CH 2

Proofreader: yy

Li Ting recently worked at a fast-food restaurant that opened at the corner of Uni A’s east entrance. He is the only person in the store that is allowed to not wear a uniform and his working hours are free to start and end as he wishes. The store employees were dissatisfied at first, but after witnessing his inhuman toughness, all kinds of unwillingness were swallowed back down. 

Li Ting really is tough, he has all the basic qualities of an employee – physical strength, technique, and intelligence. Jobs that require two or three people to work, he can do it solo. With strong strength and speedy hands, he is decisively neat and can master something just from observing it once. From helping the kitchen with side dishes to sweeping and transporting goods, there’s nothing he can’t do. On top of this, he is especially good at grasping the market trends to help develop new financial opportunities for the store. Such as sending takeouts to Uni A for one, how can he not please the boss?

It’s just that relative to a leader’s favor, the relationship with his colleagues obviously became less harmonious. They can only blame the fact that Li Ting is too asocial. He clearly has a particularly outstanding face, yet his personality is the complete opposite. Even the newcomer of 3 days, Xiao-Mao knows that the Xiao-Li ge has a vicious mouth, big temper, and likes to put on a long face. The most important thing is that he is very very stingy, he loves money as if it’s his life. Nobody can provoke him, nobody can stand him, it doesn’t matter who you anger as long as it’s not him.

Even if they can’t bear it, they must bear it, after all, everybody counts on him. When they can’t find someone to take a shift, Li Ting will come. When there are too many takeouts and the route is too far, Li Ting will go. The water pipe leaked, Li Ting will fix it. The lightbulb is broken, Li Ting will change it. There are rats, Li Ting will catch them…

Li Ting, Li Ting, Li Ting… everything is Li Ting. 

The mood of the employees can be summed up in one sentence – Hate him to the point of being disgusted to death but still can’t get rid of him.

See, as soon as Li Ting returned to the store from Uni A with the thermal containers, he was stopped by a girl’s plea.

“Xiao-Li ge… um, I have something in the afternoon, can you take over my afternoon shift? The overtime pay will all go to you.” This girl is used to speaking coquettish but when faced with Li Ting’s gloomy face, her tone was very cautious.

Fortunately, Li Ting didn’t let her down. As soon as money was involved, 8 or 9 times out of 10, Li Ting would nod.

The girl cheered and left, Li Ting walked to the sink, rolled his sleeves, and washed the dishes she left behind.

Old Liu, who was mopping the floor, looked at Li Ting’s sweat-drenched back and couldn’t help but say something: “Xiao-Li, didn’t you do two more jobs last weekend? You had an early shift today and now you’re connecting straight into the night shift. You can only sleep for about 3 to 4 hours today, don’t exhaust yourself.”

Li Ting was washing the dishes as fast as the water flows, Old Liu waited for a while for his reply to only get a soft “It’s okay.”

Old Liu sighed. 

However, Li Ting didn’t connect into his night shift today. He received a message from Li Han asking him if he have time to come home for dinner. The two hadn’t seen each other for a long time, and Li Han said he missed him.

3 minutes past 6, Li Ting left the restaurant and quickly rode home.

Calling it home but he only came here around three or four times a year. This time when Li Ting arrived, he found that the lock on the door had been changed again.

Li Ting knocked on the door. The servant came to open the door fell in a daze after seeing someone unfamiliar. The servant stood there without any intention of moving aside until Li Han came out and shouted. 

“Ge!”

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Li Ting glanced at the top of his little brother’s head, nodding slightly. 

Li Han was happy, he reached out to hold him but was dodged by Li Ting who said “I’m all sweaty.”

Li Han looked at Li Ting’s hair that was sticking into strands from the heat and the thick t-shirt on his body, turned around and said: “Auntie Wang, go turn the air conditioner down.”

Auntie Wang didn’t move, said in a difficult position: “Aiyo, Madam Li said no, you have a cold and this temperature is already very low.”

Li Han frowned and mumbled, “My cold is already gone, mom is so annoying.” 

