Zhang Xiaohua waited outside Old Father Hao's door for quite a while before Ji Xiaohua finally arrived.
Ji Xiaohua looked utterly listless.
Yet when he saw Zhang Xiaohua, he still forced a smile and said, "Young master, I kept you waiting too long."
Zhang Xiaohua waved a hand. "No matter, no matter at all."
So Ji Xiaohua led the way, and the two returned to Ji Xiaohua's shabby home. At the door, Ji Xiaohua turned back and asked, "Young master, we're at my home. Would you like to go in?"
Zhang Xiaohua nodded with a smile. "Yes. Let's go inside and talk."
Ji Xiaohua seemed distracted. He pushed the door open and entered without calling out. Hearing the movement inside, Madam Zhang forced herself to speak in a weak voice. "Is Xiaohua back?"
Ji Xiaohua grew flustered and hurriedly answered, "Mother, it's me. I'm back."
Madam Zhang coughed for a while, then reproached him, "You child, you came into the house without even calling out. That young master has already left, hasn't he? Later, go with Mother to see Old Father Hao and have him put in a good word for you again. The dozen or so copper coins the young master gave you cannot compare to the steady trickle of income from the tea stall. You should go apologize to the tea-stall owner, accept whatever beating or punishment he gives you, and boil water for him again."
"Um... Mother, the young master hasn't left yet."
As he spoke, Ji Xiaohua gave Zhang Xiaohua an apologetic look and walked into the ruined house.
"What do you mean, he hasn't left? Then why did you come back? Could it be that you did something wrong again?"
Ji Xiaohua's little face reddened. "Mother, I didn't do anything wrong. The young master insisted