Chapter 206 Heart-to-Heart Talk
Xiaoman: "Brother Qi, take me to see this place. I really love shopping in those clothing stores. Dad doesn't usually take me, and Mom is too busy. A lot of my classmates go, and I want to go too."
Daqi: "Okay, okay, which clothing market?"
Xiaoman: "Taijiang District in the south of the city." Daqi nodded and drove there. He had never been to the clothing market there, but he knew that the clothes there were mainly aimed at ordinary consumers and students. Because the overall prices of the clothes there were not very expensive. The very expensive clothes should be in the bustling downtown area at the east entrance of his wife Qiwen's place.
Daqi asked Xiaoman for directions because he had never been there before. Xiaoman had been, so she directed Daqi on how to get there. Once there, Daqi parked the car, and the two of them got out and headed straight for the clothing market.
Xiaoman was clearly happy that someone was accompanying her shopping for clothes. Daqi was miserable; Xiaoman went to almost every clothing store. She would compare and even try on any pretty clothes, but she just wouldn't buy anything. Seeing that Xiaoman was about to go to the next store, Daqi said, "Xiaoman, are you going to buy anything or not? If not, we're not going to shop anymore." Xiaoman looked at Daqi with a sly smile and said, "Brother Qi, can I ask you for something?" Daqi said, "Go ahead." Xiaoman said, "You pretend to be my boyfriend, and I'll give you my wallet!" With that, she handed her wallet to Daqi, who was completely bewildered.
Daqi: "Xiaoman, what are you doing?" Xiaoman looked left and right, then pulled Daqi close and whispered in his ear, "Later, pretend to be my boyfriend and pay for my things, okay?" Daqi said, "Can't you pay for it yourself?" Xiaoman shook her head and said, "No. I always pay for myself when I come here alone, while many of my classmates come with their boyfriends. I feel so embarrassed..." Daqi said, "That won't do. You should find a handsome guy. You're so beautiful, won't I embarrass you?" Xiaoman said, "It's okay, you're a man of substance. It's not embarrassing to be with you. Just pretend, please." Daqi treated her like a little sister, and seeing that she was begging him, he had no choice but to agree. However, he said to Xiaoman, "You can put your wallet away. I'll pay for it!" Xiaoman laughed, "You're not my boyfriend, why are you paying for me?" Daqi knew that Jia Ran had done so much for him, and he could never repay her no matter how much money he spent on Xiaoman, so he decided to pay for her. Daqi said, "It's okay, just tell your mom it's for you, she definitely won't say anything." Xiaoman smiled and said, "That's true, my mom always talks about how wonderful you are to me. But I think I should use mine, I'm really embarrassed to use your money." Daqi gently pinched her nose and said, "Your mom is my best friend, she won't say anything even if I give it to you. Don't worry, pick whatever clothes you like."
Xiaoman happily exclaimed, "Really? Thank you, Qi-ge, I really like you!" She then kissed Daqi in front of everyone, but Daqi just smiled and shook his head. He knew that young girls these days spoke without thinking; even if she said "I love you," he shouldn't take it seriously, just let it go in one ear and out the other!
After saying that, the two started browsing in clothing stores. Xiaoman naturally linked her arm with Daqi's, and to outsiders, they would have looked like a couple. In reality, Daqi had no romantic feelings for her. Xiaoman was very happy; at each store, the shopkeepers greeted them warmly. Xiaoman spotted a winter dress she liked and asked to try it on. The shopkeeper took the dress off the shelf and handed it to her. She took the dress, smiled sweetly at Daqi, and went to the fitting room. She came out after a while, and Daqi thought it looked really good. Xiaoman herself kept looking in the mirror. The shopkeeper kept saying, "Beautiful lady, this suits you perfectly..." He kept praising Xiaoman. Daqi thought the winter dress Xiaoman was wearing was indeed quite nice. Xiaoman deliberately put her arm around Daqi's neck and asked, "How is it? Pretty, isn't it?" Daqi smiled and nodded. He really didn't want to say anything; as long as she liked it, he'd buy it for her. He didn't want to think about anything else, and he was too lazy to think about anything else!
Xiaoman asked the shopkeeper, "How much, boss?"
