Empty promises

Bai Congming was off until next Wednesday. Before then, Ding Ding felt he had to get this sorted out.

So the following afternoon, Ding Ding replied to Wang Lao'er's message asking how things were going.

[Ding Ding]: Bro, this is getting a little tricky.

Sure enough, Wang Lao'er replied quickly.

[Wang Lao'er]: What do you mean?

[Ding Ding]: Our boss... anyway, another Flower Nursery quoted twenty percent less than you. Our boss is still thinking it over.

Wang Lao'er didn't dare delay after receiving that message and immediately ran to find the Flower Nursery manager.

"That's impossible," the Flower Nursery manager said with a frown. "Twenty percent less wouldn't even cover costs."

"What do we do, then?"

Wang Lao'er was sweating with anxiety, unwilling to let a done deal slip through his fingers.

"Could we lower ours a little too?"

"No," the manager refused without a second thought. "Who wants to do business at a loss?"

The manager thought it was a shame too, but there was nothing else he could do at this point. He could only let it go and tell Wang Lao'er to stay on good terms with his fellow townsman. If they couldn't land this deal, they could try for the next one.

Wang Lao'er's brow furrowed deeply. Yesterday, when he'd learned a windfall was coming his way, he'd already spent what he had on hand. Now the people at the gambling table were waiting for him to repay them. If this deal fell through, his life would be over too.

Seeing that the manager wasn't going to help, Wang Lao'er gritted his teeth and decided to find a way himself.

[Wang Lao'er]: Bro, could you see if there's anything you can do? Don't they always say you get what you pay for? You came and saw ours the other day. Look how well they were growing!

Ding Ding smiled at the message and leaned against Bai Congming, lazily typing with one hand.

Bai Congming held a hand over the cooling patch on Ding Ding's forehead, his eyes full of worry.

"Brother Ding, rest!"

"I know, I know." Ding Ding caught his hand and brought it to his lips for a kiss. "I'll rest once I'm done."

[Ding Ding]: It's not like there's nothing we can do, but... ah, forget it!

[Wang Lao'er]: Don't say that, bro! Just tell me what's wrong. If there's anything I can do, I'll do it!

[Ding Ding]: No, bro, the main thing is that I can't handle this myself, and I'm afraid you'll think I'm a scammer if I tell you!

[Wang Lao'er]: Now you're treating me like a stranger. After all, it's you and me! Just say it!

[Ding Ding]: All right, bro, I'll tell you straight.

[Ding Ding]: I found out everything. That Flower Nursery gave my boss a Podocarpus macrophyllus worth seventy or eighty thousand. That's why my boss...

[Wang Lao'er]: How could he do that!?

Ding Ding actually laughed at that. It felt as though the person on the other end was an innocent college graduate fresh out in the world, indignant at his first glimpse of society's dark side.

[Ding Ding]: Yeah... nothing we can do. I was thinking of sending him something in your Flower Nursery's name, but you know how volatile the stock market's been lately. All my money's tied up.

Wang Lao'er was still wary.

[Wang Lao'er]: You want to do business with our Flower Nursery too?

[Ding Ding]: Of course. Your prices are right, and I can make a little too.

Sometimes, talking about profit inspired more trust than talking about personal ties. Sure enough, Wang Lao'er didn't reply right away. It wasn't until that evening that Ding Ding received his message.

[Wang Lao'er]: Bro, help me stall for now. What's seventy or eighty thousand? If we're giving a gift, let's make it a big one.

[Ding Ding]: Don't, there's no need. If the deal doesn't work out, let it go. I'll still keep you in mind next time something comes up!

[Wang Lao'er]: You need a first deal before you can have a second. Don't worry, bro. Wait for my news.

[Ding Ding]: ...All right, then. But you'll have to hurry. The decision has to be made next Wednesday.

[Wang Lao'er]: Done.

Ding Ding read through their entire chat again, only putting his phone away after making sure there was nothing wrong with any of the messages he'd sent.

Jiang Taigong had hung a straight, unbaited hook three inches above the lake, fishing not for glittering scales, but for princes and lords.

Now Ding Ding had laid a little scheme, dangling an empty promise before a man's desires, fishing not for plants and trees, but only for a scoundrel.

All the bait had been cast. How the foolish fish would take the hook was no longer up to Ding Ding.

"Little Bai..." Ding Ding buried his head against Bai Congming's stomach. "I feel awful."

"No feeling awful! No feeling awful!"

Ding Ding lifted his chin. "One little kiss and I won't feel awful anymore."

Bai Congming immediately covered his mouth. "You're sick!"

Little Bai might have been silly, but he knew to keep his distance from sick people. Since the sick person was Ding Ding, though, he didn't have to keep too much distance.

Ding Ding, who had been angling for a kiss: "..."

After spending so long with Bai Congming, Ding Ding sometimes forgot that he was a thirty-year-old grown man.

Their shamelessly affectionate life was so comfortable that when a reply arrived to an email he'd sent a while ago, Ding Ding took a moment to register it.

It took only an instant to go from dreams to reality. Ding Ding came to his senses.

I still have to earn money to open a flower shop for Little Bai!

The email said that Ding Ding's former fabric client in Manila was willing to introduce him to garment factories with leftover stock, which Ding Ding could buy cheaply and resell.

Leftover stock generally came about for two reasons.

First, garments were found to have minor defects after coming off the production line and couldn't be sold as regular merchandise;

second, factories produced more than the order required, leaving a small quantity of surplus stock.

In either case, these products were no different in quality or appearance from regular merchandise sold at retail counters, and their prices were lower.

In fact, with the resources Ding Ding currently had available, he could easily do something more lucrative than selling leftover stock.

Companies he'd previously been on good terms with occasionally sent him sample images for quotes, and finding contract factories to produce simple styles wouldn't be a problem either.

But that would mean Ding Ding would be very busy.

Perhaps it was because he'd spent too many years being busy, but now Ding Ding only wanted to stay with Bai Congming and live their life together.

He could bring back leftover stock and sell it at a stall, have plenty of time, and still go home to cook for Little Bai.

Ding Ding was very satisfied.

"Rest!"

Bai Congming had picked up some naughty tricks. This time, he started covering Ding Ding's eyes.

"I can't see!" Ding Ding cried dramatically. "It's so dark!"

Bai Congming was afraid of the dark himself. Hearing that, he spread his fingers a little to let some light through.

"Don't be scared, Brother Ding, don't be scared!"

Ding Ding smiled, caught that hand, and gently bit it.

"Why is Little Bai scared of the dark?"

Bai Congming thought about it, then answered very seriously.

"There are monsters!"

"Hmm..." Ding Ding turned his head away and gave two muffled coughs. "Little Bai, have you watched Ultraman?"

Bai Congming shook his head, so Ding Ding turned on the television and pulled up an installment of Tiga. Despite the late hour and the quiet night, he turned the volume way up.

Fortunately, they lived far enough out of the way that even this volume wouldn't disturb anyone.

Ding Ding had dreamed of superheroes as a child, and now, at thirty, he revisited those dreams with twenty-two-year-old Bai Congming.

"Ultraman is really powerful. He can destroy all the monsters."

"Wow!"

On the screen, an ugly monster was destroying a city where humans lived. Ultraman descended from the sky, defeated the monster, and saved their home.

Ding Ding stood up and copied Ultraman's transformation pose.

"Little Bai, look at me!"

The flashlight on the phone tucked into his waistband shone brightly. Ding Ding had reverted to childhood; even calling him eight would have been generous.

"I'm Ultraman too. I can help you chase away all the monsters!"

"..."