Chapter 5
“Dad, were you sleeping too cold?”
Qu Tongqiu’s mind jolted. He opened his eyes abruptly, his heart still pounding from being startled awake.
“It rained last night and cooled down. You were freezing like that and didn’t even get up to turn off the fan,” Qu Ke said, using her toe to switch it off. “Dad, how do you always sleep so deeply?”
Qu Tongqiu was momentarily dazed.
In his haze, it was clearly still their student days, their youth—simple, full of dreams, with hardly any worries.
Yet when he opened his eyes, more than ten years had already passed.
Now they were middle-aged, gradually coming to terms with fate, worn down by life. Thinking of it made him a little sad.
As a father, he got up and cooked some porridge, with pickled vegetables on the side—simple but refreshing.
After breakfast, the weather heated up again. Qu Tongqiu told his daughter, who was afraid of getting tanned, to stay home and play on the computer. He promised to bring back a nice thin-skinned watermelon later, then went out to report to the company.
He greeted his new colleagues, figured out the route to T University, and took a walk around campus to familiarize himself with the environment for his daughter.
On the way home, he bought a watermelon, some shaomai, a few eggs, and some dried seaweed. Things spoiled easily in summer, and the apartment didn’t have a refrigerator, so nothing kept well. He planned to buy a secondhand fridge to make do, along with other daily necessities—just thinking about it felt like a lot of hassle.
Passing by a restaurant, he was drawn by its elegant exterior and couldn’t help taking a couple more looks. By chance, through the large glass windows, he spotted someone he knew sitting inside.
It was an extremely eye-catching man. Even with many other customers in the restaurant, and even though he wasn’t dressed flamboyantly, he stood out the most. There was a reason he’d become his lifelong idol.
Qu Tongqiu was delighted. He pushed the door open, walked to the man’s table, and greeted him warmly. “Ren Ningyuan.”
Ren Ningyuan had been talking with the person across from him. When he looked up and saw Qu Tongqiu, his expression changed abruptly.
It seemed that every chance encounter with him made Ren Ningyuan unhappy. Realizing his greeting had been too abrupt, Qu Tongqiu exchanged a couple of awkward pleasantries and was about to make an excuse to leave.
Ren Ningyuan didn’t look pleased, but he stopped him. “Sit down.”
Qu Tongqiu could only pull over a chair and sit, uneasy.
Sitting at the same table as Ren Ningyuan were several good-looking men. They’d already finished eating and seemed to be chatting over drinks.
For men, their attire was a bit too refined—fashionable hairstyles, some wearing earrings, open collars showing layered necklaces, leather cords with small silver charms on their wrists. Their eyebrows were clearly groomed, with faint traces of makeup. They didn’t look like office workers at all—more like magazine models.
Qu Tongqiu had always thought Ren Ningyuan’s current work was something like a corporate elite, a manager or supervisor. Seeing this, he wondered if he might be with a modeling agency instead.
He was full of curiosity, but ever since he sat down, the interrupted conversation only resumed in fits and starts. After a few trivial remarks, the table fell silent.
They were all discreetly sizing him up. The atmosphere was too cold, so Qu Tongqiu hurriedly found a topic. “Are these all your colleagues?”
Ren Ningyuan nodded lightly. “Yes.” He didn’t introduce them further, only gestured to them. “That’s it for today. You can go.” The men all stood and took their leave.
Ren Ningyuan ordered a drink for Qu Tongqiu and looked at the bag in his hand. “First day in T City—getting used to it?”
“Mm, yeah. It’s pretty cool at night here.”
“How’s your place?”
“The company has dorms. It’s pretty good. Just that the folding bed I bought for Little Ke isn’t very sturdy, and it’s a bit small. Last night I kept hearing her toss and turn—I was afraid she’d fall off. I should get a bigger one.”
Ren Ningyuan frowned. “Is there only one bedroom? You’re letting Little Ke sleep with you?”
Qu Tongqiu was instantly embarrassed. Something completely innocent, the way he put it made it sound perverse.
“We hang a cloth curtain between the two beds. Once school starts, she’ll only come back on weekends anyway. It’s fine.” He’d avoided everything a father and daughter should avoid. Besides, Qu Ke was only fourteen—still a child. Land was expensive in T City; plenty of families squeezed several people into one room. Their situation was nothing unusual. Ren Ningyuan wasn’t ignorant of hardship—he was making too big a deal out of it.
Ren Ningyuan’s tone grew a bit stern. “She’s a child and doesn’t understand, but you’re an adult. Don’t you understand either?”
