CH 35

Hospital corridor.

Cheng Rong, unwilling to put on an act, reached out his hand for money.

Lin Yuxing felt Cheng Rong was unreasonable and shameless. “I don’t have any money.”

“Don’t pretend! Don’t think I don’t know,” he said, as if he had seen through Lin Yuxing. “Every time your aunt asks you for money, you readily give it to her. How could you possibly not have any money?!”

“I’ve given all I can. I really don’t have any money left.”

“You heartless little brat, when your family is in trouble, don’t you know how to lend a hand?” Cheng Rong hobbled closer, pushing him against the wall with a forceful shove, making Lin Yuxing hit his back hard.

Lin Yuxing winced in pain, his brows furrowing.

Cheng Rong grumbled, “Look at the state of our family. Shouldn’t you contribute some money?”

Lin Yuxing couldn’t hold back anymore. In his heart, Cheng Rong was a greedy scoundrel. He said coldly, “If you want money, you shouldn’t have tricked me into coming back! I was able to give money to the family because I’ve been working there all this time. Now that I’m back, I don’t have any part-time jobs!”

Cheng Rong quickly raised his hand and slapped him.

Lin Yuxing’s head was left spinning from the blow.

His fear of Cheng Rong had grown like a vine in his hollow heart since childhood. He couldn’t help but grit his teeth, his breathing becoming slow.

Cheng Rong’s face turned vicious, reaching out to grab Lin Yuxing’s collar.

This time, Lin Yuxing blocked Cheng Rong’s hand.

As an adult, Lin Yuxing didn’t want to endure being hit anymore. The slap earlier was only successful because he was caught off guard.

With people coming and going in the hospital, Cheng Rong wouldn’t dare be forceful.

Lin Yuxing warned Cheng Rong, “Aunt is injured, and I’ll find a short-term job here during winter break. If you hurt me, you won’t get any money from me.”

“You…you little brat, are you threatening me?”

Lin Yuxing felt his hand trembling, so he hid it behind his back and said firmly, “If you continue acting violent with me, I’ll leave right now. I won’t care about Aunt anymore. You will then have to handle everything here yourself.”

“Do you dare?! Don’t forget, I can go to your school and find you!”

Lin Yuxing’s gaze darkened. Being at his wit’s end, he intentionally said, “I’ll just drop out then. I can easily disappear into thin air.”

That sentence startled Cheng Rong.

Lin Yuxing didn’t know where his courage came from, but he dared to talk back to Cheng Rong , even though he had always been silent.

Perhaps his experiences at C University had made him grow, unwilling to let his life be controlled by such a person.

He had seen freedom and longed for it. He wanted to live a normal life, so he slowly stood up and crawled out of the mud.

Even if it took time, he should try to resist, at least hoping that he wouldn’t always be so miserable.

Cheng Rong felt frustrated for the first time, grinding his teeth in anger. But he wasn’t foolish. If they continued to clash head-on, Lin Yuxing wouldn’t give him a single penny. Moreover, Lin Yuxing had grown up and wasn’t as easily pushed around as he was in the past.

“Tsk.” Cheng Rong stopped causing trouble and turned to enter the hospital room. He rudely said, “Go and pay for your aunt’s medical expenses!”

The gloomy days seemed endless.

Lin Yuxing stayed in the small town of D City and began a life of coming home late and leaving early to go work.

During the day, he worked temporary jobs in some shops in town, and at night, he cooked and took care of the family’s daily needs. The busy life didn’t leave him much room for complaint. He had grown used to the torment of fate and had long been numb to many hardships, unable to voice his grievances.

Even when receiving repeated phone calls from Gu Zhongyi.

Gu Zhongyi: “Your voice doesn’t sound right.”

“My aunt injured her foot, and I need to take care of her at home,” Lin Yuxing said, “I’m fine, maybe just a little cold.”

“… “

Lin Yuxing didn’t hang up the phone. “I might not be able to do tutoring anymore, I’m sorry, senior, truly sorry.”

That was supposed to be his first birthday gift, but he hadn’t been able to appreciate it properly.

He had let down Gu Zhongyi’s kindness and kept apologizing on the phone. His world now had completely different colors compared to when he was with Gu Zhongyi.

As if yesterday was still in color, but today was only gray and white.

Late at night, he sat in his narrow room, lost in thought. It was only at that moment that his nerves could relax briefly.

The Lunar New Year was approaching, but there was no festive atmosphere in the house.

