They stopped running when Jingyu saw a pay phone. He removed his hand from Weizhou's and tried to make a call using the payphone. He took out and opened his booklet in a hurry, then dialed a number.
"Hey..Jingyu..who...are...you... calling?!", Weizhou asked breathlessly. But Jingyu Jingyu paid no attention to him.
"Hello... Amei... It's me, Jingyu. Shhh.... listen to me, your brother passed out again. I saw him near Cafe YZ. You better get there, now!!!", then Jingyu immediately hung up the phone.
"Hey, Xu Weizhou, you better head home soon!!".
Weizhou just nodded, he didn't have the strength to argue with Jingyu, and he obeyed his order. Then they parted ways, but after walking only a few steps, Jingyu turned around and grabbed Weizhou's shoulders.
"Zhou, where's Peng?" he asked.
Weizhou frowned at Jingyu's question. He didn't understand why, but he didn't like the question. "He's back home. Jingyu, are you and Peng good friends?".
"What??", Jingyu asked back.
"You seem very considerate of him. You went out with him today too".
"What?".
"Are your ears okay?"
"Yes. My ears are fine".
"Then why are you asking questions back when I ask you something??", Weizhou replied feeling a little annoyed.
"Oh, I'm just a little surprised. Why are you asking that?"
"Because I befriended Peng since we were little, but I never knew you", Weizhou replied.
"Oh, I happen to be good friends with his brother".
"You know Fang? How come he never told me?".
"I don't know, don't ask me, just ask him. Listen, I really have to go now. I'm sorry for the mess that happened earlier, have a nice rest of the day and sleep well. Bye Zhou....".
"Eh, wait..", Weizhou pulled Jingyu's collar, which made him slightly annoyed.
"WHAT NOW??!!".
"Wooo...wwwoooo....relax bro. I...I...just wanted to make sure. We're friends now, right?".
"NO!!!".
Jingyu was about to leave, but Weizhou grabbed his collar again.
"Why?" he asked.
"Why what??!!".
"I'm asking you. You should answer my question, not ask back. You are so stupid!!!".
"HUH!!!! Who is stupid?", asked Jingyu.
"YOU!!! YOU OF COURSE!!!".
"Hhhh....so I'm stupid? Okay, you're the smart one".
"Of course".
"Bye".
Jingyu started leaving Weizhou again. But Weizhou pulled the back of his collar. This time Jingyu could no longer contain his anger.
"WHAT ELSE, SMART BOY??!!!".
"You have not answered my question".
"What question?".
"Are we friends now?"
"Just think with your smart brain."
"Oh okay then, so now we're friends".
"WHAT!!!".
"Looks like you should have your ears checked. It looks like your hearing problem is getting worse," Weizhou replied.
"You!!!! Oh whatever!!!", shouted Jingyu and firmly resolved started walking away from Weizhou, and this time Weizhou let him go. He also turned and walked back to his house. But after only a few steps, he stopped.
"Why do I feel happy just to be his friend?", he thought.
Weizhou turned and looked at Jingyu's back as was walking away.
"Because he's a good boy. Yes, it must be because of that!!!" he thought, then continued walking home.
When Jingyu got home, he sneaked in. He didn't want his parents and grandfather to see the bruises on his face. He had almost reached his room when suddenly a hand grabbed his shoulder.
"Where have you been, Jingyu?" Papa asked him with an angry face.
Jingyu didn't dare to look at his Papa, so he just stood still.
"I...I... I was just at a friend's place", he replied.
"Which friend?".
"Hao... . You don't know him, Pa".
"Turn around and look at me."
Jingyu was really scared because he would definitely punish him if he saw the bruises on his face, and Jingyu didn't want that.
"Look at Papa, Huang Jingyu!!!".
Jingyu had no choice. He turned and lifted his head. Papa Jingyu's face turned red. His eyes widened in anger, then he slapped him.
"You!!!! I told you to study hard, not to play around and fight with other kids. Can't you obey my only wish??? I work hard for you!!! And you couldn't make your Papa's heart at least a little happy?!! Now go back to the front of the house and stand there. You won't get dinner tonight either!!!".
"But Pa, I'm so hungry", Jingyu pleaded.
"That's your problem!!! You have to be responsible for your actions. That's what a man should do!!!", his father scolded.
"But Pa....".
"Get out now and stand in the front!!!".