After being scolded, Qu Tongqiu didn’t dare say anything more.
The table was quiet for a moment. Then Ren Ningyuan spoke. “I have an apartment not far from yours. It’s not in the same district as my workplace, so I don’t live there much. You and Little Ke can move in for a while.”
Qu Tongqiu hurriedly declined. “No, no, I’m doing fine now…”
Ren Ningyuan frowned slightly and stood up. “Go back and pack first.”
Qu Tongqiu thought he was just saying it casually. When he got home, he sat down to eat shaomai and watermelon with Qu Ke. They were almost done when he suddenly got a call from Ren Ningyuan.
“Are you packed?”
“What?”
“Your luggage. You just arrived—there shouldn’t be much to pack, right?”
Qu Tongqiu was dumbfounded. “N-not yet…”
There was a pause on the other end. “Or do you need a moving company?”
Qu Tongqiu panicked. “Ah, no, no, we’ll do it ourselves!”
“Then hurry up. Someone will come downstairs later to pick you up and help move. That bed, and daily appliances—you don’t need to bring any of them.”
This time, Qu Tongqiu didn’t dare delay. He quickly called Qu Ke to help pack everything back into how it looked the day before. He lingered over the folding bed for a while, then finally wrapped up the mosquito net and the newly bought electric mosquito repellent as well.
The people who came to help were two diligent, sturdy young men. Qu Tongqiu was polite to them, and they were even more polite to him. They helped load everything into the car, and when they reached the destination, before Qu Tongqiu and his daughter could even lift a finger, each of them had already hoisted two bags onto his shoulder and carried the luggage straight upstairs.
Fortunately, there was an elevator, which made things much quicker and easier. One of them held the keys Ren Ningyuan had entrusted to him, led the father and daughter to Ren Ningyuan’s unused apartment, opened the door for them to look around, explained several points they should pay attention to, left them the property management’s phone number, and made sure everything was properly arranged before leaving.
Before they went, Qu Tongqiu tried to press two packs of cigarettes into their hands. The two young men were startled into laughter and waved him off repeatedly, saying, “You’re too kind, really.” Qu Tongqiu couldn’t help sighing at how Ren Ningyuan’s friends were all so warm-hearted. Meanwhile, Qu Ke had already run to the living-room window and shouted, “Wow! The view here is so pretty!” Seeing how much she liked it made Qu Tongqiu happy as well. As he tidied up, he looked around.
The apartment had a very Ren Ningyuan sort of style—calm, subdued colors, not flashy at all. Qu Ke pushed open the floor-to-ceiling glass door. The balcony faced a wide stretch of rough grass below, open and pleasant. With a few gusts of cool wind, the stifling heat of midsummer vanished in an instant.
The interior was very clean, the air fresh, with none of the musty smell of long-settled dust he had imagined. All the necessary furniture and household items were there at a glance, complete and reassuring, making one feel at ease just by looking.
Everything was arranged neatly. Qu Tongqiu felt as if he were in his own home. He easily found the vacuum cleaner, took cleaning cloths and detergent out of the cabinet, and gave the whole place a thorough cleaning.
He then moved his daughter’s things into the bedroom with a small balcony attached, and only after that did he go to tidy up his own room.
When he opened the wardrobe, Qu Tongqiu discovered there were already some clothes hanging inside. He froze for a moment.
Looking more closely at the style and size, they were clearly Ren Ningyuan’s. For some reason, Qu Tongqiu suddenly felt nervous. Staring at those clothes, even they seemed to carry his boss’s authority, as if Ren Ningyuan himself were present. After a while, he carefully hung his own junior-looking suit to the side.
It was the first time in her life that Qu Ke had lived in such a nice place. She ran around the apartment in high spirits, never still for a moment, darting from one room to another and cheering whenever she discovered something new.
“Dad, this tissue holder is so cute!”
“I know! This is a fruit stand! It’s really expensive—I’ve seen it in magazines!”
“Wow, Dad, come look! The showerhead has three settings! Taking a shower must be so fun!”
“Ahhh, the body wash smells amazing!”
Qu Tongqiu watched her excited antics with a smile, his heart full of happiness. Honestly, the place didn’t feel abandoned at all. Everything gave the impression that the owner had just stepped out to buy a newspaper and could come back at any moment. Not to mention, Ren Ningyuan’s presence seemed to permeate every corner.
Even though Ren Ningyuan had never said a word about himself, you could easily tell a person’s habits from their home.
