Ke Bu had now truly witnessed children’s astonishing physical strength. One moment they wanted piggyback rides, the next they wanted to play spinning games. Even Ying Xiu Jie’s proud, healthy physique rapidly declined under the devastation. Because Ke Bu’s foot was injured, he was spared, and with a gloating mentality, he watched the exhausted group of people. Whether physically or in terms of their spirits, which were struck down from time to time, they were unable to bear the burden. The clever Su You Yan had found an excuse to leave early. It was not until the afternoon class preparatory bell rang that the group either fled or hid. Ke Bu’s class had no lessons in the afternoon, so he chose to stay behind.
After Zhi Xiao Ke and Zhi Xiao Xun finished playing with everyone, they returned to their stools and continued eating snacks, chewing beef jerky while making disdainful sounds. “Young people these days are way too fragile. After being played with a little, they act like they’re about to die.”
“How old do you think you are?” Ke Bu could not help cutting in.
“Tsk, it’s only because you’re a cripple that we kindly let you off. Don’t push your luck.”
“Where did you two hide the innocence and purity children are supposed to have?”
“That’s only an illusion used to deceive adults in order to obtain things and praise.”
Ke Bu was defeated. He watched them from the side as they ate snacks in huge mouthfuls like two little tigers. Just how much could those stomachs hold? Worried, he asked Zhi Li beside him, “Is this okay? Letting them eat that much junk food?” Zhi Li glanced over Zhi Xiao Ke and Zhi Xiao Xun, then lowered his head again and continued drawing. “It’s not like they’ll listen to whatever I say.”
“That’s impossible. They clearly behave very well in front of you!”
Zhi Li shrugged, then opened his mouth as if demonstrating. “You two little fatties, stop eating.”
Zhi Xiao Ke and Zhi Xiao Xun turned back blankly, blinking their innocent eyes. “What? Daddy, what are you saying?”
“Stop eating.” Zhi Li repeated mechanically.
“What? Daddy, your voice sounds so far away. We can’t hear you.” After saying that, they began stuffing things into their mouths again.
Ke Bu lowered his head and captured Zhi Li’s face in his gaze. “Are you sure those two really aren’t your children?! They’ve inherited way too many unnecessary flaws from you!!” Zhi Li picked up his sketchbook and lightly tapped Ke Bu on the head with it. “How rude.”
Zhi Xiao Ke suddenly cried out as if she had remembered something, then took an exquisitely packaged box out of that little bag. “Handmade chocolates Mommy bought. There are only six. Xiao Xun gets two, I get two, and Daddy gets two.”
“There’s still one person here,” Ke Bu reminded them.
“Daddy, which two do you want? You pick first, okay?” So she also had a well-behaved side.
“You two eat them.”
Ke Bu looked at the chocolates. He had heard of this brand long ago, but had never eaten it before, because of its excessively high price. His stomach let out a hungry cry. Ke Bu rubbed his belly and remembered that he had not eaten lunch yet. He swallowed with difficulty. He wanted to eat them. He wanted to freeload the chocolates he had long coveted, wanted them so badly that he actually set aside his dignity as a boy. “Give me one.”
Zhi Xiao Xun covered the chocolates. “No.”
“Don’t be so stingy. We’re all men here.”
“No means no.” None of them were good people. When Zhi Xiao Xun was not paying attention, Ke Bu took one chocolate away. Speaking of which, Ke Bu, do you feel no shame? You actually fought a child over food. Ke Bu smiled wickedly as if he had succeeded, and just as he was about to put the chocolate into his mouth, Zhi Xiao Xun and Zhi Xiao Ke’s faces flushed red. Their little faces wrinkled together, their shoulders trembled, and they looked at Ke Bu with their large eyes as tears gathered inside. After a long while, they finally opened their mouths and wailed loudly. The sound was deafening and frightened Ke Bu badly. In a panic, he hurriedly put the chocolate back. “I won’t eat it anymore.”
