CHAPTER 181: CHAPTER 178: EVERY FAMILY HAS ITS OWN SET OF PROBLEMS

Chapter One Hundred and Seventy-Eight: Every Family Has Its Own Skeletons

Ten o’clock at night.

The flight slowly landed at Jinling Airport.

As the plane was still taxiing down the runway, Sun Keke was already so tense that her breathing had become rapid. Her small hands clenched into fists, and she sat bolt upright in her seat.

She had called home before boarding. On the phone, her father, Old Sun, and her mother, Yang Xiaoyi, had been furious with her. However, upon learning Sun Keke’s flight and return time, they had eventually hung up. Still, their tone was naturally very unfriendly. Sun Keke knew very well that a storm awaited her upon her return. Girls of this age, especially those like Sun Keke who had been raised to be obedient, are actually still afraid of their parents. Knowing that her parents hadn’t closed their eyes for two days made her feel even more guilty. Besides, there was the guilt from the imminent lies she would have to tell them.

Zhang Linsheng, however, was rather calm, merely preparing himself for a scolding or a beating when he got home. His fabricated excuse was that he had run off to an internet cafe to play, so naturally, he couldn’t tell his parents he had flown back. Whether he was truly unafraid or just feigning composure, Brother Haonan at least appeared quite serene.

In contrast to Sun Keke’s nervousness and Brother Haonan’s calm, Brother Lei was practically bursting with pride. Bald Lei wasn’t a fool; his loyalty to Chen Nuo and his dedication to his work were genuine. At the same time, Brother Lei was a streetwise man. He didn’t lack any of the shrewdness necessary for his line of work. Brother Lei was very clear about one thing: he had definitely made a great contribution this time! In that young master’s eyes, he had certainly scored major points! From the moment he learned of Sun Keke’s disappearance, he had made the smartest and most correct response: he used all available resources to search for her. Even his willingness to recklessly challenge Li Qingshan was definitely a plus in this matter. Later, seeing him tirelessly lead a team across provinces, going two or three days without sleep or even a bath—when he finally saw Chen Nuo in Xi’an, Brother Lei knew how he must have looked: unshaven, disheveled, and probably stinking after three hot summer days without washing. But that didn’t bother him! The harder he seemed to work, the more ragged his appearance, the greater his merits would seem after finding Sun Keke. Ironclad merits! Brother Lei’s cleverness lay in his self-awareness and his understanding of Chen Nuo’s character. This young master cared greatly about those around him and was known for rewarding achievements thoroughly. His performance this time must have caught Chen Nuo’s eye. Once the young master returned, Brother Lei knew he would likely soar to new heights.

After disembarking, Brother Lei and two of his men, carrying their bags, strolled nonchalantly ahead. Sun Keke, in contrast, trailed slowly behind. Brother Lei noticed but didn’t make much of it. Now that the girl was safely home, the most pressing issue was resolved. As for being scolded by her parents, that was almost negligible for someone like Brother Lei, accustomed to the ways of the streets.

However, Brother Lei was meticulous. He stopped before reaching the domestic arrivals exit.

"Let’s split up here," Brother Lei said with a smile, looking at Sun Keke. "Keke, your parents should be outside waiting for you. Lin Sheng and I will go separately in a moment to avoid any awkward explanations."

Sun Keke, her mind elsewhere, murmured an agreement.

"Remember what I told you, don’t slip up," Brother Lei whispered, then pulled Zhang Linsheng aside. "Lin Sheng, let’s wait here for a bit. Let Keke meet her family and leave first before we go, to avoid any complications. I have a car outside; I’ll drive you home later."

"Okay," Zhang Linsheng nodded.

At the domestic arrivals exit, Old Sun and Yang Xiaoyi had been waiting anxiously for some time. Even though they knew Sun Keke’s flight arrival time, the couple had arrived an hour early. It’s no exaggeration to say that during the two days of Sun Keke’s disappearance, Old Sun felt as if the sky had collapsed. He cherished his daughter dearly, having doted on her since she was a child. An honest man like Old Sun might seem mild-mannered, but when faced with trouble, he was the type to risk his life for his family without a second’s hesitation.

On the way to the airport, Old Sun had raged. In the taxi and while waiting, he continuously berated Sun Keke, furiously scolding his daughter in his thoughts. Yang Xiaoyi, also visibly anxious, worried her husband’s anger might lead to an extreme reaction upon seeing their daughter. She had tried to pacify Old Sun the entire way.