He liked cool tones, ate very healthily, cared a great deal about sound quality, listened to very niche music, and preferred thick, obscure books—yet he also read manga, and even had the habit of sticking reminder notes on the fridge. Qu Tongqiu curiously read those slips of paper held down by magnets for quite a while. He’d never imagined Ren Ningyuan’s handwriting would look like that—bold, powerful strokes, yet the contents were things like “ten eggs,” trivial daily notes. Just looking at them made his heart beat a little faster.
All the years he thought he’d known Ren Ningyuan seemed less intimate, less detailed, than what he’d learned in just this single day.
With a faint sense of satisfaction, Qu Tongqiu opened the bedside drawer to put away his regular medicine and glasses.
Inside were also some of Ren Ningyuan’s things: a watch, some cash, a copy of National Geographic. Qu Tongqiu was thinking that a man who read something like that before bed really was unfathomable and extraordinary, when the corner of his eye caught sight of a few flat rubber items—condoms.
Qu Tongqiu’s face flushed instantly. He hurriedly shut the drawer. It was strange—sexual matters were perfectly normal for a man of that age, yet those indulgent, passionate scenes were so hard to associate with the steady, restrained Ren Ningyuan.
By the time everything was tidied up, the sun was nearly down, though the heat still hadn’t faded. The father and daughter were discussing what to do for dinner when the doorbell rang again. This time it was another young man, delivering a box of fresh food packed with ice.
“Mr. Ren said moving is tiring work, so you should rest early today. If you’re missing anything, don’t go out to buy it—just call this number and find me. I’m in charge of purchasing,” the young man said with a bright smile full of white teeth, very likable.
Qu Tongqiu was deeply grateful. He immediately called Ren Ningyuan to thank him, but the man on the other end seemed busy. He only responded briefly before hanging up.
Qu Tongqiu couldn’t help feeling puzzled. Ren Ningyuan was cool yet considerate toward him—lacking the warmth of friendship, yet attentive in every detail. More loyal and thorough than anyone else, yet unwilling to talk much with him.
His daughter’s small head, however, didn’t get tangled up in such things. While eating chilled, juicy yellow-fleshed watermelon, she praised him endlessly. “Uncle Ren is such a great person!”
“Yes,” Qu Tongqiu agreed. “Being able to know him is a blessing for me.”
“Mhm! If you’re going to get married, it should be to someone like that.”
Qu Tongqiu sprayed out a mouthful of watermelon. “Don’t think nonsense like that! You’re still so young!”
“I’m not talking about myself. I’m so little—by the time I grow up, it’ll be too late. If I had an older sister or an aunt, that would be perfect. She could marry a good man like Uncle Ren.”
After being teased by his daughter like this, lying in bed that night, thinking again of the condoms in the drawer, Qu Tongqiu couldn’t help wondering: what kind of woman could make his usually unruffled boss feel such passion?
Imitating Ren Ningyuan, he flipped through a geography magazine under the bedside lamp. Beside him, a quaint, antique-looking radio was turned on. The fixed channel it played turned out to be a children’s fairy-tale program.
Qu Tongqiu felt dazed by the contrast. Everything around him seemed infused with Ren Ningyuan’s presence, giving him a subtle, indescribable feeling. Gradually, he fell asleep.
Although Ren Ningyuan disliked social niceties, this time Qu Tongqiu was truly too grateful. No matter what, he had to express his thanks, so he mustered the courage to invite him out for a meal.
Unsure of Ren Ningyuan’s preferences, Qu Tongqiu chose the same restaurant where they’d held the welcome dinner before, and ordered the dishes Ren Ningyuan had picked at more often last time. The meal went smoothly enough. Seeing that Ren Ningyuan showed no displeasure and even seemed in quite a good mood, Qu Tongqiu was greatly encouraged. He suddenly felt full of energy, talking and moving far more than usual.
While eating the pile of shrimp Qu Tongqiu had peeled for her, Qu Ke asked happily, “Dad, since Uncle Ren lent us a place to live, does that mean I won’t have to stay in the school dorm anymore?”
Qu Tongqiu immediately turned serious. “That won’t do. After you register tomorrow, you must live properly in the dorm, and only come back on weekends.”
“Dad, I don’t want to share a room with other people. What if we don’t get along?”
“It’s uncomfortable at first, but collective living is something you must experience. University is the best time for you to learn how to get along with others. If you miss this chance, you’ll feel very out of place once you enter society.”
Denied permission, Qu Ke was very disappointed, pouting. “Dad, your university life was smooth and happy, of course you’d say that.”
