Chapter 6

Otherwise, I will not attend school

When Wei Qian lay back down on the bed, the little one beside him stirred slightly, uncertain whether he was still awake or had been awakened by the noise

He silently lowered his head, staring blankly at the remnants of a low-quality cigarette butt for a while, then extinguished it and tossed it into the trash can

On that day, a group of reckless individuals encroached upon Brother Le's territory, resulting in the injury of one of Brother Le's sworn brothers. That same day, his group of brothers armed themselves and confronted the opposing party, unfortunately, the location was on a street near Wei Qian's home

He is both vigilant and obsequious, positioning himself as a vassal, much like a guard dog. His gaze towards strangers is truly unsettling, with eyes resembling black beans, staring intently at others, resembling a fierce and unruly pup.

The above observations were made by Comrade Sanpang. Wei Qian did not take them to heart; he thought to himself that a brat is just a brat. After all, this child is not a nuisance, and since he is usually not at home, it is fine to let him keep Xiao Bao company.

That night, Wei Qian returned home and had a dream in which Wei Zhiyuan transformed into a psychopathic killer. After committing murder, he did not flee but calmly sat amidst a pool of blood, expressionless, and called out to him, saying "Brother".

Even this winter, elder brother bought a thick cotton coat for both him and Xiao Bao

And Wei Zhi Yuan, like a little pig, unconsciously rubbed against his palm

Wei Qian pinched his little arms and legs again, discovering that he was soft all over, just like Xiao Bao, not at all resembling a murderer. He was even smacking his lips in his sleep, seemingly dreaming of some delicious food.

The cold is not far away

Is there anything in the world that can make a youth like him feel more despairing than "hopelessness"?

It does not matter about anything else, just do not go out and cause trouble for him.

Wei Qian knew that he had softened his heart. He believed that he should not have softened his heart, but he could not help it; after all, he was not a stone

Wei Qian's boiling mind cooled down, and he realized that he could not do it

"Dignity," that was the dream he interrupted, as if breaking bones connected by tendons, even though it seemed so foolish, distant, and ethereal

Every morning when Wei Qian leaves, he cooks a dish and leaves two steamed buns for the two children, then claims that he eats at school

Brother Le is efficient in handling matters, and Wei Zhiyuan's household registration was processed quickly, landing on the household register of Wei Qian's family. Now, there will be no problem sending him to elementary school.

Yet for some reason, when Wei Qian thought of those carefree days, he felt both longing and a sense of dread. It was as if he could vaguely see that comfortable yet weak version of himself, like a pig confined within a pen

The scalding ash fell onto Wei Qian's hand, causing him to shudder in pain

The cold temperature of Wei Qian's skin made Wei Zhiyuan instinctively shrink back, but in the next moment, the boy shivered and leaned closer, wrapping his hands around Wei Qian's hands and tucking them into his embrace. He then made an effort to stretch out his legs, his head nearly buried in the blanket, just barely reaching Wei Qian's feet, gently placing his own feet on top of his elder brother's icy soles.

Wei Qian quietly entered the kitchen, where there were less than 2 jin of old rice left in the rice jar, a large green onion, and a few wilted vegetable leaves. He still had 10 yuan and 5 jiao left in his pocket

Wei Qian's home consists of only one living room and one bedroom. After Xiao Bao turned three, he felt it was not very convenient for her to sleep with him, so he gave the bedroom to his younger sister. He set up a curtain in the living room and placed a bed in the corner, effectively creating a makeshift bedroom.

He needs to buy food, purchase daily necessities, and pay the utility bills

Is there anything in the world that terrifies a boy like him more than "weakness"?

Xiao Yuan, observant and perceptive, cautiously called out softly: "Brother"

He is incredibly diligent at home, cleaning the house thoroughly every day. Ever since Wei Zhiyuan arrived, the thermos has always been filled to the brim with hot water, and the trash has never spent a night in the house. Whenever he sees clothes that someone has casually tossed aside, he quietly takes them to wash them clean

Xiao Bao can no longer wear his clothes, so Wei Qian has no choice but to give him his own old clothes

He thought to himself in a daze

I truly have no way out, Wei Qian said to himself, I am really at my wit's end, with no solutions left at all

Calculating, Xiaobao has already reached the age of 7, which is the age to start school. Due to his selfishness as the older brother, focusing solely on his own tuition and dreams, he inadvertently missed the registration period for elementary school. This year has thus been wasted for her, and Wei Qian cannot afford to delay her for another year.

Wei Qian suddenly woke up in a cold sweat. Sitting on the bed, he saw the little cub lying on the bed, completely naked and sleeping soundly. Unable to resist, he reached out and gently stroked the soft hair on the child's head.

