Reservoir Dogs chapter 74

Gift

The next day at work, the drunken incident revealed hidden secrets. Xiao Zhou was ostracized by his colleagues; no one dared talk to him or tell him what to do, while whispers behind his back grew.

Xiao Zhou didn’t mind the isolation, but the frequent idleness made him feel awkward. His free time meant others had to take on more work, increasing their dissatisfaction. Complaints reached the supervisor, who had a talk with him. To avoid making things difficult for the supervisor, Xiao Zhou resigned voluntarily.

Leaving the restaurant early, he bought some things and went home to see Liu Xia.

He was surprised to find the house being renovated. Liu Xia and several workers were busy painting walls and moving furniture. Xiao Zhou quickly put down his things and helped, insisting his mother rest.

As they worked, Liu Xia explained that the old house’s wiring and plumbing had deteriorated. Xiao Ping felt it was unsafe, so he used the money Xiao Zhou had previously given to spruce it up and make it feel more like home. Liu Xia smiled contentedly as she spoke, feeling relieved that her sons had grown up and she no longer had to worry as much.

While moving things in the living room, Xiao Ping’s room remained closed and quiet.

Xiao Zhou asked about it, and Liu Xia told him to keep his voice down, explaining that Xiao Ping had been diligently studying, preparing for a new opportunity to study abroad. An agency had arranged everything, and he was preparing for the TOEFL, with a high chance of success.

Xiao Zhou worried that Xiao Ping might be scammed. How could such an opportunity come out of nowhere for someone who had been out of school for years?

Liu Xia looked uneasy and, after Xiao Zhou’s repeated questioning, cautiously revealed that Jiang Chengyuan had helped find the school and contacts. Feeling indebted, Liu Xia was somewhat embarrassed. When Jiang Chengyuan visited unexpectedly, she had spoken candidly about their situation. Jiang Chengyuan had been very enthusiastic, saying that if Xiao Ping had the drive, he should help if he could. Liu Xia thought such a good opportunity should not be missed, as it was crucial for Xiao Ping’s future.

Xiao Zhou paused, his hand holding the roller brush momentarily. The chaos at home had been resolved and things were back on track. He suddenly felt like he was clinging to Jiang Chengyuan like a leech, almost despicable.

At noon, he went out to buy groceries and prepared a meal, inviting the renovation worker to eat with them. Xiao Ping only came out of his room during dinner, with earbuds in his ears, mumbling to himself. Seeing Xiao Zhou, he was pleasantly surprised, “Ge, you’re here? Why didn’t you call me?”

Xiao Zhou placed the tender, braised pork in front of them and wiped his hands with an apron. “Mom said you’re studying and didn’t want to disturb you.”

Xiao Ping felt a bit embarrassed, scratching his head. “I don’t know if it’ll work out this time.” He took off his earbuds and proudly showed Xiao Zhou his new phone. “Ge, look, this is the one Yuan Ge gave me.”

Xiao Zhou frowned. “Yuan Ge? Who told you to call him that?”

Xiao Ping scratched his head and said, “I didn’t know what to call him. Calling him ‘brother-in-law’ doesn’t fit, calling him ‘uncle’ messes up the generations, so I just called him ‘Yuan Ge’. And he doesn’t mind.”

Xiao Zhou was taken aback by the term ‘brother-in-law.’ After a while, he asked, “Why did he buy you a phone?”

Xiao Ping said, “It’s because of the study abroad issue. I wanted to keep his number handy in case I needed to ask him something. When he saw me struggling with my phone, he had someone deliver one to me the next day.” He smiled widely, “He’s quite handsome. You wouldn’t think he’s almost forty. He’s down-to-earth, generous, and his temper is great. Many things get done without a fuss, very impressive.”

Hearing Jiang Chengyuan praised like this made Xiao Zhou feel oddly mixed—somewhat pleased and somewhat uncomfortable. This kind of behavior was too familiar, Jiang Chengyuan’s usual method of gaining people’s favor by showing subtle concern and material benefits.

But it was rare for Jiang Chengyuan to spend this kind of effort on him.

Xiao Ping suddenly said with a serious face, “Ge, I originally thought your relationship with him was absurd, but now I can trust him with you.”

Xiao Zhou looked over, unable to hold back a laugh. “What’s there to trust? It’s me who’s your elder brother, not you who’s mine. A phone has bought you off so easily, you’re too cheap.”

