124. Fart Freedom
Ling Ling rolled her eyes at Hao Shengnan and said, "What are you suddenly doing here today?" Shengnan clicked her tongue twice, stood up, paced around her office and said enviously, "Didn't you tell me some time ago that you got a promotion? That's why I have time to come and see you today. Seeing that your company is located in a prime location in the CBD and you have such a large independent office, I really don't want to admit that my best friend, who used to take a bath and pick her feet with me, has done so well with her own talents. I would rather believe that you are having an affair with the boss, so that the burning jealousy won't burn me to death." "How can an office of more than ten square meters be considered 'huge'? The rich experience that you have always been proud of, it turns out that this standard is considered 'huge'?" Ling Ling mocked her in return. Shengnan retorted, "As long as it's an independent space, it's fine! You can fart freely. I've always envied the leaders in our unit. They all have their own closed offices where they can burp and fart secretly without affecting others. Unlike us poor workers in cubicles, we have to hold everything in." "So they struggle for generations and fight for promotion just to fart freely?" Lingling was used to her style of using shit and piss as metaphors, but still couldn't help but retort. Sheng Nan continued to argue, "Of course. Let me tell you, the degree of freedom in the liberation of basic human nature, whether high or low, represents a class divide." "Come on, tell me, what exactly brought you here today?" Pressed by Ling Ling, Sheng Nan stopped beating around the bush and said, "Have you heard about Long Jia's dad? He was arrested. Their house was raided last month. This time, the old commander not only loses his freedom to fart, but he loses all freedom." "Huh?!" Ling Ling jumped up from the sofa in surprise. "So, how is Long Jia now?" Sheng Nan pouted. "I don't know. I can't get in touch with him. What little information I have, I read from public accounts online. Hey, where are you going now?" "Looking for Long Jia!" Ling Ling was probably the only one among her classmates who knew Long Jia's address. Years ago, when Long Jia told her his address, he asked her not to spread it. Then he took her to meet him a few times, invited her to dinner at his home, and spent weekends with his mother and sister. He'd told her the reason, that he was using her as a backup key. Just like those people who are always afraid of locking themselves out, they'd find a stone under the eaves or in the grass at the door and press a spare key. Now, this spare key was finally being used. Ling Ling wondered if Dragon Armor had been... since long ago...
Ling Ling rolled her eyes at Hao Shengnan and said, "What on earth are you doing here so suddenly today?"
Sheng Nan tutted twice, stood up, and paced around her office, saying enviously, "Didn't you tell me a while ago that you got a promotion? I finally had time to come see you today. Seeing that your company is in a prime CBD location and you have such a large private office, I really don't want to admit that my best friend, who used to shower and pick her feet with me, has achieved such a great success through her own talent. I'd rather believe that you're having an affair with the boss, so that the burning jealousy won't burn me to death."
"How can an office of only ten square meters be considered 'huge'? Your rich experience, which you have always been proud of, turns out to be considered 'huge' by this standard?" Ling Ling mocked her in return.
Shengnan retorted, "As long as it's an independent space, it's great! I can fart freely. I've always envied the leaders in my company. They have their own enclosed offices where they can burp and fart secretly without disturbing others. Unlike us poor workers in cubicles who have to hold everything in."
"So people have struggled for generations and fought for promotion just to achieve the freedom to fart?" Ling Ling was used to her style of using shit, piss and fart as metaphors, but she still couldn't help but refute.
Sheng Nan, however, continued to argue, "Of course. Let me tell you, the degree of freedom in the liberation of basic human nature, whether high or low, signifies a class divide."
"Tell me quickly, what are you doing here today?"
Pressed by Ling Ling, Sheng Nan stopped beating around the bush and simply said, "Have you heard about Long Jia's father? He was arrested. Their house was raided last month. This time, the old commander not only loses his freedom to fart, he loses all freedom."
"Ah?!" Ling Ling jumped up from the sofa in surprise, "How is the dragon armor now?"
Sheng Nan curled his lips and said, "I don't know. I can't get in touch with him. What little information I have, I read from the public accounts online. Hey, where are you going now?"
"Go find Dragon Armor!"
Ling Ling was probably the only one among her classmates who knew Long Jia's home address. Years ago, when Long Jia told her his address, he had told her not to share it. Then he took her to meet his family several times, invited her to dinner at his home, and spent weekends with his mother and sister.
He had told her the reason, that he was using her as a spare key, just like those people who are always afraid of locking themselves out after going out, so they will find a stone under the eaves or in the grass at the door and press a spare key.
Now, this spare key was finally being used. Ling Ling wondered if Long Jia had known for a long time that this day would come, and perhaps he was filled with suspenseful fear, or perhaps, with anticipation.
Ling Ling knocked on the door, and it was Long Zhenzhen, Long Jia's sister, who opened it. Of all the people Ling Ling knew, she felt this girl was the only one who could truly be described as pure and kind. She had always believed that only money could protect absolute innocence.
"Sister Lingling, why are you here? You - also know about my family's affairs, right?" A layer of gray sorrow covered Zhenzhen's pure and beautiful face, making her whole person look sad and beautiful.
"Yeah." Ling Ling nodded and asked, "Where's your brother?"
Zhenzhen stepped aside to invite her in, pointed in the direction of the study and said, "I'm talking to my mother."
