68 (2nd cp): Mediocre Love, Petty Jealousy, and Meaningless Devotion
Gao Tu’s father had indeed been living in Jianghu for years. His main source of income was entirely dependent on Gao Tu’s support.
But this month, he hadn’t received the living expenses that Gao Tu always wired on time.
“Sorry, the number you dialed is no longer in service.”
“Sorry, the number you dialed is no longer in service.”
“Sorry, the number you dialed is no longer in service…”
After living off his son for nearly a decade, Gao Ming had never imagined that one day his ever-compliant son would simply vanish from the face of the earth.
He dialed several times, each time hearing the same robotic message. Enraged, he smashed the only intact chair in the house.
Sitting amid the wreckage of his shabby home, Gao Ming’s mind raced.
The dim yellow light from an ancient ceiling lamp flickered overhead as a mosquito buzzed annoyingly close. Swatting at it, Gao Ming pulled up his daughter Gao Qing’s phone number.
Gao Qing was sixteen, a sickly girl who only knew how to spend money, not earn it. Gao Ming seldom contacted her directly.
But Gao Tu doted on this sister, never letting her lack anything no matter how hard things got for him.
Gao Tu earned a good salary. But his sister’s illness, coupled with his parasitic father’s endless demands, left him gasping for air.
Shen Wenlang had once mocked him: “Most people burn through money like water; Secretary Gao burns through it like a waterfall. You live on gruel, save nothing, look exhausted. Those who know say it’s for your sister’s medical bills; those who don’t probably think you’re a junkie.”
Those words had left Gao Tu ashamed, but he couldn’t deny they were true.
Shen wasn’t exactly a kind boss, but he was unexpectedly generous. Gao Tu’s salary and benefits far exceeded industry standards — triple, even.
And yet, just like years ago when he worked multiple jobs and bumped into Shen at different places, blushing with shame, Gao Tu still lived so meagerly — out of place next to the brilliant, dazzling Shen Wenlang.
When Gao Ming called, Gao Qing answered quickly.
“Hello? Who’s this?” a soft voice came through.
“Your father,” Gao Ming barked.
He hadn’t seen his daughter in seven or eight years. In his memory, she’d been a timid little Alpha, frail enough to be blown away by the wind.
The line went quiet for a moment. Then she finally said:
“What do you want?”
“What, you don’t even call your father ‘Dad’ anymore?”
“Mm.” She replied bluntly, “I don’t have a father.”
Gao Ming exploded, kicking over a dented trash can:
“Ungrateful brat! I’m not dead yet!”
“Better if you were,” Gao Qing’s icy voice cut back sharply.
“If you died, my brother wouldn’t have to suffer so much.”
“Then why don’t you die instead?” he spat bitterly.
“You’ve cost more than I have with all your fancy hospital bills! If you died, your brother wouldn’t have such a burden!”
“Exactly.” Her laugh was cold.
“I’ve wished I were dead for a long time. Then I wouldn’t drag him down. But unfortunately, Hell won’t take me yet. So I’m still here, alive, leeching off him.”
“Then go kill yourself!”
“I tried,” she said flatly.
“But my brother stopped me. He held me back and begged me not to jump.”
Her voice began to tremble, unsteady:
“That was the first time I saw him cry.”
“Cry?!” Gao Ming sneered.
“Cry my ass. He just can’t make enough money to support us and he cries over that?”
“And you have the nerve?” Her voice grew louder, almost shrill, like a balloon stretched to bursting to shield her brother from their bloodsucking father.
“You’re a grown man. You’ve got hands and feet but you don’t work — fine. But you gamble. You throw away his money on gambling! You’re shameless!”
“Why should I be? I’m his father! Without me, he wouldn’t exist! I gave you both life — it’s your duty to support me!”
“Bullshit!” she spat.
“Did we agree to that? Did we ask to be born? You gave us nothing but an empty house, no responsibility, no ambition, no stability, no plan! You had no right to bring us into this world just to suffer!”
