(DAYU)
Of all the things I imagined my Grampy will do to answer back Qing's questions for him, this didn't even entered my mind.
Him commissioning a newpaper article saying that the Wangs owe their start and success from him.
By the time Qing and I read the article from the newspaper published from the company my mother's family owns, the news had reached our friends and acquaintances.
AhnZong even called me. Asking what the hell is happening. BaoBao messaged Qing that the news had reached employees in the hospital.
"The article was first put online. People had been reading it since midnight. But it circulated more because it's also in the newspaper this morning. What should I do?"
BaoBao is waiting for Qing's cue on what to do.
Qing decided to dress up to run to his family. "I have to talk to Wowo and Baba. Know their plans. They will surely retaliate or contrast what your Grampy did..."
"I'm so sorry," I told my lover.
Qing shook his head, "I think we should stop apologizing for our family's actions. Stop apologizing to me about what your Grampy is doing, I will stop saying sorry for Mama and Wowo. This constant apologizing to each other just stresses us more,"
I nodded in agreement to what he said. Qing hugged me. "Stay here. Just stay here. I will sort this out. This is partly my fault."
"Please be careful," I followed him in the garage as he get in his car.
But when Qing left, the anxiety in me made me move. If Qing is settling things in my family, I have to do the same. I have to ask Grampy what he thinks this article will accomplish aside from broadening the gap between our family and Qing's family.
So I just changed my clothes. Shed my sleepwear and get in a pair of jeans and decent shirt before hailing a taxi to get to our house.
But my Grampy 's reaction to me made me remember that my extensions are still attached on my hair.
I am still sporting a long hair.
I was so used to them that I didn't even notice that the extensions are still attached on my head.
"Why is your hair like that, Yu ah?" Grampy eyed my head critically. "Did you really dared to get out in public like that?" His tone getting loud in anger.
"Yu ah," Baba and Mama joined us in the ground floor. Baba stood in front of Grampy, "Baba, what is the meaning of this?" He showed the newspaper to Grampy.
"What do you mean what it means? It's written there. Our truth. That Wang Guan wouldn't even be a doctor if not for the mercy and pity I bestowed on him. I gave him money to finish his study and now he is biting my hand, like he is a rabid dog,"
"Why?" Baba asked. Frustration on his tone, "Why do this? This won't help anyone. What do you think you will accomplish with this?"
"Wang Guan's humility," Grampy replied mulishly. "I want that man to admit to himself and to everyone that without me, without my money, he will be nothing..."
"Baba!"
"Grampy!" I cannot help exclaiming with Baba.
Grampy glared at us. "Why are you both shouting at me?! Such disrespect. Is that article more important than Yu? Look at your son, ZhuTuan, he is running around looking like a ridiculous long haired addict. What would people think of Yu?"
"People will be busy wondering about you and the Wangs before they had the time to look at Yu," Baba countered hotly. "Baba...stop this right now..."
"Why would I?" Grampy grunted. "Wang Guan started this..."
"He didn't. Qing overheard his Wowo speaking about the things he asked on you yesterday, Grampy. Please..." I don't know how to reach for my grandfather's mercy anymore.
"You saw Yu and Qing yesterday, Baba?" My father frowned at us.
"You met your Grampy yesterday, Yu?" Mama turned to me. "Why didn't you tell us?"
"I was about to. Today. But Grampy already did this," I showed Mama the newspaper in my hand. "Qing's family probably read it by now. The news had reached their hospitals. How will I face my lover now?" I asked her in distress.
"Yu ah..." Mama hugged me.
I cannot believe Grampy will do this to us. He is degrading the Wangs, including my lover. Now people will really think that the Wangs are beneath us and they are indebted to my grandfather.
Wang Qing is a proud guy. He works hard for all his accomplishments but now, all of that will be tarnished with this article.
"Grampy, please...stop this. Send out another article...saying you were mistaken..."
"Shut up!" Grampy shouted at me. Mama and I gasped in shock. Grampy glared at us, "You will all keep quiet and let me handle this. Yu ah, you will really take the Wangs' side against mine? Will you really abandon me like this? They started this. Your lover started this. When he asked those questions..."
"Qing has a right to ask those questions!" I countered his words bravely. "If I knew that I have an ancestors who murdered slaves and servants, I would have pestered you a long time ago..."
"Yu ah!" Mama's eyes widened while Baba grimaced. "How did you know..."
"You know?" I looked at my parents. "You know that Great Grandpa was a brute and a sadist who murdered people including his own helpers? Why didn't you tell me? No wonder Dr.Wang was calling us all murdering bastards..."
"Feng Jian Yu!" Grampy growled at me. "Not another word from you..."
"No!" I glared back at him. "You cannot do this to Qing. He worked hard for everything he has. His grandfather is the same. You only gave him money, but he became a doctor because of his hardwork. You are just a jealous old man who hated the fact that the first woman you loved chose Wang Guan instead of you!" I snorted at my grandfather. "I now don't blame Wang ShiAn for choosing Qing's grandfather. He is by far a better man than you..."
Pak!
I staggered backward at the force of my grandfather's slap on my face. I heard my mother crying in despair while my Baba growled. I sensed a sudden movement from my father and my Mama shouting.
"ZhuTuan! Stop!"
I regained my balance and my eyes widened when I saw Baba, holding Grampy by the collar of his shirt. Baba's hand is fisted and about to punch my grandfather's face.
"Baba!" I moved fast to hold my father and pulled him from Grampy. I hold his arm and hand aimed to punch his own father to stop it, "Please don't!"
But Baba is not letting go of Grampy's collar. He shook Grampy's shirt, "How dare you hit my son?! He is my son! How dare you..."
Mama and I started crying. "Baba...please...let Grampy go..." I cried to him.
