Chapter 8 Then He’ll Just Help Him

Chapter 8: Might as Well Help Him Out

Chi Luoxi's moods changed in a flash.

He'd been sobbing his eyes out a second ago, now wiping his tears, nose still red and sniffling, he leaned closer to He Angxiao, looking up: "Mr. He, did you come here to hear me sing?"

He Angxiao watched him brighten up in an instant like nothing ever happened, the bad feeling still sitting in his chest mixed with the complicated emotions from Chi Luoxi's tearful sob story.

It created a strange, awkward feeling.

He really didn't want to admit it, but coming to this dive bar again today on a whim was indeed because he wanted to see that little gold-digging punk.

Yesterday, he felt so stifled that he did something he never did—called up his good brother Jiang Ran, who was currently head over heels in love, chasing love from the city into some random village.

When the call connected, the background noise was a racket of roosters crowing and dogs barking.

He Angxiao, uncharacteristically irritable, said into the phone, "I think I've been caught in a major trap. Some little twerp played me for a fool. Help me figure it out. Am I losing my mind?"

He'd hoped Jiang Ran, as someone who'd been through it, would rain on his parade, mock him a bit, and tell him not to get too invested.

But Jiang Ran's signal seemed bad on the other end, his voice cutting in and out: "Hello? Hello? Played you for a fool? Who would be that desperate to mess with you... oh, oh, a club boy? Hey, making money isn't easy in any industry these days... does he even care who he messes with..."

He Angxiao: "............"

He hung up expressionlessly.

Well, that was useless.

This bro of his was clearly even more messed up.

This was way too bizarre.

He Angxiao felt like he might really have been cursed, or contaminated by Chi Luoxi's dumbness.

The other party had set a trap, bait was his innocent act, hook was his sad backstory, all wrapped in a 'I only like you' routine, and he just kept walking right into it, time and again.

Just now, watching Chi Luoxi cry so pitifully, He Angxiao almost couldn't stop himself from reaching for his wallet. The impulse to do something, to make him stop crying, was both foreign and intense, even frightening him a little.

It didn't feel like him.

He had never felt this way before.

This inexplicable, uncontrollable attention, this softening of his heart toward someone, this desire to get closer.

The feeling was too much—like his heart was tied up by something invisible he couldn't shake.

He Angxiao figured he needed to find a way out.

He had to break free.

According to his recent research on the tactics of gold diggers, if the other party starts pouring out their traumatic family background and pitiful circumstances, it usually means time to cash in.

The next step should be playing up their misery to ask for money, showing vulnerability to gain sympathy, and then asking for things.

He Angxiao thought, perhaps he should take the initiative to push this phase forward, let Chi Luoxi show his true greedy colors, let him see for himself how ugly people can get when faced with huge temptation.

Once he saw it, once he saw through it, that curiosity and thrill from something new would likely cool down quickly and vanish.

He Angxiao didn't know what sickness had come over him, that he felt compelled to tear open a facade that might not even exist.

But he felt this was the fastest and most effective way to free himself.

He Angxiao suddenly stood up, grabbing his suit jacket from the armrest of the sofa: "Let's go."

Chi Luoxi looked bewildered: "...Ah? Where to?"

Already at the door, He Angxiao turned back, his thin lips saying two words: "Poverty relief."

Chi Luoxi didn't quite understand, but since Mr. He said he would take him, he was naturally willing. No need to stay in the club, no need to endure Manager Yang's attitude, and he could be with Mr. He — what more could he ask for?

He immediately stood up and trotted after him.

He Angxiao led Chi Luoxi out of the private room, through the corridor, and into the lobby. Manager Yang saw them from a distance but didn't dare to stop them. If He Angxiao wanted to take Chi Luoxi out, she didn't have the nerve to stop them.

She just watched the two leave one after the other. He Angxiao, tall and long-legged, walked with a steady stride, while Chi Luoxi followed closely like a little sidekick.

Manager Yang lit a cigarette, took a deep drag, slowly exhaled a plume of smoke, narrowed her eyes, and said in a low voice to the manager nearby: "What does He Angxiao mean by this? Is he interested in Chi Luoxi or not? If he's not interested, this is already the second time he's come specifically to find him, and now he's taking him out. If he is interested, it doesn't seem like it either."

The manager was also puzzled, shaking his head: "I think it's unlikely. With how Chi Luoxi's brain works, who can even get him? Mr. He is sharp; maybe he's just amused, playing around. Once he gets bored, he'll drop him."

Manager Yang didn't respond, just took another drag from her cigarette.

Her feelings toward Chi Luoxi were quite complex. On one hand, she wished he'd quickly bring in good money, recouping the bonus she had lost and the money the club had lost because of him.

