Chapter 8 Reverse Two

  Two

  But the thing was exposed, just when Zhang Chongyu thought that the matter of the child had become a thing of the past. It wasn't that his mother noticed how much money was missing when she counted the money at the end of the month, but rather it was just an hour ago, when Zhang's mother glanced at his empty neck while eating and said: "Son, where is your jade?"

  His back suddenly turned cold, Zhang Chongyu picked up a piece of food and put it in his mother's bowl, saying: "I... I left it at school."

  "How come you didn't put it on? Even if you think it doesn't look good, you should still wear it. It was left to you by your grandmother." Zhang's mother said discontentedly.

  Zhang's father saw that his son's expression was not right and hastily gave his wife a signal to hurry up and eat, and not say anything more.

  This meal Zhang Chongyu ate without any flavor, hastily scooping up two mouthfuls and then saying he was full. His mother saw that there was still half a bowl of rice in his bowl and worriedly said: "Why are you eating so little today, aren't you feeling well?"

  "Not really, I'm feeling quite full." He said and then went into his bedroom and closed the door, only then did he let out a slight sigh of relief.

  But the matter couldn't be hidden from the two old people. Just as he opened the door again to go to the kitchen to find something to eat, he saw Zhang's mother leaning against the door. Seeing her son come out, Zhang's mother smiled awkwardly and said: "Looking for food, there is still some hot soup in the kitchen, I'll cook noodles for you."

  Looking at his mother's frail body busy in the kitchen, a sour feeling surged into Zhang Chongyu's nose. He wanted to hide the mist in his eyes, but it seemed futile. He could only take a deep breath and stare at the pale ceiling before swallowing back his tears. Then he softly called out to the hardworking figure: "Mom, don't work anymore."

  Mrs. Zhang turned around and comforted him with a smile, saying, "It'll be okay soon."

  The steaming hot noodles were served in a porcelain bowl, and Zhang Mu had also placed two crispy fried eggs on top. Zhang Chongyu picked up his chopsticks and took a bite of the noodles, which tasted good but was hard to swallow. Perhaps some things should be confessed, and some things must be said.

  Zhang Chongyu put down his chopsticks and knelt down in front of his mother, lowering his head to the floor. He looked at his mother's toes, a pair of feet that told a story of hardship, wearing cheap sneakers that had been through day and night. The skin that was exposed to the sun was dark, while the skin covered by the shoes was normal in color. His mother's feet were black and white, like a great work of art.

  Zhang Chongyu looked at these feet and his eyes suddenly became moist. He stretched out his hand to touch his mother's feet, choking: "Mom, the jade left by Grandma was pawned to someone else, hit me!"

  Zhang's mother didn't look particularly shocked, as if she had expected this outcome all along. However, her eyes were still hurt, "Did you also take the money from the small wooden box?"

  Zhang Chongyu's heart skipped a beat, and he nodded regretfully, "It was me who took it, mom, I..."

  Zhang's mother helped her son up and looked into his eyes. "Tell Mom what you want so much money for?"

  Zhang Chongyu stopped and sat down on the ground weakly, "I'll give the money... to Xiao Yi to have an abortion."

  When Xiao Yi opened the door, he saw Zhang Chongyu standing outside. Not having seen him for a few days, he seemed to have lost his usual spirit. Xiao Yi leaned against the door frame and didn't intend to let him in.

  "What are you doing here?" As soon as the words fell, Zhang Chongyu's parents came out of the elevator outside the door, still holding some nutritional supplements and fresh fruit. Xiao Yi took a cold breath, until Mrs. Zhang came forward to hold her hands, opening her mouth but not daring to speak.

  "Uncle Auntie...... you......" Xiao Yi was somewhat at a loss.

  Zhang Mu's heart ached as she grasped Xiao Yi's hand, carefully examining the pale and lovely girl in front of her, her mind filled with surprise. "Chong Yu told me everything, how is your body now?"

  Xiao Yi hastily invited them into the house, just as she was boiling water to pour for Zhang's mother. Xiao's mother came out of the room, walking and saying: "Darling, who's here?"

  When she saw the two strangers sitting on the sofa, dressed in simple clothes, Xiao Mu frowned slightly, then looked at Zhang Chongyu standing beside her and suddenly sat down, pointing at them with her scarlet-painted index finger: "Who am I? I haven't even settled accounts with you for what happened to Xiao Yi, and now you've come here yourselves?" As she spoke, she picked up the tea on the table and took a sip, then said: "Speak, how much do you plan to compensate?"

  Mrs. Zhang smiled awkwardly at her, turned sideways to put the fruit she had brought from home on the table, and then, also embarrassed, wiped her hands on her clothes before handing her an apple, saying: "Is this Xiao Yi's mother? I'm here to apologize for my son, it's all because he doesn't understand things. Look, these are fruits we sell ourselves at home, they're very fresh, try one, and consider it as compensation?"

  When Zhang's mother heard these words, Xiao's mother was so angry that she swept the apple in her hand to the ground and scolded loudly with her mouth painted with high-end lipstick: "You think you can fool us with a few rotten apples?! I'll tell you, if Xiao Yidaddy finds out, we won't let your family stay in Nancheng! We're already being kind to you, if you don't compensate us with a substantial amount of money, I won't be done with you!"

  "Mom!" Xiao Yi stepped forward and pulled her mother back, shaking his head to signal her not to say anything more.

  "What's wrong, baby? Don't stop Mommy. This is what they should be doing. They still have to pay when they go out. What does he think our home is?"

  "Mom!" Xiao Yi knelt in front of the sofa, tears streaming down her face and falling onto the plush carpet. "What are you talking about, Mom..."

  Zhang Chongyu's heart suddenly ached, and he carefully squatted down to put his hand on Xiao Yi's frail shoulder, trying to comfort her: "Xiao Yi..."

  "Get out!" Xiao Yi shook off his hand, her face covered in tears, the hatred in her eyes enough to make him toss and turn at night. He still stretched out his hand to try to hold her close as she cried, just like he had comforted her countless times before, but she dodged to the side instead. Zhang Chongyu was stunned, feeling as though something inside him had shattered.

  At this time, Zhang's father, who had been silent all along, spoke up. He trembled as he took out a red deposit book from his pocket and placed it on the table. "We absolutely will not condone Zhang Chongyu's wrongdoing, but the child is still young, so we hope you can forgive him. Here are 50,000 yuan; take it to buy some nutritional supplements for Xiao Yi. If it's not enough...we'll sell the fruit stand."

  "Uncle... don't listen to my mom, no one is right or wrong in this matter... take the money back." Xiao Yi handed the passbook back to Zhang's father, and her mother's sharp voice rang out again: "Why not? This money is what we deserve!"

  "Mom...stop making a fuss, do you have to blow this thing up before you're satisfied? I'm already very annoyed and don't want to mention it again!"

  It was already dark when Zhang Chongyu left Xiao Yi's house, and he walked aimlessly on the street, not even hearing his mother call out to him several times until she gently grabbed his arm, at which point Zhang Chongyu painfully turned around and hugged his mother tightly, while his father sighed gloomily beside them.

  The moon rose high and quietly gazed at this warm little town. In the south of the city, people were still sitting in small restaurants happily drinking beer and eating barbecue, no one noticed a family hugging and crying on the side of the street. No matter what happened to anyone's home, the south of the city was still bustling and would not change because of someone's helplessness and pain.