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Chapter 16: There is so much of his past here.
In the faint light of the morning, Chen Wengang took a detour to visit the house where he had spent his childhood with his parents.
It was just three doors away from the Lu family’s place.
The old residential area preserved the original simplicity of the small fishing village, with low houses stacked together like building blocks. The exteriors were painted white, and the roofs were painted blue, bearing the marks of countless typhoons and storms.
He stopped outside his family’s door, only able to peek through the wall since the place had been rented out to someone else.
Suddenly, the front door swung open, and a mother with a child, carrying a guitar on her shoulder, stepped out, probably heading to an extracurricular class.
The mother and child didn’t recognize him, discussing what the teacher would be teaching today as they passed by him.
Seizing the moment when the door was open, Chen Wengang glanced into the courtyard, catching a fleeting glimpse of scenes from his childhood.
The traces of his early life were probably long gone.
Uncle Chen Zeng’s family lived on Chuntao Street, just two blocks away from Jiangchao Street.
Chen Wengang walked there amidst the calls of street vendors.
Uncle Chen Zeng’s family was very welcoming to Chen Wengang. Despite being frugal, Aunt Chen specially bought a chicken to stew for his visit.
Uncle Chen Zeng poured wine for his nephew, saying, “You don’t come often. Today, you must have a drink with your uncle.”
Chen Wengang smiled and declined, claiming he couldn’t handle much alcohol. The main reason being that Uncle Chen Zeng loved to drink, and once he started, it was hard to stop.
“Have you ever thought about the kind of lifestyle Wengang had in the Zheng family?” Aunt Chen scolded her husband, “If he drinks, it must be some high-end foreign liquor, like Lafite or champagne… Who would accompany you in drinking that cheap stuff?”
Aunt Chen was a bit vulgar, and her words were not always pleasant to hear, but Chen Wengang ignored them. After all, his purpose for today could be considered less than noble, and she might regret stewing the chicken later.
The situation was mainly like this—
When Chen Wengang’s father passed away, Zheng Bingyi provided a generous allowance and handed over the family house and some savings to be inherited by the only son, Chen Wengang. However, due to his young age, a lawyer witnessed an agreement that the property would be held by Uncle Chen until he came of age.
The agreement stipulated that it would be returned upon reaching adulthood, but no one mentioned this matter until Chen Wengang turned eighteen.
Uncle Chen’s family was not well-off, and Chen Wengang lived comfortably with the Zheng family. It was difficult for Uncle Chen to bring up the subject.
Out of consideration for family ties, Chen Wengang even thought about letting it slide by pretending not to know.
His mother was said to have grown up in an orphanage, leaving him with warm but thin memories. There were no relatives on her side. As far as he could remember, the only movable relatives they had were on his father’s side. Who could be closer than one’s own blood?
Chen Wengang was well aware that Uncle Chen and his wife were calculating individuals. However, humans are inherently social beings, not entirely independent islands. Even if the familial bond was superficial, there was still some warmth to it.
He always felt that if they completely severed ties and stopped communicating, he would truly have no family left.
But one day, Uncle Chen suddenly took the initiative to transfer the allowance to Chen Wengang, saying it had accumulated enough and he should not spend it recklessly.
Uncle Chen was not naturally generous, and even if he wanted to be, Aunt Chen would not easily allow it.
Chen Wengang had to probe a few times to find out that Zheng Bingyi had sent someone to “discuss” with Uncle Chen.
The amount of money was insignificant to Zheng Bingyi, but his authority was not to be challenged. The allowance he provided was off-limits unless it was for the designated recipient. This was the distance between a powerful figure and an ordinary person. With just a few words, Uncle Chen didn’t dare touch a penny of Chen Wengang’s.
However, Zheng Bingyi helped Chen Wengang reclaim only that portion of the allowance.
The house and savings left by his father were considered negligible in Zheng Bingyi’s eyes. It was entirely up to Chen Wengang how to distribute them—whether to subsidize relatives or take them back.
Thus, they remained in Uncle Chen’s hands to this day.
