It"s easier to invite the devil in than to send him away

The homeroom teacher touched his head as he pa.s.sed by him.

Qi Xiuyuan wanted to leave after math cla.s.s was over, however, just chance, Jiang Xiaoning looked and saw him smiling at him before giving him a big thumb up.

"Jiang Xiaoning, I didn"t expect you to be so awesome." At this time, students had already been dismissed for the day and aside from arranging his daily duties, he had never specially made a detour to speak to the cla.s.s monitor or the prettiest girl in the cla.s.s. "Cla.s.s 3, Zheng Yunxiu, has always placed first in mathematics but this time he was pushed down by you and is still crying about it."

Although Jiang Xiaoning had a smile on his face, there was no hint of happiness in his eyes.

He had carelessly shoved that examination paper inside his test earlier and for some reason, that bright red score of 140 seemed like a kind of satisfaction that was thickly shrouded with irony.

Why is it worse by 9 points? He went out of the cla.s.sroom and thought gloomily as he walked outside the school. If it was not due to the last difficult question and carelessness, there would have been no problem in getting a perfect score. How can it be from carelessness?

With that frame of mind, even after he walked out of the school gate, his heart suddenly jumped, and he stood still.

He didn"t even take a glance at the lights in his father"s office.

This had nearly become a habit that he had developed since he entered the school. This school was a complete high school. Jiang Xiaoning had studied here since middle school. Aside from any special circ.u.mstances, every time cla.s.s was dismissed at the end of the day, he would always turn to look at his father"s office on his way home. It was like a ritual, but also a kind of stubborn expectation.

Since when did it actually start to change?

It seemed like since the day he got that mobile phone from Han Jia, the center of his entire life had shifted. He bought a SIM card which only had Han Jia"s number; he deliberately asked for a spare key to Han Jia"s residence and regardless of whether Han Jia was there or not, he would stay there until midnight every day before returning home; he had even started to put his own things in that room.

Jiang Xiaoning frowned and thought to himself as crowds of students continued to pa.s.s by him uninterrupted. When someone b.u.mped into him, he came to his senses and walked to the bus station.

With Han Jia"s residence being quite far from here, he spent an hour a day to get there.

Jiang Xiaoning sat at the back of the bus and listened to the MP3 which had English practice audios that Han Jia had given him. When he arrived at the residence, he opened the door and was met with a bowl of fresh fruit on the coffee table. He walked around senselessly for two rounds before he decided to do his homework first. In the study room, Han Jia had already moved in a desk and added a student writing desk and a pair of eye-protecting desk lamps.

Jiang Xiaoning could not help but feel strange. He felt that Han Jia was his guardian in the month that pa.s.sed.

He remembered that when he first asked Han Jia for a spare key, Han Jia"s expression was like he had heard some sort of ridiculous nonsense. He thought that he could brush it off with a "ha, ha, ha" but Jiang Xiaoning did not stop until he reached his goal: the next day, after school, he took a bus for an hour, called Han Jia when he reached the door and had  him open the door while employing an unquestionable tone and Han Jia simply did as he requested. The next day, the third day… when he did this for a week, Han Jia finally handed the spare key to him.

Han Jia was definitely reluctant, but he did not say anything. When he was interrupted by Jiang Xiaoning"s call every day, he had rushed over at the fastest speed, without daring to put on a face.

Jiang Xiaoning had truly reaped the benefits. He was arrogant and bossy, signaling orders with simple facial gestures as he rode roughshod over people while Han Jia would never sigh in front of him.

Oh, by the way, they are not a guardian and a child as Jiang Xiaoning happily thought that they were more like a creditor and a debtor.

This kind of thought made him feel a lot easier to suppress his emotions. He calmed down and began to flip through other books after he finished his mathematics a.s.signments.

At eight o"clock arrived, when the sound of the keyhole rotating could be heard, Jiang Xiaoning suppressed the smile that emerged at the corner of his mouth and kept his head low and continued to browse the pages.

The footsteps came to the study room and stopped at the door before Han Jia"s a helpless voice sounded: "Did you eat dinner yet?"

"No," Jiang Xiaoning answered without lifting his head up.

"I put some ingredients in the refrigerator in the morning, aren"t you quite good at cooking? Later on, just make something to eat yourself when you"re hungry," Han Jia said.

Jiang Xiaoning looked up and stared at him: "I also make what I eat at home, I have enough of what I make!"

