Chapter 240: outsider, renter, model teen.

Xiaochi Chi is standing in front of Ying Lou's house.

Ying Lou, my sister-in-law and my aunt's husband are not at home.

Through the window, he looked away from the rolled-up bedding on Ying Lou's bed, his palm leaving a sweaty mark on the glass covered with the corpses of tiny flying insects.

To be fair, Ying Lou's sister-in-law's family has been very good to Ying Lou.

When Ying Lou first moved in, her sister-in-law had a thin wall built to separate the couple's bed from Ying Lou's, giving him a separate room and a place for a bookshelf and desk in the already tight room. Ying Lou was fed and clothed with the best she could afford, for fear that the neighbors would say that she, as a sister-in-law, treated her motherless child harshly.

...... but that's all in the past.

Xiaochi Chi along the door, slowly sliding on the floor, the back of the head against the door, but surprisingly feel a long-lost peace of mind.

These days, he sleeps an average of two hours a day, and when he closes his eyes, he is overwhelmed by the smell of blood, the smell of men's head oil, the smell of baked soft tarmac, and the cold, icy grits of Morgue.

Only by returning here could he remember what it was like to be sleepy.

He leaned against the door panel and slept peacefully until dark, until he was vigorously shaken awake.

Xiaochi Chi opened her eyes and saw Ying Lou's sister-in-law and aunt.

He wanted to get up, but both feet were numb, uncomfortable like a million ants gnawing together, he could not move, and could not say anything for a while, could only grit his teeth and look up at the two.

"Why did you come here to sleep again? Don't you have a home?" He heard Ying Lou's aunt say coldly, "You're not welcome here."

Xiaochi Chi slowly stood up.

After the incident, he tried to come to Ying Lou's house more than once to explain.

But every time, the house is either empty or pretending to be empty.

In Xiaochi Chi's opinion, the culprit in this matter is Shoucheng Zhu.

In the opinion of Xiaochi Chi's parents, the culprit is Ying Lou.

In the opinion of Ying Lou's relatives, the culprit is Xiaochi Chi.

Xiaochi Chi held the door and slowly got up, lowered his head, and his voice was soft: "Uncle, auntie, why do you ...... want to say forget it to the police?"

Ying Lou's aunt frowned and looked like he wanted to say something nasty, but was stopped by Ying Lou's sister-in-law.

My aunt bristled and pushed Xiaochi Chi to the side, ready to take the key and open the door.

Xiaochi Chi reached out and covered the lock eyes.

He no longer had the strength to speak aloud: "...... If you guys don't leave him alone, there will really be no one left to take care of him."

Ying Lou's aunt looked around and noticed that there were neighbors poking their heads in, looking like they were happy to see the gossip, and with a slight change of expression, he forcibly pulled Xiaochi Chi's hand away and opened the door, first letting his wife in and then reaching out to pull Xiaochi Chi in.

After making sure the door was closed, he yelled in a low voice, "We're not going after you, and you're still coming here? What the hell do you want?"

Xiaochi Chi's feet are still numb and he can't stand very still.

He said softly, "I've inquired, I'm not old enough to sue him without a guardian instead. Uncle, aunt, you are Lou's last relatives, please, please, don't leave him alone."

The aunt asked, "Sue who?"

" Shoucheng Zhu ." Xiaochi Chi raised his head, "He was the one who pushed Lou down, I saw it with my own eyes."

When they heard the news, Ying Lou's sister-in-law and uncle just looked at each other.

Ying Lou's aunt breathed a sigh of relief, determined to solve this stalker: "We have known about this for a long time. Mr. Zhu came to the door to say that he had accidentally pushed Ying Lou down. He apologized to us and paid for it, the police came and didn't investigate anything. Ying Lou his aunt and I discussed the matter, there is no need to make a big deal ...... so let's leave it at that."

Xiaochi Chi opened his mouth.

...... "That's it."

A human life, that's all.

He hissed and played the emotional card that no longer made much sense: "Uncle, aunt, Lou was brought up by you guys ...... you can't ......"

