Chapter Forty-Four: Delivering Takeout

  Shan Pao laughed and said: "Wan Lin, as soon as you mention washing your hair and massaging your back, you wake up. You don't sleep soundly, do you?"

  Wanlin awkwardly smiled: "My neck and shoulders are not good, I was dreaming of a massage, hearing you mention back massage woke me up, what's the bill, I'll pay."

  "Come on, buddy, come to my place, can you still afford to spend money? Isn't that an insult?"

  Three men walked shoulder to shoulder on Tiehua Street, heading straight for Mei's hair salon. It was now three thirty in the afternoon, and all the ironwork factories on the street were operating at full capacity, with electric saws buzzing, welding sparks flying, and paint fumes filling the air. Various hair salons and massage parlors had just opened their doors not long ago, making it the most idle time of day.

  Nana and Xiao Ya were sitting in the hair salon, eating melon seeds while watching "The Legend of Zhen Huan". When they saw a guest arriving, Nana shouted loudly towards the inside: "Mei Jie, your old friend is here."

  Mountain cannon sat on the chair: "Give me a full set for my brother."

  Looking at Wanlin again, he had already smiled and made eye contact with Xiaoya, and was about to help her read palms.

  Nana also came over to help Shān Pào pinch his shoulder and said: "Shān Pào brother, wait a minute, Mei sister is talking business with me."

  Mountain cannon laughed: "Talk P, in the back is playing with guns."

  Nana pinched Shanpao's short neck: "Shanpao brother, you're so annoying, I won't talk to you anymore."

  The mountain cannon chuckled and rubbed Nana's leg with one hand that was not being honest.

  After five minutes, Mei and Zhao Yufeng came out of the backyard, patting her chest and saying: "Brother, this matter is taken care of by sister."

  Zhao Yufeng saw Shan Pao and Liu Handong, but didn't feel embarrassed, just greeted them briefly before hurrying away.

  Mountain gun asked: "Plum, really talking about things."

  "Right, let's talk about the rent, it's almost due. Come on, Brother Dong is waiting for you inside, your sister has been expecting you all day." As she spoke, she pulled and dragged Liu Handong to the backyard, where Xuanji was sitting in the house.

  "You guys chat well." Mei sister smiled and closed the door.

  Liu Handong was drunk, his face red and ears burning. Huanxi hurriedly picked up the thermos and poured a basin of warm water, wrung out a towel for him, and then poured a cup of tea, pressing Liu Handong into the chair to massage his temples.

  "Will serve people now, taught by Sister Mei?" Liu Handong asked.

  "My mother is paralyzed in bed at home, and I'm the one taking care of her." Huān Xī went to rinse the towel again.

  "Has the money been sent back?" Liu Handong said.

  "Well, some of the debts have been paid off, and my brother's tuition for this year has been paid."

  Liu Handong stopped talking and closed his eyes to rest, soon he started snoring. Huanxi quietly took a woolen blanket and covered him with it, sitting silently beside him.

  The familiar "slamming" sound came from the running room next door again, and I don't know which good fellow was fighting hard.

  Liu Handong woke up to find it was already dusk, he got up and stretched his waist, seeing that Huanxi was still sitting on the bench at the door looking at him, so he asked her: "Have Shanpao and the others left?"

  "They went back first." Xuan Xi smiled brightly.

  "What's so funny?" Liu Handong touched his own face.

  "You drool in your sleep." Huān Xī smiled, revealing two small tiger teeth, very cute.

  Liu Handong took out his wallet, thought for a moment and put 100 yuan on the table.

  "Brother, I don't want your money."

  Liu Handong said: "You're doing business, how can you not collect money."

  Xie Xi's eyes turned red: "I regard you as a close brother, so I won't accept your money."

  Liu Handong had no choice but to pick up the money, tidy up his clothes, and walk out of the house. Mei and the others were watching TV in the store, and when they saw Liu Handong come out, they all greeted him before continuing to watch TV.

  "Go back." Liu Handong said to Huanxi who saw him off at the door.

  "Be careful when driving, brother." said Huan Xi, leaning against the door frame.

  After Liu Handong walked away, Mei Jie hastily ran over and asked: "He didn't do anything, did he?"

  Hong's face turned red: "I just slept for a whole afternoon, didn't do anything."

  "It's better if nothing happens, I'm worried to death." Mei sister patted her chest and pulled Huixi back into the house: "Hurry up, change your clothes, there's no time."