Ling Ling went in, changed her shoes, walked to the door of the study, and heard the conversation between Long Jia and his mother.
"Mom, you should go and rest. You've been sitting here meditating for most of the day without eating or drinking."
"No, I have to let the Buddha feel my sincerity and bless our home with peace."
"Oh my god, the Buddha is so generous, why would he care about how long you meditate? If he even cares about this, how can he protect our family and keep them safe?"
"You kid, don't talk nonsense about the Buddha's will."
"I did make irresponsible remarks, irresponsible remarks, woof woof woof, then mommy, let's go eat?"
Longjia laughed and pushed his mother's back. The mother and son walked out of the study and saw Lingling waiting at the door. Longjia's mother said, "Oh, Lingling, you're here? It's been a long time since we last met. You don't come to visit often."
Longjia's mother's face, weathered by the years, bore no trace of hardship. Anyone could tell she hadn't suffered a single hardship since she was born. Perhaps this family tragedy was the first major upheaval in her life, leaving her at a loss, and so she sought divine help.
Ling Ling exchanged pleasantries with Long Mama, just as she had every time she visited Long Jia's home, and everyone acted as if nothing special had happened. After all, comfort that didn't solve the problem would only cause embarrassment to both parties.
"Go to my room and wait for me," Long Jia said to Ling Ling. Then he put his arm around his mother's shoulders and took her to the restaurant, asking Zhen Zhen to have dinner with her.
Long Jia returned to his room and saw Ling Ling waiting for him in the suite's reception room as usual.
He took out a bottle of Evian from the bar and was about to hand it to her, but then he changed it to Perrier and said, "I almost forgot you like this."
"Actually, I can't tell any difference. I just think the colored glass bottle looks expensive." Ling Ling said in her usual tone when talking to him.
Long Jia also opened a bottle of Perrier and drank it, then sat lazily on his gaming chair and said, "Why did you only find out about my family's situation today?" He knew that if she heard about those things, she would rush over as soon as possible.
"You know I never pay attention to political developments, whether before or after I met you, or before or after the incident in your family." Ling Ling said seriously.
Longjia smiled comfortingly and raised the water bottle as a gesture of respect from afar.
No one had been able to speak to him on such an equal footing lately. He gazed at the star-patterned ceiling and slowly unleashed what had been pent up in his heart: "Actually—I'm not that sad. Zhenzhen has never wanted to rely on him for fame. She's been teaching in elementary school since graduation. My mom eats vegetarian food, chants Buddhist scriptures, and meditates daily, and has basically no desires or ambitions. As for me, I've been dying to get away from him, and now I don't think this will have any impact on my life. I've always wanted to squeeze him out of our lives, especially this time. I've been desperately trying to make him seem unimportant to us, and he won't affect us in the slightest. But... it's quite difficult.
During the day, our lives went on as normal, but at night, I dreamt of a complete downfall. Every time I woke up, I felt like a loser, wondering how I had ended up like this. He choked up and didn't want to continue.
"If you are a loser, I am the losest." Ling Ling followed up, causing him to smile silently.
Ling Ling continued to ask him: "What kind of business are you going to do next? Do you need me to help you find one? I am a lucky fish."
"Tsk, you're not a koi, you're an electric eel!" Long Jia returned to his usual playful demeanor. "I haven't figured out what I'm going to do yet. Like any other dandy kid, I'm feeling resentful and lost when my family falls on hard times. My Weibo and WeChat public accounts have amassed quite a following, so if I need money urgently, I'll find a way to monetize them. However, I've never taken on any commercial ventures before, and if I were to make money from my fans now, it would feel like I'm just sucking my blood."
Long Jia said the last two words with some emphasis, and Ling Ling was silent for a long time.
*~*~*~*~*~*~
After the Xijing case was successfully concluded and promoted a surge in sales, other old customers in Group A also successfully renewed their contracts. Lingling became Fang Tuowu's right-hand man, and Lingling was brought to all kinds of dinners, big and small. At the dinner table, Lingling gradually got used to the old customers' jokes that she and Mr. Fang were running a husband-and-wife shop.
The partnership between Hemino and Tuowu had been lukewarm. Because of Lingling's presence, Adrian occasionally found himself in the position of managing smaller advertising campaigns, but he had yet to secure a major domestic deal. Hearing that Adrian's wife was coming to Beijing for a short stay, Fang Tuowu invited the couple to dinner, with Lingling accompanying them.
The dinner was scheduled for the Bulgari Hotel near Liangma River, where Lao Ai was staying. Ling Ling had thoughtfully booked an upstairs suite with a view for the couple to spend the night together. But surprisingly, only Lao Ai showed up. Although he apologized, saying his wife had just arrived in Beijing and hadn't adjusted to the time difference, Mr. Fang and Ling Ling could tell he still had reservations about Tuo Wu.
The atmosphere at the table was quite pleasant, with wine flowing and laughter mingling. Fang Tuowu had imbibed quite a bit of wine. Old Ai, after all, was a seasoned man, and from his interactions with Fang Tuowu and Ling Ling, he could tell that the boss had a soft spot for Ling Ling.
Author's Note
Liu Qiu
author
06-22
"No Time to Fall in Love with You" is being cut... Ling Ling and Yu Chuanbei are about to start their cuts, it's so uncomfortable, wuwuwu~~ please give me a hug.
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