Chapter 44: The Devil’s Whisper
"Forget it, I won’t meddle in your marital affairs anymore. Do whatever you want." Auntie wanted to intervene, but she lacked the ability to make a lasting difference. Li Guizhen might listen to her in the heat of the moment, but over time, things would inevitably revert to how they were.
"Marital issues aren’t something outsiders can fix, Elder Sister. You know how to shield Li Guizhen, but why don’t you spare some pity for Jiajia? If this goes on, he’ll truly lose his mind," Yang Jianjun said, softening his tone.
"Is it really that serious?" Auntie asked, shocked.
"It is. If I’d been firmer before, maybe Jiajia wouldn’t have ended up like this." Yang Jianjun blamed himself, which was why he refused to back down this time.
"I understand," Auntie nodded wearily.
Yang Jianjun’s resolve was unshakable now, no amount of persuasion would sway him. Li Guizhen wanted a divorce but was also afraid of it. So she secretly called Yang Jiabo out, and the two sat down in an ice cream parlor. Yang Jiabo kept this meeting hidden from his father, curious about what Li Guizhen had to say.
"Your father and I are getting a divorce," Li Guizhen said.
"Oh, I know," Yang Jiabo replied calmly, ordering a cup of hot milk.
"Do you have any thoughts about it?" she asked.
"That man’s name is Li Mingyi, right? You met him when he was sent down to the countryside. You must’ve been very close, after all these years, even though he has a family now, you still keep in touch. I bet you were gentle with him, never calling him ‘old bastard’ or screaming at him over every little thing," Yang Jiabo said flatly, as if recounting a story.
"You always called him ‘Brother Yi,’ didn’t you? But why didn’t he marry you? If you divorce Dad for him, do you think he’ll leave his wife for you? Does Fourth Aunt know about this? What about your ‘good sisters’ in the village? Do all of you enjoy stealing men? Is your own husband not enough, so you need another man on the side? Does it feed your vanity, or just your lust?"
Yang Jiabo remembered a time when married middle-aged folks all seemed to have lovers on the side. Second Aunt’s lover was Uncle Gan, Fourth Aunt’s lover was a handsome and cheerful man with a car, and Uncle’s lover was a young laborer from the countryside. As for his Eldest uncle’s lovers...the first was their office director, the second was a lawyer, and the third… he couldn’t even recall. Even his mother’s village friends had their own extramarital affairs.
It wasn’t just them, even city folks with stable jobs would discreetly introduce their lovers to each other at gatherings. Most never divorced, they just sought excitement and emotional comfort outside marriage. Yang Jiabo couldn’t understand this mindset and despised it. But when nearly everyone around him was like this, it made him sick.
Truthfully, Yang Jiabo had an almost obsessive purity about relationships. He couldn’t fathom how people could tolerate a partner who cheated, how they could accept someone so filthy. Not just physically, but morally.
"How do you know all this? Who told you?" Li Guizhen stared at him in shock.
"Whoever knows your secrets is the one who told me." Yang Jiabo suddenly wanted revenge. Why should he suffer while these people lived carefree? If he couldn’t have peace, then everyone should go mad together. "You’ve waited for Li Mingyi all these years. He betrayed you once, don’t let him do it again. Why should he have a good job and a happy family while you have nothing? The one you should be clinging to isn’t Dad, a poor farmer who can’t give you anything. Look at Li Mingyi, he is handsome, well-dressed, refined, knows how to sweet-talk you. Not like Dad, who can’t even speak properly, just works like an ox. Li Mingyi lives in a proper house, while Dad’s place doesn’t even have painted walls."
Yang Jiabo’s words were like the devil’s whisper, each one piercing Li Guizhen’s heart.
"Shut up! Who told you this?" she hissed, her chest heaving with rage.
Other customers glanced over, and Li Guizhen forced herself to calm down.
Yang Jiabo, unfazed, grinned. "Who knows? Maybe Fourth Aunt, or Second Aunt...seems like they all mentioned it. Oh, and Aunt Shui Zhen from the village, or was it someone else?"
If these people loved playing matchmaker and keeping secrets, let Li Guizhen go stir up trouble for them.
"Jiajia, don’t listen to their nonsense—"
"I can tell what’s nonsense. At this point, even if you don’t divorce, Dad can sue you and Li Mingyi. Who knows...it might cost Li Mingyi his job, ruin his family. Oh, right, does his wife even know about you two? Maybe they’ll divorce. But if Li Mingyi loses his job, what exactly would you gain by being with him?"
