Chapter 08
It is hard to transition from luxury to frugality; I was merely teaching him to be thrifty.
I told Zhao Gongzi, “So it’s not that I’m giving you these clothes because I don’t want them anymore. I simply think they genuinely look good on you.”
This was also the truthâthey looked much better than his own clothes. When on earth would he finally stop copying Old Mr. Zhaoâs style of dress?
Old Mr. Zhao was up there in years, yet he looked incredibly handsome even without trying; Zhao Gongzi, on the other hand, still needed to rely heavily on his wardrobe.
Zhao Gongzi retorted, “Heh, I think you look best wearing that trench coat of mine, yet you’ve never worn it even once.”
My life is already practically devoid of hope; please do not doom me to eternal damnation.
Zhao Gongzi demanded, “Where is that coat anyway? Go bring it out and wear it.”
I had donated it. A few days ago, some students were out on the street calling for item donations, mentioning they were going to hold a charity auction ball. It sounded highly meaningful, making it the absolute best destination for Zhao Gongzi’s precious trench coat.
“You didn’t throw it away, did you?” Zhao Gongzi cursed at me, “Damn it! That was custom-made for five hundred silver dollars! That tailor puts on more airs than I do, only willing to make three pieces a year. I waited in line for two whole years. If you threw it away, I’ll beat you to death!”
I lied, “I knew it was precious, so I didn’t dare wash it at home. I sent it to the shop to be cleaned.”
Zhao Gongzi was skeptical. “You’ve never even worn it, why clean it?”
I said, “Last week when you weren’t home, the temperature dropped for a few days, so I wore it to work.”
Zhao Gongzi decided, “I’m going to a ball tonight. You’re coming with me, and you’ll wear that very coat. Call the shop and have them deliver the clothes over.”
I argued, “If I wear that piece, it won’t match well with your other clothes.”
Zhao Gongzi countered, “It’s fine, I’ll wear this outfit of yours. It looks pretty good.”
I asked, “What ball? I don’t care for those…”
“I know you don’t like us talking business, but today is a charity auction ball. What other excuse are you going to dig up not to go?” Zhao Gongzi snapped at me impatiently, “You really are a giant pain in the ass. Damn it, if you dare utter another word, I will stew that broken dog of yours. Damn it! If you don’t want to raise a dog anymore, just say the word. Don’t shove it into my blanket in the middle of the night! I was almost scared to death. Are you trying to scare me to death so you can run off with that hillbilly nephew of Boss Qian?!”
Zhao Gongzi always imagined every single scenario to be so convoluted. In his mind, not only am I stingy and malicious, but I also fall for every new person I lay eyes on.
However, this time, he truly misunderstood. I did not possess a shred of admiration for Boss Qianâs nephew; I was merely deeply impressed by Boss Qian’s elegant demeanor.
None of that mattered right now. Although I no longer had the patience to raise Hamâmy cute but overly clingy little dogâI was still unwilling to watch him get stewed. Therefore, I could not let Zhao Gongzi find out that I had donated the trench coat. I could well imagine the kind of look he would give me if he spotted that trench coat displayed on the auction stage.
âHe would look at me with the exact same gaze as the mass-murdering bandit whose capture made yesterday’s front page headlines, and then he would become a mass-murderer of dogs.
My poor Ham.
I suggested that Zhao Gongzi take a afternoon nap, so that I would have the chance to go retrieve the trench coat.
Zhao Gongzi refused. “Not napping. I have plans to meet someone later about something.”
I said considerately, “Your shopping trip with Jin Xian’er can be pushed to tomorrow night. Tomorrow evening, a new movie is premiering right across from the department store, and you don’t have any other appointments.”
Zhao Gongzi immediately dialed his phone to curse at his assistant: “Damn it! You told Qiu Yixin my schedule again! I am the one paying your fucking salary!”
Giving a person money can only make them do tasks for you; giving a person what they truly desire can make them pledge total allegiance to you.
This particular phrase was taught to me by Old Mr. Zhao. That was why back then, I had so swiftly hunted down Zhao Gongzi’s school report cardsâwhich averaged twenty-five pointsâin exchange for an enrollment form for piano lessons.
Zhao Gongzi hadn’t misjudged me; to achieve my goals, I am utterly unscrupulous.
After finishing his tirade against his assistant, Zhao Gongzi hung up the phone and barked at me, “I’m going to… go to… fuck your mother! Pull the curtains shut! It’s broad daylight!”
An afternoon nap, of course, must be taken during broad daylight.
Zhao Gongzi went to sleep his afternoon nap obediently. I stuffed Ham into his embrace so they could sleep together, then carefully slipped out the door and sprinted straight for the department store. Those students had mentioned they would be holding their drive at the department store entrance today; I couldn’t let Zhao Gongzi discover that I was here too.
The students still remembered me. Spotting me, they greeted, “Is Qiu Xiansheng here to shop?”
I said, “I’ve come to ask for your help. The trench coat I donated the other day belongs to a friend of mine. I am willing to exchange it for other items.”
The student said awkwardly, “Of course you can, but the items are no longer with us. You’ll have to go to the warehouse to get it. I can accompany you over a bit later to explain, once we finish our fundraising drive around four o’clock.”
Zhao Gongzi always wakes up from his afternoon naps at three-thirty, and the ball allows entry at five-thirty.
Checking the time, it was already two-thirty. By the time I made it to the warehouse, it would be three. Although I had left a note for Zhao Gongzi saying I went out to buy some things, it was best to get the trench coat and rush back as quickly as possible before he woke up.
I went to the warehouse alone and explained my intention to the person in charge. I was willing to use a pocket watch to trade back that hideous trench coat.
Thank heavens, except for Zhao Gongzi himself, no one could tell that the trench coat was worth five hundred silver dollars; in fact, no one even thought it looked valuable.
While the person in charge went inside the warehouse to search for the trench coat, I suddenly heard a voice echoing straight from hell: “There isn’t a single thing I’ve tasked you with that you’ve managed to pull off successfully. If it weren’t out of respect for your Uncle Dali, I would have long since…”
Why on earth had Zhao Gongzi come here too? I scrambled to find a spot to hide myself.
“I am terribly sorry, Zhao Gongzi, I didn’t do it on purpose. You told me to go into the storage room and just find some useless old things to donate. I saw those paintings sitting in a crate and assumed they were meant to be thrown away long ago…”
Zhao Gongzi scolded him furiously, “Are you stupid? No one would even want those things if you threw them away. Why the fuck would anyone buy them if you took them to a donation drive?!”
