Split Personality

If Magistrate Liu was a person of poor character, Shu Botong wouldn’t feel at ease about handing the deed to him for safekeeping.

Jiang Danhe nodded in agreement. What he told her next made Xiaoguo admire Magistrate Liu even more.

“Some time ago, as Zhu Zhizhou from Guangyang Prefecture was getting old, the higher-ups were planning to promote a respected county magistrate nearby and transfer this person to Guangyang Prefecture. County Magistrate Liu was the first choice, but the people of Yonghai County couldn’t bear to let him leave, so they all begged for him to stay. At that time, Magistrate Liu was all packed and ready to go, but upon seeing this scene, he decided to stay.”

The man who often talked about promotion was actually willing to sacrifice his promotion for the sake of the people in Yonghai County and stay on as a small county magistrate.

Indeed, one should not judge a book by its cover.

At first, she thought that Magistrate Liu was not a good person. In the end, she realized that she had really misjudged the man.

When they arrived at the two-story building, Shu Botong had stayed there, following Xiaoguo’s instructions. However, there were three teapots in front of him.

She clearly remembered that she had only ordered one pot of sour plum soup for him. Where did the other two pots come from?

Before she could ask, Shu Botong confessed.

It turned out that the one pot that Xiaoguo gave him was not enough. He finished it while making his way back, so he returned and asked for three more pots.

“Where did you get the silver?”

“No need for silver. It’s free.”

Shu Botong looked at her like she was asking him a ridiculous question. It was obvious that he had no money, so he couldn’t possibly pay for the tea.

Xiaoguo refused to look at him. So he had gotten the tea for free. Hmph, if it weren’t for her, Ruyi would have chased him out with a fly swatter.

This was what really happened. Before Shu Botong entered the shop, he was already shouting for red water. He had seen Xiaoguo talking to Ruyi before and they seemed to be very familiar with each other. Therefore, he remembered the latter’s face. As soon as he entered, he walked straight to Ruyi, who was at the counter holding a fly swatter.

“I want red water!”

“Stop! I thought you already had a pot?”

Ruyi immediately held out the fly swatter in front of her and said in horror.

Shu Botong looked at the fly swatter that was in the way. He couldn’t get around it no matter how hard he tried, so he decided not to move forward. She can hold it up for all she wants. It was not going to affect his request for the red water.

“There’s nothing left here. It’s not enough for me.” Shu Botong waved the empty teapot in his hand at Ruyi to show her that he wasn’t lying.

In order to send him away, Ruyi went all out. She made him three teapots in a row and handed them to him from afar. “You can go now.”

Shu Botong didn’t mind. Hugging the pots happily, he left the shop. In order to show his good mood, he skipped and jumped all the way back.

As Ruyi watched him leave, she heaved a sigh of relief.

Three teapots, and four teapots of sour plum soup.

With tears in her eyes, Ruyi charged the bill to Xiaoguo’s account.

On the other side, Xiaoguo went into the house with a few others. The advisor and Shu Botong checked the contract several times before taking it out.

“This is the contract for the transfer of the house. Take a look and sign it if there are no problems.”

As the advisor spoke, he handed the document to Xiaoguo. At first, Xiaoguo thought that it was a deed, but when she took a closer look, she realized that it was not the case.

Xiaoguo and Jiang Danhe took it and read it carefully. There were a few big words at the top: “Gentleman’s Agreement”.

This was a letter of agreement. The general content was that Shu Botong was willing to transfer the two-story house to someone for free, as long as the receiver could fulfill the following requirements.

Firstly, the receiver had to treat Shu Botong as family.

Secondly, the receiver had to take care of Shu Botong until he passed away. He must not be abandoned or abused.

Thirdly, the receiver had to be responsible for Shu Botong’s food, clothing, and transportation until he died naturally.

Fourthly…

Fifth…

Although there were many conditions listed in the agreement, the main condition was exactly as Shu Botong had mentioned. She just had to take care of him for the rest of his life.

