Dormancy 016

It wasn’t until Fang Xiaolian had taken that small box away that Fang Zhiyi slowly opened his eyes.

“Damn, that girl’s a wild one—she stepped right on my foot...” He sat up and rubbed it. “But at least she had sense enough to grab the money.”

Little Black stared at Fang Zhiyi. This host really was something else.

What the Fang family hadn’t expected was that Fang Xiaolian would use the money to register herself for boarding school all on her own. The school already knew her situation, so they gave her the green light.

When Hu Xiulian got wind of it, she flew into a rage and told Fang Zhiyi to bring her back. He went, all right—but after a few half-hearted scoldings, he just turned around and walked away.

As for Liu Wen and Liu Wu, they were actually a little terrified of Fang Xiaolian deep down and dared not cause her any trouble.

Hu Xiulian had no choice but to go to the school herself. But she didn’t even make it through the gate—the security guard turned her away. She stood out there waiting all afternoon without ever seeing Fang Xiaolian. What she did see, though, were her own sons. Liu Wen and Liu Wu, for once agreeing on something, dragged her away. Only then did she learn that someone had spread the news about how she mistreated her stepdaughter, and the other students now looked down on her boys. At that age, they cared a lot about face, so naturally they didn’t want Hu Xiulian hanging around embarrassing them any further.

When Fang Zhiyi went to beg his parents for money, he grumbled and let slip that Fang Xiaolian had moved into the dorms.

“She thinks she’s tough now! I’m not lifting a finger for her anymore! Let her pay for her own schooling if she’s so capable!”

Everyone who heard him was filled with contempt. You bend over backward for two kids who aren’t even yours, but treat your own daughter like dirt—who’s going to think well of you?

Still, Fang’s mother kept it in mind. The very next day, she sneaked into town to bring her granddaughter money and food.

When Fang Xiaolian saw her grandmother, the tears she had been holding back finally spilled over.

“Grandma, I’ve got money. I earned it myself.”

“Take it, dear. Don’t worry. Your grandpa and I can earn a bit now—we can support you through school just fine.”

“Grandma...”

Hu Xiulian had been scheming about how to drag Fang Xiaolian back home—at least she could make a bit more money off her every month, and eventually marry her off for a bride price. But then her youngest son suddenly stole the spotlight.

Liu Wu had beaten someone up so badly that the victim’s whole face was ruined—classified as a severe injury. Hu Xiulian panicked.

“Serves you right. Let you spoil him.” Liu Wen’s comment was brief but sharp, and it pissed off Liu Wu. The two brothers immediately started brawling again.

“Stop it! Let’s deal with the problem first!” Fang Zhiyi shouted.

“Honey, what do we do? What do we do?” Hu Xiulian was frantic.

Fang Zhiyi looked Liu Wen and Liu Wu over. “At this point... either you turn yourself in.”

“No! My Xiao Wu can’t go to prison!” Hu Xiulian refused outright.

“Then what? Do we get Xiao Wen to take the fall for him? Or tell Xiao Wu to run?” Fang Zhiyi let out a heavy sigh.

That last option sparked something in Hu Xiulian. “Right, right, right! Xiao Wen, you’re the older brother—maybe you could...”

Liu Wen’s eyes nearly popped out of his head. “Oh, great. Just great. You really are my dear mother. Fine—I’m going to call the cops right now!” And with that, he stormed out the door.

Hu Xiulian was completely panicked now. “Xiao Wu, run! Hurry! Mom’ll get you money!”

Through it all, Fang Zhiyi said nothing. He just watched quietly.

He swore to heaven: he hadn’t done a thing.

Liu Wu only managed to stay on the run for two days before he was caught. Hu Xiulian was arrested along with him.

Fang Zhiyi was shocked. “What’d you grab her for?”

“Her son ratted her out. She’s suspected of harboring and covering up a criminal—she gave the suspect financial support to help him evade capture. That’s enough to file charges!”

Fang Zhiyi shrank his neck. “Alright, then.”

Liu Wu was sentenced to six years’ reeducation through labor. Hu Xiulian would have gotten two years, but because she refused to confess and had a lousy attitude, they threw the book at her—she was given three years.

The Fang household suddenly fell quiet. Liu Wen, finally rid of his anger, now realized that all he had left was a lazy, good-for-nothing stepfather. When he asked for money, his stepfather had none—and even tried to ask him for money instead.

“Nothing I can do about it. Your mom gave all her money to your brother.” Fang Zhiyi shook his head and sighed.

Liu Wen’s eyes blazed with fury. Those two—even from inside, they were still screwing him over!

In a fit of anger, he packed his bags and headed south. Forget college—he’d go work as a migrant laborer instead! From now on, this family could beg all they wanted—he wouldn’t lift a finger!

Fang Zhiyi was finally left in peace. And he became the biggest joke in the village.

His daughter wouldn’t acknowledge him. One stepson was in jail, the other had run off. His wife was behind bars too.

But Fang Zhiyi didn’t care one bit. He stayed the same as before—lying around all day, wandering here and there, hitting up his parents for cash when he was broke. It made his old man, Fang the Second, gnash his teeth in fury, but there wasn’t much he could do.

“Fang Zhiyi, your daughter’s made something of herself! She got into a good university!” someone called out as he passed by.

“Don’t bring that up. The man’s got two sons, no daughter.”

“Ha ha ha ha.”

Fang Zhiyi just shrugged and didn’t argue.

In the whole village, only Fang Zhiyi’s parents still cared about him, bringing him food and money every so often. And that only made his reputation worse.

Time flew. Finally, Hu Xiulian got out of prison. No one came to meet her. She used the hundred-odd yuan she had on her to take a bus back home. But when she stood at the door of their old place, it was gone—leveled flat.

“What happened?” Hu Xiulian was stunned. She asked around until she found Fang Zhiyi in a tiny house at the far end of the village.

“You—why are you here? What happened to our house? Why didn’t you ever come see me?”

Facing her barrage of questions, Fang Zhiyi stayed calm. “The house got demolished. I had nowhere to go, so I wound up here. I wanted to visit you, but I’ve got no money, you know...”

“Demolished? How much did they pay you?” Hu Xiulian was all about the money.

“Paid my ass.” Fang Zhiyi said with a scowl.

“What?”

“I mortgaged the house. Then the bank came to take it back. I couldn’t pay, so Old Two paid it off for me. Then it became his house. How was I supposed to know they’d redevelop the area later?” Fang Zhiyi muttered.

Watching him look so unconcerned, Hu Xiulian’s nose practically twisted with fury.

But then she remembered something else. “And Xiao Wen?”

Fang Zhiyi spread his hands. “Not long after you guys went in, he packed up and left. Said he was going to work down south somewhere.”

“You—you didn’t stop him! Xiao Wen was supposed to go to college!”

Fang Zhiyi curled his lip. “And how was I supposed to stop him? The guy wouldn’t even call me ‘Dad.’”

Hu Xiulian just stared blankly at the man before her. After a long silence, she let out a sigh. She had no choice.

At least she could still wait until Xiao Wu got out.

Fang Zhiyi was a bit uneasy. He’d been living pretty well, mooching off his folks, enjoying an easy life he hadn’t had in ages. And now Hu Xiulian had to go and show up.