The Obligations of the Elderly - Chapter 1

“Did Wang Gongming skip class again today?” Gong Si frowned, pointing at the empty seat and asking the girl sitting nearby.

“Oh, oh, oh! Reporting to the vice class monitor, Wang Gongming won’t be coming to class anymore! He had his Awakening during the holidays, and starting this semester, he’s transferred to a specialized school. He won’t be coming back~” The girl didn’t reply, but a few boys playing cards in the last row raised their voices to answer Gong Si, their tone full of pride, showing off a bit, maybe even a hint of provocation?

However, Gong Si only responded with an “Oh,” then turned to the boys in the row behind the empty seat and said, “Didn’t you say you couldn’t see clearly and wanted to change seats? I’ll confirm Wang Gongming’s situation with the teacher later. If it’s true, you can move to his seat.”

“That’s great! Thank you, vice class monitor!” The boy who was called out immediately replied happily, already starting to pack up his things.

“Wait a moment, I haven’t confirmed it yet.” Gong Si stopped him with a slight frown, then went to the teachers’ office next door. After a while, he returned, now holding a thick stack of booklets.

“You can move now.” This was said to the boy from earlier.

“Hand out these information booklets.” The next sentence was directed at the girl beside him-she was the class study committee member.

Once everyone in the class had a booklet, Gong Si stood at the podium and said, “This handbook introduces various universities, including their profiles and key disciplines. It also contains previous years’ admission scores and application requirements. Take a look, discuss with your families, and in a week, fill out your choices on the last form in the booklet, tear it off, and hand it to me.”

“Thank you for your hard work, vice class monitor!” Someone called out as soon as he finished, not only speaking but also applauding. With that lead, soon the whole class was clapping, making such a commotion that students from other classes passing by curiously poked their heads in.

Gong Si stared expressionlessly at the students from other classes until they left, then finally turned his gaze back and shot a glare at the student who started the applause.

It was an exceptionally handsome young man.

His black hair had slightly long bangs, but around the ears it was neatly trimmed, just enough to reveal two thin ears. He had a great face shape, slender almond eyes, deep yet lively black pupils, and under his straight nose, lips curved in a slightly teasing smile.

He was the one who spoke, the one who led the applause, and his long-fingered hands were still raised in midair.

He stood out, and his seat was even more conspicuous-he was practically surrounded by girls, with female classmates in every direction! In the class, he was a unique presence!

Gong Si glared at him. “It’s because you, the class monitor, do nothing that I have to work so hard.”

With that, Gong Si walked straight to his own seat on the side of the classroom.

Compared to that boy’s seat, Gong Si’s spot was a bit secluded, on the right side of the classroom by the wall. Fortunately, it was near the front, with a good view of the blackboard. He had one desk mate, and several boys sat in front, behind, and to the sides-all guys. No wonder, since most of the girls in the class had gathered around the boy Gong Si had called the class monitor earlier, except for a few timid girls who couldn’t compete for seats. The rest of the seats were basically occupied by boys.

Gong Si flipped through the booklet in his hand. Soon, the math teacher came in, so he put the booklet down and listened attentively to the lesson.

After a full day of classes, school was finally over. The students began packing up and heading out, and Gong Si was no exception. Before he could finish packing his bag, a shadow appeared in front of him.

Looking up, he saw the class monitor standing there.

With a gentle, refreshing smile on his face, the boy looked at him.

“What?” Gong Si frowned, buckling his bag, and looked at him, annoyed.

“Waiting to go home with you after school~ Our houses are on the same route~” the boy replied with a cheerful smile.

“Not walking with the girls today?” Gong Si glanced at him, slung his backpack over his shoulders, and headed for the door. The boy stretched his long legs and followed him out, only walking shoulder to shoulder with him once they were outside.

“No, it’s boring. I just told them you needed me for something, so I came over,” the boy said with a smile.

“Using me as an excuse again-no wonder all those girls glared at me when they left.” Gong Si pursed his lips.

Anyone who wasn’t dead could feel those dagger-like stares just now, making him not even want to look up. So the culprits were right here!

The culprits-Xi Liu and Xiao Yinyin-looked at him with cheerful smiles, showing not a trace of apology in their eyes.
“The teacher said you should take care of me~ This counts as taking care of me too~” Seeing Gong Si quicken his pace to avoid him, Xi Liu grabbed his bag and jogged after him, keeping up all the way.

