76 No one’s poor when the brother’s here

Tang Meng was a sly and intelligent individual. He knew who and where he could gain benefits from. He knew how to judge a person's character. That was the reason why he leaned towards Ling Yun's side after realizing his drastic change in behavior and personality.

Undeniably, Ning Lingyu had a part in wavering Tang Meng as well. His crush on her had been getting stronger day by day. However, what was most crucial was Ling Yun's charisma and empathy.

Though Ling Yun did not give any leeway about the ten million, he allowed Tang Meng to pay him half first, even though the possibility of the other five million dollars reaching Ling Yun was close to zero.

Two brothers discussing ideas and earning big bucks with two months? What kind of pipe dream was that? If money could be made so easily, Tang Meng would definitely participate in discussions with Ling Yun every single day.

Five million bucks. That was one million lesser than Tang Meng's initial offer. This is the first time Tang Meng witnessed Ling Yun accepting a loss ever since they became acquainted. He was touched by Ling Yun's actions.

Earlier, he was still exaggerating on how much he adored Ling Yun, how good his qualities were, just so he could land the phone number. Yet now, he felt brotherhood and empathy. He was being protected.

Ling Yun might not comment much or express his emotions regularly, often portraying a cold-blooded personality. But truth be told, he actually was very concerned and meticulous towards Tang Meng.

On one occasion where a fight broke out between Ling Yun and Tu Gang's men, he told Tang Meng to back off and stay out of danger.

Yesterday night when Tang Meng arranged a fight with Xie Junyan outside of Class 6 Grade 7, Ling Yun hurried down to warn him not to mess with Xie Junyan on his own.

And today, it is obvious that the phone number was originally prepared for Tang Meng. Though Ling Yun requested money from him, he accepted half the said amount just so Tang Meng would not be put in a spot. This would let Tang Meng know how much Ling Yun was willing to be underpaid by him for a number so impressive and rare.

After all, it was only two days ago when they first met. Was it not obvious enough who was on the winning end between this pair of buddies? Hence it was logical for Tang Meng to be genuinely touched.

All the miscellaneous matters that Tang Meng had done for Ling Yun had instantaneously became worthwhile. Tang Meng pledged his heart to follow Ling Yun wholeheartedly, to serve and aid him whenever required. Never had this brat expected himself to be so lucky, to becoming the close acquaintance of one of China's potentially most successful men in the future.

That is precisely how destiny works. When the opportunity arises, you must grab hold of it; when your lucky charm presents himself in front of you, you must keep your eyes focused on him and not get distracted. Only by doing so will you be able to succeed! Tang Meng did not just grab hold of the opportunity but also his lucky charm, Ling Yun. It would probably be harder for him to fail in life than to succeed.

Ling Yun has been observing Tang Meng's expressions for quite some time already. This brat… Ling Yun was about to nag at Tang Meng but was distracted by something special.

"Smells good!" Ling Yun turned his head around and look in the direction of the kitchen.

"Brother, what were the two of you mumbling over there? Come and help to serve the dishes!" Ning Lingyu uttered to the two guys. Though she had been commanded by her mother to get this and that done, she was elated. She loved this feeling of togetherness within the family; so peaceful and heartwarming.

Before Ling Yun could make his way to the kitchen, Tang Meng had already scurried his way over to help out. "These smell fabulous! Let me help out!" Tang Meng uttered, as he changed from a compassionate person to becoming cocky again. However, inside Ling Yun's house, there was no way he could be too arrogant. He had the least rights and power in their residence.

For some reason, Tang Meng, who had been brave and courageous all his life, never dared to look into the eyes of Ling Yun and Ning Ling Yu's mother, Qin Qiuyue. Her pupils were innocent and alluring, like those of a newborn child, but seemingly held the ability to look into the soul and character of a person.

Having gone through ups and downs in the decades of her life, she gained fruitful experiences and insights about life. A random gaze from her eyes would make you seem transparent to her as if she could read and discover everything about you. Moreover, her mature outlook and ability to stay composed during times of difficulty allowed her to induce Tang Meng into being honest and down-to-earth in front of her.

In other words, even his favorite hairstyle had to be changed and trimmed so as to not leave too bad of an impression in front of her.

It was only until he left the kitchen then he felt at ease and relaxed. What's wrong with me? Even my grandpa does not make me feel so restricted about my behavior! Tang Meng thought to himself, as he felt that he is losing his true self in front of Ling Yun's family. Or maybe, was it just him feeling anxious, like any son-in-law would when meeting the mother-in-law for the first time.

