It's Roast Duck - Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Ever since that day, my sympathy meter for Qin Tian climbed another notch.

Maybe his brother had no choice but to be in that line of work.

Qin Lang didn’t look that old, either. He was probably only a few years older than me.

Because their parents had abandoned them years ago, he had shouldered the burden of the family all on his own.

An eldest brother was like a father. The fact that Qin Tian had been raised so fair and chubby showed just how much care Qin Lang had put into him.

But he couldn’t-he absolutely couldn’t bring something like that out into the open.

Qin Tian was still little now, but what about when he grew up?

I couldn’t even imagine how big a shock this would be for him.

Social prejudice really could destroy a person.

At that thought, I took the snacks from my drawer and stuffed them into Qin Tian’s arms, saying tenderly, “Eat more. If it’s not enough, ask me for more.”

Qin Tian nodded, and in the next second, stuffed his cheeks until he looked like a hamster.

So cute it was practically fatal.

After that, I asked Qin Tian to call his guardian in several more times.

As long as this matter remained unresolved, I couldn’t feel at ease.

But every single time, his brother was unavailable.

Either he was too busy, or he was on a business trip.

“Business trip? Your brother’s business requires travel?” I shot to my feet.

My face was full of shock.

Was his line of work really that broad in scope?!

Qin Tian looked up at me. “Yeah. He and a few of his friends went out of town this week to work with ducks. He said they were going to be ‘ducks.’ The grandma next door has been looking after me these past two days.”

He had friends involved too?

A group activity?

My vision went black. I nearly fainted.

I had thought I was simply trying to quietly persuade a man in the flesh trade to turn over a new leaf.

As it turned out, he had an entire organizational chain.

This was already teetering on the edge of illegality.

If he got caught one day, what would happen to Qin Tian? He was an elementary school student with no parents, only one older brother.

More importantly, Qin Tian might not even be able to take the civil service exam in the future!

“Qin Tian, when your brother comes back, tell him to come see me immediately. Do you hear me?”

I pulled Qin Tian a little closer, lowered my voice, and spoke with an anxious expression.

Qin Tian looked at me, then suddenly started laughing.

Before I could ask him anything, he covered his mouth and ran off.

It was over.

It seemed Qin Tian’s mental state was starting to become abnormal too!

Chapter 6

A week later.

Qin Lang finally came to my office.

“Teacher Su Su, I’ve really been too busy lately. I only managed to come see you now. I’m truly sorry.”

He rubbed his hands together and sat down in the chair opposite me.

The seat was too small, so his long legs could only stretch out to the side, instantly drawing the attention of more than half the office.

He was probably in a real hurry, because he had come wearing only a tank top.

Honestly, that plain white tank top on him gave off a real rugged, masculine vibe.

No wonder he fit the standard mold.

“Teacher, Qin Tian told me what you said. I don’t plan on changing jobs. Although this work is a little tiring and a little dirty, it’s enough to support me and Qin Tian, and I like doing it.”

Qin Lang suddenly raised his head, his gaze steady, neither servile nor overbearing.

The female teachers around us turned to look, their eyes shooting over like arrows-swish, swish, swish.

I panicked, afraid he would expose himself, and grabbed his wrist before rushing out the door.

Qin Lang looked utterly baffled, but let me drag him along.

Only when we reached a deserted corner did I finally let go of his hand, panting.

Like a thief, I glanced around, then scolded him in a low voice. “Why were you speaking so loudly in the office?”

If they all found out what Qin Lang did, how was Qin Tian supposed to get through the remaining three years of elementary school?

My internship here would end before long and I would leave. What if Qin Tian got bullied?

The more I thought about it, the angrier I became. I couldn’t help raising my voice a little.

“Is that the kind of thing you can say in public?”

Qin Lang looked baffled again. “Is what I said really that disgraceful?”

More than disgraceful!

You could practically get handcuffed for it!

“Look at you. You’re still young, you have two perfectly good hands and feet-what can’t you do? Why do you have to do that? If you get discovered, what will happen to Qin Tian in the future? And don’t you know it’s easy to catch diseases doing this kind of thing?”

Qin Lang was just about to explain when a few students walked over from not far away.

I quickly pushed him toward the school gate, only telling him irritably to think it over himself.

Then I took the students by the hand and walked in the opposite direction.

Just as we reached the entrance, Qin Tian suddenly popped out from behind me, smiling like a tiny schemer.

“Pretty teacher!”

He tugged at my sleeve, signaling for me to lower my head.

“Teacher, what do you think of my big brother? My brother is single. I really like you. Can you be my sister-in-law?”

?!

After I had asked to see his brother again and again, it seemed Qin Tian had misunderstood.

I took a huge step back. Then, afraid of hurting Qin Tian’s feelings, I carefully pulled his hand down and refused as tactfully as I could.

“I don’t like men who are ‘ducks’ for a living…”

But Qin Tian grew anxious and clutched my sleeve even tighter.

“My brother doesn’t have to be a duck! What about chickens? If he works with chickens instead, would you like him, teacher?”