Short, Light, Free - Chapter 133
The reporter looked as if he had more questions but Xiaoyu grabbed my arm and made a run for the car.
The reported followed after us, his mic raised. “Can you give us more details? We really want to know…”
“Sorry, interviewing time is over,” a security guard stepped forward and interrupted.
The cameraman behind put the equipment down. “I’ve got enough footages. It will be perfect if we can just secure an exclusive interview with Mr. Luqiao.”
The reporter put his mic down and nodded. “Yeah, let’s discuss it again.”
…
The interior of the seven-seater car had been modified into that of a limousine.
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In it sat a woman and the chauffeur.
She looked at me and asked, “Xiaoyu, who is this?”
“A friend,” she answered, taking her seat and patting the one beside her.
“When did you two meet? Are you trying to ride on her fame?” the woman asked urgently, reaching a leg out to block me from entering.
I looked at them awkwardly.
Cameras were flashing outside and I added helplessly, “I knew her before she became famous.”
“Sister Xiaomei, he’s a friend from the institution.”
“That mental institution? He’s mentally ill?” she asked in shock.
“Who are you accusing of being mentally ill?” I retorted.
I figured that she must be Xiaoyu’s manager since there wasn’t anyone else except for her and the driver.
Xiaoyu shook her head and corrected her, “He was actually my teacher, Sister Xiaomei.”
“Teacher? Oh, my God, I’m so sorry, please come in,” she hurriedly sat upright and pointed to the seat beside Xiaoyu.
I entered and the security guard outside shut the door.
The driver started the engine and inched forward slowly.
The woman looked at me and apologized, “I’m so sorry, I’m her manager. Just call me Xiaomei. How do I address you, if I may ask?”
“No need, just call me Crazy,” I said, rather spitefully. This woman wasn’t likable at all.
Xiaoyu took over, saying, “Ignore him, Sister Xiaomei. He’s Luqiao.”
“Alright. Anyway, did you win today?” she queried with a smile.
“Yeah, easily. It was a thousand toothpicks dropping into a vase this time, and I guessed the number before they even fell,” she explained proudly.
“Really impressive. Are you confident about tomorrow’s competition then?” she asked.
“Yes, I’m ready to become world champion,” Xiaoyu answered.
“You’ll have to attend three interviews after you win. You can’t lose, alright?” she added.
“Don’t worry, they’re too weak for me,” Xiaoyu reassured her with a smile.
I frowned a little at their conversation. It did seem as though she’d been doing the same old trick throughout the past year. The show gave her no opportunity to progress. She had become a tool, a money tree.
I had to ask her, on the president’s behalf, if she had been improving her math.
I started organizing my words in my head but soon noticed the woman looking over at me.
We exchanged glances and it seemed that she, too, had something she wanted to say.
“What is it?” I asked, breaking the silence.
“Were you her math teacher? Did you work in the institution? I’m sorry for calling you mental, but it’s all for her own good. I’m worried about people getting close and taking advantage of her, now that she’s famous,” she explained.
“Sorry, but I’m definitely gonna get even closer to her,” I responded, eliciting a strange look from her.
“Right, Luqiao, why are you in Beijing?” Xiaoyu asked.
“Do you remember the president?”
“What about him?”
“He’s critically ill,” I told her.
Anxious, she asked, “Where’s the phone? I want to call him.”
Her manager took her phone out for her.
“No need. I already talked to him. He wants me to take over his responsibility of looking after you till you turn 18,” I explained.
Xiaoyu took the phone from her manager and pressed some digits.
The line connected quickly but I knew that it was the nurse on the other end.
They started chatting and the manager coughed a little. “Mr. Luqiao, I’m her manager so it is my duty to prevent her from being led astray. You appeared out of nowhere so abruptly and want to be her guardian? Any documentation?”
“Lead her astray? Aren’t you doing just that?” I challenged.
“What do you mean, Mr. Luqiao?” she asked, confused.
Xiaoyu hung up. “Did he really ask you to take care of me? What illness did he catch?”
