Zhou Laichun stopped talking. Zhou Sheng mocked, “What the hell are you acting for? Don’t you just want to prove yourself? Prove yourself because you don’t want her to make cutting remarks about you anymore, to stop ridiculing you since it harms your self-esteem? Otherwise, why else would you keep flaunting all that dirty money of yours in front of her all day? Wasn’t it because you suffered a heavy blow and wanted to go back to regain your face? But what happened in the end?”
“What happened?” Zhou Sheng sighed, “She paid zero attention to you. She has forgotten all about you a fucking long time ago. She’s having the time of her life now!”
The clear and crisp sound of a slap rang out. Zhou Laichun raised his hand, and finally, after so many years, he had once again slapped Zhou Sheng.
After getting hit, Zhou Sheng didn’t get angry and instead burst out laughing.
“Is this because you got hit by me that day on the divorce and have never forgotten about it all these years, and now you finally found the chance to pay it back to me?” Zhou Sheng took a wet towel and casually wiped his face. He smiled, “Interesting. Okay, our debts are settled.”
Zhou Laichun just sat down, panting. He shut his eyes tight and couldn’t stop trembling.
“Dad.” Zhou Sheng said seriously, “Do you think that divulging this news to me today would deal a huge blow to me or what? It really didn’t. Well, I did feel a little bit upset just now, but it wasn’t because of money. But after thinking through it carefully, it’s pretty good this way. At least you won’t be trying to arrange my life for me again for a long time.”
“All right.” Zhou Laichun said, “At the very least, keep in mind that this is the path you chose. Don’t hate me in the future and say that I didn’t give you anything. I just wanted to let you know that no one in this world is unique and irreplaceable. Even if you’re my son…”
Zhou Sheng said, “Drink ba, don’t talk anymore. You’re being too weak today.” As he spoke, he poured the last bit of residual wine for Zhou Laichun.
Zhou Laichun stared at Zhou Sheng in disbelief. Zhou Sheng pondered for a moment before saying, “Dad, when comparing a chef like your Shixiong who opened a shop and reached the pinnacle of his own profession, and you who became a big boss who’s insufferably arrogant and throws money at anyone you don’t like, who do you think is more amazing?”
Zhou Sheng looked back at the kitchen and said, “Migrant workers eat here, students eat here, those going to work and getting off work eat here, those who just pass by eat here as well. He has no fame, and he has no money either.” After saying that, he smiled at his father, “But in my eyes, he lives in a much more amazing way than you. I know I can’t convince you. Neither of us can convince the other, so let time prove it ba.”
Zhou Laichun said, “Over the years, I’ve always been thinking about one problem.”
Zhou Sheng frowned and studied Zhou Laichun.
Zhou Laichun, “I don’t know what I did wrong. Son, I’m asking you seriously: how on earth did Dad let you down?”
“You’re drunk.” Zhou Sheng said, “Go back ba, don’t talk anymore.”
Zhou Laichun raised his hand and made a gesture. He said, “I’ll definitely teach your future younger brother well. I can’t repeat the mistake I made with you again…”
“You really want me to say it?” Zhou Sheng grinned bitterly, “Then I’ll tell you the truth.”
Zhou Laichun looked at Zhou Sheng, looking both dazed and intoxicated. Zhou Sheng said seriously, “His birth was a mistake in the first place, because you’re only giving birth to him for a certain purpose. I don’t know what he’ll be like in the future, but you need to understand one thing — I, my Mum, Xiao Qin, and the kid that isn’t born yet that I don’t care what he’ll be called when he’s born……we’re your family, we’re your dear ones.”
Zhou Sheng scrutinised Zhou Laichun and said a little sadly, “We’re not your employees, we’re not your pets, and we’re not your company’s attendants. Although attendants shouldn’t be treated like that either, but never mind, you won’t understand even if I told you anyway.”
Zhou Laichun turned his hand over and pressed against the space between his eyebrows, gasping for breath with his head bowed down. Zhou Sheng gave his chauffeur a call and asked him to come over to take Zhou Laichun away.