Jingyu left the house and stood beside the front door. He hadn't had lunch yet and now he couldn't come to dinner either. He was very hungry. He dug into his trousers' pockets for money, but found nothing. He opened the paper bag in his hand and tried on his new shoes and a smile spread across his face, but suddenly his stomach growled.
"Damn it!!! I don't want to starve to death".
Jingyu left his house. He had to have something to eat. Even if he had to steal, he would do it. He walked into the night market. Suddenly someone bumped into him and passed out.
"Sir...Sir...wake up...".
Everyone gathered around the two of them, curious to see what had happened, when a boy approached them.
"Mr Xu... He's Mr Xu...".
"You know him?", asked Jingyu.
"Yes. He's my boss".
"He passed out. We have to take him home".
"I know his house, but I can't carry him."
"I'll carry him, but please help me lift him," said Jingyu.
"Okay"
The boy helped lift Master Xu's body onto Jingyu's back and stopped the taxi. Then they headed towards Mr. Xu's residence.
🐳😻🐳😻🐳😻🐳😻🐳😻🐳
They arrived in front of a restaurant. It looked like they were getting ready to close down.
"Hey..hey..Mr. Xu fainted!", shouted the boy. A woman hastily approached them.
"Oh my God, what happened to him?", asked the woman in a panic.
"I don't know, ma'am. Just ask him", said the boy pointing at Jingyu.
"What happened to my husband?"
"I..don't..know...he...suddenly...suddenly...bumped into me...then...he...". and then Jingyu just collapsed to the floor with Mr. Xu's body lying on top of him. Then the employees of Mr. Xu picked up the two of them and put Jingyu on the sofa, while Mr. Xu was carried into his room. Weizhou had just come out of his room for dinner when he heard his mother crying. He immediately ran to her.
"Mom, what happened??".
"I don't know. But it looks like your Papa fainted. Call Doctor Gu Lin!", shouted Mrs. Xu to her staff.
"Papa....wake up......", Weizhou cried. He was very afraid of losing his father.
"I'm sorry ma'am. The boy who brought Mr. Xu has woken up. Do you want to come down and meet him?", asked one of the employees.
"Tell him to wait. I want to stay here until my husband wakes up", she replied.
"Who brought Papa home, Ma?", asked Weizhou.
"A boy brought your Papa here. But the boy fainted when I asked what happened to your Papa".
"Can I see him, Ma?".
"Of course you can. You can also ask him what happened to your Papa."
"Okay Mom".
Weizhou ran to meet the boy in question and was surprised by what he saw.
"Jingyu....".
Weizhou ran and immediately hugged Jingyu. Weizhou didn't understand what was going on with him at that moment, but he felt so relieved when he saw Jingyu.
"Back off!!!!", Jingyu pushed Weizhou down until he fell.
"What are you doing here?! Are you following me?!", shouted Jingyu.
"No. This is my house!!! You saved my Papa. Thank you Jingyu". Weizhou got up and was about to hug Jingyu again, but Jingyu pushed him yet again.
"Stop!!! I'm going home", shouted Jingyu.
"No. You have to have dinner first. And we also have an empty room, you can stay there. I'm sure your papa punished you again, right?", asked Weizhou.
"How did you know", Jingyu looked at him confused.
"You haven't changed your clothes yet. And with those bruises, I'm sure your Papa must have scolded you, just like the first time we met. Isn't that right?"
Jingyu couldn't refute everything Weizhou said. It would definitely feel comfortable sleeping in one of Weizhou's rooms, he thought. His house was very big and there must have been a comfortable bed for him in it. But if he stayed here, his Papa would be even more angry with him.
"I can't stay here. I have to go home. But, may I ask for dinner?".
Weizhou's smile broke at Jingyu's request.
"Of course. Mr. Shin, please prepare the most delicious food for my friend!".
"Okay Young Master".
"Come to my room. I have a new video game".
"Video games?? I've never played them".
"Really? Then, I'll teach you".
"No need. I just want to wait for the food here, eat, and then leave as soon as possible", he replied.
Weizhou didn't like Jingyu's idea. But he was also afraid that if Jingyu stayed and hung out here, Papa Jingyu would be even more angry with him.
"Fine if that's what you want," Weizhou replied with a smile.
"Don't smile like that at me!!!".
Published : July 18, 2021