CH 24

Chapter 24: Fighting Again

Of course, Yin Chang wouldn’t pull his teeth out. He only said that to scare Shao Junling because he wanted to make him feel a little afraid. However, it seems it wasn’t enough. Yin Chang never expected Teacher Lin to contact him again, let alone be crying during the phone call, about another problem so soon. Shao Junling had only been in school for half a day!

On this day, Yin Chang was on his way to the studio of a business partner in fashion to try on a new line of clothes when a phone call came through. After listening, he hung up the call and immediately called Lu Lingxuan: “I can’t go to the fashion studio today.”

Lu Lingxuan: “What? Why?”

Yin Chang: “I have to go to Shao Junling’s school.”

Lu Lingxuan wondered: “Didn’t you go there last night? Was there no solution?”

Yin Chang: “He got into trouble again this morning.”

“I see….” Since Lu Lingxuan had heard Yin Chang’s serious tone while on the phone, she fully understood his mood at the moment. After all, she also experienced a week alone with Shao Junling. She spoke up: “It’s not a formal shoot so a change of appointment shouldn’t matter.”

As Yin Chang turned the car around he said: “I’m really sorry. Please offer my apologies to them for me.”

Lu Lingxuan: “I know. We can make it up to them afterwards. First, handle Shao Junling’s affairs. Don’t worry so much and drive safely. Remember to watch out for paparazzi…”

Yin Chang hung up the phone.

Lu Lingxuan shook her head.  That little punk…… making trouble for his brother every day to worry about…..

Frowning, Yin Chang drove all the way to Dee-International with a growing feeling of frustration. When he arrived, he saw his younger brother waiting with the person he bullied, Xue Zi.

With expensive and fashionable clothes, the boy was clean-cut and had a delicate face. His red and puffy eyes gave evidence to his recent tears. Xue Zi’s sideways glance and pursed lips made him look like he had been wronged.

Since Yin Chang was very embarrassed over the issue, he walked past Shao Junling and touched the other boy’s head. With a soft and kind voice, Yin Chang asked: “Where does it hurt? I will apologize on behalf of my brother.”

Upon Yin Chang’s touch, Xue Zi looked up at him blankly. His eyes widened in shock for a moment and mumbled a few grunts before suddenly crying again.

Troubled, Yin Chang looked over at Teacher Lin for help.

Quickly, Teacher Lin took Xue Zi to the next room to comfort him. After a few minutes, she came back and approached Yin Chang. “Those two aren’t in a good place right now. When they meet, they fight. Yin Chang, I suggest you take your brother home for a few days to rest.”

Hearing her suggestion, Yin Chang almost couldn’t keep a straight face. “Sorry for all of the trouble I’ve caused you. I’ll take him home with me.”

Teacher Lin shook her head: “We didn’t handle their relationship well. The faults lie on all sides. In short, we need to let the two of them calm down before they talk again. I will also talk with Xue Zi a second time and let you know what progress I’ve made.”

Yin Chang led the guiltless Shao Junling into the car. On the way home, with a calm expression, Shao Junling sat in the passenger seat without a care in the world. It seemed; he hadn’t reflected on his past actions. As Yin Chang noticed his unyielding attitude that was care-free, he gripped the steering wheel even tighter causing his knuckles to turn white.

Even though the journey home was silent, when they arrived at home and walked through the front door, Yin Chang burst in anger: “What’s the matter with you!?”

Eyes widening in surprise, Shao Junling was taken back by Yin Chang’s loud demand. He was confused.

Yin Chang tried to suppress his rage but it was like someone poured fuel to a fire and he couldn’t contain it anymore: “Scratch people, bite people… What is wrong with you?”

He walked around the room irritably: “I just told you last night of the consequences! Do you not understand?”

Shao Junling stood in place and did not respond.

Fuming, Yin Chang was so angry that he took off his jacket roughly and threw it on the sofa. He continued his lecture: “How can you not know how to cherish such a good school and teacher!?”

His gaze swept across Shao Junling’s face from time to time to examine his expressions. He was trying to see if any guilt was evident on Shao Junling face. As long as a little bit of remorse was expressed, Yin Chang would be satisfied and would be able to calm down. Yin Chang was patient and could teach him slowly.

But no. Not only did Yin Junling not seem guilty, he held an expression of irritation, like he had been accused of something for no reason.

