Chapter 25: – World 1 [25] Part 2

If her daughter could truly spend a lifetime with someone like Jing Ke, Mother Shang felt she would be very comforted and reassured.

Marveling inwardly, Mother Shang washed her hands and sat at the dining table. Seeing Jing Ke helping her daughter bring out the dishes and thoughtfully serving her rice made her even more satisfied with Jing Ke.

To put it bluntly, with her daughter together with Jing Ke, she didn’t even need to worry about the issue of supporting elders from the other side. They only needed to support themselves.

Being with such a considerate and sensible Jing Ke, even in old age, her daughter would still have someone to rely on.

“Mom, do you still need to go to the school tomorrow?” Shang Siyu asked.

Mother Shang shook her head. “No more. We originally just get a few days off less than the students. The school called us in temporarily today for something, but it’s all sorted out now. We can enjoy the New Year in peace.”

“Auntie, are there still any New Year goods the house is lacking? Little Yu and I plan to go to the early market tomorrow,” Jing Ke asked, fully treating herself as part of the family, her tone completely natural.

Mother Shang mentally inventoried the supplies she’d already prepared. “I’ve bought almost everything. If you go, you can just buy some snacks you like.”

“Ah, right, regarding alcohol, I only prepared some for guests. If you want to have a few drinks for the New Year, you can buy some while you’re out. The early market should have quite a few homemade wines for sale; they usually taste pretty good.”

Mother Shang thought for a moment, then added, “Some people might come by to pay New Year’s visits on the third day of the new year. You could prepare some candies that kids like.”

Jing Ke nodded. “Okay, Auntie, I’ll buy whatever is needed tomorrow.”

Chopsticks in hand, Shang Siyu looked back and forth between her mother and Jing Ke. Seeing the two converse so naturally, a smile gradually surfaced in her eyes.

So Mom definitely knew about and accepted Jing Ke. The two of them really weren’t treating each other like outsiders anymore.

–

The next day, needing to make it to the early market, Jing Ke and Shang Siyu left the warmth of their bed before dawn.

After washing up and getting dressed, Jing Ke pulled open the curtains to see the faint light of dawn breaking on the horizon. Facing that early light, the two shared their first kiss of the day.

Hats, scarves, gloves—fully armed, as they descended the stairwell, they encountered elderly men and women in thickly padded coats pulling little shopping carts.

“Off to the morning market?” a warm-hearted older woman asked.

“Yes, to grab some breakfast and pick up a few things.” Shang Siyu smiled and exchanged greetings, then, holding Jing Ke’s hand, quickly slipped into the car.

Traffic was very light just at daybreak. They reached their destination in less than fifteen minutes.

As they got out of the car, the sun was just peeking over the horizon, slowly dissipating the chilly night mist. After walking just a few steps, a cacophony of hawking calls drilled into their ears.

Vendors selling breakfast, specialty snacks, fruits and vegetables, even clothes—there was everything, a greater variety than a large supermarket.

Besides the steaming hot food stalls, the most popular were the pork butchers. The freshly butchered meat was still steaming when brought out, visibly fresh.

This kind of extra-down-to-earth morning market was somewhat unfamiliar to Jing Ke, so her curiosity was especially piqued. She wanted to buy and try everything she saw.

If not for her stomach’s limited capacity, Jing Ke could have eaten her way through the breakfast and snack stalls for over half an hour.

“Little Yu, I’m full,” Jing Ke said, rubbing her belly with her right hand, though her eyes were still glued to the snack stall.

“I’m full too. How about we come back tomorrow morning for the things we didn’t get to try?” Shang Siyu said gently, utterly unaware of how indulgent and doting her voice sounded.

“Okay. Next, let’s get the homemade wine. Auntie said that kind of wine tastes good.” Jing Ke reluctantly withdrew her gaze, inwardly marveling.

I really do seem more and more human. Three months ago, I wouldn’t have let my gluttony show so obviously.