Now, standing there, watching the display indicate Sun Keke’s flight had arrived, the couple craned their necks, desperately peering toward the exit.

"I’m really going to break her legs! Don’t you dare stop me!" Old Sun seethed.

"Just take her home and discipline her properly. Old Sun, it’s a public place. Don’t get physical," Yang Xiaoyi said, her eyes reddening. "Without Keke these past two days, I..." She tugged firmly at Old Sun’s sleeve.

"There she is! She’s coming out!" Old Sun’s eyes suddenly lit up as he stared intently towards the exit.

Hearing this, Yang Xiaoyi also looked over, anxiously calling, "Where? Where is she?"

Old Sun quickly moved forward. "There! On the left! See her?!"

Sun Keke, carrying a backpack, was walking out, her eyes also scanning the crowd of arriving passengers.

Just then, she heard a roar like thunder!

"Sun Keke!!!!!!!!!!"

Looking towards the sound, she saw her father standing more than ten paces away, eyes wide, staring ferociously at her like a man-eating tiger. Old Sun’s chest heaved as he strode towards her!

Coming face to face with Sun Keke, Old Sun gritted his teeth and suddenly raised his hand, his large palm poised above his head...

Sun Keke’s eyes also reddened. She shrank her neck and closed her eyes, bracing for the slap...

But as she closed her eyes, the slap didn’t fall. Instead, she was suddenly pulled into a fierce hug!

Old Sun held his daughter tightly, her small body squeezed firmly in his arms. The tangible feeling finally dispelled the sensation he’d had two days prior—when he learned of her disappearance—of stepping off a cliff into an abyss. Now, his feet finally felt planted on solid ground.

Yang Xiaoyi rushed over, tears streaming, and let out a sharp, uncontrolled scream. All the way there, this mother had been trying to stop Old Sun from hitting their daughter. But now, seeing her daughter standing before her, Yang Xiaoyi, like a mother beast, after her scream, raised her hand and began to strike downwards furiously. One slap after another landed like raindrops on Sun Keke’s back—she only had the heart to hit her back.

After several slaps, Old Sun reacted, hugging his daughter even tighter. He shifted his body, using his arm to shield her back.

"Stop hitting her! Stop! Let’s go home! Home!!" Old Sun’s eyes were also red.

Held by her father, the strong scent of smoke on him, coupled with her mother’s obviously bloodshot eyes, made Sun Keke feel even more wretched.

"Dad... Mom... I’m sorry. I’m so sorry. I was wrong..." Sun Keke sobbed.

Zhang Linsheng, Brother Lei, and the others hid inside, only emerging after watching the Sun family of three leave. Someone from Brother Lei’s shop came with a car to pick them up. They first dropped Zhang Linsheng off at his doorstep before Brother Lei and his men departed. Before leaving, Brother Lei carefully gave Zhang Linsheng a few instructions.

Brother Haonan went upstairs. Upon returning home, another scene naturally unfolded.

When Zhang Tiejun saw his son return, the first thing he did was land a loud slap across Zhang Linsheng’s face.

Actually, with Zhang Linsheng’s current skills, he could have easily dodged his father’s slap if he’d wanted to. But seeing his father’s face, Brother Haonan sighed inwardly and didn’t dodge.

The first slap, then the second...

The third slap never fell. Zhang Linsheng’s mother rushed forward and forcefully pulled Zhang Tiejun away.

"Our son is back! Are you trying to beat him to death or drive him away?!" Zhang Linsheng’s mother screamed, tearing Zhang Tiejun off. She then hugged her son tightly, looking him up and down to ensure he was unharmed and seemed alright, only then breathing a sigh of relief. Noticing some faint bruises on Zhang Linsheng’s face, she grew anxious again. "What... what happened here?"

Zhang Linsheng said softly, "I got into a fight. Um... Mom, I’m fine. Just a fight, no serious injuries."

"Fighting, always fighting! All you know is how to fight and mess around!" Zhang Tiejun roared. "I actually thought you’d learned your lesson these past few days! And what now? You’re still as hopeless as ever!"

Zhang Linsheng clenched his teeth tightly and said nothing.