At these words, Ying Lou's sister-in-law turned her face away and let out a long sob.

The aunt took his sister-in-law in his arms, patted his wife on the shoulder and calmed her down for a while, but when he faced Xiaochi Chi again, his only patience ran out.

"What are you talking about? Are we still to blame for this? We have already worked hard to feed him and make him well. What else do you want us to do? What else can we do? This was an accident, and Mr. Zhu promised to tell the public that Ying Lou fell down accidentally when he went to his house for tutoring. What else do you want to do? To bring him into disrepute in the building and our family into disrepute? How will we have the money to move when that happens? Besides, Ying Lou was originally a good kid, but since he's been hanging out with you every day, his heart is all broken and he's not doing his job all day, following you around. We didn't bother with you because his grades weren't bad, and now you're questioning us?"

Xiaochi Chi is very cold.

In vain he argued, "I ......"

The aunt's husband took out all his frustration on Xiaochi Chi: "How old are you? You say we don't care about him! Do you know how much it costs to file a lawsuit? In the end, our family's reputation will be ruined, and we may not be able to get so much compensation, what will we do in the end?"

Ying Lou's sister-in-law knew that her husband had gone too far and waved her hand, indicating to her aunt not to be so impulsive.

She was a very mild-tempered to the point of weakness, and said in a thin voice, "It's my fault for not educating Xiao Ying well and causing trouble for others. Mr. Zhu even compensated us with money, which is already considered kind and righteous."

"...... is a full eight thousand." Ying Lou's aunt interjected, "People are gone, we are stalking Mr. Zhu again, not to let other people in the building look funny for nothing? The family is greedy and insatiable?"

"It's not like that. Lou is not wrong ......" Xiaochi Chi mustered up enough courage, intending to tell the story he's told countless times again, "If it wasn't for saving me, he wouldn't ...... "

The scars are used to tear, it is numb.

Who knows, Ying Lou's aunt no longer has the patience to listen to him, simply said, "Ying Lou has been cremated today, there is no use for you to say anything."

Xiaochi Chi froze.

His voice was as soft as his heartbeat at the moment: "What ......"

He didn't even know about it.

No one told him.

He hadn't had time to see Lou one last time.

"This summer, where the body can be stored, if not burned, it will stink." The aunt said, "It has been buried today. Beimang cemetery."

Xiaochi Chi's throat created a whirlpool that swept down all the words he wanted to say.

" Chi Xiao , it's not that we don't care. I have also suspected that Little Shadow is not such a person." Aunt Xiao said in a soft voice, "But we are all very tired, and we really don't have the heart and mind to manage this matter now."

Said, she raised her hand to touch the small belly: "...... you are also a big child, aunt is not afraid of you joke. I am pregnant. The factory organization physical examination when found out, yesterday out of the report card, the child is almost two months, very healthy."

Xiaochi Chi pronounced a short syllable, "...... ah."

...... He knows and understands.

Xiaochi Chi and Ying Lou have known each other for years and know each other's families inside and out.

Ying Lou's sister-in-law and her husband have been married for many years, but they have never had any children. I heard that it was the man's problem, and they have been treated for many years, but they have not seen any improvement.

So they are taking care of Ying Lou because they want to have something to fall back on in their old age.

Now it's good, they finally have a child.

To be brutally honest, Ying Lou, for this small family, is ultimately an outsider.

With that in mind, Xiaochi Chi went back to Ying Lou's room and thought about how it would look like as a nursery.

My aunt's husband was eager to rest after a busy day, and his words already had the meaning of an expulsion order: "Do you still have something to do?"

Xiaochi Chi heard himself say, "Yes."

He staggered to his feet, held the back of his chair with one hand, turned to the two, and slowly knelt down.

This kneeling, the two adults are kneeling confused.

My sister-in-law reached out to help him, "Aiya, Chi Xiao, what are you talking about? Don't kneel down, get up."

Xiaochi Chi rippled, and his voice lowered and steadier: "Uncle, aunt, I beg you one thing. ...... don't take away Lou's room."

The aunt's husband immediately quit: "This is our family's family business, you don't ......"