“I think I had some when I was little. It tasted sweet.” Shang Siyu recalled. “Mom originally used to brew it herself too.”

“Then why doesn’t Auntie brew wine anymore? Is she too busy?” Jing Ke asked casually.

Shang Siyu shook her head. “It’s because Dad passed away. Mom doesn’t drink. Only Dad would occasionally have some while resting.”

Dad? Jing Ke blinked. Shang Siyu rarely mentioned her father.

“Do you… miss him very much?” Jing Ke asked tentatively.

Shang Siyu paused, a trace of confusion in her eyes. “I don’t know. In the few memories I have left, he was always very busy.”

“I suppose I do. If he were here, Mom might have an easier time, and have someone to chat with daily,” Shang Siyu said softly.

Counting the years, it had been twenty years since Shang Siyu last saw her father. That long-ago memory had long been diluted by time.

More than warm moments between father and daughter, Shang Siyu remembered more clearly the scenes of her and Mother Shang eating dinner together, just the two of them.

Overtime was the norm for a people’s police officer, especially for the relatively younger ones. Night shifts and patrols were indispensable.

They were especially busy during holidays and festivals, dedicating more of their time to the people in their jurisdiction rather than their own families.

But undeniably, even in his death, Shang Siyu still, to some extent, benefited from his presence.

From the annual visits and condolences by government personnel, to preferential admissions and bonus points during exams, these things constantly reminded Shang Siyu of his existence.

“Auntie seems to be doing quite well on her own,” Jing Ke observed. “Auntie’s in great shape. Compared to her peers, she looks younger.”

“True. No one is truly indispensable to another. Mom has many friends,” Shang Siyu said with a relieved smile. “Mom actually quite enjoys living alone, unrestrained and free. I was just overthinking it earlier.”

Perhaps it was because she now had such a wonderful Jing Ke by her side that she’d suddenly thought of her father, feeling her mother might need a companion.

Before Shang Siyu could finish her thought, she noticed Jing Ke had stopped walking and was pulling her behind.

“What’s wrong?” Shang Siyu asked.

Jing Ke frowned, looking ahead and to the left. “I saw that man from the stairwell yesterday. To our left, looks like he’s looking for someone.”

Shang Siyu turned to look. An extremely typical and familiar profile entered her vision, making her pause involuntarily.

“I recognize him. He’s Xue Fan’s father,” Shang Siyu said, gripping Jing Ke’s arm as she stared. “I remember Mom saying the Xue family moved out from next door the year before last. Our neighboring unit has been empty for a long time.”

“Then he came back suddenly, likely because of Xue Fan,” Jing Ke voiced her speculation.

“If I’m not mistaken, when we left the house, that unit was still unoccupied. There were a lot of flyers stuck in the door handle,” Jing Ke added.

Shang Siyu frowned as well. Why would Xue Fan’s father be back in Mu’an County at this time instead of running around in River City trying to get Xue Fan out? Had he given up on fishing Xue Fan out, or did he have another motive?

Just as Jing Ke and Shang Siyu were deliberating, Xue Fan’s father spotted them too. Like he had found a lifeline, he rushed over on his short, heavy legs, puffed-up torso in tow.

“Little Yu, you came to the early market too! What a coincidence.” A fawning smile appeared on Father Xue’s face. “You bought so many things. Do you want me to help you carry them home?”

“No need. I can manage,” Jing Ke interjected first, still shielding Shang Siyu tightly behind her.

A flash of embarrassment crossed Father Xue’s face. His already outstretched hand slowly retracted, trying to hide the awkwardness by tucking it into his sleeve.

“Long time no see. Little Yu, you’ve grown even more beautiful, even more outstanding than when you were little. This must be your friend; she’s also very good-looking.” Father Xue racked his brains for nice things to say, his intention to curry favor with Shang Siyu all too obvious.

Although Shang Siyu loathed Xue Fan, she didn’t extend that dislike to Father Xue, who had been her neighbor for over a decade.

