"Why don't they want me? They won't take me with them, Nana."
A slightly wrinkled hand stroked his cheek, the coolness brushing his face.
"It's not that Gu Wei-ah, Mama and Papa just need a little break, that's all."
The little boy sniffled, unconvinced.
"Is it because I'm… Because I'm not like other children?? Is it because I'm… weird…? Slow…?"
Arms wrapped around him, squeezing the boy into a hug. His cries turned violent, limbs trembling in complete sobs.
The soft voice encompassing him sounded.
"Oh Gu Wei-ah, you're not slow. Don't ever say that again! That's not why… Oh, that's not why. Don't cry, don't cry…"
But the boy's tear-filled voice drowned out everything.
"It's true, I'm slow… I'm slow… I'm slow…! They won't take me with them cause I'm slow! I'm slow… I'm slow… I'm slow…"
The words warped together in a sluggish drill, deep and dragged as it reverberated everywhere, pulsing at a distinct level of discomfort.
It chased the little boy through his tears, pushing and pushing until-
+++
Gu Wei woke up with a shocked gasp, eyes open wide in panic before they snagged on the white patterned ceiling and equally white light.
Confused beyond salvation, he turned his head to the left, was met with a wall of similar patterns to the ceiling, turned to the right, and saw rows of singular beds with skewered coverings.
Like they'd just been slept on.
This turned a bulb on in Gu Wei's head, and he relaxed back into the mattress as the day's memory came back to him.
Sighing, Gu Wei rubbed his face and paused as he felt wetness on his hand and a towel fell beside his head.
Recalling the dream he'd had just now, Gu Wei wasn't surprised to see that his eyes were wet from crying, but the towel piqued his curiosity.
He vaguely remembered feeling something on his forehead, but he'd thought he was hallucinating.
This towel proved he wasn't.
The real hallucination was what he'd dreamt of just now.
Gu Wei guessed the fever was so bad he'd conjured childhood memories in his delirious state.
Heaving out another tired breath, Gu Wei pulled the duvet off him and sat up, his head giving a painful pound before it settled.
He rubbed his face again, wiping the remaining tears away, and looked around the empty room.
Not a single soul could be seen, save for the young, rumpled man squinting on the bed.
The rumpled man was beginning to think his friends had abandoned him when he saw Zhai Mei's red scarf on the table previously occupying voluminous amounts of food.
It had been cleared and was now full of coats, bags, and scarves.
Scarf, to be precise. Zhai Mei was the only one who had bought a scarf.
Smiling at this, Gu Wei made for the bathroom and washed up, fixing his appearance before his sisters came and mocked him for his bedhead.
He was dabbing his face with a towel when the door clicked open and loud voices invaded the space.
"Zhai Mei-ah, you've broke my heart. What do you mean you don't want our bad luck rubbing off on you? Are we that unlucky?"
"See? I knew you guys were the reason why I kept having those horrendous dreams. Zhai Mei has opened my eyes, finally."
"Song Wei! You…! Excluding yourself so fast? Like you aren't one of us! Let me tell you, your perverted dreams have nothing to do with luck. It's just your rotten brain-hmmph! Don't touch me!"
"Aiyaa, that's enough, that's enough. I'm feeling bad luck from just the sound of your voice. Can't you two not be cat and mouse for once? Jeez."
"Now you see why I didn't say a thing. Your… shenanigans might rub off on my good fortune."
"You little…! Come here! You come here! I'll smack you along with Song Wei! You both need cleansing! Just let me… Ling Jie, don't make me turn on you. Who's side are you on?!"
Gu Wei peeked his head out through the door, towel clasped in his hands, and saw Zhai Mei standing off the wall by the bed he'd just left.
She was giggling evilly as Xu Ai's fired form reached for her.
Song Wei's hair was fisted in Xu Ai's other hand, and Song Wei was batting at it with pained 'Ah's.'
Ling Jie was busy blocking Xu Ai from the devilish Zhai Mei with a creepy expression and working to tug Xu Ai's hands from Song Wei's silky hair.
This only caused more pain for the victim.
"Uhh, guys?"
Gu Wei said, voice hitching in a pitched volume as he hesitated to barge into whatever was happening.
At the sound of his voice, the figures turned their heads mechanically at him, slowly let each other go in small movements, and fixed their clothes and hair.
Song Wei was the first to talk, "Wei Wei-ah, you're awake. Are you feeling better? Me and the girls umm, stepped out for a moment to get some fresh air."
Her nervous laugh at the end insinuated that they indeed had not gone out for fresh air, but to 'sightsee handsome boys' as Xu Ai had said.
Nodding at Mother Wei, Gu Wei glanced at Zhai Mei, happy to see the creepy expression gone from her face.
"I'm feeling better. And thanks for the towel, Mother Wei, it helped."
Song Wei opened her mouth to correct him that no, she had not been behind the towel, when her eyes met Zhai Mei's and the girl shook her head from side to side.