Shopkeeper: "Miss, this is a nice dress. It would cost over 1,000 yuan in a department store, but I'll make it cheaper at 700 yuan."
Xiaoman immediately said, "Boss, are you a butcher? I don't want it anymore!" She then prepared to take off her clothes. The boss quickly said, "Beautiful lady, little sister, let's talk this over. Everything is negotiable. If you like it, the price is negotiable." Xiaoman said, "How about this, I'll take it off first, and then we can haggle." The boss nodded, "Okay, okay." Xiaoman then went back to the fitting room. Daqi sat on a chair in the store, too lazy to pay her any attention.
------------
Section Reading 172
The shop owner grinned and asked Daqi, "Handsome, is that your girlfriend?" Daqi smiled but neither nodded nor shook his head. The owner said, "Your girlfriend is so beautiful and cute, you're so lucky!" Daqi didn't know how to answer him, so he casually asked, "Boss, do you have many students coming here to shop?" The owner said, "Yes, many. Students from Binhai Normal University, Rongzhou University, and various middle schools and vocational schools. Students are a huge consumer group now. Didn't the Party Central Committee say that education is an industry? One-third of our consumption depends on students. On weekends, there are tons of students buying clothes!" Daqi nodded, and then Xiaoman came out. As soon as she came out, she said, "Boss, how much are you paying for all at once?" The owner sighed and said, "Okay, since you're sincere about buying, I'm sincere about selling too. 500 yuan, not a penny less!" Xiaoman glared at him and grabbed Daqi's hand, saying, "Honey, let's go!" Daqi was so shocked by the word "honey" that he couldn't speak.
My goodness, how come middle school students these days go so far? They're even calling each other "husband," and doing it so naturally. I'm actually a little uncomfortable with it.
But Daqi didn't react; he just stood there dumbly letting Xiaoman lead him by the hand. Then the shopkeeper stopped them again, pleading, "Oh, beautiful lady, handsome gentleman, you have to give me a price to consider, right? Why don't you name a price and see if it's reasonable? Okay, beautiful lady, hurry up and say it!" Xiaoman looked at Daqi and then at the shopkeeper, saying, "350, one word, I won't waste any more time!" The shopkeeper said, "Add a little more, little sister, let me make a little profit. Otherwise, if everyone charges like you, I'll have to close down!" Xiaoman sighed, "Fine, I'm leaving!" She then took the man's hand and started to leave. The shopkeeper immediately said, "Okay, okay, okay, my dear lady! I'll sell you one at a loss! Hey, it's really a loss-making business!" Xiaoman laughed, "Haha, hurry up and wrap it up, you'll definitely make a profit. Don't say you're losing money!" The shopkeeper smiled and quickly wrapped it up for her. Xiaoman took the clothes, and Daqi naturally paid for them. Unexpectedly, Xiaoman kissed Daqi in front of the boss and said, "Honey, thank you!"
Ugh, I can't stand this little girl! Isn't she trying to kill me? They're calling me "husband" again?
The two left that store and browsed several more. Xiaoman bought three or four outfits, while Daqi spent less than 2,000 yuan. As soon as they got in the car, Xiaoman said to Daqi, "Brother Qi, thank you so much! You're so kind to me. If my mom had come with me, she would have bought me two outfits at most, but you bought me four. I think I won't have to worry about not having clothes to wear this winter." They shopped all afternoon, and it was almost dinnertime. Daqi said to Xiaoman, "Xiaoman, how about I treat you to dinner? After dinner, I'll take you back to your mom's. You should study hard!" Xiaoman smiled and said, "Okay, Brother Qi, I'll listen to you! How about we go to McDonald's?" Daqi smiled and nodded in agreement. After all, she was a student and wouldn't be interested in going to a fancy restaurant. Students usually prefer KFC or McDonald's, and Xiaoman was no exception.
After arriving at McDonald's, Daqi ordered a hamburger meal, and Xiaoman ordered a meal and an ice cream cone. They chatted as they ate when Daqi's phone rang. It was Jiaran. Daqi spoke briefly with Jiaran and then handed the phone to Xiaoman. The mother and daughter started talking. Daqi understood the gist of it: Jiaran wanted him to take Xiaoman back to the hotel early, as studying that evening was important. Daqi then took the phone back from Xiaoman and continued talking to Jiaran.
