So it happened: the young boy stubbornly stayed on.
Years later, when he looked back on this event, he almost felt he had achieved something impossible.
His damn older brother, after growing strong, displayed his asshole traits more uniquely than anyone else, possessing a heart as hard as iron, always stubborn. The boy sometimes wondered if anything in the world could change Wei Qian's mind.
Yet that year, after observing for months and persistently nagging for weeks, he actually managed to move this iron-hearted bastard.
After the young boy moved into Wei Qian's home, he gradually regained his ability to speak, though he remained mostly silent, as if fearing that being too noticeable might invite others' dislike or abuse.
At first, he didn't even dare to use the bed or sofa, curling up in a corner at night, sleeping on the floor like a stray dog.
It seemed that as long as he had a roof to shelter from the wind and rain and a few bites of clean food, he was satisfied.
Wei Qian, observing his behavior, couldn't help but recall his own childhood attempts to cautiously please his stepfather. He understood the meaning behind those actions and, rather than finding the boy odd, he felt a secret emotional connection forming.
Of course—Wei Qian wouldn't show these feelings, believing it was proper for someone "in charge" to carry themselves with a bit of arrogance at home.
Wei Qian patiently cleaned the little guy up, and, fearing he might have lice, shaved the young boy's head clean. He even found an old dress of Xiao Bao's for him to wear.
The bald youngster, donning a cheap, lace-missing dress of a little girl, didn't look too out of place, showing that the young boy had a good foundation.
Wei Qian looked at him thoughtfully for a while and couldn't help but make a blunt assessment: "Looks decent enough for a human."
However, Wei Qian thought that perhaps all children look good because they're small and worry-free, thus their eyes are clear and reflective.
This absurd notion was promptly rejected by San Pang—San Pang argued that beauty is inherent and ugliness is too, having nothing to do with age.
San Pang, Wei Qian, and Mazi grew up together, as close as brothers. San Pang was three or four years older than Wei Qian, while Mazi was born the same year as Wei Qian. They played in the mud as kids and roamed the streets as thugs when they got older. Despite never doing a good deed together, their friendship was deep.
As they hit puberty, Wei Qian grew taller and leaner, while San Pang expanded sideways, quickly adopting the portly demeanor of a middle-aged man... As for Mazi, his height and weight didn't matter much; his face, pocked with pits of acne, made his head look like a bumpy little asteroid, startling enough to make people cry at night, overshadowing his other features.
San Pang, the fatso who resembled Piggy's second uncle, shamelessly enjoyed judging others' looks. Every time he saw Xiao Bao, he sighed because the girl looked quite unfortunate.
Leveraging their close friendship, San Pang was brutally honest with Wei Qian—usually saying exactly what Wei Qian didn't want to hear.
Whenever San Pang visited Wei Qian's house, he would dramatically lament over Xiao Bao, exclaiming in a theatrical manner, "Oh, my poor sister, how can your little face be so dark, invisible even in a pile of coal!"
Wei Qian would snatch Xiao Bao back, retorting, "Fuck off, that's called naturally radiant in our family."
San Pang, undeterred, continued his exaggerated complaints, "My brother is blind, how can someone with eyes so small be considered radiant?"
Wei Qian defended staunchly, "What's wrong with small eyes? We also have small faces. Are big eyes always better? Even on your pancake face, they'd still look like slits."
San Pang shot back, "Get lost, does your family need a noble and handsome griddle like me to make pancakes? Are you the leader here? And it's not about the size of the eyes; look at our sister's nose—this little flat nose is driving me crazy, like it's been flattened by a door. Qi'er, how come our sister doesn't look like our mom? Even resembling you wouldn't be so worrying."
Wei Qian retorted, "Bullshit, she's not my kid."
After saying this, Wei Qian lifted Xiao Bao to eye level, closely examining her face that strongly resembled her biological father's. Despite the familial bond, he had to admit that San Pang was right; Xiao Bao's pitifully flat nose indeed looked as if it lacked a nasal bridge.
Wei Qian worriedly thought to himself that, in the future, she must protect her eyes at all costs to avoid becoming nearsighted, fearing that her small, flat nose might not even support glasses.