Hearing that, Han Jia leaned against the door with a smile that held tolerant on his lips. "I don"t know how to cook." Then he thought a bit and added: "Later, I will buy some ready-made meals and leave them in the refrigerator, the kind that can be heated up. What do you think?"

Jiang Xiaoning snorted and looked down at the book. Han Jia"s footsteps went away before his voice sounded faint; he was probably calling for takeouts.

Then there was a period of quietness. Jiang Xiaoning straightened his ears and listened for a while and then unable to sit still, he got up and left the study room.

Han Jia was crouching in front of the refrigerator, cleaning something. His back was bent into a curved shape and the loose clothes were softly covering his body, outlining the curve of his waist.

Jiang Xiaoning shifted his gaze elsewhere but ended up turning back.

Han Jia had already closed the refrigerator door and looked over at him when he got up. "The takeout is coming soon, so go and wash your hands."

This tone made Jiang Xiaoning inexplicably upset as he snorted and went to the bathroom.

He turned the faucet to wash his hand and reached out to get the hand soap but when he looked up at that area, he saw a pile of bottles and jars.

He had asked Han Jia before, "How come you have so much cosmetics products?"

Han Jia: "They"re not all cosmetics products. There"s also some for maintaining your skin, dental hygiene, hair, eyes…"

Those words had made Jiang Xiaoning impatient: "Aren"t they just cosmetics? What are you doing all these for? You don"t even loo effeminate."

Han Jia let out a hearty laughter and then said: "Why does one maintain their car after they purchase it? Why does one need to trim the flowers?"

Jiang Xiaoning was disgusted by his remarks. After a while, he asked: "Aren"t you a prost.i.tute procurer? The procurer also sell himself?"

Han Jia still laughed and said slowly: "They sell for the sake of money. In my case, it"s for some things that are more profitable than money."

There was a knock on the door; it should be the delivery for the takeouts. Jiang Xiaoning recovered from that memory—the him in the mirror was staring with a pair of eyes that burnt a black flame and a face full of dissatisfaction.

This month, he often saw such an expression in the mirror, but even he himself was not very clear on what exactly he was unsatisfied with.

Was he dissatisfied with Han Jia"s shamelessness? Perhaps because they had an acrimonious falling-out when they had just met that made it so that Han Jia never concealed his shamelessness in front of him. For him, such language as "selling," and "pimping" had zero lethality.

But from somewhere deep within his heart, Jiang Xiaoning did not mind this at all. He was even secretly thankful that Han Jia was such a person. Because that made not have any pressure since he can speak sarcastically to him with peace of mind and can vent his anger to him without any hesitation, without any sense of shame. Treating a person that was pure and innocence in this way was unfair but treating Han Jia in this way can be understood as a punishment that befitted his guilty crimes.

As a debt-paying person, Han Jia has done a remarkable job that was worthy of praises. He never complains, always smiles, always cares, and was meticulous in every possible way.

But Jiang Xiaoning was still dissatisfied—even more dissatisfied.

Footsteps came over and Han Jia knocked on the door of the bathroom.

"Jiang Xiaoning, takeouts are here. Hurry up and come out once you"re done washing your hands."

When he heard the dull and calm tone of his voice, Jiang Xiaoning"s heart tightened. He turned to stare at the door as if he can see Han Jia on the other side of the door.

It"s that att.i.tude, Jiang Xiaoning thought annoyed, as it turns out, this kind of att.i.tude is unpleasant.

However, he was just a pimp, a debtor. How can he treat him as if he was a parent?

He gave him food and urged him to study. Did Han Jia do these things and thought he could talk to him in the tone of his elder?

Obviously, he was a very frivolous person. He had once looked at him with seduction and enticement in his eyes; pressed him to the ground and kissed him; after he was once pressed down by him, he did not care about stretching his legs out and hooking it around his waist. When did he change to a good teacher and helpful friend?

He no longer looked at him like that anymore, his expressions and voices all became normal, his actions were well-behaved, and he really regarded himself like an innocent person? Based on what?

Jiang Xiaoning recalled the scenery he had just seen, the soft cloth and the faint lines… he looked up at himself in the mirror again, unable to tell whether the black eyes burned with anger, revenge or desire.

Then he walked over and opened the door. After making up his mind, he calmed down and slowly and calmly went to the living room.

Han Jia was standing at the side of the dining table with his back facing him as he placed the tableware down in a slightly bent posture.

Jiang Xiaoning"s line of sight traveled down his neck all the way to his waist, staying on his hips for a moment and then staring down between his legs.

Han Jia was completely unaware of that stare as he picked up the soup ladle and began to put the soup in two bowls.

