Chapter 12 - Finally Free
Thanks to my editor Gold Fairy!
Tan Liyun’s complexion changed. “Enough, this is the IOU. The 25k is already in your card. My promises have been honored. I hope you will also stand by your promise.”
“Don’t worry, I won’t tell anyone who my father is. Having one person pitying me is already enough. I don’t need everyone to pity me.”
Tan Liyun was actually happy. “Of course. If the people who were previously secretly in love with your father knew you were his son, you actually might be able to get a bit of charity money.”
Cheng Jinyu bowed to Tan Liyun. “Thank you very much for your help these past few years. I’ll leave now.”
“Leave? Where do you want to go?”
“I want to start a new life.”
“Start a new life? You want to leave the Chen House?”
“Yes.” Cheng Jinyu replied, “Our debt is settled, I can leave now right?!”
Tan Liyun angrily replied, “Fine! Originally you wanted this. Ok, fine! I want to see what kind of work you will do that will give you more money than I give you.”
“Don’t forget, your mother’s illness will relapse. You still want to take care of her, and also want to rent a place, and also need to take care of the medical care and medicine. There’s also the surgery fee in a few years. At that time I want to see, after leaving Chen Family, what kind of means you have to provide for them.”
Cheng Jinyu still remained very tranquil. “I understand that it’s going to be very hard, but I still want to try.”
“Ok! Fine! But let me tell you, if you’re on the verge of death outside and want to come back here, you’ll forever have to kneel when you walk.”
Cheng Jinyu bowed once again to Tan Liyun. “Thank you for your counsel. I will try very hard to provide for my family.”
Cheng Jinyu was already very determined. At the time when he was marrying Gu Bokai, he already clearly understood. He was a person who wasn’t even afraid of death. What else was he afraid of trying.
If he stayed at Chen Family like this for a lifetime, he would continue to have no dignity, no status, to the point of not even having a name. This kind of life, perhaps in the end he would be unable to die contently.
Cheng Jinyu left Tan Liyun’s room. He felt that the stone that had been pressing on his back had finally fallen down. That crooked back, that bent waist and spine, began restore itself to little by little.
From here on, he was an individual now!
Cheng Jinyu did not walk on the main road in the front courtyard. He detoured through a remote path. There weren’t any people here. He continued down a path to exit through a small door. This remote path was packed full of plants on all sides. It emphasized that it was the spring season. The air was filled with the fragrance of flowers.
Cheng Jinyu was walking and sightseeing at the same time. He felt that it was almost like it was his first time coming to Chen House. He had never realized that the remote corners in Chen House had this kind of beauty.
Before, he always had his head down. The scenery he managed to see were all under his feet. Everyday, life was very depressing. He naturally was not in the mood to go look at the scenery.
Right now, Cheng Jinyu finally discovered that the sky was actually that kind of blue, the clouds were that high and prominent, the air was that kind of pure and fresh, the flowers and trees had that type of vitality, splendid and colorful.
Cheng Jinyu joyfully continued to walk forward. He never had this kind of mood where he was relaxed and could cheerfully walk around.
He wandered till he arrived at the side of a small pavilion in the backyard. To his surprise he saw someone laying down in the pavilion.
Cheng Jinyu’s mood was very good, not to mention his heart was very soft.
He took large strides to approach and immediately a dense alcoholic smell spread through the air. Drunk and this person had on a high quality western styled suit. His status was definitely complicated.
He saw that the figure wasn’t Chen Yuze. Don’t tell me, it’s actually Chen Yuze’s friend?
Cheng Jinyu walked over, tugged on the arm and spoke, “Mister, Mister are you waking up?” When did this person lay down here? Chen Family’s servants also did not see him?
Cheng Jinyu used a lot of strength. Although he was thin and frail, he was still strong. But it was just that this person’s height was too tall. How was this man 1.89 meters (6’2)? Cheng Jinyu supported him with some difficulty and had him sit on the stool at the top platform of the pavilion.
“Mister? Are you awake? Who are you looking for?” The person head was lowered. Cheng Jinyu had to bend down in order to talk to him. That person’s hand twitched. Cheng Jinyu asked, “Awake? May I ask who you are? Why did you come to Chen House?”
That person slowly and gradually lifted his head. His hair was a bit messy and his face was also dirty. Cheng Jinyu did not manage to see who this person was yet, but this person’s entire body was violently shivering.
Cheng Jinyu was scared for a moment. “What happened? Did you get sick? Do you need medicine?” Cheng Jinyu hurriedly asked. The person’s gaze unwaveringly looked at Cheng Jinyu and his body began to tremble even more.
Cheng Jinyu was slightly afraid. “Wait here, I’ll immediately go call for people.”
Cheng Jinyu, with one glance at his clothes, knew this person’s status wasn’t ordinary.
Also, people who could come to the Chen House were people of power. After many years of seeing people come to Chen House, Cheng Jinyu had a bit of insight.
Cheng Jinyu was thinking of quickly notifying the butler. Perhaps this person was an important friend of Chen Family. He turned around, thinking of going, when that person suddenly cried out, “No, don’t!” Cheng Jinyu did not even manage to respond, when that person directly hugged him from behind.
“Yiqing! Yiqing! Don’t leave, don’t leave me, don’t, don’t—” That person firmly held onto Cheng Jinyu, like he was wishing he could engrave Cheng Jinyu into his own flesh.
