Little Gods – Chapter 8

20

“What does ‘try being together’…mean?” Su Qiong’s heart was beating like a drum, and he lifted his eyes to look at Lin Fu. When he met the other’s ardent gaze, he felt like he was burned by a searing hot flame and quickly lowered his eyes to stare at the sleeves of his down jacket. White mortar dust from the construction site still lingered on the cuffs, the sight somewhat pitiful. 

Lin Fu placed one hand on Su Qiong’s window and the other on his seat, confining him to a tiny space and saying intimately: “A relationship. Understand now?”

“I understand,” Su Qiong’s forehead had a fine layer of sweat. He desperately avoided him, pushing himself back to the edge of his seat, “But…”

I’m a God of Poverty. 

The only thing I’m capable of is bringing poverty and misfortune upon people. On the sixth day after the lunar New Year, each and every family drives me away, the God of Poverty that absolutely no one likes…

If I tell him the truth, will it scare him away? Su Qiong didn’t dare think about it. He lowered his head and rubbed the hem of his clothes. This was the first time in his life that he resented his identity — that of a God of Poverty — this deeply. 

It would have been better had he been a glimmering God of Wealth. That way, Lin Fu would like him even more. 

Lin Fu urgently asked: “What is it?”

“It’d be best if we don’t…” Su Qiong was silent for a good while, finally turning him down as his petite face alternated between shades of red and white. His toes curled in his tattered shoes, tearing the fabric further as he rubbed them to and fro in distress. 

“…That’s alright,” Lin Fu, who had just suffered a ruthless rejection, laughed good-naturedly. He stretched out a hand to dust off some lingering mortar powder from Su Qiong’s face. “I was too impulsive…you don’t like men?”

“That’s not it,” Su Qiong shook his head listlessly. 

Lin Fu forced a smile: “Then it’s me you don’t like?”

“That’s not it, either!” Su Qiong raised his head, rushing to explain, “I only feel that I can’t be with you. I’m poor, I have bad luck, and I bring others down with me. If we’re together, you couldn’t even drive your own car. Moreover, my identity…”

“Don’t say that,” Lin Fu pressed a finger to Su Qiong’s soft, rosy lips. “Those things aren’t important.”

Su Qiong’s eyes glistened. 

Lin Fu rallied his spirits, saying: “At the very least, agree to let me take care of you from now on. As for the rest, we can move slowly.”

When Su Qiong went to open his mouth to speak, Lin Fu pressed another finger to his lips and raised an eyebrow: “You can’t refuse, and you can’t thank me.”

“En…” Su Qiong compressed his lips together, agreeing softly.

“Good,” Lin Fu let out a breath. Just this once, Lin Fu at last felt like that “Mr. Rich CEO” character…

But then, right at that touching moment, a large, black Jeep leisurely drove over, parking next to Lin Fu’s car. 

Lin Fu: “…”

The Jeep’s window rolled down slowly. Xiao Zhang looked at Lin Fu, confirming: “Director Lin, this car broke too?”

“It’s not broken,” Lin Fu glared at him, trying to give him the boot with a fiery look. 

However, Lin Fu quickly discovered, to his dismay, that the second-hand Chery wouldn’t start. 

The used engine let out a weak rumble, then went silent. 

During the minute Lin Fu spent reevaluating his entire worldview, the engine refused to let out as much as a squeak, thoroughly ruined. 

Unfortunately, Lin Fu and Su Qiong had to throw away another vehicle. 

Su Qiong stood on the curb, sending a miserable, guilty look at that cute little car. 

“Don’t worry about it, I have another second-hand one ready,” Lin Fu snapped his fingers handsomely and Xiao Zhang jumped down from the Jeep to open the back hatch. He pulled out a bicycle^[1]二八大杠自行车: A specific type of bicycle that was popular in the ‘60s and ‘70s, see below. and placed it on the pavement. 

“Director Lin, please go ahead,” Xiao Zhang gestured to the bike elegantly. 

Lin Fu laughed, stretching out a long leg to step over the bike. He patted the thick handlebars, completely at ease as he crooked a finger at Su Qiong: “Come, get on.”

21

The eminently talented, unrestrained, promising “Mr. Rich CEO” had, at long last, been reduced to his current plight: riding a bike to pick someone up. 

Su Qiong sat in front of Lin Fu. 

Although Su Qiong had just completed a hard day’s work, his body covered in sweat, with the light breeze from riding the bicycle, only a light and fresh scent, like a forest after a gentle rain, made its way to Lin Fu. 

Lin Fu coughed lightly. In any case, Lin Fu had made himself understood, and he didn’t plan to conceal his intentions. And so, Lin Fu leaned forward, his chest sticking close to Su Qiong’s back. 

The hunger^[2]胸贴后背: lit: “chest sticking to the back”, i.e. from hunger. I think here it’s both referencing the literal positions of Su Qiong and Lin Fu’s bodies, as well as a metaphorical … Continue reading from the art of pursuit, two bodies clinging together without any space between…

But Su Qiong became aware of the steady presence behind him, immediately shifting forward to put some distance between them.