Jia Ran: "Little brother, Xiao Man is very immature, don't spoil her."
Daqi: "Sister, don't worry! I'll bring her back soon."
Jia Ran: "You guys are really something, eating out even when you're not eating. Hey, you can't listen to everything she says, or she'll suddenly want you to pluck the stars from the sky for her."
Daqi: "Sister, don't worry, Xiaoman promised me she'd read tonight, and she will. As long as she reads, don't be too strict with her about other things! She's still young, and she'll always throw a tantrum."
Jia Ran: "Okay, okay, okay, I think she'll listen to you. She doesn't listen to her dad at all. Well, come back soon, bye!"
Daqi: "Sister, bye-bye!" After hanging up the phone, Xiaoman said to Daqi, "Brother Qi, you're so nice. I'm so happy to be with you. No wonder my mom listens to everything you say. I'm willing to listen to you too!"
While eating his hamburger, Daqi replied, "Your mother is the one who truly loves and cherishes you. You should listen to your mother more, okay? Motherly love is the greatest and most selfless!"
Xiaoman: "I know my mom loves me and cares for me, but she doesn't understand what I'm thinking or what I need. So, I'm very frustrated..."
Daqi: "And what about your father?"
Xiaoman: "Brother Qi, I have something to tell you, but you have to keep it a secret. Let's pinky swear, I'll only tell you if it's a secret." Daqi smiled and pinky swear with her, and then Xiaoman said: "My parents don't get along, and I'm the one who suffers the most. My father rarely comes home, sometimes I don't see him for half a year. And when he does see me, he doesn't give me a good look."
Daqi: "Why don't your dad and mom get along?"
Xiaoman shook her head and said, "Maybe Mom is just too capable? Dad always says Mom only cares about the hotel. Sigh... It's so boring, I'm even afraid to go home. It's empty when I get home, I'm all alone..."
Daqi: "Where does your dad live if he doesn't live at home?"
Xiaoman: "I'm telling you, you can't just say things like that." Daqi nodded.
Xiaoman said softly, "He lives at his colleague's house, a colleague I used to call Auntie, but I don't call her Auntie anymore!" Daqi nodded as if he understood something.
Xiaoman: "I know why my parents don't divorce. It seems they agreed to wait until I get married, or at least until I graduate from university, before they divorce."
Daqi suddenly remembered that Jia Ran had mentioned this to him. However, he couldn't recall it clearly. He only felt sorry for Xiaoman. He thought of his own father, who had left home after divorcing his mother and whose whereabouts, even his fate, were unknown. A large part of the reason he hadn't gone to university was because of his father.
This kind of pain is something children from healthy or ordinary families will never experience in their entire lives… In fact, it's far greater and more intense than the pain of some children who lose their parents to illness or an accident! If a parent or one of them dies due to illness or an accident, then at least the child can imagine in their thoughts or dreams that their deceased relative was great or worthy of respect. But children from divorced families don't even have the right to imagine their relatives as great or worthy of respect. Because the hearts of children from divorced families are filled with more disgust and hatred towards irresponsible relatives!
Daqi understood that he would always respect his mother, and while he used to feel disgust and hatred towards his father, he didn't know how he felt now. Perhaps he no longer felt disgust or hatred, but the thought of his father always made him uncomfortable! Therefore, he understood the pain Xiaoman spoke of and felt great sympathy for the little girl before him.
Daqi: "Xiaoman, let me ask you something. Do you love your dad or your mom more?"
Xiaoman: "I have no feelings for my dad anymore, but I will always love my mom!"
Daqi smiled and told her about his family. Xiaoman listened with wide eyes. But Daqi smiled and said, "Think more about your mother, work hard and make her proud. That will help you think more positively. No one's life is smooth sailing. Actually, when I was your age, things were much worse than yours. But I still made it through."
Xiaoman said in surprise, "Brother Qi, my classmates all say I'm very extreme and biased. Actually, I don't want to be like this. But sometimes I really can't control my emotions."
Daqi understood what Xiaoman meant. He smiled and said, "Xiaoman, open your mind, be more tolerant of your classmates, help them more, and be less petty with them. If you persist for three or six months, you will find that you can definitely overcome these extreme and biased emotions."
