Wen Jiaxuan had an ominous feeling that something was off. The conversation between him and Wu Zehao didn’t seem to be on the same wavelength. But before he could make sense of it, Wu Zehao pressed on, “You’re an adult, right? Engaging in this kind of business?”
A sudden realization dawned on Wen Jiaxuan. He remembered the man in the suit by the entrance who had claimed to be “doing business” and hadn’t charged him an entrance fee. So, these people thought that he was…!
First and foremost, Wen Jiaxuan acknowledged that he looked young.
True, his facial features had matured—a broad forehead, straight nose bridge, and smooth jawline—but there was a bit of baby fat on his cheeks that gave him a youthful look.
Furthermore, Wen Jiaxuan had developed at a slower pace than his peers and was always shorter than them, making him accustomed to looking up at people.
In general, every ten years, a person would develop another neck line—a wrinkle on their neck. Neck lines, akin to laugh lines, were age indicators. However, because Wen Jiaxuan habitually held his head high, he didn’t have a single wrinkle on his neck, making it hard to gauge his age.
Given this, Wen Jiaxuan didn’t mind being mistaken for a minor. But Wu Zehao’s assumption that he was involved in adult services was a bit too much.
“Are you out of your mind? I’m a translator!” Wen Jiaxuan retorted at Wu Zehao with a frown. Unbeknown to him, in Wu Zehao’s eyes, his aggressive posture resembled that of a small, defiant panda, completely failing to project authority or submission.
“A translator?” Wu Zehao responded with confusion.
“I’m the translator you found on Douban!”
Five minutes later, after hearing Wen Jiaxuan’s argument, Wu Zehao let out a sigh and stated, “Kid, I’m pretty sure you’ve got the wrong person.”
“Have you no conscience?” Wen Jiaxuan exclaimed in disbelief. “I came all the way from City P to City H, and you’re still denying it!”
Wu Zehao frowned, appearing somewhat impatient due to his inability to grasp the situation. He said, “Let me ask you this then—how can you prove that the person you’ve been talking to on WeChat is me?”
Wen Jiaxuan was momentarily taken aback, hesitating before saying, “You could tell me your surname…”
Wu Zehao interjected, “If I were a scammer, would I really reveal my identity?”
“Who’s to say you didn’t do it on purpose…” Wen Jiaxuan muttered under his breath. Just then, a realization struck him. He fixed Wu Zehao with an intense gaze and said, “By the way, how about you show me your phone? Can I take a look? I don’t believe you’d change your WeChat account after blocking me!”
As Wen Jiaxuan voiced his thoughts, his eyes instinctively darted towards Wu Zehao’s pants. Wu Zehao was wearing casual trousers, and there was an unmistakable rectangular bulge in his right pocket. Wen Jiaxuan knew that it was Wu Zehao’s cellphone. Without second-guessing, he reached out towards Wu Zehao’s pants.
“Give me your phone!” Wen Jiaxuan’s aim was initially Wu Zehao’s pocket, but as Wu Zehao took a slight step back, his hand landed on Wu Zehao’s thigh instead.
“Kid, don’t touch randomly,” Wu Zehao frowned and scolded lightly. He grabbed Wen Jiaxuan’s wrist and used his other hand to take out the phone, holding it up in the air. Impatience was evident on his face as he said, “Why should I show you my phone?”
“You just want to be difficult!” Wen Jiaxuan broke free from Wu Zehao’s grip, his eyes fixed firmly on the phone high above. He jumped and reached out, but no matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t reach it.
“Alright, come take it if you dare,” Wu Zehao’s tone shifted playfully, devoid of the earlier impatience. “I’ll show it to you once you get it.”
We’re sorry for MTLers or people who like using reading mode, but our translations keep getting stolen by aggregators so we’re going to bring back the copy protection. If you need to MTL please retype the gibberish parts.
Gritting his teeth, Wen Jiaxuan, still burning with determination, considered that he might be at it all night if he continued to jump. He had to find another way.
Ktlr alwf, ktfc Qfc Aljzejc pewqfv obg atf qtbcf, tf wjvf jc foobga ab tbbx bcab Qe Iftjb’r fiybk eqbc ijcvlcu, foofmalnfis ibkfglcu tlr jgw. Qe Iftjb mbeivc’a wjlcajlc tlr gfijzfv qbraegf jr atf akb fcujufv lc j qtsrlmji rageuuif.