“Don’t say anymore.” Zhou Laichun, “It was really all destined. That day Yu Hao asked me for 50 million…”
“He was just kidding with you.” Zhou Sheng said, “He won’t leave me even if you gave him the entire Yun Lai Chun.”
Zhou Laichun’s voice was unstable as he said slowly, “I’ll leave you 50 million dollars for you to set up a fund, it’ll ensure that you won’t starve to death. As for the rest, you’ll have to rely on yourself ba. If you’re willing in the future, there’ll always be a place for you in Yun Lai Chun…”
“When you’re old,” Zhou Sheng said, “just in case no one else wants to care about you someday, I’ll care about you. But you should keep this son ba. You even gave me 2 million that I haven’t spent a single cent of. It’s enough for me to just live off its interest alone. For this point alone, I have to thank you, it helped the two of us a lot.”
“I admit that money is very important.” Zhou Sheng whistled at the chauffeur who had come in and helped him carry Zhou Laichun. He said, “Without money, it would be difficult to even move an inch. But I’m not living for the sake of money, it is just a means. Originally, I had wanted to say that I’ll slowly pay you back…”
Zhou Laichun struggled to stand up. He looked at Zhou Sheng.
Zhou Sheng said, “When I think about it, you and Mum spent so much on me over the years; feelings ah, will never be able to be fully repaid, and the relationship between family members isn’t something that can be severed so easily either. Yu Hao has indeed taught me a lot about this. But after thinking about it, if I were to have a kid in the future, I’ll respect him more than you did, and I’ll give him money as well.”
“Isn’t that the way people are? From generation to generation.” Zhou Sheng smiled and patted Zhou Laichun’s shoulder. He said, “I’ll return the money I owe you to my kids in the future. Take care, Dad.”
Zhou Laichun looked at Zhou Sheng and breathed rapidly as he gasped, looking as if he wanted to say something. Yet Zhou Sheng returned to his seat and sat down. The chauffeur took Zhou Laichun by the arm to support him.
“Bill please.” Zhou Sheng watched them leave.
The boss put on his glasses, picked up the bill, and went over to the table to settle the bill for Zhou Sheng. Zhou Sheng looked at the boss, and the boss looked at Zhou Sheng too. Zhou Sheng took the money out, and the boss accepted it. Everyone came to a tacit mutual understanding and kept silent throughout the entire process.
“You’re his son.” The boss said, “And I was wondering.”
Zhou Sheng answered, “Un. You just knew?”
The boss nodded. He said, “Wu.” Then he took out two red envelopes from his apron and handed them to Zhou Sheng.
Zhou Sheng quickly said, “I can’t accept this, I’m already an adult.”
“You can accept it if you haven’t started working yet.” The boss said.
Zhou Sheng, “I am working.”
Boss, “You can accept it if you’re not married yet.”
“I have a wife.” Zhou Sheng quickly said, “Ai? Where’s my wife? Where did my wife go?”
“Zhou Sheng! Get out here!” Yu Hao shouted from the outside.
“My wife’s calling for me.” Zhou Sheng said, “Thanks boss.”
The boss shoved it into Zhou Sheng’s hands and said, “Work properly.”
Zhou Sheng couldn’t convince him otherwise, so he accepted them in the end. He put the red envelopes into his pockets and went out. It was dark outside, and no one could be found anywhere. It was incredibly quiet.
Zhou Sheng held the scarf as he went around everywhere to look for him. Yu Hao shouted from the open space in the park, “I’m here! Come over!”
Zhou Sheng, “I want to pee under the tree…”
Yu Hao, “Wasn’t there a toilet in the shop? Are you a dog?! And you even want to pee under the tree.”
Zhou Sheng went back quickly, then came out again after using the bathroom. Yu Hao stood on one side of the empty space. Zhou Sheng flew over the railings and went over, his long legs stepping on the snowfield as he walked to find Yu Hao.
“Where are you na?”
Yu Hao had his back against the other side of the railing. He placed his phone on the cement railing and said, “Turn around.”