His father, Zhang Tiejun, paced back and forth in the small living room like a caged animal. Suddenly, he grabbed a teacup from the table and smashed it on the floor, yelling at Zhang Linsheng’s mother, "You’re still defending him! If we don’t discipline him properly, he’ll only become more lawless! Are we supposed to wait until he gets into serious trouble outside, causes a disaster, and ends up in jail?!"

Zhang Linsheng gently pushed his mother aside and, gritting his teeth, walked up to his father.

"Dad, I was wrong."

Zhang Tiejun’s face was dark; he said nothing.

"I really was wrong," Zhang Linsheng said, his head lowered. "I won’t mess around anymore. I..." He looked up at his father. "I promise, this is the last time."

"..." Zhang Tiejun looked at his son. Though he didn’t know the full story, he unexpectedly saw a rare resoluteness in his young son’s eyes. The fists he had clenched slowly loosened.

"Do you have any idea? When you disappeared for two days, it meant you were absent without leave from the workshop! I had to say so many good words, practically begging everyone, and even gave the team leader two cartons of good cigarettes for them to agree to your internship! And what happened? You’d only been working properly for a few days when, suddenly, without a word, you vanished! How can I show my face now?!"

"Enough! Our son is back safe and sound! Why are you still scaring him?!" Zhang Linsheng’s mother objected. "If you want to teach him, just reason with him. Why scare him?!" With that, she pulled Zhang Linsheng aside and whispered, "Don’t blame your dad for being angry; he’s just worried sick about you."

"I know, Mom. I was wrong. Dad has every right to be angry," Zhang Linsheng said, his head down.

"As for the company, your father got you sick leave, so you weren’t marked as absent without leave. Sigh..." Turning to Zhang Tiejun, she said, "You and your temper! Good reasoning always comes out twisted when you say it! When will you ever change!"

Zhang Linsheng looked at Zhang Tiejun.

Zhang Tiejun’s expression remained grim. He huffed, took a couple of deep breaths, and then said resentfully, "Tomorrow morning, you’re coming to the company with me!"

"..." Zhang Linsheng was silent for a moment.

"Go, go wash your face!" Zhang Tiejun, noticing his son’s bloodshot eyes and the bruises on his face, felt a pang of discomfort but turned his head away. His heart ached a little. "If you run off and mess around again, don’t bother coming back to this home!"

Zhang Linsheng’s mother tried to pull him into the inner room, but after a couple of tugs, her son didn’t budge.

Zhang Tiejun waited a few seconds, then turned back to find his son still standing there. "You?"

Zhang Linsheng gently moved his mother aside and then, with a thud, knelt on the floor.

Zhang Tiejun’s face changed. "What are you doing?" His first reaction was shock, wondering if his son had gotten into some serious trouble outside.

"Dad... there’s something I want to tell you."

Zhang Tiejun and his wife were clearly stunned.

Before his parents could speak, Zhang Linsheng summoned all his courage. Meeting his father’s gaze, he finally voiced the thought that had been buried in his heart for days.

"I... I don’t want to work at the repair department anymore."

Late at night at the Sun family home.

The interrogation was over, the questioning complete. Old Sun, seething with residual anger, eventually retreated to the balcony to smoke sullenly. Yang Xiaoyi, however, took her daughter into her room, where mother and daughter talked for a long time.

After Old Sun had chain-smoked three cigarettes, Yang Xiaoyi emerged from her daughter’s bedroom, gently closing the door. She tiptoed to the balcony and looked at her husband. Her face seemed slightly more relaxed as she lowered her voice. "I’ve asked... The child hasn’t done anything inappropriate."

Upon hearing this, Old Sun’s fury subsided somewhat, but worry lingered. "That boy could have restrained himself?! Two young people together for two or three days! She... she didn’t lie to you, did she?" he blurted out.

Yang Xiaoyi looked somewhat embarrassed but gently nudged her husband. "Could she hide something like that from me? You know what our daughter is like. I asked her very carefully, and Keke explained everything clearly. Plus... from how she looks, she doesn’t seem..." She couldn’t bring herself to say more; after all, it was her own daughter.

Nevertheless, Old Sun understood and let out a long sigh of relief. Thank goodness, thank goodness! That scoundrel Chen Nuo hadn’t actually defiled her. At this thought, Old Sun’s anger towards Chen Nuo surprisingly diminished by a third. His daughter had traveled all that way to him, yet the boy had restrained himself... Good! At least he wasn’t a complete degenerate!