Chapter 207 My Beautiful Cousin
Xiaoman: "Brother Qi, will this work?" Daqi nodded and smiled: "It will work. You can try it if you don't believe me. As long as you keep at it, you will find that you have more and more friends."
Xiaoman: "Thank you, Brother Qi! It was so nice talking to you. Let's go back to the hotel!" Daqi nodded, as they had almost finished eating. After they got in the car, Daqi drove towards Jia Ran's hotel. He knew Xiaoman was very happy, smiling all the way. When they arrived at the hotel parking lot, Daqi said to Xiaoman, "Go on upstairs. Tell your mom I have something to do at home, and I'll come see her again in a few days." As Xiaoman was getting out of the car, she kissed Daqi's cheek and smiled, "Brother Qi, you're so kind! I'll go up now. Will you come to tutor me again next week?" Daqi nodded and said, "I will, but you have to study tonight." Xiaoman smiled and said, "Okay, I will. I'll listen to Brother Qi." After saying that, Xiaoman got out of the car, waved at the window, and said, "Bye-bye, Brother Qi!" Daqi watched the little girl happily go back to the hotel and then drove home. When he got home, he found the house very lively. Upon entering the living room, Daqi realized there was another person in the house—a stunningly beautiful woman! Although she was chatting with everyone on the sofa next to Qiwen, Daqi could tell at a glance that this woman was exceptionally beautiful!
This beautiful woman wore a simple updo, a red and blue scarf around her neck, and a sky-blue uniform—clearly a standard flight attendant uniform. The uniform perfectly accentuated her graceful figure: a high bust, a slender waist, black stockings, and a pair of elegant high heels.
As soon as Qiwen saw Daqi return home, she immediately said, "Honey, come here quickly, my cousin is here!" Daqi smiled and sat down next to Xiaoli. Opposite him were Qiwen's cousin, Lijie, and Qiwen. Lijie very politely greeted Daqi, "Brother-in-law, hello!" Daqi smiled and said, "Hello, cousin. Weren't you supposed to arrive tomorrow? Wen told me you were arriving tomorrow..."
Lijie: "Tomorrow is my official day off, but I happened to be free tonight, so I came over."
Qiwen: "Hey, sister, you could have just called and Daqi and I would have come to pick you up, but you just sneaked over here all by yourself."
Daqi: "Wen is right. Cousin, why don't you just let me pick you up? It's the weekend and you have time today."
Daqi looked closely at Lijie. She was breathtakingly beautiful, practically a celestial being descended to earth. Her eyebrows were delicately arched, her eyes slightly upturned, her oval face was fair and smooth, and her nose was slender and straight. Especially striking was her small mouth; when she smiled, it revealed two rows of neat, white teeth. Any man who saw this angelic face would surely lose sleep at night. This beauty couldn't be said to be more beautiful than Qiwen; both were stunningly beautiful, but she appeared slightly more mature, given her age. She was absolutely stunning, just like when he first saw Xiaoli—beautiful beyond words!
Daqi: "Cousin, how long is your vacation this time?"
Lijie: "Just call me Lijie, or you can call me sister like Qiwen does. I can take a two-month vacation."
Daqi smiled and said, "I'll still call you Lijie." Because Xiaoli is older than Lijie, Daqi calls her "Li'er." Although he respects Lijie, he doesn't want to call her "sister."
Daqi: "Two months? That's a long time. Well, you can have some fun here. Wen misses you so much, she keeps saying you're coming." Lijie nodded and smiled slightly.
Qiwen: "Honey, have you eaten yet?" Daqi nodded: "I just ate some McDonald's."
Qiwen added, "We haven't eaten yet, and my sister just arrived at our house." Daqi laughed, "That's easy, I'll eat with you all. How about this, let's go out for a seafood feast tonight to welcome Lijie!" Daqi asked Lijie, "Do you like seafood?" Lijie nodded, and Qiwen said, "Our hometown is also by the sea, and my sister and I grew up eating seafood. Okay, let's go eat seafood." The other wives agreed. The mother even said, "Wherever you go, I'll go with you." As they were leaving, Xiaoli said, "Mom, Wen'er, Lijie will ride with you, and I'll lead the way for the rest of us to take taxis." Daqi nodded and said, "Okay, let's do that. Let's go to that seafood restaurant on Jiefang Road; they have a huge variety of seafood." Xiaoli then organized Muping, Yijing, and Meiting to take taxis to the seafood restaurant. Daqi drove his mother, Qiwen, and Lijie towards Jiefang Road.
