Abnormal Gourmet Chronicle
Chapter 267 - 178: Scammer (Part 2)_2

Chapter 267: Chapter 178: Scammer (Part 2)_2

"Given your dad’s condition, it’s impossible to cure him, and the medical expenses are a bottomless pit. Our family was already heavily burdened with just me dragging everyone down, and now with your dad like this, the extra money the factory gave us because of our family’s difficulties is long gone, even the money for your wedding is..."

"Xiao Guo is really a good kid, her parents like her too, but it’s normal for her to have hesitations and concerns. Our family situation wasn’t particularly good to begin with, and now there’s an additional burden. What girl would want to marry into our family and start taking care of two sick people?"

"The neighbors have helped as much as they can, relatives and friends have loaned us money as well. Your uncle and aunt are in the countryside, your other uncle... Forget it, it’s normal for people not to lend money they know won’t be repaid."

"You’ve been out of sorts these past one or two months, and your dad and I can see it. Your dad might be bedridden, but he’s hurting inside too. When you’re not home, he keeps muttering that if he knew it would come to this, it would have been better to just die, save the money instead of treatment."

"I know you must be unwilling, and if there was another way, I wouldn’t want to either. Maybe we should just stop when the Chinese medicine runs out, I’ll take care of your dad for however long is left, and at least let him leave with dignity."

Mrs. Gong said, quietly wiping the tears from the corners of her eyes with her fingers.

Gong Liang spoke in a hoarse voice: "Mom, I asked the doctor, they said Dad’s condition isn’t the worst. If he recovers well and luck is on his side, he might not be paralyzed for life."

Mrs. Gong forced a smile that was harder than crying: "But your dad doesn’t want to drag you down for your whole life."

Gong Liang fell silent.

"Xiao Liang..." Mrs. Gong wanted to say more, but Gong Liang didn’t want to listen anymore, and ran out straight through the door.

Mrs. Gong wanted to chase after him, but Qin Huai who had just followed her to the door heard a low voice from inside the room: "Let him be alone for a while."

Gong Liang squatted by the base of a wall sheltered by a large tree downstairs, not feeling sadness, not feeling anger, just numbly digging at the dirt on the ground.

And so it went on from day until night.

Qin Huai quietly watched him dig the dirt beside him, eventually seeing a small pit formed where Gong Liang had been digging.

Finally, someone found Gong Liang.

"Why are you squatting here digging in the dirt?"

Following the source of the voice, Qin Huai saw a tall and sturdy middle-aged man whose face appeared a bit menacing under the moonlight, yet his brows and eyes felt kind and friendly.

There was a fierce scar on the man’s face, appearing as if made by a sharp weapon, stretching from the corner of his eye to the corner of his mouth, crooked and twisted, frightening enough to make children cry as they pass by.

But the man’s expression was surprisingly gentle, just like an elder giving careful guidance to an unruly child, his smile reaching his eyes, and his tone was the playful tone used to tease a child.

What puzzled Qin Huai was that he found the man slightly familiar, as if he had seen someone similar somewhere before.

The man’s identity was already obvious—

Jinglixiang, Master Jing.

"Master Jing." Gong Liang obediently stood up, showing that Master Jing held significant respect among the younger generation.

"You’ve been away from home for hours with no sign of you, your mom is nearly going mad worrying, she’s even asking a fifty-year-old cripple like me for help. I guessed you’d be here, what happened? Another deal fell through?" Jinglixiang said with a laugh.

"No." Gong Liang replied softly.

"You don’t have to say, I know." Jinglixiang laughed, "It’s okay if you don’t want to go home, I’ll keep you company for a chat."

Saying that, Jinglixiang took out a cloth bag, similar to those used by Zheng Da, from his pocket and handed it to Gong Liang.

"This is Shengli’s salary for the month. He heard Zheng Da gave 10 yuan to his family and kept 5 yuan for himself, so this month he hasn’t kept a penny for himself; after giving 10 yuan to his family, all the rest is here." Jinglixiang shook his head helplessly, "Even this they need to compete over, sometimes I really don’t know what to do with these two brothers and disciples."