  Under Meijie's command, Huanxi changed into a black lace lingerie set, with jeans and a white shirt outside, tied her hair in a ponytail, and put on a backpack.

  "Hmm, looks like just a high school girl." Mei Jie said with her hand under her chin, looking very satisfied.

  After changing clothes, Mei Jie took Huan Xi out and prepared to take a taxi into the city. However, it was just the time for taxis to change shifts, so they couldn't hail one. The number 520 bus wasn't going in their direction either. Mei Jie kept taking out her phone to check the time, feeling anxious and impatient.

  A white van drove over, driven by Liu Handong. He had just picked up the car from the entrance of the dog meat restaurant and was about to go on business. Seeing Mei Jie and Huan Xi waiting for a ride, he stopped beside them.

  "Where are you going?"

  "Going... to Wenquan Town, going to see a friend." Mei said.

  "Get on the car." Liu Handong said.

  Mei Jie couldn't help but feel happy, opened the car door and let Hu Xi get in the back seat, she herself got into the passenger seat, chattering non-stop complaining about how hard it was to hail a taxi.

  "Where have all the taxis gone?" Mei Jie said with a scowl.

  "The more you run, the more you lose." Liu Handong drove the Richkan familiarly towards Wenquan Town, a suburb of the city with beautiful scenery and many high-end residential areas. Mei said she was going to visit friends, but it was probably an excuse, delivering "meals" would be more like it.

  Liu Handong glanced at the rearview mirror and saw that Huanxi had her head down, looking unhappy.

  Mei's sister chatted and laughed, full of enthusiasm, but Liu Handong no longer responded, driving silently until he dropped them off at the entrance of the Shuidu Hotel in Wenchuan Town.

  "Thanks, how much?" Mei Jie took out her purse.

  "One hundred!" Liu Handong said fiercely.

  "And I'll tease you, Mei sister, and buy a box of good cigarettes for you later. Wait for me for a bit, I still need to go back." Mei sister was still giggling and got off the car with Xuan Xi, heading towards the Grand Hotel.

  Liu Handong had already guessed that Mei was bringing Huanxi to do business, and he was furious but also helpless. Just as Huanxi said, if he didn't buy it, someone else would, and Huanxi's family was struggling, so he could help her out for the time being, but not forever. What was meant to happen would still happen, but what made him angry was that Huanxi wasn't putting up a fight, even if she just said one sentence refusing, no one could force her.

  "Damn it!" Liu Handong stepped on the accelerator and left, taking out a cigarette and lighting it up to take a few heavy puffs.

  "What's wrong?" Mei sister turned her head and looked around, spat: "Who owes you, let's go with the flow."

  The Shuidu Hotel is newly renovated, famous for its hot spring water culture, with a five-star standard. It's where the wealthy and dignitaries reside. The spacious lobby is lavishly decorated, and there's even a white piano placed in the hall, showcasing the hotel's cultural elegance.

  Mei's sister walked in nervously and sat down on the sofa in the living room, took out her phone and dialed: "Zhao Yufeng, I'm here, where are you? Hurry up, waiting for you."

  Look up, and Huanxi is cautiously looking around. A group of young people in their twenties come back from outside, all wearing uniform T-shirts with the words "Third University Student International Debate Competition" printed on them. They walk over, chatting and laughing, taking pictures in front of the hall's bas-relief background. Huanxi blends in among them, carrying a double-shoulder bag, without any sense of discord.

  "Hey, fellow student, why haven't you changed your clothes?" a tall and thin boy asked Huang Xi.

  "I... I am not with you." Huan Xi hastily explained.

  "Oh, no wonder you look a bit unfamiliar." The boy smiled at her and asked, "Are you a student of Jiangda University?"

  "Huan Xi was speechless..."

  "I am Ling Zijie from the Chinese Department of Beiqing University, and I'm the first debater for the Beiqing team in this debate competition. Nice to meet you." The boy smiled brightly.

  Although Lan Xixi came from a rural area, she still understood basic politeness. She proactively stretched out her hand: "Hello, my name is Lan Xixi."

  "Huanxi, what a nice name." Ling Zijie shook hands with Huanxi and was about to say something else when someone suddenly called him over for a photo shoot. He smiled at Huanxi: "See you later," and quickly ran off.