Patting Jing Ke’s shoulder to soothe her girlfriend, Shang Siyu smoothly took a step forward. “Uncle Xue, it’s been a long time. Did you come back for the New Year?”

Father Xue instinctively hunched his back, a hint of unease and anxiety in his eyes. “Not entirely just for that. Just… ran into some trouble at home, hoping to find someone to lend a hand.”

“I heard Little Yu, you’ve become a boss running your own company. I wonder if you could help your Uncle Xue out a bit,” Father Xue said, his voice slightly dry.

Seeing Shang Siyu not immediately agree, his ingratiating smile stiffened.

“Little Yu, we really have no other choice, which is why we’re asking for your help.” Father Xue kept his head low. “Xue Fan is my only child. As his father, I can’t just watch him spend the rest of his life in prison.”

As Father Xue spoke, his voice began to break. From his words, Jing Ke and Shang Siyu learned a new piece of information: Xue Fan was likely to be sentenced to life imprisonment.

Not the kind with parole, but the kind where one could only spend their entire life behind bars.

“Uncle Xue, I’m just an ordinary person. I don’t have the power to get Xue Fan out of prison,” Shang Siyu said, standing her ground and listening to Father Xue’s tearful plea.

“And wrongdoing must be punished. Even kindergarteners know this. Uncle Xue, you should understand it too, right?”

Shang Siyu didn’t soften her heart just because of a father’s tearful begging. She didn’t yield an inch. “Uncle Xue, I’ve heard a bit about Xue Fan’s situation. He’s being prosecuted by the public security and judiciary. In situations like this, a simple helping hand can’t solve anything.”

“But aren’t you a big company boss? Xue Fan was your former neighbor and classmate, after all. Can’t you help him just this once? We’re not asking for him to get out right away, just that he gets a lighter sentence, so he doesn’t have to spend his whole life in prison.”

“Your father was a police officer. You must know people within the system. If you put your mind to it, you can definitely do something.”

Tears streaming down his face, Father Xue noticed the growing crowd of onlookers and, steeling himself, dropped directly to his knees.

“Please, I’m begging you. If you’re willing to help, you can have my life too.” Father Xue knelt straight in the snow, bending forward as he spoke, as if about to kowtow to Shang Siyu.

Fortunately, Jing Ke reacted extremely quickly. She dashed forward and physically hauled the hundred-eighty-plus-pound Father Xue back up from the ground.

“Your son is in prison for corruption and bribery! Are you trying to make us learn corruption and bribery, just like your son?” Jing Ke said sternly.

“Or are you doing this to make us call the police and send you to jail too, so you can reunite with your son on Chinese New Year’s Eve?”

“If that’s the case, I suggest you go straight to the River City Police Department and repeat what you just said to the officers. They’ll be sure to grant your wish.”

Jing Ke had never been indoctrinated with traditional morality. In her view, Father Xue was trying to harm her Little Yu! His intentions were utterly malicious!

So Jing Ke raised her voice, loud enough for all the onlookers to hear clearly.

Father Xue’s body stiffened upon hearing his son’s crime loudly announced like that. He instinctively tried to defend Xue Fan.

“It’s not like that! Xue Fan was led astray by bad people! His nature is good! It was those people who asked him for money!” Father Xue argued.

Hearing this, Jing Ke couldn’t help but let out a scoff.

“Mister, are you sure Xue Fan’s nature is good?” Jing Ke’s gaze towards Father Xue held only cold indifference, not a shred of warmth. “If so, then explain this: Xue Fan made his fortune four years ago. Why did it take him until two years ago, and only after some public pressure, to bring you back here?”

“I also heard that Xue Fan, with assets over a hundred million, only rented you a small place. He gave you just a thousand yuan a month for living expenses and rarely visited.”

“Is such a son worth you doing all this for him? Can someone who abandons their own parents truly be a good person?”

Jing Ke started striking at the heart, each word drawing blood.