The tenants living there were arranged by Uncle Chen and Aunt Chen, and the rent was directly deposited into their joint account.
Therefore, during lunch, Chen Wengang brought up the matter, saying, “When the lease is up, I want to take back my father’s house.”
The conversation had just shifted from discussing the relocation of his grandparents’ graves. Chen Wengang had agreed to contribute, but now he wanted his father’s belongings.
Aunt Chen was stunned, “The house is quite old now. Renting it out is already good. Why take it back?”
“Just a fresh coat of paint will do. When I come back, it can be a place to stay.”
“You still want to live there?!” She was shocked, “You’re doing well in the Zheng family. Why insist on taking it back?”
“Why can’t he come back?” Uncle Chen gave his wife a stern look, “Isn’t this still Wengang’s home?”
Aunt Chen turned and went to the kitchen, saying she needed to check on the soup, tossing a slightly obvious attitude.
Uncle Chen rolled his eyes at her back, took a sip of his wine, and turned to Chen Wengang, “Explain it carefully to Uncle. What are your plans for the future?”
“My Yifu supported me until I turned eighteen and entered college. He has already fulfilled his moral obligations. I’ve stayed with the Zheng family for two extra years. At the latest, I’ll graduate from college next year. Once I can stand on my own, it wouldn’t be right to stay any longer.”
“I know you’re a determined kid, and having your own thoughts is good,” Uncle Chen said, “but I advise you to think twice. Once you truly step into society, you’ll realize how naive these thoughts are. It won’t be as easy to turn back. Living in the Zheng family, do you know what kind of starting point that is—something many people can only dream of? Let’s not talk about you; just take me, your uncle, as an example. I worked hard for half my life to become an ordinary manager. During this year’s Chinese New Year, when we were drinking together, the boss heard that my nephew had connections with the shipping tycoon. Immediately, it was like a different person. They even begged me to become the legal representative when establishing a new company…”
Chen Xiangling, his cousin, noticed her father had a bit too much to drink and spoke without restraint. She turned to gauge her cousin’s reaction.
Despite the slightly arrogant tone, Chen Wengang wasn’t offended. He just asked, “Did you agree?”
Aunt Chen approached with the soup and said, “Why wouldn’t he agree? Wengang, you see, the world is just like this, very realistic. Having someone backing you up makes a difference. You don’t know; your uncle’s boss now values him a lot.”
Chen Wengang pretended not to understand, “It’s best not to agree to such things.”
But Uncle Chen didn’t pay attention; he was immersed in the upcoming prosperity and promotion.
To be precise, he had already been promoted and given a raise. The boss was exceptionally friendly towards him, treating him like a brother. Golf, foot baths, singing—the boss invited him to everything, promising a swift promotion as soon as there was a vacant position in the company’s higher ranks.
Other colleagues in the company now jokingly called him “General Manager Chen” whenever they saw him.
With a flushed face from drinking, Chen Zeng felt like the days when he would truly be addressed as “General Manager” were just around the corner. It seemed as if he could reach out and touch it.
Returning to the issue of the house’s ownership, Aunt Chen wanted to argue but was stopped by Uncle Chen, “It’s your father’s house. It should be given to him; it’s only fair.” The house in the old city wasn’t worth much, and he wasn’t about to occupy his nephew’s property.
She glared at her husband, feigning difficulty, “That’s inconvenient. The tenants renewed their contract last month. They have a family and are used to living there. They don’t want to move around. This time, they signed a five-year lease. Look, this kid didn’t speak up earlier…”
Chen Xiangling suddenly lifted her head, “Mom, you’re mistaken. The tenants proposed a five-year extension, but you guys mentioned raising the rent, and the new contract hasn’t been signed yet. It’s just about to expire.”
Aunt Chen slammed the table and yelled at her daughter, “What do you know? Adults are talking. Who gave you the right to interrupt?”
Uncle Chen intervened, “Why argue during a meal? Since the contract hasn’t been signed, let them vacate.”
Chen Xiangling lowered her head and continued silently eating.