Zhi Xiao Ke’s crying grew louder and louder. She wiped her tears with her sleeve. “Ke Bu is a cripple, a bad person, a useless ordinary ghost.” Even while crying, her mouth was still unforgiving. Zhi Xiao Xun continued crying while adding, “Low-class, despicable, a common face that would immediately be buried in a crowd.”
“A useless adult who only knows how to steal things from children.”
“A rotten person who isn’t gentle at all.”
“Nothing about him is good.”
“The most hated.” The two children sang back and forth like a crosstalk routine. Ke Bu had never expected these two to be so terrifying once they got angry. Their cries were so sharp that his ears roared. While Ke Bu was full of regret and at a complete loss, Zhi Li put down his sketchbook, bent down, and lifted Zhi Xiao Ke and Zhi Xiao Xun onto his lap. Zhi Xiao Ke hugged Zhi Li’s waist, and Zhi Xiao Xun behind her hugged Zhi Xiao Ke. Zhi Li patted the children’s backs. “Stop crying. You look terrible.”
“B-But…” Zhi Xiao Ke switched to sobbing, unable to speak clearly, as if she could not catch her breath.
Zhi Li gently raised the corners of his mouth. His beautiful face carried a bewitching smile as he stroked their little heads, his gentle tone like some kind of soothing spell. “Be good. I’ll only like you if you listen.” The two nodded hard and clutched Zhi Li even tighter. Watching this scene, Ke Bu let out a sigh of relief, but at the same time, an inexplicable pain rose in his chest. No, it should not be called inexplicable. Ke Bu knew very clearly where the pain and unease came from. Perhaps they were too tired from crying, because the two of them fell asleep. Zhi Li placed them on the sofa Ying Xiu Jie had managed to scavenge, then took off his jacket and draped it over them.
Ke Bu propped his chin on the back of his hand, his gaze fixed on Zhi Li the entire time. His gentleness was just right. Zhi Li walked over and tossed the box of chocolates on the table into Ke Bu’s arms. “Eat them while they’re asleep.” What a despicable older brother!
“Isn’t that kind of bad? If they find out, they’ll cry and fuss again.”
“Why do you talk so much nonsense?”
Ke Bu looked at the sleeping children, then placed one chocolate into his mouth. This Brother Ke Bu who still ate it was not much better either. The rich taste of chocolate spread through his mouth. Ke Bu pouted. “Yes, yes, I talk too much nonsense. Anyway, I’m a cripple, a bad person, a useless ordinary ghost, low-class, despicable, a common face that would immediately be buried in a crowd, a useless adult who only knows how to steal things from children, a rotten person who isn’t gentle at all, nothing about me is good, and I’m the most hated.”
Zhi Li chuckled quietly without changing expression, reached out, and dragged Ke Bu into his arms. “Are you an idiot?”
The chocolate at the corner of Ke Bu’s mouth smeared onto Zhi Li’s clothes. He buried his head deeply in Zhi Li’s embrace. “Don’t treat me like a five-year-old child.”
Zhi Li did not speak. Ke Bu was silent for a while before finally opening his mouth. “Hey, Zhi Li, do you want children?”
“Are you going to give birth to one?” Zhi Li did not answer, only asked back.
“You make it sound like I really can. You clearly know…”
“In that case, don’t ask unnecessary questions.”
Ke Bu’s restless hands tightened around Zhi Li’s clothes. “I’m not good enough, not outstanding enough. I’m not as excellent as this person, not as rich as that person, not as pretty as this person, not as gentle as that person. Even so, if I listen, will you like me more?” He still remembered, remembered what Zhi Li had said when coaxing the children just now: Be good. I’ll only like you if you listen.
“How rare for you to say something so discouraged.” Zhi Li teased him.
Ke Bu bared his teeth and raised his head. “I want to feel inferior once in a while too.”
Zhi Li rested his chin on Ke Bu’s head and patted Ke Bu’s back. “What this person, that person? The one I’ve always wanted isn’t it you?”
“Useless, useless. I already told you not to treat me like a five-year-old child.”
“Then what are you smiling about?”
“I’m not. The chocolate is just sticking to my mouth!!”
Next
Futile Devices Scans 
Leave a comment