Chapter 23: Borrowing Money

“Uncle, let me help you carry that,” When Fu Li got off work, he saw the scholarly, learned, and reserved cleaner uncle with a mop in his left hand and a cleaning bucket in his right hand. Concerned that he would trip and fall, Fu Li went up and helped him to carry the cleaning bucket.

“Thank you, young man,” The uncle flashed a grateful smile at Fu Li. “You’re that newbie Little Fu?”

“Yup,” Fu Li nodded. After helping the uncle to place the cleaning tools in the room for miscellaneous items, the two people walked to the main entrance only to realize that it was still raining outside.

“It was still okay just now, how did such heavy rain come about in the short time that passed?” The uncle commented and then turned around, heading back in. Fu Li glanced up at the sky. Not too long later, he saw the uncle coming back out with an old umbrella.

“Teacher Yao, you’re rushing back even when the rain’s this heavy?”

“The cat at home is still waiting for me to return,” The uncle responded with a chuckle, his manner extremely kindly.

“Teacher Yao,” Fu Li saw that the uncle was about to walk out into the rain and called after him. “I didn’t bring an umbrella, let’s squeeze together.”

“Sure,” Teacher Yao turned again and walked to the entrance. “Quick, come over. Don’t get wet.”

Fu Li squeezed under the umbrella and matched Teacher Yao’s pace as they walked slowly. Teacher Yao smiled and asked, “I heard you’re self-studying. Are you preparing to enter university?”

Fu Li nodded.

“It’s good to love studying. Being human means living till old age and learning till old age,” The smile on Teacher Yao’s face grew even gentler. The two people had to cross an overhead bridge; Fu Li extended a hand and supported the elderly man. Teacher Yao looked down at his arm that was being supported and smiled. “Youngsters who don’t voice their kind intentions will lose out.”

“You saw that the rain was too heavy and couldn’t feel at ease about an old man walking alone outside, so you said that you didn’t bring an umbrella, right?” Teacher Yao patted Fu Li’s arm. “If you chase after a girl in the future, don’t ever do this. If the other party doesn’t know how good you are to her, won’t your thoughts go to waste?”

Fu Li didn’t understand. Why did he have to let others know about the things he did?It was merely a matter of raising a hand, was it necessary? Besides, didn’t the human world think highly of Lei Feng’s spirit of committing good deeds without claiming credit?

But this aged human was a teacher. His words… shouldn’t be wrong?

Teacher Yao knew from Fu Li’s blank expression that this youngster hadn’t understood him clearly from the start, nor had he ever liked anyone. Otherwise, he certainly wouldn’t show this sort of nonchalant demeanor. Teacher Yao simply placed an arm on Fu Li’s arm. “The rain is very heavy today; have a meal at my place this afternoon before going back.”

“Okay,” Fu Li, who still didn’t know about the artificial courtesies of the human world, didn’t even decline and instead directly accepted Teacher Yao’s invitation.

Teacher Yao’s house wasn’t very far. The neighborhood was just a bit on the old side and the building lacked a lift. Uncle Yao lived on the fourth floor and needed to climb up the stairs floor by floor.

The already-peeling metal door appeared a little shabby but had been cleaned very well. Teacher Yao retrieved the keys tied at his waist and opened the door to a tiny shaggy creature which walked out from behind the door meowing.

It was a very fat cat, so fat that it resembled a ball.

Seeing the unfamiliar Fu Li behind Teacher Yao, the fat cat’s cries grew a few notches higher. After circling Fu Li’s feet, it revealed its belly and lay down in front of Teacher Yao.

“Aiyo, our family’s Tuan Tuan is hungry. Grandpa will immediately make you something to eat.” Teacher Yao placated the fat cat before telling Fu Li, “Little Fu, make yourself comfortable. I’ll get some food for my family’s Tuan Tuan.”

“All right,” Fu Li glanced down at the cat who was rolling around on the floor. He walked over to the old-fashioned sofa and sat down. A fruit dish was placed on the tea table, completely empty with the exception of a few blackening bananas. Many photos and prize certificates were hung on the wall. A photo displayed in the center depicted Teacher Yao with a woman. Yet, Fu Li realized that the house contained the smell of only Teacher Yao and no other humans.

“Meow,” The fat cat jumped onto the tea table. Its round eyes stared at Fu Li, seemingly inspecting him.

Fu Li lowered his head and their gazes met. Reaching out a hand, he rubbed the fur on its head.

The fat cat… fat cat realized in despair that it couldn’t move and could only be touched all over by this human as if it was a furry ball.

“Don’t worry, I’m a colleague of your owner. I won’t harm him.”

“Meow!” That’s my servant, not owner.

“Little Fu, have a glass of water,” Teacher Yao carried a bowl of cat food out and poured a glass of water for Fu Li. “Have a seat first, I’ll make lunch.”

Fu Li saw the spots and wrinkles on the back of this human’s hand. He stood up and said, “Teacher Yao, allow me to learn how to cook from you.”

“Sure,” Teacher Yao nodded. “It’s good for youngsters to know how to cook. The girls nowadays are career-minded and the majority of them aren’t able to cook. It would be a bonus for a boy to know how to cook when pursuing a girl.”

Fu Li listened to Teacher Yao’s nagging and couldn’t help thinking in his heart that humans really did place a lot of importance on reproduction. In order to be in the woman’s good graces, they were willing to do anything.

