Li Man put away her gun and, together with Luo Jianxing, helped the old man up.
"Cough cough..." She clutched her chest and coughed violently.
Daniel got up from the floor, opened a drawer to find medicine, took out a small bottle, unscrewed the cap and poured it into his palm. A black pill appeared in his palm.
He shook the bottle with his right hand, but there was no sound of it hitting the ground. With a heavy heart, he put the bottle down.
I poured a glass of water, fed my mother the only pill, and then helped her back to bed to rest.
After the lights were turned on, everyone could see the environment inside. It was only a few square meters in size, with an iron-framed bed. Opposite the bed was a rectangular table made of several wooden planks, on which were placed a pot for cooking rice and bowls and chopsticks for eating.
There was no television, no air conditioning... you couldn't find any ordinary furniture here, only two small stools and a water tank.
There were some miscellaneous items in the corner, and the ground was not paved with cement. Water was spilled on the ground, making it muddy.
The room's only window was closed, preventing the smell from escaping; a strange odor filled the entire room.
Seeing these living conditions, Luo Shimiao felt a pang of sadness. Families like this were commonplace here; some didn't even have proper homes and had to sleep in sewers or under bridges...
Daniel pulled a sack from the corner, filled with stolen underwear: "Here are yours."
Business was bad this month, all the money I earned went to protection money, and my mother's medicine ran out. Right now, I don't know where to get the money to buy more medicine.
"Please don't tell anyone that I stole clothes. I promise I won't steal again."
Luo Shimiao pointed at the sack and said, "How much money can this little bit of stuff fetch? Enough to buy your mother's medicine?"
His eyes were filled with pain as he lowered his head: "I'll buy as many as I can; I want my mother to live."
Gu Nian took out his wallet from his coat, pulled out a wad of cash, put it in his hand, and then picked up the sack.
Daniel stared at him blankly.
“He means he bought the bag of clothes,” Luo Shimiao said.
He looked at the money in his hand, his reddened eyes flashing with conflict. After struggling with his thoughts for a while, he only took one bill and returned the rest to Gu Nian: "Thank you, but this is too much. I can't accept it."
Luo Jianxing pushed the money back: "Just take it. My underwear is expensive, I can't afford to have it stolen."
"ah?"
Luo Shimiao translated for him: "He said, the rest can be considered as..." His eyes looked at the handwritten care items posted on the wall: "The cost of our haircut and facial."
"Stop talking nonsense, let's hurry up and start with him, we still need to go back to sleep."
“OK, OK.” Daniel stopped being coy; he really needed the money.
He pulled Luo Jianxing to a chair and gestured for him to sit down.
He slowly sat down, looking puzzled, and asked, "What do you want to do?"
Luo Shimiao: "I'll help you wash your face and hair."
"Sure, sure, let's enjoy some exotic craftsmanship."
"Just help him wash his face and hair, whatever you do, don't cut his hair, or he'll fight you to the death." Luo Shimiao pulled Li Man and Gu Nian to sit down on the bench at the back.
"OK".
He took a towel and wrapped it around Luo Jianxing's neck, then tied up his hair in the front with a rubber band.
He picked up the spray bottle and sprayed... a fine layer of water droplets covered his handsome face.
Then I picked up a bottle of facial cleanser (I don't know what brand it was) and squeezed it onto his face.
Luo Jianxing: "Hmm...is this face wash a little...?"
Before he could finish speaking, Daniel placed his palm on his face and began to rub it.
"It...it hurts a little." Luo Jianxing's brows furrowed tightly. "I can't even open my eyes."
"This grip...it hurts! Go easy on me!"
"Holy crap, I swallowed the face wash."
"Ah...it's too dry, add some water...water water."
Daniel: "OK".
*Sizzle sizzle sizzle...* He grabbed the spray bottle and started spraying wildly.
"Uh...too much." Luo Jianxing's eyes were burning so badly he couldn't open them, so he grabbed the towel around his neck to wipe them.
“NO NO NO.” Daniel stopped him.
It was another whirlwind of skill demonstrations.
Daniel held up two fingers to his lips, looked in the mirror, and said, "Kiss, kiss, kiss."
Luo Jianxing opened his eyes a crack, thinking this was a local way of showing friendliness, and mimicked his gesture, weakly saying, "Kiss kiss kiss."
The three people behind them simultaneously covered their mouths, their shoulders shaking.
"NONONO." He looked at the scissors that were about to be inserted into his nose with a face full of fear.
He put down the scissors, picked up a knife, and gestured with it against his chin.
"NONONO"
“OK.” Daniel wiped his face clean, pointed to his hair, and then to the sink.
"Wash your hair? Okay." Following his instructions, Luo Jianxing bent down and put his head into the sink.
"Hiss... Why is it cold water?!"
"Oh my god, my scalp hurts! It's bad enough that washing my face hurts, but washing my hair hurts too! What should I use to scrape my scalp?!"
Daniel held a comb in his hand and combed Luo Jianxing's scalp again and again.
Gu Nian pressed the tip of her tongue against her cheek.
Luo Shimiao pinched her lips with two fingers.
Li Man pursed her lips tightly.
The three of them tried their best to remain polite and not laugh out loud.
After washing and drying his hair, Daniel wanted to give him a final head massage, but Luo Jianxing refused outright.
If this continues, his head will split open.
Daniel looked at Luo Shimiao: "You're coming?"
“Haa…” Luo Shimiao yawned: “We’re sleepy, we’ll come again tomorrow.”
With a "bang," the roller shutter door was pushed up, and the three figures quickly retreated.
"Wait for me!" Luo Jianxing grabbed the hat from the table and chased after him.
Daniel said to their backs, "Kiss, kiss, kiss."
Luo Jianxing: "Kiss kiss kiss."
Back at the hotel, he collapsed onto the bed, clutching his still throbbing face: "I feel like I've been beaten up."
Li Man bent down and touched his face: "So smooth, your skin is like a peeled egg."
He sat up abruptly, mimicking Daniel's technique: "How can it not be slippery if you rub it like that? If you use too much force, you'll rub the skin off."
"You guys are quick-witted, sharing the good times but not the bad."
Gu Nian pulled him out of bed: "We're too shy to complain. Go back to bed after you're done complaining."
"Hmph!" He took off his shoes, climbed the ladder, and jumped onto the bed.
........
The next day, in the afternoon.
Luo Shimiao went to the pharmacy and the vegetable market, and then the group drove to Daniel's barbershop.
Daniel was delighted by their arrival.
"I'd like to borrow your pot to cook some vegetables." Luo Shimiao waved the vegetables in her hand.
"No problem, use it freely."
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