On the other hand, after all this time, seeing how dense and clueless Chi Luoxi was, she couldn't predict anything with him. It was completely beyond her control and understanding.

Was it really just a matter of novelty for He Angxiao, as the manager had said?

He Angxiao led Chi Luoxi to his car, and the vehicle smoothly glided out of the club's neighborhood, merging into the traffic.

He didn't explain where they were going, and Chi Luoxi obediently sat in the passenger seat, curiously watching the scenery rushing past the window without asking any questions.

He Angxiao: "Aren't you going to ask where I'm taking you?"

Chi Luoxi: "Where are you taking me, Mr. He?"

He Angxiao thought it was funny: "To sell you off."

Chi Luoxi: "Mr. He wouldn't do that. Mr. He is a good person."

That much trust. He Angxiao didn't even know he still counted as a good person.

The car finally stopped beneath the fanciest, most expensive mall in the city center.

The huge glass facade reflected dazzling golden light under the setting sun, and the people entering and exiting were all impeccably dressed. Chi Luoxi got out of the car, looked up at this towering behemoth, his mouth unconsciously forming an "O" shape.

Growing up in the mountains, he had only seen such tall buildings, magnificent, like a different world, on TV or his phone.

He Angxiao said "follow me" and headed for the automatic revolving door.

Chi Luoxi quickly trotted to catch up, but his eyes couldn't stop looking around.

Mirror-polished marble floors, a ceiling dozens of meters high made of transparent glass, the air smelled of expensive perfume, and on both sides, a dazzling row of luxury stores with names he couldn't even say. The mannequins in the windows wore clothes more beautiful than anything he'd ever seen.

He Angxiao led him straight to the elevator and pressed the button for the top floor.

When the elevator doors opened, they stepped into a revolving restaurant famous for its unparalleled views and top-tier ingredients, needing reservations way in advance.

The waiter, clearly recognizing He Angxiao, led him to the best window seat, the one with the killer view.

Outside the huge floor-to-ceiling window was the dazzling night scene of the city as the city lights were just coming on, traffic flowing like a stream, neon lights flickering, like a splendid, flowing river of stars.

Chi Luoxi sat nervously on the soft leather seat, not knowing what to do with his hands and feet. He looked at the pure white tablecloth in front of him, the polished silver utensils, and the waiter in a crisp uniform with a professional smile, feeling a bit flustered.

He Angxiao didn't look at the menu; he just rattled off a few dish names to the waiter, speaking quickly, all names Chi Luoxi had never heard before.

The dishes arrived quickly.

Exquisite plating, small portions, but clearly expensive. There was top-grade steak cooked to perfection with a hint of pink, caviar that shone like black pearls, a bright red Australian lobster larger than his face, and golden, plump, fragrant hairy crabs.

He Angxiao barely touched his food; he just picked up his wine glass, slowly sipping red wine, his gaze fixed on Chi Luoxi, urging him to eat.

At first, Chi Luoxi was a bit reserved, eating small bites with his fork.

But the deliciousness of the food quickly won over his unsophisticated palate.

The steak was tender and juicy, the caviar salty and bursting with flavor, the lobster meat chewy and firm, the hairy crabs full of creamy roe and rich fat...

As he ate, he couldn't help but murmur, "So good, this is delicious too, Mr. He, this crab is so savory..."

His cheeks were bulging, his eyes squinting from the deliciousness, and he didn't bother to wipe a bit of sauce from his mouth. He ate with great gusto and quickly finished one portion. He Angxiao signaled the waiter to bring another portion.

He polished off the lobster and crabs as well, but he didn't touch the steak.

He Angxiao asked him why he wasn't eating the steak.

Chi Luoxi said quietly, "... Mr. He, it's undercooked."

His grandfather had said that meat must be fully cooked before eating.

He Angxiao: "..." So he had it cooked well-done.

He Angxiao looked at Chi Luoxi's stomach, which wasn't big but seemed like a bottomless pit, and was secretly astonished.

What a huge appetite this little gold digger has!

This meal, not counting the drinks, was already nearly five figures just for the dishes.

After finishing the last bite of crab meat, Chi Luoxi let out a small, satisfied burp, then sheepishly covered his mouth, his face slightly flushed. He looked at He Angxiao with sparkling eyes full of gratitude: "Mr. He, thank you! This is the best meal I've had since coming to Jiangzhou!"

He Angxiao put down his wine glass, wiped his mouth with a napkin, the main event was about to come. He looked at Chi Luoxi: "Full? What else do you want to do? Today, whatever you want to do, wherever you want to go, I'll go with you. You can buy whatever you want."

