Chapter 33 (1/2)
Translated by Karcessel of Exiled Rebels Scanlations
Zhao XueMei was absolutely determined to see Old Man Yang, and refused to leave without doing so. The family of three sat at a table in front of the restaurant and waited. Yang Xiao stared blankly into space with a face painted in desperation, Zhao XueMei broke down into quiet sobs every once in a while, and Yang JianGuo’s ceaseless smoking filled the air with murky smoke.
With these three firmly situated beside the restaurant, any customers who came looking for a meal were scared away before they even reached the front door. Lin ShuYi decided he wanted nothing to do with this, so he simply flipped the ‘Open’ sign over to ‘Closed,’ and walked inside with Shen Fu. Out of sight and out of mind.
Lin ShuYi wasn’t an altruistic enough person to extend his sympathies to absolutely anyone in need, so he wasn’t curious about what happened to Yang Xiao’s family at all. Every single slight this family had ever exerted against Old Man Yang was clear in his memories. He knew what Yang Xiao’s personality and morals, or lack thereof, were like, and he had long since learned the lesson of being bitten by the dog he fed. Thus now, in this world, as long as something didn’t involve him or the people he cared about, he had but one principle: not his problem.
So Lin ShuYi wasn’t curious at all. He was, however, a little bit worried that this matter would get Old Man Yang involved.
They waited as Yang JianGuo’s pile of cigarette butts grew ever more similar to a miniature model of a mountain, before Old Man Yang finally returned.
Old Man Yang stepped off the bus holding a bucket, laughing and chatting with Xiao Wan’s grandma, happily carefree, but that all came to an abrupt halt the moment he looked up. His eyes paused at the ‘Closed’ sign in front of the XiQin Restaurant for a moment, before glancing over to spot the three people sitting outside.
“Why are you here?” Old Man Yang put the bucket in his hands on the ground as he spoke. A few fish were swimming around inside.
Xiao Wan’s grandma followed behind Old Man Yang, and the smile on her face vanished as well the moment she spotted Yang JianGuo and his family. She was never one to put a filter on her thoughts, so as she looked at Yang JianGuo, she quipped, “Oh, how rare. Let me guess, the three of you are here visiting out of the kindness of familial duty?”
When Lin ShuYi and Shen Fu heard voices outside, they came looking. Seeing Old Man Yang and Xiao Wan’s grandma, they greeted them, and walked to their side.
Xiao Wan’s grandma didn’t notice the strangeness of Yang JianGuo’s and his family’s appearances, and certainly had no idea what just happened to them. All she knew was that she didn’t like Zhao XueMei’s domineering personality or Yang JianGuo’s useless one, so upon this rare occurrence meeting them in person, she was determined to give them a piece of her mind. However, with Lin ShuYi and the other youngsters here, she inexplicably found it difficult to say the words in her throat, so instead she turned the cold shoulder on them and refused to acknowledge their presence.
“Xiao Yi, come and help carry these fish in. They’re real fresh, so we’re planning on cooking them in a pickled vegetable stew for lunch.”
Lin ShuYi went to pick up the fish, but Shen Fu casually took the bucket from his hand, throwing him a grin. “Let me.”
“Be careful, those fish are lively. One jumped out of the bucket on the way back.”
The family of three were left neglected on the sidelines as this exchange went on. Zhao XueMei grit her teeth, coals burning in her eyes.
Old Man Yang watched as Lin ShuYi and Shen Fu walked back inside, carrying the bucket. Only after they disappeared behind the door did he turn back to face Yang JianGuo. “Alright, say it. What do you want this time?”
Yang JianGuo opened his mouth, then closed his mouth, then opened his mouth again, but the words just wouldn’t come out.
“If you’re not going to say anything, then I will.” Zhao XueMei snapped, her patience growing thin, as Yang JianGuo continued on in silence. She pushed Yang JianGuo to the side, walking up to face Old Man Yang. “Dad. This time, truly, only you can help us.”
“Help you?” Xiao Wan’s grandma laughed bitterly. “Since when have you shown him a single thread of respect that reciprocated help?”
Xiao Wan’s grandma glared at Zhao XueMei, brimming with scorn. With these two up against each other, neither one a person to mince their words, one wrong look would be all it took to escalate the situation into an uproar.
Old Man Yang know that Xiao Wan’s grandma was expressing such outrage on his behalf, and his heart was grateful, but this was still his family’s problem. Defending him like this would cause her to be the center of malicious gossip later. Reaching out a hand, he gently pulled Xiao Wan’s grandma behind him, and met Zhao XueMei’s menacing gaze head on. “XueMei, if you have something to say, just say it. I’m not going to decide whether or not I can help you yet.”