Wei Zhiyuan recognized San Pang, and upon hearing this, he stood still, blinking his round, bright eyes as he looked at him, then glanced at Wei Qian. He dropped the water pipe, wiped his nose, cleaned his snot, and said: "Oh"

In an instant, Xiao Yuan felt the temperature rapidly leaving his entire body

Indeed, Brother Le will certainly lend him money. After he finishes school, and even after he completes university, he will return to repay Brother Le in a different capacity

San Pang: "Behave yourself, what have you brought back?"

Reality does not allow him to continue fantasizing about an illusory future; the heavy coursework in high school occupies all his time. The teachers will not permit him to leave school alone to work while others are attending evening study sessions.

Wei Qian felt a mix of emotions. It was impossible to say that he did not want to get rid of this burden and lighten his own load. However, in the end, he merely ruffled Wei Zhiyuan's hair and simply commanded, "Sleep."

Wei Zhiyuan felt that this was almost like a beautiful dream, fearing that when he woke up, he would once again be that unwanted vagrant, wandering in the coldest corners of the city, surviving by scavenging for garbage

As long as Brother Le is willing to support him, he will no longer have to worry about going hungry every other day, nor will he have to agonize over the little money at home that causes him so much distress. He can focus on his studies and complete these years with peace of mind... He assures himself that he will achieve excellent results

What obligation does Le Ge have to give him money, to allow him to attend school, to ensure he is well-fed and warmly dressed, and to let him live without worries

Wei Zhiyuan still does not like to engage with others; apart from the Wei Qian siblings and a few brothers who frequently visit his home, he does not speak to anyone else, maintaining a strong sense of vigilance against others

Wei Qian's way of making money remains the same, working odd jobs every weekend. With an additional family member, the money has started to become insufficient.

At that moment, Wei Qian recalled Le Ge's words—any difficulties could be addressed by seeking him out

Before Wei Qian had the chance to turn around, he heard San Pang shouting beside him: "Oh my goodness!"

Forget it, he thought, listening to the faint breaths beside him, and said to himself, this little brat, how pitiful.

He remembers what the woman said, "One cannot live too comfortably; when you become fat and lazy, eating your fill every day until nightfall, that is when you are close to death"

After completing these tasks, with a hint of ingratiation, he said softly: "Please don't reject me, okay? I can work, I can also pick up scraps, and I can earn money."

These few gentle words caused Wei Qian's heart to tremble almost imperceptibly

Wei Qian: "Don't mention it, I didn't bring a magnifying glass when I picked it up. I wish I had known."

Two seconds later, he added, "Brother."

Wei Zhiyuan remained silent for quite a while, and Wei Qian thought he had fallen asleep

The tuition fees for high school are so much more expensive than during compulsory education, that Wei Qian has had to sell everything he owns just to barely scrape together enough for one semester. In the short half year he has been in high school, the savings he received from his deceased mother are nearly exhausted. Now, as the weather grows colder day by day, Wei Qian is almost at the end of his rope, yet this heavy burden has no outlet for expression, because he is the eldest brother

Wei Qian provided him with a safe and warm home, giving him a family that he had once envied and could hardly imagine, and he had never hit him, nor did he often instruct him to do any work

He was so sad that he was on the verge of tears, as if he were watching the door to another world, another way of life, slowly closing before him. He desperately tried to catch up, but it was always beyond his reach

Wei Qian happened to see his gaze, and he realized that San Pang was not wrong; the little creature's eyes were indeed like those of a fierce wild dog pup. Although it was dragging such a long water pipe and could barely walk steadily, it strangely conveyed a determination to eliminate its enemies.

Perhaps it was his prolonged silence that began to make Wei Zhi Yuan feel anxious

Apart from that, this child, Wei Zhiyuan, has almost no other faults. He possesses a remarkable ability to read the room; as soon as Wei Qian slightly furrows his brow, he immediately picks up the signal, understanding that his elder brother is displeased. Within three seconds, he can disguise himself as a mural on the wall, pretending to be nonexistent

The future ... . ... Alas, how vague a word "future" is.

Wei Qian thought to himself, "At least you know that—" but he did not voice this thought. It was not out of concern for hurting the child's feelings, but rather because he felt that "admitting one's own incompetence and lack of money" was extremely humiliating. Therefore, he irritably shook off Wei Zhiyuan's hand and said, "What nonsense are you talking about? Are you going to sleep or not? Shut up!"

This kind of life is akin to a tattered sack riddled with holes, where money painstakingly earned by Wei Qian easily flows out in a cascade.