He had prepared himself for a huge expense.

Watches? Bags? Luxury clothes? Even a car? A house?

As long as Chi Luoxi spoke up, showed a greedy look, and made excessive demands, he could come to his senses faster, see the true colors of this pitiful little thing, and then leave without hesitation.

He wanted to see the ugliest side of human nature to extinguish that untimely and irritating feeling of infatuation in his heart.

After all, human nature cannot withstand being tested.

Chi Luoxi listened to him, blinked, and seemed to think seriously. He tilted his head, thought for a while, then his eyes suddenly lit up as if he remembered something important.

He took out his phone, which had a cheap cartoon phone case, and held it with both hands: "Mr. He, I've been wanting to put a screen protector on my phone. May I?"

He Angxiao: "..."

Chi Luoxi: "I'm so busy with work, and my things often get knocked around. I saw online that a screen protector can help protect it."

For a moment, He Angxiao's expression was blank.

He Angxiao felt like one of those evil old witches in fairy tales who hold out poison apples to tempt pure princesses into corruption. He felt a sense of self-disgust at the absurdity and anger at his plan's failure.

He Angxiao subconsciously pointed toward the brightly lit luxury stores downstairs with huge logos: "When you came up, didn't you see those stores downstairs? Bags, clothes, shoes, watches, all very nice and expensive brands. Many people like them. Your colleagues, didn't they tell you? Didn't they teach you what you should ask for when you meet a guest like me?"

His implication was almost blatant: Look, I'm rich, I'm ready to spend money on you, why aren't you following the script? Why aren't you asking for something huge?

Chi Luoxi followed his pointing finger and also looked at the stores downstairs that glimmered with tantalizing lights: "I saw them, very pretty. Bai Man and the others have a lot of things like that, sparkling."

He scratched his head: "But I can't use them. I have my work uniform, so I don't need them. I wouldn't have a chance to wear them."

Chi Luoxi looked at He Angxiao with bright, innocent eyes: "Mr. He, you treated me to a meal today, and I'm already so, so happy. This is the best thing I've ever eaten. I don't need anything else."

He Angxiao was a bit frustrated: "Chi Luoxi, tell me, what did you come all the way from that... Wushan to the city for?"

Chi Luoxi replied honestly: "To make money."

"And have you made it?" He Angxiao had never been so patient with anyone, prompting him patiently, "Look at yourself now, doing the dirtiest and most tiring jobs, earning barely enough to keep body and soul together, and even being deep in debt, being scolded by the manager. Is this enough for you? Is this how you want to make money?"

Chi Luoxi felt that Mr. He now looked like Manager Yang, looking at him as if he was a... , and his tone was like the old teacher in school, holding his test paper that barely passed, and asking him: Chi Luoxi, with such grades, what do you plan to do in the future?

Chi Luoxi was a bit at a loss and also feeling a bit wronged, speaking awkwardly: "... I'm not good at learning. Those people make me uncomfortable. I don't need that much money anyway. Having food to eat and a place to stay is enough."

He really had no ambition.

In the mountains, his dream was to be with his grandfather, take care of the few acres of land and the vegetables in the yard, bask in the sun on sunny days, listen to the rain on rainy days, and occasionally go to the back mountain to see if there were any new wild mushrooms.

If his grandfather hadn't passed away, he might never have left that mountain in his life.

He Angxiao looked at his resigned expression and felt a surge of inexplicable anger: "What about your future? Are you going to stay at the Chunhui club? Just cleaning there, washing dishes, waiting for the day you wise up to entertain those guests you find disgusting?"

Chi Luoxi was left speechless, his head drooping lower. He hadn't thought that far ahead.

He only knew that he owed the club a lot of money and had to pay it back.

Manager Yang said that as long as he was obedient, he could pay it off quickly.

As for the future, he would deal with it later.

A radish has its own spot; if you move it, it'll die quickly.

Chi Luoxi: "... Chunhui is fine. Bai Man and the others take care of me. Manager Yang just talks a lot; I just let it go in one ear and out the other. I'm not good at handling it yet, but I'll learn slowly."

He Angxiao thought Chi Luoxi was the most unambitious and least ambitious little gold digger he had ever seen.

When others entered such a place, they were either forced into it, gritting their teeth to get out quickly, or ambitious, trying everything to climb up and get out once they had made enough money.

But he, instead of thinking about escaping, was planning to stay there long-term?

There's no greater self-abasement than this.

But on second thought, He Angxiao felt it didn't seem wrong.

Chi Luoxi, with no education, no diploma, no skill, nothing except that overly beautiful face and that out-of-place innocent temperament—what else did he have?

