Continuously

"I am one of them."

Jian Qi shuddered and knocked the cigar to the ground.

"Of course not." There was a hole in the carpet, which smelled bitter and burnt, but Lin Shuchen didn't pick it up. He said, "There is a difference between you and them, just like there is a difference between cigars and cigarettes."

"They, their expressions are very painful..." Jian Qi sobbed, "It's not like this in oil paintings."

"Because they are not art, but tools to meet needs." Lin Shuchen explained to him very patiently.

He picked up Jian Chi, went to the bedroom, and pulled away the rosewood bedside table.

"Let's take a look." He randomly picked a photo and held it up in front of Jian Qi's eyes, "What is this?"

Jian Qi hid desperately and almost fell from Lin Shuchen's arms.

Lin Shuchen hugged him and sat on the bed, holding his cheeks, a strong force forced Jianqi's head to involuntarily turn to the photo.

a strange child.

He twisted his limbs, looked at the camera shamefully and flatteringly, and was absolutely exposed.

"No!" Jian Qi covered his eyes.

For a split second he almost thought it was himself.

"What are you afraid of?" Lin Shuchen reassured him helplessly, "These are just tools."

Jian Chi bowed his whole body, held firmly by a thought, this is him, this is him, it's just that there is an extra layer of shame.

"They are in great pain." Jian Chi cried out in a small way.

"What does that matter?" Lin Shuchen said softly.

The bell rang in the night, to be precise, it came and uttered a vowel, and was picked up in a hurry.

The person on the other end didn't expect such a quick answer, and joked with the person next to him, and then returned to the phone belatedly: "Hi?"

"Mom." Jian Qi's voice was very low, as if deliberately lowering it.

"Honey, how are you recently?" Yu Wan said, "The phone is always disconnected."

"I...I want to go home."

"What?" Yu Wan was very noisy. Jian Qi heard a male voice asking who she was on the phone with, and other voices came in: "Would you like a refill?" "The toilet is on the second floor", walking all the way, Then a door closed and there was a meandering silence.

"I want to go home, Mom," he repeated.

"What's the matter dear?" Yu Wan asked with some concern.

"No, it's nothing, I just miss you very much." Jian Qi covered his mouth forcefully, "Can you come pick me up?"

"I miss you too, kid." Yu Wan leaned against the back of the door, "but I'm in Texas now."

"Then can we do it tomorrow?" Jian Qi asked pleadingly.

"Tomorrow, tomorrow..." The door of the toilet was suddenly pushed open, Yu Wan fell forward and twisted his foot, a drunk man fell on the toilet and vomited wantonly, the sound shook the walls of the toilet.

"Hey, gentleman," Yu Wan said, "you got on my shoe!"

Then there was a lot of reasoning, Yu Wan pulled out a tissue angrily, sat on the edge of the bathtub and wiped the stilettos, put the phone back to her ear: "Oh my god, see Chi, now there are two drunks here."

After a few seconds, the other end asked, "Are you drinking again?"

Yu Wan slipped her shoe-shining hand and cut her nails on the instep. She frowned and said, "Why are you?"

"Sorry to disappoint you." Lin Shuchen's voice was flat.

"Indeed." Yu Wan said coldly.

"Since you're having such a good time, I won't bother you."

"Wait." Yu Wan called to stop him, "Where's Jian Chi?"

"Here, right by my hand."

"I want to have a word with him."

"Didn't I finish talking just now?" Lin Shuchen said perfunctorily, "There is no time difference between Texas and New York. You should know that it is very late."

Yu Wan threw the tissue into the automatic sensor trash can and stood up, "Lin Shuchen, take good care of Jianqi, otherwise..."

"Don't worry." Lin Shuchen interrupted her, "It's better than a drunk mother a thousand miles away."

The phone hangs up.

Jian Qi heard the antique telephone handset fall to its original place with a clanging sound, as well as the knocking of unplugged wires falling on the floor.

He didn't dare to look at Lin Shuchen's face.

"Did we agree?" Lin Shuchen squatted in front of him, covering Jian Qi with his whole body, "Are you going to regret it, baby?"

After a long silence, Lin Shuchen heard him say, "I'm a little tired."

"Then let's go to rest." Lin Shuchen said, "There is another feast tomorrow."

"......I do not want to go."

Lin Shuchen hugged Jian Chi involuntarily, and the words just now were abandoned by him without any explanation: "Go to sleep, I will choose the best clothes for you tomorrow."

White mist paints the oak trees and the genial green fields beneath them, and inside the sweating glass the hall is adorned with rose-coloured silk and down feathers, and under the dome of the frescoed paradise, the black balustrades and two arms The staircase leads to the living room where the food and wine are served, and the fire in the fireplace is roaring.

"Are you uncomfortable?" a man leaned down and asked.

Seeing Qi regained his senses, he suddenly took two steps back.

He knew many of the people here, the feasters known as feasters.The previous few times, he didn't have trembling currents passing through his body like now.

The man smiled at him, and the part that he thought was friendly has now changed its shape. The other party seemed to be more interested in his fright, and said to his friends, "Here is a panicked little angel."

"Don't be so new to the world." Someone raised his glass and teased the man kindly, "You know, everyone here knows him, he is a little star."

"Really?" The man was quite surprised, and turned to stare at Jian Qi, "But I'm [-]% sure, I haven't collected your photos, otherwise I wouldn't forget."

"You must have not come last time." Another person took a sip of the aperitif, "His photos are only exhibited and not circulated.

"why?"

"Are you kidding?" The other party snorted, "He is the photographer's child."

"Lin?" A cynical expression appeared on the man's face, and then he showed a deep smile, browsing Jian Qi from beginning to end.

This kind of sight came from all directions, refracted among the men and women in the living room, and finally fell on him alone.

He can't escape.

At this time, crisp applause sounded on the second floor.

Everyone looked up. Lin Shuchen was standing in the middle of the circular stand on the stairs, accompanied by the owner of the house, and just put down his palms.

"Ladies and gentlemen." Lin Shuchen looked down at the guests, his voice lingering in the dome, "I really want to say 'You are here, I am very honored', but that is not the truth of a proud person..."

The crowd let out a deep cry, they were not angry, at this time, they were all like animals with an appetite, and let him do it.

"However, I will guarantee with my name—" Lin Shuchen said slowly, "Tonight there will be an unforgettable feast that belongs to you present."

He moved back slowly and pulled back the red curtain in the lobby on the second floor.

"Welcome to enjoy."