Chapter 32 Relapse
When Aunt Yang Meizhen got married, she was diagnosed with congenital heart disease, making pregnancy particularly risky. Worried about her health, Yang Jiabo voluntarily gave up his share of the family business profits, allowing Yang Jianjun and Yang Meizhen to split them equally. Yang Meizhen could only sigh, with so much happening at home, causing a scene wouldn’t help.
This time, Li Guizhen was satisfied, but Yang Jianjun felt guilty and refused the extra share. He even suggested Yang Meizhen hire outside help to avoid further conflict. Li Guizhen, displeased, immediately started arguing with Yang Jianjun, cursing Yang Meizhen for being “greedy.”
Pushed to his limit, Yang Jianjun slapped Li Guizhen. Normally he was mild-tempered and quiet, therefore his outburst shocked everyone. Li Guizhen, in a rage, stormed into the kitchen and returned with a cleaver.
Yang Jiabo was stunned. Things had spiraled out of control. He glanced at Yang Meizhen, hadn’t they agreed to explain privately that the extra share was his?
Yang Meizhen looked equally confused. She had explained, but Yang Jianjun misunderstood, thinking she was sacrificing her own profits to help him.
“How dare you hit me!” Li Guizhen screamed, raising the cleaver.
Yang Jianjun glared back, his expression fierce, as if ready to fight to the death. But years of yielding had made Li Guizhen fearless.
“Stop this! Put the knife down!” Grandma Yang nearly fainted from fright. Little Yang Qing burst into tears.
“Enough! What kind of madness is this?” Grandpa Zhang pleaded.
Calmly, Yang Jiabo stepped between them, gripping Li Guizhen’s wrist. His voice was icy. “What right do you have to cause chaos here? All you’ve done is birth me and drain this family’s resources for your siblings. You give them everything and take from the Yang family without gratitude. Where’s your shame?”
“You little bastard! Whose son are you? How dare you side with them against me!” Li Guizhen slapped Yang Jiabo hard with her free hand.
The sharp crack echoed. Yang Jiabo tasted blood, his cheek burning. “All you know is hitting, yelling, and complaining. If you treated the Yang family half as well as outsiders, they’d be grateful. You think you’re the only one suffering? Did you invest in the food stall? Did you provide the skills? What have you actually contributed? Why should they give you half? You’re jobless and incompetent. If not for Auntie’s help, we’d be starving. Can’t you show even a little gratitude?”
“You, you’re all trying to kill me! If you hate me so much, I’ll just die!” Li Guizhen collapsed into sobs.
Yang Jianjun froze. He hadn’t realized Yang Jiabo harbored such resentment. Though not directed at him, as a father, he felt he had failed.
Yang Jiabo seized the cleaver, his expression eerily vacant. “You want to die? Fine, I’ll go first, so you can’t blame me. No one’s forcing you, you’re the one forcing everyone else. Death sounds peaceful.”
“Brother, Jiajia’s not right…” Yang Meizhen paled, too afraid to approach.
Yang Jianjun lunged, but Yang Jiabo was faster. The blade flashed across his wrist, blood pouring out. “Jiajia—!”
Yang Jianjun’s vision turned red. Trembling, he lifted his son and ran.
“The keys!” Yang Meizhen grabbed the tricycle keys and chased after them, leaving behind Yang Qing’s terrified wails.
In the tricycle, Yang Jiabo’s wrist was wrapped tightly in Yang Jianjun’s shirt. His eyes were blank, muttering, “Death is better… peace at last…”
“Jiajia, wake up! Don’t scare me!” Yang Jianjun pedaled furiously, reaching the hospital in five minutes instead of fifteen.
Luckily, the dull blade had only severed a tendon, which was reattached without major issues. The elderly doctor treating Yang Jiabo sent him to a ward for a blood transfusion and IV, then called Yang Jianjun to his office.
“You’re the guardian?”
“I'm his father. Will he be okay?”
“Was he under extreme stress? His mental state seems unstable.”
Yang Jianjun hesitated. “We argued… his mother pulled a knife…”
The doctor sighed. “Parents profoundly impact their children. What seems trivial to you can scar them. I recommend a psychiatric evaluation.”
“You’re saying my son has… a mental illness?” Yang Jianjun was stunned.
“It’s a possibility.”
Dazed, Yang Jianjun returned to the ward.
When Yang Jiabo woke, he realized he’d relapsed. Panicked, he looked around and found Yang Jianjun asleep beside the bed, his face drawn with exhaustion. Even in sleep, his fingers clawed the sheets, trapped in nightmares.
Yang Jiabo hesitated to wake him, but Yang Jianjun jolted upright, disoriented.
“Dad… are you okay?”
“I’m fine. How do you feel?” Relief washed over Yang Jianjun’s face.
“I’m sorry for worrying you again.”
“Silly boy. No matter what happens, I’m here. Don’t overthink things. You’re too clever for your own good.”
“I won’t do it again.” Guilt weighed on Yang Jiabo.
“Hungry? I’ll get food.”
“Just some congee.”
Outside, Yang Jianjun’s expression darkened. The doctor’s words haunted him.
Please let it just be temporary stress.
As soon as Yang Jianjun left, Aunt Li arrived, undoubtedly sent to plead Li Guizhen’s case.
“Jiajia, how are you? Why such a temper? If something happened to you, your mother would die of grief!” She set down fruit and canned goods.
“Auntie, I know you mean well, but even an honest official can’t judge family affairs. Drop it.” Yang Jiabo’s nerves were frayed.
[清官难断家务事 (qīng guān nán duàn jiāwù shì): lit. even an honest official can’t judge family affairs; fig. family conflicts are too complex for outsiders to resolve.]
“Then tell me what really happened.” Aunt Li frowned. Last night, a tearful Li Guizhen had shown up with a bruised face, claiming Yang Jiabo tried to kill himself. The family was horrified.
At the hospital, Yang Jianjun had only glared when she mentioned Li Guizhen, so she’d left. Now, pressing Li Guizhen for details yielded nothing.
Yang Jiabo recounted Li Guizhen’s actions tonelessly. “I don’t know how to live with her. Why can’t we just be at peace? She’s never satisfied, always causing chaos. Yes, no one’s perfect, but she keeps pushing, demanding control. She doesn’t care about Dad’s feelings, or mine.”
“She has a mouth like a knife but a heart like tofu. I’ll talk to her.” Aunt Li, ever biased toward her sister, could only mediate.
[刀子嘴豆腐心 (dāozi zuǐ dòufu xīn): lit. a mouth like a knife but a heart like tofu; fig. sharp-tongued but soft-hearted.
“If only she’d listen. But she only cares about herself.”
“Jiajia...”
“Auntie, call the doctor. My ears are ringing.”
The doctor confirmed the slap had slightly damaged his eardrum, but anti-inflammatory IV fluids would suffice. Rest was prescribed.
Aunt Li opened her mouth, then shut it at the sight of Yang Jiabo’s pale face and bruised cheek. Frustration simmered, at Yang Jiabo’s stubbornness, at Li Guizhen’s selfishness.
Li Guizhen’s outburst had sent Yang Meizhen into early labor, though she safely delivered a boy. Yang Jianjun filed for divorce again. With divorces becoming more common, resistance had lessened. This time, he was immovable, family pressure failed.
So Aunt Li returned to Yang Jiabo.
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