There was no way around it; he had too many wives, and his small car couldn't fit all the guests. Daqi thought: Damn it, next time I'll buy a long-wheelbase Lincoln, otherwise it's just not comfortable for the whole family to share two cars.
After arriving at the seafood restaurant, the whole family naturally went to a deluxe private room for dinner. The waiter came to ask everyone to order, and Qiwen let Lijie order first. Lijie ordered a plate of prawns and a plate of pan-fried mantis shrimp; the rest of the dishes were ordered by the wives. Everyone ordered a few things, and soon there were over twenty dishes. Qiwen asked, "Does anyone want to drink?" Xiaoli asked, "Lijie, do you drink?" Lijie smiled and shook her head, saying, "Let's not drink while eating." Xiaoli then said, "Daqi has to drive, so he can't drink. Does anyone else want to drink?" Meiting said, "I think we should all drink soft drinks." Daqi agreed, so everyone drank soft drinks—coconut juice, yogurt, orange juice, and Coca-Cola, because the only drink Daqi drank was Coca-Cola.
Lijie seemed very happy because Daqi's family was very welcoming to her. Qiwen was especially considerate, wanting to serve her every bite of food. The whole family happily ate seafood and drank beverages. Since Daqi had already eaten with Xiaoman, he drank cola and chatted with everyone, mainly with Lijie.
Daqi: "Lijie, which countries did you go to as a flight attendant?"
Li Jie: "I've been to most of the EU countries, the US and Canada, but unfortunately I haven't been to Hong Kong."
Daqi: "Many people envy that you can fly around."
Lijie: "Actually, those are just superficial phenomena. Many of my colleagues don't really like being flight attendants. Because flying is always a risk. No matter how good the safety performance of airplanes is now, quite a few planes still crash every year. There's also the issue of marriage for us flight attendants." Daqi patiently listened to Lijie talk about flight attendants. However, Lijie said, "But I really like this profession." Qiwen said, "Sister, why don't you just not become a flight attendant? My parents have said it so many times. You should do something else so that my parents and I won't worry about you." Lijie said, "This job is also one that relies on youth. I'll do it for a few years first, and maybe after a few years I'll get tired of flying. By then, it's not too late for me to quit!" Qiwen sighed and said, "It's no use saying anything; it's up to you to choose. In short, there are many paths. You really don't have to be a flight attendant. It's not a big deal, but I'm always worried about your safety!" Lijie smiled and said, "Don't worry, little sister, you won't die. Everyone's fate is predetermined!" Daqi admired Lijie's attitude towards life.
That's just how it is. Everyone's fate is predetermined, and that's what I, Tong Daqi, think too. Maybe I'll "die" tomorrow. It doesn't matter, I just can't bear to leave my mom and all these beautiful wives! After dinner, Daqi said to Qiwen:
------------
Section Reading 173
"It's rare for your cousin to come too, so how about we all go to a karaoke room at a nightclub after dinner?" Lijie nodded and said, "Sure, I really enjoy singing." Qiwen asked, "What about Mom? Are you going to let her sing karaoke with us young people?" Daqi laughed and said, "How about this, after dinner you all go to a teahouse near the hotel. I'll take Mom home first, then I'll come back to meet you." Qiwen smiled and said, "Okay then, drive slowly." Meiting said, "I'll go home with Daqi, you guys can have tea at the teahouse." Everyone agreed. So, Daqi, Meiting, and their mother went home first. As soon as they got home, their mother said, "Okay, you guys go have fun, I'm going to rest." Daqi then drove Meiting to meet up with Qiwen, Lijie, and Xiaoli.