Yet, he still refused to admit his sister was unattractive, thus he stubbornly argued, "What's wrong with a flat nose? A high nose bridge isn't attractive on a woman... a high nose bridge... those with high nose bridges don't look like good people."
He said this because his mother had a straight and elegant high nose bridge, the king of facial features, which made her look spirited and left a deep impression on anyone who saw her. Yet, Wei Qian always harbored resentment towards all traits of his mother—whether they were beautiful or ugly.
In Wei Qian's heart, as long as Xiao Bao didn't resemble their mother, even if she ended up looking like Mazi with a face full of blemishes, he would still find her adorable.
San Pang, aware of the family's history, unusually didn't argue. He took Xiao Bao from Wei Qian's arms and gently pinched her nose, which might have contributed to it not being so flat when she grew up, perhaps artificially reshaped by her chubby brother. While pinching, he murmured, "Oh, my sister, my sister who might not marry..."
Just then, Mazi entered, cheerfully greeting, "San, San brother, Qi Qi Qi... Qi'er, little, little Bao sister."
San Pang, as if facing a great enemy, quickly covered Xiao Bao's ears, exclaiming, "Oh my God, please don't talk in front of the child. If she ends up stuttering like you, her brother might turn you into dumpling filling!"
Mazi, limited by his natural abilities, could never master the art of sharp wit, so he opted for a straightforward and honest demeanor instead. Unbothered by the teasing, he simply smiled goofily, patting Xiao Bao and the boy they had taken in on their heads before handing them each a piece of candy.
Mazi had dropped out of school early on, not due to financial issues but for reasons hard to articulate—in fifth grade, he could only count to ninety-nine and struggled with three-digit numbers. His teacher, frustrated, punished him to write the numbers from one hundred to two hundred a hundred times. Mazi completed the task diligently, without any attempt to shirk his duties, but ended up mixing up the order, much to the teacher's dismay.
San Pang looked at his brother, both dumb and ugly, and muttered, "Oh brother, my brother who won't find a wife..."
San Pang's premature concern over others' marital prospects led Wei Qian to conclude that the fatso was destined to become a matchmaker.
Wei Qian felt melancholic about his friendships; Mazi was an idiot, San Pang a bigger idiot, and he felt like the only sane person in a world of fools.
Mazi then awkwardly brought up a sensitive topic, asking if Wei Qian had found a way to pay his tuition fees, directly hitting a sore spot. Wei Qian's previously light-hearted mood sank like a stone.
Internally, Wei Qian knew he had no plan, but he didn't want to show weakness in front of his idiot childhood friends. Pretending to be unconcerned, he dismissively said, "Oh, no rush."
San Pang urgently responded, "Come on, it's almost school time, stop pretending and be serious! How much do you need? Just say the word, and we'll figure something out... Out of all of us, you're the only one with prospects. We've got to help push you forward!"
For a moment, Wei Qian felt a warm grip on his heart, leaving him speechless and slightly trembling. However, he quickly regained his composure, maintaining his tough exterior.
"Enough already, it's not a big deal," Wei Qian said nonchalantly, "I've got it under control. No need for you guys to worry. And tell Le Ge it's all good."
Subsequently, he swiftly changed the subject: "Hey, about that kid, when I asked him his name, he told me it was 'Kid'. What kind of fucked-up parent names their child something so stupid? I've been thinking about giving him a proper name these past few days."
Mazi, worried for him, tried to say something more, but the more anxious he became, the less coherent he was, eventually getting interrupted by San Pang.
San Pang, understanding Wei Qian's character well—knowing he didn't want to lose face in front of them by discussing his troubles—played along with Wei Qian's attempt to divert the conversation, jokingly suggesting, "Since you're Wei Qian, let's call him Wei Xu then."
Wei Qian laughed and cursed, "Fuck off, 'Wei Xu', sounds like 'stomach ache'."
After some playful banter, they shared a meal brought by themselves at Wei Qian's place before dispersing.
Wei Qian thought it over and decided that since Le Ge had inquired about him, it was only proper to meet him in person. Mixing with social misfits for some pocket money from a young age, Le Ge was the revered elder of their group, a man of significant influence and background, known for his righteousness and treating his younger brothers as equals without arrogance.
Following his mother's death, Le Ge had looked after Wei Qian and his siblings, lending a hand whenever needed. Wei Qian once felt Le Ge was like a real brother to him.
