Translator: Lonelytree
"Wow, the courtyard of the Gong Family is so grand. It's made of green bricks and glazed tiles. The rooms are spacious and bright. It seems that they have transplanted some trees at the courtyard too." Xiao Lingye exclaimed during mealtime. "The rich are different."
There was still some envy in his eyes. He was wondering if he should go out and explore the world after his university entrance exam. After all, he was already 18. He could work legally already.
Mother Xiao knocked on Xiao Lingye's head with her chopsticks. She warned sternly, "Xiao Lingye, I'm warning you. That's their business for being rich. You are not going to resort to something sinister to earn money. If I find you you're earning black money, I'll break your legs!"
Even though their children were very obedient, Mother Xiao and Father Xiao still dispensed life lessons once in a while.
Xiao Lingye rubbed his head and grumbled, "Mom, that was just a statement. Did you need to hit me? Plus, I will be earning money with my hard work in the future. I will not let you and Dad down."
"You're always a sweet-talker!" Mother Xiao rolled her eyes and saw, from the corner of her eyes, Father Xiao reach for the chili. She coughed, and Father Xiao's hand trembled. The chopsticks changed direction to pick up the pig's liver instead.
He put the pig liver into his mouth with a bitter laugh. After chewing it a few times and swallowing it, he carefully said, "Dear, I want to discuss something with you!"
"We shouldn't talk when we're eating." Mother Xiao said seriously, "If you have anything to say, you can say it after you're done eating."
Everyone, "..."
Cowed by Mother Xiao, Father Xiao finished his bowl of rice, and he said, "Dear, I'm done eating. Can we discuss it now?"
"But I have not!" Mother Xiao retorted.
The two children, "..."
Father Xiao, "..."
Father Xiao immediately turned his children. He mouthed, 'Help me!'
His two kids looked at him helplessly and mouthed back. 'Who told you to make Mom angry?'
Father Xiao's face instantly fell. He didn't intend to do that. It had been so long since he had something spicy. He yearned for them.
One time, he sneaked to grab some chili to eat from the kitchen when his wife was out. However, once the chili was in his mouth, his wife returned. The tail of the chili was still poking out of his mouth. Mother Xiao didn't say anything. She just glanced at him and left.
However, for dinner that night, every dish had chili, except the plate of pork liver. Therefore, Father Xiao couldn't eat anything but the pork liver. It was fine for one meal, but this continued for the next few days. Father Xiao would be given chicken soup and pork liver. However, the other spicy dishes would be sitting on the table to taunt him.
He had eaten pork liver for four consecutive days already. If this continued, he would vomit.
Since his two children sided with his wife, Father Xiao had to do this on his own. He waited for his wife to finish eating.
The moment she did, he said impatiently. "Dear, I need to discuss something with you. Can you stop making pork liver for me? I'm about to vomit from eating it."
Mother Xiao said calmly, "Pork liver is good for the blood. You lost a lot of blood from the surgery. Plus, just think of the chilies waiting for you in the future. Once you're healed, you can eat as many chilies as you like. But to heal quickly, you need to eat more pork livers."
This was truly a ruthless move. Xiao Lingyu and Xiao Lingye were highly impressed. Mother Xiao was playing the long game. No wonder she didn't say anything when she caught Father Xiao with the chili in his mouth.
The siblings were astute people. They didn't dare to side with either party.
If they helped Father Xiao, they would suffer with him. Mother Xiao controlled the meals at home. If they fell in line with Father Xiao, they would be treated with an endless parade of pork liver too. They had been eating them for the past two days, and they were already fed up. Therefore, they leaned towards Mother Xiao than Father Xiao.
If they sided with Mother Xiao, they would be scolded by their dad. However, that was nothing compared to the pork liver hell.
Seeing his children, Father Xiao glared at them fiercely and signaled with his eyes, "Just you wait."
Then, Father Xiao apologized to his wife. "Dear, I'm sorry. I know I was wrong. I wouldn't dare to eat chili behind your back anymore. Can you please stop serving me pork liver?" Before this, even though he couldn't have chilies, at least there were other dishes. But now, there were only pork livers.
Mother Xiao didn't agree immediately. Instead, she asked, "You promise?"
"Of course. I wouldn't dare anymore!" Father Xiao promised, "After this lesson, do you think I dare to do it again?"
Mother Xiao nodded. "Fine, since you're repentant, I'll cook normal dishes for you tomorrow."
Father Xiao was stunned, "Tomorrow? Can you start tonight?"
Mother Xiao laughed, "There has to be a trial period first."
