Chu Ge gave up on writing altogether and ran around helping his mom and Qiu Qiu.
Only when all the food was ready did Chu Jiangliu stroll back, his hands behind his back, timing his return perfectly for dinner. He had brought a bottle of baijiu.
Chu Ge gritted his teeth. "Nice one, Old Chu. How come I never noticed how sneaky you were?"
"Huh? What did I do?" Chu Jiangliu looked bewildered. "I just went to buy a bottle of liquor. What happened?"
"You spent over an hour buying one bottle?"
"I ran into some people I knew and chatted with them in the courtyard, that's all... Did you think everyone was like you, with barely any classmates or friends they could find?"
Chu Ge ground his teeth. "You knew they'd have all sorts of little jobs to do, so you deliberately ducked out and left me to get a taste of it, didn't you?"
Chu Jiangliu patted his shoulder kindly. "We haven't lived at home for so long. Of course we'd be short of this and that when we came back. Anyone with half a brain would know that. Unfortunately, you don't have one."
"Fuck!" Chu Ge said. "So this is your art of war?"
"What are you two muttering about over there? Come carry the dishes!"
The two men silently went to carry the dishes out, filling the table. Chu Jiangliu settled comfortably into his seat and unscrewed the bottle. "Want a drink?"
Something stirred in Chu Ge.
This seemed to be the first time his dad had ever offered to drink with him.
"You've started a family. You're a grown man now." As though he knew what Chu Ge was thinking, Chu Jiangliu leisurely poured him a drink and smiled. "When your mom and I wouldn't