CH 20

Xie Zhongxing returned back inside with his practice paper.

Old Ni asked kindly, “Finished asking?”Xie Zhongxing calmly answered, “No.”Old Ni raised a brow, “Then why didn’t you continue asking?”Xie Zhongxing, “Costs money.”Old Ni who heard this revealed a look of approval, “This much is nothing. You can continue to ask for help if you want.”Xie Zhongxing declined the offer, “No need, thank you.”He sat back down and worked on his practice paper again. Old Ni who stood behind him watched him do this for a long time but didn’t understand anything.Not long later, Liu Xiu was done with preparing their lunch.She brought the dishes to the table with a smile and called Old Ni and the other guest to come and sit at the dining table. She was also willing to play the role of a mother today as she similarly smiled at Xie Zhongxing, “Go serve the rice. Remember to wash your hands.”Xie Zhongxing wasn’t hungry but he still did as he was told and then sat down on the side of the tableXie Guoxu opened a bottle of wine and poured some out for Old Ni and the other guest. He then looked towards Xie Zhongxing, his originally gloomy expression a lot more relaxed now but his tone still stiff and distant, “Drinking?”Xie Zhongxing said, “No need.”Xie Guoxu, “You’re already eighteen, there’s nothing to be afraid of.”As he said this, he poured a glass for Xie Zhongxing and pushed it in front of him.Xie Zhongxing didn’t move. His eyes travelled from Xie Guoxu to Old Ni and he then proceeded to quietly take in the actions of the people present.Was it really what he’s thinking it is?Just like how he no longer held any expectations towards his family showing him love, he didn’t dare take this kindness for granted.Were they trying to sell him off? Take his organs? Or was it something else?Xie Zhongxing had heard of many rumours. It seemed as if any of those rumours were very fitting with the current situation but was also a little absurd.Xie Zhongxing lowered his eyes and slowly ate a few mouthfuls of the food that tasted to him like wax. At this moment, Old Ni suddenly smiled at him and said, “Have a few drinks with me. If you can drink three glasses, I’ll give you five hundred yuan. How about it?”

When Liu Xiu heard this, her eyes immediately lit up. She quickly turned to Xie Zhongxing, “Hurry and go and have a few drinks with Uncle Ni.”Xie Zhongxing said, “I can’t drink.”Liu Xiu, “You haven’t even tried drinking before so how would you know that you can’t drink? Even your father can drink, why can’t you!”Xie Zhongxing cast a glance at Xie Guoxu. Xie Guoxu’s alcohol tolerance wasn’t very good and he would be down after just half a bottle.Xue Guoxu also spoke, “Your Uncle Ni likes you. Go and have a few drinks with him.”With so many eyes on him, Xie Zhongxing almost wanted to laugh.At this moment, Old Ni’s phone suddenly rang.Old Ni paused for a moment and pulled out his phone. As a middle-aged man, his hearing had started to worsen so he had a habit of turning on the speaker when answering calls. This call was no exception. He answered the phone, “Hello?”On the other end, a young man’s voice sounded, “Hello? Are you Xie Zhongxing’s dad? I’m his classmate! I’ve come to find him to work on our homework together and have just arrived. Can you get Xie Zhongxing to come and pick us up?”Old Ni looked towards Xie Zhongxing.Xie Zhongxing looked back with a look of faint surprise. He placed down his chopsticks and said, “Uncle Ni, can you give me your phone? Let me have a few words with my classmate.”After he was given Old N’s phone, Xie Zhongxing said, “Qin Zhongyue? Why did you come?”“It’s me! I also called Qiu Yi and the others over. Not only you called me for help, Qiu Yi also called, so I thought it would be better to do it together.” Qin Zhongyue’s voice was filled with energy and liveliness.Xie Zhongxing asked, “Where are you now?”Qin Zhongyue: “I’m already at your town. I’m standing next to the big rock with the words ‘Yunshui Town’.”Xie Zhongxing: “Wait for me, I’ll pick you up.”After he was done talking to him, he hung up and looked towards Liu Xiu and the others. His tone was calm and apologetic, “My classmates are here so I’ll go pick them up and show them around the town along the way. I won’t be back for dinner.”Then, without even looking back, he picked up his schoolbag and turned and walked out.Liu Xiu and Xie Guoxu exchanged a look with each other before cautiously asking, “Um, Old Ni, about this child……”Old Ni let out a laugh, “This child is indeed very clever.”“Five thousand. You will be paid yearly.”He no longer ate and just cast a glance towards his companion who then proceeded to take out a formal employment contract.