Leaving the club, what decent job could he find? Wherever he went, he would be like a delicate parasitic vine torn from its host and transplanted into the wrong soil, exposed to the harsh storms of society, and would likely be broken and wither quickly.

Perhaps someone as beautiful, innocent, and lacking survival skills as he is was meant to be kept in a gilded cage from birth.

To be chosen by a man and kept with money and material goods, like a delicate, fragile ornament or a well-behaved pet, living in an ivory tower, naive and unaware of the world’s hardships, never having to worry about making a living or facing the complexity and danger outside.

To be honest, with Chi Luoxi’s attributes, he might really be born for that kind of life.

It’s just that he hasn’t woken up yet—he hasn’t met the one who can make him see the light and is willing to support him.

And He Angxiao, by some twist of fate, seems to fit the bill perfectly.

This thought gave He Angxiao a private satisfaction.

Could it be that Chi Luoxi was too embarrassed to mention it?

So, He Angxiao, who had originally planned to take Chi Luoxi to a luxury store to broaden his horizons, had to leave the restaurant.

He Angxiao was very familiar with this area, but he had never paid attention to where to get a screen protector put on. So he had to lead Chi Luoxi around the neighborhood, passing through several relatively lively but also more chaotic streets, until finally, at the entrance of an inconspicuous narrow alley connected to an old residential area behind, they spotted a small stall with a simple table and a sign advertising screen protector installation.

The stall owner was a middle-aged man in his forties, somewhat bald, wearing an old jacket, who was looking down at his phone.

On the small table were various types of screen protectors, from the most common clear ones to patterned ones, with prices scrawled crookedly on cardboard with a marker: Clear 9.9, Anti-blue light 15, Privacy 25...

Below that was a smaller line: Buy one get one free.

This city was brutally divided.

On one side, there was the wealthy area, extravagant and unattainable for ordinary people, filled with towering skyscrapers and dazzling lights, the air thick with the scent of money and desire.

On the other side were old streets and alleys like this, hidden in the shadows of the high-rises, filled with the lively atmosphere of everyday life and cheap, earthy vibes.

Money formed an invisible but incredibly solid barrier, splitting the world into two completely different parts.

But strangely, whether rich or poor, glamorous or down-and-out, it seemed everyone could find their own corner in this huge, cold urban machine and survive, struggling numbly.

Chi Luoxi’s eyes lit up. He trotted over, crouched in front of the stall, and seriously examined the screen protectors, asking the stall owner, "Boss, do you have the 9.9 yuan one?"

The stall owner looked up: "Yes, want it applied?"

"Mm! Apply it," Chi Luoxi looked up at He Angxiao: "Mr. He, do you want one too? Buy one get one free—my treat!"

He Angxiao watched Chi Luoxi crouching in the alley, face tilted up, smiling under the dim streetlight like a puppy that found a bone.

He Angxiao pulled out his latest model phone, sleek and thin, costing as much as an average person’s months of salary, and handed it over: "...Just apply it."

The stall owner took the phone and glanced at it.

There was already a screen protector on He Angxiao’s phone—an imported one with oleophobic coating and blue light protection. The stall owner hesitated, pointing at the existing one: "You already have one, and it’s pretty good. Are you sure you want to change it?"

He Angxiao: "Take it off and put this one on."

The stall owner gave him an even weirder look, as if looking at a rich man with money to burn, but he didn’t say more and began working.

While the protector was being applied, the two of them sat on the plastic stools the stall owner provided, waiting.

The alley wasn’t wide, and across from it was a bustling street. The aromas of various food stalls mixed with the smell of cooking oil, drifting over with the night breeze.

The sizzling of grilled squid, the crackling of fried skewers hitting the oil, the vendors’ shouts, the diners’ laughter—all woven together into a noisy yet warm and vibrant background.

Chi Luoxi rested his chin in his hands, staring at a stall selling cheese-filled sticks, his gaze showing a devotion to food that surpassed even the passion he had for the steak and lobster at the restaurant earlier: "Mr. He, do you think that tastes good?"

He Angxiao sat beside him, wearing a custom-tailored suit, perched on a cheap plastic stool at the entrance of an old-town alley. He thought to himself that this naive little gold digger Chi Luoxi, at his current pace, would probably end up mooching off him for life.

Since that was the case, he might as well help him out.

Author’s note:

The first man in history to teach his wife how to gold-dig him.

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Others feel a flutter of the heart and think about how to pursue. But Peacock He feels a flutter and thinks: No, I have to suppress this feeling.

Our Little Radish’s heart of gold never changes. The insecure one is Peacock He.