Xiao Lingyu helped her mother clean up the table after lunch. Xiao Lingye and his father went to walk around the village. Father Xiao still couldn't return to work, so he walked around the village as his daily exercise. After every meal, he would walk around the village. He would chat with people or sit under the camphor tree near the village entrance. When the villagers were free, they would come to this tree to chat and play chess. Of course, chess was too cultured for most villagers.
Young people brought this hobby back to the village. They saw the elders play chess in the cities, and they thought to bring the chess back to their parents and grandparents. This way, they could do something when they were free. However, the elderly in the village was not as free as the ones in the cities.
They were already tired from working in the field. Where would they find the time and energy to play chess, something which was mentally exhausting?
However, Father Xiao took to chess since he had nothing else to do. He still couldn't work from the surgery. He didn't know how to play complicated games like chess or Go. Instead, he liked to play the simple game of Gomoku.
Gomoku was a game that even children could learn how to play after a few rounds.
However, not every adult was as free as Father Xiao. They still had to work. Therefore, a strange scene appeared at Taoyuan Village. A middle-aged man would be seen playing Gomoku with children of seven or eight years old. Occasionally, they'd even get into arguments.
"Zhengyang, are you going to the tree again?" Someone saw Xiao Zhengyang and asked with a smile, "Now that Ye 'Er is back, he can play Gomoku with you. The kids won't get the chance to beat you anymore."
Xiao Lingye was surprised. "Dad, you know how to play Gomoku?"
Xiao Zhengyang's face was a little red. It was embarrassing for an adult to be playing a children's game like Gomoku. He tried to learn the other games. Xiao Lingyu taught him countless times, but he couldn't pick them up. The only thing he managed to learn was Gomoku.
However, he had to retain his dignity around his son. He didn't want to be laughed at. He glared and asked in a stern voice, "Xiao Lingye, what do you mean? Can't your Dad play Gomoku?"
Xiao Lingye, "..." Do you need to have such a big reaction?
He saw through his father's embarrassment, but he didn't expose him. Instead, he said fawningly, "Of course, you can! My Dad is the cleverest person I know!"
Father Xiao narrowed his eyes. He wasn't sure if his son was mocking him or not.
Eventually, the pair of father and son reached the camphor tree. There were two young kids there. When they saw Father Xiao, they ran over. "Second Grandpa, will you be playing Gomoku with us today?"
Papa Xiao's face was slightly red as he said, "Second Grandpa is full today, so I'm not playing."
"Then second grandpa, can we borrow your chessboard?"
"Sure, you can go ask your second grandma for it." Soon, the two kids ran back with the chessboard. They found a spot and started to play.
Father Xiao couldn't help but walk over to the kids. Then, he said, "Little Five, you need to go this way. Your three pieces are blocked that way. Don't waste your piece."
"Little White, you have to put here!"
"Little Five, block him!"
...
"Second Grandpa, can you please be quiet?" The two children couldn't stand it any longer.
"Second Grandpa, you're a horrible chess player. I followed your advice, and I lost."
Xiao Lingye, "..."
'I'm not sure I need to be here for this. Just how bad is Dad at chess that even kids are complaining about him?'
"Haha. Zhengyang, are you back to be scolded by the children again?" Xiao Chengbang was also resting under the big tree. "Zhengyang, just how much do you like Gomoku? You have to know that you suck at it, but you still come here to play it every day!"
Xiao Zhengyang was used to being teased. He smiled. "It's because I'm too free. You guys are too busy, and I don't have someone to chat with!"
Xiao Chengbang said with sympathy. "You're right. That's why you have to resort to playing chess with a bunch of brats."
Xiao Lingye,"..." Uncle Chengbang, do you need to pour salt on my dad's wound?
Xiao Zhengyang smiled and replied, "You're right. These kids are my biggest company now." In the countryside, even the elderly had to work the field. No one at Xiao Zhengyang's age would be resting unless they were extremely lazy.
Xiao Lingye said, "Dad, how about I be your opponent for the next two days?" He couldn't bear seeing his dad being beaten by kids all day long. He would use this opportunity to teach his father so that he could come back to beat those kids!
Father Xiao shook his head. "Your exam is coming soon. You need to focus on your study."
Father Xiao knew his son's intention, but he didn't want Xiao Lingye to waste time because Xiao Lingye needed to focus on his study, and because Father Xiao knew he was a hopeless player. Xiao Lingyu did try to teach him how to play Gomoku, but Father Xiao couldn't get it.
Xiao Lingyu felt such despair. She had no idea why her smart father couldn't pick up something as simple as Gomoku. This was a children's game, for god's sake!
Xiao Lingye accompanied his father under the tree. He played a few rounds with his dad, and then he rushed home to do revision.
There was a reason why two kids could win his dad at Gomoku. He couldn't stay to watch the massacre anymore!