Chapter 164 (2): Home

Chapter 164 Part 2: Home

Yu Jiajia was not lying. She did indeed come to school early in order to participate in morning exercises.

Their school had a dance club. Obviously… a beauty such as Yu Jiajia would be the main performer on stage. Every day during summer break, she would come to school and participate in morning exercises in the dance club’s room. Due to special reasons, she arrived earlier than usual today.

The girl had suffered from no small amount of shock and Chen Xiaolian accompanied the two of them into the school grounds. Seeing Yu Jiajia going up the school building and into the exercise room, he turned around to regard the youngster. “Your face is swollen. Do you have ice cubes at home?”

The youngster shook his head.

Chen Xiaolian considered the matter and reached for his shirt’s pocket. Pulling out a first aid kit from his pocket, he said. “Let us go, I will help you with your wounds.” Looking at the other party, he continued. “Do you live nearby?”

The other party raised a hand and pointed at a certain direction.

…

The youngster’s residence was located inside the school grounds… it was a small place located at the mouth area of the sports field. A brick hut was built next to the school canteen and boiler room. Judging from its appearance, it was apparent that this was an illegal housing. However, since it was built inside the school, nobody came to deal with it.

This hut was built by the school. It was built using some debris for janitors to use as a form of lodging.

Accompanying the youngster into the hut with low hanging ceiling, Chen Xiaolian smelt a faint mouldy scent. The scent was a result of having no ventilation.

Chen Xiaolian frowned and looked at the hut’s windows. He found that the windows had been closed up. Planks of wood were nailed over it.

“Why did you not open the windows?” Chen Xiaolian pointed at the windows.

“Winter winds, it is broken,” The answer sounded stiff.

“All right, I will help you with your wounds. Come here.”

Chen Xiaolian had the youngster sit down and proceeded to examine him. After his examination, he found that the youngster was not only suffering from nosebleeds. His arm had been sprained and the area around his waist was turning green. Clearly, that was the result of being kicked.

Most importantly, after taking off the youngster’s shirt, he saw that there were other wounds upon the youngster’s skinny body – those wounds were clearly the result of being beaten.

Chen Xiaolian’s face turned twisted and he asked. “Do you always get bullied?”

“… used to it,” The youngster shook his head.

Chen Xiaolian helped to wipe off the blood on the youngster’s nose. After plugging them with cotton pugs, he produced a bottle of medicinal liquor and applied it.

The youngster did not cry out in pain. He silently allowed Chen Xiaolian to finish up. Then, he suddenly stood up and walked stiffly out of the room.

After a moment, he returned with a glass cup. The glass contained steaming, hot water.

“You… drink water,” He stood before Chen Xiaolian and placed it on the table before Chen Xiaolian. “Cup, I cleaned, very clean!”

Chen Xiaolian noted that although the youngster’s hands were wet, his heart remained warm.

Without showing any hesitation, Chen Xiaolian picked up the glass and swallowed a mouthful of water. Although there was a thick scent of lime scale coming from the water, Chen Xiaolian gulped it down.

“You were very brave back then,” Chen Xiaolian slowly said. “I saw it.”

The youngster did not say anything.

“Usually, the students of this school would always bully you. Why do you want to help her earlier?”

The youngster looked at the cup before Chen Xiaolian. His movements was slow and he thought for a moment before answering. “Mother said, must protect females, cannot hurt females,”

Chen Xiaolian smiled.

It was then that Yu Jiajia’s voice could be heard coming from the outside.

“Hello, is there… anybody home?”

Chen Xiaolian stood up and went over. Opening the door, he saw Yu Jiajia standing before the door.

She was carrying a plastic bag containing a packet of soymilk and two pastries. Additionally, there was also a bottle of something that looked like medicated oil.

This action of hers improved Chen Xiaolian’s impression toward her.

“I… just now, I saw his Chinese pancake falling onto the ground. So, I got him something to eat,” Yu Jiajia blushed and she stiffened. Suddenly remembering something, she then raised up the bag that she was holding. “There is also some ointment for bruises. It is something we often use when dancing; its effects are very good. Just now, he was badly hurt, i… I…”

“Come on in,” Chen Xiaolian stepped aside. “It would be better for you to thank him yourself.”

“En!” Yu Jiajia nodded her head vigorously and walked inside.

The mouldy scent within the room only caused her to lightly knit her eyebrows and she did not say anything about it. She walked toward the thin figure sitting on the bed and placed the bag of items by his side. “Thank you for earlier, I am truly, truly thankful! You… you are a good person!”

