Afternoon.
The winter’s cold wind made Dong Xuebing shiver.
After getting chased out of the house, Dong Xuebing went downstairs alone. He looked at the Porsche and Land Rover and felt his pockets. He realized he had forgotten to bring his keys. He didn’t even have his wallet and identification card with him. All he got was a mobile phone.
Should I go back and get it?
Never mind. Dong Xuebing could not return as Luan Xiaoping was still mad at him. He had to wait until his mother calmed down.
Where should I go?
Dong Xuebing called Xie Huilan with his phone.
Ring… ring… ring…. Xie Huilan answered. “Hello?”
“Huilan, I don’t have my wallet with me. Can you throw it out of the window?”
Before Xie Huilan could answer, Luan Xiaoping shouted. “Don’t give him anything! Let him starve to death! I don’t have a son like him!”
Xie Huilan smiled wearily. “Mum, Xiao Bing is….”
“Who cares about him? Let him die on the streets. Just ignore him!” Dong Xuebing’s eardrums almost burst.
Xie Huilan replied helplessly. “Did you hear that?”
“Yes…. Never mind. I will think of a way.” Dong Xuebing bowed his head dejectedly.
Xie Huilan paused for a second and said. “It’s Saturday today, and you don’t need to work these two days. Just go to the City Party Committee Guesthouse and stay for two nights. I will call them to prepare a room for you.”
“No need. Just leave me alone.”
“Alright. Be careful.”
“Ok. Call me if anything happens and try to appease Mum. Let her calm down.”
“I know what to do. Don’t worry.”
Luan Xiaoping yelled. “Why are you wasting your breath talking to him? Just hang up!”
Xie Huilan immediately replied. “Yes. I will ignore him.”
Du… du… du…. The line was cut.
Dong Xuebing sighed as he kept his phone. He did not have any money and had nowhere to go. Where is he going to sleep tonight? He did not have many friends and relatives in the City, and it would be inconvenient to trouble them. Moreover, he did not want to let his friends know he was kicked out of his house. That’s why he refused to go to the Guesthouse.
The streets were crowded on weekends.
Dong Xuebing walked the streets alone and being homeless frustrated him.
Sigh… sigh… sigh….
I had brought this upon myself. Who can I blame?
Everything was caused by Dong Xuebing.
Dong Xuebing had nowhere to go, and he wandered. He reached a neighborhood garden on the City’s western side and sat on a bench in the cold. He was in a bad situation with no money or warm clothing. He looked at the convenience store diagonally opposite the garden. He could not even afford a bottle of warm milk. He is a multi-millionaire and a Deputy Division Chief leader with the City Commission for Discipline Inspection. This was embarrassing. He lowered his head to avoid being recognized by others.
Ten minutes….
Half an hour….
One hour….
The wind started to pick up.
Dong Xuebing remembered the weather forecast yesterday, saying it would rain today. He took out his phone and checked his phonebook. Geng Yuehua was still hospitalized. People might get the wrong idea if he went to Luo Haiting’s place. Yu Meixia worked in the bank, and Qianqian and her were living with her parents. How will he explain his situation if he goes to his colleagues’ place?
Dong Xuebing had no idea where to go.
When Dong Xuebing was about to call Aunt Xuan and Xie Huilan to send him money, his phone died.
Endless troubles….
Maybe God is punishing him.
Heaven seemed to have heard Dong Xuebing’s inner voice, and there was a loud clap of thunder. The rain started falling.
It was drizzling and not a downpour.
“It’s raining!”
“Let’s go home now.”
“Sigh…. This weather is so unpredictable.”
Dong Xuebing’s hair and clothes were getting wet as he looked at the residents rushing home. All he could do was take shelter under a tree. Thunders became louder, and he felt taking shelter under the tree was dangerous. He clenched his teeth and started walking out of that neighborhood. He waited along the streets for about five minutes before a taxi stopped in front of him.
Inside the taxi.
The driver asked. “Where are you going, young man?”
