Chapter 23: The Lazy Educated Youth (23)

Chapter 23: The Lazy Educated Youth (23)

Luo Dasheng went to another village for a meeting, staying away for a few days. When he returned, he brought back a small bundle of fried dough sticks and fried dough cakes, plus three meat buns—all purchased on his way home. Upon arriving, he kept most of it for himself and wrapped the rest in a cloth bundle.

Wang Fengxia had just woken up not long ago. Tearing off half a fried dough cake in her hand, she said, "Dad, do you have to deliver this to Big Head right now?"

It was still dark outside.

Luo Dasheng said, "It's still warm now. What's wrong with going now? If I take it over, Big Head can have it as his first meal. Wake Fang up to eat—these fried dough sticks are fresh out of the oil, still crispy."

"If you wake your daughter up at this hour, she'll flip out." Wang Fengxia found a low stool, sat down, and ate half a fried dough cake first.

Luo Chengxing's house wasn't far from the Luo family home—just a stone's throw away. Luo Dasheng carried the small bundle outside and saw that the door was closed but not bolted from the inside.

Since when does a father knock on his son's door? Luo Dasheng pushed the door open and walked straight in.

"This little yard's actually in pretty good shape." Luo Dasheng set the bundle on the stone table and took a stroll around the yard first. His son had always been capable, and he'd never really looked around on his other visits. Now that he had a minute to really look, Luo Dasheng suddenly noticed that only one room in the courtyard had been fixed up.

Wasn't He Yubin still staying with his son?

Luo Dasheng got a nagging feeling something was off. He went to the other room, pushed the door open, and glanced inside. A few jars sat neatly stacked, along with bundles of firewood and whatnot. No matter how neat it was, you could tell nobody lived there.

Back at the main house, there hadn't been room to sleep. Now He Yubin was still sharing a room with his son? Would He Yubin go for that?

Luo Dasheng was still puzzling over this as he walked out. Not paying attention, he kicked over the iron spade Luo Chengxing had propped against the wall, sending it clattering to the ground with a bang.

The door opened, and Luo Chengxing came out with a coat thrown over his shoulders to see what was going on.

"Dad? Why are you here?" Luo Chengxing stepped out and saw his father standing by the wall.

He quietly pulled the door closed behind him.

Luo Dasheng bent down to right the spade, then walked over, saying, "Didn't I go out for a meeting a few days ago? I got back today with some fried dough sticks and stuff, thought I'd bring some over for you to eat."

Fried dough sticks and buns—stuff you couldn't normally get. Life was a little better now, but there still wasn't anyone selling fried dough sticks in the village, and the commune cafeteria didn't have them either.

When Luo Fang and Luo Chengxing were kids, everyone was poor and hungry, them included. What they looked forward to most was when their dad went out to meetings—he always brought back something tasty. Sometimes it was a couple of flatbreads, sometimes a few fried dough sticks. What did kids know? All they knew was that when Dad brought it home, they got to eat. But it wasn't some great deal—that food was meant for the cadres at the meetings. Luo Dasheng would choke down a dry corn bun with water and save everything he was given to bring back.

"Dad, I haven't craved that stuff in a long time." Luo Chengxing's expression softened. "Don't skip meals for us anymore. Just bring some back for Luo Fang."

Luo Dasheng let out a chuckle.

As he laughed, his eyes landed on Luo Chengxing and he noticed his son had thrown a coat on but hadn't put anything on underneath, leaving most of his chest bare.

He must've rushed out when he heard the noise in the yard, just throwing on a coat in a hurry.

Luo Dasheng was old, but his eyes were still sharp. He was about to look away when he suddenly spotted a few clear red marks on his chest, one of them broken and bloody.

"What the hell happened to you?" Luo Dasheng didn't wait for Luo Chengxing to react—he ripped his son's undershirt open.

No wonder Big Head had seemed off earlier.

Luo Dasheng had two grown kids—what didn't he know?

Luo Dasheng said nothing, his face hard as stone as he pointed at him: "Whose girl is she?"

"Dad?" Luo Chengxing froze.

"I'm asking whose daughter is in there?!" Luo Dasheng's head spun, and without warning, he swung and slapped Luo Chengxing across the face.

That slap had full force behind it, knocking Luo Chengxing's head to the side.

Luo Chengxing knew he couldn't hide this anymore. Seeing how furious his father was, if he saw who was inside...

He stretched his arm across the doorframe to block the way. "Dad, don't go in."

Luo Dasheng had rushed back this morning without eating, and now Luo Chengxing had him so angry he was seeing double.

He'd been village chief in Shanbao Village for all these years, and he'd built his reputation on fairness, good character, a good family—both kids well-behaved. There'd never been a single word of gossip about him in the village! Everyone trusted him!

If he hadn't shown up today, he might never have found out...

He thought he'd raised Luo Chengxing to be an honest man, and now look—bringing a girl into bed before even marrying her. He never would've imagined it! If anyone found out, they'd be drowned in spit, cursed by everyone, and have fingers pointed at their backs for the rest of their lives!

"Dad, just listen to me..." Luo Chengxing grabbed hold of Luo Dasheng's arm. "There's no girl involved..."

Luo Dasheng sneered: "Your old man's eyes ain't blind yet."

Luo Chengxing dropped to his knees with a thump, ready to confess everything about him and He Yubin and take it all on himself.

Just as he was about to speak, the door opened from the inside. It turned out He Yubin had heard the commotion outside and figured something was wrong. After being worked over for most of the night, He Yubin's lips were pale and his face was haggard—to Luo Dasheng, he looked like a wreck.