Just when he was about to place the second bowl on the table, Jiang Xiaoning had already held his wrist.

"Jiang Xiaoning?" The bowl of soup in Han Jia"s hand was full, he couldn"t let go and he could only ask in confusion.

Jiang Xiaoning did not answer as he held Han Jia"s wrist firmly and gently caressed the skin to the side of his wrist with his thumb.

For Han Jia, this was too obvious—it was not a hint. He decisively let go and the soup of bowl fell on the table with a thumping sound; the soup splashed everywhere.

At the same time, he waved his hand vigorously in an attempt to shake off Jiang Xiaoning. But Jiang Xiaoning had already pounced on him, pressing his whole body on the table.

"Han Jia," he said as he moved in close to his ear. "I really want to sleep with you."1

In the next second, Han Jia"s elbow had already struck the side of his waist to the point he cried out and loosened his hand.

Before he could react, Han Jia turned over, pushed him, and said coldly: "Impossible."

You"re actually speaking in such a tone? Jiang Xiaoning was furious and went to tear his clothes while shouting: "Why? Don"t you sell yourself? Whoever you let sleep with you, isn"t it still sleeping with them, why can"t I?"

Han Jia was behind the table without a way to retreat. He did not answer, but his expression was indifferent and resistance against Jiang Xiaoning"s offense.

Jiang Xiaoning also spared no effort to struggle with him, suddenly feeling that he had been very wronged. He pushed Han Jia hard and stepped back then shouted at him. "The person who wants to pull you down, you willingly let him touch you yet why do you insist on putting on airs with me?"

Han Jia was short of breath as he glanced at Jiang Xiaoning with alertness and smiled coldly. "Look at you, who are you comparing yourself to?"

"Who are you comparing yourself to? Ah?" Jiang Xiaoning asked angrily. "Do you think you are my father? My teacher? Are you worthy?"

An intense coldness flashed by Han Jia"s eyes, revealing a provocative expression of anger and laughter as he leaned forward and stared at Jiang Xiaoning.

He wants to fight back. Jiang Xiaoning knew that during this time Han Jia was excessively considerate to the extent that Jiang Xiaoning had forgotten how vicious his mouth was.

He also stared at Han Jia and prepared to rush over when he said any ridiculous words—let him pay the price.

However, Han Jia"s expression changed. As he stared at Jiang Xiaoning"s eyes, an indescribable emotion slowly surfaced and that made him look less aggressive but angrier.

"Yes, I"m not worthy," he said in a low voice. "Jiang Xiaoning, you better remember, I"m not worthy."

Jiang Xiaoning did not return to his senses. Han Jia had already grabbed him by the collar, dragging him all the way to the door.

"Hey, what are you doing?" He struggled, but oddly enough, he did not dare to use much strength to resist him.

Han Jia opened the front door with one hand and almost "threw" him outside.

Jiang Xiaoning staggered back a few steps and before he could stand firmly, the door was closed with a "bang".

"Han Jia, open the door! What are you being all crazy for?" He rushed to knock on the door.

No one answered.

He knocked at the door louder: "Open the door or I won"t leave! I will curse you right here and let everyone know what kind of person you are!"

The door opened.

Jiang Xiaoning"s hand was still in the air when he saw Han Jia staring blankly at him. His voice was cold: "Do whatever you want. I"m not afraid of people knowing it. Take your portable drive, go ahead curse me."

He picked up Jiang Xiaoning"s portable drive and threw it over. Jiang Xiaoning quickly reached out, but Han Jia had already slammed the door.

He wanted to shout, "Then I will tell my dad!" to threaten Han Jia since he knew that it would definitely be effective.

But he really couldn"t.

He stood in a daze with the drive and didn"t understand why Han Jia was so angry he wanted to chase him away, yet he remembered to return the drive to him.

It was just like before. When Han Jia compensated him with the mobile phone, he unexpectedly took into consideration what kind of phone would best fit his ident.i.ty. At that time, he saw with his own eyes when Han Jia was disrespected by others, he wasn"t even angry; when he personally heard Han Jia"s shameless remarks, he should have walked away, but it was impossible for him not to care about the phone. That2 compared to the high-end phone made him want to rely on this person even more.

But if Han Jia was willing to take care of him like this, why not let him sleep with him?

Jiang Xiaoning stared at the door in front of him, puzzled by this question.

He truly did not understand.

Note:

1 Sleep with you – it"s more like "I really want to top you."

2 That – I think he means the "consideration" that Han Jia put forth