Zbwfcar jub, Qfc Aljzejc mbeivc’a vlrmfgc Qe Iftjb’r ragfcuat, yea cbk, jr atfs qertfv jujlcra fjmt batfg, tf gfjilhfv atja Qe Iftjb’r jgwr kfgf rbilv klat wermif.
After a while, unable to withstand the contest, Wen Jiaxuan let go abruptly. Unprepared for the sudden release, Wu Zehao’s arm shot upwards, and the next second, the block-like cellphone was airborne, tracing a parabolic arc before landing on the road a couple of steps away.
Wen Jiaxuan’s heart swelled with triumph, convinced that his opportunity had come. He instinctively took steps towards the road, but at that precise moment, a shrill horn blared in the distance. Frozen in place, Wen Jiaxuan watched as headlights bore down on him. Just as the situation turned dire, an extra arm encircled his waist, pulling him back from the curb.
Crushed against Wu Zehao’s chest, Wen Jiaxuan stared at the passing car in shock. If not for Wu Zehao’s intervention…
“Are you an idiot?!” A roar thundered from above, and Wen Jiaxuan, too frightened to respond, just shook his head.
Wu Zehao waited until the road was clear, then retrieved the cellphone that had been run over by several cars. Initially intact, the phone’s screen was now askew, and it appeared irreparably damaged.
Expressionless, Wu Zehao informed Wen Jiaxuan, “This is going to cost you.”
Wen Jiaxuan guiltily twisted his fingers, mumbling softly, “You let go first.”
“Yes, I shouldn’t have provoked you,” Wu Zehao conceded, assuming responsibility. “So, you’ll pay for half of it.”
Wen Jiaxuan’s heart ached, but he wasn’t unreasonable. With a coy smile, he suggested, “Then deduct it from my manuscript fee.”
Wu Zehao: “…”
“I told you I wasn’t the one lying about your manuscript fee, but you were stubborn,” Wu Zehao pointed out.
“You should have shown me your phone; how was I supposed to know?” Wen Jiaxuan persisted.
Sighing, Wu Zehao gazed at the street around them. Spotting a bright blue signboard, he pointed towards it and said, “If you don’t believe me, let’s go there and talk.”
Observing Wu Zehao’s gesture, Wen Jiaxuan thought it was a good idea. After all, if Wu Zehao truly wasn’t lying, he should have no objections to seeking help at a police station.
Inside the small police station, a lone officer was on duty. After briefly listening to Wen Jiaxuan’s account of the situation, he produced a mediation form and instructed, “Present your ID cards.”
Wu Zehao readily handed over his ID card, while Wen Jiaxuan hesitated. For the first time in his life, he realized the gravity of this little card—he was virtually incapacitated without it.
Addressing the officer, Wen Jiaxuan explained, “Officer, I just arrived in City H this afternoon, and my wallet was stolen as soon as I left the train station. My ID card was in there too…”
“Have you reported it as lost?” the officer inquired.
“Not yet,” Wen Jiaxuan replied.
“Then I’ll report it as lost for you and issue a temporary ID,” the officer suggested. “Do you have anything on you that could prove your identity, like a photo of your previous ID card?”
“No…” Wen Jiaxuan’s response was disheartening.
As the officer registered Wu Zehao’s information, he offered a solution, “You can ask your family to send you a photo of your household register.”
“That won’t work,” Wen Jiaxuan protested. “I’m actually running away from home right now.”
The officer seemed bemused, “Is it reported anywhere?”
Taking a moment to think, Wen Jiaxuan replied, “Not yet.”
“In that case, you’ll have to come back tomorrow. I’ll consult my colleagues for advice,” the officer advised. “Besides, you’ll need a photo for the temporary ID, so it can’t be done tonight.”
“Alright,” Wen Jiaxuan agreed, relieved that there was a solution in sight.
“I understand your situation,” the officer assured him. Returning Wu Zehao’s ID, he addressed Wen Jiaxuan once more, “What evidence do you have to prove that he’s the one who lied to you?”
“He confessed,” Wen Jiaxuan responded.
“That can hardly be considered evidence,” the officer countered. “Is there any record of a transaction between the two of you?”
“Yes,” Wen Jiaxuan affirmed, growing more serious. “He sends me an 800 yuan red envelope on WeChat every month.”
The officer’s face took on a bemused expression.