What was being said from his mouth was indistinct. Because he was choking with emotion, he was sobbing, but Cheng Jinyu still clearly heard those two words, “Yiqing!” Isn’t that father’s name?
Cheng Jinyu was slightly distracted and actually didn’t struggle. The person unwaveringly held Cheng Jinyu to his chest, itching to turn Cheng Jinyu into his own flesh.
“Where did you go? I couldn’t find you, I couldn’t find you anywhere. Yiqing, Yiqing!” The person spoke to this point, unexpectedly couldn’t help himself and began to cry.
Cheng Jinyu in his heart was a bit bitter. He also really wanted to find his father. Very, very much wanted to. But his dad went to a place where he could never find him.
“Yiqing, it was my fault, I shouldn’t have let go of your hand. At that time, no matter what, I shouldn’t have!”
Cheng Jinyu thought of that dream. The dream where his dad had those pair of warm hands. Thought of when he was inside his dream, he was scared of him leaving. That feeling of helplessness, that sort of fear.
Cheng Jinyu was unable to bear it. He turned around, stretched out his arm, and tightly held the person’s broad back,
Since this was a dream, inside a dream you must not be anxious. Inside a dream, you did not need to worry about gains and losses. Inside dreams, your wishes are suppose to come true!
“I’m here. I’m right next to you. I didn’t go anywhere.” Cheng Jinyu bent over near the man’s ear, and in a soft voice consoled him.
The person instantly seemed like they had almost thoroughly collapsed. He simply embraced Cheng Jinyu and wailed, “These couple of years, where did you go? How could you just abandon me by myself? How could you leave me?”
Cheng Jinyu raised his head and looked at the sky. Tears streamed down his face. He also really wanted to ask his dad, how could he leave him by himself in this world?
When Cheng Jinyu managed to slip away, his eyes were still red. That drunk person cried like the rain and Cheng Jinyu also couldn’t help but cry.
For many years, he did not cry. Cheng Jinyu had thought that he no longer had any tears. However today while he was being held by that person, he suddenly felt that he had become weak. That type of grievance and sadness all emerged and he just couldn’t control himself anymore. In the end, he could only follow that person and also weep.
Cheng Jinyu sniffed through his nose. He thought that he was truly laughable. To think that there would be a day like this. He had hugged a random stranger and cried for half a day. His voice was even hoarse.
That person was even worse. He cried until he passed out. Snot and tears were everywhere. Cheng Jinyu also did not figure out who he was. He put him on the pavillion, informed the Chen Family Butler and told him to go to the backyard pavillion to get him.
Cheng Jinyu wiped away his tears and left Chen House.
There was only one road that led from the Chen Villa to outside. Even though Cheng Jinyu did not leave from the main entrance, it still put him on the path leading from the main entrance.
Turning onto there, he saw Gu Bokai impatiently waiting besides the sports car.
“What were you doing while leaving? This slow? Didn’t you resign? Is it necessary to talk so much?”
“Why are you still here?” Cheng Jinyu asked in a strange voice.
Gu Bokai had just wanted to get angry. Then saw Cheng Jinyu’s red eyes and red nose.
“Did you cry?”
Cheng Jinyu turned his head to the side. “Doesn’t have anything to do with you.”
Gu Bokai, hating that iron could not become steel [1], replied, “Can’t bear to leave and stop being a servant here? What is so good here that you have this reluctance to leave?”
Cheng Jinyu’s mood was not good. Who would still be in a good mood after crying?
“I wish, I want to be a servant.”
“Then you can become mine! From now on you are my servant.”
“Your prideful character, as if I would become your servant,” Cheng Jinyu replied.
Gu Bokai directly pulled on his clothes. “Hurry up and get in the car. You’ll sometimes reminisce fondly.” After saying this, he pulled Cheng Jinyu into the car.
Cheng Jinyu was actually a bit tired from crying. He also didn’t want to walk for half an hour to get to the bus stop. Since there was a free car, not sitting would be a waste.
Gu Bokai got into the car and continued to complain. “Is Chen Family good to you? Do you even have status there? I’ve seen that in their house you’re not even equal to a dog.”
Cheng Jinyu gave a laugh, “Of course I’m not equal to a dog.”
“Then you’re just crying for no reason.”
“I’m very happy. I’m finally free. Finally, I have freedom.”
Speaking to this point, Cheng Jinyu truly started to become excited. He stood up from the shotgun seat and towards the outside, gave a big shout.
“I, Cheng Jinyu, am free! Starting from today, I have freedom, I am liberated, I will become a person! AAAHHHHHHHHH!” He yelled with a big voice. Wind blew at his hair and cheek, almost like he wanted his entire body to fly away.
Gu Bokai hurriedly slowed down the car. He was prepared to properly scold him with a few lines, but hearing his words and seeing that his entire being had a happy appearance, he only lowered the speed.
Cheng Jinyu seemed like he had escaped on a wild horse. He welcomed the wind and loudly shouted out, “I am called Cheng Jinyu, Cheng Jinyu! I am not called Biao Ge, not called that!”
Gu Bokai’s hand slightly trembled. He put the car at the lowest speed, locked the steering wheel in place, checked the straight road for other cars, released his hand, and also stood up on his seat.
“I am called Gu Bokai, Gu Bokai!” He copied Cheng Jinyu’s appearance and loudly yelled in front of him.
***
- Hating iron that could not become steel: idiom for failing to meet expectations