Acting

In the living room covered with white velvet carpets, there were open junior high school textbooks on the coffee table. Chu Dong was sitting by the table, burying his head in the writings and drawings of the textbooks, there was an old and faded schoolbag besides his feet.

Qin Ping and Ai Hua were cooking soup in the kitchen, looking back at Chu Dong sitting quietly in the living room from time to time.

The two were surprised when they first saw Chu Dong standing. Later, Chu Dong told them that it was his father who had contacted a charity organization for him, saying that they could provide him with a prosthetic at a low price, but needed him to be under observation using it for period of time. He said that the footage would be made into a promotional video and sent overseas to attract investors. When asked about the price, he replied that it didn't even cost a thousand yuan. Qin Ping asked him why his father thought of buying him a prosthetic limb. At the beginning, Chu Dong hesitated and refused to say the reason. Later, he confessed to Qin Ping when they were alone, that it was because such an old child with a lack of legs was too troublesome to handle.

When he said this, Qin Ping finally understood that Wu Yue didn't want to take care of the child, so he simply spent some money to buy a prosthetic leg and let him take care of himself.

"His prosthetic leg looks quite expensive." In the kitchen, Ai Hua leaned on the counter while drinking coffee, she glanced at the living room and asked Qin Ping in a low voice, "Is it that cheap?"

Qin Ping stirred the soup in the sand jar and whispered in a low voice, "It's so unusable, you didn't see him walking crookedly just now. It's better to just use a cane. I rolled up his trousers earlier and looked at his knee, the skin is all broken, and it hurts to just look at it."

Ai Hua snorted and mocked her, "Do you still love him?"

Qin Ping stopped talking. Ai Hua took her phone and searched for a long time. She couldn't find the type of prosthesis Chu Dong was wearing anywhere. She quickly lost patience and turned the phone off, "With that Wu Yue's stupid brain, they could've been scammed."

Qin Ping was a little unhappy, "Don't say hurtful things."

"Am I wrong? Just look at how poor Wu Yue's now, he's reluctant to buy even a decent schoolbag. See, I don't care which dump this broken bag was taken from, but it's making carpet dirty." Ai Hua almost rolled her eyes, "What prosthetic limb, like a toy, fancy, it's better to just cut your legs off."

Qin Ping said, "It's fine," and motioned her not to talk any more. She scooped up the simmering soup into a bowl and carried it out of the kitchen.

"Dong'er, come and have some bone soup." Qin Ping sat down by the coffee table with a bowl, smiling and saying to Chu Dong, "I made it for you."

Chu Dong put down the pen and accepted the bowl obediently, "Thank you, Qin-Ma¹."

He called Qin Ping "Mother Qin" and Ai Hua "Mother Ai Hua" because Qin Ping said that they were his mother's best friends, and that Chu Dong could recognize them as his godmothers. Chu Dong called them "mother" sweetly. He gradually ceased to being shy and restrained like he was at the beginning, just like every child who lacked love showing attachment and trust. He took the initiative to contact Qin Ping and asked her weird questions that only children asked, expressing his willingness to go out and play. He even gradually stopped regularly asking "what's mom doing" and "can I see my mother". Attention and emotion transferred more to Qin Ping, as if she was his real mother.

Chu Dong quietly drank soup, Qin Ping sat aside reading his textbooks and notes, asking, "Dong'er's going to school?"

"Yes."

"You can't read or understand these books."

"I don't understand." Chu Dong showed a somewhat distressed expression, showing Qin Ping the textbook and pointing at the mathematical equation on it, "I haven't seen these before."

Qin Ping said, "Let your father enroll you in a make up class."

Chu Dong lowered his head and whispered, "It's too expensive."

Qin Ping stared at Ai Hua for a moment, Ai Hua glanced disdainfully and went inside with the coffee. Qin Ping touched Chu Dong head distressedly, she thought for a while and asked, "Isn't Dad going to hire you a tutor?"

Chu Dong rubbed his fingers and said nothing, Qin Ping said "It's fine, Mama Qin will give you a tutor, okay?"

Chu Dong Winter raised his head and looked at her dumbfounded. Qin Ping smiled and said, "I'll sign up for an online class so you can study at home."

Chu Dong showed a happy expression but soon put away his smile, shaking his head, "No, no, it's a lot of money."

"It doesn't matter, you don't need a lot of money for online classes. And studying is the most important thing, isn't it? Think, you'll only be more anxious if you go to class when the school starts, and the others have good grades but you don't."

Qin Ping warmly persuaded Chu Dong, he hesitated for a long time before nodding, blushing and hugging Qin Ping. He said thank you Qin-Ma, and his tone seemed touched and happy enough to cry.