Old Man Yang’s expression was calm, his gaze peaceful. Zhao XueMei and her family’s expressions however, have darkened since the beginning of this conversation.
Zhao XueMei was apprehensive. Could it be that hers and Yang Xiao’s previous words had somehow reached Old Man Yang’s ears? Did those two troublesome brats say something to him? How come Old Man Yang suddenly had such a tranquil, omniscient presence?
All these thoughts flashing rapidly through Zhao XueMei’s mind were but a few seconds of time. Abruptly, she grabbed Yang Xiao and pulled him down with her, both of them suddenly kneeling on the ground. Zhao XueMei’s face was a rainstorm and the tears began to flow. “Dad, please, you have to save Yang Xiao.”
Yang Xiao had originally been standing silently, staring blankly into space, and even tugged by Zhao XueMei, he didn’t react immediately—but whether it was the pain or the overwhelming fear, the moment his knees slammed against the ground, so did the dam burst. The fat teardrops rolling down his face became a waterfall, and he began to sob along with his mother.
The remaining three people, Yang JianGuo included, were stunned.
Though Yang JianGuo was well aware of the urgency of the situation, he had expected that with Zhao XueMei’s temper, she’d have a much more hamfisted approach. He had been prepared to stop her when the time came. This uncharacteristic plan was absolutely bewildering to him.
Old Man Yang and Xiao Wan’s grandma stood across from mother and son still on the ground, glancing at each other in dismay. They were unsure whether this was another kind of trick. The desperation, the kneeling, Zhao XueMei pulling Yang Xiao down with her, and Yang Xiao’s definitely bruised knees. It certainly seemed sincere.
Old Man Yang pursed his lips, but did not reach out to help them up. He stood there just watching them and said, “What are you doing? If you have something to say, than speak properly. Don’t make a scene.”
According to Zhao XueMei’s calculations, she predicted that with Old Man Yang’s soft-hearted personality, he should have been moved by their display and helped them up before continuing the conversation. But things did not play out according to her plan, and she was left at a loss for what to do. Old Man Yang was still standing there watching them, Yang Xiao was a snotty mess, still bawling his eyes out, and Yang JianGuo just stood at her side, looking at her like he was watching a movie. Zhao XueMei suddenly found herself in a very awkward situation.
“What are you doing just standing there, quickly, tell dad what happened!” Shame morphing into anger, she shouted at Yang JianGuo to save a little bit of face while standing up. With this, her previous display of pulling Yang Xiao down to kneel with her began to seem more and more like an intentional show.
The peace on Old Man Yang’s face was starting to fade, replaced by exhaustion. He looked at Yang JianGuo, already knowing in his heart the reason they came. Of course, other than for the house, why else would this family come to see him?
Though Yang JianGuo couldn’t read Old Man Yang’s thoughts, he had a heavy feeling in his heart. If he said those words out loud, the words Zhao XueMei wanted him to say, then he was sure his relationship with his father would be irreparably changed.
Therefore, he didn’t listen to Zhao XueMei. In the end, he just stayed silent, not looking at Zhao XueMei, not looking at Old Man Yang, not looking at anything or anyone.
Yang JianGuo could sense Zhao XueMei’s growing impatience, and finally, with a sigh, he said, “Forget it, let’s just go back. We’ll sell our house and see how much we can get for it. Xiao Xiao, let’s go home.”
“Go home?!” Zhao XueMei’s voice was suddenly hysterical. “If you want to go home, than go home alone! I’m not going back! And let me tell you, I own half of that house, so just you try and sell it! You son of a bitch, even now, you still have no fucking guts! Fine then! I’ll say it!” Zhao XueMei turned to Old Man Yang. “Dad, Xiao Xiao went out and gambled all our money away, and now he owes someone one million in debt. They said if he doesn’t get the money in ten days, he’ll be thrown in the river as fish food. Dad, you know this, our entire family depends on Yang JianGuo alone. Forget one million, even half a million is beyond our capabilities. Dad, I know you care about Xiao Xiao the most. He’s your only grandson, you definitely won’t stand back and watch him suffer, right? Please, you’re our only hope…”
Old Man Yang looked at Xiao Wan’s grandma again. They both shared a knowing look. Old Man Yang cleared his throat, not surprised by this news at all. “One million. This old house is worth nowhere near one million…”