Author: Su Youbing
Translator: Renkun27, chiangyushien
Proofreader: KainGuru
Xiao Bai returned home and found that Jia Zhiqing had returned one step earlier than he did. He was bored sitting on the sofa, pressing the TV channel from one to nine on the remote, then pressing back from nine to one.
"How come you came back so early today?" Was it not necessary to have dinner at the company?
Jia Zhiqing stretched lazily, "Hurry, go cook food."
“Oh.” Xiao Bai dragged down his shoes and went to the kitchen to wash his hands and cook.
After the vegetables were half-sautéed, he remembered something, so he poked his head out of the kitchen and said: "Today, the CEO of Yimate wanted to see me to sign a contract."
Jia Zhiqing was watching the orange juice advertis.e.m.e.nt on TV, and only groaned as his response when Xiao Bai said those words.
Xiao Bai drew his head back to the kitchen to continue cooking food, and finally, the sautéed vegetables were ready. He was about to go out of the kitchen and turn when he saw Jia Zhiqing leaning quietly against the door, silently looking at him. “What"s wrong with you?”
"Who did you say wanted to see you?"
Xiao Bai woodenly replied: "Yimate"s CEO looked for me to sign a contract with him."
"f.u.c.k!" Jia Zhiqing turned around and rushed to the bathroom.
Xiao Bai placed the dish of sautéed vegetables on the table.
Jia Zhiqing suddenly rushed out. The water droplets slid from his forehead to his chin and dropped to the ground. “Then did you sign it?”
Xiao Bai shook his head, "Didn’t you say I should ask you first for any major decisions?”
Jia Zhiqing beamed and stroked his head, “Good.”
Xiao Bai went back to the kitchen to fill a bowl with rice.
Jia Zhiqing followed him from behind and asked, "What did that CEO present as the conditions?"
Xiao Bai looked up and thought, “In five years, I can live in a two-hundred-square-meter big house, and I can get a three- or four-hundred-thousand car.”
Jia Zhiqing"s heart throbbed three times, "You were this bold to open these conditions up to him?"
Xiao Bai blankly stared at him.
Jia Zhiqing immediately surrendered, “Well, I was wrong. Our Xiao Bai is handsome, talented and unrestrained, decent as the Jade Tree facing the wind, has a countenance better than Pan An [1], makes fish sink and birds alight, and outshines the moon and puts the flowers to shame… What other good words haven"t I used?”
([1] Pan Yue (247-300), later known as Pān Ān [潘安], famous handsome and elegant writer from the Western Jin dynasty.)
"It"s time to eat."
"… These words are good."
After eating their meal, Jia Zhiqing sat cross-legged and held a toothpick to pick his teeth.
Xiao Bai went to the kitchen to wash the dishes.
"Xiao Bai."
"Hmm?"
“The more I think about it, the more I feel that there is something a bit amiss.” Jia Zhiqing could not help but run into the kitchen, “How did he reach you?”
"He called me."
“In my room?” He stared blankly and then doubtfully asked, “The person he wants to sign… isn’t it really me?”
Xiao Bai glanced at him, "It"s Zeng Bai that was written on the contract."
Jia Zhiqing coughed then said: "Oh, that"s good. Even if it"s you, it"s nice. How did he find you? It"s not that he was so fond of the pork that he bought from you in the food market before and couldn"t forget it, so he chose to seal a contract with you so that you can sell it only to him in the future?" After he finished speaking, he rapped his head then whispered, "In a certain way, this sound so much like having a chunk of meat for one’s exclusive consumption."
After Xiao Bai washed the bowl, he wiped his hands dry, turned around and conscientiously looked at him as he asked: “Can you go with me at two o’clock tomorrow afternoon to discuss the contract?”
Jia Zhiqing nodded.
"What about your work?"
"That"s unimportant… ah, it"s a trivial matter."
Xiao Bai looked at him unrelentingly.
He grew apprehensive being looked at, so he had no other option but to respond in defeat: "Well, hey, it"s really not a big deal. Actually, my old witch boss went to me and struck me viciously this afternoon." He put on an act and pretended to wipe his tears, "You know for a fact that I"m in my fresh youth. How can I let myself get eaten by an old witch? Especially when she actually has a hairy mole on her chin… When she leaned over, I almost puked. I bet she ate salted fish and a big garlic for lunch! f.u.c.k, she wanted to flirt with me, but she still hasn"t brushed her teeth. That"s exactly what all men couldn"t stand."
Even after quite a few hours had pa.s.sed by already, every time he thought about it, he still had lingering fears.
Xiao Bai"s face was expressionless as he looked at him, "So…"
"So…" Jia Zhiqing stole a glance at his expression, "I"m unemployed."
Xiao Bai pa.s.sed by him and went outside.
When Xiao Bai usually had this kind of look on his face, it meant that he was really angry.
"Hey, Xiao Bai." Jia Zhiqing was trembling with fear as he followed him from behind. If Xiao Bai did not get angry, he was really really angry. "I will go look for a job tomorrow. I must find it, even if I have to wash dishes."
"Zhiqing." He suddenly turned and looked at him with a serious look on his face.
Jia Zhiqing"s spirit was invigorated. His glimmering eyes indicated that he was listening attentively.
“We must fulfill Elder Brother Xiong"s wish. We swore in front of Elder Brother Xiong"s grave that we will repurchase the Xinglong"s Butcher Shop.”
Jia Zhiqing looked sullen and silently nodded.
“So, we must work hard to make money, you know that?” Xiao Bai stroked his head.
Jia Zhiqing obediently nodded.
Xiao Bai felt satisfied, so he prepared to go back to their apartment.
