Chapter 19 (2/2)

“I read your interview.” Xiao Yi said: “There were many movies and magazines that had special reports of your interview, brother Zhou, you were very inspirational.”

”To be a singer in Beijing, even if they don't get 10,000 yuan, they still at least get 8,000 yuan.” Luzhou said: ”Do you know how President Du and her people choose which actors to sign contracts with? Not only do they have to see if you can become popular, it also depends on whether you can develop afterward, out of ten thousand people only around ten people are able to succeed, as for the remaining, even if they don't splash water in Huadu river, they won't be able to submerge. Can you even say that these people don’t work hard? Any one of them are working hard.”

”Are you saying that these people have no talent?” Luzhou said thoughtlessly, ”You're just wrong, many people are more talented than those in their early days, like you, you are very talented. But who is to blame for the lack of popularity?”

Xiao Yi: ”……”

Xiao Yi thought, 'are you encouraging me or are you laughing at me? To encourage is also not right, I already signed a three-year contract selling myself to you, even if I want to go back to become a singer, I can't run away'

”So this is life.” Xiao Yi emotionally said.

“It’s a matter of chance!” Luzhou angrily said: ”Be patient! Wait for an opportunity! Seize the opportunity! Have your IQ been in a state of decay for a long time? Why can't you understand what I'm saying? I'm about to die from an excess of anger because of you……”

Xiao Yi was at a loss, he thought for a moment and said, “Ok.”

Luzhou said: “Work as my a.s.sistant earnestly, someday, when given the opportunity, a TV show theme song or a movie theme song, you follow me and go try it out, if you grasp the opportunity and compose the lyrics, won't you then be popular?!”

”Can I really?” Xiao Yi's whole body shuddered as he stood up.

Luzhou issued an ambiguous nasal sound, Xiao Yi immediately shouted loudly as he rushed over to hug Luzhou and said: ”Can I?! Brother Zhou, you have to promise me! My whole life’s dream is to sing a theme song for you ah ah ah ah——”

Luzhou was prepared this time, the moment when he finished, he immediately raised a leg, the moment Xiao Yi was about to rush up to hug him, Luzhou decidedly kicked Xiao Yi out of the bed.

The next day, Xiao Yi was awakened by the sound of firecrackers outside, the New Year Celebrations in Jingshan had started, the farther away you were from the city and county, the stronger was the flavor of New Year, many people who worked far away had returned to Wuhan, it was really heated and lively, from outside the window carried a faint smell of nitrate.

Xiao Yi looked up with drowsy eyes and saw Luzhou sitting at the dining table chatting with his mom, Xiao ma always rambled on about her worries toward her son’s marriage, Luzhou was sincerely listening and from time to time he would give some small advices, Xiao ma seemed to consider Luzhou as Xiao Yi’s big brother, she repeatedly asked Luzhou to take care of him and not to spoil him too much.

Xiao Yi on one side brus.h.i.+ng his teeth while on the other vaguely said: “Mom!”

“Your mother is right.” Lu Zhou pointed at Xiao Yi and said: “He just doesn't grow up. Did you hear what auntie said? Sometimes I wonder how he survived in Beijing.”

“Ah, yes.” Xiao ma said helplessly.

Xiao Yi brushed his teeth as he thought to himself that the roles of host and guest had been inverted, why had it now turned into Luzhou and his mother scolding him together……these days……

“Xiao Lu!” Xiao dad called, he was currently reading the newspaper in the living room: “What kind of business are you doing now?”

Luzhou said: “I'm in the entertainment industry.”

Yesterday night was busy and Xiao Yi had introduced Luzhou as “my boss”, Xiao ba had not noticed that this guy was actually unexpectedly popular among thousands of boys and girls plus aunties and uncles, Xiao ba conveniently picked up the remote control and changed between a few channels, he said: “I have a student who also opened a company in Beijing, he makes a lot of money and is very great, just like you, the funds are very strong and solid. The news broadcast said … …”

Xiao Yi: ”Dad, you can’t believe something on the news broadcast.”

“Why can I not believe it?” Xiao ba changed the topic of discussion and said:” I think the house prices in Beijing are not as high as you said, the country is on regulation and taking everything into account, 1 square costs 10,000 yuan at most! How can it be 18,000, you're just exaggerating!”

Xiao Yi: “……”

Xiao ba: “The news broadcast says that the low-rent housing is only 400 yuan a month, you can apply for a Government low-rent housing instead of spending your money recklessly……”

Xiao Yi: “……”

Lu Zhou: “……”

“Beijing is the political and cultural center of the country.” Luzhou diverged the topic and said: “Finding a job up North, if develops well, it's very good.”

Xiao Yi’s dad looked down from his presbyopic gla.s.ses, he glanced at Luzhou from the distance, he smiled and said: “I recently watched an anti-war film, you look like the actor.”

Luzhou chuckled, Xiao Yi’s mother remembered and said: “w.a.n.g Guoyi! You look like w.a.n.g Guoyi!”

Lu Zhou: “……”

Xiao Yi: “……”

w.a.n.g Guoyi was the name of the role played by Luzhou, Xiao Yi almost spit out the porridge in Luzhou's face, he tried not to laugh and continued eating the porridge with side dishes, Du Mei had warned him not to disclose that he was Luzhou's a.s.sistant so Xiao Yi didn't dare to say anything.