Song Wei clamped her lips shut and gave Gu Wei another nervous laugh.
Scratching his head at the weird interaction between Song Wei and Zhai Mei, Gu Wei inquired about the argument just now, and Xu Ai didn't hesitate to tell.
"This girl here, that acts all innocent and pure,"
Zhai Mei blinked cutely in emphasis to Xu Ai's words and Gu Wei laughed softly.
"Is, in fact, the opposite. So while we were getting some fresh air, I asked Zhai Mei to recount her story cause she hadn't said much yesterday. And can you believe what she said? That girl…"
A pointed look at said girl.
"Said she couldn't tell me much 'cause she didn't have any bad experience stories to tell. That we group of people, including you Gu Wei, were all telling questioning tales and sad experiences of the day that she didn't want to rub our bad luck on her good fortune."
Xu Ai crossed her arms and continued.
"Cause you see, this dainty spirit here had the best day yesterday, even locking a deal with a potential client and getting a boost of popularity for her company. So we shouldn't contaminate her happy bubble with our sad one."
In all the things Xu Ai ranted about, Gu Wei should've laughed and comforted Xu Ai, but one thing caught his attention instead.
Gu Wei gazed at Zhai Mei in surprise. 'You have a company?'
Zhai Mei also replied with sign language.
'Yes. A small studio that recruits and supports upcoming indie Manhua writers.'
Gu Wei blinked his shock away and motioned, 'I see. So you're rich.'
A shake of the head was what Gu Wei got.
'Are you rich?' Zhai Mei asked, and Gu Wei frowned at the weird question but answered either way.
'No.'
'Then I'm not rich either.' Was Zhai Mei's conclusion.
It was Gu Wei's turn to shake his head defiantly now.
'You have a company, you're a CEO, you have employees and clients. Everything equals to rich.'
Sighing in exasperation, Zhai Mei furiously motioned.
'No dummy. It doesn't work like that. We're a small company, and didn't you hear me say indie? Then what about you then, are you rich with your tutoring business?'
Gu Wei replied as frantically as Zhai Mei. Did she just call him dummy? '
There's a difference. I'm a one-man business, you have a full-fledged company! And you're so cool. How can I compare to that? There's nothing you can say. You. Are. Rich.'
Gu Wei's emphasized, pointing at her. This had Zhai Mei giving up on hammering some sense into the boy.
'I give up.' Zhai Mei signed, letting out an annoyed breath and blowing a stray curl from her face.
Gu Wei rested his hands on his hips and turned to his confused friends.
The three girls had huddled close together as Gu Wei and Zhai Mei threw fingers and fists at each other at incredible speed.
They weren't sure if they were arguing or not, and if they did, how were they supposed to butt in when they didn't understand a thing?
When the fight seemed to have ended, Ling Jie spoke up. "Uhh, what just happened?"
A contented Gu Wei smiled eerily at Ling Jie, "Zhai Mei is rich." He announced, hands still propped triumphantly on his hips.
Zhai Mei raised a hand as if to smack him, then retracted it with a huff.
Ling Jie turned her eyes to Zhai Mei.
"Jie Jie, you're rich?! I thought you said you barely got by! I knew it! Guys, remember that black card she tried to hide at the supermarket yesterday? That must've been hers!"
Gasps filled the room as all eyes shifted to the wary young woman.
Zhai Mei will never get over the label of 'rich woman' now.
Gu Wei grinned. Mission accomplished.
After almost an hour of ridiculous banter, Song Wei managed to dress the children all in their respective coats, wrapping a special scarf around the cutest baby with the fullest hair.
These children were made to check if they had forgotten anything, and Song Wei herself remembered the leftover food they'd wrapped in the fridge.
Taking out the frozen leftovers of buns and meat, Song Wei decided to toss them in the trash.
The food wasn't fresh anyway, and none of them wanted to eat the same thing they'd devoured last night for breakfast.
Her hands were over the bin when she was stopped by Gu Wei, who innocently tried to make it seem like he was just trying not to waste food, and not the bitter truth.
Gu Wei was avoiding eating ramen for breakfast.
Song Wei knew something was up.
"Son, are you okay? If you're struggling, tell me. Mother will help you."
Smiling with the cutest expression he could muster, Gu Wei tucked the food and his special wine to himself.
"Then… will Mother feed me for a month?"
Song Wei pretended she didn't hear him and hurried to Xu Ai like Gu Wei hadn't just poured his heart out to her. What a cruel mother.
He Sheng picked Song Wei up, Xu Ai drove Ling Jie in her car, and Zhai Mei also entered hers.
The girls' trip had come to an end, and they all said goodbye to Chi Spring Hotel.
Gu Wei was squinting at the sun, wondering why he was the only one without a ride, when a horn sounded, and Gu Wei saw Zhai Mei motioning for him to get in.