Chen Xiaolian who was by the side could not restrain himself and smiled. “You are giving out ‘good person cards’ so early in the morning? Miss school beauty?” [1]

Yu Jiajia’s face blushed once more. She bit her lips, not knowing what to say.

“I am fine,” The thin youngster raised his head and looked at Yu Jiajia. “You can go.”

“… … …” Yu Jiajia gripped her own wrists and hesitated before speaking in a whisper. “I also want to say sorry. You… you keep getting bullied all the time, but I did not help you. Moreover… moreover… sometimes, the reason they bullied you is because of me…”

The youngster did not say anything. He silently waited for Yu Jiajia to finish her words before shaking her head. “I am fine.”

Faced with such a wooden response, Yu Jiajia was at a loss at what to do. She did not know how she should converse with the other party.

The atmosphere within the room became somewhat awkward and Chen Xiaolian made a gesture toward Yu Jiajia. The two of them walked outside.

“All right, since it is nothing serious, you should head back,” Chen Xiaolian observed that the skies had grown bright and the sun had risen. He smiled and said. “You have suffered from quite the shock. Go back and do your exercise.”

“Should we report this to the police?”

“… … forget it,” Chen Xiaolian smiled. “I will be leaving soon. If you call the police over, I will be in trouble as well. Besides, I have already given those two a lesson. With their broken hands, even if they went to the hospital, they will probably need a few months to recover. They will be in for bitter times.”

“En, in that case, I will go back,” Yu Jiajia thought about it and felt that Chen Xiaolian was not too keen on talking with her. This discovery caused the girl to feel slightly confused. She hesitated for a moment. “Thank you for earlier, you are a…”

“Good person! I know I am a good person,” Chen Xiaolian gave a grudging smile. “It has only been one day since I came all the way to Hangzhou, and yet I have received the ‘good person card’. All right then, off you go.”

Yu Jiajia broke into a laugh and she looked earnestly at Chen Xiaolian. “Can you tell me your name?”

Chen Xiaolian thought it through and looked at Yu Jiajia. There was a sincere smile on her face.

“My name is Roddy.”

Yu Jiajia’s eyes squinted up in a smile and she looked at Chen Xiaolian. “I will remember your name! Thank you, Roddy!”

After saying that, the girl’s face blushed and she lowered her head before running away.

…

“Achoo!”

At a certain location within the world, Roddy sneezed. He gazed upward and shivered a little. “It must be that bastard Xiaolian speaking ill about me behind my back.”

He shook his head and leaned upon a tree. Sticking his head out, his expression soon turned gentle as he looked at a park bench situated in the distance where a slim figure was seated.

He stared quietly.

…

“You were lying just now.”

Chen Xiaolian turned around and saw the thin youngster standing by the door, looking at him.

“Eh?”

“Roddy… that is definitely not your real name,” He shook his head and said in a very serious tone. “You lied to her.”

“How did you know?” Chen Xiaolian raised his eyebrows.

“I just know,” He answered with the same dim-witted voice. “When others lie, I can usually figure it out.”

Pausing, he tried to explain what he meant. “When you were telling her your name, your tone of voice was slightly slow. That meant you were considering something – is there any need to consider anything when someone wants to say their own name? But when you were saying the word Roddy, your tone becomes very smooth. That means you must be very familiar with the name Roddy. However, it is definitely not your name… rather; it is someone you are very familiar with.”

Chen Xiaolian was momentarily stunned.

He suddenly recalled the incident that happened by the school entrance yesterday. Back then, when this youngster was walking away, he had said:

“I am no fool!”

…

Chen Xiaolian regarded the other party solemnly and extended one hand out. “My name is Chen Xiaolian. This is my real name. I am eighteen years old. From this moment onward, we are friends.”

“Friends…” A glint flashed through the youngster’s eyes and he pointed at his nose. “Da Gang, twenty-two years old.”

Da Gang? (great & firm) It is a really average name – just like his appearance. However… looking at his thin and small constitution, Chen Xiaolian smiled. “Your parents must have hoped that you would become tall and strong. That is why they gave you this name, right?”

However, right after saying those words, Chen Xiaolian regretted it.

He saw Da Gang’s expression turning glum.

Chen Xiaolian immediately recalled Da Gang’s miserable life… his parents…

“I am sorry.”

“… … it is all right,” Da Gang shook his head.

…

Appearance wise, Da Gang did not appear like a twenty-two-year-old at all. His figure was thin and short. Perhaps the prolonged period of malnutrition had led to him suffering from stunted growth.

Chen Xiaolian did not leave immediately. Instead, he sat down in the room with Da Gang.

He gradually realized that Da Gang was a very interesting person.

