DNDAS

Chapter 23: Borrowing Money

"Uncle, let me help you carry that," When Fu Li got off work, he saw the scholarly, learned, and reserved cleaner uncle with a mop in his left hand and a cleaning bucket in his right hand. Concerned that he would trip and fall, Fu Li went up and helped him to carry the cleaning bucket.

"Thank you, young man," The uncle flashed a grateful smile at Fu Li. "You're that newbie Little Fu?"

"Yup," Fu Li nodded. After helping the uncle to place the cleaning tools in the room for miscellaneous items, the two people walked to the main entrance only to realize that it was still raining outside.

"It was still okay just now, how did such heavy rain come about in the short time that passed?" The uncle commented and then turned around, heading back in. Fu Li glanced up at the sky. Not too long later, he saw the uncle coming back out with an old umbrella.

"Teacher Yao, you're rushing back even when the rain's this heavy?"

"The cat at home is still waiting for me to return," The uncle responded with a chuckle, his manner extremely kindly.

"Teacher Yao," Fu Li saw that the uncle was about to walk out into the rain and called after him. "I didn't bring an umbrella, let's squeeze together."

"Sure," Teacher Yao turned again and walked to the entrance. "Quick, come over. Don't get wet."

Fu Li squeezed under the umbrella and matched Teacher Yao's pace as they walked slowly. Teacher Yao smiled and asked, "I heard you're self-studying. Are you preparing to enter university?"

Fu Li nodded.

"It's good to love studying. Being human means living till old age and learning till old age," The smile on Teacher Yao's face grew even gentler. The two people had to cross an overhead bridge; Fu Li extended a hand and supported the elderly man. Teacher Yao looked down at his arm that was being supported and smiled. "Youngsters who don't voice their kind intentions will lose out."

"You saw that the rain was too heavy and couldn't feel at ease about an old man walking alone outside, so you said that you didn't bring an umbrella, right?" Teacher Yao patted Fu Li's arm. "If you chase after a girl in the future, don't ever do this. If the other party doesn't know how good you are to her, won't your thoughts go to waste?"

Fu Li didn't understand. Why did he have to let others know about the things he did? It was merely a matter of raising a hand, was it necessary? Besides, didn't the human world think highly of Lei Feng's spirit of committing good deeds without claiming credit?

But this aged human was a teacher. His words... shouldn't be wrong?

Teacher Yao knew from Fu Li's blank expression that this youngster hadn't understood him clearly from the start, nor had he ever liked anyone. Otherwise, he certainly wouldn't show this sort of nonchalant demeanor. Teacher Yao simply placed an arm on Fu Li's arm. "The rain is very heavy today; have a meal at my place this afternoon before going back."

"Okay," Fu Li, who still didn't know about the artificial courtesies of the human world, didn't even decline and instead directly accepted Teacher Yao's invitation.

Teacher Yao's house wasn't very far. The neighborhood was just a bit on the old side and the building lacked a lift. Uncle Yao lived on the fourth floor and needed to climb up the stairs floor by floor.

The already-peeling metal door appeared a little shabby but had been cleaned very well. Teacher Yao retrieved the keys tied at his waist and opened the door to a tiny shaggy creature which walked out from behind the door meowing.

It was a very fat cat, so fat that it resembled a ball.

Seeing the unfamiliar Fu Li behind Teacher Yao, the fat cat's cries grew a few notches higher. After circling Fu Li's feet, it revealed its belly and lay down in front of Teacher Yao.