After Jiang Danhe finished reading the agreement, he heaved a sigh of relief. The care that Shu Botong had talked about was indeed the basic kind of care. It was not what he had imagined at first. At this moment, he finally felt complete relief.

At the end of the contract, there were some lines marked in bold.

“Note: You have to swear on your life. The contract will only take effect if the above conditions are met.”

There was also a signature and fingerprint at the back. The agreement was done very meticulously.

Xiaoguo thought for a moment and looked at Shu Botong carefully. When he saw Xiaoguo looking at him, he did not avoid eye contact. He looked back at her for a while before grinning at her.

This time, Xiaoguo did not look away in disdain. Instead, she laughed out loud.

Shu Botong is most likely schizophrenic. He must have split into a second persona to protect himself, so that he could avoid facing up to reality.

The person in front of her should be his other personality. He was not a fool, a lunatic, or a mental patient. He must be a carefree person who was not bound by societal norms.

There are many such people in real life, but there is a nice name for them. They are known as optimists.

He was definitely not a fool. After all, which fool could successfully scam other people for free food and drinks every day? Fools wouldn’t pretend to be ghosts to deceive others, nor would they use dishonest tactics to trick people.

The clear-minded Shu Botong was unwilling to face the gaze of society, nor did he have the courage to face the sympathetic and curious eyes of the people around him. He was also forced to face an impoverished life which was a foregone conclusion. Therefore, he developed a second personality which was not bothered by society norms, and who only had eyes for food and wine.

Everyone said that he was crazy, but only the real Shu Botong knows that he isn’t crazy. He was just quietly hiding away, unwilling to face this cruel and terrible reality.

Thinking of this, a trace of pity appeared in Xiaoguo’s gaze as she looked at him

It wasn’t directed at Shu Botong. She was feeling pity for his other personality.

Being showered every day with looks of disdain from others, he really must have a lot of courage.

Moreover, if he didn’t have a split personality, Shu Botong would have starved to death long ago. After all, how could a proud person like him give up his dignity to scam others for a free meal?

Xiaoguo could tell this from his sober state. At that time, she thought it was strange, but after thinking about it, she finally got it.

At that time, when Shu Botong was in a lucid state, he subconsciously avoided touching his own body, and he couldn’t meet people’s gaze directly due to his inferiority complex. It was as if he was afraid that his appearance would be reflected in the other person’s pupils.

Just as Xiaoguo was sighing to herself and preparing to take good care of him in the future, Shu Botong said bluntly, “Buy me roasted chicken.”

As he spoke, he started scratching his hair, which was clumpy and covered in grease. Xiaoguo suspected that there must be a colony of lice living within. Moreover, they must be a large family with eighteen generations of descendants!

Xiaoguo saw him move his hand out of his hair. His grimy nails were now gleaming with grease. Just as he was about to stick that same hand into his mouth to pick at his teeth, Xiaoguo couldn’t take it anymore. She shouted in a hoarse voice, “Stop!”

Everyone present was so startled that they froze on the spot. Even the private advisor almost tore the title deed in his hand.

Jiang Danhe quickly came back to his senses and looked at Xiaoguo, wondering what was wrong with her.

Xiaoguo didn’t explain. She just said to the advisor, “I’ll sign it.”

Still in shock, the advisor handed her the brush and red clay.

After signing her name and fingerprinting it, Xiaoguo handed it to Shu Botong.

Just as Shu Botong was imitating her and signing the contract, he suddenly thought of something. He put down the brush and handed the contract to Xiaoguo.

“He has to sign it too.”

Jiang Danhe looked at the finger pointing at him and looked at Xiaoguo in confusion.

“Why does he have to sign it?”

As soon as Xiaoguo finished asking, Shu Botong suddenly laughed and said smugly, “He has money!”

Xiaoguo and Jiang Danhe looked at each other and sighed helplessly.

He did see Jiang Danhe’s pouch.

“Do you think I’m stupid? He has so much money to help pay for my roast chickens. What about you? Hmph!”

Xiaoguo could never have imagined that one day she would be despised by a mentally ill person.

She didn’t have money?! The silver she had could crush him to death!