âIâve learned. Letâs do as you say, Brother Feng, and make contact with Boss Ning first.â Wang Tie nodded.
Yi Feng smiled and said, âYeah, in a few days weâll go to Dianke Building. If we can negotiate on our own, itâs best not to find Boss Ning. Itâs not good to owe favors.â
The two chatted about going to Dianke Building while eating.
After finishing the meal, Yi Feng asked Wang Tie to buy three cans of beer and a can of juice.
Wang Tie bought the drinks back and helped Yi Feng and Han Pingâan open the pull tabs.
Yi Feng picked up a beer and said with a smile, âHere, Wang Tie, Pingâan, letâs celebrate our graduation!â
âLetâs do it, weâre all adults now, and weâve all graduated. From now on, we wonât have to worry about being caught when drinking!â
Wang Tie grinned, it might not be his first time drinking since he had sneaked a few drinks with Yi Feng before, but now they could drink openly.
âHere, Brother Feng, I toast to you!â
âTo Brother Feng.â Han Pingâan also raised his beer respectfully.
âBig brother Feng, happy graduation~â Han Nannan mimicked her big brother, trying to clink glasses with her drink but had to stand on her toes because her hands werenât long enough.
Her struggle to clink glasses amused all three of them.
The small shop was filled with joyful laughter, gradually merging into the night outside.
â¦
After having their fill of food and drink, Yi Feng and Wang Tie moved two chairs outside the shop to continue drinking and chatting.
Wang Tie, not often drinking, had his face flushed to the neck after three cans, showing a slight drunken state.
Yi Feng slumped in his chair, gazing into the pitch-black night sky, lost in thought.
âWang Tie, if, I mean if we werenât opening a shop, where would you go after graduation?â
Wang Tie was taken aback, not knowing why Yi Feng would ask such a question.
âMaybe⦠I would go back to my momâs hometown. My familyâs gambler often comes back for money, and my mom planned to go back to her hometown to avoid him after my graduation.â
Wang Tie laughed at himself, âSometimes, I really donât want to admit that gambler is my dad.â
Yi Feng suddenly had a realization, no wonder⦠it was so hard to contact him before.
But⦠all that has changed.
âDoes your dad still come to ask you for money?â Yi Feng turned and asked.
âYeah, he came back once before the college entrance exam, and I gave him three hundred yuan to send him away,â Wang Tie said with a bitter smile.
Yi Feng frowned, âI didnât hear you mention it. Didnât I say, if he dares to come back for money, you should come directly to me!â
Wang Tieâs face showed guilt, he replied in a low voice, âBrother Feng, it was right before the college entrance exam, I⦠I was afraid of affecting your exam. If anything happened that affected your exam, I wouldnât be able to live with myself.â
Yi Feng sighed, probably guessing his thoughts, but if this issue isnât resolved, Wang Tie will always be constrained by his gambler father.
Wang Tieâs expression darkened, filled with distress and frustration.
He tilted his head back and took another swig of beer, trying to drown his sorrows with alcohol.
Yi Feng pulled out a pack of soft Zhonghua cigarettes from his pocket, shook one out, and offered it to him, âWant one?â
Wang Tie unhesitatingly took the cigarette and lighter.
âClick.â
The lighter ignited the cigarette, and Wang Tie clumsily took a big drag.
âCough, cough, coughââ
The strong smoke made him cough continuously, tears streaming out.
âCough, cough! So choking! Iâm dying!â
This was his first time smoking.
Yi Feng chuckled, âWho told you to take such a big drag?â
âTake it slow, some things canât be rushed, youâll get there eventually.â
With that, he also lit a cigarette, slowly took a puff, and skillfully blew a smoke ring.
The dim street light made his face blurry through the smoke.
Wang Tie, imitating Yi Feng, slowly took a drag and finally got used to it, shaking his head and laughing, âThis thing⦠really relieves stress.â
âBrother Feng.â
âHmm?â
âThank you, for giving me a hand.â
âWeâre brothers, itâs what I should do.â
Yi Feng flicked the ash, looked at Wang Tie, who seemed to have grown a lot while smoking.
âIf he comes back for money again, you must tell me. Iâll help you.â
Wang Tieâs eyes teared up, gratefully said, âBrother Feng, I know.â
Yi Feng patted his shoulder, comforting, âWhat are you crying for? A man does not easily shed tears.â
Wang Tie wiped away his tears, showing a simple smile, âHehe, okay, Iâll listen to you.â
âBy the way, my mom has always said she wants to invite you over when you have time. She says youâve helped me so much, and we havenât invited you back for a meal yet.â
âSheâs been nagging me about it.â
âIâve been saying Iâm busy with the college entrance exam recently, but she wouldnât listen.â
Yi Feng laughed, âLetâs wait until weâre done with the opening, then weâll celebrate at your house after the official opening.â
Wang Tie was overjoyed, âReally? Thatâs great, Iâll ask my mom to cook a delicious meal!â
âLetâs talk about it then. By the way, Wang Tie, what major do you want to study in college?â Yi Feng suddenly asked.
Wang Tie scratched his head, looking perplexed, âTo be honest, I donât know what to study⦠You know, Brother Feng, Iâve never been ambitious.â
âI donât know what job I can do in the future.â
Yi Feng shook his head, this was indeed a confusion many examinees faced.
After the college entrance exam, they need to choose their majors, but many donât know what they want to study.
Without a clear future goal, they fall into confusion, eventually following their familyâs or relativesâ advice to choose a major they know nothing about.
They spend four years in college aimlessly, either unemployed upon graduation or switching careers.
Yi Feng didnât want Wang Tie to end up like this; he should have a better future, but the choice was up to him.
What Yi Feng could do was to guide him slightly, hoping he would find his lifeâs goal.
âWang Tie, think about it before you go to sleep when you get back.â
âThink about what kind of person you want to be in the next ten years.â
âMaybe youâll find the answer yourself.â Yi Feng smiled.
Wang Tie nodded seriously, âBrother Feng, Iâll think about it carefully!â
âCome on, letâs drink.â Yi Feng raised his beer.
They clinked glasses and drank up.
â¦
At 10 p.m., Yi Feng returned
home. Just as he turned on the room light, there was a âthud thudâ sound at the window.
Pulling back the curtains, he saw Gu Muxi, still awake, standing behind the window in her nightgown, the night breeze blowing her flowing black hair, like a sprite of the night.
âYi Feng, why are you back so late? Where have you been enjoying yourself?â
Yi Feng chuckled, leaning on the window, âWhat, you missed me already?â
Gu Muxi arrogantly lifted her chin, âHmph~ who misses you? Iâm just performing my supervisory duties. Donât forget, auntie gave me the right to monitor you!â
âSo, the Inspector General is not sleeping late at night, waiting for me to come back?â Yi Feng saw through her.
Gu Muxiâs cheeks flushed, she turned her head away, âHehe, I, I, I just couldnât sleep!â
Suddenly, at this moment, two thumb-sized cockroaches flew in from outside the window into Yi Fengâs room, startling him.
âDamn! Such big cockroaches!â
The cockroaches in Guangxi City, known scientifically as the American cockroach, are two to three times larger than ordinary cockroaches!
âCockroaches? Where are the cockroaches? Let me kill it!â Gu Muxi shouted excitedly.
Yi Feng: â(ï¼?_?)â¦â¦â
âââ-
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