There are no taxis available in the countryside, so Mr. Li decided to buy a used car with a budget of around 10,000 yuan for easier travel.
After having breakfast and tidying up briefly, I waited for 30 minutes at the bus station in the countryside before a bus finally passed by. I remember when I was a child, the way to school was too far, and I often had to wait for buses.
There are always times when I get impatient waiting and decide to walk to school, but the bus comes after I've only walked a few hundred meters. If I get on the bus then, I still have to pay two yuan, which always feels like a waste. I get extremely frustrated every time.
Having not visited my parents-in-law's house for so many years, the bus still has that familiar deep blue color and that familiar smell of gasoline, easily stirring up feelings of nostalgia. The only change is that there are no longer ticket sellers; everyone just pays their own way based on their itinerary.
The journey from the countryside to the city takes more than an hour and costs twelve yuan. Originally, only cash could be paid, but now, in keeping with the times, you can pay with WeChat or Alipay.
The road had been renovated, so the ride was smooth and bump-free. Li Sheng closed his eyes and rode all the way to the final stop, only to be woken up by the driver.
"Young man, young man, get off at the final stop."
Li Sheng woke up and yawned. His habit of easily getting sleepy on the bus had not changed over time.
I had a very comfortable sleep.
"Thank you for reminding me."
She picked up her phone and called Zhang Hang: "Hey, Hangzi, are you in the hospital right now? Which ward are you in? I'll come find you."
Zhang Hang's voice came from the other end of the phone, but he became excited after hearing Li Sheng's voice, though he still couldn't hide his fatigue.
"Brother Sheng, what brings you here? You didn't even tell me beforehand. I came to pick you up so we could have lunch together."
There was a shopping mall not far from where they got off the car. While searching for a suitable gift, Li Sheng talked on his phone: "No need, just send me your location and tell me which ward. I need to go get a car and will come over later."
The man talked about cars like he was on steroids. I never thought Brother Sheng was doing so well now that he could even buy a car. Is he on his way back home in glory?
"Brother Sheng, what kind of car are you driving? A BMW? An Audi?... You can't forget your brother, I have to be the first person to sit in the passenger seat and go for a ride. With our relationship, you have to agree to this request."
This kid's really getting cocky. I hope he doesn't disappoint later: "Okay! You can sit wherever you want in my car, I don't mind if you lie down in the trunk. You're busy, remember to send me your location. I'm hanging up."
I hung up the phone and went into a fruit shop. The first thing I saw was a series of beautifully packaged fruit baskets, ranging from 199 to 299, with a maximum price of 1999. The fruit inside wasn't anything special, but the packaging increased the price by a third.
The shop assistant, a woman in her twenties, greeted a handsome young man who had just entered the store with great enthusiasm: "Hello, handsome! What would you like to buy? This creamy strawberry is the most popular item this season. You might want to consider it."
Mr. Li's eyes swept across the fruit shop: "I'm buying these to give to my elders who are hospitalized."
The shop assistant immediately and enthusiastically recommended the most expensive fruit basket to Mr. Li. He was so handsome and dressed so neatly and cleanly, he was obviously good at dressing up. People like him usually care a lot about their image, so it's okay to recommend something a little more expensive. To save face, he would probably pay for it.
"Handsome, take a look at this fruit basket. It's full of high-end fruits, quality guaranteed. It's a presentable gift, and your elders will definitely love it."
Li Sheng didn't like spending money on flashy but impractical things. He did remember that Uncle Zhang loved eating those thin-skinned watermelons that would crack open if you pinched them with your fingernail. The skin was thin, and the flesh was red and sweet. In the end, Li Sheng took a bag and took two watermelons, a few pounds of peaches, and two durians that Zhang Hang loved.
"These are fine, please weigh them for me."
The shop assistant was a little disappointed, as she would have received a 100 yuan commission if the fruit basket had been sold. However, considering how handsome Mr. Li was, she wasn't too upset.
Carrying the fruit, he turned a few corners to a used car market and bought a Wuling minivan. The car's exterior didn't look very new, with some scratches and dents, but he checked the interior and found no major problems. The dealer had also cleaned it thoroughly inside and out.
It's only worth 10,000 yuan. Do you expect me to want a Rolls-Royce?
I put the fruit in the trunk and drove to the city hospital.
The first thing I saw when I entered the ward was Uncle Zhang lying on the floor. His body was only half there. If it weren't for the vital signs displayed on the monitor, I would have thought he had already passed away.
When Zhang Hang saw Brother Sheng arrive, he suppressed his excitement and walked to the door.
Only then did I dare to speak.
"Brother Sheng! Long time no see. I thought you'd been attacked by debt collectors. I almost called the police."
Li Sheng patted Zhang Hang on the shoulder and handed him the fruit in his hand.
"I bought this for my uncle and you."
Zhang Hang took the fruit from the ground by the door: "It's enough that you're here, why buy such expensive fruit?"
Zhang Hang looked as if he had been bewitched by a demon; his eyes were sunken and dark, and although his beard was clean-shaven, he reeked of an unpleasant mixture of alcohol, cigarette smoke, and perfume.
"How is Uncle Zhang doing? He'll probably need someone to take care of him from now on. What are your plans?"
Zhang Hang walked with his back to Li Sheng to the window at the end of the corridor, looking at the gray sky outside.
“I hired a caregiver for my father. During the day, the caregiver and I take care of him together, and at night I work in bars in the city. The income is okay, just enough to get by. The caregiver took the day off this morning, so now I'm the only one taking care of my dad. I don't know when he'll be back, so we might have to eat later.”
Bars can be quite profitable if you're successful, especially selling drinks, which can earn you a lot of commission.
"It's okay, everything will be alright. Keep up the good work, and I'll book a table for you to boost your sales if I get the chance."
Zhang Hang's face contorted with embarrassment.
"Brother Sheng, you'd better not come. I'm afraid I won't have the face to see you."
This isn't anything shameful: "What's shameful about bar marketing or waiters promoting drinks? I'm not your dad, that old-fashioned guy."
Zhang Hang stammered, "No, no! I... I'm a male model who does pole dancing at bars at night."
ha?
...
Li Sheng was shocked, as if struck by lightning: "So, when you said you hooked up with a rich woman last time, was that how you did it?"
Zhang Hang forced a smile that looked more like a grimace: "Brother, I'm just doing this because I have to make a living. You won't look down on me, will you?"
He became a male prostitute to pay for his elderly father's medical expenses, but how could he dare to look down on him? "No, your spirit is great, I have the utmost respect for you, but I still won't support you."
He should help his brother in trouble, but the problem is that he doesn't have much money on hand right now. Zhang Hang might not accept the money given to him so readily, given his straightforward personality. But he absolutely cannot watch his brother get dragged into prostitution and become unable to extricate himself.
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