CHAPTER 231: CHAPTER 8: SU TIANKUO HAPPILY GAINS A GOLDEN FINGER

The July heat in Beijing was already scorching enough.

Even now, close to midnight, the temperature showed no sign of dropping.

The BBQ stand was bustling with noise. The owner, shirtless, was busy grilling with loud grunts, and the waitstaff were scurrying around serving beer and food, seemingly desperate to split themselves into eight parts to handle it all.

Su Tiankuo sat at a small table in a short-sleeved shirt and baggy shorts, downing a bottle of chilled beer, his expression increasingly dejected and despondent.

"I’ve decided to go back home tomorrow."

Perhaps emboldened by the alcohol, or maybe it was the beer talking, his eyes reddened and he began to curse, his voice abruptly loud, drawing unintended attention from those dining at the neighboring tables.

Zhu Yuwen was at a loss for words and could only open another bottle of beer for him, trying to offer some feeble consolation:

"Bro, just take it easy..."

"I can’t take it easy!"

Su Tiankuo gulped down another big mouthful of beer and wiped the sweat from his forehead with his shirt sleeve.

"I just don’t get it—why is fate treating me this way? I haven’t caught a single break, yet mishaps keep coming, one after another..."

"I poured my heart out for my girlfriend, only to have her ditch me for someone wealthier."

"I got a job at the property sales office, only to have my deal snatched by some asshole..."

"Even when applying for a back-end job at an online education firm, others didn’t get scrutinized by the boss, but I got fired before my probation ended!"

The beer bottle slammed down onto the table with a dull thud.

Burping from the alcohol, Su Tiankuo’s eyes were unfocused: "I, I can’t accept this!"

Seeing his good friend leading such a troubled life, Zhu Yuwen felt deeply for him and sighed repeatedly:

"Then maybe just wait a bit longer, see if there are any other opportunities, you know. There are still more job options in Beijing compared to back home."

Su Tiankuo began to sob softly.

"I want to! I fucking want to stay in Beijing! What the hell is even good about my shitty hometown? Nothing! But my mom called, said if I don’t go back to find work, she won’t send me living expenses anymore..."

"I can’t even pay my damn rent... Yuwen, we’re brothers, right? I’ve never asked you for anything, but rent is 700 a month..."

Zhu Yuwen didn’t know how to respond to this.

Um, well.

They’re both working in a big city, and Zhu Yuwen also has his own pressures.

After all, their school’s not top-notch; his degree’s just average, so life is a bit harder out here.

He’s currently working in a company’s marketing department, barely making 7,000 a month, and to save on commuting time, he even rents near a subway stop—expensive!

Plus, he’s not frugal with money and doesn’t have a thrifty, house-managing girlfriend...

Now, Su Tiankuo is penniless.

As for Zhu Yuwen, he’s only slightly better off—deep in debt. He lives off credit services and credit cards daily.

But now that his best friend has asked for help... Zhu Yuwen felt a bit embarrassed, glancing around, but at the lively night market stall, everyone was busy with their own joys and woes, not caring about their troubles, which let him breathe a slight sigh of relief.

It’s not that he doesn’t want to help a brother out; it’s just that he’s struggling too. Besides, knowing his friend’s hard times, he’s never let Su Tiankuo pay during their eating and drinking these past months, so he’s been a decent friend.

The old saying goes, "help in emergencies, not in chronic need."

They graduated in the same year, and it’s been a solid year since, but while Su Tiankuo’s job hasn’t stabilized, he still relies on his family to send him a thousand or so for living expenses each month.

Lending rent for a month isn’t much, but what then?

If he has to lend every month, who can bear that?

If this is a one-time lend, then how will it be repaid?

It’s because they are brothers that this money might just evaporate into thin air.

But at this moment, with Su Tiankuo drunk and persistently demanding an answer, looking into his bloodshot eyes and the few bottles of unfinished beer on the table, who knows if he’s really drunk or just leveraging the buzz to seize this opportunity...

Out of pride, he could only nod repeatedly.

"Yes, yes, we’re like family... I’ll transfer the money to you in a bit..."

However, dealing with a drunk was truly challenging; he kept going on and on about it, and as more people looked their way, Zhu Yuwen had no choice but to reluctantly transfer 1,000 yuan, internally letting out a heavy sigh.

Once again, this month’s rent would have to rely on the credit card.

In the future, it might be better to distance himself gradually from Tiankuo; a brother with no drive won’t be of any help back home, no point in bending over backward anymore!

The once-opened beer, unfinished, seemed quite a waste, but seeing Su Tiankuo quiet down after the transfer, Zhu Yuwen affected nonchalance, slowly resuming his drinking of the unfinished beer.