Jian silently ate the bowl of rice while serving some side dishes for his grandpa. It had been two days since he had seen him and the old man had already lost a bit of his fat. His cheeks had sunken in, making him look typically like a skeleton.
Frowning, he placed the bowl down. 'How is his factory allowing him to work two jobs? It's too unfair! He will collapse if this goes on.'
"Grandpa?"
"Hmm?" his grandpa smiled up at him. "Eat well child. Tomorrow, I'll buy you some meat."
"Can I come visit your workplace?" Jian scooted close and held his hand. "I'm curious where you are staying."
"it's not safe for young children to be roaming around there," he said with a frown and rejected him immediately.
Jian pouted, leaning against his shoulders. "Come on... please... let me visit just this once."
"don't you have homework to do?"
"I will do it at your workplace. I swear I will not slack off. I will work hard. I just want to know where you work." He blinked up at him.
His grandpa let out a loud sigh and nodded. "Fine fine, but you have to stay out of the way and do your homework, got it?"
"hmm~" Jian hugged him. "I love you, Grandpa,"
The old man's wrinkled face lit up in a smile.
That night, Jian had the best sleep. Content, he took out his pendant and gently touched the smooth surface. "I should hide this well...."
He had already decided to hide this at school, but he still wasn't sure where.
So, he simply covered the pendant with an old gauze he found around and stuffed it in a small compartment in his bag.
The next morning came much faster. It was the weekends and he did not have school. Plus, without Bian and that troublesome lady around he was able to get good sleep.
Jian ran out of his room to his grandfather, who was sleeping in the cold room. "Grandpa ~ what do you want for breakfast?"
"Nothing fancy child. Wait, I'll help you out," he got up, groaning slightly. the old man walked with a slight limp out of his room.
Jian bit his lips. 'I used up all his massage oil. I need to get him a new bottle...'
He did not have much money at hand, but he could definitely ask his boss for a prepayment. 'Maybe I should take up more shifts for two weeks...'
He did not feel that regret being so idle.
After a simple breakfast, they headed out of their house.
The old man slowly walked down the empty road with a small cloth bag in his hand.
Jian followed after him.
The match factor his grandpa worked in was five kilometers from their house, and it would take at least an hour to walk there. Yet this man walked there every day without fail.
Buses don't run this way, which was the worst part.
As he was thinking of this, the old man suddenly took a familiar turn and walked into the road he took to school.
"We should go check on your brother after my shirt. I think I will be free in the afternoons. Why don't we go together?" Grandpa gazed back with a small smile.
Jian frowned slightly. "Your workplace is this way?"
"Hmm, I'm working in a new place on the weekends. They pay really well and the workload is not that bad," the old man gestured for him to get close. "I heard they are building a huge company there. If you study well you will get to work in such a huge place."
Jian smiled. "I'll make you proud."
The world will end in about five months or so. Education is useless. Only physical strength and survival skills are more than important. 'Taekwondo classes. I need to join it now!'
He was planning on joining this Friday, but that stupid Bian foiled all his plans by stupidly trying to get him expelled. It was kind of getting on his nerves. He did not wish to tolerate that annoying person's antics any longer.
Five months of that torture is enough to drive me crazy!
Soon they both ended up on a familiar back road that led to his school's secondary gate. they even walked by the restraint he worked part time. 'Umm where does he work?'
His grandpa walked into the construction site quite close to the school's back door with a smile. "The pay here is quite good and they even allow us a place to stay. It's much better than the match company,"
The guard nodded at his grandpa. "Who is this young fella?"
"This is my grandson," Grandpa pulled him close. "He is such a brilliant student. He got straight A's all his life and has a scholarship for everything. I don't even need to pay for school. that's how awesome he is,"
Jian blushed slightly after being boasted like this.
"Ah, I wish my son was like that. That annoying kid just runs around like a hooligan following after that Nansich kid," the man sighed.
Jian raised a brow. 'So, his son is Nansich's sidekick, ah? This is interesting...'
They walked in.
The huge building was twenty stories, all with a modern structure to it. the first floor seemed to be completed but the other floors were still under construction.
His neck cracked just looking up at the huge structure.
"Stay here under that tree. Grandpa will take you to my sleeping quarters after I'm done with my work, okay? We will get something to eat in the cafeteria and go visit you brother," the old man patted his back and walked in briskly with a limp.
Jian watched him carefully. Everyone working in this place seemed very happy and healthy. They did not have that tired look on their faces. 'The morale is good...' he was relieved.