Suddenly, there was a knock on the door.

Lin Yuxing opened the door and saw Cheng Shaohua holding an apple, tilting his head and smiling foolishly at him. “Brother!”

Lin Yuxing, tired to the point of exhaustion, rubbed his eyes. “Didn’t I teach you how to wash apples?”

“No, this one’s for you, brother,” Cheng Shaohua said obediently, “I washed it!’

Then Cheng Shaohua muttered, “Dad went out drinking, so I can give the apple to you. It’s the last apple, and I didn’t want to eat it. Mom said to give it to you.”

Upon hearing that, Lin Yuxing’s eyes welled up with tears.

He couldn’t blame his cousin, nor could he complain about the aunt who had brought him up.

He was always caught in a dilemma.

Cheng Shaohua, naturally not understanding Lin Yuxing’s complex emotions, obediently squatted down, wanting Lin Yuxing to pat his head and praise him.

Lin Yuxing did as he asked and asked, “You really like being patted on the head so much?”

Like a little dog.

Cheng Shaohua happily said, “I like it! Brother, how do you know how to pat heads so well? It feels so comfortable.”

“I learned it.”

“Where did you learn it, from TV?”

Lin Yuxing lowered his head and smiled after a long time, “No, I learned it from someone very kind and handsome.”

“Wow, Brother, you’re smiling. Do you really like him?”

“Yes, I really like him,” Lin Yuxing confessed his feelings naturally in front of the child-like Cheng Shaohua.

He looked at the large apple in his hand and went to the kitchen to cut it in half.

Half for Cheng Shaohua and half he planned to give his aunt.

Lin Xiufeng saw him come in, propping herself up apologetically.

Lin Yuxing handed over half the apple. “You haven’t had any of the ones sent from your factory, right?”

Lin Xiufeng waved her hand. She couldn’t snatch food from the children.

“The one who needs nutrition the most is you.” Lin Yuxing insisted and put half the apple in Lin Xiufeng’s hand. “I’ve been eating well and drinking well in C City, I’m not lacking in this.”

He seemed a bit plump than before, no longer thin as a stick.

Lin Xiufeng hesitated for a moment, then believed what Lin Yuxing said. She took the apple, took a small bite, and the sweet and sour juice made her smile bitterly. “It’s just one apple, but we still have to share it.”

She had aged a lot. Eating the apple, tears fell from her eyes.

Lin Xiufeng was in a dimly lit room, with only a small lamp illuminating her side. She wiped away her tears, then smiled embarrassedly. “Oh, these tears, they fall so easily…”

Lin Yuxing said in a deep voice, “What exactly happened at home?”

Lin Xiufeng remained silent.

Lin Yuxing said, “If you won’t say it, I’ll ask him myself.”

Lin Xiufeng grabbed him and shook her head in a panic.

This time, Lin Xiufeng didn’t hide it. Covering her face, she said, “He went away one night to gamble and suddenly owes 100,000. How can I afford it… But if we can’t pay it back in time, the interest will accumulate, and people will keep coming to our house to collect the debt. I can’t bear it.”

To other families, 100,000 yuan might not be a huge debt, but for that family, it was a devastating blow.

Lin Yuxing wasn’t too surprised. He had already guessed most of it.

Hearing Lin Xiufeng choked up, he asked urgently, “Aunt, do you really want a divorce?”

“What’s the use of wanting? This house is in his relative’s name, and we’re just borrowing it… If we get divorced, Shao Hua and I won’t know where to go.”

“We can rent a smaller house in town for only a few hundred yuan a month. I’ll pay for it.”

Lin Xiufeng didn’t expect Lin Yuxing to agree immediately. She stopped crying and couldn’t help but say. “Divorce… it sounds too messy.”

Lin Yuxing sat by her bedside, as if he had found some hope, and tightly held her hand.

“In reality, divorce is quite common out there. Some of my classmates’ parents have already divorced, living their own lives. It’s not such an unimaginable thing.”

But he also knew that once divorced, Cheng Rong would never give up easily.

He stared at the back of his hand, where he had placed a band-aid to cover his injury from work.

Lin Yuxing spoke calmly, “We really don’t have the ability to completely leave at the moment… Aunt, if you haven’t made up your mind yet, if you think you can endure it, then endure a little longer.”

Lin Xiufeng still didn’t understand.

