Translator: Lynn
After exiting the corridor of Jiang Yuduo’s house, his Dad’s car becomes visible, neatly parked next to the corner newsstand.
Jiang Yuduo’s unconventional “training” had elevated him above ordinary individuals in various aspects. Although Jiang Yuduo had implied the presence of others in the car, Cheng Ke couldn’t even discern a faint silhouette in the driver’s seat, leaving him unsure if anyone was there.
He shifted his gaze towards Jiang Yuduo’s house window. Despite the curtains being drawn from this angle, Cheng Ke was certain that Jiang Yuduo was observing him from behind the drapes.
Just as he was preparing to turn towards the car, Jiang Yuduo extended a finger through the curtain’s gap and playfully wagged it at him.
Cheng Ke’s laughter bubbled up, a sense of warmth enveloping him.
The weather that day was pleasant, the wind gentler than before. He adjusted his collar and proceeded towards his father’s parked car.
Mere meters away from the vehicle, Cheng Ke discerned the presence of other occupants. He recognized Lao Hu, the driver, in the driver’s seat. Seated beside him was one of Dad’s assistants, a role they fulfilled instead of being directly referred to as bodyguards, a label that his mother deemed inauspicious.
As Cheng Ke approached, the assistant on the co-driver’s side stepped out of the car, observing him from beside the vehicle.
Unperturbed by the assistant’s presence, Cheng Ke advanced to the rear door and paused, glancing at the car window.
After a brief pause, the car window descended, revealing Dad’s face. Upon spotting the cast on his hand, Dad’s brow furrowed. “Step inside the car and talk, it’s quite windy.”
“I’m not feeling cold,” Cheng Ke responded.
“Drafts from an open window make me chilly,” Dad retorted, his gaze steady on Cheng Ke.
The assistant approached, opened the door, and gestured for Cheng Ke to enter.
With a sigh, Cheng Ke bent down and got into the car.
“Young Master,” Lao Hu, the driver, turned around and greeted, “You seem to have lost some weight.”
“Really?” Cheng Ke brushed his fingers against his face. Lao Hu had spent two decades working alongside his father, and their collaboration was marked by unspoken understanding. This greeting was more of a reminder that leaving home would entail certain hardships. Cheng Ke smiled gently, “I actually thought I might have gained some weight. These past six months have been quite pleasant.”
“Enjoying yourself, huh?” Dad scoffed, “Is this the life you aspire to? What does this life mean to you?”
“Looks fine to me,” Cheng Ke remarked.
“Look at what you’re wearing. What’s with your hair? And your hand…” Dad halted mid-sentence, perhaps recalling the connection between Cheng Ke’s hand and Cheng Yi, “I can see you’re associating with gangsters just like what Cheng Yi said. I wouldn’t be surprised if you told me you’re collecting protection fees!”
Cheng Ke examined himself. He had on Jiang Yuduo’s coat because he was going to fly. His jeans were practical, not as flashy as before, but comfortable.
As for his hair, it was in good shape. He had it cut a few years ago at the small barber shop downstairs. He chose a shorter style for convenience. Cheng Ke considered the barber’s skills quite decent.
In reality, everything was in order, but his dad wasn’t pleased. One reason was that it deviated from the way things used to be, and the other was that it didn’t conform to his father’s preferences.
Disregarding the first point, and as for the second… he had grown up like this for over a decade.
“Do you need something from me?” Cheng Ke inquired.
“What’s with your boyfriend, Cheng Ke? Is he mentally unstable?” Dad didn’t beat around the bush and went straight to the point.
Cheng Ke had braced himself for this question, so he wasn’t surprised. He glanced at Jiang Yuduo’s house window, “If you must put it that way, then maybe.”
“Just tell me!” Dad demanded.
“Yes,” Cheng Ke replied.
“You’re into men, no one’s questioning that, right?” Dad said, “You want a boyfriend, and nobody’s stopping you, right?”
Cheng Ke remained silent.
“But you shouldn’t take it too far!” Dad’s voice grew louder, “Are you too comfortable that you need to make others uncomfortable?”
“I haven’t been playing around,” Cheng Ke defended, saying, “I didn’t lead an overly comfortable life before, and I’m not trying to create difficulties for anyone.”
“I didn’t come here to listen to your sophistry,” Dad leaned back, his tone turning icy.