“It’s not just about the phone. I just think he’s a good person. I was worried you’d be bullied. If you weren’t happy, I’d have to find a way to deal with that alpha. But now, it seems I don’t need to intervene.” Xiao Ping joked, sitting down and grabbing chopsticks. “Huh? I didn’t know you could cook so well?”

Xiao Zhou swatted his hand. “You came to the table without even washing your hands?”

Xiao Ping made a face and obediently went to wash his hands.

After finishing up some work in the afternoon, Xiao Zhou left the house. With time still on his side, he went for a stroll in the mall.

Choosing a gift was particularly taxing. He had wanted to ask Sun Xu for advice, but something had happened at the law firm recently, and Sun Xu was incredibly busy. Their calls were cut short, and Xiao Zhou felt too embarrassed to keep bothering him.

His earnings from the restaurant were just over three thousand a month. After deducting the cost of alcohol, there was less than two thousand left. He didn’t want to touch the prize money from previous competitions since it came from an unreliable source. He didn’t think it was worth using as a gift.

During his first visit to a luxury store, he looked at usual items like cufflinks, ties, and suits, but the prices were quite frightening. His budget was a bit pathetic—he couldn’t afford the high-end stuff, and Jiang Chengyuan would surely dislike anything of lower quality. Traditional gifts were no longer an option. Besides, if Jiang Chengyuan wanted these things, it would be easy for him to get them himself. Receiving too many of the same kind of gift made it less meaningful.

Wandering aimlessly in the mall, he suddenly smelled a pleasant fragrance. Following the scent, he found a uniquely decorated store.

By the time he left the store, it was already dark. In just a short two hours, he had unintentionally accumulated six months’ worth of debt.

The scorching summer had passed, and the weather was cooling down towards autumn. A breeze picked up in the evening, bringing a grayish gloom to the streets.

With the sleeves of his shirt feeling a bit chilly, Xiao Zhou walked a few steps with his hands in his pockets. As he reached an intersection, a black car blocked his way. At first, he thought it was just someone parking badly, but when he moved aside, the black car moved with him.

Xiao Zhou stopped, becoming wary.

The rear window of the car rolled down, revealing a familiar, thin face. “Mr. Xiao, we meet again.”

Xiao Zhou stared at him. “Are you looking for me?”

Liu Neng smiled and nodded. “I’d like to discuss something with you. Can you get in the car?”

Xiao Zhou took a step back. “Is there something we can’t discuss here?”

Liu Neng said, “It might be inconvenient. Someone wants to see you.”

“Who?”

“Someone who appreciates you very much.” Liu Neng continued to smile. The front passenger door opened, and a tall man in black with a muscular build stepped out.

Xiao Zhou clenched his fists, his gaze turning fierce. “What if I don’t go with you?”

Liu Neng moved his chin slightly, and Xiao Zhou saw the man holding a gun. Liu Neng said, “Don’t worry, it’s not a bullet. It’s a new type of tranquilizer gun. The drug inside is powerful enough to knock out a bull. You wouldn’t want things to escalate to that point, would you?”

Xiao Zhou’s tightly clenched fists gradually loosened.

Liu Neng pushed open the back door of the car, moved a seat aside, and gestured for Xiao Zhou to get in. The man in black continued to watch him from outside the car.

As Xiao Zhou got into the car, Liu Neng suddenly pulled out a black cloth to cover his eyes. The moment he touched Xiao Zhou, Xiao Zhou gripped Liu Neng’s wrist tightly, his fingers pressing hard enough to make the bones crack. Liu Neng winced in pain and, in an instant, the cold barrel of a gun was pressed against Xiao Zhou’s temple.

Liu Neng gasped in pain and explained, “For safety reasons, you need to be blindfolded during the drive. Don’t worry, I don’t mean any harm. I just want to invite you as a guest.”

Xiao Zhou’s grip slowly relaxed, and the gun against his temple was also removed. Liu Neng placed the black cloth over his eyes, and his vision was instantly blocked, causing all of Xiao Zhou’s muscles to tense up.

He was frisked, his phone taken away, and his other senses became more acute, feeling the car moving smoothly.

His mind raced. He didn’t understand why Liu Neng had suddenly come to see him. Besides that previous incident, they had no other interaction. The competition was over, the money was settled, wasn’t that the end? What was this sudden turn of events for? And who was it that wanted to see him?