bookbashuk Chapter 50 I Have No Home
Chapter 50 I Have No Home
That chilling confession, "I have no home anymore," shattered the sense of security that adults find nowhere to place in the world.
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On her way to see Zhang Zihao, Zeng Jia felt like she had twenty-five mice robbing her chest, her heart pounding with anxiety. Her parents' divorce had become the talk of the town, trending on social media more prominently than a pig during the Lunar New Year. She hoped that Zhang Zihao, with his sensitive nature, wouldn't do something rash like jumping off a building or taking poison!
The more she thought about it, the more flustered she became. She kept urging the driver to hurry up. When she rushed into the restaurant, Zhang Zihao was calmly slurping up grilled fish.
He ordered the spiciest Chongqing hot pot, slurping it up until his mouth was dripping with oil. His limited-edition hoodie, which was so expensive it cost as much as three months of her rent, was covered in oil splatters, making him look like Old Sun, the guy who fries dough sticks at the alley entrance, from a distance.
But she ate with such relish, her cheeks bulging and her eyes crinkling, as if she had just won the lottery, rather than being a miserable child whose parents had divorced.
The most amazing thing is that Wang Haowen was also there.
As Zeng Jia entered, the two locked eyes, and it was as if an induction cooker had collided with a cast iron pot, creating a sizzling sound that filled the air.
Upon seeing Zeng Jia, Zhang Zihao quickly moved aside, saying, "Sis, hurry up, we've been waiting for you!"
Zeng Jia plopped down in annoyance, her eyes flashing daggers at him: "You're really living the high life, aren't you? Your parents got divorced, and you're all smiles, like you've just gotten a new wife. You're one of a kind, Scorpion Daddy! You've really made something of yourself!"
"Isn't their divorce inevitable? Why am I getting so worked up?" Zhang Zihao jabbed the fattest piece of meat on the fish's belly with his chopsticks. "I'm setting off with the mountaineering team next week. Can you transfer some money from your 'little savings'? I need to get the gear quickly, or I might miss out on the good stuff!"
Zeng Jia's eyes nearly popped out of their sockets. "Your parents are making a huge scene, and you're still thinking about going hiking? Anyone who didn't know better would think you're crazy and want to jump off a cliff to become a wild man in nature!"
"I'm eating and drinking well, why should I go back to nature?" Zhang Zihao gasped for breath from the spiciness. "Before, I did everything like a thief, sneaking around. Now, I'm laying it all out on the table, I'm doing it openly and honestly. They're in the wrong right now, treating me like royalty, they'll grant me any request. I have to seize this opportunity, who knows what will happen later!"
Zeng Jia was utterly speechless, her mind filled with nothing but "Holy crap." She always thought of herself as young and trendy, but compared to Zhang Zihao, a teenager, the generation gap was so deep it could fill the entire Bohai Bay.
She originally thought the boy would cry his eyes out like Meng Jiangnu, and wondered how to comfort him. Little did she know that he had a clever plan in mind, and was almost ready to buy firecrackers and dance the Yangko in the street to celebrate.
Is this kid really alright, or is he just putting on an act?
"Okay! As long as your dad nods, the money will be in your account immediately, not a penny less." Zeng Jia agreed readily, but she still had to keep her distance, "Let me make this clear from the start, I won't give you a single cent without your dad's personal consent."
Zhang Zihao hastily wiped the oil off his hands, his playful smile suddenly vanishing. "Sis, Brother Wang, the most important thing is here. When you two are helping my parents divide their inheritance, can you side with me? Houses, cars, money... whether it's bricks and tiles or scraps of paper, I don't mind having too much, the more the better!"
Wang Haowen, who had been silent until now, paused, his chopsticks still on the ground, as if suddenly realizing something. No wonder he'd been so urgently summoned; it was all about money. Like father, like son. The capitalist's child is just different. He knew nothing at sixteen, still playing soccer in tattered shoes every day.
Zeng Jia was also surprised by his request: "You're not even fully grown yet, and you're already thinking about dividing the inheritance? You're not even an adult!"
"Everyone's a QR code now, do I even care about being an adult? I have to seize every opportunity to scan something, right?" Zhang Zihao tried hard to keep a straight face and act nonchalant, but being young, his forced nonchalance cracked. "Actually, I'm happy they got divorced, but I'm also sad. I won't have a home anymore. They never came home before, and now that they're divorced, I'm even more alone. If I don't do something for myself, who will care about my life?" After saying this, he started eating in silence, frantically poking at the fish with his chopsticks to vent his anger.
Zeng Jia thought about the young lovers of Zhang Zhishan and Yu Li, and really couldn't say how Zhang Zihao would live in the future. "I'm sure there won't be any problems with you. I'll give you an extra penny if I can. I'm just afraid that he'll prioritize the big picture and be loyal, and won't play tricks on you, kid, and ruin his reputation for integrity!" She glanced at the person next to her with a cool look.
Zhang Zihao was stunned. His eyes darted between Wang Haowen and Zeng Jia several times. "No way? What are you two up to? Are you going to fight like my parents and break up?" He raised his voice three octaves.
Zeng Jia remained silent, using silence as her response.
Wang Haowen, however, reacted like a cat whose tail had been stepped on, speaking sarcastically: "It's just that they look down on our poor, run-down family. Let's not hinder their future endeavors!"
