Chapter 108: Not Going As Planned
After the young man returned home, his mother asked him why he came back. He recounted his experiences of suffering and starvation, saying that he could endure suffering but he really couldn’t stand being starved.
His mother asked him why he hadn’t told his master about this. The young man replied, “We only get one meal a day. Anyone would starve. Does this even need to be said? Who would be embarrassed enough to say it?”
Afterwards, the young man stayed at home for a while. His mother began asking him again if there was anything he wanted to learn. If he just stayed like this, wouldn’t his future be ruined!
The young man thought for a long time and finally said to his mother, “Mom, I must learn something that I really like and am eager to learn. Otherwise, even if I could learn other things, I wouldn’t be content or willing.”
Afterwards, after much thought, the young man decided that since art was expensive and his family couldn’t afford it, he would learn singing, which he also liked very much.
After telling his mother, she strongly opposed it, saying that learning to sing was no different from learning art, and the tuition wasn’t cheap either. She didn’t know what kind of job he could find in the future.
However, due to the child’s desire to learn something, and wanting to help him, after discussing it with him, she told him to go with his father to work the following year. She said that his father’s boss at the time, who was also the child’s godfather, would help him find connections and arrange for him to learn singing somewhere.
This was because the young man’s godfather was in the city and had extensive connections.
The following spring, the young man, filled with excitement, went with his old father to the city where his godfather lived. To his surprise, his old father took him directly to the construction site and began having him work there.
The young man was puzzled and asked the reason. His father said, “Your godfather is busy these two days, so I have to wait until he has time to talk to him.”
The young man thought it made sense and then continued to work while waiting for his father to tell his godfather about the matter.
This wait lasted for half a month. The young man couldn’t stand it anymore, thinking, “Isn’t my dad lying to me? The godfather has come by several times, and he still hasn’t said anything.”
So he wanted to go home. His father scolded him and told him not to leave, asking him to wait a little longer and he would try to mention it when he had the chance.
A few days later, the young man’s godfather’s biological older brother, who was also the young man’s uncle, asked the young man if he wanted to learn horticulture with him. He said learning this was not only profitable but, more importantly, allowed him to paint.
The young man was moved by this. He thought it was acceptable, as learning singing or painting were both things he was very willing to do.
Thus, the young man temporarily settled down at the construction site. Every day, besides doing the strenuous work expected of an adult, he would study horticulture with his uncle. He cherished every opportunity and even fantasized about becoming accomplished in his studies and being able to contract similar projects himself in the future.
Little did he know that things would not go as he wished again. The son of the young man’s godfather’s friend also came to the construction site to learn horticulture. Unlike the young man, he had to do all the difficult and tiring work. However, the friend’s son, who was a few years older, didn’t have to do anything; he only needed to attend the learning sessions, and the rest of the time he could smoke and play on his mobile phone.
But these things did not deter the young man’s determination to learn horticulture. Even if his assigned work was to carry stone slabs, or to sift sand and move cement by himself, then mix the cement, and after mixing it, deliver it to two bricklayers, and then continue learning, he did this repeatedly. During the midday break, he would be so tired that after sleeping for a while, he couldn’t move any part of his body except his eyes and mouth. If he rested, he could move after sleeping for over an hour and would then go back to work and learn. Even under these circumstances, it did not extinguish the young man’s eager heart to learn. The only thing that chilled the young man was that whenever there were learning opportunities during busy times, they were usually given to the friend’s son first, while he was sent to do manual labor.
The young man felt immense suffering, not physical, but spiritual. He had come looking for an opportunity to learn singing but was inexplicably brought to a construction site to work, then asked if he was willing to learn horticulture, which he couldn’t refuse. Afterward, he was treated unfairly.
So he found his father again and spoke to him about learning to sing. Upon hearing this, his father angrily scolded him, “You’ve already started learning horticulture with your uncle, and now you’re saying you don’t want to learn anymore. What am I supposed to tell them?”
“I originally came to learn singing, and you brought me here. Then my uncle asked if I wanted to learn from him, and I couldn’t say no! If you don’t say anything, then I’ll quit tomorrow and go home.”
“That won’t work! If you tell them you’re quitting and going home, how can I explain it? Should I say you couldn’t take the hardship and didn’t want to do it anymore?”
“Is this about not being able to take the hardship? I lived and slept in a tent at the construction site, doing whatever others did. Others managed cement for one bricklayer, but I managed for two and still had to find time to learn. That friend’s son of my godfather, he learned the same way without doing anything all day. I worked so hard that I could barely move, and then when there were learning opportunities, they still went to him first. Why? I’m quitting, I’m definitely quitting!”
“No! I’m telling you, you’re not allowed to say you’re leaving, do you hear me?”
After being disciplined by his biological father like this, the young man saw that he couldn’t communicate with his stubborn father, so he decided to go all out. Haha, don’t misunderstand! He wasn’t going to harm his father. Ahem.
The next morning, he secretly pocketed his money and ID card. He worked in his work clothes until past nine o’clock, then lied, saying he was going out to buy cigarettes. He left the construction site gate, hailed a taxi, and ran away. He thought to himself, “Hmph! You said I couldn’t say I was leaving? Fine, you’re my father, I’ll listen to you. I’ll leave without saying a word. Does this suit you now? I really didn’t say I was leaving, did I?”
Arriving at the train station, he bought a ticket. The young man hid in a corner, fearing he would be found. When it was time to board, he got on the train and returned home.
Upon arriving home, his mother saw the young man’s dirty clothes and blackened face, looking as if he had begged for several months before returning. She asked in confusion, “Son, what happened to you? Where’s your dad?”
The young man recounted all the hardships and injustices he had suffered over the past two months. His mother was enraged and called his father, scolding him fiercely. When his father asked if the young man had returned home, this question only led to his mother scolding him even more.
After hanging up the phone, his mother asked the young man what he wanted to eat. The young man casually said, “Mom, you can make me anything, just please don’t make me noodles. I feel like throwing up whenever I see noodles now. I used to have plain noodles with just salt for breakfast and dinner, with no sauce. Sometimes I’d sneak half a giant scallion from the kitchen to eat with it. As long as you don’t make me noodles, I’ll eat anything.”
Hearing this, the young man’s mother felt great heartache and quickly went to the kitchen to make dumplings for the young man.
