The bar was dim, although there was no one inside at the moment, but the smell of smoke left over the years had long penetrated the walls and filled the entire room.
The smell was strange, obviously not something ordinary cigarettes could leave …… Cheng Hao felt a bit dumb for holding his breath like this – he couldn’t keep doing that.
When he settled down and could participate in regular boxing matches and gain some fame, he would definitely not come back to such a place.
Although Cheng Hao thought so in his heart, at this time, he still desperately needed this job.
After entering the bar, Cheng Hao realized that the inside of the bar was much bigger than he thought, and at this moment, there were people cleaning up the bar.
They cleaned out all kinds of garbage, among which there was even vomit.
The old black man who brought him in found a chair and sat down before looking at Cheng Hao: “Little guy, do you know the rules of boxing here?”
Cheng Hao replied, “I don’t know, I just know I’m short of money.”
“Well, most of those who come here to fight are like you.” The man said, “I can tell you the rules here, my name is George, what’s your name?”
Cheng Hao had guessed before, but now it was finally confirmed – this man, was the owner of the bar, Old George.
Cheng Hao said, “My name is Cheng Hao, you can call me Cheng.”
“Okay, then I’ll call you Cheng from now on.” Old George said, and then while smoking, he told Cheng Hao the rules of boxing here.
In a regular boxing match, boxers needed to weigh in before the match, and then he would fight with someone who weighed about the same as him.
But in a place like this, the rules weren’t as strict.
But the boxing matches here, also like the regular matches, boxers couldn’t attack the back of the opponent’s head, throat and crotch, after all, attacking such places could easily kill someone, and such informal matches, although they liked to make it a little bloody, but it wasn’t to the point of killing people.
“Here, you may need to fight someone heavier than you, not a little heavier, but the kind that weighs twenty kilos. I have a doctor here, but his skills aren’t that good, if you are badly injured, he may not be able to help you, also, this is not a round system, you need to keep fighting with your opponent, and only when you have knocked him down, will it be considered a win ……” Old George spoke a lot.
Cheng Hao considered it for a while and felt he could accept it: “What’s the pay? You know, I need money.”
Old George continued, “Anyone who comes to my place to watch a boxing match must place a bet! Of the total amount wagered for each boxing match, four percent is taken as a prize for the winner, and one percent is taken as payment for the loser.”
“What about the rest?” Cheng Hao asked.
Old George said, “The rest, five percent belongs to me, and the rest is distributed to the person who wins the bet.”
Old George was smart to do this, at least his bar would never lose money, Cheng Hao nodded, “I agree.”
“How old are you?” Old George asked, “I need to register your information.”
“Sixteen.”
“Very young.” Old George swept a glance at Cheng Hao and asked a few more questions, such as where he lived and so on, however, Cheng Hao couldn’t answer, but he didn’t care.
He briefly registered Cheng Hao’s information, “I have a tournament here every Tuesday and Friday, you can come over in advance then and I will arrange it for you.”
“Thanks.” Then Cheng Hao asked, “What day of the week is today?”
Old George wasn’t in a good mood, “Tuesday! Do you want to come tonight?”
Cheng Hao refused: “I’m afraid I can’t today.” He had an injury, and it would be a disgrace to come to the game today …… Besides, he needed time to adapt to this new body of his.
“Then wait for next time.”
“Okay.” Cheng Hao answered.
Cheng Hao and Old George agreed then he left the bar.
And just as he walked out of the bar, he met Chester.
Seeing Cheng Hao, Chester immediately ran over: “How could you do that! You actually left me behind!”
“I never promised to take you in.” Cheng Hao said.
Chester was a little angry and complained incessantly. Cheng Hao finally couldn’t help but wave his fist: “Do you want to feel my fist?”
Chester jerked back and ran away in a huff.
Seeing that he was gone, Cheng Hao headed to where Lin Yuxun lived.
The roll-up door was still broken, he would try to fix it back later …… Cheng Hao took out the key and was about to open the door when he saw a ball-like man running towards him.
He was very good at distinguishing the appearance of black and white, he didn’t know how to describe the appearance of the black man in front of him, on one point was certain, he was really very fat!
“Brat! You live with Tony now?” The fat black man asked loudly.
Hearing this voice, Cheng Hao knew who this person was – this was the landlord who had appeared last night, and this morning, too.
At that time, he only heard the landlord’s voice, but now he could see the landlord’s appearance clearly.
He could see that he was doing well.
Cheng Hao replied: “No, I’m his classmate, I came to ask for something yesterday, but a few people ruined the door, I can’t leave.” Before this landlord said, an extra person caused extra rent …… The fact that he lived here for nothing was already very embarrassing, he couldn’t let Lin Yuxun pay more rent.
He was penniless, couldn’t get the rent, and even expected to continue living here – if Lin Yuxun didn’t let him stay, he would have to live in the streets.
The fat landlord looked at Cheng Hao suspiciously: “Brat, are you telling the truth?”
