any longer, and imitated Chi Cheng's usual behavior and began to speak ill of Lin Zhun. But before she could say anything, her little mouth curled up and tears fell down.
"Lin Zhun! Why don't you let me in? I hate you, you don't want me! Do you think you are so great?!"
Said again.
"Let me tell you, I've been having a really hard time these past few years—"
I have everything I need for a comfortable life, I'm studying abroad, and I'm about to marry into a wealthy family. I have a father, a brother, and a sister, a complete and healthy family. I'll never have to worry about not having a new dress for a cultural performance again. I'll have so many opportunities to learn piano, dance, and painting. I won't have to live a hard life with you anymore, and my heels will never get frostbite every winter like you do! The last time I worried about money was because Chi Cheng wouldn't buy me a bag worth hundreds of thousands of dollars!
Chi Liuai decided to use these words to give Lin Zhun a blow!
The door was about to be closed by Lin Zhun, and Chi Liuai was pushed out again. She stomped her feet anxiously and helplessly, and all the words on her lips turned into...
"Brother, brother, don't do this to me, don't do this to me. They all bullied me. Chi Cheng always called me stupid and forced me to go to class. My pocket money was much less than Chi Baoyuan's. She had everything. I couldn't even have enough to eat at home. He also asked me to marry an old man. Do you know how old he was? He was so ugly. He was really ugly. Chi Cheng also forced me to go abroad. I was really scared." Chi Liuai felt like his heart was being gouged out. "I only knew ABCD at that time. How could I go abroad? I couldn't even understand what they were saying!"
The door was actually not locked and was pushed open by Lin Jun again.
He sighed softly.
Chi Liuai wiped her tears with the back of her hand. She regained her spirits and walked to the iron security fence. She lifted her feet and her high heels bumped and rolled downstairs. Without turning her head, Chi Liuai passed by Lin Zhun who was leaning against the door and ordered, "Pick it up for me quickly!"
Then he brought these to Lin Zhun and threw the gifts, which he had to protect intact no matter how noisy they were, onto the ground.
He walked straight to the sofa and lay down on it.
Lin Zhun, following behind Chi Liuai, sighed as if he was used to it. He put his shoes in order, closed the door, filled the room with warm water, and took a new towel, then half-knelt beside Chi Liuai.
At that time, she was watching TV, and because of the grievance she had just felt, she didn't even look at Lin Zhun.
Lin Zhun slowly held Chi Liuai's feet and gently wiped the soles of her feet with skillful movements. After wiping them clean, he took out a pair of brand new women's slippers from the shoe cabinet.
Chi Liuai dragged his shoes, stomped a few times, squinted his eyes and asked Lin Zhun: "Are these for me? Are you in a relationship? These can't be your girlfriend's shoes, right? Find me a clean pair! Also, I don't like pink anymore, it's too childish."
Lin Zhun held Chi Liuai's legs to prevent her from moving. This was the second time he sighed.
"Yes, it's yours."
Chi Liuai didn't like Lin Zhun sighing at her. The night before she was abandoned by Lin Zhun at Chi's house, Lin Zhun kept sighing at her and the two of them stayed awake all night.
One is because you know you have to separate, the other is because you don’t know why you have to separate.
Lin Zhun narrowed his eyes and immediately asked, "You said the Chi family asked you to marry an old man?"
Chi Liuai paused and changed the subject.
"Answer me."
Now it was Chi Liuai's turn to sigh: "Oh, stop talking. It didn't work out. I fell in love with another guy, and he's incredibly good."
"Really? You're still studying, and you two are getting married? Are men the only things on your mind? How can I feel at ease with you like this?" Lin Zhun was angry at Chi Liuai's bad habit of wanting to get married once and for all at such a young age.
Although in his eyes Chi Liuai was born to be served and enjoy a good life, it did not mean that he did not mind some men with bad intentions taking advantage of this opportunity to maliciously seduce his extremely innocent sister.
Chi Liuai didn't want Lin Jun to know that she had dropped out of school, so she changed the subject.
"How have you been these past few years? No way, you haven't quit playing cards yet?"
Lin Zhun had a casual habit of playing cards, though not much, just for fun. He was skilled at card counting and rarely lost. He could discern whether a hand was going well from the subtlest expressions of others at the table. Even his longtime friends couldn't escape Lin Zhun's notice, let alone the timid Chi Liuai.
She lowered her head: "You can rest assured, he is still hanging on me!"
Meng Yuzhi asked Chi Liuai to think about it for a few days, and Chi Liuai was too embarrassed to continue pestering him and said that she wanted to marry him right away!
