Chapter 71
Guaizai was young, easy to coax and fool.
At first, he didn’t want to say anything, but Fang Zichen said, "Father wants to know. Can’t Guaizai even tell Father?"
Guaizai glanced up at Zhao Ger, then lowered his head again: "...Can sell for silver."
Zhao Ger froze.
All children want toys and pocket money. Fang Zichen asked, "Do you want silver?"
Guaizai still didn’t understand what he had done wrong, but since Fang Zichen asked, he answered honestly.
"Mm! Want to earn silver for Father," he said somewhat incoherently. Being so young, his logic was unclear, and his ability to express himself was limited—he simply said whatever came to mind.
"Father needs to study, needs to spend silver. Daddy works hard, so tired. Guaizai wants to earn silver. With silver, Father won’t have to work anymore, can stay with Guaizai and Daddy. Father can also study properly. Guaizai wants to be a useful kid."
"..." For a moment, Fang Zichen was speechless.
Before transmigrating, he could learn about things happening all over the world—things far from him—just by using a palm-sized phone.
Once, he had come across a post about an elderly man living alone in the countryside who had died at home and wasn’t discovered until over half a month later, when the neighbors noticed the smell.
When the news broke, the old man’s son was doxxed, and the internet erupted with curses.
In the end, one commenter said that the elderly living alone and left-behind children had become the norm in rural society.
As children, were they all heartless beasts who didn’t know how to be filial to their parents?
Were those who left their children behind and traveled far from home all cold-hearted and unloving?
The elderly were vulnerable alone at home, and the children left behind missed their parents. Likewise, those who drifted away to work also worried about their parents and children back home.
Who would willingly leave their family?
Who would willingly go far from home?
It was all just for money, for survival.
He worked in town, leaving early and returning late, so he truly didn’t have much time to spend with his child.
Guaizai was only three years old—he should have been carefree, like a little piglet, knowing nothing but eating, drinking, and sleeping. Yet now, his child was so sensible it made his heart swell and ache.
At the age when a child needed companionship the most, he had failed to fulfill his responsibilities as a father.
It was his failure.
At eighteen, he was at the age where self-awareness was strongest, where everything revolved around himself. He couldn’t quite describe his feelings toward Guaizai. He had never been a father before, so the word "affectionate" didn’t apply to him. But now, he was gripped by a belated fear, as if someone had suddenly seized his throat, suffocating him with despair.
Just the thought of Guaizai... not being here anymore could drive him mad, make him capable of anything.
Fang Zichen took a slow breath, silent for a long while. Only when the heat in his eyes faded did he reach out to touch Guaizai’s little face and ask, "How did Guaizai know this bug could be sold for silver? Who told you?"
Guaizai cautiously peeked at Zhao Ger again. Zhao Ger walked over and crouched in front of him alongside Fang Zichen, his tone now calm: "Earlier, it was Daddy’s fault. Daddy shouldn’t have yelled at you."
If he hadn’t comforted him, it might have been better. But the moment he did, Guaizai’s tears fell.
Zhao Ger wiped his tears and softened his voice: "Can you tell Father and Daddy?"
Guaizai had been by his side since birth, never leaving even half a step. How could he have known that centipedes could be sold for money?
Zhou Ger and Aunt Liu wouldn’t have told a child such things.
There was something suspicious about this.
Guaizai sniffled, his voice choked with sobs: "It was Old Madam Ma who told me."
He used to call Madam Ma "Grandma," but Fang Zichen didn’t like it and told him to call her "Old Madam Ma" from then on.
Guaizai had remembered.
"She said the peddler buys bugs to make wine. One can be sold for nine copper coins. Nine copper coins is a lot. Guaizai wanted to earn silver, so Guaizai went to the mountains to look. Today, Guaizai searched for so long, flipped over so many rocks and rotten wood before finding one." Guaizai spoke pitifully: "Daddy, don’t scold Guaizai anymore."
He often went to the mountains with Zhao Ger to gather firewood, so it wasn’t like he had never seen centipedes before. But back then, he hadn’t known they could be sold for silver. Besides, centipedes had too many legs, crawling quickly in a creepy way. Zhao Ger had said they could bite and told him not to touch them. After that, whenever he saw one, he obediently avoided it.
When Madam Ma mentioned it, his eyes had lit up, his heart racing excitedly.
He knew where centipedes liked to hide—in dark, damp crevices under rotting wood and stones, or in overgrown, wet grassy patches.
He wasn’t afraid to go into the mountains alone.
If the bugs could bite, he wouldn’t grab them with his hands. He could use a stick instead.
Guaizai had originally planned to catch a few, save them up, and wait for the peddler to come. After selling them for silver, he could surprise Father and Daddy.
But in the end... it really had been a surprise.
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