Ai Hua came out of the room with her laptop and saw this warm scene, she sat down on the sofa and typed blankly on the keyboard. Qin Ping asked casually while watching Chu Dong write notes, "How's work?"

"There's this China Merchants Association that needs me to be on stage tonight." Ai Hua put her coffee cup down and continued to stare at the computer screen, "I need to change the slide show again."

Qin Ping remembered, "Is it that Huarui Group? I heard you say that Mr. Xu is also going."

Ai Hua coughed slightly, raising her eyebrows with some unnaturalness, "...Hmm. He heard that I'll be there to do the product introduction."

Chu Dong turned his eyes and caught Ai Hua's little movement. He looked down and saw a small blue flashdrive plugged into the side of the laptop.

He lowered his gaze and continued to read his book.

After leaving Ai Hua's house, Qin Ping sent Chu Dong back to the library as usual. When getting out of the car, Chu Dong turned around and hugged Qin Ping and said, "Thank you, Qin-Ma."

Qin Ping also smiled and hugged him, "Dong'er is getting more and more clingy now."

Chu Dong blushed shyly, he took his schoolbag and got out of the car, standing besides it and waving goodbye to her.

After the car drove away, Qin Ping received a call from Zhao Qian.

The woman didn't have a very good tone from the other end of the phone and asked her unhappily, "Are you still playing?"

Qin Ping said, "What playing? Isn't this all because of your divorce? Ai Hua and I are so busy every day trying to get a good relationship with your child, we're becoming your lapdogs."

Zhao Qian's tone became much weaker, "...What child, that strange she-male isn't my child."

Although Qin Ping and Zhao Qian grew up together, Zhao Qian didn't continue schooling after high school, while Qin Ping went to college until graduating. Qin Ping had been trying to correct the harmful ignorance driven into Zhao Qian's bones. Hearing her say this about her own child, she couldn't help but persuade gently, "Xiao Qian, he's not strange."

"Anyway, after Wu Yue's anger dissipates, I need to find a way to send him away, to some people without children, it's best if it's abroad." Zhao Qian muttered boredly on the phone, "I won't treat him badly. I'll send to some rich man's house, alright? I'm not really that kind of heartless person."

The line hung up.

In the evening, Wu Yue still came to pick up Chu Dong on time. After they got home, they talked briefly before Chu Dong took off his prostheses, took a change of clothes, and went straight to the bathroom for a bath. Wu Yue watched puzzled by the side, why is it that every time Chu Dong comes back from the library on weekends, he'd hurry to take a bath? And it usually took half an hour for him to come out.

Chu Dong went into the bathroom, sitting on a small stool and slowly tearing off a thin patch on the stump of his broken leg. After rubbing it with foam for a long time, it's red and swollen appearance seemed to be washed away. He turned on the shower, concentrating on washing his hair and taking a bath, carefully scrubbing every inch of skin on his body.

When he came out, Wu Yue had already heated the xiaolongbao he bought and cooked some porridge. He took the hair dryer to blow Chu Dong's hair and asked, "Why take a shower as soon as you get home?"

Chu Dong had changed into clean cotton pajamas. His washed body was warm and fragrant. He comfortably nestled into Wu Yue's arms and lowered his head to put on his prosthetic limb, "Because the outside is very dirty."

Wu Yue didn't know whether to laugh or cry, he thought that even though the child wasn't that old his obsession with cleanliness already wasn't small.

After blow-drying, the two had dinner together. Chu Dong picked up the schoolbag from the sofa and went inside the room. Wu Yue saw the bag in his hand, "Dong'er, why are you using my old schoolbag?"

Dong'er had already entered the room and replied quietly, "Because I like using Dad's things."

"That bag's too old, just use the new schoolbag Dad bought for you in the future, alright?"

"Okay."

When Chu Dong returned to his room, he sat alone by the table and put his schoolbag on top of it. A brand new schoolbag hung by the side, something Wu Yue had prepared for him a long time ago, there was a new stationery set stacked in a neat row on the table. He reached into the battered schoolbag and took out textbooks, notebooks, and a flashdrive.

The blue flashdrive quietly lay on the palm of his hand. Chu Dong looked at it under the light of the lamp and put it inside the bag again.

He clicked on his phone and opened a photo. The photo was of a handsome man in a formal dress suit and leather shoes. Chu Dong found this photo on the internet and saved it.

