Dressed As a Cannon Fodder For the Rich and Powerful

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Translate by Hua

Chapter 18

Qi Xiaoyu and Yu Xiaosheng walked out of the magazine office and went straight to the backyard to pick up the car.

Yu Xiaosheng got into the car, put the key in, and put his foot on the pedal, but before he could start the car, he let go of his foot and stopped the car again, still out of breath.

Qi Xiaoyu glanced at him.

He pulled out a cigarette to light it, inhaled two puffs, and laughed at himself. “You know everything? You kept pretending to be oblivious in front of me and even told them that we had an appointment with the director to talk about movies. Your acting skill is pretty good. It’s a waste if you don’t become an actor.”

Qi Xiaoyu smiled and said, “Really? I also think I’m quite suitable for this profession. I just lack the script.”

Yu Xiaosheng smiled, trying to match Qi Xiaoyu’s jokes. But the smile he forced out was uglier than crying.

Qi Xiaoyu touched his nose and comforted him. “Brother Yu, this matter has nothing to do with you at all. It’s me who wants to show off, so you don’t have to blame yourself.”

With a cigarette in his mouth, Yu Xiaosheng took two deep puffs, and a straight puff of smoke came out of his nose. “You’ve worked hard this time, but I didn’t keep up.”

Qi Xiaoyu patted Yu Xiaosheng on the shoulder and said in a brisk tone, “It’s fine, brother Yu. There will be more opportunities in the future.”

Yu Xiaosheng was a little low and depressed. “Xiao Yu, since you know all these things, I won’t hide them from you. The company’s financial situation this year is not good, and it has been losing money for the past few months… Only you and Ren Fei are a bit popular among the company’s artists, but now you can’t even get any work. If this continues, the company may not last long. I told you all of these, so you can make plans for yourself.”

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“…”

It sounds worse than in the original book. Why did the company go bankrupt once he transmigrated… In the original book, the company survived until the end of the full text.

He was suddenly a little worried that his unexpected appearance would change many things.

Seeing the change in Qi Xiaoyu’s expression, Yu Xiaosheng, who was originally sad, quickly changed the subject: “Take out your phone. I’ll transfer today’s shooting fee to you.”

“Uh… they paid us in advance? If you have already received money, it would be bad for us to come out like this.”

“What the hell? Who but us would be willing to fill their pages in such a hurry? This amount of money isn’t even enough to cover travel expenses, and they don’t even give us any face. Tsk, no wonder they’re still a second-tier magazine.”

Qi Xiaoyu couldn’t help but want to laugh, “That’s not what you said in the morning. You said that there’s a market for junior high school students.”

Yu Xiaosheng also smiled and said, “You think I like to lose face? Let’s go; we won’t come to this crappy place in the future, not even if we’re invited.”

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****

Qi Xiaoyu separated from Yu Xiaosheng at the subway station. He didn’t go back directly to Xun’s house, but he took a detour to a nearby supermarket. Tomorrow is Lidong (the start of winter, November 8th). He decided to make good preparations and put other things aside for the time being.

Just now, Yu Xiaosheng transferred several thousand yuan to him, enough for him to buy something.

He likes the winter holiday.

In the past, in the opera troupe, apart from Chinese New Year, the only day he could rest for half a day was Lidong.

On this day, Master will use the erhu to play some lively songs, and the senior sister will make dumplings for everyone.

Mfn:

The martial brothers who don’t have homework can go out for a stroll in the street, buy candied hawthorn, eat prawn wontons, watch street performances, and so on.

Master doesn’t let them eat things like fish and shrimp that can trigger sickness and allergies. He only makes an exception and allows everyone to eat whatever they want during Lidong.

For teenage Qi Xiaoyu, there is simply no happier life than this.

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Therefore, even though the era has changed and the character has changed, and he is the only one left, he still wants to celebrate this festival well.

There are three floors in the supermarket. Qi Xiaoyu went straight to the fresh food section on the first floor. First, he picked out six hairy crabs, then bought flour, pork belly, Chinese cabbage, shrimp, bamboo shoots, mangoes, and a bag of butter.

After buying all the ingredients, he was still a little unsatisfied. He passed by the department store and picked up a small harmonica.

Then he went to the flower and bird antique market next to the supermarket to take a stroll.

Qi Xiaoyu loves to buy things, especially small tableware. Once he buys them, he can’t stop the car.

But the things in this kind of flower and bird market are so-so. Qi Xiaoyu strolled for a long time but only picked up one cup. It was a Tianbai (sweet white) glazed cup with a fine dark pattern decoration looming under the white glaze.

The owner of that antique shop originally wanted to charge a high price, saying that it was Tianbai glaze produced in Ming Dynasty official kilns.

Qi Xiaoyu smiled and took out his phone to turn on the flashlight, shining diagonally at the bottom of the cup at a 45-degree angle. Then, pointing to the pattern on the bottom of the cup illuminated by optical fibers, he said, “Boss, can you explain why the Tianbai glaze produced by official kilns has such broken flaws on the pattern?”

Knowing that he had met an expert, the boss stopped talking and asked Qi Xiaoyu to name a price and take the cup away.

When Qi Xiaoyu came back happily with two big bags of things, Butler Cheng was taken aback. “Xiao Yu, you’re shopping for New Year’s goods?”

The corners of Qi Xiaoyu’s mouth curled up, and he smiled sweetly. “Tomorrow is Lidong. I want to make dumplings for everyone to eat.”

After speaking, he flashed into the kitchen, mixed the flour and water in advance, and stirred them up to make dumpling wrappers.

The cook, Mama Li, rushed over to help and said that there are ready-made dumpling skins in the refrigerator, so there is no need for trouble.