Da Gang appeared wooden and dim-witted. However, that was only on the surface. He simply did not like to communicate much and was not a talkative person. In fact, he was not stupid. He understood pretty much everything and could be considered a relatively intelligent person.

Da Gang heated up a pot of water in the room. Once the water was boiling, he picked up the baked pastry brought by Yu Jiajia, broke them down and tossed them inside, stirring them together. Next, he handed a pair of chopsticks and a bowl to Chen Xiaolian.

“Eat?” Da Gang looked at Chen Xiaolian. There was an earnest look on Da Gang’s face. “The weather is cold. Since the pastry is hard, it won’t tasty as it is. It will be tasty now that it is softened.”

Chen Xiaolian noticed the look of eagerness within Da Gang’s eyes.

This fellow must have almost no friends and none of them was willing to visit him. Thus, when facing someone who had shown kindness toward him, he would exhibit enthusiasm – it was a rather awkward form of hospitality. However, it was likely that he really wanted to give Chen Xiaolian a treat.

Putting on his best to entertain this ‘new friend’.

The bowl that he had given to Chen Xiaolian was probably his only one. Da Gang picked up the lid to use as a bowl.

Boiling tap water mixed with baked pastry would naturally not be tasty, Additionally, Chen Xiaolian had already eaten his fill.

However, he did not hesitate. Picking up the chopsticks, he scooped up a big clump and wolfed it down before Da Gang’s eager eyes.

After eating a bowl of this steaming hot food, his body felt warm and fuzzy even though the weather was cold outside.

Da Gang smiled. His smiling appearance was also a dim-witted looking smile, giving him the appearance of a fool. He then picked up the lid, used his chopsticks to scoop up the pastry, and ate it.

As they ate, Chen Xiaolian asked Da Gang some questions. Da Gang answered them without hiding anything.

The story of his life was as Chen Xiaolian had heard yesterday… due to the argument regarding a divorce, his father had accidentally killed his mother.

According to Da Gang, he had to witness his father’s abusive habit since he was young.

Da Gang explained that his father was a very ill-tempered man and both Da Gang and his mother were often beaten as a child.

In fact, both his parents worked as janitors in the school. Da Gang himself had attended this school all the way until he graduated.

Originally, there was a school-run factory within the school grounds. It was a product of the nineties era. However, due to the change in national policies, the school-run factory was closed and most of the janitors there were sent off. Da Gang’s parents used money to form some connections, allowing them to stay at the school. That way, they were able to have a stable job. A modest job, but a fairly stable one.

Ever since he was young, Da Gang has had to witness his father beating up his mother. That man was ill-tempered and an alcoholic. Every time he got drunk, he would go beat up both mother and son.

“Since I was young, mother would tell me… I must not hit a female, I must protect females,” Da Gang said in a low tone.

“So, that is why you stepped forward to help Yu Jiajia?” Chen Xiaolian sighed.

Da Gang looked at Chen Xiaolian and suddenly whispered. “You are… from Jinling.” [2]

“Hmm?” Chen Xiaolian became surprised.

“There is an accent in the way you speak. There is a Jinling accent in your words,” Da Gang smiled, revealing a warm feeling from both his eyes and smile. “My mother is from Jinling as well. I can identify that accent.”

Chen Xiaolian was silent as he looked at Da Gang.

Hesitating for a moment, Chen Xiaolian suddenly asked. “Da Gang… are you willing to leave this place?”

“… … leave?”

“En, come with me to Jinling,” Chen Xiaolian thought about it. “I can help you find work there. Furthermore, no one will bully you.”

Da Gang became silent.

After a while, he raised his head and looked around at everything within the room…

The messy and dilapidated furniture…

Da Gang looked at Chen Xiaolian and shook his head. “Better… not.”

The youngster slowly said in a very serious tone. “I want to protect this home. They are no longer here, if I leave…”

As he said that, his voice grew heavier.

“If I leave… home, will be no more.”

…

…

[Author’s notes: I do not know how everyone will think about this chapter. Writing this chapter, my execution is much slower with more emphasis on emotions.

[This character known as Da Gang is obviously very important… I feel like I am in the position of a God, where I create the characters with emotions.

[Each of them will have their own story.]

Da Gang. Raw: ‘大刚’, pinyin: ‘dà gāng’. ‘dà’ (大) means great or big, ‘gāng’ (刚) means firm or exactly.

1 ‘Good person card’ is a word meant to signify a girl’s polite action of rejecting a guy’s courtship toward her. It usually begins with… you guessed it… “You are a good person, but…”.↩

2 Jinling is another word for Nanjing.↩