The man is called Xu Rui. Chu Dong took a long, long time, and slowly figured out the name from the sporadic and obscure conversations between Qin Ping and Ai Hua. Qin Ping calls him "Mr. Xu" and Ai Hua calls him "Xu Rui". Once, this name was associated with Zhao Qian, "they haven't separated yet" and "the house where she lived in was Mr. Xu's house before." Those conversations were quiet and kept away from him.

Chu Dong looked at the man's face again and turned off the phone.

At 6:30 in the evening, in the brightly lit hotel lobby, Ai Hua patted herself all over but couldn't find her flashdrive.

She became anxious, carefully remembering where her things could've fall. When she modified the slides in the afternoon, the flashdrive was still plugged into her laptop. Later, she finished modifying the slides and put the laptop on the coffee table while she went to pour herself a cup of coffee.

She remembered Qin Ping tidying up and helping the child tidy his textbooks and pens. Ai Hua quickly took out her cell phone and called Qin Ping.

Qin Ping answered the phone, "Ai Hua, what's the matter?"

"My flashdrive is gone. Did you see it when you were cleaning the coffee table earlier?"

"Oh? No... I didn't really pay attention."

Ai Hua became anxious: "It's very important, I need to use it now! Think quick, did you put it away?"

Qin Ping was urged by her and hesitated, "I didn't see... maybe it was when I was putting away Dong'er's textbooks, maybe it accidentally slipped in...? You know, Ai Hua, it's always hard to spot something so small²."

Ai Hua was about to lash out when Qin Ping anxiously said on the other end of the phone, "Dong'er just called me, wait," before hanging up.

On the other side, Qin Ping picked up the call, Chu Dong's voice was gentle and mild on the other end, with a little doubt, "Qin-Ma, there's a small blue flashdrive in my schoolbag. Is it yours?"

"Dong'er, so this is what happened. This is something that your Ai-Ma needs. She needs to have it right now, just wait for me—"

Qin Ping stopped talking. She wanted to tell Chu Dong to wait and get the flashdrive herself, but Wu Yue must be at home right now. If she goes there, if Wu Yue knows...

"Mother Ai Hua needs use it now?" Chu Dong's voice sounded again, "Then I'll send it to Mother Ai Hua, where is she?"

"Dong'er, isn't your father at home?"

"It's fine, I'll just say I went to the supermarket next door to buy things, and I'll be back soon." Chu Dong's voice was soft and calm, somehow calming down Win Ping's anxiety from the other side of the phone, "Dad... doesn't really care about me."

Qin Ping thought about it, her going to Chu Dong and then Ai Hua would result in too much time wasted, it was indeed better for Chu Dong to just send it there himself. She gave him an address and asked him to contact Ai Hua once he was close to the venue, she then asked Ai Hua to come out and pick him up.

After the line was hung up, Chu Dong got up and walked to the door of the room. He opened it and shouted, "Dad!"

Wu Yue, who was squatting in the bathroom brushing his shoes, heard the sound, "What's the matter?"

"My key is missing." Chu Dong helplessly pinched his finger and glanced at him, "It might've gotten lost in the library..."

Wu Yue put down what was in hand and took a pair of pants at random, he went to change, "It's fine, the library still isn't closed at this hour, I'll go look for it."

He quickly changed his clothes and put on shoes in the hallway. Chu Dong followed, sulking, "It's still hanging from the keychain you gave me."

Wu Yue rubbed his head and comforted, "Don't be afraid, they've definitely put it away, and Dad will surely get it back for you, don't you worry."

Chu Dong nodded and sent Wu Yue out.

The door was closed and Chu Dong returned to his room to change clothes. He changed into a white shirt and simple cotton trousers, still carrying the worn-out schoolbag that Wu Yue used when he was a child, he then went to the bathroom mirror to comb his hair.

The boy in front of the mirror looked clean and gentle, his white shirt lined his skin like snow, and his eyebrows were picturesque. Chu Dong looked at himself in the mirror, calmly fastening the top button of his shirt before turning to leave.

He left home and called a car on his cell phone, he got in the car after leaving the community and went directly to the address Qin Ping gave him. On the way there, he also talked to Ai Hua on the phone, and timidly explaining that he was on the way and would be there soon. Ai Hua was livid but helpless, only able to wait for him at the side entrance of the hotel.

Chu Dong arrived at the hotel 15 minutes early. At this time, guests from all walks of life were just arriving from China Merchants Association one after another, there were many cars parked in front of the hotel. When Chu Dong got off the bus and passed the hotel entrance, he saw many dressed-up men and women walking into the hotel while talking and laughing among themselves.