"ZhuTuan...don't...please! Yu is watching!" Mama is looking pale and sick already.
But at least our pleading had the desired effect. Baba let Grampy go, but the hurt and anger on Baba's face remained.
"You will never hit my son again. Ever," Baba point his finger at Grampy. "MiLen, pack our things, we will leave this place today. I cannot take this house anymore..."
"Baba..."
"ZhuTuan," Grampy's face finally drained of color. "You cannot do that..."
"WE WILL LEAVE!" Baba's shout boomed around us. "I have to leave or else I might kill you." He added with his chest falling and rising rapidly as Baba took deep breaths to calm himself. "I told you, I will kill anyone who will harm my son. Even if he is also my blood. You are lucky my son and wife cares about you. But I...I cannot take you anymore. I will take my wife and son away from you..." Baba turned to me. He grabbed my hand, "Yu ah, let's go..."
"Baba..." I let him pull me along.
"ZhuTuan!" Grampy followed hurriedly, blocking our path. "Son. I am sorry. I didn't mean..." Grampy said with regret and remorse on his face
"You are wrong," Baba said to Grampy in an emotionless tone. "You are no different from GrandPa. You are as cruel as him. Even more so. He murdered slaves, you...won't hesitate to destroy people. Even your own grandson. You are as bad as him. You are way worse than him. And I am ashamed to be your son." Baba ended that by spitting in Grampy's feet. "MiLen, follow us. Forget about our stuffs. I can buy more of them."
Baba pulled me out of the mansion. Grampy calling our names. But Baba is determined to leave. He puts me and Mama on the backseat of his car before taking the driver's seat. Baba then called for one of the security personnel on the mansion. "Open the gates or else I will crash this car on them. Do you understand?"
"Yes, Sir."
Baba drove the car. The engine roaring angrily, like what Baba is feeling. I looked back to see Grampy standing alone on the driveway, staring at us helplessly.
Mama took my hand while we are traveling on the highway. I gave her an apologetic look as I dettached the extensions on my hair. Mama even help me to combed my hair. She also caressed the cheek my grandfather struck.
Baba took us to a hotel. There, he called his bank to transfer money to the hotel so we can get a room. He also requested a cold compress to be taken to the assigned room to us.
Inside the room, Mama helped me press the compress on my struck cheek while Baba got busy calling people. "I hope it won't bruised..." Mama uttered soberly, sadness in her eyes.
"I am sorry, Mama." I apologized to her while we sat together on the bed. "Because of me, Baba decided to leave the mansion..."
"I am not sorry. I also cannot stay in the same house with a man who hit my son," Mama swept the hair hanging on my eyes. "Your hair are growing steadily, Yu ah. Will you really let it grow?"
"I don't know. I am still not sure..." I said honestly.
"Yu ah," Baba stood near us, "Have you eaten breakfast?"
I shook my head. "Qing also hasn't eaten yet. He went to his family to assess their reactions to that article."
"Well, stop thinking of Wang Qing for a moment and focus on yourself." Mama said as she stood up, "I will order room service. Eat breakfast here..."
"Have you eaten?" I asked my parents.
Baba sat on the place Mama vacated, "We already did. You know we keep early hours in that house..."
"Baba...I'm sorry..."
"No. Your Grampy chose to hurt you." Baba said, his face turning grim again.
"But I said those awful words to him. I was wrong too..."
"Even so...he has no right to hurt you like that. You were wrong...but for him to just hit you without hesitation. Your Grampy..." Baba got lost for words. "And I almost resorted to violence too..."
"But you managed to stop yourself," Mama said as she joined us again after ordering food. "That's what matters. You are not like your father or grandfather, ZhuTuan. You are not a cruel man who resorts to violence..."
"Because the two of you were there. Without the two of you...I am also not sure what I could have done to my own father..." Baba put a hand on his forehead as he look down.
I sighed. "The real problem is what to do with the two of you. You literally ran away from home with only a car and the clothes on your back..." I gave Baba a teasing grin. "Asst.Minister Feng, aren't you a little too old already to ran away from home, rebelliously like this?"
"What?" Baba's back straightened while Mama and I giggled at him. Baba shook his head in exasperation, "The two of you..."
"Yu is right," Mama sat on Baba's other side. "You are already too old to rebel like this. What will you do?"
"Stay here to cool off," Baba said. "MiLen, you and Yu can shop for things we will need while we are staying here. I think a week worth of clothes will be enough to last us for awhile."
"It's a good thing I ordered new suits to be made for you. They are about ready to be picked up from the dress shop." Mama said.
"You will need a lot. Toiletries, ties, shoes, socks and new phones. You left your phones and wallets in the mansion. Your cards..." I winced at the enormity of things my parents will need.
Baba sighed. Mama and I look at each other.
"Yu and I will take care of those things. I will prioritize getting you a new phone and wallet. Plus your cards and some ready cash." Mama said.
"I will go with Mama to shop for the things you will both need while staying here," I volunteered.
"Will you stay with us too, Yu ah?" Mama looked hopeful.
"I can't Mama. Besides, this is something new, you and Baba should enjoy this stow away experience together. Just the two of you," I said with a smile on them.
"Stop teasing us," Baba put a hand on my head to ruffle my hair. "Are you really okay?" He asked.
"No. Grampy is alone on that big house. Baba...Grampy is alone..." I felt tears gathering on my eyes and pity for my grandfather blooming in my heart.
"Oh Yu," Baba hugged me. "My good son," he caressed my hair. "But wait," he leaned out to gaze at me. "What do you mean when you said your Grampy hates the Wang because of the first woman he loved...what was that?"
I winced. My father finally remembered that bit. I took a deep breath and started telling them about what Qing heard and the meeting we had with Grampy yesterday.