Chapter 715: A Day of Friendship

My words plunged them both into complete silence.

"Yes..." Siwei Jiejie said, "Even if we can build something similar, Yingxiong Didi's daily workload will still be the same."

"I don't mind at all," I told them. "Gege and Jiejie, I truly don't mind."

"But your body..." Siwei Jiejie looked at me and suddenly stopped. "Ah, Yingxiong Didi!"

I flinched in surprise and reached up to touch my nose—it was bleeding again.

Ever since more and more "Qingxiangzhe" have been in our family, the scents I detect have increased, and my nose has been bleeding all day long.

Siwei Jiejie quickly came over and gently touched my nose. "Yingxiong Didi... it's okay, it doesn't hurt, it will be better in no time."

She always says that, and her scent carries a very pleasant "healing" aroma.

If only my mom could be half as kind as Siwei Jiejie...

I remember back in first grade, I saw other kids' parents picking them up from school. When one kid fell, his mom comforted him for a long time.

So, when I got home, I copied what he did and "accidentally" fell in the living room. My mom didn't come over to help; she just stood there laughing at me for being silly.

I lay on the ground and laughed along like a fool, then got up and fell again, and again after that.

I wanted to make my mom laugh.

I really wished my mom would come over and say to me, "It doesn't hurt, it will be better in no time."

But I ended up scraping my knees and palms until they hurt, and my mom just kept laughing, calling me a silly kid.

This time, Gu Yu Gege and Siwei Jiejie's discussion ended on a sour note again. I know they really want to make things easier for me, but no one wants to admit that it's impossible.

They want to help me, and I want to help them, but we're caught in a cycle of pulling each other down.

That day, after returning to the real world and finishing school, Xu Jiahua, who had been standing in the corner as punishment all day, picked up his backpack and left the classroom. I didn't go home; instead, I followed him.

My parents don't talk to me, but I have so many questions I want to ask someone.

"Zheng Yingxiong, what are you doing?" Xu Jiahua asked, slinging his school uniform over his shoulder and turning back. "Aren't you going home after school?"

"Xu Jiahua, I want to ask you a few questions."

"Ask questions?" Xu Jiahua stopped and turned to look at me. "Ask me?"

"Mm."

He scratched his head, his scent giving off confusion, then held out his hand. "One question for ten cents."

Without hesitation, I pulled the cool one-yuan coin from my pocket and handed it to him.

I hadn't eaten lunch today—after all, I'm used to going hungry—and if I didn't use this one yuan, there'd be no other chance.

"Ah? So much?!" He stared at the coin in surprise. "Damn... what are you doing?"

"I'm giving it all to you. I have a lot of questions I want to ask."

Not only do I have many questions, but I also want to apologize to Xu Jiahua.

"Th-then wait a minute..." He looked at the coin in his palm, then grabbed my wrist. "Zheng Yingxiong! Come with me!"

I followed him as he ran across two streets to a small shop.

"A-ma!" Xu Jiahua called out happily.

In just a few seconds, an elderly A-ma poked her head out from inside. The moment she saw Xu Jiahua, the wrinkles on her face softened a bit, and she said with a warm laugh, "Ahua, here to buy those two vegetable buns for fifty cents again? I've been keeping them warm for you—they're ready."

"No! No, no!" Xu Jiahua waved his hands quickly. "A-ma, don't say that! When have I ever bought two vegetable buns for fifty cents..."

"Ah...?" A-ma blinked in confusion. "What's wrong with you...?"

"Ahem! I..." Xu Jiahua cleared his throat loudly. "A-ma! I have a friend visiting today, and I want to treat him to a drink!"

"A drink...?" A-ma blinked suspiciously. "Ahua, how did you suddenly get money?"

"Oh, come on!" Xu Jiahua's voice dropped. "A-ma, just don't worry about it! Get me the drinks!"

"Well... do you want the sugar water?" A-ma pointed to some wrinkled plastic bottles nearby. "Ten cents each."

"Sugar... sugar water won't do," Xu Jiahua hesitated, still clutching the coin in his hand. A few seconds later, he glanced at the fancy little glass bottles on the side. "A-ma! I want that one! I want Coke!"

"Coke...?" A-ma jumped in surprise. "Ahua! Coke is fifty cents a bottle! You usually only have enough for..."

"Oh, never mind!"

Xu Jiahua quickly handed over the coin and swapped it for two glass bottles of Coca-Cola, then pulled me away and ran off.

From a distance, I heard A-ma shouting behind us, "Ahua, remember to return the bottles!"

"Got it, A-ma!"

We sat on the bridge pier, holding the dark liquid in our hands, neither of us daring to drink.

The black liquid in the bottle fizzed in my hand, and my heart fizzed along with it. I felt like I was no different from the liquid in the bottle—I'd end up in someone else's stomach once I was poured out.

"Wow... Coca-Cola..." Xu Jiahua stared at the glass bottle closely. "This is so weird, and it's even bubbling..."

I wasn't listening to him; I was just thinking about how to start.

Although I had countless questions, that one thing had to be said first...

"Sor..."

"I'm sorry, Zheng Yingxiong." Xu Jiahua stared at the bottle and said.

"Huh...?"

"I mean, about always asking you for money before. You saw it just now..." Xu Jiahua touched his head awkwardly, then flashed a really nice smile. "I live alone at home, and my stomach growls at night. Without the fifty cents you give me every day, I couldn't even afford vegetable buns. Thanks for treating me to meals these past two weeks."

Hearing him say that, his scent became even more pleasant.

Although my life stopped at the age of eight, I've spent five years in the "prison."

I'm not a kid anymore.

These years have taught me that before communicating with someone, I have to pay attention to their scent.

Everyone in this world has a complex scent, but I'm only afraid of two kinds—one like Uncle Wan's, extremely foul, and the other like my family's, almost undetectable.

But Xu Jiahua's scent has always been pleasant.

Now, I've learned how to understand a person. I don't need to see if they've done bad things or if their clothes are dirty—I just close my eyes and feel their scent.

"Xu Jiahua, you can tell me the truth," I asked, tilting my head. "Why did you have to say it was 'protection fees'?"

"Oh, come on... it makes me sound more like a big brother." Xu Jiahua smiled sheepishly. "But I've recognized your character now, so I won't treat you like a little brother anymore!"

The two of us sat by the river on a sweltering summer evening, watching adults ride by on bicycles and listening to the cicadas singing.

"Xu Jiahua, I don't want to be a little brother. Can I be your friend for just one day?" I asked.

"Be 'friends for one day'?" He blinked. "What kind of question is that? We can be friends from now on!"

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