The amount of stress that Yin Chang could handle approached his limit. When he witnessed Shao Junling’s lack of remorse, he was completely consumed with his own anger and negative emotions that, without thinking, he blurted out: “If I knew you would be so difficult to manage, I should never have brought you back!!”

The previous emotionless Shao Junling suddenly reacted. He turned to look at Yin Chang with eyes wide open. He trembled slightly than  appeared hurt. Slowly, water formed at the corner of his eyes.

In an instant, Yin Chang regretted it. However, the words had already been spoken and as a result, although it was with himself, Yin Chang was angry again. Whether it was because of his male ego or because he was older, he was unwilling to apologize first.

Shao Junling’s shocked expression quickly turned from injury to stubbornness.

Looking at Shao Junling’s slightly hostile demeanor, Yin Chang could not help conjuring up the image of a cold-blooded, high-IQ criminals on American TV dramas; emotionless, violent and disobedient. The more Yin Chang thought about the similarities, the more alarmed he felt.

This time he absolutely couldn’t give in. He must set firm rules for Shao Junling before he grew up and left the house. Otherwise, if something were to happen, Yin Chang would forever regret it.

Like the showdown in an American western movie, the two stared at each other to sized each other up. Both stubborn, neither was willing to soften up and give in first. However, in the end, Shao Junling lowered his head. As he blinked, two tears fell.

Witnessing his submission, Yin Chang breathed a sigh of relief. Just when he thought he had won the final victory, Shao Junling suddenly clenched his fist and rushed to the door near the elevator.

Since Shao Junling didn’t have a key to use the elevator, he was only able to use the stairs near the elevator to leave.

In shock, Yin Chang didn’t react at first and remained frozen. Soon though, he quickly gained his senses and chased after him. When he arrived at the door, he only heard a whirlwind of footsteps from the stairwell. Shao Junling was running down the stairs.

“…Shao Junling!”

…..This is the fucking 18th floor! ! !

Yin Chang hurried into the elevator and rode it down to the lobby. When the elevator doors opened, Shao Junling was nowhere in sight. In a rush, he moved over to the stairwell’s door, opened it and shouted Shao Junling’s name. However, Yin Chang only heard his own voice echo in the empty stairwell.

***

At three o’clock in the afternoon, Yao Manhuai called Yin Chang when she returned from her business trip. At that time, Yin Chang’s anger was at its peak and yelled: “I don’t want to take care of him anymore! There’s something wrong with him! Yesterday he bit a classmate and today he hit the boy. He never bothered to apologize! Even though I’ve been taking care of him, he dares get angry with me! How could there be such a child!”

Holding the phone to her ear, Yao Manhuai calmly listened to Yin Chang’s rant. For all of this time Yin Chang has been home in China, she has never witnessed such outrage from him. She quickly glanced at the caller ID to ensure she was on the phone with Yin Chang. Placing the phone back to her ear she commented: “You calm down first.”

Yin Chang frantically exclaimed: “How can I calm down? He’s gone!”

Yao Manhuai was also startled when she heard him: “What do you mean, missing? Where did he go?”

Yin Chang looked around anxiously: “He ran away and I don’t know where he is now! I looked around for him, but he’s disappeared!”

For most of the day, Yin Chang looked for him. He went up and down in the stairwell no less than ten times. He also went to the building’s security department to look at video footage, but not a trace of Shao Junling was found. It’s like the boy disappeared out of thin air. There weren’t even any clues to his whereabouts.

Yao Manhuai questioned him: “Why did he run away?”

Even though it was early autumn, Yin Chang was only wearing a thin T-shirt. After all the frantic running around, his shirt stuck to him as he was all sweaty. Yin Chang was so tired that he sat on the outer steps of their building, breathing hard, trying to calm himself down. When he found his breath, he quickly told Yao Manhuai what had happened earlier.

After hearing Yin Chang’s explanation, Yao Manhuai practically collapsed.  “No matter how disobedient Shao Junling was, you can never say that to him!”

Holding his head in one hand, Yin Chang’s desperate voice was tired and hoarse: “I was just so angry at the time!”

Partly because of his guilt, Yin Chang continued to feel angry. If he had just maintained his cool, Shao Junling wouldn’t have run away…..

Thinking about the situation, Yao Manhuai asked: “He is still so young. Even if he runs fast, shouldn’t you be able to catch him?”

“I took the elevator down……” Watching him run tirelessly while playing on the treadmill at the gym in the past, Yin Chang knew exactly how fast Shao Junling could effortlessly run.