“I’m not trying to be sophistical,” Cheng Ke retorted. “I’ve grown up so much that I rarely even make normal excuses. How could I be indulging in sophistry?”
Dad fell silent momentarily, picked up the thermos flask, took a few sips of water, and when he set it down, he uttered, “Go back home.”
Cheng Ke was taken aback.
The statement caught him off guard; he never anticipated his father uttering such words.
Had this statement been made a few months back, during the period when he was navigating the supermarket without a water heater or a gas stove, he might have been taken aback with delight.
However, in the present context, after enduring so much, after experiencing various challenges, and as he embarked on a fresh chapter of life, those three words held no impact upon him.
He merely felt a slight sense of disorientation.
He understood that the reason behind his father’s words wasn’t rooted in a desire for him to return home, ready to embrace a seemingly ineffectual son. Rather, it was his father’s inability to accept his association with a boyfriend grappling with mental health issues.
While he comprehended that such a circumstance would be challenging for any family to accept, it didn’t faze him.
“Your mother has been losing sleep over this incident, her worry about your well-being incessant,” Dad explained, “Xiao Yi recognizes that this individual’s condition isn’t merely ordinary mental illness!”
“I understand,” Cheng Ke replied with a smile, “But how does he know? What gives him the authority to know? If he were to meet a girlfriend, would that be universally accepted?”
“If they doesn’t present any problems! Who would pay heed to such matters? A thug dwelling on the fringes of society!” His father’s gaze bore into him, “What’s become of you?”
“It doesn’t concern me,” Cheng Ke frowned, “If that’s the case, then so be it. I’m nearly thirty, and I’m accountable for my own life.”
Cheng Ke opened the car door, preparing to step out.
“Are you really content leading a life with someone who’s mentally unstable in such a chaotic environment?” His dad’s voice was tinged with anxiety, “Is this the life you’d willingly choose over coming home?”
“What kind of life have I been living? Do you know? Have you ever asked me? Have you come to see me?” Cheng Ke retorted, “Your understanding of my life is solely based on what Cheng Yi told you. If you truly desire insight into my life, why not inquire directly, listen firsthand, and witness it yourself?”
With that, Cheng Ke exited the car.
“Xiao Ke!” The car door clicked shut behind him, and his father emerged from the vehicle, “Do you grasp the gravity of my words?”
Cheng Ke locked eyes with him.
“Since childhood, you’ve never been conniving! You’re gentle and compassionate! No matter what you do, you always have a support system, someone by your side!” Dad stated, “What’s different now? Where did you find the confidence to stand alone? Don’t be swayed by this environment and the company you keep! Don’t let yourself be harmed.”
Cheng Ke remained silent, maintaining his gaze on his father.
These words took him by surprise. Despite his father’s utterance being laced with disdain, it was true. For the first time in years, he heard his father employ such terms to characterize him.
Not conniving.
Compassionate.
Surprisingly, amidst the assortment of derogatory descriptors—like worthless, inept, unmotivated, aimless—that his father had commonly used, there existed this understanding of him.
He even sensed the genuine concern beneath his father’s tone.
What an unexpected turn of events.
“Dad,” Cheng Ke sighed softly, “I’ve been here for a while, and it’s not as dire as you might think. The friends I’ve made…”
“What friends?” Dad interjected, “What friends? I thought maybe you could accomplish something when you ventured out, but what’s happened? You’ve really let me down! Other than Xu Ding, do you even have a true friend? The one who washes cars? Or the one who’s into long-distance running? What can you actually do?”
Cheng Ke was taken aback.
Washing cars? Possibly Chen Qing.
Long-distance running? Could it be Da Bin? Does Da Bin drive long-haul buses?
He didn’t know, no one informed him, and Da Bin never mentioned it.
How thoroughly had Cheng Yi investigated him?
If the investigation was so comprehensive, then why hadn’t Cheng Yi informed Dad that the store he and Xu Ding were partnering on was about to open?
Was it solely to prove to Dad that he’s nothing more than a failure, whether he stays home and stagnates or goes out to live independently?
“Finding a boyfriend with mental health issues and living in this rundown place! Is that the result of your screw-ups?” Dad pointed a finger at him and shouted.
The remark was so biting that Cheng Ke furrowed his brow.
“I couldn’t care less about anything else,” Dad declared, “Just tell me, what do you plan to do about your boyfriend?”