While the two people ate, the fat-as-a-ball cat lay on Teacher Yao’s knee and acted coquettishly, even revealing its belly from time to time. Fu Li watched the fat cat’s tiny swinging tail and lowered his head, continuing to dig into his food.

After the meal, Fu Li helped Teacher Yao to tidy up the kitchen. Just as he was preparing to leave, Teacher Yao gifted him a pile of studying-related books and notebooks.

“These are the reference books and materials that the school often used when I was still a teacher. The notebooks contain some of my teaching notes. Bring it back and have a look through it, it might be of help to you,” Teacher Yao touched the sides of the books fondly. These books were very old, yet very clean.

“Thank you,” Fu Li accepted the books and thanked Teacher Yao seriously.

“I have no use for these books even if I keep them. Their greatest value lies in the knowledge you glean from them,” Teacher Yao’s smile was kindly. He looked at Fu Li as if he was looking at the cleverest younger generation.

After this incident, Fu Li frequently sent Teacher Yao home. Occasionally, he would even drop in with some fruits and vegetables. Every time he appeared to freeload a meal, Teacher Yao would be very happy. He would speak about studying methods, his deceased wife, how capable his former students were, and the contributions he had made to the country.

Whenever Teacher Yao spoke, Fu Li would listen to him very seriously. He would rub the fat cat’s head occasionally, inciting a few meows from the cat.

Until one morning when he encountered the lazy and gluttonous fat cat at the main entrance of the hotel. His cries were mournful and anxious, as if something major had happened.

Fu Li couldn’t wait any longer for the colleague who was working the next shift and ran with the fat cat to Teacher Yao’s house. If someone had observed him carefully, they would have realized that the speed at which Fu Li was running had already exceeded a sprinting champion. However, people were just that busy; who would care why someone else was running and how fast they were running?

Teacher Yao had passed away. Despite the fact that Fu Li had secretly placed a Peace Branch in his house, it still hadn’t altered his fate.

If Yama wanted someone to die at midnight, that person wouldn’t be alive at 3am.

Teacher Yao didn’t have children and his family members had already passed away more than ten years ago. He had aided many impoverished children financially in his years, so apart from a house’s worth of books and this shabby house, he hadn’t left much behind. In accordance with Teacher Yao’s will, the house would be sold off by the relevant department and the money would be donated to Project Hope, while all the books would be donated to school libraries.

Many people came to the funeral – the children Teacher Yao had helped financially, their parents, as well as the students he had taught. These people wept sorrowful tears. Teacher Yao may not have had children, but his funeral wasn’t the least bit cold or cheerless.

The cat Teacher Yao was raising wanted to enter the funeral hall as well but was chased out because traditional social customs dictated that cats could not be present at human funerals.

Fu Li stood at a corner, looking at the thin cat whose coat of fur was in a mess. He squatted down. “You’re just a cat who hasn’t cultivated a human form.”

The scent of joss paper drifted out from the funeral hall. Teacher Yao walked out in a black shirt and pants. The one leading him forward was the yinchai called Wang Zhen.

For some reason, Fu Li couldn’t stop himself from taking a few steps forward, blocking the way of the yinchai.

“Cultivator, every human has their own fate. It cannot be changed by anyone,” Wang Zhen saw that it was Fu Li who had stepped forward, and his tone of voice lightened a little. “Forcefully changing a human’s fate will only harm the human’s virtue in his following lives. There is no benefit to him.”

Fu Li was silent for a moment. He said in a somewhat downcast voice, “I know human destiny can be changed, but fate can’t.” He looked up at the benevolent and kindly Teacher Yao. “I wish you a smooth trip.”

One’s fate was determined by the Heavens and could not be changed. Nobody under these skies could do as they wished.

Teacher Yao didn’t seem to have expected Fu Li to be able to see him. After a few seconds of astonishment, he revealed a smile.

“Meow,” The cat walked over on its short legs and waved its shaggy tail at Teacher Yao.

“Little Fu, please help me take care of him,” Teacher Yao crouched down, wanting to touch the cat’s tiny belly, yet his hand passed through its body.

“Meow~” The cat appeared unaware. Just like the past, it rubbed against Teacher Yao’s palm and rolled over on the ground. Teacher Yao laughed and stood up, speaking to Wang Zhen, “Let’s go. It’s also time for me to find my family’s wife. I made her wait alone below for so many years; I’ll definitely be scolded later when I see her.”

Fu Li’s gaze followed after Teacher Yao and the yinchai as they departed. He glanced down at his chest. That area didn’t seem very happy.

But he had already done his best. It was just that the Heavens determined human fate, so the Peace Branch could not save Teacher Yao’s life. Then why was he unhappy? Could he have interacted with too many humans and acquired their flawed tendency to be unreasonable?

Zhuang Qing was in the middle of reviewing the exam questions for the recruitment three days later. When he heard that Fu Li had come searching for him, a guess surfaced in his mind: Could he be here to enter by the back door and request for the exam questions?

That person shouldn’t even think about it. He wasn’t such a dragon. It was a shameful thing to cheat in an exam.

But when the two people sat face to face, Zhuang Qing realized that he had truly thought too simply.

“Mr Zhuang,” Fu Li looked at the mixed-blood, golden dragon seated behind the computer whose imposing presence exerted a sense of pressure. A sincere smile appeared on Fu Li’s face. “Can I borrow two hundred thousand yuan from you?”

“What?!”

Zhuang Qing suspected that something had gone wrong with his ears.