Chu Qingjiu was still a baby in swaddling clothes when that scruffy old man who loved to drink found him.
The old man's surname was Chu. Since he loved drinking, he thought of naming the child Chu Jiu, but that sounded odd, so he simply added "Qing," hoping the child would lead a peaceful life.
Unfortunately, the old man never lived to see Chu Qingjiu meet someone clingy. Otherwise, he would definitely have changed the name.
The old man was already sixty when he found him. Whenever he had nothing to do, he liked teasing him, saying he had picked him out of a trash can.
At one or two years old, Chu Qingjiu bawled every time, terrified that he would be thrown back into the trash can. Only then did the old man realize he had taken the joke too far. Scratching his few remaining white hairs, he could only pinch his nose and pull ugly faces to cheer Chu Qingjiu up.
When Chu Qingjiu grew a little older, he learned that he was an orphan. He was more reserved than other children, only acting like a child in front of the old man.
The old man always acted on whatever whim struck him. He said, "I've been a bachelor all my life. I want to know what it's like to have both a son and a daughter. How about growing your hair out so I can braid it?"
Chu Qingjiu only half understood, but he let the old man have his way. They could always cut it once the old man lost interest.
After that, Chu Qingjiu wandered from place to place with the old man. The old man always looked shabby, yet kept him clean and beautifully dressed. No matter how poor they were, there was always