Dong Xuebing hesitated for a few seconds and said. “Go to Nan Shan District.”
“Nan Shan District is too far.” The driver refused to drive there. “How about you get another taxi? I seldom drive long distances.”
Dong Xuebing replied. “Sorry to trouble you, Sir. It’s hard to get a taxi in this weather. I had waited for a while before you stopped.”
The driver thought for a second and agreed unwillingly. “Alright.”
“Thank you.” Dong Xuebing swiped his wet hair and looked out of the window.
Dong Xuebing had just returned from Nan Shan District this morning and had to go back in the afternoon.
Nan Shan District.
The traffic was slow because of the rain, and the taxi took two hours to reach its destination.
Dong Xuebing pointed to an old neighborhood entrance and asked the taxi to stop there. This neighborhood was Nan Shan District Leaders’ family quarters. He had come here with Xu Yan before. Vehicles could not enter the neighborhood without entry permits. He had thought for a long time before coming to look for Xu Yan. He was close to her, and she would not make fun of him. She was also divorced and living alone. State Security is not under the City Government’s jurisdiction, and no one will say anything. Most importantly, she was in her forties, and Xie Huilan, Aunt Xuan, and his mother would not suspect anything if they found out he went to her place.
Outside of the neighborhood.
The taxi stopped.
Dong Xuebing said to the driver. “Please wait here while I make a call at the guardhouse.
The driver asked. “Are you fetching someone to go elsewhere?”
“No.” Dong Xuebing felt embarrassed to say this. “I had left my wallet at home. I am calling my friend to pay the fare.”
The driver replied unhappily. “Hurry up and call your friend.”
Dong Xuebing got out and ran to the guardhouse. It’s been a while since he checked the price tags. He could spend millions of RMB without thinking. But now, he could not even afford his taxi fare. Sigh….
Entrance of the neighborhood.
A guard stopped Dong Xuebing. “Who are you looking for?”
Dong Xuebing replied. “I am looking for Chief Xu Yan.”
The guard frowned. “I did not receive any notifications. Sorry, you can’t enter.”
Dong Xuebing pointed to the guardhouse. “Can you help me call Chief Xu? I will speak to her.” The guard hesitated, and Dong Xuebing continued. “Hey pal, I had come here several times, and my phone died today. Can you let me use the phone?”
“Alright. How do I address you?”
“My surname is Dong.”
The guard brought Dong Xuebing to the guardhouse and dialed a number on the intercom. Someone answered.
The guard said. “Chief Xu, Mr. Dong is here to visit you.”
A middle-aged woman replied. “Mr. Dong? Xiao Dong? Can you pass the phone to him?”
The guard passed the phone to Dong Xuebing. “Old Leader, it’s me. Xiao Dong.”
Xu Yan replied. “Why are you visiting me on a rainy day today? Why didn’t you call first? Come up now.”
Dong Xuebing cleared his throat. “Err…. I can’t go up now.”
Xu Yan was surprised. “Huh? What’s wrong?”
Dong Xuebing replied embarrassedly. “I…. Can you lend me some money for the taxi fare? I took a taxi from Xi Ping District. Err…. I was in a rush when I left home and did not have my wallet. So….”
Xu Yan was amused. “Alright. I know.”
“Thank you.”
“Pass the phone to the guard.”
The guard answered. “Chief Xu.”
Xu Yan said sternly. “My Godson had forgotten to bring his wallet. You must be the new guard, Xiao Yu, right? Can you pay the taxi fare for my Godson first? I will return you the money tomorrow.”
Chief Xu’s Godson?!
The guard quickly agreed. “Yes. No problem.”
The guard’s attitude towards Dong Xuebing changed after hanging up. He took out his wallet and ran to the taxi to pay the fare.
Dong Xuebing shook the guard’s hand and thanked him. “Thank you.”
The guard replied. “Don’t worry about it. Chief Xu is waiting for you.”
It was a memorable day for Dong Xuebing. He had never been in such an awkward situation.
