Chapter 26 - A Sudden Idea
Translator: Lav
Editor: Levs
Some things are easier said than done.
60,000 yuan did not seem much as Shi Lei had spent more than 100,000 yuan in the past three or four weeks, which convinced his roommates that he was a fuerdai in good disguise.
But, Shi Lei was not a real fuerdai. Except for the money that he must spend, the real Shi Lei was penniless.
Shi Lei tossed and turned for the night as he thought of how to solve the problem of 60,000 yuan for Sun Yiyi’s mother’s surgery plus recovery fees. It would be even better to have some extra so Sun Yiyi could worry less about the recent future and focus on taking care of her mother until she’s fully recovered.
Shi Lei dawdled until dawn as his mind was too occupied with the 60,000 yuan to sleep.
For quite a few times, he wanted to take the black card and negotiate with the Scepterre. Perhaps like the novels, if he made a deal with the devil, the devil would satisfy everything he needed. The Scepter was about the same as the devil. Although it gave the possessors of the black card a huge amount of money, but it was like the sword of Damocles(1) hanging above Shi Lei’s head; a slight negligence may cost his life.
Shi Lei was certain that the Scepter could solve the situation in front him, but he was also certain that the Scepterre will make him pay for the cost that he’s impossible to bear.
Saving her, or only think about himself, Shi Lei wished he could do both.
Shi Lei picked up his phone and called someone.
“Yo, son, why did you call me this early? I’m telling you, your mum and I had been working hard for more than twenty years to pay for your university and you’ve almost graduated now. Hurry up and get a job. If you can’t find a good job, I’m gonna show you what I’m made of!”
Originally, Shi Lei wanted to asked his parents to see if they can help Sun Yiyi’s mother. But his father’s first sentence almost made him give up. That’s right, his family wasn’t too rich. His parents’ salary added together was only 5,000 or 6,000 yuan. School fees was 10,000 yuan per year and for the sake of Shi Lei’s better living standard in university, they gave him 2,000 yuan of allowances every month and the remaining money was enough for normal expenditures at home. During the three years of university, they could not add any big and expensive items in the house. They used their television for about ten years already. His parents wanted to change it but was reluctant to. Maybe they have some savings, but Shi Lei knew that 60,000 yuan was a big sum to his family and that there was no way for him to ask for money.
“Son, why aren’t you talking! Is it because you don’t have enough money?” Shi Lei’s father’s voice was lowered obviously and was accompanied by footsteps, it seems like he went to the balcony to talk to him.
“Is 500 yuan enough? I got 600 yuan bonus from work last month and haven’t told your mum yet. I had a few drinks with your uncle Luo and spent about 100 yuan, I’ll send you the rest. Don’t tell your mum about this though. Initially, I thought of getting her a small present because at the end of next month iwas our anniversary. You are searching for a job right now and you need money, I’ll send it to you first……”
Shi Lei suddenly had a lump in his throat. He could no longer open his mouth and say what he wanted to say.
“No, I accepted a tutoring job recently. I can earn about 200 yuan a week, it’s more than enough. I just miss you and mum so I called.”
“You are growing up huh, you went as far as finding a tutor job. But you can only do this as a part-time job. Don’t overwork yourself, if you are short on money, your mum and I will definitely support you at least before your graduation. After you graduate, we are thinking to gather some money with our relatives and our savings these years to buy you a small house in Wu Dong. You know, your mum and I are only capable of doing so much. We can only give you the down payment and you need to be responsible of the monthly payment.”
As Shi Lei listened to his father’s voice, he became sad and was unable to open his mouth to talk.
“Don’t worry about it, you keep the money you earned. I, your son, have the ability. I will definitely find a job, buy a big house and take you and mum over here!”
“Haha, of course my son has the ability! Your mum is calling me, I need to hurry up and go. I’ll give you the 500 yuan in a bit!” As soon as he said that, he hung up in a hurry. Not long after that, Shi Lei saw a notification of his father making a 500 yuan transaction on WeChat.
He couldn’t help but to feel even more sorrowful.
The possibility of seeking help from his family was gone. Shi Lei parents could probably be able to have this amount of money, but once Shi Lei asked, he was afraid that his parents would be deeply conflicted too.
On one aspect, they hope to use this amount of money for the down payment of a house in Wu Dong for Shi Lei, even if it was a small house. On another aspect, they are too kind. Upon knowing Sun Yiyi’s family’s situation, they probably could not bear to not help them.
Shi Lei knew clearly how much they’ll be conflicted if he told them about Sun Yiyi’s mother’s situation.
‘Nevermind, I’ll think of something myself.’
“Stone, where’s your laptop? Take it out and let me have a play!”
Xu Ming just came back from brushing his teeth, he saw that Shi Lei was spaced out standing in front of the dorm, he patted Shi Lei on the shoulder and said.
An unintentional sentence provided Shi Lei with a sudden flash of idea in his head.
That’s right, laptop!
Shi Lei ignored Xu Ming. He dashed into the dorm like a tornado, picked up the laptop and packed it up in its original bag, rushed out without brushing his teeth or washing his face, ignored his roommates no matter how much they called. He charged into the self-service bank and inserted the black card into the ATM. After waiting for the Scepter to appear, Shi Lei asked in a hurry: “My great master, your humble slave would like to ask you, my quota for this week is almost completed, right?”
The Scepter’s asexual voice sounded: “Why are you asking questions like this again? Stupid thing, it’s been more than three weeks, can’t you conclude a simple rule to which expenses are counted within the quota and which don’t?”
“I just want to make sure, sorry for the trouble, but my great master, please tell me!”
“What are you doing this early in the morning with your laptop? The quota you’ll receive in the future will be greater and greater. When that time comes, you’ll know that this merely 70,000 yuan laptop would not be worth mentioning. If I were you, I would be learning how to spend lavishly and not hugging this cheap thing like a loser.”
Shi Lei understood the meaning of the Scepter’s words. This laptop’s expenses had been counted into the quota.
He rolled his eyes and changed his question: “Then, my great master, if doesn’t matter whether I use your quota to spend or not, the things I bought entirely belongs to me, right?”
“Of course, as long as you spend the quota, it doesn’t matter which you bought, they are yours. That’s enough, you disturbed my dreams this early in the morning. Is it because some body part of yours aren’t feeling too well? Do you want me to settle those itchy parts?”
Shi Lei thought that he had found the solution of the problem, he immediately smiled and said: “No no no, my great master, do not lower yourself to my level. Hurry up and go back to sleep, I won’t disturb you anymore!”
For the first time, Shi Lei took the initiative and ejected the black card, and left the self-service bank with a smilingey face.
Except he didn’t notice that although he had pulled out the black card, the Scepter on the screen did not disappear, but spoke in an extremely low voice: “What a stupid guy, thinking that he was smart. Do you honestly think that your little tricks can be hidden from me? What foolish kindness. Oh dear, I thought I met a rather good slave. Looks like I need to get ready to develop another slave. This time was way too short.”
And then, the Scepter gradually vanished and then truly disappeared.