Zeng Jia sneered, "I've never complained about anyone being poor. What I dislike is that some people cower in the face of trouble, acting like cowards. They're cunning and calculating, and they're incredibly selfish."
"Yes, that Shi Jun guy is selfless. Apart from being a bit ugly, he has everything you could want, and plenty of money. If you're with him, why would you need to worry about a few cents for rent and utilities? You should just marry him!" Wang Haowen bluntly pointed out.
"Oh, so eager for my wedding invitation? Are you still thinking of belting out 'Guest' at my wedding to show off your deep affection? Why don't you give me the gift money first? I'll give you a discount!" Zeng Jia retorted sarcastically.
"Then you just wait. Once I really become a rich husband, I'll definitely give you a huge red envelope as a poverty alleviation fund!"
The two stared at each other, like fighting cocks, frozen for a few seconds, then suddenly fell silent at the same time.
Zhang Zihao watched with great interest, then slammed his hand on the table and shouted to the waiter to order another fish.
Zeng Jia was too lazy to argue anymore; it was giving her a headache. The main problem was that she was so hungry that her stomach was practically sticking to her spine, and she wished she could chew even the bone fragments to pieces.
Each of the three men was preoccupied with their own troubles, so they ate in silence, no one speaking. After finishing a fish in a whirlwind, Zhang Zihao wiped his mouth and brought the conversation back on track: "I don't care what you two are arguing about, you just need to figure out a way to get me money. Getting me money is the same as getting money for you two. My parents are definitely going to make a huge scene, and if you two don't make things right and get fired as cannon fodder, I can at least get some money to tide me over."
Zeng Jia rolled her eyes at him, annoyed by his dejected attitude: "Still thinking about how to pay for our bridge crossing? You should be thinking about how to get down the mountain unscathed first!" At such a young age, he's already figured out how to play the game of mutual benefit, and he'll never be poor, no matter who's poor.
Zhang Zihao shrugged indifferently. Wang Haowen got up to pay the bill. Zeng Jia didn't even lift her eyelids at him. She grabbed her bag, got up, and left. Her back view was so resolute that it was as if a dog was chasing her.
When Wang Haowen finished paying the bill and came out, Zeng Jia was nowhere to be seen at the door.
"Is it really necessary? Are you afraid I'll kidnap and kill you?"
He muttered something to himself, picked up his phone to call a car to take Zhang Zihao back, but the phone was buzzing like crazy; it was Song Yaxuan.
Song Yaxuan was still in Shanghai. She called simply to gossip. She wanted to know how Yu Li was dealing with that small website, and also to find out if Yu Li and Zhang Zhishan had divorced yet, and what other shows were coming up.
Before Wang Haowen could even finish uttering the word "feed," Zhang Zihao snatched his phone away. The guy yelled, as if announcing breaking news: "Song Yaxuan, right? I'm Zhang Zihao. What do you want to ask? Ask away! I'm the person involved's own son, exclusive inside information, absolutely guaranteed true, 100,000 yuan per piece, no upper limit!"
There was a sudden silence on the other end of the phone, a full three seconds of pause, before the call ended with a "click." Zhang Zihao tried calling back, but no one answered. Song Yaxuan then pretended to be dead.
Wang Haowen chuckled and put his phone back in his pocket. Asking about gossip at a time like this? Song Yaxuan was no pushover either.
No wonder Yu Li sent all the people from that little website to work as sewing machines. There were so many people outside waiting to pick up the scraps, watch the show, and get a share of the profits. They were all eyeing the opportunity to kick someone when they're down.
He beckoned Zhang Zihao to get in the car, and the taxi sped off in a flash.
Zeng Jia slowly strolled out from the shadows at the street corner. She had gone to the restroom because she couldn't hold it in any longer, and when she came out, she vaguely heard Song Yaxuan on the phone.
The phone call was like a needle, pricking her unexpectedly. She hadn't had time to experience the emptiness after the breakup, and it was this call that made her realize that person truly wasn't hers anymore.
The restaurant wasn't far from home, so Zeng Jia didn't take a taxi. With her hands in her pockets, she strolled slowly back along the streetlights. The dim light cast her shadow, making it appear both long and short, against the mottled wall, making her look all alone.
How long has it been since she's had such a peaceful stroll alone? She couldn't remember. Beijing's nights are never short of vibrant lights and bustling activity; food stalls steam, passersby chat and laugh, and neon lights flicker overhead—this is the kind of lively atmosphere she cherishes from the bottom of her heart.
But in order to save money, for that concrete and steel "nest," she didn't even have time to stop and look at the warmth of everyday life; even taking a breath was a luxury.
I don't know when it started, but life became so twisted, like a Tianjin-style twisted dough stick. Zhang Zihao said he had no home, but did she have one? All she wanted was to make a little nest in this rare place, find someone she loved to marry, and live a simple, ordinary life, dealing with the mundane details of daily life. Why did it have to be like Tang Sanzang's journey to the West, having to go through eighty-one tribulations?
Lost in thought, she walked slowly and absentmindedly into the familiar alleyway. When she reached the entrance of the courtyard house, she subconsciously looked up and abruptly stopped in her tracks.
She rubbed her eyes hard, staring ahead with a hint of disbelief. In the darkness, a familiar figure stood at the gate of her own yard. Her throat tightened, a lump formed in her throat, and her voice trembled, "Mom, what brings you here?"