If he does not save on lunch money, he will not have enough to spend. However, he is at an age where he has a big appetite and cannot go hungry, so Wei Qian takes advantage of the lunch break to sneak out of school by climbing over the wall, going to Brother Le's billiard hall to warm up for others, and conveniently getting a free lunch. By the end of the semester, he feels that his billiards skills have almost reached a semi-professional level.

He fished out half a pack of cigarettes from his pocket, which someone had slipped to him during the fight in the afternoon. Suddenly, he recalled the image of others exhaling smoke in clouds, so Wei Qian sat in the kitchen and lit a cigarette

... until an event occurred immediately thereafter

Wei Qian was taken aback at the sight—he saw that Wei Zhiyuan, that little rascal, was dragging a water pipe longer than himself along the ground, running towards him in an exceptionally comical manner, with his limbs splayed out in all directions.

It is said that he possesses a kind of "killing intent" described in martial arts novels.

Wei Qian widened his eyes and pondered for a moment, suddenly standing up as if he had grasped a lifeline. He clumsily held a cigarette between his two fingers, his entire being trembling at the broad avenue that had suddenly appeared before him

Just as they were turning each other's heads into that of a dog, they suddenly heard the sound of a pipe scraping against the ground from the street behind them

Not to mention this little fellow who revolves around himself every day, trying every possible way to work and get things done, all just to make himself a little happier, hoping to make him stay

He learned to smoke his first cigarette on his own while coughing, the lack of oxygen in his lungs made him feel dizzy and even somewhat nauseous

However, after raising a cat or dog for more than half a year, one should have developed feelings for them; let alone for a person.

After a while, the little one unexpectedly crept over, rustling as he crawled into his blanket, coming into contact with Wei Qian's icy hands and feet—during winter, the room was quite cold, as heating had not yet reached this forgotten old shantytown. With small children at home, Wei Qian was reluctant to light a stove, so he spent most of his savings on a second-hand electric heater, but that device consumed a lot of electricity, and they usually avoided using it unless absolutely necessary

Can Brother Le help him once, and can he help him continuously?

Wei Qian was in a state of turmoil and did not wish to pay him any attention

The three chubby men were amazed and shouted from a distance to Wei Zhiyuan: "Alright, dear, we brothers have finished our work for today, no need for you to make an appearance, let us set off back to the palace!"

Please, I beg you. Wei Zhi Yuan's voice trembled slightly as he spoke softly, "Don't throw me away"

There are no other words left

Emergency aid does not alleviate poverty

It is actually not difficult to support Wei Zhiyuan; simply providing him with enough food will suffice. Wei Zhiyuan eats anything and is not picky, making the most of the time to absorb all the nutrients he can. In just a little over half a year, he grew half a palm's height, perfectly illustrating what it means to "shine brightly with a little sunlight"

Wei Qian felt somewhat parched, and he wished he could rush in front of Le Ge right now

If Wei Qian were not weak, he would have no choice but to drop out of school, embarking on a path devoid of hope—leaving school to become a thug, a hired muscle, or a laborer, ultimately becoming the dregs of the city, struggling to endure this life. This is almost a path with a clear end in sight.

He needs that much money to maintain a basic livelihood

Wei Qian did not know how long he had been standing frozen in the kitchen, feeling that his hands had become somewhat numb. Only then did he sniffle, return to the small bedroom separated by a curtain in the living room, and lie back down on the bed

He sat beside and observed him for a while, thinking to himself, this little brat is so small, yet so ferocious, what will he be like in the future

Wei Qian could not sleep, so he got out of bed and walked to the balcony. He pushed the window open slightly, letting in the cold winter wind, and in the stillness of the deep night, he contemplated his own elusive "future".

Wei Zhi Yuan has always slept together with him

Wei Zhiyuan cautiously opened his eyes and observed his elder brother's expression, immediately detecting a strong smell of smoke emanating from him. Wei Zhiyuan was not like Xiaobao; he had never been spoiled in such a manner since childhood, and thus did not dare to be as carefree as she was.

Wei Qian dreams of completing high school, dreaming of living like most people in this city, dressed in a suit and tie, working from nine to five, and living a respectable life

Wei Qian sat on the floor, leaning against the door panel to rest for a moment

Xiao Yuan waited for a long time but did not receive his reply. Gently tugging at his clothes, he asked: "Brother, is it that you have no money and can no longer support me?"

He always remembers the story of crossing the river, particularly the experience of leaning against his mother's embrace while listening to the story, which is an unparalleled and luxurious memory for him

This left Wei Qian in a state of turmoil—under such heavy pressure, it is difficult for anyone to remain calm.

Every day ... . ... The daily necessities of life serve as a whip, striking him relentlessly from the moment he opens his eyes, compelling him to run continuously and to seek solutions incessantly