Xie Zi’an placed down his chopsticks and squeezed over to Xie Guoxu’s side to look at the contents. Although it was densely packed with words, the responsibilities of Party A and Party B were clearly written out. He immediately saw that Party A needed to provide Party B with training in various skillsets like cooking, dancing, playing the piano, flower arrangement etc, and couldn’t help but be surprised, “What is this job?”Old Ni answered, “Nanny. A high-class nanny.”He then smiled at Xie Zi’an and said with a faint light in his eyes, “We cultivate talents in this area. They must be clever.”Xie Zi’an took in his somewhat fierce-looking appearance and trembled.Old Ni said to Liu Xiu, “Just let him sign his name here. I’ll fill in the date when he is an adult.”Liu Xiu complained, “Can’t you just pay twenty years in one go? I’m pretty much selling my son to you and we’re even losing a future top university candidate.”Old Ni glanced at him, “Yearly payments or this conversation is over.”Liu Xiu heard this and proceeded to shut her mouth.Raising Xie Zhongxing hadn’t required all that much money so him bringing to the family fifty thousand a year wasn’t all that bad.*When Xie Zhongxing left his place, the sun was still up high in the sky, but he however couldn’t feel any warmth.When he reached the place described by Qin Zhongyue, sure enough, Qin Zhongyue was there. Not only was Qin Zhongyue there, but he had also brought together with him two tall and buff men in black suits. From the way they’re dressed, they probably bodyguards.But Qiu Yi and the others weren’t around. He had probably lied about that earlier.When Xie Zhongxing saw him and his two bodyguards, his heart that had been racing slowly began to settle back down.Qin Zhongyue who saw him immediately hurried over and asked anxiously, “Are you okay?”Xie Zhongxing looked at him and lightly nodded.At that time, he was too shocked by the situation and the only person he could think of to ask for help was Qin Zhongyue.If it was him, he should be able to help him.Because he is a righteous person.When Xie Zhongxing thought of this, his tense nerves immediately relaxed.

He also somewhat had an urge to laugh, but it was only a small urge. Xie Zhongxing’s heart soon sank back down.He didn’t know how to explain this situation to Qin Zhongyue.Xie Zhongxing exhaled and said to Qin Zhongyue, “Let’s go to the park over there.”Qin Zhongyue followed him to the park.While walking, Qin Zhongyue took in the surroundings, “This is where you live?”He had never come back here with Xie Zhongxing in his previous life. He had no idea his hometown was such an old and quaint town.Xie Zhongxing made a sound of affirmation and then turned to look at him. His lips showed some hesitation, “Thank you for coming.”Qin Zhongyue’s expression immediately turned serious, “Did something happen to you?”If it wasn’t for the fact that it was a weekend and he had Wei Zhibo who was tutoring him around to help read into the situation, he would have thought that Xie Zhongxing had found out that he was a study slag and had called him to call him out on it.After Wei Zhibo’s analysis, Qin Zhongyue instantly realised how immature his thinking was.Xie Zhongxing’s image in his mind was that he was always strong and capable. He felt that there was nothing that Xie Zhongxing couldn’t deal with.But he soon realised his mistake. The current Xie Zhongxing was only eighteen years old!At such a young age, wasn’t it normal for him to have problems and be faced with difficulties?Just like the case with Fu Donglin, Xie Zhongxing had to suffer through it alone. If it wasn’t for him, if he hadn’t come….Wouldn’t he really be forced to drop out of school?As it turns out, the mighty and ruthless Xie Zhongxing also had moments where he can be weak and helpless.Qin Zhongyue felt a little ashamed of himself.In fact, he didn’t really need to put on such an act in front of Xie Zhongxing. The current Xie Zhongxing was still a child after all, it was enough just to protect him.When Qin Zhongyue thought this, his nose soured and his eyes turned a little red. He held tightly onto Xie Zhongxing’s hand and said earnestly, “Just tell me, don’t hide it from me. Regardless of whether you’ve killed someone or if it’s something else, I’ll help you!”Xie Zhongxing, “…….”He found it a little funny, “You think I killed someone?”Qin Zhongyue, “If you did, I will hire the best lawyer for you. For someone as good as you, even if you killed someone, it must’ve been in self-defence!”Xie Zhongxing, “…….”

The smile at the corner of his lips froze and it gradually disappeared.An outsider would treat him with so much sincerity, trusting him without reservations, but why was his family like this?Of course, he currently didn’t have any evidence at the moment, but the clues all indicated that he would lose something because of the arrival of that Uncle Ni.Perhaps he may not even be able to attend school.Qin Zhongyue stared at his face and said, “It’s just an example. Even if it’s as serious as killing someone, I’ll help you, so don’t hide it from me.”Xie Zhongxing looked at him for some time and suddenly asked, “Are you helping me purely because you like to help those in need?”Qin Zhongyue hesitated a little at this. Xie Zhongxing stared fixedly at him. From his angle, he could see Qin Zhongyue’s dense and dark eyelashes. Looking at Qin Zhongyue from such a close distance, Xie Zhongxing found that his appearance was really the kind of handsome where no flaws could be picked out.“…..Is it not?” Xie Zhongxing asked in a low voice.Qin Zhongyue raised his eyes, his eyes bright. He spoke hesitantly as he looked at him, “You want me to speak truthfully?”Xie Zhongxing, “En.”Qin Zhongyue said, “I’m helping you because my dad wants to recognise you as his godson.”Xie Zhongxing, “………”Qin Zhongyue’s faced flushed pink and he started to blabber some nonsense, “He has information about you on his end. I came to find you because I saw that information.”Qin Zhongyue then confessed, “Actually, I lied to you.”Xie Zhongxing, “…..What lie?”Qin Zhongyue, “I’m actually seventeen years old this year. My birthday is on the eighteenth of February so if you calculated it according to our nominal age, I’m two years younger than you.” (KKnotes: More commonly known nowadays as ‘Korean Age’ as other east-asian countries don’t use it as much anymore. It’s where the age goes up by a year on New Year’s Day.))Xie Zhongxing, “………”Qin Zhongyue continued, “I lied because I wanted to take advantage of you.”“I wanted you to like me. That way, when we become a family in the future, we wouldn’t be so distant.”Qin Zhongyue’s lies became smoother and smoother.He was actually somewhat amazed at his ability to adapt to the situation. As expected of himself!The author has something to say:Baby Yue, you’ll definitely regret saying those words in the future.Xing Xing: Who is your good brother?