Chapter 18: I Liked You Very Much, Darling (2/2)

”You have an elementary school diploma?”

When talking about this, Xing Biao seemed embarra.s.sed.

”I got 59 scores in my mathematics and 34 scores in my Chinese language. My mom said I wasted money in study. She preferred me to herd sheep, and let me drop out.”

Su Mo felt funny. It was really a waste of money.

”When did your parents pa.s.s away? I'm sorry. We cannot talk about it if it makes you sad.”

Taking the cigarette from his mouth, Xing Biao frowned.

”We can talk about it. I'm not a sensitive boy. You should know more about me. We'll get married soon. My parents had four children, 3 boys and 1 girl. My family was poor at that time. As the saying goes, the first child and the last child often receive favor from a superior, and the rest ones are often not noticed. I'm the second child. My elder brother is several years older than me, and he worked in his teens. The third child was almost at the same age as me, but he had better academic scores and was obedient. I was naughty, and often fought with others. My parents were disappointed with me, and did not like me. They liked their third child very much. I herded sheep when I was 13 or 14 years old after I graduated from elementary school, and worked out of my hometown when I was 15 years old. At that time, I carried coals in illegal coal pits, to earn money to support the third child of my parents. Their fourth child was a girl, 10 years younger than me. We had better living conditions at that time. As the only girl in the family, she was especially liked by my parents. I fed myself when I was 18 years old and got my ID card. I did not carry coals at that time, but I had a difficult time then. I ate cold steamed bread of corn and pickles, and had no hot water to drink at home.”

Not everyone had a happy childhood. Xing Biao said in a casual and general way, but Su Mo frowned. Xing Biao worked as a child laborer to support his younger brother when he was only 15 years old. His parents were so resolute.

A tiger had three children. The third one was not well treated. Surviving after all kinds of humiliations, it grew to a super tiger, Biao.

Su Mo recalled the words, and s.h.i.+vered. Xing Biao was that super tiger, Biao, who survived after being abandoned by his parents.

”Give me a cigarette.”

Xing Biao gave a sign to Su Mo, and Su Mo lit the cigarette for him. Every smoker knew that a man would touch the hand of the other man who lit the cigarette for him. So did Xing Biao. Touching the hand of Su Mo, Xing Biao puffed on the cigarette. Then he put the hand of Su Mo on his own leg naturally.

Xing Biao put into gear and drove with one hand, and touched Su Mo's hand on his leg with the other hand. Su Mo tried escaping and taking back his hand, but Xing Biao held Su Mo's hand tightly, hand in hand.

”You are really a hooligan!”

Staring at their hands, Su Mo scolded Xing Biao.

Xing Biao delivered Su Mo's hand next to his mouth, and kissed it on the back.

”Darling, I like you very much. I'm serious.”

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