Chapter 27 (1/2)
Chapter 27: Rice with Curry ChickenTranslated by Yan of Exiled Rebels Scanlations
When Yang Xiao returned home, Yang JianGuo and Zhao XueMei were currently eating noodles. The moment Yang Xiao entered the house, he said, “I’m starving, Mom. What did you make? I also want to eat it.”
Zhao XueMei hadn’t seen her son for a few days now, and when she heard her son say that, she naturally stood up at once. “It’s already this hour and you still haven’t eaten yet? Look at you. Your father and I cooked some noodles, do you want it?”
When Yang Xiao heard it was noodles, he frowned. “I’ve eaten a whole weeks’ worth of noodles already. Why is it still noodles, Mom?”
Yang JianGuo was still angry about what had happened just then. When he heard him say that, he slammed down his chopsticks. “If you don’t want to eat it, then forget it. You’re already so old, yet you don’t even know how to cook, and you’re messing around outside even though it’s so late. You still have the grace to say you’re hungry? If you’re hungry, then just stay hungry.”
Before Yang Xiao could duck behind Zhao XueMei, she spoke first. “What are you saying? You’re just like a loaded barrel. Our son just came home, so why are you in such a temper?”
Yang JianGuo made a rare rebuttal against Zhao XueMei. “Ask him yourself, what was he doing that made him come back so late?”
Zhao XueMei looked at Yang Xiao strangely. Yang Xiao scratched his head. “I just went to play mahjong with a few of my friends. It’s nothing, we only played a little, but Dad insists that we’re gambling.”
Yang JianGuo said, “Friends, friends, you fool around every day with that gang of scoundrels. Why don’t they teach you anything good? If they call you out to play mahjong in a mahjong club, no matter how little you play it’s still gambling.”
Zhao XueMei disagreed. “Why are you being so harsh? Didn’t he just play a few rounds and lose a bit of money? You’re making it seem like he’s doing something much worse. Xiao Xiao still has some friends at least, but look at you, you don’t even have someone to help out if you need it.”
Yang JianGuo was blocked again to the point that he had nothing else to say, even though the only reason he didn’t have friends was all according to this fearsome wife’s wishes.
When Yang Xiao saw his mother speak up for him, he stopped worrying. Zhao XueMei also stopped talking when she saw Yang JianGuo stop. She turned and asked Yang Xiao, “If you don’t want to eat noodles, Xiao Xiao, then what do you want to eat? Mom will make whatever you want.”
Yang JianGuo couldn’t bear to see Zhao XueMei spoiling Yang Xiao at all, but even though he couldn’t bear it, his words didn’t hold any weight either. In any case, Zhao XueMei never listened to him, so he picked up his bowl and went into the living room by himself.
Zhao XueMei looked at Yang JianGuo’s back and said to Yang Xiao, “Ignore him, he doesn’t know anything yet he’s still throwing such a fit.”
Yang Xiao had known since long ago that the one who spoke up and got things done in this house was his mother. He only needed to deceive his mom, and his dad’s objections would no longer hold any significance.
“Mom, I want to eat rice with curry chicken.”
“Okay, Mom will go and see if there’s any curry in the fridge. If there is, I’ll make it for you.”
Yang Xiao smiled charmingly. “Mom, you’re the best.”
Zhao XueMei lifted a brow. “Your mouth is so sweet? Tell me, what else is there?”
He just knew that his mother understood him best. “I’m out of money.”
While Yang Xiao acted spoiled, he also rapidly wove lies in his mind. As long as he could topple his mother, everything would be fine once he got the money. “It was a friend’s birthday a few days ago, and aren’t I good friends with him? So I have to express it, right? It’s not like you don’t know how much gift money you have to give nowadays. How can I get that amount of money when I don’t have anything? When I get married eventually, won’t he have to return it as well?”
Zhao XueMei thought it sounded reasonable, so she agreed. “Alright then, I’ll give you another two thousand. You have to spend it, spend it more carefully this time, okay?”
Yang Xiao’s eyebrows jumped. In his mind, he thought, It’s probably not enough money to return to them, but at least I have some capital. Perhaps I can just scoop it back.
Zhao XueMei suddenly thought of another matter. She poked her head out and saw that Yang JianGuo was still sitting in the living room, so she went over and closed the door. She asked Yang Xiao quietly, “Xiao Xiao ah, did your grandpa call recently?”
Yang Xiao hadn’t thought of his grandpa for many days now. When he heard his mom ask that, he finally remembered that it seemed as if his grandpa hadn’t called for quite a few days. “Hm, Mom, if you hadn’t brought it up I wouldn’t have remembered. Grandpa hasn’t called for many days.”
Zhao XueMei crinkled her brows at once. “What? Hasn’t called for many days?” Even though she hadn’t planned on answering, if Old Man Yang didn’t call, then that was another matter entirely.
“Yeah, he hasn’t called ever since he gave me a call that one day.”
“When did he call? What happened?”
Yang Xiao told Zhao XueMei about what had happened that day Old Man Yang called. When Zhao XueMei heard, she frowned even harder, and she immediately asked, “He said he’s sick?”
“No, that’s what the old man next door said.”
“You said that he came over, but he didn’t have the house deed?”