Chapter 28
When Lin Xiu returned, Lin Weimin was gone. Chi Abei was humming and playing on his phone. Seeing Lin Xiu, he put away his phone and stood up. “Brother, you’re back!”
Seeing his improved spirits, Lin Xiu looked at him again. The little fool wasn’t stupid anymore, but his emotions seemed unstable.
Lin Xiu asked, “Did anyone come?”
Chi Abei busied himself with the ingredients Lin Xiu bought. “No.”
Lin Weimin didn’t learn his lesson; even after being arrested, he couldn’t stop gambling. Lin Xiu had locked Chi Abei in the yard because he was afraid Lin Weimin would come.
Lin Xiu didn’t doubt Chi Abei. He set up the grill and started the fire. Chi Abei squatted beside him, looking at him ingratiatingly. “Brother, you bought so much; we can’t finish it.”
Lin Xiu realized the boy had a plan, one he might not like. “There’s a refrigerator.”
Chi Abei: “But I think it’s better to eat meat fresh.”
Lin Xiu looked at him. “What are you up to?”
Chi Abei grinned. “Barbecues are more fun with more people, don’t you think, Brother?”
Lin Xiu regretted it; he should have sent him back to school!
Seeing Lin Xiu silent, Chi Abei said, “Can we ask Brother Jiang Yu to come?”
Lin Xiu asked, “You like Jiang Yu?”
Chi Abei said, “Brother, don’t you think he’s pitiful?”
Lin Xiu: “Have you heard the saying, ‘Pitiful people must have hateful aspects’?”
Chi Abei couldn’t refute that. He nodded and mumbled, “But he hasn’t reached the hateful stage yet.”
Lin Xiu looked at him. “What did you say?”
Chi Abei quickly shook his head. “Nothing. Brother, please?”
Lin Xiu: “Suit yourself.”
Chi Abei wanted to stall, but when he heard Lin Xiu say “suit yourself,” he was stunned. “Brother, you agreed?”
Lin Xiu: “Do I have to listen to your chanting until when?”
Watching Chi Abei excitedly call Jiang Yu, Lin Xiu frowned slightly.
He’d heard Chi Abei’s “he hasn’t reached the hateful stage yet” clearly. He didn’t know why Chi Abei said that, but he was right; Jiang Yu shouldn’t be his object of hatred.
Jiang Yu received Chi Abei’s call and thought the little fool was teasing him. “Lin Xiu really asked me to go to his house?”
Chi Abei shouted into the phone, “Yes! Brother asked you to have a barbecue. Isn’t Brother great? Brother is the best! Brother is the kindest person in the world!”
Jiang Yu: “???”
Why did it seem like this flattery was for Lin Xiu’s ears?
After Chi Abei’s outburst, he whispered, “Bring your homework.”
It was almost Sunday; Jiang Yu didn’t have any homework. “I finished it.”
Chi Abei: “No, you didn’t!”
Jiang Yu: “…”
Chi Abei hissed. “Be sensible. Such a rare opportunity, you really plan to leave after eating? Bring your schoolbag; study with Brother.”
Jiang Yu thought, it’s you who needs to study; who’s reading first-year high school books?
Although Jiang Yu thought this, he brought his schoolbag.
At Lin Xiu’s house, Lin Xiu looked at his schoolbag. “Why did you bring your schoolbag?”
Jiang Yu, seemingly influenced by Chi Abei, said, “I didn’t finish my homework.”
Chi Abei was sitting on a small stool in the yard, grilling skewers. Hearing Jiang Yu, he gave a thumbs-up and a “孺子可教” (the young are teachable) look.
Lin Xiu didn’t say whether he believed him or not. “Put it in the house.”
Seeing Lin Xiu’s softened attitude, Chi Abei was overjoyed. “Put it away and come help grill.”
Lin Xiu went into the kitchen to cut fruit. Jiang Yu put away his schoolbag and asked, “Need help?”
Lin Xiu: “Go help Chi Abei.”
As a guest, Jiang Yu didn’t refuse. Coming out, he saw Chi Abei grilling skewers while looking into the house; his sausages were burnt.
Chi Abei asked, “What did Brother say to you?”
“Nothing, just told me to help you.” Jiang Yu squatted in front of Chi Abei, taking the burnt sausage. “Are you planning to settle down here at Lin Xiu’s?”
Chi Abei said, “If I don’t settle down, how can you barge in?”
Jiang Yu glanced at him. “Should I thank you?”
Chi Abei waved his hand generously. “No need to thank me. Just remember to be kind, to stand by your friends, instead of stabbing them in the back.”
Jiang Yu didn’t quite understand. “Stab friends in the back?”
Lin Xiu came out with cut fruit. Seeing Jiang Yu’s confused expression, he casually asked, “What are you talking about?”
Jiang Yu snorted. “Who knows what he’s saying. He told me to be kind and not stab friends in the back. Who did I stab?”
Lin Xiu was startled and looked at Chi Abei.
Chi Abei, knowing the events hadn’t happened yet and they were unaware of the future, said brazenly, “Anyway, remember that good friends are there to help, not to betray.”
Chi Abei didn’t notice Lin Xiu’s gaze, focused on setting things right.
Jiang Yu found him unreasonable. He didn’t have good relationships, but he wouldn’t betray friends; did he look so heartless?
Seeing Chi Abei’s tone implying he’d done something terrible, Jiang Yu said, “I swear, I will never betray you, okay?”
Chi Abei raised his hand, pointing at Lin Xiu. “You have to swear to Brother too!”
Jiang Yu: “…” He looked at Lin Xiu, feeling foolish. Why was he arguing with a little fool?
But since he’d gone this far, Jiang Yu said through gritted teeth, “Fine, including Lin Xiu.”
Chi Abei stood up excitedly. “You said it! If you break it, you’ll be poor for a lifetime, no, three lifetimes, completely broke!”
If Jiang Yu hadn’t known Chi Abei was eccentric, he would have suspected the boy had called him here to curse him.
Jiang Yu didn’t want to continue this stupid topic and took a big bite of the burnt sausage.
…
The grill wasn’t large, but three people weren’t crowded. Chi Abei handed Jiang Yu a grilled small yellow croaker.
Jiang Yu thought the little fool was giving him fish to apologize for his earlier words. He felt a little petty.
Jiang Yu saw Lin Xiu hadn’t eaten anything yet and gave him the fish. “You eat first.”
Chi Abei quickly stopped him. “No!”
Lin Xiu hadn’t wanted it. He glanced at Chi Abei and then at the skewer in Jiang Yu’s hand… it looked burnt.
Jiang Yu was startled by Chi Abei. “It’s just a fish; there are more. Let him eat first.”
Chi Abei stopped him, preventing Lin Xiu from taking it. “No, you eat it. Don’t give it to Brother.”
Jiang Yu didn’t understand why Chi Abei, usually favoring Lin Xiu, was suddenly favoring him, but being favored felt good.
He stopped refusing, and as he took a bite, Chi Abei asked, “Is it cooked?”
Jiang Yu nodded. “It’s cooked.”
Seeing Jiang Yu finish the whole fish, Chi Abei handed another to Lin Xiu. “Brother, eat this one. It’s cooked.”
Jiang Yu: “…” The fish bones suddenly didn’t taste good.
Jiang Yu had been wrong; he gritted his teeth, looking at Chi Abei. “You called me here just to do an experiment, right?”
Chi Abei scratched his face. “Someone had to try it first.”
Jiang Yu suspected Chi Abei’s talk about kindness was a setup to trick him; he knew Jiang Yu would hit him!
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