“What are you speaking badly of your mom about?” A female voice followed, and a graceful mature woman slowly came down from the second floor with her hand on the handrail.

Li Han quickly put on a pleasing smile when she saw her, went over, and stuck to her: “No, no, I said mom is the best.”

Di Wei dotingly patted her son’s head: “Of course mom’s the best, everything that mom does is for your sake.”

“I know I know,” Li Han responded diligently and noticed that Li Ting had been standing silently in the same spot, he reminded, “Mom, gege’s back.” 

Di Wei seemed to have just seen such a big living person in the house, she took a step back, said: “Oh, so Li Ting’s back.” Then went back to scolding her son, “Why didn’t you wear your slippers again, if you get a runny nose later, you’ll turn the whole house into an uproar again.”

Li Han was forced to go back to find shoes, Di Wei waited for him to go before turning to Li Ting and said: “Go and sit, it’s about time for dinner, your dad will come down soon.”

Li Ting wasn’t courteous, he followed the direction of Di Wei’s fingers, sat down at the dinner table, and poured himself a glass of water.

Di Wei laughed, sat diagonally across from Li Ting, took the remote control, and turned on the TV. She changed the channels one by one and there was only the intermittent TV sound from the huge hall. 

Only when clear footsteps could be heard both from the corridor and the stairs, Di Wei smiled and asked Li Ting: “Did you just come from school? Are exams coming soon?”

Li Ting took a sip of tea and looked at the TV screen attentively as if he hadn’t heard it.

“Your aunt is asking you a question, why aren’t you answering?”

Li Eryang came down and was faced with Li Ting raising his cup in slow motion. He’s not tall in height, his figure also seems thin and weak, but he has an appearance that is young and elegant. The fact that he’s nearly fifty couldn’t be seen at all, and the appearance of his two sons is well inherited from him. 

Di Wei got up to greet him, said kindly: “Tingting just arrived, he’s still tired.” Then turned around and said to Li Ting: “Don’t mind it Tingting, your dad is only caring about you.”

“I know,” Li Ting finally said something, he put down the cup in his hand, continued with a sincere tone, “I was so touched that I forgot what I wanted to say.”

Li Eryang was about to sit down, when he heard this, half of his butt almost missed the chair and his expression darkened.

Fortunately, Li Han, who changed into his slippers, quickly returned to the living room and ended the weird atmosphere. 

“Wow, what smells so good, let’s eat, let’s eat, I’m starving to death.” Li Han cleverly took the bowls and chopsticks and helped arrange them.

“Gege here, giving you a big bowl, there are braised prawns today, make sure to eat a lot.” Li Han secretly winked many times at Li Ting.

Li Eryang glanced over the table full of dishes, frowned as he said to Auntie Wang: “Didn’t I say not to buy this kind of fish, it has so many bones.”

Auntie Wang felt wronged, this kind of fish was clearly eaten at home just two days ago. At that time, she even got compliments saying this fish tastes good, why the change today? Everyone in the Li family loved fish, the only person who is afraid of fishbones is the one who doesn’t usually visit, Li Ting. 

Auntie Wang dissatisfiedly glanced over, this person suddenly appeared, who could’ve prepared for it. Though after all, Sir Li still cares for his eldest son. Li Ting was actually quite at ease, he saw that all the dishes were served, picked up his chopsticks, and probed into that plate of fish. He lightly pulled and placed the whole row of meat from the stomach that had more flesh and less bones into his bowl.

Li Eryang who got slapped in the face was speechless. In the corner of his eyes, he saw his younger son doing something under the table with his head lowered, he unhappily knocked on his younger son’s head with the chopstick.

“We’re eating right now, what are you playing on your phone for?”

“Ouch, it hurts,” Li Han, who got caught, nervously put the phone down on its screen, turned towards Di Wei while holding his forehead and pretending he’s dying, “Mom, I’m dizzy.” 

Di Wei secretly glared at the anger-provoking Li Eryang.

