Chapter 41: The Cost of the Call is Expensive
Grandma Yang had passed away, and Yang Jianguo came barging into the house again, demanding his share of the inheritance, he did have legal rights to it. If the land deed and property certificate were to be updated, all of the grandparents' children would have inheritance rights unless the others went to the notary office to formally renounce theirs. Yang Jianguo, who often swindled people outside, was well aware of this.
"Big brother, no matter what, this family has a share for me too. You can’t hog it all," Yang Jianguo said, putting on the act of a shameless rogue.
"Pah! How dare you say that? Did you contribute even a single cent when this house was built? When Mom was bedridden for so long, did you take care of her for even a day? Did you spend a single penny on our parents' funeral? Scamming people outside is bad enough, but you even tried to cheat your own mother. If I were her, I’d have broken your damn legs long ago. You never cared about anything, and now you have the nerve to come demanding your share?" Li Guizhen was fuming.
"This is none of your business. I’m talking to my big brother here," Yang Jianguo dismissed her outright.
"Just say it, what do you actually want by making such a scene?" Yang Jianjun asked sternly, glaring at Yang Jianguo.
"Give me ten thousand yuan, and I’ll go with you to the notary office to sign the waiver," Yang Jianguo finally revealed his purpose after causing enough trouble. He urgently needed money to flee, if people found out he was back, they’d surely beat him to death.
"Fine, I agree. Tomorrow morning, come with me to the notary office. Once the paperwork is done, I’ll give you the money." Yang Jianjun knew he was dealing with a scoundrel who wouldn’t stop until he got his way. It was better to cut ties cleanly in one go.
"Agree to what? Where would we even get that kind of money?" Li Guizhen was so angry she smashed a cup.
"It’s settled then. If I don’t see the money, I won’t sign anything," Yang Jianguo ignored her completely.
"Understood," Yang Jianjun nodded.
Having achieved his goal, Yang Jianguo didn’t linger. He patted his pants and left immediately. After he was gone, Li Guizhen had a huge argument with Yang Jianjun, she absolutely refused to give Yang Jianguo a single cent.
"If you don’t give it to him, he’ll keep coming back every day to make trouble until the property deed is settled. Can you handle that?"
"Why not? But ten thousand yuan is a huge sum!" Li Guizhen clutched her chest in distress.
"Don’t worry about the money. I’ll figure it out." Yang Jianjun didn’t tell Li Guizhen about Yang Jiabo’s earnings, it was Yang Jiabo’s request.
Li Guizhen was unreliable, and Yang Jiabo worried that if she knew, she’d gamble recklessly at mahjong. With no money at home, she only dared to play small stakes, and even if she lost every day, Yang Jiabo could cover it.
"Figure it out? Money doesn’t just appear out of thin air. Even if we borrow, we’ll have to pay it back." Li Guizhen understood the principle that "the wool comes from the sheep’s back."
[羊毛出在羊身上 (yángmáo chū zài yáng shēnshang): lit. The wool comes from the sheep’s back; fig. In the end, the cost is always borne by the original source.]
"Just leave it to me. If you have time, think about what you want to do in the future."
"What else can I do? Keep running the stall." Li Guizhen had already decided, business wasn’t as good now, so she could manage alone. If it got too busy, she’d hire help.
When Yang Jiabo returned from the construction site and heard about the situation from Yang Jianjun, he had no objections. In his previous life, Yang Jianguo had also caused trouble, but after getting the money, he never bothered them again. At least he kept his word on that. Yang Jiabo was only worried about Yang Qing, with both grandparents gone and his father being the way he was…
"Jiajia, phone call!" Li Guizhen shouted.
"Coming." Distracted from his thoughts, Yang Jiabo absentmindedly picked up the phone. "Hello, who is this?"
"Jiajia, it’s me." Wei Jing’s deep voice came through the receiver, and Yang Jiabo nearly dropped the phone. "Brother! You’re back?" he exclaimed in delight.
"No, international call." Wei Jing laughed, so Jiajia could be silly too.
"International calls are expensive!" Yang Jiabo’s first thought was the exorbitant two-way charges.
"You’re not short on money now. Can’t you think of something else to say? Don’t you have anything else to tell me?" Wei Jing was so annoyed he almost choked. After all this time missing him, this was the response he got?
Yang Jiabo coughed awkwardly. "Sorry, force of habit. I’ll change. Are you adjusting well abroad?"
"It’s alright, except for the food. I’ve been cooking for myself."
"You can cook?" Yang Jiabo was shocked.
"No, but I can learn." Wei Jing didn’t want to admit he only knew how to fry rice and boil noodles, nothing else yet.
"Not bad. By the time you come back, you might be a master chef."