The second he opened the door, he froze: "Uncle Luo..."

Luo Dasheng's mouth fell open. He pointed at He Yubin, his finger shaking as he struggled to speak: "You... Luo Datou... you two..."

He choked for a moment, then raised his hand with a tremble and landed another solid slap on Luo Chengxing's face.

"What a sin against heaven!"

In the end, nobody touched that meal.

As soon as Luo Chengxing got back inside, he dropped to his knees again. Seeing him kneel, He Yubin started to kneel too, but Luo Fang grabbed him and pulled him up.

Luo Dasheng was so furious he collapsed into the reclining chair, barely able to breathe. Wang Fengxia handed him a bowl, and he gulped down some water before he could catch his breath.

He slammed the bowl down on the table with a bang and looked up at He Yubin: "He Yubin, you tell me—did Luo Chengxing force you?"

He didn't even call him Big Head anymore—he used his full name.

"Dad, just... calm down." Wang Fengxia looked around the room with worry, her heart aching for her son on his knees.

Seeing her like that, Luo Dasheng almost choked on his anger again: "With things like this, you're still taking his side?"

"Dad, I'm the one who forced him." Luo Chengxing looked up. "He got sick at the educated youth compound and couldn't work anymore. I told him if he came to stay with me, I'd do his work for him, and he..."

Luo Fang stood off to the side, staring at her brother like she couldn't believe it.

Was this something her brother was capable of...?

The fried dough cake in her hand slipped and hit the floor with a smack. Normally, dropping food would get her chewed out by her parents, but now nobody even noticed.

"Shut up! I'm asking He Yubin!" Luo Dasheng shouted.

Luo Chengxing hung his head, thinking He Yubin was smart—he'd surely play along.

Wang Fengxia was so upset she started crying: "Big Head, you fool, how could you do this? Xiao He is a man, too."

What was happening now triggered a few images flashing through Luo Chengxing's mind... in his memories, something like this had happened before. In the memories, it was He Yubin sweet-talking Luo Fang into sleeping together, then telling her to go confess to her father, forcing Luo Dasheng to marry her off to He Yubin. Luo Dasheng couldn't bear to hit his daughter, and was furious at her for being too foolish to save, so he took it all on himself, insisting she had seduced that educated youth He...

From what he remembered, He Yubin had nothing to his name yet still came out squeaky clean. Now He Yubin worked as a staffer at the production brigade, and the brigade leader always came to him first for anything cultural. And with a friendship like his with Luo Dasheng, he really couldn't afford a single stain on his record.

He was different, though. Luo Chengxing knew he had to protect He Yubin.

But the next moment, Luo Chengxing heard He Yubin's voice ring out in the room.

"Uncle Luo, no, it's not like that."

He Yubin pulled away from Luo Fang's grip and knelt down too. "It's not what he said."

"It was me who didn't want to work at the sent-down youth compound, so I figured I'd latch onto Luo Chengxing." He Yubin closed his eyes, as if making some kind of resolution. "At first, I was trying to make a move on Luo Fang!"

Luo Fang's mouth fell open in shock, almost falling off her chair.

Luo Chengxing said, "He Yubin!"

"That day, Luo Fang sprained her ankle, and I wanted to take the chance to talk to her. But who knew Luo Chengxing would be in there? After he beat me up, I decided to stick to him, because Uncle Luo was the village chief, and I thought if I mooched off your family, life would be easier." He Yubin didn't look at Luo Chengxing. "Uncle Luo, don't blame Luo Chengxing. I'm not asking for your forgiveness either. I had bad intentions from the get-go. If I'd really been seen with Luo Fang, she would've been ruined, and it would've been my fault."

Luo Fang mumbled, "No, it's fine..."

"You shut your mouth too." Luo Dasheng gave Luo Fang a hard look. "Go back to your room."

Luo Fang pouted, stood up, and dragged her feet on the way out.

Wang Fengxia wiped her tears off to the side.

He Yubin didn't dare look at anyone, his face flushed red. Having to admit out loud, right in front of them, the bad things he'd once planned to do to their daughter—it was more than he could take. But thinking of Luo Chengxing, he didn't regret saying it.

Luo Dasheng let out a few cold laughs and said, "What, according to you, just to avoid staying at the educated youth compound, you'd lie on a kang with another man? I still think trying to get with my Fang makes more sense?"

He Yubin pursed his lips.

Luo Chengxing stared at him blankly. His father's words hit him like a ton of bricks. Yeah, right...

"Alright, enough of this... you two, stop kneeling. Get up." Wang Fengxia turned her face away.

Luo Dasheng said, "Kneel! Why shouldn't they kneel!"

He clutched his head with one hand and moved to kick Luo Chengxing. Luo Chengxing, a grown man, stood there without moving an inch, letting his father kick him.

Wang Fengxia hurried to block him. "What are you doing?!"

"I'll kick you till you're dead, that's what!" Luo Dasheng said. "You blocking me ain't gonna do any good! Before your grandmother passed, she still hoped the Luo family would carry on the line! You're young now, I'll take it as you being confused. You get yourself straightened out right now. Look at the state you're in! I'm telling you, a person like you oughta be beaten to death!"

For the older generation, continuing the family line was a huge deal, especially out here in the countryside, where carrying on the family name and bloodline was the biggest thing there was.

These words weighed down on Luo Chengxing like a mountain.

He had been lectured about this his whole life—he was the only son of the Luo family, supposed to marry a wife and have children—but... deep down, Luo Chengxing figured he could go his whole life without kids and be just fine.

"Then go ahead and beat me to death, Dad." Luo Chengxing said.