Still, Old Sun felt a bit worried. "Did you ask her everything clearly?"

"I asked several times. She and Chen Nuo had a huge fight, a really fierce one, and then they supposedly broke up. Keke is soft on the outside but strong-willed. She acted impulsively and ran off to Xi’an to find Chen Nuo."

"So, what about them now?" Old Sun frowned.

Yang Xiaoyi also frowned and shook her head. "Keke refuses to say, but seeing her back this time, when she talks about Chen Nuo, her tone is a bit off. She seems quite upset."

As she spoke, Yang Xiaoyi’s expression suddenly changed. She said sternly, "Old Sun! I’ve never said much before. You liked Chen Nuo, and the boy always knew how to please you. Keke was happy with him, so I knew I couldn’t argue you out of it! But you know how I feel. I’ve never really been happy about Keke ending up with that Chen Nuo! Putting everything else aside, our Keke must go to college! That Chen Nuo is young but already out of school. His future... Anyway, I’m not satisfied! You didn’t like hearing me say these things before, so I kept quiet! But this time, after what happened, I really need to have a serious talk with you! I am firmly against our daughter having any more contact with Chen Nuo! This time they argued, and he made our daughter so angry she ran away from home to find him! If they continue like this, who knows how he’ll bully Keke in the future!"

Old Sun listened, his feelings complex. He had originally liked Chen Nuo very much and wasn’t opposed to his daughter being with him. But after today’s incident, he too was filled with anger towards Chen Nuo and, frankly, had no grounds to defend him. He sighed, lit another cigarette, and remained silent.

"Say something!" Yang Xiaoyi pushed Old Sun forcefully, her voice rising in anger. "What’s so good about that Chen Nuo?! You let them see each other as they pleased before, and I said nothing! But after this, I can’t just stand by!"

Old Sun gritted his teeth. "When Chen Nuo comes back, I’ll talk to him!"

"Talk about what! If he dares to show his face here again, I’ll throw him out!" Yang Xiaoyi fumed.

Yang Xiaoyi’s stance and thoughts, though perhaps a bit worldly and pragmatic, couldn’t be considered entirely wrong from an ordinary person’s perspective. She was just an ordinary woman, unaware of the full story, unaware of how much Chen Nuo had quietly done for the Sun family behind the scenes. In Yang Xiaoyi’s view, her thinking was that of an ordinary person, very simple and practical: the Sun family’s financial situation, while not excellent before, wasn’t too bad either. Old Sun was a high school teacher; though his income wasn’t high, it was a respected profession. Yang Xiaoyi herself was a proper grassroots civil servant. Their daughter, Sun Keke, was as beautiful as a flower. With such conditions, they could indeed afford to be a little choosy.

Moreover, recently, the Sun family’s circumstances had visibly begun to change. The restructuring of No. 8 Middle School was clearly becoming a key achievement project for the education department, attracting capital investment, including foreign funds. The school’s reform had practically become a flagship project in the local education system. After the restructuring of No. 8 Middle School, Old Sun had risen rapidly and was set to become a bona fide vice-principal! Besides a higher income, his authority had also increased significantly. It was foreseeable that in the near future, this small household would experience a qualitative leap in both social status and economic income.

In such a scenario, how could Yang Xiaoyi be content with her flower-like daughter dating a boy with a seemingly unremarkable future? From a parent’s standpoint, such considerations were actually very normal. As for saying she’d kick Chen Nuo out if he came—those were, of course, words spoken in anger. She knew she wouldn’t actually do that. But if Chen Nuo did return from out of town and visit, Yang Xiaoyi was already prepared to "have a talk" with him.

Brother Lei’s idea proved quite reliable. After Sun Keke returned, Old Sun took her to the police station to close the missing person case. Once the police questioned her and learned that the girl’s "disappearance" was merely running away from home due to a love quarrel, they didn’t have much interest in pursuing the matter further. After taking a statement and lecturing both Sun Keke and Old Sun, Old Sun took his daughter home.

As for the break-in at Chen Nuo’s home, once Sun Keke was cleared of involvement, it became a simple burglary case. Brother Lei, after discussing it with Li Qingshan, decided they would have to wait for Chen Nuo, the homeowner, to return before it could be resolved.