"Something like that." Wei Jing answered without shame. "You’re about to take your entrance exams, right? How’s studying going?"
"Fine. Don’t you trust me?" Yang Jiabo didn’t mention his expulsion, he didn’t want Wei Jing to worry. He was doing fine now.
"Yeah, your grades have always been good. No need to worry about you."
Yang Jiabo only shared the good news, chatting happily with Wei Jing for half an hour before hanging up in high spirits. He thought to himself that he absolutely couldn’t let his mom pay this month’s phone bill, she’d explode.
The next day, Yang Jianjun took ten thousand yuan to the notary office. The two brothers completed the formalities, and Yang Jianguo vanished with the money. When Yang Jiabo returned from the construction site that evening, he found Yang Qing curled up at the door, his cheeks flushed and eyes brimming with tears.
"Brother, I don’t feel good," Yang Qing whimpered pitifully.
"Are you sick?" Yang Jiabo touched his forehead, it was burning. "Come on, I’ll take you to the hospital."
"I don’t have money," Yang Qing said timidly.
"It’s fine, I do." Yang Jiabo pulled him along and hailed a taxi to the hospital. After an examination, it turned out Yang Qing had developed pneumonia. A little later, and it could’ve been dangerous. Watching his frail cousin sleep on the hospital bed, Yang Jiabo felt a pang of sorrow. Back in his previous life, he’d been so lost he didn’t even know how Yang Qing had survived.
Although Eldest Aunt had covered his tuition and living expenses, he was still just a child, and Eldest Uncle was a petty, harsh man. It wasn’t hard to imagine the treatment he’d endured. Yang Qing was about to start middle school, how were his grades?
Yang Qing was hospitalized, and Yang Jiabo helped him get leave from school, then stayed to take care of him. He kept it from Li Guizhen, he didn't want to stir up more trouble. Yang Jianjun knew but said nothing, adults’ issues shouldn’t affect the kids.
"Brother, school’s almost out, and I have nowhere to go. My uncle doesn’t like me, and Mom remarried…" Yang Qing’s voice trailed off into silence.
"Come stay with me. My dad and I leased some barren land to build a farm. Mom’s busy with her stall, she won’t go there." Yang Jiabo couldn’t abandon him and decided to take him in.
"Really? Can I?" Yang Qing’s eyes sparkled.
"Of course. By the time your break starts, the place should be ready. For now, I’ll rent you a room near school so you can focus on studying. The dorm’s too noisy, not good for your health."
Yang Jiabo rambled on while Yang Qing listened with a silly smile. After Yang Qing was discharged, Yang Jiabo kept his promise, arranging his lodging and giving him 300 yuan for better meals at the canteen. For the first time since Grandma’s death, Yang Qing felt secure, he still had someone to rely on.
School was ending soon, so Yang Jiabo asked the master to prioritize finishing his bamboo house, the rest could wait. Since Yang Jiabo paid promptly, the workers were cooperative.
Watching Yang Jianjun pedal a tricycle, drenched in sweat as he hauled a load of qizimei flowers cuttings, Yang Jiabo suddenly said, "Dad, you should get a driver’s license."
"What for? We don’t even have a car." Yang Jianjun chuckled, thinking his son was full of whims. Luckily, he could earn his own money, otherwise, his restless ambition would’ve been unsustainable.
"Once you get licensed, we can buy a used car. It’ll make hauling things easier."
"Cars are too expensive. A three-wheeler would do."
"No, those are unsafe, and they’ll definitely get banned from the city soon." Yang Jiabo refused without hesitation.
"But everyone uses them just fine now?"
"A car is more convenient and safer." Yang Jiabo insisted.
Yang Jianjun sighed. "Jiajia, I get it, but we don’t have the money."
If they did, he’d love a car too. Yang Jiabo fell silent. Only because prices were low now could he afford so much. The bamboo was sourced from his uncle’s grove at a nominal fee. Money kept flowing out with no income, they had to be frugal.
"At least get the license first. We’ll buy a car when we can." Yang Jiabo refused to give up. "But transporting things is such a hassle now."
"How about a tractor?" Yang Jianjun suggested.
"Fine, but tractors will be banned from the city eventually too." Yang Jiabo nodded. For now, it was practical.
"Then I’ll sign up for the license tomorrow. Once I get it, we’ll buy a tractor."
"Deal." Yang Jiabo had almost forgotten, tractors required licenses too.
Since getting licensed took time, Yang Jiabo impulsively bought a scooter and spent 100 yuan to get his dad a motorcycle license. Regulations were lax now, but later, proper training and tests would be mandatory. He wanted one for himself but was denied, he wasn’t 18 yet.
No comments:
Post a Comment