“Support him through his treatment,” Cheng Ke met his father’s gaze and let out a soft sigh. “You have two sons. If one disappoints you, at least there’s still another, so it won’t be…”
Cheng Ke’s sentence remained unfinished.
In a sudden motion, Dad slapped him hard across the face.
Throughout his childhood, Cheng Ke had endured his parents’ scolding on numerous occasions, but he had never been physically struck.
The unexpected slap sent a tremor through him. With bright spots obscuring his vision, he steadied himself by gripping the car door.
“Until today, I had never been disappointed in you, and until you insisted on being with this deranged person, I had never been disappointed in you,” Dad panted, jabbing a finger at him, “But from this moment on, I am truly disappointed in you!”
Cheng Ke remained silent, his face burning despite the biting cold wind that offered no relief.
“No matter how you believe your life is impeccable,” Dad asserted, “I won’t tolerate hearing people say that the young master of the Cheng family is involved with someone unstable.”
“If I choose to be with him, it’s my decision, whether he’s unstable or not,” Cheng Ke clenched his teeth, “Who I choose to be with, the kind of life I want to lead, where I want to be, what I want to express, what I want to do—every bit of it is my choice.”
Dad’s eyes seemed to blaze red. After a few seconds of intense staring, he opened the car door and got inside.
As Cheng Ke was about to turn away and leave, the assistant who had been standing nearby suddenly advanced, gripping Cheng Ke’s plastered right hand and exerting pressure.
Having injured his right hand twice in a row, Cheng Ke had grown cautious. Caught off guard this time, his initial reaction was to yield to the assistant’s strength, trying to prevent further injury during the confrontation.
But then, the assistant shifted his grip to Cheng Ke’s shoulder and forcefully pushed him into the car.
Initially focused on protecting his right hand, Cheng Ke was unprepared for this move. Unable to resist due to his injured hand, he was pushed into the car.
The door promptly shut.
When he attempted to reopen the car door, Lao Hu had already locked it.
“What’s the meaning of this?” Cheng Ke turned to look at his father, a sense of shock overwhelming him.
What in the world is this scenario, with my dad taking on the role of a domineering president?
“Start driving,” Dad ordered.
Lao Hu began to drive the car, pulling away from the scene.
“I don’t want to listen to your impassioned declarations,” Dad gazed straight ahead, “I don’t care what you’re determined to do. You’re my son, and I won’t allow you to engage in such disorderly behavior.”
“Young Master,” Lao Hu interjected from the front seat as he drove, “It might be best if you head home first to collect your thoughts. You’ve never interacted with these kinds of people before, making you susceptible to deception and manipulation… You’re just a bit impulsive right now…”
“I’m not impulsive at all,” Cheng Ke responded calmly, “Right now, I’m feeling entirely sober.”
Dad remained silent, his sneer lingering.
“Stop the car,” Cheng Ke directed.
No one uttered a word, and the car’s speed remained constant.
Since Cheng Ke hadn’t brought his mobile phone with him, he had no option but to call Jiang Yuduo at that moment.
As he watched Jiang Yuduo’s house draw nearer through the window, a sense of unease caused his hands to grow numb, and his heart felt as though it were sizzling away in a heated pan.
Sizzle.
When he beckoned for Jiang Yuduo to witness him from the window, he never anticipated the situation unfolding like this. He assumed that Jiang Yuduo would certainly heed his plea, observe him getting slapped by his father from the window, and then witness him being forcefully ushered into a car and driven away.
He didn’t dare to fathom Jiang Yuduo’s current state, his fear was so intense that it could almost be likened to an impending explosion.
Why did Jiang Yuduo simply stand there and observe?
The distance from the newsstand to Jiang Yuduo’s residence was very short, and the car had already arrived at the corridor entrance before it even began to accelerate.
A mere five meters ahead lay the intersection; a right turn would lead back to the bar street.
Cheng Ke’s gaze remained fixated on the corridor.
His thoughts were a jumbled mess, rendering him incapable of coherent thinking. He couldn’t decide whether he wished for Jiang Yuduo to burst out and halt the car, allowing him to escape, or if he hoped for Jiang Yuduo to stay put, avoiding any conflict with his father.
Yet, as the car passed, the corridor remained vacant, devoid of anyone emerging.
Cheng Ke breathed a sigh of relief, only for anxiety to flood back in a heartbeat.
