It was a black 111mm Swiss army knife. It was the largest model of Swiss army knife, almost twice as large as the smallest 58mm model.
A shield with a cross was embedded on the black handle. The Swiss proudly displays their country flag on it hoping their country would be as indomitable as a Swiss army knife.
Wu Sheng gave me an introduction for the knife when he saw I was interested in it. It was a diplomatic gift that his father received and was known as the Centurion model. But this knife was made using top quality steel and each component was reinforced, so it wasn’t an exaggeration to call it a Chiliarch.
The ‘Chiliarch’, the upgraded version of the Centurion Swiss army knife was something I couldn’t buy even if I wanted it.
Even though I really wanted it, it felt bad taking a gift for nothing in return.
“Umm, brother Wu…” I changed to calling him brother Wu since I was receiving benefits in return, “I don’t think it’s appropriate to give me such a precious knife.”
Wu Sheng smiled bitterly and sighed, “The point of the Swiss army knife is to encourage people to overcome difficulties and pursue a beautiful life. I’m not afraid of difficulties, but I don’t know what’s considered a ‘beautiful life’ and what I should pursue. I never even used it once after my father gave it to me, so it’s better if you take it. If I have it, I always get an urge to harm myself…”
Are you going to cut your wrists and commit suicide? That would not only harm yourself, but would also damage the friendship between China and Switzerland! If that’s the case, I will accept it and use it to its fullest extent.
I couldn’t hold back my excitement as I took out the 111mm Swiss army knife and roll it around my hands. It didn’t feel heavy or light and it felt comfortable and safe in my hands.
“Brother Wu, I’ll peel an apple for you.” I wanted to immediately put the knife to use and also show my gratitude.
I opened the main 111mm long blade and I found the word ‘VICTORINOX’ written in English at the base of the dazzling blade. According to Wu Sheng, it showed it was a Victorinox Swiss army knife, one of the only authentic brand along with Wenger.
“I’ll… help you peel apples…” Xiao Qin summoned her courage and said as she walked next to us.
I was going to pass the army knife to her, but then realized she looked like she really wanted to get her hands on something.
Personally, I thought all boys would like Swiss army knives as long as they weren’t a trap like Shu Zhe.
Will the Little Tyrant personality that Xiao Qin hides deep inside have bad intentions of taking my Swiss army knife hostage like brother Optimus Prime?
The Swiss army knife had a corkscrew, a bottle opener, a can opener, a screwdriver, pliers, a hacksaw, a wire cutter, scissors, a light, a pen, a magnifying glass, and even a toothpick… it’s basically another Transformers!
I can’t ignore the possibility that Xiao Qin will hide the Swiss army knife and not return it to me. Her inexplicably excited expression was suspicious.
“I have to get everything Ye Lin classmate likes, so he won’t leave me.”
Is that what she would be thinking? Would I have to submit an application in the future to use my Swiss army knife?
I decided to not let Xiao Qin touch my Chiliarch and I peeled an apple for Wu Sheng myself. I turned the round apple into a polygon, but Wu Sheng didn’t have an appetite anyway as he only took two bites out of courtesy, then place it on the side and said:
“It’s a big help that you’re taking over the role so I can leave the country. Please take the remaining items too.”
Everything in the wooden box had some relationship to Switzerland. There were some Swiss franc coins and a bell with the Swiss flag hanging adornment.
The final item was a Swiss quartz watch with a bright yellow bracelet. But the watch didn’t seem very expensive, it seemed like a simple model for children.
All of the items added together wasn’t even as valuable as the Chiliarch knife I accepted, so I didn’t refuse and took everything.
“Brother Wu, since I accepted so many things from you, I will definitely give you my full support if there’s anything you need to do in the country in the future.”
Wu Sheng nodded, “Then I might trouble you when the time comes, but these are all Swiss souvenirs, so they are useless since I’m moving to Switzerland.”
Xiao Qin stood behind me and concentrated her attention on the Swiss army knife in my hand.
“What are you looking at?” I raised my vigilance, “This is a knife brother Wu gave me, why does a girl need a knife?”
I took out the children’s watch from the wooden box and said:
“The watch is yours if you can wear it.”
It might not have been a Swiss army knife, but it was still a gift from me, so Xiao Qin received it happily. She clenched her teeth and forced the watch onto her wrist.
She smiled unnaturally as she endured the pain on her wrist.
“Ye Lin classmate, and Wu… brother Wu, thank you for the gift…”
Not bad, Xiao Qin was finally able to withstand her androphobia once and spoke to Wu Sheng.
Wu Sheng only nodded and said like he was a dying man: “You youngsters have to be happy.”
I saw that Xiao Qin wore the watch on her left wrist.
“They say men wear watches on their left wrist and women wear it on their right wrist. Why didn’t you wear it on your right wrist?”
“Because you wear the watch on your left wrist and I have to match with you.”
I couldn’t really say anything else, so I flipped around the wooden box. Then I found Wu Sheng’s ID under one of the souvenirs.
“Hey, brother Wu, you shouldn’t leave this lying around. My aunt once lost her wallet on the bus and someone used her ID to open a phone shop and she ended up owing the telecom company ¥5000…”
Wu Sheng held his hand out saying I should let him speak.
“I got that ID when I was 16, then I got a new ID when I turned 18. It might have been a mistake on the employees end because after she gave me my new ID, she didn’t destroy my old ID. I brought my old ID back with me and I ended up with two IDs.”
I looked at the photo on the ID and Wu Sheng already looked a bit depressed when he was 16. Since he was younger, the photo looked a lot like me.
“I heard from Director Cao that you still want to use my name when you’re acting as Jin Ling Young Thug. That really helps the short film but it might be inconvenient for you.”
No, it’s not inconvenient at all. The only reason I’m hiding my name is so I don’t become the fourth named villain of 28 Middle.
“If you’re going to use my name, there might be situations where you need to show your ID. For example film award ceremonies, news conferences, etc. Since they all need to check ID, you can use my extra ID and act as the happy version of me.”
“How can I do that?” I declined, “It’s one thing acting as your substitute in a film, but acting as you in real life is a completely different matter! If for some reason, Director Cao’s short film series actually won an award, then you should come back to accept it.”
Wu Sheng waved his hands, “I don’t even care about life or death, do you think I will care about an award? Besides, didn’t you agree to help me deal with problems in the country? If you use my ID, most people can’t tell the difference and I wouldn’t have to waste time coming back to China.”
“Uh…” I still thought it was a bit inappropriate, “Are you not afraid of me doing bad things with your ID?”
“Sigh. I already said I don’t care about life or death. If you want to use my ID to make yourself happy, then go ahead, I might even find it interesting.”
I could only accept it since Wu Sheng was determined, and I promised I wouldn’t do anything that would trouble him.
It was soon noon and the nurse brought Wu Sheng lunch that Director Cao had ordered for him. He didn’t really have an appetite, so he urged us to leave and eat and said we would meet again if we were destined to.
I left the clinic with Xiao Qin and cautiously put the Swiss army knife in my pocket while holding the small wooden box full of souvenirs in my other hand.
Xiao Qin suddenly said: “Among the items brother Wu gave us, only the ID is the most useful…”
“Huh, shouldn’t it be the Swiss army knife? I saw you were also coveting the knife, how is an ID useful?”
“It… has its uses.”
Xiao Qin blushed as she spoke.
“What uses? Are you going to use it to open a phone shop like the thief that stole my aunt’s purse?”
Xiao Qin stammered and slowly muttered:
“If it’s an ID, Ye Lin classmate can use it… can use it to book… a hotel room with me”
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