"Wait, what year did Li Mingyi return to the city? ’79? ’80?" Yang Jiabo didn’t actually know, he was just guessing based on Li Mingyi’s son’s age.
"Nearly twenty years have passed. How many more do you have left? Is sneaking around with him really worth it? What would people say if they knew? Then again, I forgot that all your friends are cheating whores and homewreckers. Why would you feel shame? You probably even take pride in it. Do you even realize how twisted and disgusting that is? Any decent person would find it revolting."
Yang Jiabo’s face twisted into a smile as he rambled on. Li Guizhen clenched her fists and stood abruptly. "I’ll divorce your father, but the house stays with me. I won’t take responsibility for any of your debts, and I don’t want a son like you. You’re insane! completely insane!"
"I am insane, and you’re the one who drove me there. After the divorce, don’t forget to make your ‘Brother Yi’ marry you. Otherwise, your life would be a total failure. Everyone would laugh at you. But if you succeed, maybe your friends will admire you. You could live off state rations, maybe even become an official’s wife if he gets promoted. No work, just idle days playing mahjong."
Yang Jiabo kept taunting her retreating figure until she was gone. Under the strange stares of the other customers, he paid and left the shop. Thinking of Li Guizhen’s expression and the chaos to come, he burst into laughter.
"Ha… haha…" His laughter turned into tears, drawing curious glances from passersby.
Meanwhile, back at the farm, Yang Jianjun received a call.
"Hello, who is this?" he answered gruffly, unused to phone conversations.
"Uncle Yang, it’s Wei Jing. Is Jiajia there?"
"Jing? Aren’t you abroad? Did you come back?" Yang Jianjun reacted just like his son had.
"No, this is an international call," Wei Jing explained.
"Oh… that must be expensive." Like father, like son.
"It’s fine. Where’s Jiajia? Is he not back from school yet?" Wei Jing had timed the call to match the end of the school day.
"He didn’t tell you?" Yang Jianjun was surprised. The two were as close as brothers, he’d assumed Jiajia would’ve confided in Wei Jing.
"Uncle Yang, what happened to Jiajia?" Wei Jing’s voice tightened with worry.
Yang Jianjun sighed. "He was expelled. And… some things happened at home. He’s not in a good place mentally. When you talk to him, try to comfort him."
"Uncle Yang, please tell me everything."
Yang Jianjun explained the expulsion but glossed over the family issues, being cuckolded and having his son find out wasn’t something he wanted to broadcast.
On the other end, Wei Jing slammed a fist on the table, struggling to contain his anger. "Did you go to my dad for help?"
"No… Your father’s in the military, and it’s a civilian matter. Besides, it didn’t occur to me at the time."
Wei Jing nearly choked on his frustration. "Uncle Yang, if anything happens in the future, go to my dad. Even though he’s at a military hospital, he has connections in the civilian sector too."
Plenty of people wanted to cozy up to his father for access to VIP hospital wards, a small favor wouldn’t be an issue.
"That’s too much trouble…" Yang Jianjun hated imposing on others.
"Nonsense, Jiajia is my brother, he saved my life, and Dad sees him as half a son. If something happens and you don’t tell us, that’s just treating us like strangers." Wei Jing’s tone grew stern.
"You’re right. Actually… there is one thing your father might be able to help with." Yang Jianjun hesitated. Deep down, he didn’t want anyone knowing about Jiajia’s mental state, but reason told him his son might need professional help.
"Just say it. If it’s hard for you, I’ll talk to him."
"It’s just… just..." After a long pause, Yang Jianjun finally admitted, "Jiajia’s mental health is not well. He might need… treatment."
"What?!" Wei Jing was stunned. In his memory, Jiajia was cheerful, mature, and smart, nothing like someone with mental illness. How much had Jiajia hidden from him? What had Jiajia endured in the years he was away?
"I know it’s hard to believe, but it’s true," Yang Jianjun said bitterly.
"Tell me everything. There are excellent psychiatrists overseas, I’ll consult a specialist."
Relieved, Yang Jianjun detailed Jiajia’s condition.
"I’ve noted everything down. I’ll update you as soon as I have news."
"Thank you, Jing. Really, thank you."
After hanging up, Wei Jing’s heart ached for the foolish boy across the ocean. He’d never been this worried, not even when his idiot brother Wei Feng got hospitalized after a fight.
(Wei Feng, sniffling: Where’s the brotherly love, huh?)
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