Qi Xiaoyu raised his flour-stained hand and brushed the scattered hair around his ear with the back of his hand. “The dumpling wrappers I made myself are chewier and thicker. Besides, Lidong only comes once a year, so it’s not too troublesome.”

Mama Li sighed. “Is Lidong tomorrow? Oh, then let me help you make dumpling wrappers. Our hometown also eats dumplings during Lidong.”

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“Okay then, help me knead the dough. I’ll go and deal with the shrimp.”

“Okay, Xiao Yu, did you add salt to the dough? Do you want to add some more?”

Butler Cheng looked at Qi Xiaoyu’s serious attitude and was slightly stunned. The Xun family didn’t celebrate festivals often. Not to mention local festivals like Lidong, they couldn’t even celebrate the Spring Festival (Chinese New Year), the Mid-Autumn Festival, the Dragon Boat Festival, or even birthdays.

Xun Qian was not interested in these things, so the others naturally kept silent. The Xun family was deserted all years round.

It’s always as silent as a pool of stagnant water, with no joy or sadness.

While Butler Cheng was staring at the kitchen, Xun Qian also pushed the wheelchair over.

Butler Cheng immediately stood behind Xun Qian respectfully and asked, “Shall I call Mr. Qi over?”

Xun Qian raised his hand, indicating that there was no need.

The master and servant stayed silent for quite a while.

Only after a long time did Butler Cheng tentatively say, “After Mr. Qi came, the house was really much more lively. This holiday season has also taken on a festive look.”

Xun Qian didn’t say anything. He lazily looked at the kitchen, but his eyes were focused on Qi Xiaoyu’s back.

Qi Xiaoyu was busy until it was dark in the evening, and only then did he prepare all the ingredients that would be used the next day.

Although a little tired, Qi Xiaoyu was in a good mood. When working with Mama Li, the happy shadows of the past always flash in his mind.

At that time, the senior sister had not passed away due to dystocia. In the afternoon of Lidong, she was always busy in the kitchen, kneading noodles, mixing meat, and chopping vegetables.

Memories related to his senior sister were always mixed with a sweet and meaty aroma.

Qi Xiaoyu returned to his room, unable to sleep for a while.

He pushed open the door to the balcony and walked outside to the small terrace, where a full moon hung high in the sky like a jade disk.

Qi Xiaoyu leaned on the railing, resting his chin with his hand, looking at the moon.

He has no nostalgia for the past world because his master and senior sister were no longer there.

But he thought of them from time to time, and whenever he remembered his master’s strict teaching and his senior sister’s attentive care, he felt that even in this world, Master and Senior Sister are still with him.

During that one winter solstice, it was also such a full moon. Master sang to them an excerpt from the Peking opera “Wen Zhao Guan”—a round of bright moon shining in front of the window, piercing the sorrowful hearts like an arrow.

He took out the harmonica he bought in the afternoon and played a simple section.

The tune of “Wen Zhao Guan” was sad. At that time, he didn’t feel it when listening to this song with many seniors. But tonight he was alone, and against such perfect moonlight, it seemed especially bleak.

“Qi Xiaoyu.”

He had just finished playing when he suddenly heard someone calling him.

The raspy and lazy voice was Xun Qian’s.

Qi Xiaoyu looked up and saw that Xun Qian was sitting on the terrace diagonally above him, wearing a thick fur coat that only exposed his face.

After Xun Qian finished calling out to him, there was no further conversation.

Qi Xiaoyu looked up at him and met a pair of pitch-black eyes.

Qi Xiaoyu turned his head away unnaturally and felt that this was quite awkward, so he tried very hard to liven up the atmosphere. “Today’s moon is quite round.”

Xun Qian gave a cold “um”.

Judging from the meaning in that tone, it seems as if he was saying, ‘I have eyes; I can see that it’s very round.’

Qi Xiaoyu sighed inwardly, thinking that it was really too difficult to chat with this person.

But he remembered that Xun Qian had given him the birthday invitation card and studio gold card, so he made another effort: “It’s windy outside today. Are you feeling cold, Third Master? Should I bring you a heat pack?”

Xun Qian said “um” again.

The central air conditioner used in the villa is also equipped with floor heating. In winter, it’s so warm that you can wear short sleeves. There is really no need to use a heat pack.

Qi Xiaoyu felt that his IQ was not online today. Why did he dig a hole for himself?

But since the hole has been dug, it has to be filled.

First he found an empty milk bottle and filled it with hot water, then he found a fluffy towel, wrapped it around the milk bottle, and touched it with his hand. It was warm and soft.

Qi Xiaoyu went up to the third floor with the DIY heat pack, while Xun Qian was still sitting on the terrace.

The cold wind made the tip of his nose red, his skin was transparent, and his eyelashes were as wet as if they were soaked in water.

Qi Xiaoyu handed over the hot water bottle.

Xun Qian tucked it under his arms and stroked the soft fur twice.

Then he remained silent again.

After a while, when Qi Xiaoyu wondered if Xun Qian’s wheelchair broke down because he stayed here blown by wind, the other party unexpectedly spoke up first, “What were you playing just now?”

“Just playing at random. It’s a short piece of Peking opera that I heard when I was a child.”

“You know a lot.”

No matter what Xun Qian said, he was aloof and indifferent, as if he were mocking others.

Qi Xiaoyu didn’t know whether it was a compliment or sarcasm, so he could only reply cautiously, “It’s just so-so.”

After a while, Xun Qian looked up at the sky and said, “The last time I saw the moon with my sister, it was also the 16th.”

Qi Xiaoyu momentarily didn’t know what to pick up when Xun Qian mentioned the most important person in his heart. Once again, he felt that it was really difficult to chat with Xun Qian. As soon as he opened his mouth, it was this kind of statement.