Chapter 37 Pick it up
The evening breeze was gentle, and the girl walked beside him, her hair having a sweet fragrance.
Xu Jiqing glanced at her sparkling eyes and said calmly, "I can't add you."
"...Ah?" Su Xia was extremely disappointed. "Why?"
"I have something to do tonight and no time on the weekends."
No matter how much he needed it, he didn't want to take her money.
It's impossible to take advantage of the little girl's compassion and ask for an exorbitant price. There's no point in cheating her.
The girl looked listless, and she lowered her fingers, which she had been gesturing with excitement just now, and let them hang down at her side like a bird with its wings folded.
Xu Jiqing pursed her lips and said, "Since you've signed up for the tutoring class, just study hard."
"I want to find someone to guide me in school. There are girls with high rankings in the experimental class. Go find them."
"Don't say things like that to boys casually."
Su Xia said in a small voice, "I'm not being careless."
Xu Jiqing's voice was still cold, "Don't think too highly of others."
Even Xu Jiaojiao learned this in kindergarten: boys are dangerous.
No matter whether it is uncles, aunts, brothers or teachers, they cannot be left alone in a secluded and deserted place.
Su Xia has grown up so much, how could she not understand?
Was she too well protected by her family and therefore knew nothing about the dark side of the world, or was she simply not considering him as a member of the opposite sex? Maybe it was both.
Xu Jiqing was feeling irritated. Seeing the girl getting more depressed, he couldn't think of anything to say to comfort her.
When Xu Jiaojiao was scolded by him and cried, he would go downstairs to buy a mung bean popsicle and turn on the TV to watch two more episodes of cartoons.
But Su Xia has seen all kinds of good things, so why would she care about a two-dollar popsicle?
He had no idea what to do.
Walking to the playground, the shadows of the trees are thick.
Su Xia hung her head and stepped on his shadow from time to time.
Just drive her away.
Why do you still care about her so much...
Outside the school gate, Su Lijun's Bentley was parked in the most conspicuous position. When he saw his niece coming from afar, he flashed the headlights and honked the horn at her.
Su Xia waved over there, encouraged herself again, and moved closer to Xu Jiqing, "Then I'll add you on QQ."
"I promise, I'll just ask you a couple of questions very occasionally. I won't interrupt your training or classes."
Afraid of being rejected again, she didn't wait for Xu Jiqing's response and quickly reached into her schoolbag to search.
As a result, because the entire backpack was used to stuff snacks, the notebook and pen disappeared, and only a lipstick was taken out from the compartment.
...Just make do with it.
Su Xia sighed inwardly, took out a bag of small bread from the snacks that Xu Jiqing was holding, pinched the air into the bread, held the removed lipstick cap in her mouth, and wrote her number on the slippery plastic packaging stroke by stroke like a primary school student who had gone to school the day before.
The lipstick is very bright in color. I bought it casually for stage makeup. I used it once or twice and then threw it here and completely forgot about it.
After Su Xia finished writing the string of numbers, she wiped off the extra stain with her fingertips, walked back to Xu Jiqing, and carefully put the bread back into the bag. "It's very fragile and won't last long. Don't rub it."
The Bentley at the door beeped twice again.
"My uncle is rushing me," Su Xia hid from the car lights and looked back reluctantly, her skirt blown by the wind. "You have to add me when you get back, okay?"
Her eyes were open and her tone was gentle yet cruel.
It was just like treating a wild cat or dog you meet in the bushes. You feel sorry for him, and just feel sorry for him, so you come to feed him every two days, but never think of taking him away.
Xu Jiqing was silent for a while before replying, "Okay."
-
The last time I met Uncle Su Xia at the night market, it was a similar situation. The eldest lady's family was keeping a close watch, and he left as soon as I called him.
Su Xia didn't want his family to see him.
The Bentley drove away quickly. Xu Jiqing stopped under the camphor tree beside the playground and squatted down to tighten his shoelaces.
The young men pushing bicycles passed by behind him, and they were the same ones around Li Rui.
I guess I've been watching the fun for a while, the car bell jingled, and I deliberately imitated Su Xia's voice, "Then I'll add you on QQ——"
The companions were overjoyed and burst into laughter.
The boy got even more excited when he saw this. "The princess is really not picky. Last month she was still with Zhou Zhiyan, and now she's running to the slums to find a new lover."
"How can you talk like that? Xu Jiqing is so famous now, and he'll fall for any teasing. Isn't this more prestigious than being a bootlicker?"
"Damn, if you weren't naive, whoever takes the bait wouldn't be a good one."
Another voice lazily said, "What era is this? Can being good at studying make a living? How long can good looks last? It's not as satisfying as picking up a rich woman."
"Oh my god! I understand now. Captain Xu is the smart one."
…
The stadium had recently been renovated and rubble was scattered around, piling up into small hills.
The boys pushed their carts closer, stomping on the ground.
The pebbles shot high and fell, two of them landed in Xu Jiqing's shadow, and several others hit his back.
"Oh, I'm sorry, it was an accidental injury."
"What good things did the princess give you? Share some with your brothers."
Xu Jiqing lowered his head.
He hooked his index finger around the end of the shoelace, tied a knot, and stood up.
The leading boy grinned, and seeing that Xu Jiqing didn't respond no matter how he provoked him, he suddenly kicked the snack bag at Xu Jiqing's feet.
The small bread that Su Xia had written and put back a few minutes ago was placed on top. It rolled to the side of the road and hit the curb.
The pink lipstick was stained with grass residue and dust, and the numbers were smeared together.
Xu Jiqing stared at it for two seconds.
"Pick it up," he said.
The boy was stunned for a moment, "What?"
Xu Jiqing took a step forward.
He is half a head taller than the other person.
Under the pale street light, he lowered his head slightly, half of his face was covered with spider-web-like shadows, his eye sockets were deep, and the inner corners of his eyes were sharp and somewhat scary, like a poisonous snake ready to pounce.
"I said, pick it up."
His voice was very soft, but the air around him seemed to freeze.
The boy's expression became increasingly stiff. He swallowed hard and forced himself to calm down. "What are you pretending to be—"
He wanted to sneer, but the laughter was stuck between his lips before it even reached his throat.
The next second, his vision suddenly collapsed——
Xu Jiqing's leg swept across the back of his knees like steel bars, and at the same time, his right hand pushed his shoulder hard.
In his ears were the rustling sounds of the back of his head hitting the gravel and the dull thud of his kneecap hitting the ground. The intense pain made the boy's vision go black. He curled up and tried to get up, but Xu Jiqing's old sneakers, which were brushed white, were already pressing on his right hand that was supporting the ground.
The sole of the shoe slowly applied pressure, flattening his five fingers on the rough plastic track.
The boy's fingertips had turned white, and his joints made tiny, unnatural crackling sounds.
The always silent, gifted top student who seemed never to be angered slowly squatted down, so close that the fibers of his school pants at the knees almost touched the tip of his nose.
Xu Jiqing's right hand hung in front of him, shaking expressionlessly, revealing two deformed fingers.
"Do you like it?"
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