Cheng Ji took it, stunned for a moment, and said, “Thank you.”

Qi Beisong waved his hand, indicating not to mind.

Cheng Ji couldn’t figure out how Qi Beisong knew he needed painkillers. Seeing him about to leave, he reminded him again, “Ceasefire for 24 hours.”

Upon hearing this, Qi Beisong pulled the door, turned his head, and looked at him deeply, “I keep my word.”

At that moment, hurried footsteps came from the stairs and soon reached the front.

It was a large woman, with narrow eyes and thick lips, over fifty years old, wearing a bulky cotton nightgown, her brownish-yellow hair full of curlers, a typical landlord’s appearance.

Upon encountering Qi Beisong, she seemed a bit surprised and shouted into the room, “Xiao Cheng, you have a friend!”

Cheng Ji didn’t recognize her at all. Seeing that she had no intention of introducing herself, he replied vaguely, “Uh-huh.”

The fat woman said, “Oh dear, no wonder it’s so noisy at home. We heard thumping and banging from downstairs, what are you two doing, tearing the house apart?”

“I’m sorry,” Cheng Ji said politely as he got off the bed.

The old apartment had poor sound insulation, and it seemed that he and Qi Beisong’s noise had disturbed the neighbors.

Cheng Ji didn’t know that this downstairs neighbor was the buyer of their house, but Qi Beisong did, so he crossed his arms and leaned against the door to listen.

The fat woman continued to complain, “Oh Xiao Cheng, I won’t say much more, you should know better, you can’t be too excessive. The transfer procedures for this house have long been completed, so this house is mine, not yours. I let you live here mainly because I saw your family’s difficulties, your mother is sick, it’s too pitiful. I haven’t charged you a single cent in rent.”

Qi Beisong interrupted, “How much did you pay for his family’s house?”

The fat woman was startled by the question and angrily replied, “What I paid is none of your business.”

Qi Beisong said, “No matter how much you paid, I paid two.”

Cheng Ji immediately covered his mouth.

“I’m sorry, Auntie, it won’t happen again.”

The fat woman said, “Oh Xiao Cheng, why do I need you to say sorry? You should know your place. You should understand a bit of human sentiment and worldly wisdom. I understand your family’s difficulties; I really haven’t charged you a single cent in rent.”

“I’m sorry,” Cheng Ji said firmly, his gaze somewhat cold.

The woman mumbled a few more words and left in a huff.

Qi Beisong suddenly pulled Cheng Ji’s hand away, the warmth in his palm burning him, “What are you doing?”

“Nothing, just afraid you might blurt something out.”

“You think you can control what I say?”

Cheng Ji said, “Of course I can, because she is my mother’s lifesaver. If it weren’t for her buying our house, my mother wouldn’t be alive today.”

Qi Beisong sneered, “Don’t be naive. Do you think she paid a fair price? Less than half the market price. She’s taking advantage of your family’s desperation, robbing you while you’re down, and you’re still grateful?”

“How do you know? Have you investigated?” Cheng Ji asked.

He nodded, “Right. You have so many subordinates, you’re a special forces soldier and a reconnaissance team member, how could you not have a clear understanding of my family’s background?”

He broke two painkillers and chewed them, saying, “Do as you please. We agreed, see you tomorrow.”

Qi Beisong glared at him, “How can you be so ungrateful?”

“I’m ungrateful?” Cheng Ji leaned against the door frame, “Mr. Qi, you’ve got it all wrong.”

“That fat lady just now, even if she only paid half the market price, even if she only paid ten or a hundred, she is still helping our family through a tough time. And you, at this time, are making me anxious and restless. My mother is lying in a hospice, and because your people are there, I don’t dare to stay by her side, and you think you’re in the right?”

“That’s because you provoked me.”

“Yeah, you’re right, it’s my fault.”

Cheng Ji never took advantage in arguments; apologizing came as naturally as eating or drinking, but sometimes such apologies sounded harsher than insults. He acted without hesitation and slammed the door in front of Qi Beisong.