Ren Ningyuan, who was drinking, glanced up at Qu Tongqiu. Qu Tongqiu immediately felt awkward.
Qu Ke continued, “I’m not as lucky as you, Dad. Maybe I won’t be able to make lots of friends like you did…”
Having these hidden lies overheard by Ren Ningyuan made Qu Tongqiu blush slightly, but he still comforted his daughter. “If you don’t immerse yourself in university life, you’ll miss out on some really good friends. Dad was able to meet your Uncle Ren precisely because I lived on campus.”
“But I’ll really miss you…”
“We’re so close anyway. If anything happens, you can see Dad in ten-odd minutes. If you crave good food, I can bring it to you. But you must adapt to dorm life—at least try it for the first semester.”
Qu Ke was still whining “Dad, Dad,” when Ren Ningyuan said gently, “Your father is right. Living together with everyone has its benefits.” With Ren Ningyuan backing him up, Qu Ke obediently gave in.
Qu Tongqiu smiled and rubbed his daughter’s head. “You—only listen to uncle, never to Dad.” When they were almost done eating, Qu Ke took her dad’s wallet like a little adult and went to the counter to pay.
Only the two adults were left facing each other at the table. It was finally time for the hardest part to bring up. Qu Tongqiu cautiously took out the envelope he had prepared.
“Ren Ningyuan…” He struggled over how to mention the rent. Even if the apartment really was long unused, Ren Ningyuan had spent a lot of effort arranging things for him. He didn’t know exactly what Ren Ningyuan did for a living—his income seemed good—but no matter how well-off he was, that wasn’t a reason to take advantage of him.
“The help you gave can’t be measured in money,” Qu Tongqiu hurried to explain when he saw Ren Ningyuan’s gaze fall on the envelope. “This is just a small token. Otherwise, I won’t feel at ease living there.”
Ren Ningyuan looked at him, gave no comment, and simply reached out to take the envelope.
Just as Qu Tongqiu let out a sigh of relief, he heard him call out, “Little Ke.” Qu Ke, who was walking back, skipped over. Ren Ningyuan pinched the envelope between his fingers and handed it to her. “This is for you. Buy more books.”
Qu Ke, confused, reached out to take it. Qu Tongqiu hurriedly grabbed it back and smiled awkwardly at Ren Ningyuan. “Boss…”
Ren Ningyuan had already stood up, preparing to leave. He said flatly, “Stop being so miserly.”
At a loss, Qu Tongqiu didn’t dare insist further. Ren Ningyuan rarely got angry; even toward those who acted rashly, he was very tolerant. Yet the more Qu Tongqiu tried to maintain their relationship sincerely, the more easily he seemed to offend him. He had no idea where Ren Ningyuan’s anger trigger was installed.
Maybe the best way to please Ren Ningyuan was to obediently accept whatever was given, never act on his own initiative. But Qu Tongqiu still desperately wanted to do something—anything—for the person he admired so deeply.
It was just that the present Ren Ningyuan no longer needed him to help buy breakfast or carry sports bags.
With his daughter off attending classes after the start of term, Qu Tongqiu lived alone in the new apartment, his heart constantly unsettled. The neighbors were foreigners speaking languages he couldn’t understand; when they ran into each other, they only smiled and gestured, so there were no neighborhood relations to worry about. Work at the headquarters and relationships with colleagues were also going quite smoothly. Someone who worked diligently, kept a low profile out of habit, and didn’t ask for much would always have an easier time getting by.
What occupied his thoughts day after day now was only Ren Ningyuan—who knew when he would be willing to pay him any attention again.
One day, Qu Tongqiu went with a colleague to a hotel restaurant to discuss a contract with a client who had come from far away. Unexpectedly, they arrived too early—the client hadn’t even gotten out of bed yet. With nothing else to do, the two of them sat in the lobby chatting, watching the sparse comings and goings of guests and admiring the pretty receptionist to pass the time.
A handsome young man emerged from the elevator, looking lazy and half-awake, walked past them, and went out through the revolving door. Bored as they were, both of them followed him with their eyes, watching as he made a phone call and was then picked up by a car.
“Ah, look at those shoes, that car,” the down-to-earth colleague couldn’t help shaking his head in admiration. “When will we ever be able to afford that?” The more Qu Tongqiu looked, the more familiar the man seemed. After thinking hard for a while, he finally remembered—it was one of the colleagues who’d shared a table with Ren Ningyuan that day.
