Chapter 33: Valuable Grass
"Jiajia, do you know your parents are getting divorced?"
"Dad mentioned it." Yang Jiabo's mood was complicated.
"Your mother is uneducated and has no skills. What will she do if she really divorces your father? I know she has a bad temper and has done many wrong things, but you're still her son. You should persuade your dad. Friction in life is inevitable. If your mother has made mistakes, she'll change..." Aunt Li spoke earnestly at length.
Though biased toward Li Guizhen, her intentions were genuinely for the family's good. She advised Yang Jiabo from the perspective of her generation. Yang Jiabo had now calmed down. He thought he supported his parents' divorce, but now that it was happening, he felt conflicted.
Last night, he dreamed of lying in a hospital bed, barely conscious. His mother wept by his bedside, calling his name repeatedly, each mournful cry piercing his heart.
"Where's Mom?" Yang Jiabo asked.
"She's right outside."
"Call her in. I want to talk to her." Yang Jiabo sighed. Despite his resentment, he couldn't let go.
Aunt Li brought Li Guizhen in, giving them privacy but reminding her not to lose her temper. Li Guizhen nodded.
The other beds in the ward were empty, leaving the room quiet. Yang Jiabo studied Li Guizhen from his bed. Her fashionable permed hair framed a thin face lined with wrinkles and spots. High cheekbones and thin lips gave her a somewhat harsh appearance.
Yang Jiabo sighed softly, speaking as calmly as possible: "Let's talk seriously. Don't treat me like a child, and don't yell or cry at me. My emotions are unstable right now."
"I'm your mother," Li Guizhen muttered defiantly.
"I know. But you don't understand me, just as I don't understand your thoughts." Yang Jiabo felt exhausted.
"Say what you want to say." Li Guizhen sounded resigned.
"Mom, if you don’t want to stay with Dad, then divorce him. Don’t drag it out, it’s painful for both of you. Don’t worry about living expenses, I’ll take care of you. Even if you remarry, I’ll still provide for you."
"It’s your dad who wants the divorce! You’re really an ungrateful brat!" Li Guizhen grew agitated.
"Mom, do you even have feelings for Dad? Have you ever considered his emotions? You complain about Grandma favoring Uncle, but have you ever been filial to her? Yes, she favors Uncle, but when did she start disliking Dad? You curse anyone when you’re angry, how could Grandma like or support you? You refuse to listen to anyone, only throwing tantrums. That just wears away whatever little affection remains."
Yang Jiabo sometimes thought Grandma was unfair too, but from her perspective, wasn’t this common for her generation? At least she wasn’t as harsh as some other elders.
"You don’t understand adult matters," Li Guizhen deflected.
"Mom, I’ll be blunt, don’t get mad. Your attitude toward the Yang family and the Li family is problematic. The Li family is your birth family, but the Yang family is your in-laws. How much have you given the Li family? What have you ever given the Yang family?"
"Your dad hasn’t given the Li family anything either!"
"He handed you all his salary. Every factory benefit went straight to you. When the peaches ripened, you hauled bags of them to the Li family. I’m not keeping score, but put yourself in their shoes, how would the Yang family feel? If Auntie acted like you, wouldn’t you have stormed over long ago?"
Yang Jiabo had much more to say, but his thoughts were tangled. Some words stayed unspoken.
"I’ll think about it. But I don’t want to divorce your dad. And what’s wrong with you? Can’t take criticism either?" Li Guizhen grumbled.
"Nothing. I just got overwhelmed and lost control."
Li Guizhen hesitated, then whispered, "Jiajia, tell me the truth, are you crazy?"
Yang Jiabo stiffened, his gaze sharpening. "Who said that?"
"The doctor said your mental state was unstable, recommended psychiatry, and told us not to upset you." Worry flickered in her eyes.
"I’m fine." Perhaps due to his rebirth, Yang Jiabo’s condition was far better than before. Only the recent stress and sudden triggers had caused this episode.
"Fine? It’s because you tried to kill yourself that your dad insists on divorcing me!" Li Guizhen raised her voice.
"Think carefully about the divorce. I won’t interfere. But my promise stands, I’ll support you."
"You’re just a kid! How?"