Lin Yuxing said, “Once I graduate, I will take you and Cousin away. The world outside is really big, with people all over the place. It would be difficult for him to find us.”

“Yuxing, you…”

“I want to leave!”

Desires took root and sprouted in his heart. Lin Yuxing urgently said, “I want to live a normal life, not these fearful days. I don’t want to live here anymore.” He found it difficult to speak, “I’m afraid that Uncle will try to do something to me again, like last time…”

Lin Xiufeng’s expression changed drastically. She hurriedly said, “I won’t allow him to do that!”

Lin Yuxing lowered his gaze, not trusting Lin Xiufeng’s assurance. There were many things she couldn’t guarantee.

Lin Yuxing planned to wait until Lin Xiufeng’s foot injury healed and then quickly return to C City.

“Believe me, I will never lose you and Cousin. I won’t forget your kindness.”

Those were the same words Lin Yuxing had said since he was young.

The cut side of the half apple turned yellow from oxidation, and Lin Xiufeng swallowed her tears. She shook her head hurriedly but was also deeply moved.

If it used to be bearable to live like that and endure, now with a huge debt, it was becoming unbearable for Lin Xiufeng. She tearfully looked at the child she had raised, tightly gripping her hands.

She nodded, then shook her head, unable to give a definite answer.

Lin Yuxing waited quietly for a moment and assured her, “Don’t worry, in these years, I will do my best to repay the debts at home. Whatever amount we can repay, we will, and after that, we won’t worry about it, okay?”

“…”

Finally, persuaded by Lin Yuxing, Lin Xiufeng started to think. She sighed, “Let me think it over.”

Lin Yuxing nodded and left the master bedroom.

Who would have expected that Cheng Rong was sleeping on the floor of the living room, hugging a bottle of liquor, completely drunk.

Lin Yuxing was shocked and stood still, holding his breath.

When did Cheng Rong come back? Why was there no sound at all?

If Cheng Rong had heard their conversation, then he… Lin Yuxing looked at Cheng Rong with fear filling his eyes. He cautiously approached him with heavy steps, his mind overwhelmed by endless panic.

Summoning up his courage, he lightly tapped Cheng Rong’s arm with his toe.

Cheng Rong showed no reaction.

Relieved, Lin Yuxing relaxed and quickly returned to his own room.

Closing the door, the room resembled a storage room with floating dust. Lin Yuxing coughed lightly a couple of times. He took out his phone; it was already past 11 p.m.

On his phone, there were missed calls from Gu Zhongyi and a message from Liao Yan.

Liao Yan: [After you stood me up, you didn’t send me a single message?]

Liao Yan: [I’m so sad. Didn’t you promise to run errands for me for free? Why don’t you reply to my messages anymore?]

Liao Yan: [Sigh, I don’t need free errands anymore. Let’s just chat?]

Three messages in a row showed how bored he was.

Lin Yuxing replied: [Sorry, something happened at home. I’ll come back after school starts. Don’t worry, I won’t go back on my promise to run errands for you.]

Liao Yan always replied instantly: [What happened?]

Lin Yuxing: [It’s best not to say.]

Liao Yan: [Is Gu Zhongyi with you?]

Lin Yuxing didn’t reply.

Liao Yan: [Is it something you can handle? Are you okay?]

Because Liao Yan wasn’t Gu Zhongyi, Lin Yuxing didn’t need to worry too much.

So he finally spoke a heartfelt sentence, every word filled with bitterness: [Maybe… Thanks for your concern, but I’m not in a good state lately. so I’m afraid I won’t reply to your messages anymore.]

He looked at the time and felt too exhausted to return Gu Zhongyi’s call. Whenever he heard Gu Zhongyi’s voice, he couldn’t help but waver, wanting to confide and seek support.

He shouldn’t treat Gu Zhongyi that way.

Lying in bed, Lin Yuxing curled up into a ball, sleeping in an awkward position.

Half an hour later, Gu Zhongyi sent a message: [I’m on my way to D City.]

Sending this message, Gu Zhongyi was currently sitting in the airport lounge in C City, waiting.

“Ding…”

He received a text message from an unfamiliar number on his phone, containing the specific address of where Lin Yuxing was currently staying. 

Before Gu Zhongyi could question it, his phone rang with another message notification.

It was still from the same unfamiliar number: [Please go and help him. Thank you.]

Gu Zhongyi immediately called back, but no one answered.

He replied, [Who are you?]

There was no response from the other side.