“Oh, oh, I’ve run into him before. He’s a colleague at my friend’s company,” Qu Tongqiu said.
The colleague was startled and stared at him. “Are you sure? You didn’t get it wrong?”
“What’s wrong?”
“That guy looks exactly like a male escort. Is your friend in that line of work too?”
“Huh?” Qu Tongqiu froze for a moment, then laughed. “Of course not! How could my friend possibly do that kind of work? You must be mistaken. He’s probably a model or something.”
“Tch, my eyes don’t lie. Think about his looks, his gaze. Stay in T City a few more months and you’ll know—men dressed like that, you can grab a handful of them on certain streets every night. Just not as high-end as him. Besides, at a time like this—not early, not late—who comes out of a hotel? If he had a place at home to sleep, would he be here last night?”
Qu Tongqiu was left staring blankly. He desperately tried to recall Ren Ningyuan’s appearance and simply couldn’t believe it. “Impossible! My friend would never do something like that!”
The colleague fell silent awkwardly for a moment, then looked at him with a hint of sympathy. “Well… a lot of people come to T City thinking it’s paved with gold, but it’s not that easy to make it. Some people don’t do so well for a long time and gradually end up going down that road—it’s understandable. That industry is very developed here. Try not to take it too hard.”
Qu Tongqiu felt his ears buzzing; he could barely hear what the colleague was saying anymore.
“Tongqiu? Are you okay…? Ah, I shouldn’t have talked so much. If he didn’t tell you, it was probably because he didn’t want to lose you as a friend. That’s kind of pitiful too. Friendship isn’t about status—don’t dwell on it too much.”
Qu Tongqiu swayed slightly, his mind in complete chaos.
No matter what, he couldn’t accept it. A stubborn voice deep inside him kept insisting that the colleague must be wrong.
And yet he also remembered Ren Ningyuan’s awkwardness at the restaurant that day, and how thin and shallow his understanding of Ren Ningyuan really was. He didn’t know what Ren Ningyuan did for a living, where he lived, what kind of social circle he had, whether he was married, whether he was doing well—he wouldn’t even know if Ren Ningyuan already had a bunch of children, and even then Ren Ningyuan wouldn’t bring them for him to see.
Ren Ningyuan never told him anything.
Such a proud and powerful man, someone he was willing to worship with devout reverence—how could he have fallen to this state?
What kind of torment had he endured? What kind of suffering was he suppressing?
When Qu Tongqiu thought of all the care he had received, all paid for with Ren Ningyuan’s money earned from selling his body, even his hands began to tremble.
He forced himself through the contract discussion, asked a colleague to take leave for him, and didn’t return to the office.
He couldn’t calm down at all. It felt as if rats were gnawing at his chest, tearing endlessly, unbearably painful.
Just as a faint smile from Ren Ningyuan could give him double the joy, any misfortune that befell Ren Ningyuan felt like double the suffering inflicted on him.
The imagined pain of Ren Ningyuan having to sell smiles in such places struck him even harder than if he were experiencing it himself.
Qu Tongqiu was timid by nature and held Ren Ningyuan in great awe. He’d always been too afraid to offend him, never daring to pry or even be curious. But this time he couldn’t hold it in any longer. Even if it angered Ren Ningyuan, he had to ask and get the truth.
As soon as the call connected, before his courage could fail him, Qu Tongqiu blurted out, “Boss, I have something very important to talk to you about. Can we meet today?”
Ren Ningyuan responded slowly with an “Oh,” his voice drowsy, as if half-asleep. “Sure. Come to Xin Chaxuan. I’ll go there for morning tea in a bit.”
The fact that he hadn’t even gotten up at this hour—and the possible reasons for that—made Qu Tongqiu nearly unable to catch his breath just imagining it.
By the time he arrived at the teahouse, panting, Ren Ningyuan was already seated by the window. He was dressed neatly but casually; despite the blazing heat, there wasn’t a drop of sweat on him. His expression was calm and at ease. In front of him were a pot of oolong tea and a basket of crab roe buns—simple and unassuming.
The sight made Qu Tongqiu’s eyes sting and his nose ache. In his heart, Ren Ningyuan was the most perfect man imaginable, untarnishable. Someone like him should live freely and be doted on by others, never having to curry favor, let alone serve others with his looks.
Ren Ningyuan nodded for him to sit and said lightly, “Not working today?” It was already past ten. Around them were only a few scattered tables of elderly people who’d stayed up late playing mahjong, chatting over tea. Not a single regular office worker. Anyone with the leisure to sit here at this hour was either idle or part of the nocturnal crowd.