"You listen to me." Xiaochi Chi raised his head slightly and looked straight into his aunt's eyes, his body swaying a bit, but an emotion settling in his eyes in black and white, "Don't take Lou's room, don't move his things. You guys rent this room to me, okay."

My aunt snorted, "You have to pay to rent a room."

Xiaochi Chi's hand slid off the edge of the chair and dropped to his side, "I'll pay."

Ying Lou's sister-in-law and aunt are silent.

Xiaochi Chi, with a wooden face, said, "I have inquired. The price of renting a room in this area, one room, one kitchen, one bathroom, 500 yuan a month. Our building kitchen toilet common, Lou and only a small room, I rented down, 200 yuan a month, you do not lose ......"

With that, he looked at Ying Lou's sister-in-law: "The child will need the money, won't he?"

The sister-in-law didn't know what to do and turned her head to look at her husband.

This is not a small amount of money, and my aunt was already subconsciously looking around with his eyes, estimating where the crib should be placed outside the room, when he was tugged twice by his wife, before he returned to his senses.

He asked, "Would your parents approve."

"I don't need their permission, and I ask you not to talk to them." Xiaochi Chi said, "The money, I can earn it myself."

Xiaochi Chi left Ying Lou's sister-in-law's house after reaching a preliminary agreement of no deposit, monthly payments, and a price that would follow the market.

He held onto the wall and took one step down the hallway.

At this time of day, the residents of the silo have dispersed, snoring and insect sounds are intertwined in the hallway, while Xiaochi Chi's footsteps are too soft to be heard.

Alone, he walked from the first floor to the second floor.

The dark corridor is usually his biggest fear.

He walked up the staircase where the sound control light was broken, pressed himself against the wall, and called softly, "Brother Lou. Brother Lou."

Soon, he laughed silently at his own antics.

He laughed as he walked, his shoulders shaking, so much so that he squatted down at the corner of the stairs, burying his face in his knees, his shoulders shrugging one after another, laughing until he almost choked.

The next day, Shoucheng Zhu's son and daughter-in-law received the news and came to visit their "frightened" father.

They carry large bags, well-dressed, I heard that is in the city where business, making a lot of money.

Xiaochi Chi stays at home, his back against the wall, listening to the faint sounds of conversation coming from over the wall.

"Dad, is everything okay."

"It's fine, it's fine, you see I'm fine."

"I heard it was a burglary thief? The thief has unclean hands and feet, moral corruption, dead, you must not take it to heart."

"I know, I know."

"Dad, after such an incident, is it appropriate for you to live here again? Why don't you come to live with us in the city? Mei and I have discussed, after the year to change the house, the two rooms into three rooms, for you to live."

"No. Your father is still early to retire, he can still work for a few more years. Those kids love me, they can't live without me."

"Then, Dad, let me change your set of doors and windows."

"Hey, okay. What do you want to eat for lunch? I'll buy you some yellowtail to make soup?"

"Dad, don't move, we know where the market is, I'll go with May to buy one later. May, you go and bring that apple to Dad-"

"Then I'll put the garbage at the door, and you remember to take it out later."

Xiaochi Chi stood up.

He didn't want to hear any more about it.

He went out and reached the door of Shoucheng Zhu's house when it happened to emanate from inside with a rather sharp creak.

Inside, Shoucheng Zhu's face is revealed.

With a half-peeled apple in his left hand and a bag of garbage in his right, he looked through a screen door at Xiaochi Chi.

Half a long time later, he suddenly revealed a bizarre smile.

Shoucheng Zhu asked him, "...... still want to eat green bean lollipop?"

Xiaochi Chi ignored him, carried his backpack, and fled with great strides.

He escaped Shoucheng Zhu, and also escaped the people gathered downstairs in twos and threes to gossip.

It is true that Shoucheng Zhu did not go out and talk nonsense about Ying Lou's "theft".

But the hell of it is, he didn't deny it either.

The police came, asked about Ying Lou's reputation, asked about the semiconductor incident that had happened to Ying Lou, and for the imaginative people in the building, naturally they were able to piece together a set of "truths" that they wanted.