"Mom, you’re capable and young. Why must someone else support you? Wait until I’m an adult, I’ll send you monthly allowances. So don’t worry about survival. If you’re unhappy with the Yang family, get divorced. Just stop the constant drama, okay?"
Yang Jiabo suspected Li Guizhen only resisted divorce for financial security.
"I won’t divorce. You’re clearly on your dad’s side. I won’t argue with a sick person." Li Guizhen suppressed her anger.
"Mm." Yang Jiabo changed the subject. "Have you visited Auntie?"
"No." Li Guizhen looked guilty.
"Since you’re here, go see her."
"If not for her, none of this would’ve happened!"
"Stop blaming others. I’m tired." Yang Jiabo lay down, closing his eyes. His mother’s flaws were partly his father’s fault for endless tolerance, enabling her temper. And he himself was far from perfect.
Being human is so hard. The thought startled him, he hadn’t felt this pessimistic in a long time. He couldn’t dwell on it.
Yang Jiabo was discharged after three days, returning to the cramped rented room where the whole family squeezed together. Li Guizhen remained, though Yang Jianjun hadn’t abandoned divorce plans. They coexisted in a cold war but still worked the food stall daily.
Yang Jianjun wanted to take Yang Jiabo to psychiatry, but he refused. Even if he sought help, it wouldn’t be locally. Their small city was too backward, most people held conservative views. In this era, visiting a psychiatrist would brand him a lunatic. Even without being dangerous, he would face discrimination. Plus, the doctors here were crude and unskilled.
After the incident, Li Guizhen mellowed noticeably. She even helped Yang Meizhen during her postpartum confinement, bringing eggs from her parents’ home.
Seeing her heed his words, Yang Jiabo felt hopeful. If she kept it up, even Yang Jianjun’s resolve might waver.
Yang Jiabo’s hospitalization wasn’t publicized. Most relatives didn’t know, let alone Wei Jing in Beijing. Yang Jiabo saw no need to tell him.
Meanwhile, Wei Jing received the box from Wei Changdong and transplanted its contents into elegant pots. Grandpa Wei, watching him play with dirt all afternoon, came out to investigate - and gaped.
"Xiao Jing, where did you get so many orchids? Am I seeing right, these are high-grade yeyi orchids (野逸兰)! And these two lianban orchids (莲瓣兰) seem mutated. So beautiful, so elegant yet dignified!"
"My friend asked me to sell them. Grandpa, help me appraise them." Wei Jing was equally surprised, Jiajia’s orchids had thrived despite the long journey.
"I’ll examine them closely. Your friend is remarkable! Where did he find these?"
"He dug them from the mountains and cultivated them. His family’s building a house and can’t keep them."
"What a shame to sell them all." Grandpa Wei sighed, admiring each exquisite plant.
Wei Jing smiled. "Keep one if you like."
"Just one?" Grandpa Wei huffed.
"They’re for sale."
"You think I’d take without paying?"
Soon, Grandpa Wei joined the "dirt-playing." When Wei Feng returned from school, he became the third participant. The box also contained cordyceps, a gift for the Wei family.
Once potted, over fifty orchids filled the courtyard. Returning from work, Wei Changdong found his father circling two plants, murmuring, "Gorgeous. I’ll have experts appraise them tomorrow."
Unbeknownst to Yang Jiabo, his orchids were gaining fame thanks to Grandpa Wei and his friends. When Wei Changdong visited to arrange a call with Wei Jing, Yang Jiabo learned his plants were valuable.
Wei Jing reported that the high-grade yeyi orchids had already fetched over ten thousand yuan per pot, and prices were rising. Suddenly, cordyceps seemed trivial. Yang Jiabo had originally planted orchids on a whim, never expecting Little fleeceflower's talent.
As for the two mutated lianban orchids, offers reached 200,000 yuan. Grandpa Wei wanted one, did Yang Jiabo have a price in mind?
Yang Jiabo, a commoner ignorant of refined orchids, left everything to Wei Jing. For Grandpa Wei, he grandly gifted one outright.
Wei Jing objected, but Yang Jiabo argued that without their help, his orchids would’ve sold for fifty yuan at best. After debate, they split the cost: half deducted from Wei Jing’s share as filial piety, half as Yang Jiabo’s tribute.
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