Qi Beisong stared at the still-trembling security door, a retort stuck in his throat, unable to spit it out or swallow it down, shaking with anger.

Cheng Ji was probably the only person in over twenty years, besides Qi’s father and grandfather, who dared to question Qi Beisong in such a tone, like he was educating a grandson. What was even more infuriating was that Qi Beisong was twenty-five, and Cheng Ji was only nineteen; what kind of child was so disrespectful?

“Do you dare to scold me? Aren’t you afraid of shortening your life?” Qi Beisong shouted.

“Twenty-four hours, we agreed.”

Qi Beisong wiped his lips, which were really hot. He had walked around outside, his cheeks and forehead cold, but only the spot Cheng Ji had touched was warm.

What a strange situation.

Qi Beisong fell silent for a moment, turned, and angrily left.

Finally, hearing no more noise outside, Cheng Ji lay back on the bed, propping his head and groaning, feeling like the pain in his temples was about to split open.

Unfortunately, peace didn’t last long. In just over half an hour, someone came to deliver the bed for Qi Beisong, knocking and calling outside.

Cheng Ji, who had just fallen into a light sleep due to the painkillers, was suddenly jolted awake. He was terrified that the downstairs neighbor would come up again and worried that the fat woman would call the police, so he struggled to get out of bed to open the door.

The person outside was dressed in a suit, not yet thirty, with a handsome face, looking like a decent person. Unfortunately, in the cold winter, his head was steaming, clearly in a hurry.

“Is this Mr. Cheng?” he asked. “Mr. Qi asked me to deliver a bed.”

“You’ve got the wrong person,” Cheng Ji said, trying to close the door.

The man knocked again, and Cheng Ji opened it once more.

“Mr. Cheng, I want to say that the bed Mr. Qi ordered is too wide. Even if disassembled, it can’t get through the corner of the stairs. Can I take off your window and use lifting equipment to hoist it up?”

“No,” Cheng Ji said, trying to close the door again.

“But Mr. Qi has already paid,” the man blocked the door. “If you don’t accept it, he’ll get angry later and blame me for not doing my job well.”

Cheng Ji held back his fatigue and smiled, saying, “Then let me give you an idea. You can first move that bed to the big chimney, douse it with gasoline, and burn it. Then invite Qi Beisong over, and you several filial sons can carry him up while asking monks and Taoists to chant, watching him and the bed turn to ashes. Sweep it up with a broom and dustpan, put it in a box, and scatter it into the rivers and seas of our motherland. That way, you’ll be done with it, and I’ll have done my good deed. We can even gather together for a warm funeral meal and drink to our hearts’ content.”

He slammed the door shut viciously.

The person outside stood there for a while, finally coming to his senses, “Damn, this kid is quite vicious. Does he even know who he’s cursing?”

Qi Beisong, after being scolded and hit, was so angry his face turned red. That night, he had two or three friends inviting him out, and he couldn’t refuse, so he went.

Everyone else brought their new lovers, but he didn’t; everyone else was joking and eating, while he buried himself in drinking alone; when others teased him to talk, he muttered, “Get lost.”

His childhood friend Zhao Xiaojing laughed and said, “What’s wrong with you? For a girl, you’re not even thinking about food or drink, isn’t that a bit cheap?”

Qi Beisong replied, “Go to hell with your girl.”

“Oh dear, this is killing me,” Zhao Xiaojing laughed, pouring drinks for the person in his arms. “Baby, look, Qi Shao has finally found a flower after decades, and he still says it’s not a girl.”

Someone nearby chimed in, “Since it’s a flower, then it’s not just a girl; it’s true love!”

Qi Beisong slammed his cup down on the table.

“What are you talking about?” he asked, his expression unfriendly, speaking each word slowly.

The person was startled.

“Do you even know what love is before you spout nonsense?” Qi Beisong asked again, “Do you want me to pull your tongue out?”

Fortunately, Zhao Xiaojing hadn’t drunk too much and quickly smoothed things over, “True love? I can’t say for sure about Qi Beisong, but everyone I, Zhao Xiaojing, like is definitely true love, right, baby?”

