Chapter 82: An Uninvited Reconciliation
by xennovel“Chen-ge, these cigarettes are too expensive…”
Li Rui spoke up.
Xu Chen stuffed two packs of Soft Zhonghua cigarettes into his hand.
“You and I are brothers. I’m giving them to you—keep ’em.”
Li Rui held the packs with a grateful smile.
“Thanks, Chen-ge!”
Xu Chen chuckled and patted Li Rui on the shoulder.
Li Rui asked,
“Chen-ge, what’s the plan for tomorrow? Should I drive you back to school?”
Xu Chen thought for a moment.
“Pick me up tomorrow morning. Fourth Uncle got hurt. I want to buy him some supplies and drop them off.”
“Sure thing, Chen-ge!”
…
With his father away, the two-story house felt deserted. Only Xu Chen remained.
He made himself a bowl of noodles in the kitchen, locked the front door, then headed upstairs to study.
The college entrance exam brooked no slack.
Even with the multiple buffs from his rebirth, he dared not let his guard down.
…
…
The next morning, just after nine, Xu Chen stretched as he got out of bed.
After washing up, he fried an egg in the kitchen. Outside, a car engine rumbled to life.
When Xu Chen opened the door, Li Rui was already waiting.
“Chen-ge!” Li Rui called.
He drove Xu Chen into town to buy health tonics.
They picked up Korean ginseng, local donkey-hide gelatin and a box of black goji berries.
Though Fourth Uncle was close to him, etiquette demanded proper gifts for an elder.
Just after ten, the black Accord pulled into the factory grounds.
Fourth Uncle still wore a bandage, but he and Third Uncle were busy in the courtyard.
“Fourth Uncle, feeling any better?”
Xu Chen approached, holding the packages.
Fourth Uncle stood and smiled.
“I’m fine—just scraped my skin a bit!”
Xu Chen said, “I brought you some supplies.”
Xu Zhilin laughed heartily.
“Xiao Chen, you’re so thoughtful!”
His hands were covered in dirt as he shouted for Fourth Aunt inside.
Fourth Aunt opened the door, took the gifts and said with a laugh,
“Xiao Chen, you really don’t have to be so formal with us! All this ceremony’s unnecessary!”
Xu Chen just smiled his simple smile.
Li Rui followed and saw Third Uncle Zhang Yongqing digging up some saplings, his hands filthy.
He rolled up his sleeves and joined Zhang Yongqing without a word.
The two were already familiar; Zhang Yongqing smiled without objection.
Xu Chen rolled up his sleeves to help too, but Fourth Uncle stopped him.
“Xiao Chen, don’t lift a finger. Your top priority is the exam.
Go review while you can. Leave the work to us.”
Fourth Aunt added,
“That’s right, Xiao Chen. We finally have a college student in the family—no need for you to do dirty work!”
Xu Chen laughed.
“All right! I’ll do as you say!”
A commotion at the gate announced the arrival of Eldest Uncle and Aunt.
Two adjacent workshops had been sold to Third and Eldest Uncle’s families. They’d come to help next door.
“Xiao Chen’s here too!”
Aunt Xu Zhiyan looked up and greeted Xu Chen.
Xu Chen returned her greeting politely: “Hello, Aunt. Hello, Uncle.”
Fourth Uncle Xu Zhilin rose and walked over.
Aunt asked, “Fourth Brother, are you feeling better?”
“I’m fine—really just a minor scrape!” Fourth Uncle said with a smile.
Eldest Uncle Xu Zhishan stood there with his hands behind his back and said,
“Fourth Brother, I talked with Third. If you want, you can come work in his factory.
Listen to big brother—stop toiling with Second Brother’s saplings. There’s no future and only trouble.”
Fourth Uncle frowned.
“Big Brother, please don’t worry about me. I’m happy working with Second Brother.”
Aunt Xu Zhiyan looked displeased.
“What’s so good about it? They beat you up!”
Fourth Uncle waved her off.
“Yanzi, that’s past now—drop it. Big Brother, don’t persuade me anymore. I’m set on working with Second Brother’s sapling business.”
Eldest Uncle’s face darkened.
“You’re just as stubborn as Second Brother. Those weaklings from North Mountain Joint Village will give you a hard time.
You’ll be run out before long—and end up with nothing.”
He lit his hand pipe and continued,
“Second Brother isn’t what he used to be. Losing the Mechanical Factory contract hit his confidence. Now he seems determined to keep banging his head against a wall.
This is going to end badly. Fourth Brother, don’t get dragged down.”
Eldest Uncle spoke as if unconcerned that Second Brother’s son, Xu Chen, stood right there.
Xu Chen listened silently without a word.
Perhaps in Eldest Uncle’s eyes he was still a child—no need to consider his feelings.
Third Uncle and Li Rui were still tending the saplings, ignoring the argument.
Fourth Uncle sighed, unwilling to dwell on the subject.
“Big Brother, Yanzi, please go inside and have some tea. I still need to finish planting these saplings with Yongqing.”
Eldest Uncle clicked his tongue, clearly itching to say more.
At that moment, a car rumbled in outside the yard.
“Is Second Brother back?” Aunt asked.
Fourth Uncle shook his head.
“Not Second Brother—if he were, he’d call Li Rui to pick him up.”
If it’s not Second Brother, it must be an unexpected guest…
The open gate revealed four burly young men walking in.
Fourth Uncle frowned, his expression darkening.
Aunt asked, “Who are they?”
Fourth Aunt emerged from the inner room and gasped,
“They came back?”
Eldest Uncle asked, “Who are they?”
Fourth Aunt said, “They’re from North Mountain Joint Village—the same guys who beat up Fourth Uncle!”
…
Eldest Uncle and Aunt both showed surprise and fear.
They instinctively took a step back.
Li Rui, crouched on the ground, stood up at the mention of their origin.
The four tough youths were now in the courtyard, looking about eighteen or nineteen.
Each sported a short buzzcut and a menacing glare.
But each carried fruit baskets, milk and snacks.
The leader, dark-skinned and broad-shouldered, scanned the courtyard before fixing his gaze on Li Rui.
Li Rui clenched a cigarette between his lips, his face icy.
His hands still covered in mud, he didn’t move—only nodded toward Fourth Uncle Xu Zhilin.
The burly leader forced a grin and addressed Xu Zhilin:
“Boss Xu, Fourth Uncle, sorry for offending you yesterday. We’re here to make amends.”
…
At his words, Eldest Uncle, Aunt, Fourth Uncle and Fourth Aunt all wore astonished expressions.
Third Uncle Zhang Yongqing adjusted his glasses with his dirty hand, equally perplexed.
Li Rui took a drag of his cigarette and ignored them, crouching to tinker with the potted sapling again.
Xu Chen stood behind Fourth Uncle, his expression unchanged and silent.