Chapter 35: Old-School Gentleman
“Why is he changing clothes?” Wang Ming finally voiced his inner question.
“It’s the first day you moved in, so there will be visitors. Although the master doesn’t see everyone, there are some he can’t refuse. He needs to see them, so he’s changing clothes first.” The listless panda explained their social etiquette.
Wang Ming: “…”
When I’m staying home, I usually wear a vest and big floral shorts, Wang Ming recalled.
When guests come, I still wear a vest and big floral shorts and chat with them in the fields, Wang Ming continued to recall.
Apparently, human social etiquette isn’t universal, Wang Ming concluded an unchanging truth through his brainstorming.
On the other side,
The listless panda: “…”
I wonder what this cheap son-in-law is thinking, the listless panda thought.
Although he had lived a long time and could be considered a shrewd person compared to ordinary humans, usually he could guess someone’s psychology with eight or nine out of ten accuracy, but that was only a dimensionality reduction strike against ordinary humans.
Before Wang Ming, the listless panda admitted defeat.
He couldn’t guess the other’s train of thought, because Wang Ming didn’t play by the rules.
“So, where do you want to go now?” While lamenting the truth that there are always greater people and wider worlds, the listless panda gave Wang Ming a choice.
Wang Ming: “…”
Wang Ming took out his dying phone, barely making out the numbers “19:00” on the shattered screen.
Wang Ming: “…”
I can’t sleep at this hour.
As for the copy-pasted apartment, Wang Ming had some psychological trauma from his copy-paste journey, so he didn’t want to go back to his room immediately.
“I’ll just stay in the living room for a while,” Wang Ming said after some thought.
“Let’s go.” The listless panda nodded.
During Wang Ming’s time in the rented apartment, they often hung out in Wang Ming’s cramped living room. The listless panda even missed the old neighborhood’s group of old men who played chess with him outdoors.
The listless panda led Wang Ming downstairs.
As soon as they went downstairs, Wang Ming felt that calling it a living room was slightly disrespectful to this area, which seemed a bit smaller than a radius of several hundred meters.
I’ll call it a “grand hall” from now on, Wang Ming thought, then saw Ao Chen sitting in the center of the “grand hall,” dressed in a suit, looking like a hall manager.
Wang Ming: “…”
Since he couldn’t tell the difference in fabric and tailoring, Wang Ming couldn’t clearly distinguish between insurance salesmen and overbearing CEOs, and felt helpless.
Seeing him arrive, Ao Chen stood up politely and greeted Wang Ming.
Wang Ming nodded and walked towards Ao Chen.
He vaguely saw the other seemed to be watching TV, so he decided to join in and watch TV instead of playing with his phone.
Wang Ming always felt that playing with his phone in front of family members felt cold and distant.
Although Ao Chen was an unexpected family member, while they were still family, Wang Ming was still willing to follow what he considered basic family etiquette.
Thinking this, Wang Ming continued to walk towards Ao Chen.
However, as he walked, he felt tired.
Wang Ming: “…”
Why is this house so big? Wang Ming asked himself repeatedly.
Wang Ming slowed down slightly and fanned himself.
The listless panda beside him: “…”
Ao Chen in the distance: “…”
Wang Ming: “…”
Wang Ming straightened up again and finally arrived at his natural partner’s side.
“I’ll watch TV too,” Wang Ming panted, catching his breath.
“Please have a seat,” Ao Chen nodded.
Wang Ming sat down, rested for a while, and then focused on the TV, which was larger than his single bed.
The news was on.
Wang Ming: “…”
I feel like I’m back in the village, watching TV with a room full of elders, Wang Ming thought.
However, as the saying goes, the guest should follow the host, Wang Ming couldn’t ask to change channels.
Of course, to avoid being a phone addict in front of family members, Wang Ming didn’t immediately take out his dying phone.
So he had only one option: “sitting idly.”
Wang Ming: “…”
Although I don’t usually watch the news, maybe it’s good to learn something, Wang Ming thought optimistically.
He was always optimistic.
Then Wang Ming found that the news was about economics.
Wang Ming: “…”
Why am I humiliating myself? Wang Ming listened to the economic terms, which made him feel a bit uneducated, and thought his earlier optimism was misplaced.
“If you find it boring, you can change the channel.”
Seeming to notice Wang Ming’s fidgeting on the leather sofa, perhaps due to boredom, Ao Chen said.
“No, you watch yours,” Wang Ming said after some thought.
“The young man probably can’t understand these things,” the listless panda added.
“But Ao Chen understands them.” Wang Ming casually said.
“Because the master is not young anymore,” the listless panda casually replied.
Wang Ming: “…”
A resignation tip a day? Wang Ming thought indignantly.
“But the master is always trying to integrate into the new era,” the listless panda seemed to realize his mistake and added quickly.
Wang Ming: “…”
As Wang Ming nodded in agreement, he heard Ao Chen ask the listless panda, “Has the evening paper arrived?”
Wang Ming: “…”
The listless panda: “…”
“Is there…still an evening paper?” Wang Ming asked.
“Yes,” the listless panda nodded, and took the opportunity to slip away.
Wang Ming: “…”
“Perhaps, you know about social media?” Wang Ming suggested.
Ao Chen: “…”
“I know, but this art form is too early for dragons,” Ao Chen nodded.