That must be the case! Given his usual self, he would not get so jittery.

The Little Gambling God succeeded in hypnotizing himself again, before happily making his way into the main hall.

On both sides of Linjiang Road in the slum area, the buildings which were generally built in the seventies and eighties looked dilapidated now.

The buildings were similar in style. Other than the store at the front of the street which renovated frequently to attract customers, the remaining buildings in the courtyard were all low-leveled flats. Ling Yun's home was no exception.

Though this courtyard might not be as big as a bungalow, it had everything required. From the Main Hall to East and West Wing, daily facilities and necessities were present. The West Wing made up the kitchen whereas the East Wing is a small cabin that served as a storeroom. The main hall is a four-roomed flat which consisted of their bedrooms and the living room. The living room, during meal times, acted as their dining area.

Qin Qiuyue herself was a doctor who was very particular about personal hygiene. Despite not being very well off, she made the effort to ensure the house was spick and span.

The moment Tang Meng brought out two dishes from the kitchen to the living room, he understood their family background. He understood why Ling Yun said he was hard on cash. He never understood it previously until today.

A rich man could never comprehend the hardship the poor had to undergo for survival. The low ceiling apartment was very different from Tang Meng high-storeyed posh residence. It was as if he could touch the ceiling using his hands when he jumped.

Ling Yun's apartment happened to be on South road, with his main hall being the southernmost building. This meant that throughout the four seasons, there will not be any natural blockade against the harsh weathers.

In the living room were one roundtable, three simple-looking wooden chairs, a rustic sofa that could at most fit two pax and an acrylic coffee table.

On top of the rustic sofa was a degraded yet clean sofa cover sheet. But what caught Tang Meng's eyes were the depressed areas of the sofa. It was obvious that the sofa has lost its elasticity. This goes to show how tattered and aged-old this piece of furniture was. Other than that, there was only an antiquated 21-inch television.

Tang Meng finally understood why Ning Lingyu was so determined to reach her goals. Her life could only get better if she was on the school's honor roll. He also understood why Ling Yun used to have low self-esteem and gave up on life but now changed to become a purposeful and strong-minded fellow, though greedy for money.

Tang Meng knew Ling Yun had his own reasons to become rapacious. He put down the dishes onto the versatile dining table, before sitting down on the sofa and smoking. He looked as if he was in serious thoughts.

He felt like a bastard for driving his Ferrari outside the commoners' neighborhood so frequently. It was an insult to them! Every Chinese New Year he would receive a minimum of ten million dollars from his elders. The more he thought about his standard of living, the greater the remorse he felt to sit on the sofa.

As a matter of fact, Tang Meng might be an arrogant and sly fellow, but deep inside his heart lay a considerate and kind-hearted gentleman.

Meanwhile, Ling Yun had also brought a dish out from the kitchen. Looking at Tang Meng staringly deeply at the television while smoking, Ling Yun became curious.

"Was my request of five million dollars really too much? Or did I make things difficult for him?" Ling Yun reflected upon himself.

Ling Yun understood his need for money so as to better his living environment, but he did not wish to see Tang Meng put in a spot for him. "Fine, I'll let this fellow off! Anyways, I did not pay for that phone number. I'll give it to him if he admits I'm his brother!" Ling Yun made his decision reluctantly.

Simultaneously, Tang Meng had also made a decision. I can give up this Ferrari for an Audi! It will still serve me the same purpose! After selling it away, Auntie Qin and Ling Yu need not stay in such a rundown apartment anymore! Tears withered down from his eyes as he had to part with his precious birthday present.

Ling Yun and Tang Meng happened to look into each other's eyes.

"Brother, I've decided to replace my Ferrari already! It's eating up a big portion of my monthly expenditure! After its sale, I can lend you any amount you require!" Tang Meng uttered.

"Tang Meng, don't get overly depressed over the sale of that phone number. Though I might be hard on cash, I do not want to put you in a difficult position! At most I'll give you that number for free!" Ling Yun uttered concurrently.

Both of them were speaking at a rapid pace for fear that they would regret their decisions halfway. Their chemistry was so strong that they started and ended their speech at the same time.

A pair of shameless brothers often so scheming and intelligent, chose to sacrifice their respective benefits for the other party.

They looked at each other, both with shocked expressions on their faces. How about that level of chemistry? They thought to themselves.