Xiaochi Chi did not want to stay in this place, not even for a moment.

It's a good thing he has an appointment today.

Yesterday, Yu Zi asked Xiaochi Chi out for a casual dinner.

She loved this stubborn and headstrong teenager, but the bad news was that she couldn't help him much at all.

Yu Zi can't do anything except put food in his bowl when he eats.

She hid her frustration and put a chopstick of shabu-shabu into his bowl, "Eat more. Look at you, just in the past few days, you've lost a lot of weight."

Xiaochi Chi stuffed his mouth with food: "Sister Zi, you want to see me for something, right?"

Before Yu Zi had a chance to speak, Xiaochi Chi had already guessed: "...... closed the case?"

Yu Zi took another piece of lotus root from the hot pot and didn't want to talk about it: "Hmm."

In small places, there are many cases without a head, which happen in a confusing way and are closed in a confusing way.

Xiaochi Chi blew on the bowl and rolled the lotus root slices in the sesame sauce, "Mmm."

Yu Zi : "Sorry."

"There's nothing to be sorry about." Xiaochi Chi said, "It's not that you're sorry."

Yu Zi really doesn't want Xiaochi Chi to indulge in his emotions too much.

So she pulled away, "What are you doing these days?"

Xiaochi Chi replied, "Brush the dishes."

"...... eh?"

"For the time being, I don't make much money." Xiaochi Chi stepped into his mouth. Xiaochi Chi to mouth pick up vegetables, "clothing street there recently popular live models, I heard that the salary is quite a lot, but do this line of work more women, less men. I'm going to try."

"But you're only fourteen ......"

"I don't look like that." Xiaochi Chi looked up from the bowl and blinked, "Sister Zi, when the time comes, if you meet me on street patrol or something, don't tear me down."

The little playfulness of the teenager that comes out from time to time in his demeanor always makes Yu Zi's heart sink.

Yu Zi advised him, "You are still so young, don't rush to earn money. It's only serious to study well."

Xiaochi Chi said briefly, "I will."

Yu Zi thought he didn't take it to heart, his tone was slightly more urgent: "Listen to Sister Zi, get your grades right, walk out of here in a dignified manner in the future, don't stay in this place. You can fly farther, this is really not the place for--"

"...... Sister Zi."

Xiaochi Chi put down his chopsticks, "Thank you."

Yu Zi a little embarrassed, grabbed the hat: "Do not say thank you, sister did not help you anything. I have already bought the bill, the Institute a bunch of things to do, you eat here slowly, do not rush."

At the end, she added a bit heartily, "...... don't feel too bad either."

Xiaochi Chi smiled, "I'm fine. I can take it."

After Yu Zi left, Xiaochi Chi took out a cell phone and buried his face under the table, typing words on it.

While collecting Ying Lou's belongings, he found two used cell phones.

This era, a cell phone, is definitely considered a rare thing.

One belongs to Ying Lou and the other is a gift that hasn't been given out yet.

The phone was tied with a small ribbon and placed in a gift box. When Xiaochi Chi charged it up and turned it on, she realized that Ying Lou had modified the root file of the phone with some tool.

The opening screen is a firework, scattered smoke and dust eventually gathered into a line.

...... wishes Chi Xiao a happy 15th birthday.

Xiaochi Chi's 14th birthday is just a few months away, and his 15th is still a long way off, but Ying Lou already has a gift for him.

And now Xiaochi Chi is holding his head against the table, texting Ying Lou with the birthday present she had intended to give him.

He said, "Brother Lou, Sister Zi invited me to dinner. Hot pot, it's delicious."

After sending successfully, he stuffed his phone into his coat pocket and stuffed the bowl full of food that Zi gave him uninterruptedly into his mouth until it filled a mouth to the brim.

He chewed his food like a little squirrel, taking a sour taste out of the bite.

He clutched the bowl, tears falling down, but did not cry out even a single cry.

After dinner, he had work to do.

