Hibernation 012

When she returned home for dinner, the atmosphere in the house was strange, and Fang Xiaolian hadn’t seen her grandparents.

She cautiously asked about it, only to be immediately scolded by Hu Xiulian: “What grandparents?? Those two old good-for-nothings have gone off to their son’s place! They don’t want this home anymore! Why don’t you, you good-for-nothing, go with them!” She raised her hand to hit Fang Xiaolian.

Fang Xiaolian shrank her neck, but her stepmother’s slap never landed—it was blocked by her father.

“Enough. She’s still got to go work and earn money later. If you break her, who’s going to do that?” Fang Zhiyi’s voice was cold.

Hu Xiulian gritted her teeth in anger: “She’s a total waste—works half a day and only makes twenty bucks!”

Her anger wasn’t without reason. That afternoon, after she’d finished her chores, it suddenly hit her: if the two old folks were gone, she’d lose the monthly money they brought in. Hu Xiulian wanted to find Fang Zhiyi and have him bring the old couple back, but she couldn’t find him anywhere.

Left with no choice, she brazenly went to Second Brother Fang’s place herself to fetch his parents. But Second Brother Fang was stubborn, and when he heard his own mother say things like “They’re used to working, they’ll manage on leftovers,” he couldn’t hold back his temper. He gave Hu Xiulian, who had come looking for trouble, a thorough tongue-lashing. If it hadn’t been for Fang’s Mother holding him back, Hu Xiulian might have even gotten a beating.

When she mentioned money, Liu Wen slammed his bowl down hard: “I’m full!”

“Xiaowen, wait—help Mom wash the dishes, and I’ll give you—”

“I won’t wash!” Liu Wen said, craning his neck stubbornly. Then he turned and went into his room, slamming the door hard enough to shake the walls.

Liu Wu glanced at that direction dismissively, shaking his head as he ate: “Mom, I’ll wash! Give me the money!”

Fang Zhiyi urged Fang Xiaolian: “Hurry up—finish eating and get to work.”

Fang Xiaolian nodded silently.

Walking behind Fang Zhiyi, she stared at his back and hesitated for a long time before finally asking: “Dad, are you saying I can’t go to school anymore?”

Fang Zhiyi paused mid-step.

“You’re a girl—what do you need to study for? The family doesn’t have money to support all three of you in school!”

“But, but Eldest Brother and Second Brother can both go…”

Fang Zhiyi turned around, his brows furrowed: “I’m telling you… if you want to study, figure it out yourself! If you can earn the money for it, I’ll let you go!”

Fang Xiaolian lowered her head.

Their destination was no longer the back hills but deep into the mountains. Fang Xiaolian noticed her father seemed to know his way around these things—wherever he looked, there were bound to be herbs, bugs, and the like. Through his simple, rough explanations, she gradually learned to recognize many things. While she was busy working, Fang Zhiyi flipped through her account book again.

“Tsk, you bought all these notebooks, but only sold three? What kind of brain do you have? And who told you to throw away those stones? Keep them!”

Fang Xiaolian panted, struggling to stand upright. Fang Zhiyi closed the book and muttered to himself: “I saw a sugar cake seller today—buy two, get one free. Tsk, make sure you hand over your earnings for today. Tomorrow I’ll buy a couple and see what they taste like.”

Fang Xiaolian nodded, but then something occurred to her.

She turned to look at Fang Zhiyi, who seemed lost in thought about the sugar cakes, even wiping the corner of his mouth.

“What are you stopping for! Get back to work!”

Ever since the Fang elder couple left, only Hu Xiulian was left to handle everything at home. Fang Zhiyi was practically useless, because he said he’d found a job and was out early and late, too. At first, she could count on her two sons for help, but now Liu Wen and Liu Wu were like enemies—neither was willing to lift a finger, leaving Hu Xiulian in constant misery.

She barely managed to talk her eldest son into helping, but the very next day, the two boys got into a fight on the way to school.

The reason was that Fang Zhiyi’s mother had waited by the roadside early in the morning and slipped Liu Wu an egg and a dollar in pocket money.

Liu Wen saw this, walked over, and asked for some too, but the grandmother awkwardly said she’d only prepared something for Liu Wu. Feeling embarrassed, she turned and left.

Watching her walk away, Liu Wen went straight for the money. Liu Wu naturally refused to give it up, and the two boys started brawling.

Liu Wu couldn’t beat Liu Wen, so while Liu Wen was grabbing the dollar, Liu Wu picked up a stone and smacked it right into Liu Wen’s face. By the time Hu Xiulian got word and rushed over, she was terrified at the sight of Liu Wen’s bloody face.

After learning what happened, Hu Xiulian understood at once—this was all the doing of those two old troublemakers! She tried to explain to Liu Wen, but with his face wrapped in gauze, he wasn’t listening anymore.

“It’s all your fault! Why didn’t you just have me and not Liu Wu?”

Hu Xiulian stood there, frozen.

How had it come to this?

The trouble-causing Liu Wu, meanwhile, had been sent to school. But he was late, so he was punished by standing in the hallway—where he happened to see Fang Xiaolian running into the classroom clutching a bundle.

“Fang Xiaolian!”

Fang Xiaolian paused mid-step, turned around, and looked over: “Second Brother…”

“Come here!”

She set the bundle on a classmate’s desk and obediently walked over.

Liu Wu felt great at that moment. Today, he’d beaten Liu Wen for the first time, and it made him feel like the big boss.

“Listen up—from now on, call me Eldest Brother, got it?”

“But Eldest Brother is…”

Liu Wu kicked out, hitting Fang Xiaolian square in the leg. She stumbled back two or three steps, which surprised Liu Wu—he’d expected her to fall flat on her bottom.

But seeing her hang her head like a coward, Liu Wu waved his hand: “Anyway, I’m saying I’m the head of the house now! Got it, good-for-nothing?”

Fang Xiaolian nodded. She didn’t dare provoke Eldest Brother or Second Brother.

“Get lost.” Liu Wu waved again, puffing out his chest. But as he watched Fang Xiaolian walk into her classroom, he wondered, “That damned girl looks like she’s put on some weight?”

That night in the mountains, when Fang Xiaolian was carrying stones and hopping around, something about her movements wasn’t right. Fang Zhiyi squinted: “Stop!”

Fang Xiaolian dutifully put down the stone.

“Didn’t get enough to eat?”

“I ate plenty.”

“Then why are you wobbling all over the place!” Fang Zhiyi barked.

“I, I…” Fang Xiaolian looked at her father tearfully, unsure whether she should tell him. At dinner today, he had been all smiles, even serving Liu Wu extra food.

“Spit it out! Or I’ll whip you!” Fang Zhiyi raised his hand.

“Today, someone kicked me—right in the leg. It didn’t hurt at first, but now it’s a little sore…”

Fang Zhiyi glanced at her leg.

“Dad? Can I take a break today?” Fang Xiaolian still didn’t understand why her father put her through this.

“Take a break, my foot! If you can’t jump, do something else!” Fang Zhiyi said. “How did I father such a pathetic coward!”

“But—”

“But nothing!” Fang Zhiyi snorted. “Let me tell you—if you embarrass me out there, I’ll make you pay! Go fight back!”

Fang Xiaolian’s face fell: “The teacher said violence doesn’t solve problems.”

Fang Zhiyi raised an eyebrow: “Violence might not solve problems, but it can solve the people who create them!”