How can Li Eryang not see the tricks his younger son was playing? He was about to punish him again when Li Han suddenly jumped up and said to Di Wei: “Mom, I forgot a book in my dorm, my classmate is outside right now and brought it over to me, I-, I’m going to get it, gonna come right back.”

“This kid…” Seeing Li Han run out so unruly, Li Eryang pushed his bowl and glared at Di Wei, “This is all because he’s been spoiled by you.”

Di Wei handled with ease, she lightly patted Li Eryang’s hand and said: “He’s just a child, don’t make a fuss with him, I’ll find a time to teach him morals later.” 

“What child, he’s already in university, only younger than his brother by one…” Li Eryang felt stuffy in his heart, he thought of something when he looked at Li Ting and swallowed back his words.

Di Wei smiled faintly at her husband’s awkwardness: “Aiya, Tingting is still here, let’s not say these things anymore, Tingting, eat more, how can those things outside taste better than the ones at home?”

These words seem to hit Li Eryang in the heart, he recovered himself and looked towards his eldest son, said with a low tone: “You’re… still living with those shady people?”

Li Ting did not answer, he flipped the fish over and took another chopstickful. 

Li Eryang assumed that this was because he had a guilty conscience, said without holding back: “The house is clearly so big and not far from your school, you won’t stay in such a nice place and just had to live outside all alone. Hanging out every day with those kinds of people, what exactly are you thinking?”

Li Ting picked out the fish flesh that didn’t have bones, scoped two mouthfuls of rice, and then put his hands on the big prawns.

“Forget doing bad in school, you can learn a thing or two if you actually put in some effort. I know you can’t become someone great and I don’t expect you to stand out, but you can’t just give up and abandon yourself.”

The prawn shell is quite hard, Li Ting bit into it twice and couldn’t completely shed the flesh. He simply put down his chopsticks to directly use his hands. He took care of one in two to three moves, then switched to another one. 

“Don’t assume I don’t know what you’re doing out there all day long, you’re also not young anymore. You’re graduating next year, don’t you want to earnestly find a proper job?”

Soft prawns were filled on top of the white rice, Li Ting swiped his hands, picked up the ladle, and gave himself two big scopes of chicken soup. Mixed with rice, gnawed on prawns, snatching some greens from time to time, one mouthful at a time, it was truly delicious. After finishing a big bowl, Li Ting added another bowl of rice and continued to eat.

“Tingting, don’t blame your dad for being nosy, he’s worried about you.” Seeing that Li Ting kept silent, Di Wei kindly joined in, “You also know your father’s situation, people say that Professor Li has taught so many outstanding students and he must put a lot of effort into his teachings. But he has no clue what to do with you. He can’t scold nor beat you and can only be anxious about you in his heart, you have to also think about him, otherwise…”

Ding Ding Dong Ding Ding Dong… 

At this time, a particularly ancient bell interrupted Di Wei’s bitterness and ended Li Ting’s feast.

He quickly ate the last bite, took out his phone, glanced at the text message, stood up, and walked towards the door.

“You… Where are you going?” Li Eryang was a little stunned, he only reacted when he saw Li Ting bending over to change his shoes, “I only said a few words and you’re leaving, what kind of attitude is this?”

After Li Ting tied his shoe, he looked straight into Li Eryang’s eyes for the first time since entering the door. His expression remained indifferent but his soft and dragging voice revealed his absentmindedness. 

“Didn’t she want me to think about you, I got it, I will go back and think about it earnestly. I’ll come tell you my thoughts after I’m done thinking …”

After speaking, Li Ting extremely politely swung his hands and closed the door.

With a bam, the faces of the Li family’s husband and wife turned into the color of side dishes.

“That brat, brat! He has to anger me to death every time he comes home…” Li Eryang panted back and forth. 

“For- forget it, Tingting had this attitude since he was a child, who knows who he took after, let’s not bother with him, let’s eat, let’s eat…” Di Wei advised with her usual kind and gentle manner.

Li Eryang snorted before picking back up his bowl and chopstick, but when the two lowered their heads, they felt even more at a loss for words.

They still see the table full of plates, however…

Where’s the food?!