In response, Wu Zehao couldn’t help but smirk. “Red envelopes aren’t taxed, and the scammer’s explanation for withholding your manuscript fee was to evade taxes? Only someone gullible would fall for that kind of story.”
“He’s the scammer!” Wen Jiaxuan retorted indignantly. “And he’s got the nerve to say that!”
“Alright, I’ve got a rough grasp of the situation,” the officer interjected. “It’s a minor dispute. You can buy a new phone tomorrow and check your WeChat, right?”
With that, the officer concluded, “If this person is indeed a scammer, return to the police station. If not, cease bothering him.”
This outcome didn’t sit well with Wen Jiaxuan. If the scammer were fully exposed, why would he return to the police station with him? Anxious, he implored, “Officer, what if he escapes? At least detain him temporarily.”
The officer was taken aback, “Why would we detain him? On what grounds?”
Wen Jiaxuan struggled to find a suitable explanation. His mind raced, and he finally blurted out, “He’s… involved in illicit activities!”
Wu Zehao nearly burst into laughter at this, remarking sardonically to Wen Jiaxuan, “Sure, I’m a prostitute, and I’ve been pimping only you. Happy now?”
“You!” Wen Jiaxuan’s face flushed with anger. “You’re shameless!”
To the officer, he then said, “Officer…”
Brandishing a pen like a gavel, the officer interrupted, exasperated, “How old are you? Stop calling me ‘officer.'”
Caught off guard, Wen Jiaxuan stammered, “I’m twenty-two…”
“And I’m only twenty-six!” the officer emphasized, sounding rather put out. He turned his attention to Wu Zehao and inquired, “And this man is twenty-eight. Why aren’t you addressing him as ‘uncle’?”
“I…” Wen Jiaxuan glared at Wu Zehao, his words laced with disdain, “He’s not my uncle.”
“That’s enough, now both of you sign the mediation form.” The officer shifted the form toward them. Turning to Wu Zehao, he directed, “Since your ID shows an address in the nearby neighborhood, take him home.”
Wu Zehao momentarily paused while signing, then looked up and queried, “Why should I take him home?”
“He doesn’t have an ID, and he can’t even enter an internet cafe. If you don’t care, who will?” The officer addressed Wen Jiaxuan next, “As for you, fill in your ID information and come back tomorrow. Got it?”
This police officer… no, this police big brother is so fierce.
But on second thought, the police officer did remind Wen Jiaxuan of something important. Without an ID, he would have trouble finding accommodation.
Wen Jiaxuan obediently picked up a pen and filled out his personal information on the form. By this time, Wu Zehao, who was beside him, had already walked out with long strides.
Wen Jiaxuan was afraid that Wu Zehao would leave, so he quickly signed his name on the mediation document and rushed outside. He grabbed Wu Zehao’s clothing at the steps of the police station and asked, “Where are you going?”
Wu Zehao glanced down at Wen Jiaxuan’s hand, then said with a headache, “Let go.”
“I won’t,” Wen Jiaxuan stubbornly replied.
“Are you really coming home with me?” Wu Zehao raised an eyebrow and added cryptically, “Just so you know, I won’t be paying for anything.”
Wen Jiaxuan didn’t catch the implied meaning in Wu Zehao’s words. He thought Wu Zehao was talking about not paying him for his work, so he held onto Wu Zehao’s clothing even tighter and said firmly, “Then I’ll stick to you even more.”
Wu Zehao didn’t pay any more attention to Wen Jiaxuan, continued walking forward, and Wen Jiaxuan followed behind, still holding onto Wu Zehao’s clothing. His short legs made it a bit challenging to keep up.
However, as they walked, Wu Zehao gradually slowed down his pace, and Wen Jiaxuan slowly moved to walk beside him. But he was still afraid that Wu Zehao might leave him behind, so he never let go of Wu Zehao’s clothing.
“Hey,” Wu Zehao suddenly turned around and asked, “What’s your name?”
Wen Jiaxuan hesitated for a moment and replied, “Wen Jiaxuan.”
“Wen Jiaxuan… behave, you little rascal,” Wu Zehao threw out that remark and then turned his gaze back ahead, saying nonchalantly, “It’ll only bother with you if you get lost.”
Hahahaha! Thanks for the update 🤣❤️
Sigh, he is indeed one gullible little bean! Protect him well wu zehao 😂
Ai, I feel really bad for Wen Jiaxuan 😭😭