Lin Fu was unresigned, once more moving his chest close to Su Qiong. Su Qiong could only scoot forward again, preserving the space between them. 

“Could you move back a little bit?” Su Qiong said apologetically. 

“Oh, okay,” Lin Fu straightened back up heartbrokenly. He felt like a lecher who’d been unsuccessful in his lustful intentions…

“Your clothes are definitely expensive,” Su Qiong explained patiently, “The seams will burst if I touch it.”

Lin Fu imagined that he was taking a stroll outside when the seams of his clothes suddenly burst open.  The sleeves of his shirt fluttered to the ground, transforming it into a sleeveless vest, and his pants became the slit skirt of a Qipao^[3]旗袍: A type of form-fitting dress. It’s got a pretty cool history, y’all should check it out. See a reference pic below.. Lin Fu immediately fixed his posture, maintaining a distance from Su Qiong. 

After riding for a bit, they came across a road currently undergoing maintenance, the pavement covered entirely in bits of gravel. Lin Fu reminded Su Qiong: “For this bumpy part, hold onto the handlebars with both hands.”

“Okay,” Su Qiong obediently gripped the handlebars. 

Lin Fu let out a low laugh, having succeeded in his scheme, then covered Su Qiong’s hands with his own. 

“Aiya…” Su Qiong let out a soft mumble. 

“I’ll sing for you,” Lin Fu diverted the topic slyly. He didn’t wait for Su Qiong to agree before he held his hands firmly, crooning: “I want to take you along by the hand, never letting go. Can love remain forever pure, without grief? I want to bring you along on a bicycle…”^[4]简单爱 “Simple Love” by 周杰伦 Jay Chou.

As the setting sun drew the day to a close, the vast sky opened up into a gradient of vibrant color, fading from indigo to liliac, lilac to peach, and peach to rose, with an indescribable multitude of shades in between. As magnificent as a landscape woven in silk, the stars and half-moon peeked above the horizon, revealing their faint traces on the fabric of the heavens. 

The gentle song dispersed into the evening breeze, and the scene held the simple glory of a pure school romance. Time seemed to pass slowly…

And Xiao Zhang, the assistant who fully grasped how to create momentum for the Director, was now escorting the Director in an intimidating, off-road Jeep. 

The intimidating Jeep followed the two of them on the bike from behind for a while, then kept pace with them for a while. Then, he pressed on the gas for a while, and in a moment of inattention, overtook them, expelling exhaust in front of Director Lin and Madam Lin. 

Lin Fu, who’d just been drunk on the tender feelings of romantic love, was forced to swallow a mouthful of exhaust: “…”

Xiao Zhang immediately slowed the vehicle down, and a small car passed by the side, the driver poking his head out to yell: “Learn how to fucking drive!”

Xiao Zhang: “…”

You even dare to yell at Director Lin’s assistant? Unfortunately, Lin Fu won’t pay you any attention now. 

Lin Fu’s head throbbed, and he waved a hand at Xiao Zhang: “Go back. I won’t need a car today.”

Xiao Zhang: “Very good, Director Lin.”

Tch. Today’s “Rich CEO falls in love with the little white flower” had to end here. 

22

Lin Fu brought Su Qiong to the shopping district to buy clothes at a casualwear store known for its reasonable pricing. 

Although Lin Fu wanted to give him the entire store, Su Qiong only walked around for a bit and chose two sets of clothes and a pair of shoes. 

“Wouldn’t it be better to buy some more?” Lin Fu suggested, “This store is inexpensive, so they won’t be ruined.”

Su Qiong shook his head, smiling with adorable little dimples: “Having one spare set is enough. While it may be cheap, I can’t have too many sets.”

Lin Fu sighed in distress, carrying the clothes as he asked: “Do you know how you became this way?”

Su Qiong mumbled ambiguously: “I’m not sure…”

Lin Fu’s eyebrows knitted together, his expression somewhat serious: “It wasn’t that you got caught up with something bad?”

“Uh…” Su Qiong’s face turned white, the new clothes in his arms almost falling to the floor. 

“On another day, I’ll find someone who understands to look at you,” Lin Fu said consolingly, stroking Su Qiong’s soft hair. 

The little God of Poverty was unhappy, scraping at the ground with his foot and mumbling an agreement with his head lowered. 

I am that “something bad”…

Lin Fu had no idea that he’d accidentally made Su Qiong feel bad. He picked out a jacket, overcoat, and a pair of pants from the rack, saying: “Wait here for me, I’ll go try these on.”

“Okay…” Su Qiong replied, staring off absent-mindedly. 

Lin Fu looked at him for a few seconds, then suddenly leaned down to Su Qiong’s ear and said in a deep voice: “Once I finish changing, I can hug you.”

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