Chapter 46: A Small Villain Who’s Great at Making Empty Promises
The stall was small—only about one person wide—and extended outside the shop entrance. However, there were many styles of belts on the stall, for men, women, and the elderly.
The boss had just seen one customer off and turned back to greet Yu Deng and the other. “What style are you looking for? Pick whatever you like.”
Yu Deng was still sulking. He pointed casually, his snowy-white finger with a hint of pink landing on Zhou Yuejun.
Instantly, Zhou Yuejun’s pupils constricted.
Buying it for him?
“Your belt is broken. It’s embarrassing to wear it out. You don’t even know to change into a new one.”
Yu Deng feigned disgust, but in truth, he was just being arrogant.
He hadn’t forgiven Zhou Yuejun yet.
Zhou Yuejun’s belt was leather, but the leather was torn and would sometimes drop scraps.
Generally, people who weren’t very picky would just tie a rope; as long as their pants didn’t fall, they wouldn’t be so extravagant as to buy a belt.
Zhou Yuejun was still reeling from the shock.
Even though he was being “insulted with harsh words” by Yu Deng, his heart was soft and warm. Every part of his body felt a rise in temperature, enveloping him in deep affection.
“I’m not buying it.”
Zhou Yuejun rejected Yu Deng’s kindness.
“That one was my dad’s. Since it’s broken, so be it. I can just use a strap.”
Zhou Yuejun was frugal with himself, unwilling to spend money on his own person.
But in truth, if Yu Deng insisted on buying it for him, he could actually accept it.
After all, it was the first time Yu Deng was giving him a gift.
But Yu Deng pouted and let out a hmph through his nose, angry that Zhou Yuejun wouldn’t accept his kindness.
“If you don’t want it, forget it! I’ll buy it for Qiao Fangyu!”
Suddenly, Zhou Yuejun felt as if he had been struck by lightning.
Buying it for Qiao Fangyu?
Yu Deng wasn’t buying it for him but only for Qiao Fangyu—didn’t that indicate that in Yu Deng’s heart, Qiao Fangyu was more important than him?
Zhou Yuejun’s mood soured. After clenching his fists, the veins on his arms popped out terrifyingly, coiling around his thick, dark arms like wolf claws that had finished their hibernation and were about to tear flesh.
He knew it! Qiao Fangyu was despicable and shameless, surely coveting Yu Deng and trying to trick him.
The boss, having seen so many people, had a bit of social awareness.
He knew how to do business and say pleasant things.
“Aiyo, what kind of words are those?”
“You should get it, you should. Look how respectable this belt looks around the waist.”
“And it’s your brother’s intention—he wants to buy it for you. How can you not accept his kindness?”
“Hurry up, little brother, come and pick one. If you really buy two, I’ll give you a discount.”
Zhou Yuejun didn’t want Yu Deng to buy one for Qiao Fangyu, and he was even more unwilling to let Yu Deng buy one only for Qiao Fangyu.
This made him afraid.
Favouring one while slighting the other—he was the one being slighted.
Yu Deng chose unconsciously, peeking at Zhou Yuejun as if spying.
He had intended to use Zhou Yuejun’s previous mistake to buy him a gift. This way, Zhou Yuejun would have no reason not to let him go to Qiao Fangyu’s birthday.
But Zhou Yuejun actually said no.
Yu Deng maintained his arrogance, his chin raised. With his slender neck held high—exquisite and fine like a piece of jade—he looked like an unreachable white swan.
“Do you want it or not? If not, I really won’t buy it for you anymore.”
Zhou Yuejun picked one randomly. “I want it. This one will do.”
How could he have any heart to choose? His mind was full of images of Qiao Fangyu holding Yu Deng and arrogantly telling him to get lost.
Dengdeng was going to stop living with him.
Who knew the young man would slightly knit his brows, his eyes shimmering? “This one isn’t good-looking. Pick this one instead.”
Turning around, he started picking for Qiao Fangyu again, making Zhou Yuejun so depressed his heart and lungs felt a sharp pain, as if being sliced apart piece by piece.