He wants to keep the last little trace of Lou in the world, so he can't spend the money Lou has saved up to pay the rent, because those are also part of the evidence that Lou once existed.

This summer, Xiaochi Chi worked a lot of jobs.

However, there are too many jobs that require ID cards, and jobs such as running errands, washing dishes, etc. earn too little.

Finally, he went to the clothing street and was successful in applying for a job in a men's clothing store owned by a woman.

In a short period of time, Xiaochi Chi, who has always been sensitive and thin-skinned, quickly learned to pose and pose in the mixed clothing street, running around the streets handing out flyers, helping the boss's wife to stock and move the goods, dealing with the flirtation of male and female customers, either kindly or maliciously, and helping the boss's wife to take care of the small thugs who come to collect money.

Xiaochi Chi shape is very outstanding, and long legs and hands, is a natural clothes rack, a little dress is the whole body of teenage valiant, even if the quality and the slightly inferior version of the clothes fall on him, he can wear a unique taste to.

Because of him, the boss lady has a lot of repeat customers.

Xiaochi Chi lied that he was in high school, something happened at home, and needed money urgently, the boss lady did not suspect, and agreed with him that if he could commute, he would be paid 600 yuan a month, and when he went to school, he would have to report here every Saturday and Sunday, and he would be paid 250 yuan a month.

At the end of the summer, Xiaochi Chi drew a basin of water, dipped his tattooed feet in it, and used a wire ball to scrub the tattoos off.

Everyone says that Xiaochi Chi has changed.

Since the end of the summer, his grades have skyrocketed.

Usually, teachers always like to use "so-and-so is very smart, but just do not like to read" to teach, but also know that most of the students with poor grades, and smart is not linked, and can not say directly, so can only use "just do not like to read" to general encouragement and The first thing you can do is to use the phrase "just don't like to read" to encourage and redeem yourself.

Xiaochi Chi is different.

He is really not a big reader, but really smart enough.

In a year's time, Xiaochi Chi's grades rocketed to Ying Lou's former high school as everyone watched in amazement.

The funny thing is, when Xiaochi Chi didn't want anything from anyone anymore, the luck came to him.

A professional model manager, while accompanying his wife and sister-in-law to the clothing street, saw Xiaochi Chi modeling in front of the floor-to-ceiling window.

Later, Xiaochi Chi ended her career as a fashion street model for a whole year, said goodbye to her boss and went away with the manager.

Prices are going up, the price of renting an apartment is going up, and it's time for him to find a new job.

When filling out the modeling card, the manager asked him if he wanted to consider going full time since he was in such a good position.

Xiaochi Chi speaks with the accent of an adult: "It's not necessary."

The manager also knows that his grades are not bad, quit school to engage in this, a bit of a waste, so mentioned a mouth on it.

Xiaochi Chi's pen stopped at the "English Name" column.

The manager said, "This is more fashionable these days, with English names, it is fashionable to say out. But if you have it, fill it in, if not, forget it."

Xiaochi Chi said, "I have."

With that, he filled in the field with his English name.

......July-Chi.

The manager was curious: "July? You were born in July?"

Xiaochi Chi tilted his head slightly and replied, "No, I died in July."

The manager was so confused that he simply pretended that he had heard wrong.

For good-looking people, it doesn't matter much at all about personality and eccentric behavior.

The manager knew that Xiaochi Chi had many eccentricities, and at a young age, he could smoke and drink, like a perpetual motion machine that never needed rest or sleep, knew how to listen to people and understand the world, but was not very talkative, and often went to a public high school to wait for someone.

The manager thought that maybe it was his little girlfriend who was studying here.

The manager lives near the public high school, and on several occasions when he was driving from work, he could see Xiaochi Chi hanging around after her evening study.

The teenager in the white shirt leaned against the mottled white railing, carrying a heavy school bag, with a cigarette in his hand, looking across the road at the public high school, looking faint, not knowing what he was thinking.

The two puffs of smoke, he lowered his head, one-handedly pressed the exercise book on the railing to do the problem, a moment called people difficult to distinguish whether he was a small gangster or a good student.