Zhou Sheng, “???”
Zhou Sheng turned around. Yu Hao pressed a light switch under the railing. He had seen several switches here before when he skateboarded nearby.
After flicking the switch, the entire open space in the park lit up in an instant!
The coloured lights illuminated the middle of the snowfield. A large patch of snow had been cleared and was piled up into two piles of snow; they were piled into Angry Bird snowmen. One was round, while the other was triangular, and they even had eyebrows made of leaves.
Zhou Sheng instantly burst into laughter and said, “What were you making?”
“You ah.” Yu Hao put down the switch and walked over to the snowman in the open space with Zhou Sheng. Zhou Sheng pointed at the round one; he looked at Yu Hao, then at the snowman and said, “This is me ba? The triangular one is you?”
Yu Hao said with a smile, “Correct.”
“Why aren’t they kissing?” Zhou Sheng asked.
“That’s too difficult!” Yu Hao said.
“And what are these little birds?” Zhou Sheng realised that there were still a few small little birds about the size of snowballs on the ground that had branches stuck in them that served as their noses.
“Our future children ah.” Yu Hao said happily, “If we have any.”
“Will we?” Zhou Sheng’s eyes were a little moist. He turned around to look at Yu Hao.
“I don’t know.” Yu Hao said innocently, “Depends on whether you want any. But it’s too early to talk about it now ba?”
“We might really end up having some.” Zhou Sheng answered. “This really is like our family, un…and there’s a dog too.”
Yu Hao smiled as he observed Zhou Sheng. Countless fragmented lights illuminated them, reflecting the Milky Way in the sky. The open space was both bright and spacious. Zhou Sheng took his phone out and played a song, then said to Yu Hao, “Let’s dance?”
“I don’t know how to yet.”
“Just dance as we please?”
Zhou Sheng pulled Yu Hao’s hand. The music from his phone rang out. Yu Hao looked at Zhou Sheng’s handsome face, and for a moment, he couldn’t tell if his eyes had turned red because he had been drinking or because of his fight with Zhou Laichun.
Yu Hao, “Are you in a bad mood? I’m guessing that when you heard the news, you must have felt quite upset for a short while.”
“I’m okay.” Zhou Sheng answered, “I really was a little. Knowing that I won’t be the only one to him anymore, so I felt a little conflicted ba? But I’ll be fine in a while. Humans ma, can’t desire everything. It’s not like raising a spare tire, can’t keep the whole Yun Lai Chun waiting, right?”
Yu Hao laughed and said, “It’s just that so suddenly, it would still feel a little bit difficult to part with?”
“Yes.” Zhou Sheng studied Yu Hao. He hugged him as they twirled to the music and said, “You know me best.”
“You decide ba?” Yu Hao said.
“What am I deciding?” Zhou Sheng stopped. He embraced Yu Hao and raised an eyebrow as he asked.
“Decide what path to walk in the future.” Yu Hao said. He felt like the Zhou Sheng at this moment was the gentlest he had ever been since they became acquainted.
Zhou Sheng answered, “The old man has his own family, and I have my own family too. We have both settled down…so we shouldn’t mingle together all the time so reluctantly anymore.”
After saying that, both of them were incredibly amused. Then they turned sideways to look at the snowmen that Yu Hao had built, singing with the song:
“In this lifetime, there’s too little time……it’s not enough to prove the deep love of the melting snow……”
“One day, you suddenly appeared, both clear and mysterious——”
“By Lake Baikal……”
Yu Hao looked at the glow of the small, flashing lights on the trees and railings, yet Zhou Sheng hugged him tight and turned his face around, then leaned down and kissed him on the lips.
“Oh right, what kind of move is ‘scheming white wolves’?” When their lips parted, Zhou Sheng asked with doubt, “I’ve been wondering about it for a long time. Where did you learn it from?”
Yu Hao looked at Zhou Sheng and said with a smile, “Maybe Gege thinks that both you and sis-in-law were cheated to come back with us by our schemes.”
Zhou Sheng, “……”
——Volume 4·Loulan·End——