“What about the surveillance footage?” Yao Manhuai asked. “With his small size, was it possible for him to run outside from the community undetected?”

When Yin Chang heard Yao Manhuai’s question, he immediately got up at walked briskly towards the garage: “I’ll drive to the Welfare Institute and see if Shao Junling went there.”

Since the Welfare Home was nearly an hour’s drive from the Huaihe Apartment complex, it wasn’t likely that Shao Junling would be there. However, Yin Chang had to try something. Thinking about the words that he shouted at Shao Junling before he ran away…what if he really went back?

Now with a headache, Yao Manhuai squeezed her temples. She said: “Well, I will head over to your apartment complex now and help search for him in the vicinity.”

After instructing the security guards at the gate, Yin Chang drove away. An hour later, he arrived without success. He called Yao Manhuai to let her know his status. As he returned home, he scanned the nearby areas. He couldn’t help but pull over and stop when he saw a child of about the same size and height as Shao Junling. He had really hoped it was him and that, he could end his worries by jumping into the crowd and grabbing him.

If Shao Junling was really gone, what should he do? Call the police?

If that happened, the scandal would make the headlines. “Shao Junling runs away from the Yin family home!” It took a long time previously for the PR team to sway the masses and calm public opinion from the previous media debacle. The image he finally established would instantly shatter. Thinking thus, Yin Chang felt like his head was about to explode.

…. God, what kind of trouble did I get myself in!

Just as Yin Chang was about to burst, Teacher Lin from Dee International called.

Seeing the caller ID, he thought it was possible for Shao Junling to go to school. He immediately got back in his car. He answered the phone: “Hello? Teacher Lin?”

“Yin Chang, we have found out why Shao Junling hit Xue Zi.” Teacher Lin sighed and apologized, “We misunderstood the situation.”

Sitting in the car, Yin Chang narrowed his brow in thought and asked: “What’s going on?”

Teacher Lin: ” Basically, I have grasped the situation. I’ve talked to the other children who were near them at the time in addition to speaking with Xue Zi today. Yesterday, Xue Zi brought the latest issue of the magazine “New People” to school. Since his uncle was in the magazine, he showed it off to everyone. Not knowing your brother was on the cover, he had said something bad in front of Shao Junling.”

Yin Chang was taken back: “What was said? Was it really that bad?”

Teacher Lin was a little embarrassed: “I won’t elaborate on the details. In short, Xue Zi repeated something his uncle had said. This point, Xue Zi has confessed to me. Shao Junling started fighting with him to protect you. Xue Zi also had hit Shao Junling and as a result, Shao Junling bit him.”

Yin Chang was rather surprised and asked: “What about today? What happened this morning?”

“In retaliation, Xue Zi persuaded two of his friends to make trouble for Shao Junling as well. The other children also confessed to their wrong doings.” Teacher Lin thought about yesterday’s conversation and added: “But don’t worry, Shao Junling didn’t bite anyone today.”

Yin Chang: “……”

Teacher Lin: “Don’t blame Shao Junling too much. I will communicate with Xue Zi’s parents about the situation. The responsibility will be borne by the school. We will monitor the relationship between the boys and hopefully they will be able to restore their friendship. In addition, Shao Junling hasn’t been home for more than a week. He may be even missing you more now than ever. Since the day after tomorrow is the weekend, it doesn’t matter if he goes back to school or not so if he wants to stay at home, let him.”

——————

【Vignette】

Xue Zi open up the magazine of “New People” to the page with his uncle’s photo and excitedly showed it off to Shao Junling: “This is my uncle. He’s so handsome!”

Shao Junling closed his book and pointed to the cover. His eyes glowed: “No. This is handsome.”

Xue Zi asked: “No way. He’s not good. I don’t like him! My uncle said that this man was worthless and only used his father’s name to get into the business.”

Shao Junling brought his fist up: “Who are you calling worthless!”

Xue Zi asked with a bewildered face: “…Whaaa!” (兀口兀)

***

Xue Zi’s mental activity when he saw Yin Chang:  — Why is he, that nasty guy who bit me, bringing over the deity from the cover of the magazine to lecture me! To rub salt in my wounds? He was just so angry! (兀口兀)

Yin Chang: His classmate must have suffered a great deal of grievance since he is crying to me. I feel so sorry for him….  (never knowing of how ill Xue Zi spoke of him behind his back).

***

Yin Chang: Who taught you to bite and scratch people?

Shao Junling: Wild cats.

Yin Chang:…