Chapter 14: What A Fine Prospect
After Chen Wujun finished eating, he went to the Martial Arts School. Huang Meizhen carried a lunchbox out of the dentistry and saw a blood station at the Walled City gate, her steps suddenly hesitating.
Especially since the blood station window had a sign: “80 once, 550 for five times, 980 for eight times.”
Huang Meizhen hesitated, but still entered the blood station.
Although this money was a drop in the bucket compared to the over thirty thousand in debt, she still wanted to save a little for the Eldest Son.
After all, he was her child, so sensible before, even saying he’d earn big money when grown up to buy her a big house.
Now although he’d been led astray, she still believed the Eldest Son would have a day of awakening.
Moments later, Huang Meizhen came out of the blood station, her face slightly paler, and she felt weak in the legs when walking.
She felt the blood station people had drawn too much blood and even argued with them a few sentences.
She bought vegetables and went home, when suddenly a person popped out in the alley, covered in filth, like a beggar.
“Mom!”
At this time, Chen Wuhong was filthy all over, emitting a stench, skinny to the bones, no one knew how long since he’d bathed or eaten his fill.
Seeing the other’s appearance clearly, Huang Meizhen’s tears flowed down at once.
“Ah Hong, how did you end up like this?”
“Hungry? Go home, Mom will cook for you.”
“That loan shark chased to the house, your dad paid back the money. They won’t come for you anymore, come home with Mom!”
Hearing the loan shark debt was paid, Chen Wuhong’s face immediately showed some joy.
He called out “Mom!” again sincerely.
“Where’s the Second Son?”
“To pay back your loan shark debt, your father borrowed a big sum, the Second Son also has to work at the Martial Arts School to help pay your debt! He’s at the Martial Arts School now! You want to find him?” Huang Meizhen was a bit puzzled, why didn’t the Eldest Son ask about others first but ask if the Second Son was home.
“Not looking for him, he’s my younger brother, of course I have to ask!” Chen Wuhong felt relieved in his heart at once.
Then he followed Huang Meizhen home.
Huang Meizhen noticed Chen Wuhong limped when walking, and asked caringly: “What happened to your leg? Injured?”
Chen Wuhong was silent for a moment, now his leg hurt every time he walked, he really wanted to tell Mom it was the Second Son who broke his leg.
No one knew how he’d survived this past month.
Really like a rat in the sewer, even worse than a rat in the sewer.
But thinking of the Second Son’s methods, he still didn’t dare say it, he really feared that if he said it, the Second Son would find an opportunity to kill him.
“Fell…” Chen Wuhong said after silence.
Following her home, Chen Wuhong casually asked: “Where’s the Younger Brother?”
“Went to a classmate’s house to play.”
Chen Wuhong took a bath, changed clothes, and while holding a bowl eating, asked: “Mom, do you have money?”
“Ah Hong, you still want to gamble? Look at yourself now!” Huang Meizhen was shocked upon hearing this, heartbroken and said.
“Not gambling, someone introduced me a job over at Red Incense Burner Bay, 3000 a month, but need to pay 600 for uniform fee.” Chen Wuhong immediately said.
“Really not gambling?”
“If you can settle down to work, that would be great!”
“But why so much for uniform fee? All the family money went to pay your debt, I only have a little over a hundred here!” Huang Meizhen immediately worried.
This little over a hundred, 80 was from just selling blood, the rest was money for buying vegetables these few days.
“Mom, help me think of a way, without paying the uniform fee, I can’t start the job. That job isn’t tiring, and if I work long, I can get a raise.” Chen Wuhong pleaded.
“I… I’ll think of a way, you wait at home.” Huang Meizhen hesitated repeatedly, finally gritted her teeth, changed clothes and went out.
Moments later she borrowed some money back, plus what she got from selling blood, altogether scraped together six hundred.
“When do you start the job? Don’t leave tonight, your dad will be happy knowing you quit gambling! He said those things in anger before, don’t hate your dad.”
“I’ll go pay the money in a bit, then start work directly there. I’ll come back after getting paid.” Chen Wuhong said.
After eating, he went to his room, took some clothes and packed into a bag.
……
In the evening, Chen Wujun left the Martial Arts School, his spine moving slightly as he walked, gradually feeling the Body Bow’s Bounce and Spring.
“Spine like Body Bow, Bounce and Spring to exert force… integrate the whole body’s power together.”
While walking, Chen Wujun had a realization, suddenly bowed forward stepping, elbow thrusting out, though not strong, it carried a slight whoosh.
Although not hitting a stake, Chen Wujun was sure this elbow’s power was much greater than usual.
“Body as bow, elbow as arrow…”
Chen Wujun felt like he understood a bit.
As soon as he got home and entered the bedroom, he found the bedroom had been rummaged.
His heart jumped, he opened the cabinet, saw traces of it being touched inside, and several of the Eldest Son’s clothes were gone.
He immediately found the money he hid in the corner under the cabinet, saw the money was still there, then relaxed.
Good thing before he feared the Eldest Son sneaking back and finding the money, hid it in an inconspicuous place, so it wasn’t discovered.
Although he split the money in three places, and just paid two months’ Martial Arts School fees, there were still 6000 here.
If the Eldest Son stole this money, he’d kill him.
That gambler Eldest Son, alive only drags the family down.
Putting the money back, during dinner Chen Wujun casually asked: “Big Brother came back?”
“What does that wastrel come back for?” Hearing Chen Wuhong, Chen Hanliang got angry.
“No matter what, he’s still your son! Ah Hong says he quit gambling, found a job over at Red Incense Burner Bay, 3000 a month! He started work today, will come back after getting paid.”
