Chapter 93: 174 Chapters, I Don't Want to Lack an Aperture

174 chapters, I don't want to lack an aperture.

174 chapters, because I don't want to lack an aperture.

――Liu Guozong's Spring Diary, Chapter Twelve.

At noon finally arrived, Chen Lao Wu gave me another beating. Although Chen Lao Wu didn't say I was 'useless', from Lao Wu's gaze I already understood the meaning of 'useless'.

I never said I was useful. Useful things are those who live well, enjoy good food and drink, who look for people's faults, criticize people, beat people. Useless things are those who keep their heads down and work, are careful and conscientious, always saying yes—like us, those who endure hardship.

This is also unavoidable. It's fate, it's timing.

Being useless is being useless, being one who endures hardship is being one who endures hardship. As Lu Xun's Ah Q says: 'I am a worm and swine, alright? …. '

Mr. Lu Xun also said: 'Some victors wish their opponents were as fierce as tigers, as keen as hawks, only then do they feel the joy of victory; if the opponent were like a chick, they would instead feel that victory is boring.'

'What if the opponent were like a worm and swine?' Then it would be even less worth mentioning. Things not worth mentioning, he didn't even bring up.

I am not Chen Lao Wu's opponent, but I dare to say boldly: 'I am not only not his opponent, I am also Lao Wu's helper.'

Friends, if you hear this, you must absolutely not tell Lao Wu. If Chen Lao Wu hears it, he will surely say: 'You are not worthy!' Just like Ah Q back then wanted to ingratiate himself with Scholar Zhao, claiming his surname was Zhao, or that he had once been surnamed Zhao, or that he had done something for the Zhao family.

Who would have thought that Scholar Zhao's father, Grandfather Zhao, upon hearing that Ah Q also wanted to take the surname Zhao, sprayed saliva all over his face (meaning he spat saliva all over his face), and shouted at Ah Q: 'Ah Q, you clumsy fool! You heard that you also want to take the surname Zhao? How could someone as lowly as you possibly have the surname Zhao? Where do you get the nerve to think you deserve the surname Zhao?'

Seeing Grandfather Zhao's furious appearance, Ah Q dared not speak.

Who would have thought that Grandfather Zhao, seeing Ah Q's downcast and submissive, battered look, became even angrier. As the saying goes: 'Good people are bullied, good horses are ridden.' Also: 'Pick soft melons to squeeze.' Ah Q's battered look is truly infuriating and all the more easy to bully.

Grandfather Zhao then rushed forward and gave Ah Q a hard slap, causing Ah Q's ear to be unable to hear for several days. That ear is one of the seven apertures; if the ear were deafened by Boss Zhao's blow, wouldn't that mean lacking one aperture?

I also fear that Chen Lao Wu will rush forward and slap me, saying: 'Are you worthy to be my helper?' So, though I have worked with Lao Wu for many years, and though I have done many things for him, I never dare say I am Chen Lao Wu's helper.

'One must study everything to understand.' This is Brother Xun's teaching; remember it. Otherwise you'll get slapped by Chen Lao Wu and end up lacking an aperture. Because I don't want to lack an aperture.

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