“Tch! Take care of what! When you transferred, the teacher said you were weak and a new student, so I had to look after you. But now, you don’t look sick at all, and you’ve even become class president. You look like you don’t need anyone to take care of you. Only a fool would keep looking after you.” Gong Si kept striding ahead, then suddenly stopped short. Not only did he stop, but he also reached back and grabbed Xi Liu, who hadn’t noticed and was still running forward. Just as he pulled Xi Liu back, a car sped past right in front of them.

“Didn’t you see two living people here? Watch where you’re driving!” Gong Si cursed at the back of the car, waving his free hand.

But Xi Liu’s gaze lingered on the arm that had just been grabbed, and he smiled, “You keep saying you won’t, but when something actually happens, you really do have a habit of taking care of people~”

Gong Si let go and said grumpily, “Can’t help it, I’m the eldest.”

“True, you have two younger brothers.” Xi Liu looked at Gong Si with sympathy.

“Three.” The gloom on Gong Si’s face deepened.

“Huh? Did I remember wrong? I could’ve sworn it was two…”

“You didn’t remember wrong, there’s one more now.” Gong Si kicked a small stone by the roadside. “My parents sent another one back recently.”

“When did that happen? How come I didn’t know?”

“The Sunday before last, you took a week off.”

“Ah… when I was on sick leave…”

Xi Liu’s look grew even more sympathetic as he gazed at Gong Si.

“How about this, I’ll buy you an ice pop.” He offered.

Gong Si turned to look at him, “Really?”

“Really, consider it comfort.”

“Then I want a Rainbow Whirlwind.” Gong Si looked at him.

“…You’re not shy at all, that’s the most expensive one!”

“Tch! Aren’t you the Young Master?”

“Who said that?”

“Everyone says so, isn’t it true?”

“…Sort of.”

“Then I want mineral water too.”

“Hey! Now you’re pushing it!”

Despite his words, Xi Liu still went to the roadside shop and bought two Rainbow Whirlwinds and two bottles of drinks. He handed one set to Gong Si, then sat down on the pavement just like Gong Si and started eating his Rainbow Whirlwind.

“You even bought the most expensive drink? I just wanted the cheapest water.” Gong Si glanced at him.

“Hehe, I’m the Young Master, after all~” Xi Liu grinned, pulled out the ice pop from its wrapper, then took a tissue from his bag, wrapped the end of the stick for himself, handed Gong Si another tissue, and finally started eating slowly.

“How did the new little brother get here? Did your parents come back?” After eating half the ice pop, Xi Liu resumed chatting with Gong Si.

“How could they? Their jobs keep them away, so they just send him back.” Gong Si finished the last bite of his ice pop and twisted open his drink.

“By courier again?” Xi Liu knew: Gong Si’s previous two brothers had also been sent back by courier. He’d found it unbelievable when he first heard about it.

“Yeah, they know the drill.”

“Makes sense, their jobs keep them away…” Xi Liu nodded.

Leaning back, hands on the ground, gazing at the sky, Gong Si was silent for a long time before saying, “Wang Gongming is a Vessel, and he brags about it everywhere. Tch… What’s so great about being a Vessel? Your life and freedom are in someone else’s hands. You have kids but no time to raise them, so why have so many? Why get married at all… If I were a Vessel, I’d probably kill myself first thing…”

“You can’t say that. Vessel and User make a good combination. A Soul Contract is more reliable than a marriage certificate.” Xi Liu tried to comfort him.

“Tch! How many Vessels actually match with their User? Most are like my parents-two Vessels who hit it off, but neither has freedom, and they just have to follow their User. They can’t even raise their own kids, so they dump them all on me.” Gong Si looked annoyed as he spoke. Xi Liu watched him quietly, then smiled again.

“But even though you say that, you still take in every one they send and raise them all.”

“Can’t help it, it’s the duty of the eldest.”

“I’m older than them. Until they grow up, I have to take good care of them.” Gong Si said, standing up. From Xi Liu’s angle, looking up, the teenager’s thin chest was faintly visible under his shirt, already showing a hint of an adult’s build.”