“It’s true! Those people yesterday were so abominable that they broke your door, don’t worry, I will find a way to fix it!”
When Cheng Hao said so, the landlord’s attention was diverted, he cursed the black people who broke the door, and of course, he didn’t forget to ask Cheng Hao for compensation: “If it wasn’t for you, those people wouldn’t have come to break my door, so you must fix it!”
Cheng Hao promised repeatedly.
Only then did the landlord leave satisfied. Seeing that he had left, Cheng Hao breathed a sigh of relief and opened the door to enter the house.
The clothes that Lin Yuxun had washed last night were placed in the outer room to dry in the shade, while in the bedroom inside, Danny was playing with the can puller again.
Cheng Hao took a look and found that one of the five sandwiches he had brought back had already been opened, but only half of it had been eaten.
The boy was deaf and couldn’t understand him, but Cheng Hao had nothing else to do, so he simply sat down next to him, then picked up the old newspaper that Lin Yuxun had written his name on yesterday and tore it open, using part of it to fold a paper airplane.
Danny didn’t pay attention to him at first, but then at some point he stared at him without blinking.
The paper plane was quickly folded, Cheng Hao looked at Danny, took the paper plane and threw it forward.
The paper plane quickly flew out.
Danny’s mouth was slightly open, he remained still, but his gaze was firmly glued to the paper plane.
Cheng Hao smiled, picked up the paper airplane, and then threw it once again.
The paper plane spun and flew out for a while, and then hovered and fell to the ground.
Cheng Hao once again picked up the paper plane and put it into Danny’s hand.
Danny stared at the paper plane for a while and threw it forward.
He wasn’t very good at throwing paper airplanes, and the paper airplane quickly fell down, but he was still very happy watching it. He got up from the bed and climbed out of bed to pick up the paper plane.
Cheng Hao was worried about whether the child would have other problems, but now he was much more relieved, but he also had a guess about the child’s previous attitude.
His mother died, only a not so close brother accompanied him ….. maybe he was deliberately behaving well.
Danny was a child, a child without toys and playmates.
It was very ordinary paper airplane for others, but he liked it very much, after playing in the bedroom for a while, he felt that the place was too small, he looked at Cheng Hao, and went outside to play in a larger room.
Cheng Hao also followed him out.
He knew the boy couldn’t hear, but seeing him playing happily, he still smiled and praised: “You’re so good!”
“Good throw this time!”
“You’re great!”
……
Cheng Hao’s parents died early in his last life, and his family was poor before his parents died, so after arriving at the provincial boxing team, he once had a psychological problem and a bit of excessive inferiority complex.
Later, the boxing team’s teacher took him to see a psychiatrist and complimented him in different ways, so he slowly became better.
He also found that psychological suggestion was very important, for example, he kept suggesting to himself that he would become the best boxer in the world, and later he really won the world championship.
During those years, he read some books on psychology one after another, although it wasn’t studied systematically, but at least he knew one thing, that was, children needed to be encouraged, and they needed love and affirmation.
Danny couldn’t hear, but he could see.
He stood by, paid attention to Danny and clapped for him, Danny was certainly very happy.
Cheng Hao thought correctly.
At first Danny played but he moved slowly and didn’t smile, but after he sat next to him and watched, he also smiled and encouraged and applauded, Danny’s movements became faster and faster.
When he threw the paper airplane, it wasn’t like at the beginning when he just stood and threw flat, he even began to jump up and throw.
Seeing Danny like this, Cheng Hao clapped even more and gave Danny a thumbs up: “You’re great, Danny!”
After Danny threw the paper airplane, he went to see Cheng Hao, and now when he saw Cheng Ho like this, the corners of his mouth curved up into a big smile.
He was mixed race and was already beautiful, probably because he always stayed in the house and didn’t go out, his skin was also particularly white, almost flawless, now with this smile, he looked cute, like a little angel.
Cheng Hao stood up and gave him a hug and a thumbs up.
Danny was even happier and ran to pick up the paper airplane with a smile.
Cheng Hao stood by and kept giving encouragement.
The boy was panting after running for a while, obviously he wasn’t used to moving, but letting him run around the house was good!
“Danny, you’re such a little angel!” Cheng Hao said, just as he finished speaking, he heard the sound of the roll-up door shaking, and at the same time saw Lin Yuxun get out from under the roll-up door.
After he entered the house, he thought to leave the door a bit for some air, so he didn’t close the door, anyway, this door could now only be pulled up less than a meter, the people outside couldn’t see the inside.
Because of this, Lin Yuxun didn’t need a key, he could just get in.
Lin Yuxun’s clothes were a bit dirty, and he looked very tired, at this moment, he looked at Cheng Hao with straight eyes, looking dull.
Cheng Hao showed him a big smile and greeted him, “Lin Yuxun, you’re back!”
“Hmm.” Lin Yuxun said, his eyes red.