  Mei saw this scene and felt proud of herself, thinking that the outfit she had put together for Xiqian was really not bad, and even a real university student thought they were of the same kind. The cowboy pants from Banana Road were worth buying after all.

  Zhao Yufeng walked out of the revolving door and saw Mei Jie at a glance: "Hey, over here."

  Mei Jie hastily pulled Lan Xiqian forward, following Zhao Yufeng into the elevator. Just as they were about to press the close door button, a group of students rushed over and packed the elevator full. Ling Zijie stood by the floor buttons and asked enthusiastically: "Lan Xiqian, which floor are you going to?"

  Huang Xi looked at Mei Jie, Mei Jie looked at Zhao Yufeng, Zhao Yufeng took a puff of smoke and stretched out his hand to press the button for the 16th floor.

  Several students were choked by Zhao Yu Feng's smoke and started coughing.

  "Sir, you can't smoke in the elevator," Ling Zijie said.

  Zhao Yufeng glared at him, but still extinguished the cigarette. However, a loud cough suddenly erupted from his throat, and he spat out a mouthful of thick phlegm. The onlookers turned away in disgust, their faces filled with revulsion.

  The students went down to the eighth floor. Before leaving, Ling Zijie took a deep look at Huanxi and probably sensed that she was being somewhat abnormal with Mei Jie and Zhao Yufeng.

  With a humble attitude, she lowered her head deeply, they were all of the same age, others came to participate in the international debate conference, but she was here to sell herself, Ling Zijie's last glance made her feel ashamed.

  "Damn it, these students are really something." Zhao Yufeng lit another cigarette.

  "Has Mr. Zhao Yufeng arrived?" Mei sister was posing in front of the mirror, she was wearing leopard print and leather skirt boots today, feeling very sexy.

  "The guest has an important meeting and will be late, just wait for a while, you can go back first." Zhao Yu Feng took out 10,000 yuan from his bag and handed it to Mei Jie.

  Mei Jie picked it up, dipped in saliva and stood up, but suddenly the hand counting money stopped, because she saw that Huan Xi's shoulders were shaking.

  "Nier, don't cry, don't make the leader unhappy. It's a step that women will have to take sooner or later." Mei Jie's heart was filled with compassion, and she softly consoled her, but in her heart, it didn't feel right. Xuan Xi shouldn't be standing here, but rather should be with those university students.

  The 16th floor arrived, Zhao Yu Feng led them over and opened the door of room 1618. This was a suite with a hot spring bathroom, a floor-to-ceiling window on one wall, and a wide Simmons mattress with a small doll on it. Everywhere showed high-end quality, even the faucet was gold-plated.

  Zhao Yufeng looked around and instructed Hu Xi, "You go wash your body clean first. When the guest arrives later, don't say anything or ask any questions, just help him take off his clothes and bathe, relax a bit, got it?"

  He nodded with his lips pursed.

  "Let's go." Zhao Yufeng beckoned and left with Mei Jie.

  "Sister, I'm scared." Huān Xī was somewhat flustered.

  "Nier, don't be afraid, it'll be over after tonight." Mei Jie comforted, following Zhao Yufeng out the door. The door closed, leaving Huanxi alone and helpless.

  Out of the door, Zhao Yufeng and Mei Jie were both speechless, stepping on the thick carpet in the corridor into the elevator.

  "This chick is also lucky, selling one time and earning tens of thousands, I'm so jealous that I want to be a woman too." Zhao Yufeng lit another cigarette in the elevator, blowing out smoke rings.

  Mei's sister didn't say anything, her heart was very confused.

  Down to the first floor hall, Zhao Yufeng went to the underground entertainment club to play cards. Mei sister was still sitting on the sofa waiting for Huanxi, she lit a cigarette, and in the smoke, she seemed to see her own young age.

  Mei's sister was also a good student when she was young, just a few points away from getting into college. Later, she became self-indulgent and got pregnant with the village rascal, then was cheated into doing sex work in the city, thus embarking on a path of no return.

  The path she has walked, Hu Xi will have to walk again. This girl is much better at studying than I was back then. If she really puts in the effort and re-reads for a year, getting into Jiang University won't be difficult. Her life should be like those vibrant university students, singing and laughing freely, falling in love, finding work, entering foreign companies or state-owned units, and then finding a husband who loves her and has abilities, living a happy life.

  This is the path that Huanxi should take.

  Mei Jie extinguished her cigarette in the ashtray, with tear stains on her face, smudging her powder and eye shadow.