“He can quit gambling? I’d rather believe a dog doesn’t eat shit!” Chen Hanliang fumed.
Although full of anger, Chen Hanliang hoped in his heart that wastrel really quit gambling.
“He didn’t ask you for money?” Chen Wujun suddenly asked.
“He needs to pay uniform fee for the job, 600!” Huang Meizhen said.
“Which job makes you pay before getting wages?” Chen Hanliang got even angrier. “He’s clearly scamming money to gamble.”
“You’re his dad, you have to give him an opportunity, believe him one more time, okay?” Huang Meizhen pleaded.
Chen Hanliang sighed, said no more.
Chen Wujun ate silently, he didn’t believe that gambler went to work at all.
But seeing his mother’s appearance, he didn’t bother saying more.
Though this guy surprisingly didn’t mention last time he beat him, smart of him.
He pondered whether to break his legs and dump him home, as long as he doesn’t go out gambling or owe money, family can afford a cripple.
After dinner, Chen Wujun went out again, but not to the rooftop, instead to the Walled City’s casino.
Just at the casino entrance, he saw a gambler being chased out.
Chen Wujun lifted the curtain and entered, inside was thick with smoke.
Every face full of greed, wild joy, unwillingness, all sorts of desires.
Chen Wujun scanned around, didn’t see Chen Wuhong, turned and left.
Searched over a dozen places in a row, no sign of Chen Wuhong.
“Did that guy really turn over a new leaf?”
Searched over twenty places, no Chen Wuhong, Chen Wujun got lazy to search more.
On the way home downstairs, he saw the little girl Shufen sitting outside the house, hands cupping her face, seeming to be lost in thought.
“So late and still having guests?” Chen Wujun said casually.
Words just out, a man’s cursing voice came from the room: “You take guests every day, where’s the money? Where’d the money go? Are you keeping a pretty boy behind my back?”
“Money money money, the money was all taken by you to gamble! School starts soon, I haven’t even scraped together the daughter’s tuition, and you want money from me!” A woman’s sharp, angry cursing voice followed immediately.
Shufen turned to glance at the door, eyes full of sorrow and helplessness.
Glanced at Chen Wujun then continued staring blankly.
Chen Wujun didn’t speak again, thought while going upstairs: “These gamblers all deserve to die!”
“They won’t repent at all, just keep sucking blood!”
“If I find Big Brother gambling again, just kill him! Though parents will be heartbroken, better a short pain than long.”
Chen Wujun pondered in his heart, eyes full of fierce light.
He reached the rooftop, went to his usual standing meditation corner, tossed a few empty soda bottles aside.
Settled his mind, then began practicing today’s learned Wolf Fist twenty-four forms.
At first his movements were slow, but after a few rounds, movements gradually sped up, each punch and elbow steady and powerful.
Every exertion, feet heavily stamping the rooftop, stirring up some dust.
……
A few days later, Chen Wuqi’s school started, he returned to school, only back on weekends.
After Lin Zetao left, the Martial Arts School had only one disciple left standing meditation, not two days later he didn’t come either.
Martial Arts School left with those four sparring disciples, not even every day, often from morning to night just him and Senior Brother Li.
Senior Brother Li not anxious at all.
Chen Wujun increasingly felt the Martial Arts School wasn’t for making money.
Didn’t know why the Martial Arts School Owner opened here.
And Chen Wujun learned more and more at the Martial Arts School, every day besides standing meditation and Wolf Fist twenty-four forms, also knee training, elbow training.
Almost every day his elbows were a mess of blood and flesh.
The hemp rope originally wrapped on the wooden stake was all beaten rotten by him, wrapped new hemp rope again.
Until half a month later.
Chen Wujun stood at the rooftop edge, hand stroking the guard wall in front, face somewhat overcast and uncertain.
He felt his Wolf Fist was practiced almost done, even Five Bows had some gains, even Senior Brother Li was satisfied with his progress.
Next should practice on the guard wall, progress would be faster.
But guard wall only 30 cm wide, standing meditation on it already reluctant, let alone practicing punches there, needing to turn and move, punch and kick.
One slip, one foot empty, fall down would shatter to pieces.
……
While on the rooftop of another building far away, wearing suit pants and shirt, holding a beer in hand, Sha Jiu watched with interest the hesitating Chen Wujun in the distance.
Chen Wujun couldn’t see her, but she saw Chen Wujun clearly.
She often came to the rooftop for air, often saw Chen Wujun standing meditation on the guard wall, even once saw Chen Wujun nearly fall off.
Also saw Chen Wujun these days practicing Wolf Fist twenty-four forms.
She now seemed to guess what Chen Wujun was hesitating about, what amused her was what Chen Wujun would do.
After over ten minutes, Chen Wujun hands pushed, whole body leaped onto the guard wall.
First stood a few minutes to steady mind, then slowly made the Apprentice Ceremony Stance movement, then body began slowly moving.
At this time Chen Wujun’s mind was fully focused at the peak, no distractions.
Seeing this, Sha Jiu grinned, revealing a mouth of shark-like sharp teeth.
“Really not afraid of death! Good seedling, really good seedling!”
She knew too well the feeling standing on the rooftop, that sensation of facing a bottomless abyss, one wrong step and shatter to pieces.
Because… she practiced punches that way back then.
“Though a bit small, such good seedlings are rare!” Sha Jiu grew more interested in this youth.
This book is a bit different from previous writing style, this time fictional background, more things to unfold.
Front rhythm a bit slow, natives indeed have some immersion issue, but class urban background, should be okay.
I think it looks okay.
Signing today, then need monthly votes to rush new book list, brothers, beg votes! Vote monthly ticket if you can.
Now Qidian revamped, rushing new book list too important for new books.