“I’ll give this one to Qiao Fangyu as a birthday gift. His birthday will be held in the evening; can you come and pick me up?”
Yu Deng was also using a bit of cleverness. He didn’t ask if he could go, but directly moved to having Zhou Yuejun pick him up.
If he didn’t pick him up, that would be Zhou Yuejun’s fault.
But how could Zhou Yuejun not pick him up?
The man was stunned, his expression frozen, and there was a bit of confusion. “Birthday?”
“So, Qiao Fangyu was talking to you about his birthday just now?”
Yu Deng also looked confused. “Yeah, what else?”
“His birthday is next Sunday evening. He invited me, and I said I had to go home and ask you.”
“But the way you treated me just now…”
In an instant, Yu Deng noticed the gloomy, violent aura around Zhou Yuejun dissipated, and he was no longer fierce.
“I’ll go. I’ll pick you up.”
Zhou Yuejun dispelled the gloom, stroking the belt Yu Deng had chosen for him in his hand.
It was because he hadn’t cleared up the situation and had been blindly jealous. That was why Yu Deng had decided to go to Qiao Fangyu’s birthday party in a fit of anger.
He didn’t think there was any problem with Yu Deng buying something for Qiao Fangyu anymore.
Since it was Qiao Fangyu’s birthday, Yu Deng certainly couldn’t go empty-handed; it wouldn’t be respectable.
And Yu Deng didn’t have much money, so buying for Qiao Fangyu was a must, but Yu Deng still remembered him and wanted to buy for him too.
With the misunderstanding resolved, Zhou Yuejun felt guilty and became more considerate toward Yu Deng.
Yu Deng grabbed a belt and asked the boss, “How much?”
The boss pointed and gave the prices one by one. “This one is twenty-five, this one is twenty.”
“What?!”
Yu Deng exclaimed, not expecting it to be so expensive. His finely carved face was full of astonishment.
Zhou Yuejun, however, rubbed his fingertips with secret joy.
His belt was more expensive than Qiao Fangyu’s. As expected, Yu Deng was more willing to spend money on him; Qiao Fangyu was an outsider.
Yu Deng held the belt in his hand and looked, squinting as he turned it back and forth.
He knew leather goods were relatively expensive—a pair of decent leather shoes in the mall cost 170 or 180—but he hadn’t expected a single belt to be this expensive.
The boss: “Look at the craftsmanship. It’s hard leather, very good quality. It won’t easily break even if you wear it for ten or eight years. It’s much more worth it than clothes that can only be worn for two or three years.”
“If you’re sincere about buying two, I’ll give you a discount. I’ll give you two yuan off—forty-three for both. How about it?”
Forty-three was also a huge sum for Yu Deng.
Suddenly, a hand with popping veins reached out. The knuckles were powerful, and the skin was dark, holding out the money.
“These two then.”
The boss was quick. With a response, the money was instantly in his pocket, and then he gave the change.
After walking a short distance, Yu Deng was still huffy, like a ball full of air.
“Why did you give the money so fast? I haven’t bargained yet.”
“Two belts for forty-three—it’s practically a exorbitant profit.”
Forty-three yuan—Zhou Yuejun would have to work for four days for that.
“Also, I was going to pay myself.”
Since these were gifts for Zhou Yuejun and Qiao Fangyu, how could Zhou Yuejun pay for them himself?
Facing three delinquent-looking youths, Zhou Yuejun instinctively gripped Yu Deng’s wrist, making Yu Deng walk in front of him.
“There’s no need to divide things so clearly between us. Isn’t mine yours?”
Zhou Yuejun actually didn’t know how to say sweet words. He was a typical rough man, but he was also attentive in his roughness, occasionally leaving Yu Deng speechless.
Yu Deng was originally pretending to be angry. With these intimate words from Zhou Yuejun, Yu Deng’s mouth curled up, and he let out a little hmph.
“Fine then. I’ll continue to save up my money and buy you something else later.”
“I’ll only buy for you, not for anyone else.”
Making empty promises—painting a big cake.