Suddenly, Jia Zhiqing pulled him by his shoulder, "You still haven’t told me how Yimate"s CEO was able to find you. During that time when you used to work as a salesman in Xinglong"s Butcher Shop, with that timid look of yours, I think that even if he’s the father of good judge of talent, he still won"t be able to find you."
"Maybe…" Xiao Bai hummed and hawed, "It"s because I was in a variety show yesterday."
“You went to a variety show yesterday?!” Jia Zhiqing jumped up, “How come I wasn"t made aware of this?! You didn"t even inform me! Although we don’t have a TV set at home, I can go to the mall to buy one.”
"It was a live broadcast." He paused, "And when I came back, you were already asleep."
Jia Zhiqing suddenly ran back to his room to get his ID card, then he rushed out again and said: “Let"s go.”
"Go where?"
"Internet cafe." He made a solemn vow as he said, "Maybe someone uploaded it in the internet."
At this time of day, Internet cafes were almost full.
Jia Zhiqing and Xiao Bai waited for a while before they were able to find a spot and they then faced the black screen.
What variety show did you take part in?" Jia Zhiqing asked while he was about to get his hand on the mouse.
Xiao Bai tried his best to wrack his brain, then he finally dimwittedly said: “They didn’t say it.”
Jia Zhiqing hastily grasped the mouse and then opened Baidu. He entered the words "Zeng Bai."
Originally, he did not expect to find anything. He was just holding on to the thought of trying it out, but the content that jumped out of the screen shocked him.
He carefully checked on a few posts and then rubbed his face as he said: “Xiao Bai, you"re famous.”
“Eh?” Xiao Bai looked at him innocently.
“I didn’t expect that you actually knew how to pick a fight with the Great G.o.d…” No matter what his means was, him, being famous, was already a fact. Jia Zhiqing looked at his watch and said, "f.u.c.k, time"s really fast.”
“Aren"t you going to watch the show?” Xiao Bai noticed that Jia Zhiqing would open a webpage for a while, and then close it down, only to open another.
"Even if I don’t see it, I already know what kind of good work that you’ve done." He spat a mouthful, shut down the computer, and left.
Xiao Bai followed him from behind and listened to him swear all throughout their journey.
“What are you talking about?” Xiao Bai did not like swearing. Listening to him was a little bit uncomfortable.
Jia Zhiqing turned his head and rested his hand on Xiao Bai"s shoulder, "Even when I, Laozi, am in extreme frustration due to poverty, I wouldn’t lower my head to that person; but today, for your sake… Laozi"s ready to risk everything."
“What are you going to do?” Xiao Bai nervously looked at him and said with a serious face, “Don’t do illegal things.”
“Who said I was going to do something illegal? I meant I"m going to ask someone for help.” He said as he gritted his teeth.
Xiao Bai thought for a moment, “Your cousin?”
Jia Zhiqing had a cousin. Xiao Bai had always been aware of this.
When Jia Zhiqing arrived here for the first time, he once took his grandma’s letter of introduction to ask for help from his cousin. In the end, he was sarcastically remarked at and maltreated for three days and three nights. Finally, Jia Zhiqing could not stand it and ran away. He solemnly swore that he would rather take the plunge to be a male prost.i.tute, shooting a blue movie, and never go back to his cousin.
Xiao Bai and Elder Brother Xiong were curious about how he was being maltreated, but every time they mentioned this, his mouth was like a locked safe — even if an attempt was made to pry it open with a spade, he would not open it. After a long time, they were no longer curious.
Now, Jia Zhiqing actually wanted to take the initiative to beg for help from his cousin. This made Xiao Bai surprised and moved, "Actually, this isn"t a big deal. It"s just signing a contract, that’s all…"
“I just searched and found out that Yimate guy isn"t a good person.”
Xiao Bai became silent. He also felt uncomfortable with that person. “Then, what’s the use of finding your cousin?”
Jia Zhiqing gnashed his teeth as he said: “He"s one of the bad people.” On the way to find Jia Zhiqing’s cousin, he gave a little bit of introduction about that person who they were looking for.
Only then did Xiao Bai find out that he was actually Yimate"s trump card and the current sensational big star Aaron Feng"s manager.
“Isn"t it that Aaron Feng is the only male celebrity that you like?” It was a miracle that with Jia Zhiqing’s lascivious and envious nature, he would be fond of the same s.e.x.
“Yeah.” They sat in the last row of the bus. The neon lights on both sides of the road flitted across Jia Zhiqing’s face, as if his complexion was changing unpredictably. “Back in those days, he was also a fellow sufferer.”
Xiao Bai knew that his ego was the strongest. He looked at his face with a look of indifference and didn"t ask further.
When they got off the bus and walked for a while, Xiao Bai caught sight of three tall buildings towering aloft like pillars that were supporting the sky. On the surface of the buildings, the shooting star-like lights flowed up and down, as if a dozen or so eyes towered above as they looked down upon those who would be coming.
Xiao Bai gasped in admiration as he said: "The land here must be very expensive, right? This light is very beautiful.”
“You make me have a long sigh.” Jia Zhiqing frowned, "When I meet with him, be sure not to show this kind of expression. You must be serious, cold and have an awe-inspiring presence."
Before entering the door, he looked up again and looked at the light, "f.u.c.k, it"s so extravagant!”
However, when they got to see the genuine legendary cousin, he was said to look impressive on the surface but did not even have the aura.
Jia Zhiqing was secretly grudging when he saw a certain person with a clear and peaceful look, walking out the elevator. “The entrance guard in your building was a former KGB member, wasn’t he?” Would they not take out the shock sticks and put them against their forehead and interrogate them if ever they were paparazzi or kidnappers?
Gao Qin silently measured him up with his eyes for a quite a while. Just when he could not help but start cursing, he frowned and said, “Have you just been splashed with gas by loan sharks?”
Jia Zhiqing: “I%¥##%@#”