"I can probably guess what your parents are thinking now, and I can also guess what you’re thinking. We outsiders have no right to intervene in your family’s affairs, but we’ve all been neighbors for so many years, and I’ve saved up some money over my life without children to expense on. If the medical costs become truly unaffordable, I can still lend you a bit more."

Gong Liang spoke softly: "Master Jing, we can’t borrow any more, my family has already borrowed so much, if we borrow more, I’ll never be able to repay it in my lifetime."

"A lifetime is a long time. When I was your age, I never thought one day I’d leave home and come to Gusu. When I was ten years older than you, there was a time when I didn’t want to live, thinking living had no meaning, it was better to die and be done with it. But here I am, still alive today."

"Xiao Liang, you have potential too. When you first joined the Silk Factory, didn’t Mr. Chen praise you all the time, saying you’re a natural sales talent?"

"In the earlier years when the Silk Factory was doing well, salaries, festival bonuses, and allowances were ample. Though things are different now, paths are made by people walking them, how can you say for certain that you won’t make it in this life?"

Gong Liang said nothing.

"Don’t want to hear such empty and grand slogans?" Jinglixiang asked with a smile.

"No." Gong Liang shook his head quickly.

"In that case, you just can’t take it in, that’s normal, I understand. It’s already late, and it’s cold out here during late autumn nights, don’t stay outside any longer, go back home. If you don’t go back, your mom will really be worried."

Knowing that Jinglixiang was right, Gong Liang stood up and offered to help Jinglixiang back home.

Jinglixiang waved his hand, indicating he didn’t need it, he had been walking on his own with his limp for so many years that it was more troublesome for him to have help.

The two walked slowly together.

"By the way, Xiao Liang, I remember last year I heard you sealed some small deals around, but after you went to Shanghai earlier this year, there was no news. I heard the Silk Factory’s silk quality is good this year."

"Lost the Shanghai deal." Gong Liang said dejectedly, "Mr. Chen led the team, originally I was to lead the negotiations, but I chickened out last minute and didn’t perform well, lost it."

"The Section Chief didn’t blame me, he said he was too hasty, shouldn’t have let such a newly regularized young person handle such big deals."

"It was my fault."

"You’re not someone who seems nervous, all through childhood among the kids, your quick wit and glib tongue were unmatched."

"I... I’m just scared," Gong Liang confessed with a frown, rare for him to show vulnerability, "I get nervous in such big situations, just seeing people makes me panic, and the words I’d prepared beforehand are all forgotten once they’re at my lips."

"Everyone says it’s a pity the factory lost the spot at the trade show this year, and I know it’s a pity too, but in my heart, I’m a bit relieved."

"I’m afraid when it comes to the trade show, Mr. Chen would place the heavy responsibility on me, and I’ll panic again or even shrink back, resulting in disappointing sales volumes like last year, embarrassing our sales department and the Silk Factory once more."

"On one hand, I know the trade show is a rare opportunity, if I go and secure big orders, my dad’s medical expenses could be hopeful. With good factory profits, the medical reimbursements might come through, and my dad could get treatment in the provincial hospital."

"But on the other hand, I’m really scared of messing up the trade show, even relieved that there’s no spot this year to mess up."

"Master Jing, I feel like I’m a coward, a deserter. I don’t want my dad bedridden waiting for death, but even knowing the ways to save him, I don’t want to try them."

"Everyone thinks my recent distraction is because something happened at home, but it isn’t, I’m actually..."

"I resent myself."

"I hate that there are things I want to do, things I can do, yet I’m too afraid to do them."

Jinglixiang listened quietly.

After Gong Liang finished his long-winded rambling, Jinglixiang abruptly asked: "You’re not on a business trip these days, right?"

Gong Liang nodded.

"Can you inform your Section Chief tomorrow afternoon to take half a day off and come to the State owned Restaurant?"

Though confused, Gong Liang still nodded: "Probably can."

Jinglixiang smiled broadly: "Then I’ll wait for you at the State owned Restaurant tomorrow afternoon."

"If you’re feeling down, some good food will cheer you up."

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