Qu Tongqiu struggled internally, then muttered, “Boss, you don’t have to go to work either?”
Ren Ningyuan raised an eyebrow slightly. “Oh, my working hours are a bit different from yours.”
“Boss, you’ve never told me what kind of work you do.”
Ren Ningyuan took a sip of tea. “Just a businessman. Nothing special.”
“What kind of business?”
Ren Ningyuan set down his cup and smiled. “Hm? Why ask that—did you hear something?”
Qu Tongqiu felt a wave of discomfort as he spoke. “Boss.”
“Yes?”
“Today… I ran into one of your colleagues from last time.”
Ren Ningyuan looked at him, waiting for him to continue.
“I ran into him at a hotel. He’s in… ‘that kind’ of industry, right?”
Ren Ningyuan frowned slightly, then relaxed and nodded frankly. “Yes.”
He admitted it so easily, without the slightest hesitation or attempt to conceal it. Qu Tongqiu felt his vision darken; it took him a long while to recover. Shocked and grief-stricken, he slapped both hands on the table. “You’re a perfectly good man—why do that kind of work of all things?!”
Ren Ningyuan continued drinking his tea, clearly not intending to argue. After a long pause, he said, “Every profession has its reason for existing. If you can’t accept it, there’s no need to force yourself.
“If our paths differ, we needn’t walk together.”
Qu Tongqiu’s eyes reddened. “Boss, I don’t mean anything else. No matter what you do, you’ll always be my boss.”
“…”
“But if you’re in trouble, why won’t you tell me? Maybe I could help, even just a little.”
Compared to his agitation, Ren Ningyuan remained very calm. “You don’t need to help me. There’s nothing wrong with this line of work—it’s just a kind of service industry. High pay and not too tiring; jobs like that aren’t easy to find.”
“Even if it’s not tiring, isn’t it still bitter?” Qu Tongqiu said urgently. “You’re so talented—there are so many jobs in the world you could do. Why stay in a place like that?”
Ren Ningyuan shook his head. “Not just anyone can afford our place. The quality of the clients is guaranteed. It’s not as sordid as you imagine. No matter how bad it is, it’s clearly priced—earning money through labor is still better than stealing, robbing, or cheating.”
Just hearing the words “earning money through labor” nearly crushed Qu Tongqiu with the scenes his mind conjured. He was on the verge of tears. “Boss, I’m begging you—don’t do this anymore, okay?”
If not for the setting, he would have knelt down. “No matter how good the money is, it’s not worth ruining your body. This is too damaging—you’ll be drained sooner or later. If you don’t mind, I can support you in the future, all right?”
Ren Ningyuan looked at him for a moment, then smiled. “You can’t afford me.”
“…”
“And don’t be so nervous. Working at this place doesn’t necessarily mean going to bed with people. There’s also just drinking with clients, chatting—and sometimes you don’t have to do anything at all. There are too many lonely people in T City.”
Qu Tongqiu felt miserable, unable to refute him, and even less willing to say anything bad about him.
In Qu Tongqiu’s eyes, Ren Ningyuan shone no matter what he did. Even if he lived by selling smiles, he was still the man Qu Tongqiu admired most.
It was just that, for the first time in his life, he hated himself for being so mediocre and useless—without even the ability to do something for Ren Ningyuan. A lump lodged in his throat, choking him until it burned.
“Boss, is it because your boss won’t let you leave, that you can’t get out?” Qu Tongqiu burst out. “I know it—people who run those kinds of places are all bloodsuckers, not a single good one among them! Forcing a good man to do this kind of work and then skimming off his earnings—it’s inhuman!”
Ren Ningyuan set down his tea cup and coughed lightly.
All of Qu Tongqiu’s grief and anger poured onto that unseen boss. “Those scum who live off other people’s blood and sweat should be thrown in jail!”
Ren Ningyuan suddenly interrupted calmly, “Stop cursing.”
“I won’t just curse!” Qu Tongqiu said hoarsely, grief-stricken and furious. “If I ran into him, I’d make him pay. I’d beat that trash just like I beat Qiao Si back then—”
Ren Ningyuan smiled faintly. “Do you really hate him that much?”
Qu Tongqiu’s eyes were red, and for a moment he couldn’t speak. Anyone who had hurt Ren Ningyuan—he would fight them to the death, even if it cost him his life, just like he had back then.
Ren Ningyuan lowered his eyes and poured himself another cup of tea. “I’m the boss.”