Somewhere along the way, that frail little girl who used to hide and cry behind her brother had grown sharp and fearless — daring to scream at her father over the phone.
“Enough of this crap,” Gao Ming said, tired of arguing.
“Where’s your brother? I need money. Tell him to send it.”
“He’s sick. No job, no money. You want money? Earn it yourself.”
“What do you mean, no money?”
Just then, the front door opened — Gao Tu was home.
Gao Qing hung up, walked out of her room, and forced a smile:
“Brother. Did you find what you wanted?”
Sweaty and pale, he hung his keys and managed a tired smile:
“No. The bookstore didn’t have the right reference books, but I’ll look online tonight.”
“Mm. Online’s easier.” She took his groceries and fruit.
“You really don’t need to go shopping when you’re not feeling well. Delivery works fine.”
“You just got better and already want takeout?” he scolded gently, tapping her head.
“You’re finally healthy. Stop making trouble.”
“I just don’t want you running around,” she pouted, suddenly sweet again, nothing like the sharp-tongued girl on the phone moments ago.
“You should save your strength,” he said.
“Why?”
“Because of your disorder,” she said seriously.
“You need to avoid crowds.” She pointed to the suppressant patch on her neck:
“See? I keep mine on all the time now so it doesn’t affect you. The doctor said you should stay in an Alpha-free environment to recover.”
“Got it.”
“Good.” She shooed him from the kitchen:
“I’ll cook tonight.”
“You? You sure?”
“What’s so hard about it?”
Gao Qing was clever. Even though she’d missed years of school due to illness, she still ranked near the top of her class.
When Gao Tu decided to leave Jianghu, his biggest worry had been her schooling.
But she’d calmly told him:
“You’ve quit your job. My residency is tied to Dad. I can’t even take the college entrance exam here. We should go home — it’s cheaper, and I can transfer schools and test locally.”
She’d been right.
So he hadn’t hesitated.
Jianghu’s cost of living was too high, and without a job or a reason to stay, he couldn’t justify remaining there.
Though Hua Yong had offered help privately, Gao Tu couldn’t bring himself to accept it.
He wasn’t petty, but he wasn’t magnanimous either.
Faced with an Omega as special as Hua — the one Shen was willing to keep close — he couldn’t help feeling jealous.
That jealousy made him feel even more lowly.
Hua’s kindness only underscored his own mediocrity.
Mediocre love, petty jealousy, and ten meaningless years of devotion to Shen Wenlang.
Gao Ming, meanwhile, had reached the end of his rope.
There was nothing of value left in his home — except maybe his own worthless life.
His house was rented, and if not for Gao Tu wiring money every three months, he’d already have been homeless.
But he insisted on staying in Jianghu. Only here could he find high-stakes underground casinos.
Even though he always lost, he clung to the dream of striking it rich overnight.
But this time, it seemed that dream was slipping away.
After Gao Qing hung up on him, his phone buzzed over twenty times in three minutes — loan sharks demanding payment.
It was only a few hundred thousand, he scoffed.
Gao Tu could cover that in six months’ salary. What are these parasites panicking for?
He spat.
He wanted to beat up those thugs who vandalized doors and plastered “Pay your debts!” signs everywhere.
But he held back — not out of fear, but because the priority now was finding his son and getting the money.
Living expenses, debts, gambling funds — all of it should come from the son who owed him his life and earned more in a year than most people in ten.
In his circle, Gao Ming had always been envied — only his kid could be pressured into handing over large sums over and over.
“If you don’t give me money, I’ll go visit Gao Qing. You don’t want to scare her, do you?”
“Is she out of the hospital yet? If you don’t pay up, I’ll go see her.”
“If only you were an Omega, Gao Tu. I hear educated Omegas can fetch a good price for a night.”
Gao Ming had many ways to “earn” money just by opening his mouth.
And Gao Tu had always been his most generous listener and benefactor.
So now, he just needed to find him.