That evening, Daqi took his five wives and Qiwen's cousin, Lijie, to a nightclub in Rongzhou called "Qiandu Bar" for karaoke. They booked a private room. It was just a relaxing and fun-filled day. Everyone except Daqi drank a little, because Qiwen wouldn't let him. Daqi himself didn't dare drink; he had to drive later, and that was no joke. Xiaoli was a very good singer; she studied broadcasting and had a real artistic talent. Qiwen and Lijie were also quite good. Lijie was very happy and even sang a love duet, "Choice," with Daqi.
Perhaps it was because Lijie was too stunningly beautiful, and also because she was Qiwen's cousin—even closer than a biological sister. Daqi would steal glances at Lijie every now and then. This woman is so beautiful! How come she doesn't have a boyfriend? Sigh, what a wonderful woman! Whoever marries her will be incredibly lucky!
Daqi felt he already had enough women. When he saw a beautiful woman like Lijie, he would only steal glances. To be precise, he would admire her, without any impure thoughts. Unlike when he saw Yulou and Pingjia, he didn't immediately want to pin them down and indulge in his masculine power. Daqi felt that God had been very kind to him, giving him so many beautiful women. Each of his women was obedient and followed his orders; they would do whatever he asked.
He's already the "emperor," so he should enjoy the women he already has. As for the other beauties, he can just admire them.
However, some things are beyond Daqi's control. Take his relationship with Lijie, for example. Daqi admired Lijie; she was a beauty on par with Qiwen, Xiaoli, Meiting, and Muping. But he never truly wanted to make Lijie his wife; he respected her greatly. However, Qiwen didn't see it that way. The following story unfolds. Perhaps Daqi's good fortune with women hadn't run its course yet; something he hadn't anticipated happened—the incredibly beautiful Lijie would become one of his wives. This requires a detailed explanation.
After singing at the nightclub, Daqi, his five wives, and Lijie all went home by car. Daqi, Qiwen, and Lijie shared a car, while Xiaoli and the other three took a taxi. Actually, only Daqi hadn't drunk any alcohol; the women had all had quite a bit, especially Qiwen and Lijie, who were very drunk. Daqi was driving, but Qiwen and Lijie in the back seat kept talking nonsense. However, Daqi didn't hear their conversation; he was focused on driving.
Qiwen: "Sister, I owe you so much. I know why you insisted on becoming a flight attendant. Is it because you still have that shadow in your heart?"
Lijie: "Little sister, I often have nightmares, it's about that incident..."
Qiwen: "Do you remember what I told you when you were little? You said you would never get married, and if you didn't get married, then my husband would be your husband..."
Lijie: "That was all a joke, don't take it seriously. I'd rather be single..."
Qiwen: "No, I won't let you stay single. You're still young and can live a normal life, but if you still don't date in a few years, I'm worried about your mental and physical health. Especially your mental health. Sister, don't make your life so hard. Sister, what do you think of my husband?"
Lijie: "He's a pretty good man, successful in his career, and you can tell he's very devoted to you. Have you met your parents?"
Qiwen: "They all agree to what happened between Daqi and me. Sister, I hope my husband will be your husband too... This is something we agreed on when we were kids."
Lijie: "Forget it, I'd rather be single..."
Qiwen: "No, I don't agree. Daqi is a good man, don't worry, he will definitely treat you very well!"
Lijie: "But, I..."
Qiwen: "I don't care. I've always listened to you since we were little, but this time you have to listen to me. I want you to be Daqi's woman too, and you have to promise me that. Besides Mom and Dad, you and Daqi are the most important people in my life! I don't care what others think, I'd even be the older woman and the younger one!"
Lijie: "Little sister, don't talk nonsense. It'll be bad if your husband hears you!"
Qiwen: "What's good or bad? From the day I gave myself to him, you were his woman too."
Lijie was struggling internally. She knew she had always gone along with Qiwen's wishes since childhood. Although Qiwen was close to her, she would agree to anything Qiwen asked for when she was being affectionate. Perhaps it was a childhood habit, and since they had indeed said "sisters sharing one husband" when they were young, she could only nod slightly. Seeing Lijie nod, Qiwen said, "You will always be my good sister, Wen'er will always love you the most!" Lijie didn't know why, but she was willing to listen to Qiwen. Lijie remembered the scene of being raped when she was a child.
Chapter 208 A Beauty That Could Topple Kingdoms