Every time he came home before, the house was quiet and nothing was heard, but today, before he reached the door, he heard Cheng Hao’s voice, and when he came in, he was surprised to see Danny smiling so happily.
Lin Yuxun’s heart was beating faster and faster, while his eyes were getting teary.
In the past, when his mother was still alive, there were also sounds in the house, but often it was the sound of his mother and her co-habitants’ bickering, his mother scolding Danny, or his mother crying when she was drunk.
There had never been such happy sounds in his house.
Lin Yuxun felt his exhaustion was swept away and his whole body was refreshed.
Cheng Hao noticed that Lin Yuxun’s eyes were red and immediately walked over, “Did someone bully you? Are you okay?”
Danny, who was playing while paying attention to Cheng Hao, also saw Lin Yuxun. He stopped playing with the paper airplane and ran to Lin Yuxun’s side and pulled the hem of Lin Yuxun’s shirt, looking at Lin Yuxun worriedly.
Lin Yuxun said, “I’m fine …… I’m just a little happy to see Danny smiling so happily.”
“This kid is smart.” Cheng Hao laughed.
Lin Yuxun hummed.
Cheng Hao added: “Sit down and rest for a while, I’ll go get you a glass of water.”
He stood up and went to pour water.
“No need, I’ll do it myself.” Lin Yuxun hurriedly grabbed the water and drank it, then he asked Cheng Hao, “Do you want some water?”
“I’ve drank some.”
There was silence for a while, and Danny stopped playing with the paper airplane and looked at Cheng Hao and Lin Yuxun worriedly.
Cheng Hao then picked up the paper plane and gave it to him, “Danny, keep playing.”
Danny couldn’t hear the sound, but he could read the action, he took the paper plane, smiled towards Cheng Hao and threw the paper plane once again.
Cheng Hao continued to praise him.
Once again, the atmosphere in the room was different.
Lin Yuxun looked at Danny with some envy, his heart was happy and sour at the same time – no one played with him before.
Cheng Hao noticed Lin Yuxun’s expression. Lin Yuxun was about the same age as the kids he used to teach who had just joined the boxing team …… Cheng Hao took another newspaper and folded a paper plane and handed it to Lin Yuxun: “Do you want to play?”
Lin Yuxun squeezed that paper airplane and looked at Cheng Hao blankly.
“It’s actually quite fun.” Cheng Hao said cheekily, well, he actually didn’t find paper planes fun at all.
“Hmm.” Lin Yuxun responded.
Playing with paper airplanes seemed childish, but when he was a child, he didn’t play with paper airplanes either ……
His father was busy working every day to make money, and spoke less than ten sentences a month, naturally he wouldn’t take him to play, as for friends …… after his mother left, he had to go home to prepare food, wash clothes, there wasn’t much time to play, other children weren’t willing to take him to play.
Lin Yuxun threw the paper airplane carelessly,, then with a jolt, he realized what he had done, he quickly ran over to pick up the paper airplane.
Then he squeezed the paper airplane and didn’t let go.
He wasn’t young, so Cheng Hao didn’t force him to play …… from time to time he complimented Danny, and then folded a boat with newspaper.
After folding, he gave it to Lin Yuxun.
Lin Yuxun put the boat in his palm and solemnly held it.
Cheng Hao smiled and started folding something else. When he was in kindergarten in his last life, there was origami class, he always folded quickly and well, the teacher taught him to fold several additional things.
His family wasn’t rich at that time, there was nothing to play with, but there was still a lot of paper, he repeatedly folded them for fun, until he was first in the origami class.
He hadn’t folded anything for many years, but the memory of his childhood was particularly clear ……
The paper boat alone, he folded four different kinds, then many paper cranes, flowers, turtles and what not, he even folded a gold dollar treasure.
When his mother died, he was at a wake with relatives, his heart was empty, so he followed them and learned how to fold yuanbao, and ended up learning three different ways of folding yuanbao ……
That newspaper was torn apart piece by piece by Cheng Hao, he folded a lot of things, and finally folded a heart for Danny – after he folded more and more things, Danny stopped playing with paper airplanes and ran to the side to watch him fold paper.
Receiving the heart, Danny smiled again.
Lin Yuxun held a paper airplane in one hand and a paper boat in the other, he glanced at Danny, and turned to look at Cheng Hao.
Cheng Hao and them, were really completely different, and he didn’t know when he would leave ……
Lin Yuxun felt as if his heart and lungs were tightly grabbed, there was a little pain and he couldn’t breathe.
And at this time, Cheng Hao felt that the time was almost right: “Lin Yuxun, I have a somewhat presumptuous request ……”
“What?” Lin Yuxun corrected his sitting posture, a little nervous.
“I don’t have a place to stay for now, can I stay here?” Cheng Hao asked. He was penniless and didn’t know anyone, so it would be good if he could stay here.
Lin Yuxun almost jumped up, he nodded without thinking: “Of course!”