Chu Dong stopped, he stood in the shadow of a tree by the hillside in front of the hotel, his clear eyes scanned those people for a moment, sweeping across every male's face. There were still ten minutes before his appointment with Ai Hua, and he waited quietly.

Ai Hua appeared at the entrance of the hotel. Her dress tonight was very beautiful and eye-catching, but she couldn't hide the anxious look on her face while standing by the door. After a while, a man walked out of the hotel and talked to her. Ai Hua immediately adjusted her expression and talked to him with a smile.

Xu Rui. Chu Dong caught the man's face and his eyes were fixed. He then took the flashdrive out of his pocket, and walked out of the dim shadow of the tree and towards the bright door. He looked thin, helpless, and simple enough to appear inharmonious with everything around him. He just got close to the crowd and attracted attention.

The man's gaze moved away from Ai Hua's face and fell on Chu Dong's body in the distance behind her.

Ai Hua turned her head and saw Chu Dong. She was irritated but couldn't berate him in public. So she walked to the front Chu Dong in high heels and took the flashdrive from his hand, her eyes full of repressed anger and impatience. She said, "I told you to wait at the side door, what are you doing here?"

Chu Dong stood in front of her while clutching the straps of his schoolbag, "I couldn't find the side door..."

"If you couldn't find it, why didn't you call me?" Ai Hua became upset seeing his cowardly and ignorant state. Coming to this kind of place while carrying that broken schoolbag. She didn't know what went through Wu Yue's head to become this stingy. Ai Hua pressed down her anger and drove him away, "Hurry back."

She turned around and left, leaving Chu Dong behind. Chu Dong seemed to be frightened by this magnificent place. He looked around with a pair of uneasy doe eyes, meeting Xu Rui who was standing by the door and hadn't left yet. The fawn was taken aback and hurriedly ran away.

Chu Dong didn't leave the hotel but turned around, observed his surroundings, and entered through the side door he found.

He went into the hotel and met the staff, bowing awkwardly and blushingly explaining that he wanted to use the bathroom. The staff saw his schoolbag and age, and gave him directions. Chu Dong walked through the hall, found the bathroom, and entered the intersex section.

Chu Dong closed the door, there was no one in the bathroom. He went straight into a cubicle, and took out his mobile phone to call Wu Yue.

The line was quickly picked up, Wu Yue's voice came from the other end, "Dong'er, the administrator here said that he didn't find your key."

"How could that happen?" Chu Dong held the phone's microphone with one hand slightly covering it, his voice was small and soft, "I sat at the table by the window in Room 3, Area B, was there anything there?"

"I've looked for it, nothing. Does Dong'er think it fell somewhere else?"

"Then... I took a few books from a bookshelf today. That bookshelf is on Area D, ancient European history column, it's a little far away."

"Alright, I'll go there and look for it again."

"Alright." Chu Dong said softly, "Dad, I'll be waiting for you to come back."

He hung up the line, left the cubicle, and walked to the bathroom door. He paused for a moment, his eyes lowered. The brief gentleness when he called just now disappeared quickly, and he stared at the doorknob in front of him silently, thinking of something.

He thought, it doesn't matter, even if he's unsuccessful this time, there'll always be a chance next time.

Then, Chu Dong opened the door. The next moment, a man also walked out of the men's bathroom from next to him.

Xu Rui threw clean toilet paper into the trash can, raising his head as if he only saw him just now. He raised his eyebrows, and showed a kind smile, "Hello."

His heart, which had only slightly accelerated, became calm at this moment.

He opened his eyes wide, subconsciously taking a small step back. He stood still, holding his schoolbag baffled. The man looked at him with interest, teasing him, "Am I scary?"

Chu Dong lowered his head and whispered, "I don't know you."

"I'm a friend of your Auntie Ai Hua, you can call me Uncle Xu."

Chu Dong seemed to be frightened, and he stuck to the door nervously without speaking. Xu Rui didn't get close to him, but kept a very gentlemanly distance from him. He asked, "What's your name?"

"...Chu Dong."

"Chu Dong. It's a good name." Xu Rui's eyes were always on his face, faintly shining. His voice was soft, seemingly coaxing, "How old are you?"

"Sixteen years old."

Xu Rui smiled slightly, he then took a step forward.

The child became surprised and looked up at him. Those eyes were as beautiful as a pair of transparent jade dipped in rain and dew. The eyelashes were as long as a doll's, and the lips were small and ruddy. The skin was fair and delicate, the cloth cicada's wings exploring the white jade-esque flesh underneath.

Xu Rui stared at Chu Dong's red lips from bottom to top. His secret desires began to boil blood from the depths of his body.

"Chu Dong, how about we become friends?"