“Late stage cancer. He doesn’t have more than a few months left but he’s very worried about you so he had me come over. I’m already working in a state enterprise, but he had my contact details and decided to book me a flight over here. He was also the one who gave me the broadcasting station’s address. Do you believe me?” I asked.
The manager interrupted, “Please answer me first, Mr. Luqiao. What did you mean by what you said?”
I turned my gaze to Xiaoyu. “You guys have known each other for quite some time, right? Have you heard her talking about her goals?”
The woman clenched her teeth while answering, “To be a world champion.”
I shook my head with a bitter smile. “Do you remember your ambition, Xiaoyu?”
“To be a mathematician?” she asked, only to be cut in by her manager. “What’s so great about becoming a mathematician? She’s already a mathematician. Her fans call her the mathematics king. Who’s better at math than she is?”
Xiaoyu lowered her head and remained silent.
“Then how long has it been since she practiced math? Or learned something new? Of course, these are questions from the president. This girl over here told me once that numbers were well-knit yet self-contradictory, and that she wants to unravel the secret behind them, to show the world what it’s all about. Where’s that Xiaoyu gone?” I asked.
“It’s been some time but I promise to continue learning after clinching the championship. I’m still going to solve the seven hardest questions. I know what I need to do,” Xiaoyu answered.
I sighed in relief. My words seemed effective.
The woman looked at me and said, “Mr. Luqiao, did Xiaoyu do something wrong? Haven’t you seen her achievements? Is solving math questions that important? Do you know that an interview can earn her 250,000? She’ll start earning double if she becomes a world champion tomorrow. 500,000 just to show her face and speak a little. With that amount of money, she could easily pay the best mathematicians to solve the problems for her. Why must she waste time doing it on her own?”
I was dumbstruck. “Excuse me, are you misunderstanding something? Xiaoyu is not your money bag. Do you know what solving the questions entails for humanity?”
“Whatever math questions… do you really think it’s for her wellbeing? Why don’t you go solve them yourself then? Stop hindering her success. Have you thought about how ridiculous it will be for her to waste her youth on those silly questions? Have you thought about the possibility that those questions are unsolvable? Why should she waste her time working on such worthless things? Don’t you know how gifted she is? I think you’re harming her, Mr. Luqiao.”
“You’re being unreasonable. That’s Xiaoyu’s dream, she told me so herself. She’s still at the age of learning and processing. You can’t put a value on everything. How will the world progress if money is everything? Say something, Xiaoyu, don’t keep quiet,” I urged.
The manager added, “People change, Mr. Luqiao. Please stop the car, Driver. I suspect you’re trying to cause problems for Xiaoyu tomorrow. Before you show me some legal documentation, I have no obligations to believe that you’re her guardian. You might be working for another nation for all we know. Your behavior is vile.”
“Why are you stopping the car?” I asked.
“Please get out,” she said.
“What rights do you have?”
“This car is a company property and Xiaoyu’s signed a contract with us. I’ll get the driver to pull you out if you refuse to cooperate.”
“Say something, Xiaoyu.”
She kept her head down, as if deep in thought.
The driver got off the car and opened the door, extending his arm out to grab my shoulder.
“It’s alright, Xiaoyu. Win tomorrow and you can go back to solving your math questions. I’ll take you to your favorite seafood restaurant now, how about that? Think through what would happen in the competition and we’ll discuss it later, my little world champion. I think this guy is just causing problems, but it’s alright, we’ll talk about it after the competition,” she soothed Xiaoyu.
I was thrown off the car mercilessly and I landed heavily on the ground.
The driver got back in and started the engine. I hastily got up and pounded on the window but the car accelerated and drove off quickly.
I tried to chase after them but I was left gasping for breath after a short while.
Shortly after, a minivan stopped over. It was the reporter and his cameraman.
“Mr. Luqiao! Can we interview you?” the reporter asked.
“Can I use your car to follow someone?” I asked, eyeing their van.
“Who?” the reporter questioned.
“Xiaoyu’s car.”
“Yes, but the hotel is just further in front and we can’t go in so it’s no use. Let us interview you instead, Mister Luqiao,” he requested.
