Chapter 17 (1/2)

It still felt like a dream when we got back home—the brat was a home owner. Although we were both home owners, my house was in the countryside while his was in the city. It wasn’t the same!

“Ge, I think the rental shop would make a lot more money if it was in Shanghai,” he said as he rode me. When did he learn to speak so indirectly? I laughed.

I actually considered long before him to p.a.w.n the shop and sell the house—move to Shanghai.

That place was bigger, therefore safer.

We were scared that one day the beans would spill and mom and pops wouldn’t take it well. Once we were all the way out there, the chances of coming out would be a lot smaller.

The first thing my ma asked about when we went back was the origins of the house. This we already thought of ahead of time.

“Binbin saved a federal official, right? He wanted to thank Binbin so he gave him a house.” Fortunately, the elderly are easy to fool. “But, mom, you can’t spread this around. The chief wants to keep it a secret.”

“I know, I got it. Wow, Binbin! This is what they call what goes around comes around!”

My pa was about to launch into his usual speech about being kind without the expectation of a reward when I interrupted. “The chief wants us to have it. If we don’t take it, he might think we think it’s not enough! This way, the chief can feel relieved. I think it’s a good thing.”

“Yeah, Binbin, don’t pay attention to that old bag of bones. You risked your life for this house! I don’t see why you shouldn’t take it!” My mom was being biased again.

Then, I brought up the idea of going to Shanghai.

Ma and pa were more excited than I was.

“I wanted you to go for a long time. The big city will have lots of nice girls. You have such high expectations, never could find one you liked. Going to Shanghai will be good for you.”

Binbin snickered secretly beside me. I pinched him at the waist.

“It’s a good idea. Men must have high aims. You should go out and experience the world. Plus you can always come back here if you don’t like it there!”

After we came back to our den, I asked Binbin, “What are you going to do after we get there? What am I going to do?”

“Me? I’ll look for a job. And you? You look for girls–ah! Ouch! d.a.m.n you, Qian Jiying, pinching me again. Just you wait. Just you wait…”

Just I wait, what? Worst comes to worst, I let you f.u.c.k me. I giggled as I ran outside.

After that, it was smooth sailing.

There was nothing to be afraid of.

As long as we were together.

Therefore, I went to Shanghai to find my old cla.s.smates. The brat came with me a couple of times, too, to see if he could find a job. But he was a high-roller now, completely financially-independent. He had at least two hundred and fifty bucks a month from renting out the apartment at Century Park.

I went to City N to stock up for the last time the day before National Day and for the first time in a million years, the Shanghai-Nanjing Expressway was jammed. I should have gotten home at seven pm but I only got past Zhenjiang at nine. Coincidentally, Lin Dongfu was getting engaged on National Day so he was having a fiesta. A fiesta was none other than dinner, karaoke and then hitting the bathhouse. The brat joined in on the fun, too. He was their leader after all, so he had to show up and show off, so as to say.

However, emergencies just had to happen at a time like this. My ma called me, crying and howling, telling me that my pa fainted.

“Why’re you calling me? Call 112 emergency service!”

“I did. It’s been over ten minutes and they still haven’t come yet. What do I do? Wahhhh. You can’t leave me, you old bag of bones!” She started wailing!