The turmoil at Zhang Linsheng’s home dragged on longer, mainly because Zhang Tiejun was extremely dissatisfied with his son’s unwillingness to continue working as an apprentice at the auto repair shop where he himself worked. People of Zhang Tiejun’s generation believed steadfastness was the most reliable quality and always assumed the path they paved for their children was the correct one—and, in truth, he wasn’t entirely wrong.

Thus, father and son locked horns.

Everyone was waiting for Chen Nuo to return to Jinling.

Zhang Linsheng was waiting for Chen Nuo. If he had been uncertain before about following Chen Nuo, the trip to Xi’an had opened his eyes. Zhang Linsheng now understood one thing clearly: he definitely wanted to be with Chen Nuo from now on.

The Sun family was waiting for Chen Nuo—to determine the future of their daughter’s relationship with him. The three family members each had different thoughts.

Brother Lei and Li Qingshan were waiting for Chen Nuo—for him to return so the break-in case could be resolved, and... in fact, both leaders secretly harbored the hope of being rewarded by the young master for their efforts. This thought wasn’t unreasonable.

But Chen Nuo didn’t return immediately.

Another week passed before Chen Nuo finally returned to Jinling.

「Jinling City in late July.」

A heavy rain had fallen two days prior, but it seemed to do little to dispel the summer heat in the city nicknamed "the furnace." After just one morning, the sun had already baked the city’s asphalt roads until they felt soft and yielding underfoot.

Around noon, Brother Lei had his apprentice fetch a watermelon from the refrigerator. He cut it open himself and sat at the entrance of his shop with half of it, a trash can beside him for the seeds he spat out as he ate.

Just as his face was smeared with juice, Brother Lei saw Chen Nuo strolling over, hands in his pockets.

Brother Lei sprang up, dropped the watermelon on the ground, and strode over to greet him.

"You’re back?"

Chen Nuo squinted at Brother Lei and nodded with a smile. "I’m back."

There was a hint of fatigue in his eyes, but his complexion looked alright.

Chen Nuo, a backpack slung over his shoulders, swaggered into Brother Lei’s shop and was led to the back office. The air conditioning, usually kept off to save electricity, was immediately switched on. Brother Lei had someone cut another watermelon and bring it in.

Once these arrangements were made, Brother Lei dismissed everyone, closed the office door, and sat down opposite Chen Nuo.

"Is everything taken care of?"

"Yeah, all done," Chen Nuo sighed, thought for a moment, and said, "It went smoothly; everything’s wrapped up."

Brother Lei laughed heartily. "With you handling it, nothing’s impossible."

"It was just a bit troublesome," Chen Nuo shook his head. "Find a place for me to get a good scrub. These past few days have been exhausting; I feel like I could scrub off a layer of grime."

"No problem!" Brother Lei chuckled, thought for a moment, then said, "There’s a bathhouse nearby—clean and legitimate. The attendants are old hands, and they have both large and small pools for soaking. I’ll take you to experience it."

"Hmm, no rush." Chen Nuo pointed at the backpack on the table. "Take a look at this first."

Brother Lei pulled it closer. As he lifted it, he felt its considerable weight; it was heavy in his hand. He opened it and was momentarily stunned.

Inside the bag, clinking softly, was an assortment of jade items!

He casually picked up a white jade bracelet and held it up to the light. It was translucent, and its watery luster was beautiful.

"Whoa! This isn’t cheap, is it!"

Chen Nuo smiled. "Consider it an apology gift from the Guo Family."

Then, stretching languidly, Chen Nuo said very casually, "Pick two items from the bag. You can give them to your girlfriend."

"Huh?"

"Just pick if I tell you to. They’re just trinkets," Chen Nuo said with a nonchalant air. Brother Lei’s heart was touched; he knew Chen Nuo meant it and decided not to demure—to refuse at this point would seem overly formal.

He unceremoniously placed the bracelet on his desk and then casually fished out a jade Guanyin pendant from the backpack.

"Alright, ’men wear Guanyin, women wear Buddha.’ I’ll keep this pendant for myself, and I’ll take the bracelet home to please my wife," Brother Lei said gleefully. "Thanks, Nuo Boss."

"Yeah, and one more thing. This afternoon, make a call and arrange a private dinner for me and Li Qingshan tonight."

"Will do!"

After giving his instructions, Chen Nuo stood up. "Let’s go! Time for that bath!"

「KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK.」