Her two younger brothers were playing and laughing on the side, creating a ruckus while simultaneously enjoying their meal.
Chen Wengang’s uncle and aunt had three children—Chen Xiangling, the eldest at seventeen, and two younger brothers, Guangzong and Yaozu.
Aunt Chen, in her late thirties, gave birth to Chen Xiangling at a relatively mature age. Today, she wasn’t in a good mood. While serving dishes, she inadvertently placed two chicken legs into Guangzong and Yaozu’s bowls.
According to the usual practice, one of those chicken legs should have been for Chen Wengang. However, he wasn’t short of food, and he usually passed it on to Chen Xiangling.
Uncle Chen gave his wife a disapproving look, took matters into his own hands, and served Chen Wengang two pieces of chicken breast. “Come, Wengang, eat more.”
After finishing the meal, Aunt Chen kindly suggested they rest, taking Chen Xiangling with her to tidy up the dishes and take them outside.
Chen Wengang stood by the window for a while. Uncle Chen approached him and invited him to sit down and watch TV.
While pouring tea for him, Uncle Chen brought up another matter, “Actually, there’s something else. Your sister is not that young anymore…”
Chen Wengang smiled, holding the teacup, “Isn’t her coming-of-age birthday in the summer? Should we celebrate it then?”
Uncle Chen’s expression stiffened, “Ah?… Oh, yes, celebrate. Time flies. She’ll graduate next year. This was originally something your aunt and you should discuss. We wanted to ask if you have any friends of a suitable age that you could introduce to her.”
“Matchmaking already? There’s no need for that. Other kids her age are just starting college,” Chen Wengang quipped.
Uncle Chen denied, “How could it be? Of course, not matchmaking. But she’s not going to college. It’s time to consider finding a job, so we thought having more friends might open up more opportunities for her.”
After graduating from junior high school, under the decision of Uncle Chen and his wife, Chen Xiangling was enrolled in a vocational high school. She studied secretarial skills with specialized training, already completing two years. After one more year, she could enter the workforce and be assigned to a cooperating company as a front desk or secretary.
However, it wasn’t so strict. Those with connections at home could find a job on their own.
Chen Wengang didn’t appreciate the low-quality school; it was full of apathetic troublemakers and spoiled rich kids—those without much of a future, sent to barely scrape through for a diploma. Dropping out of high school sounded more palatable than attending such a school.
As they walked into the courtyard, Aunt Chen was nowhere to be seen.
Chen Xiangling was squatting alone in front of the sink, rolling up her sleeves, and washing a pile of cups and dishes.
“Lingling.” Chen Wengang squatted down beside her. “Where’s Aunt?”
“Oh, Wengang-ge!” She jumped a little. “Why are you so quiet when you walk? She went out for a walk.”
The sound of people playing mahjong and yelling “winning!” came from the neighbor’s house, followed by a loud clatter.
Chen Wengang extended his hand to help, but she quickly refused: “No need, you don’t have to touch this. I’ll finish it soon.”
They finished washing the dishes with four hands together. Chen Wengang whispered, “Let’s go; let’s take a stroll outside for a while.”
After delivering the dishes to the kitchen, Chen Xiangling was about to step out when she looked down at her dusty T-shirt, hesitated for a moment, and said, “Wait for me,” before rushing back to her room to change into a floral skirt and tidy up her hair. Only then did she follow him outside.
Chen Wengang led her out without specifying a destination, just wandering around aimlessly.
Chen Xiangling didn’t know that every worn-out street and ancient alley held memories of the over ten years he had been away.
There was the maternity hospital where his mother stayed when he was born, the elementary school where he spent only three years, the general store, and the stationery shop he hesitated to leave each time as a child—when he was released from prison in his previous life, he preferred to settle in the bustling and diverse dock area rather than return here. This place held too much of his past, too many people who knew him and remembered him, and he was afraid to face them.
Later, Huo Niansheng asked him if he wanted to go home, and he still couldn’t summon the courage.
If he hadn’t inherited Huo Niansheng’s legacy, Chen Wengang might not even have known that he had acquired the old Chen family house.
