Fake Slackers

Chapter 9: No. 1: jsdhwdmaX

When Xie Yu got home, the light in the living room was still on. A-Fang had been following behind him since the entrance, and he abruptly came to a stop: "If you have something to say, say it."

A-Fang glanced towards the living room without changing her expression, then said quietly, "Madam's been in a bad mood all afternoon and didn't eat much at dinner. This time she really is angry. Second young master, when you go in, please don't talk back to her too much."

Gu Xuelan was in the living room watching television. Although she seemed to be her usual self on the surface, Xie Yu could tell from the back of her head that this night would be a difficult one.

The TV was showing a clichéd dramatic soap opera: bad acting, terrible plot. The male lead twisted his features to show his pain. "I love you, but I love her too... I really don't know what to do. You and she are the two most important women in my life."

Xie Yu walked over: "Mom."

Gu Xuelan said nothing.

The only response was the sound of the male lead saying more and more ridiculous things.

"I'm sorry." Xie Yu endured the theatrics of the brain-damaging TV drama and bowed his head, admitting his mistake. "This morning, I shouldn't have left without saying anything."

"Shouldn't have left without saying anything." Gu Xuelan turned off the TV, then slapped the remote onto the glass coffee table with a bang. "What, were you going to proudly walk out the front door? Xie Yu, I told you before. During this vacation, I want you to stay home. Don't go to those sketchy places. Your most important task right now is to study."

"Mom, I think I have the right to decide how I spend my vacation."

Gu Xuelan's voice became noticeably sharper. "—What right do you have? When you're of age, then talk to me about rights. I didn't raise you to let you dally about all day, eating and passing time and waiting for death. All you do all day is run around outside. Have you thought about your future? You're still young. The things you can't think about, Mom will think about for you. You don't have enough self-control and if you can't do something, then Mom will make the effort to watch over you and do it. In the end, it's still my fault, is it?"

Xie Yu was silent.

Gu Xuelan took a breath and sat down. With shaking hands she picked up a cup from the coffee table. She said, "You might blame your mother now, but in future, you'll understand. Mom is doing all this for your sake."

"I know," Xie Yu said. "I have my own plans. After the university exams, just watch and see if I get into Tsinghua or Peking University."

"You're saying that just to keep me quiet. What plans do you have? If you really have plans, your grades wouldn't be like this. Tsinghua, Peking U... you're dreaming." Gu Xuelan's chest was so heavy it hurt.

Since awkwardly seeing Mr. Huang off this morning, she had experienced many emotions. Now that Xie Yu was in front of her, with no consternation and not feeling at all that he had done anything wrong, all her feelings welled up at once. "Who did you learn from to become like this? Zhou Dalei? Xu Yanmei? You want to be like those people from Black Water Street, do you?!"

"......"

Xie Yu had intended to bow and admit his mistake, and good-temperedly humor Madam Gu so that she would stop being angry. After all, today's incident was indeed his fault. If she really wanted him to cooperate with the tutor and study at home all vacation, then he would study.

But the last sentence made him suddenly look up. He spoke slowly, but his eyes were cold and piercing "Those people... what do you mean by those people?"