The person in his arms laughed, “Yeah, Jing Ge.”

Qi Beisong was disgusted to death, stood up, and said, “I’m leaving.”

“Why are you leaving? Keep going,” Zhao Xiaojing said. “Everyone’s just joking around, is it worth it?”

To make it easier to talk, they hadn’t left a waiter in the private room. Qi Beisong pushed the door open himself, and the bodyguard Chen Chuan, who was waiting outside, stepped forward to drape a coat over him.

He wrapped the coat around himself, walking out while muttering, “What a buzzkill.”

Chen Chuan asked, “Who is a buzzkill?”

“Everyone is a buzzkill,” Qi Beisong said. “Zhao Xiaojing booked a Ukrainian big white pig. Wang Hua eats one bite and has to feed one bite of the new water rat, not hygienic at all. Li Shan brought that little star from last time, but unfortunately, his mouth stinks.”

Chen Chuan said, “Li Shan has been dating that sister for about half a year now, right?”

“About that.”

“True love,” Chen Chuan nodded, thinking that anyone who could stay with this group of rich kids for half a year was quite something.

Qi Beisong’s expression darkened further, “Chen Chuan, what are you talking about? Learn something good.”

Chen Chuan was left behind, confused, thinking, what did I say? I didn’t say anything!

He anxiously went to drive, seeing Qi Beisong sulking in the back seat, his expression like someone owed him tens of millions, and asked, “Qi Shao, are we going home?”

“To Shuiyue Mountain Villa,” Qi Beisong said.

Chen Chuan felt relieved, thinking, good, as long as he wants to have fun, just don’t let him get too moody; it would be hard to explain to Old Master Qi.

On the way, Qi Beisong suddenly said softly, “Chen Chuan.”

“Yeah?”

“What do you think of me?”

Chen Chuan looked at him in the rearview mirror and asked, “Do you want the truth or a lie?”

“Both.”

Chen Chuan said, “The lie is that you are perfect, a model of virtue. The truth is, no matter what, I, Chen Chuan, still recognize your character; otherwise, I wouldn’t work for you. We all come from the military, educated by the people for many years. Although we don’t tolerate dirt and filth, I still can’t stand the dirty and lowly; no amount of money would make me do it. At least you haven’t gone too far in that direction.”

Qi Beisong curled his lips, “Chen Chuan, you don’t know, I’ve gone that way.”

Chen Chuan asked, “When?”

“Last time at Shuiyue Mountain Villa, I lost my temper at a weak bar waitress, and someone named Cheng came over and beat me up.”

What happened that night at Shuiyue Mountain Villa was only clear to Qi Beisong; no one else could explain it. Lei Jing might know but kept it under wraps, and Wang Beifeng was just a fool, still wondering why Cheng Ji left behind a crystal shoe.

Chen Chuan couldn’t comment, so he said, “It must have been a misunderstanding.”

“It wasn’t.”

Just then, the guy who delivered the bed to Cheng Ji called again.

That guy was no ordinary person; he was the second steward of the Qi family, surnamed Zheng, named Zheng Haiping, even Qi Beisong had to call him Brother Hai.

Zheng Haiping came up to complain, detailing how Cheng Ji wanted to burn Qi Beisong and scatter him into the rivers and seas of the motherland, explaining everything in detail. Finally, he informed that he had spent nearly an hour and still couldn’t get the bed through Cheng Ji’s front door.

Listening to this, Qi Beisong could only smile bitterly, even losing the energy to be angry, and said, “Brother Hai, you’ve worked hard.”

After Zheng Haiping hung up, Qi Beisong held the phone and said, “Chen Chuan, look, even someone as smooth as Zheng Haiping has hit a brick wall.”

His gaze swept out the car window, “I feel like that person really hates me, making me unsure whether it’s his fault or mine.”

Chen Chuan was distracted, looking at his employer.

Qi Beisong gestured for him to open the sunroof, lit a cigarette, and put it in his mouth, letting the night wind carry away the smoke.

“I never thought I would be so annoying,” he said in a tone of unprecedented weariness.