Why hadn’t Jiang Yuduo come out?
Given Jiang Yuduo’s personality and disposition, he should have rushed out the moment Cheng Ke was slapped. But up until now, Jiang Yuduo hadn’t made an appearance.
Why?
What had transpired?
“Stop!” Cheng Ke’s voice roared out, his throat constricting as if slashed by a blade.
In response to Cheng Ke’s roar, the car emitted a screech and came to an abrupt halt.
“Mr. Cheng,” the assistant in the front seat turned around.
“What’s happening?” Dad’s voice was laced with astonishment.
Cheng Ke shifted his attention from the corridor entrance and, upon turning his head to face forward, found himself dumbfounded.
A cluster of logs lay strewn across the road, each embedded with long iron nails. As he surveyed the scene, several more logs, also equipped with iron nails, were hurled from around the corner and landed ahead of the car.
Following these projectiles, a group of individuals emerged from the corner, each wielding a stick, and approached the front of the vehicle.
Leading the pack were Chen Qing and Da Bin, followed by seven or eight of Jiang Yuduo’s associates.
“Here are your pals!” Dad exclaimed, gesturing ahead, “These are your hooligan friends, aren’t they?”
“Turn around,” the assistant instructed Lao Hu.
Impossible to reverse the car.
Cheng Ke’s internal response was resolute as he glanced back.
Sure enough, a few individuals emerged from the newsstand, each brandishing a variety of makeshift weapons, including disassembled chair legs and chair backs, resembling wooden planks with nails scavenged from construction sites. Cheng Ke was genuinely impressed by their resourcefulness in sourcing such an assortment of junk within such a short span of time.
These individuals walked to the center of the road, discarded their items on the ground, and remained stationary.
Lao Hu brought the car to a halt two meters away.
Jiang Yuduo emerged from the corridor.
When Cheng Ke witnessed Jiang Yuduo unharmed, sporting his usual air of arrogance, he relaxed and sank back into his seat.
All is well.
As long as he’s safe, that’s all that matters.
Jiang Yuduo hadn’t seized or carried anything that could be used as a weapon. He strolled straight up to the car, pressed one hand against the roof, and knocked on the window.
“What does he want?” Dad glanced out the window, “Call the police!”
“Release him!” Jiang Yuduo raised his voice from outside, “The surveillance here has been down for a week. Your car’s been vandalized!”
The assistant retrieved his phone and began dialing.
For the first time, Cheng Ke felt a surge of agility, like a lightning bolt.
He snatched the phone from behind and forcefully struck it against the car window—once, twice, thrice—until the screen cracked like ice.
He then hurled the phone back to the assistant. “Open the door. I want to get out of the car.”
“I don’t know what you lot intend,” Jiang Yuduo continued to brace against the car’s roof, “But this is my turf. If you want to take him from here, you’ll need my approval. If I don’t agree, nobody’s leaving.”
The car window was lowered halfway, and Dad locked eyes with Jiang Yuduo. “Are you aware of the consequences?”
“I’ve never concerned myself with consequences,” Jiang Yuduo asserted, “If you believe you can do something to me, bring it on.”
Dad’s gaze bore into Jiang Yuduo.
“You want to take Cheng Ke away? You’ll have to deal with me first,” Jiang Yuduo declared, “But given that Cheng Yi has investigated me, you must know about my background. Getting rid of me isn’t that simple.”
“Crazy,” Dad muttered under his breath.
“I’ll give you three seconds,” Jiang Yuduo continued, “let him go.”
The occupants of the car stared at him.
“One, two, three,” Jiang Yuduo completed his countdown, stepped back, and forcefully kicked the car window.
The partially open window shattered instantly.
“Release him!” Half of Jiang Yuduo’s body leaned through the broken window as he shouted into Dad’s face.
The assistant swiftly turned around to restrain him, but Jiang Yuduo’s focus didn’t waver. He caught the assistant’s wrist in a backhand grip and twisted it downward with force.
The assistant’s hand was contorted and pressed against the glove compartment, his expression etched with agony.
“I’m a major headache,” Jiang Yuduo stated, “It’s not the sort of problem money can resolve, so don’t provoke me.”
Dad regarded him for a moment before raising his hand.
Lao Hu unlocked the car doors.
Jiang Yuduo swung the door open and pulled Cheng Ke out of the car.
Please let me know if there are typos/mistakes in the chapter.
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