Le Ge, always affable, chatted briefly with Wei Qian before mentioning, "I've heard about your family situation. That little one coming to us must've traveled a long way. Surviving till now wasn't easy for such a tiny guy. I think he might be someone significant in the future, might even outdo us all. How about we call him 'Xiao Yuan' for 'small and distant'? Wei Yuan? Hmm... doesn't sound quite right. Let's add a character, 'Wei Zhi Yuan', how does that sound?"
Le Ge naming the boy was naturally met with Wei Qian's approval.
At that time, Wei Qian was still naive, lacking the sophistication to fully grasp the adult world's complexities or truly understand what kind of person Le Ge was.
Even if Le Ge merely farted, the fourteen-year-old Wei Qian would think there was profound wisdom to it.
Le Ge then inquired, "How old is that little one?"
"He says he's eight," Wei Qian replied, "But I doubt it, seems about the same age as Xiao Bao."
Le Ge hummed thoughtfully, frowning, "Have you thought about what to do next? Without a household registration, even having a formal name is useless."
Yes, Wei Qian realized, even with the name Wei Zhi Yuan, the boy remained essentially "undocumented."
If it weren't for one of his mother's clients drunkenly trying to do a good deed, Wei Qian himself would also be "undocumented."
Frowning, Wei Qian knew local registration wasn't easy to come by, and he was indeed at a loss.
Le Ge paused deliberately, letting Wei Qian stew in his concerns before leisurely offering, "If you trust me, why not let me handle this matter for now? What do you say?"
Wei Qian was momentarily stunned: "I... this... such a matter..."
He struggled to articulate a complete response, awkwardly chuckling and self-deprecatingly saying, "Great, I'm almost catching Mazi's stutter."
Le Ge affectionately patted his head, patiently waiting for his reply.
Despite his youth, Le Ge was ambitious, inclined towards cunning and unconventional paths to power. Calculating and paranoid, he knew that to succeed, he needed loyal followers and saw potential in Wei Qian. At the ideal age of fourteen or fifteen—aware yet naive—Wei Qian could become deeply loyal with just a bit of kindness. Among many, Le Ge favored Wei Qian for his ability to mix well, fight, take risks, and, unusually, his capability to study.
Le Ge was astonished when he first heard this kid could not only sit for the middle school exams but also perform exceptionally. Despite being a local figure who rose from petty thuggery, Le Ge had never been associated with "education."
To Le Ge, Wei Qian, even born into a slightly impoverished but ordinary family, was destined for greatness. Fate's disregard for Wei Qian seemed perfectly aligned with Le Ge's intentions, feeling like he stumbled upon a priceless antique while casually browsing a flea market.
Le Ge considered the only issue with Wei Qian was his stubbornness; although he showed a rare respect for Le Ge, he was someone who absolutely hated asking for favors.
Supporting a teenager through high school wasn't much of an expense—for Le Ge's current financial status, even sending a child abroad for education was a trivial matter. He wasn't worried that Wei Qian wouldn't be deeply grateful for such timely help.
Le Ge could tell that Wei Qian was prideful yet sensitive, making it unlikely for him to be ungrateful.
At that time, getting a household registration was much easier than later; with the right connections and some money, it was feasible, but still beyond Wei Qian's capabilities. So, after some thought, Wei Qian didn't ungratefully refuse, silently acknowledging the debt of gratitude owed to Le Ge.
Le Ge casually chatted with him afterward, not mentioning the tuition fee. He knew the household registration was something Wei Qian couldn't manage, and the boy could accept help with that. However, discussing the tuition fee might hurt the young man's pride.
But Le Ge wasn't in a rush. He saw that Wei Qian genuinely wanted to study, evident from his excellent grades. He was waiting for the day Wei Qian would come to ask for his help. Before leaving, Le Ge said meaningfully to Wei Qian, "Why be formal with me? Qi'er, remember, if you face any difficulties, you can always come to me, got it? As long as it's within my power, I can take on the sky for you. Don't keep it to yourself; we're brothers, after all."
After saying this, he patted Wei Qian's shoulder firmly, looking at the bewildered teenager and feeling he had laid a long and subtle groundwork. Such foresight and strategy, he thought, would be wasted if not leading to great accomplishments.