She was also a girl with self-respect and face, okay? At least Meng Yuzhi should kneel down and propose to her, even if she was the one who provoked him first.
Lin Zhun became even angrier when he heard this.
"What the hell! You're blind! You don't even like you?"
The second-hand single-person sofa wasn't spacious, and the area for long-term sitting had even sunken in. Lin Zhun wouldn't sit alone, so the two of them squeezed into this narrow space. Chi Liuai said she disliked it, but she habitually put her feet on Lin Zhun's legs. She didn't seem to realize that there was something wrong with this intimate gesture.
When she heard this, she excitedly nudged Lin Zhun's thigh with her foot.
The touch of Lin Zhun's firm thigh muscles and warm body temperature spread from his thin pajamas to the soles of Chi Liuai's feet.
Chi Liuai finally returned to the time when Lin Zhun supported her unconditionally. She showed Lin Zhun her paintings, the baking she made, the places she visited, the jewelry she bought, etc., and then said that Chi Cheng did not like her and was targeting her everywhere at home.
Lin Jun was still admiring Chi Liuai's masterpiece and was already feeling very proud when he heard this.
He laughed coldly. The two spoke in similar tones. Lin Zhun gave Chi Liuai an answer.
"Liu Ai, he must be too jealous of you. You are so beautiful, sensible, obedient, and smart. You can even auction off your own paintings. Is there any girl in the world more talented than you? Those guys are jealous of you. Living around them, you must learn to hide your shortcomings."
Lin Zhun was not joking at all. He couldn't imagine that there was anyone in the world who didn't like Chi Liuai.
She has been pretty since she was young and much smarter than her peers.
When other children were still breastfeeding, Chi Liuai was picky about food. How smart she was, knowing how to choose the food she liked.
The way she was yelling and making a fuss at the door just now was exactly the same as when she was a child and refused to leave unless I bought her a toy.
In Lin Zhun's eyes, Chi Liuai was extremely brave because he could learn to express his dissatisfaction loudly.
The Chi family and that blind man actually don’t like Chi Liuai?
Tasteless stuff!
Lin Jun suddenly felt that it was a mistake to return Chi Liuai to the Chi family.
but......
"Brother, I've had enough of them! How about we leave here together?" Chi Liuai stood stiffly, pretending to watch TV, glancing at Lin Zhun with his peripheral vision, and asked again tentatively, "Let's go, or I can stay in Hangzhou and live with you. Don't worry, I can support you. You raised me, and I will support you in the future."
Lin Zhun seemed not to hear this, and after a moment, he responded: "Wait, wait--"
Lin Zhun's eyes felt a little sore. He stopped looking at Chi Liuai and turned to watch the popular TV series. The heroine in the TV series was a rich girl who eloped with a poor boy, and finally became a fishmonger because of the daily necessities.
During the commercial break, Lin Zhun slowly said, "When you grow up, get a job, and have enough money to support yourself, then we can consider these things. Otherwise, how can you afford to support your brother?"
On the LCD TV screen, the male protagonist was holding his children and begging his wife who was about to leave. As the children were crying bitterly, the female protagonist put her foot into the luxury car sent by the family and stopped.
Lin Zhun thought, love is such a sin. This scene was like the free mermaid princess in the deep sea, who gave up wealth, family, and voice, only to be betrayed by the prince in the end. If she had gently put her feet to the surface after the first disappointment, what would happen?
Snap——
The water splashed on Chi Liuai's calves, and she angrily stepped into the puddle at the entrance of the alley. After Lin Zhun finished speaking, she kicked Lin Zhun away and left.
The night breeze is cool.
Chi Liuai looked up at the old building, its yellowed, stained walls covered in printed advertisements. Residents had secretly hung power strips from the windows to charge their electric cars. The window facing the street was dedicated to the kitchen, lacking a range hood. The greasy, blackened screens and densely packed electrical wires gave Chi Liuai a false sense of place amidst the darkness.
It was this net that trapped her brother and refused to leave with her.
This black net belongs to everyone here, and it is called poverty.
Chi Liuai's pores dilated, she took out her cell phone, dialed a number, and spoke in one breath.
"Brother Yuzhi, can we get married right now?"
"I have a few small requests. You have to propose to me! I also want everyone to know that I'm Mrs. Meng. And it would be even better if you could invite a few male celebrities I like. I want to apologize to them. After all, I promised to marry them before, and I broke my promise. The wedding venue must be..."
Chi Liuai stated all his requests, and Meng Yuzhi listened quietly until Chi Liuai finished speaking and took a breath.
A gentle man's voice came from the other end of the phone, and he said casually, "So, Mrs. Meng, give me a reason why you haven't returned home at ten o'clock, okay?"
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