PCJ – Chapter 585 Wu Yuan’s Spring

“Then go live in your courtyard house already, so I don’t have to keep looking at you and getting annoyed,” Liu Qiaoye rolled her eyes at Zhang Jiaohua.

“No way I’m going,” Zhang Jiaohua grinned. “No one there cooks for me. If Fatty finds out you two are here, he definitely won’t cook for me anymore. That guy’s cooking is terrible.”

“I’m telling Fatty later that someone’s been eating his food and still has the nerve to complain. I know for a fact that Fatty is the head chef at Koufu Restaurant. You dare say his cooking’s bad?” Liu Qiaoye didn’t believe a word of Zhang Jiaohua’s slick talk.

The arrival of Zhang Youping and Liu Qiaoye brought more laughter to Zhang Jiaohua’s days. Even though he was already an adult, who doesn’t wish to spend more time with their parents? When a family is together, they don’t fear poverty or pain. In the rush of life, people think they’ve found happiness, never realizing that it slips away quietly in the hustle and in farewells. Gains and losses aren’t measured by money or wealth. Happiness always hides in some corner of the heart—until one day you realize it’s already slipping away.

“Jiaohua seems to have changed quite a bit lately,” Zeng Lei said, patting Wu Yuan on the shoulder.

“Of course. His mom and dad are here now. He smiles all the time. If my own parents were still alive, I’d be even happier than him. Just blame me for being such a bastard back then. I didn’t know how to cherish them… sigh.” Wu Yuan rubbed his chubby face with his thick hand. He always wore a cheerful look, but deep down, he was more fragile than anyone.

Zeng Lei patted him again. “Don’t dwell on the past. If they could see how solid and grounded you are now, they’d be proud. What parent holds grudges against their child?”

But Wu Yuan got even more emotional. “I was terrible. My parents never enjoyed a single day of comfort. While they were alive, they worried about me constantly. If it weren’t for me, they might’ve lived decades longer. Now that I’m finally making money, they can’t enjoy any of it. Tell me, am I scum or what?”

“Fatty, you have to live well from now on, you hear me? Really well!” Zeng Lei was moved too.

“I heard there’s a girl at the restaurant who treats you pretty well?” Zhang Jiaohua’s voice came from behind them.

“Zhang Jiaohua! Get over here! I promise I won’t kill you! You had to bring that up now? I finally managed to say something from the heart!” Wu Yuan rolled up his sleeves and charged at Zhang Jiaohua, fists clenched.

“Fatty? What’s going on here? You never told me about this. Jiaohua, how’d you find out?” Zeng Lei asked curiously.

“Don’t listen to this punk! I’m beating him today no matter what.” Wu Yuan was furious, completely forgetting that the kung fu he knew was taught by Zhang Jiaohua. The result: he got soundly beaten.

Zeng Lei didn’t dare step in. If he did, Fatty would still get beaten, and he’d end up black and blue too. Either Fatty gets a solo beating, or they both do. Zeng Lei thought, I’m a deputy bureau chief now. If I show up to work with a bruised face, how am I supposed to face people? So he stood aside, watching Fatty get pounded.

Zhang Jiaohua didn’t go too hard on him, but he knew exactly where it hurt most.

Fatty collapsed on the ground, wheezing. He couldn’t move, just lay there with his eyes darting around.

“Fatty, you’ve got guts now, huh? Daring to take me on?” Zhang Jiaohua chuckled.

“I—I forgot,” Wu Yuan muttered. At this point, he was like a dead pig not fearing hot water. He figured Jiaohua wouldn’t hit him again.

“So, can you tell us about the girl from the restaurant now?” Zhang Jiaohua asked with a grin.

“Jiaohua, who told you about that?” Wu Yuan asked, puzzled.

“I heard you played the hero and saved a girl. She was so grateful that she insisted on staying at the restaurant. They say she wants to repay you with her life. Sounds like it’s true,” Zhang Jiaohua explained. He’d overheard the story from some staff at the restaurant. The girl had come to Beijing looking for relatives, but got harassed by some thugs. If it weren’t for Fatty, things could’ve gone badly. He had real skills now—still big, but a lot more muscle and less fat. He took out several punks without a scratch.

“She’s still young. Just turned eighteen. I treat her like a little sister,” Wu Yuan said sheepishly.

“Eighteen is legal. If you’re not in a rush, wait two years and marry her,” Zeng Lei joked.

“What rush? I’m only twenty-something. I’m not like you—already in your thirties,” Wu Yuan blurted out, accidentally offending Zeng Lei.

Zeng Lei glared at him. “You deserve the beating Jiaohua gave you. Saying you treat her like a sister, but the real reason is she can’t marry you yet, huh?”

“I didn’t mean it like that. I just think I’m not good enough for her,” Wu Yuan muttered, conflicted and frustrated.

“Whatever. I’m done nagging you. You figure it out. Don’t think you’re that young. Oh right, I actually came over to tell you guys—come to my place tomorrow night for dinner. My parents are here and they want to host you two. We’ve got a whole feast ready,” Zhang Jiaohua said.

“Of course we’ll go. Fatty, you good to leave the restaurant?” Zeng Lei agreed without hesitation.

“Even if I’m not free, I’m going. They brought goodies from Meizi’ao. No way I’m letting Jiaohua eat them all himself,” Wu Yuan added without hesitation.

“Enough talk.” Zhang Jiaohua tossed a small bottle to Wu Yuan. “Just take one pill.”

Zeng Lei’s eyes lit up with envy. “Jiaohua, maybe beat me up too? I’ll take a bottle of healing pills as compensation.”

“You’re not afraid of pain, but I don’t want to hurt my hand,” Jiaohua said as he walked off.

Zeng Lei turned to Wu Yuan. “Fatty, share a little, huh?”

“Screw you. There’s only one pill in here,” Wu Yuan said, shaking the bottle. It rattled with a clear clinking sound—obviously more than one.

“Fatty!” Zeng Lei’s voice rose several pitches.

“You didn’t even help earlier. Now you want a healing pill? Dream on!” Wu Yuan clutched the bottle tightly to his chest.

Time passed quickly. A few months flew by, and the college entrance exam arrived.

On exam day, Zhang Youping and Liu Qiaoye were more nervous than Zhang Jiaohua himself. He wasn’t worried at all—given his abilities, there was no way he’d do poorly.

In the days leading up to the exam, his parents checked every tip and checklist, and double-checked all of Jiaohua’s exam materials. Only after confirming everything was perfect did they let him enter the exam hall.