The last opportunity to see it was when Huo Niansheng asked, “Jiangchao Street is going to be demolished. Do you want to go back and take a look?”
They were lying in bed, both exhausted, with Chen Wengang in his arms, eyes closed, imagining the desolate scene of the street. In the end, he said, “No.” Perhaps he didn’t understand Huo Niansheng’s thoughtful intentions. It would have been better to take a look.
Later, the chance to look was gone.
Jiangchao Street and Chuntao Street only retained their names; the stone-paved roads were replaced with asphalt. The old buildings were leveled to the ground and replaced with uniform high-rise apartments. The alleys filled with craftsmen and small workshops were nowhere to be seen, replaced by standardized shopping malls and pedestrian streets.
Walking a few steps, Chen Wengang couldn’t help but look back, and Chen Xiangling followed suit, not understanding what there was to see.
Chen Wengang always found taking Chen Xiangling out to play very easy. When asked if there was anything she wanted, the answer was always “nothing.” Unlike Chen Guangzong and Chen Yaozu, who would pester him for this and that. Even now, she was the same, saying “nothing” to anything asked.
Only when passing by a bookstore did Chen Wengang buy her two popular novels she wanted to read.
Outside, there was a female vendor selling self-designed accessories, claiming they were made of 925 silver. He let Chen Xiangling choose, but after much consideration, she said she didn’t like any of them. When he reached for a pair of small bells, the vendor sweetly flattered, “See, it suits your girlfriend.”
Chen Wengang smiled, “She’s my sister.”
The vendor quickly apologized, taking the money.
Chen Xiangling, with her thick hair tied into two fluffy braids, didn’t say she didn’t like them after the purchase. Instead, she tied the bells to the ends of her braids.
Chen Wengang looked at her fuzzy head and felt a sense of guilt toward her.
Uncle and Aunt Chen were quite calculating, thinking that any of his classmates or friends would be from wealthy or influential families, hoping that their daughter could climb the social ladder. In his previous life, Chen Wengang didn’t agree with their plans. However, after Chen Xiangling started working, she did meet someone with good conditions. The son of her boss pursued her vigorously, and under the pressure from her parents, Chen Xiangling got married when she reached marriageable age. The wedding was grand, and the gifts included gold bars. A Bentley adorned with flowers paraded down the street.
On holidays and at family gatherings, she always claimed to be doing well, portraying her husband as tender and considerate in public.
It was only several years later, in the hospital, that the truth came to light. Her husband was a control freak and a violent person, constantly suspecting her of infidelity and subjecting her to domestic violence. He restricted her freedom, beating her to the point where she was on the brink of death before doctors and nurses reported it to the police.
Looking back, there must have been signs: she used foundation to cover the bruises on her face, claiming that the broken bones were from her own falls…
This was something Chen Wengang couldn’t find an excuse for himself—a deeply regretful incident that remained a thorn in his heart. He was her cousin and part of her maternal family, and he failed terribly in fulfilling that responsibility. The so-called consideration for family bonds seemed to have disappeared.
Passing through a section of uneven stone-paved road, Chen Xiangling suddenly said, “Ge, about what my dad said at lunch, about contributing money for grandpa and grandma’s tomb relocation, he actually wants you to pay the majority. Don’t believe his act of being financially tight; he and my mom have saved quite a bit of money.”
“Yeah, I know.”
“And do you want your property certificate? I know where my parents keep it. I can help you sneak it out.”
“No need; I have a plan,” Chen Wengang said. “Let’s talk about those things later. For now, I’ll give you a coming-of-age gift.”
“What? There is no need to go through all the trouble.”
“After wandering around all afternoon, I’m hungry again,” Chen Wengang said. “Let’s find a place to eat and talk.”
Most of the places along the road were small eateries, but Chen Wengang didn’t show any interest. Chen Xiangling followed him as they walked to the next intersection, where Chen Wengang raised his hand and hailed a taxi.
The taxi started, and they had a journey of about an hour ahead of them.
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