However, if Luzhou said it himself, then it wouldn't be related to Xiao Yi, Luzhou's eyes were simply bright and piercing, in this kind of situation he was still able to handle it, he said: “These year’s anti-war films were a lot more than the previous years.”

“Yes, yes.” Xiao ma said: “His father and I really love watching TV series with the Republic of China as the setting.”

(T/N: China during the period of 1912- 1949

Ex. The cage of love, Battle of Changsha, Lady and the Liar, The Cruel Romance, etc.)

“Xiao Lu ah.” Xiao ba said earnestly.

Xiao Yi immediately had a kind of ominous premonition.

Luzhou with a smile looked toward Xiao ba.

Xiao ba asked, “Xiao Lu, have you gotten married?”

“Uh, I haven't,” Luzhou said, “I just broke up with my girlfriend some time ago.”

Xiao ba said: “Xiao Yi’s cousin works at a city post office, she has just come back for the New Year……”

“Dad! That's enough!” Xiao Yi was simply like being struck by the G.o.d of thunder and thrown outside of the window, he tearfully said: “Don't say anymore!”

Luzhou laughed, Xiao ba said: “What, Xiao Yi, what's the matter? Your little sister and Xiao Lu are well-matched——”

Luzhou waved his hand and said: “It doesn't matter, it doesn't matter, I currently don't plan to get married.”

After dinner, Xiao Yi and his mother gathered together to count the money, Xiao Yi held a stack of pink money, the thickness was around twenty thousand yuan, Xiao ma exerted all her strength to push the money back saying that ”your father and I have a retirement pension” and that they didn't need that much money. Xiao Yi noticed that they had been pus.h.i.+ng back and forth, and if they continued in this way, they would get into a quarrel so he said: “In Beijing, I live and eat with brother Zhou, the company also has reimbursed me, I don't use much money.”

“Then I'll keep it for you.” Xiao ma said.

“You hold on to it and spend it.” Xiao Yi said: “Use it for your living expenses, eat more on regular days and order more dishes from the restaurant for this year's family reunion dinner.”

Xiao ma said that ”it's your hard-earned money, how can we dare to spend it” but her expression was radiant with joyful, she sat in front of the table as she counted the money.

Luzhou said: “Xiao Yi.”

Xiao Yi knew what he wanted to say so he immediately said: “No, brother Zhou.”

He said to his parents: “The salary was given to me by brother Zhou, and my brother Zhou also gave me an end of the year bonus.”

Luzhou said: “You must.”

Xiao Yi: “No, ai, brother Zhou, stay out of this, I'll go prepare the clothes, we'll go out……”

Luzhou said: “I'll do it myself, you're busy.”

Luzhou then walked into the room, Xiao ma said after a moment: “Xiao Yi, your brother has a girlfriend and want to buy a new car … …”

“Oh,” Xiao Yi said: ”How much money does it cost?”

“He said two hundred thousand yuan, your dad and I said that it’s too expensive.”

“The car is two hundred thousand!” Xiao ba said: “Only a boss could drive it! I told him that the mortgage hasn't been fully paid off yet, he doesn't need to buy it, don't tell me if you ride a Santana you can't get married? On the street, there are many people who don’t even own a car.”

Xiao Yi knew that his parents were being a little biased toward his younger brother, after all, his younger brother didn’t go to Wuhan and instead stayed in the county to take care of his parents, if he could afford it, he would have helped him, but the problem was that he didn’t have much money.

“Buy one around a hundred thousand yuan.” Xiao Yi said: “If you buy an expensive car, he can't afford to keep it.”

Xiao ma thought about it and said, “I tried to tell him not to buy it, the mortgage hasn’t even been paid off yet.”

Xiao Yi said: “It's okay if he likes it, let him buy it, in Beijing even if one has a car they can't even drive it, they still have to buy the lottery, at home he can drive immediately and that's very good..”

(T/N: 搖號 (Yaohao) = a lottery system created by the government to limited amount of car and prevent serious traffic)

After Xiao ma counted the money, she took off her gla.s.ses and sighed, Xiao Yi took the car keys, and said: “I'm going out with brother Zhou, we won't be back to eat lunch.”

Xiao Qiang just got up at this time, yesterday he was playing games all night until early morning before he went into his parents' room to sleep. Wearing long underpants and a sweater, he walked out of the room and saw Luzhou, when he turned to go brush his teeth, he suddenly made an 'O', in a flash he was frightened and with a doubtful look he came over and stared at Luzhou.

Xiao Yi thought 'my work is going to be ruined in the hands of my family'. Luzhou smiled and said: “Uhm, I'm Luzhou, shh…… ”

“Don't tell anyone.” Xiao Yi said.

Xiao Qiang was already in a state of extreme shock, Xiao Yi repeatedly stressed that he couldn't tell anyone but Xiao Qiang was just c.o.c.k-a-doodle-doo, his facial expression showed that he completely didn't listen, Xiao Yi had to use his car to threaten him, he said: “If you dare to speak about this, your car will be gone. ”

Xiao Qiang at once said: “I will absolutely not say anything! Even if I die I absolutely won't say! ”

Luzhou: “…”

Xiao Yi knew that the car was the most effective threat, he proceeded to dress Luzhou and put a woolen cap on him conveniently putting an earplug on for him, then trousers, a sports jacket, and sneakers, they then went out.

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