Chapter 35: The Wicked Mother

Huayang Grand Hotel.

This was the place Chai Jin had chosen to meet Guo Rufeng, reserving a private room. He had not told Chai Minguo about this meeting, but Chai Fang insisted on coming, so he brought her along.

During the wait, Chai Jin stood by the glass window of the private room and saw Guo Rufeng. Memories from his previous life came flooding back.

That year, after his sisters had been sold, he had tracked down the news. He found Guo Rufeng and knelt before her, begging her to lend him twenty yuan for travel expenses. Her coldness and indifference were something he would never forget.

Later, he pleaded several more times, until one day Guo Rufeng’s husband and her stepson gave him a vicious beating in the street. He lost several teeth.

It was pouring rain that day, and after the beating, the family stood in front of their house, looking at him with contempt—a scene that would follow him all his life.

This was his own biological mother.

How could she stand by and watch her own flesh and blood be beaten like that? How could she remain unmoved after learning that her two daughters had been sold?

Was there really a mother in this world with such a heart of stone?

Now, after all these years and two lifetimes, meeting again brought a surge of anger that Chai Jin could barely contain. He closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and forced himself to calm down.

At the entrance of the hotel, Guo Rufeng’s husband Deng Anzhi and her stepson Deng Tao arrived as well. After some back-and-forth downstairs, Guo Rufeng finally entered the hotel, leading her young son by the hand.

A few minutes later, mother and son entered the private room.

As soon as she stepped in, Guo Rufeng greeted them with a display of overwrought emotion, “Fangfang, Jinjing.”

She even dabbed at her eyes, squeezing out a few tears.

Chai Jin remained calm, saying nothing, merely sitting quietly. But this act worked well on Chai Fang, who quickly called out, “Mom.”

Guo Rufeng, convinced this reunion would end with tears and reconciliation, already saw in her mind the next steps: mending the relationship, becoming the lady boss at her son’s factory, and so on—a life suddenly filled with sunshine.

Thinking of this, she suddenly remembered Chai Minguo and cursed him in her heart, “Useless man, spent his whole life getting nowhere, and in the end still needs the son I bore him to gain some dignity. Trying to stop me from reuniting with my son? Selfish and disgusting, wanting to keep the good life all to yourself.”

As these thoughts swirled through her mind, the cold voice of Chai Jin broke in. “Let’s order. This meal is on me.”

“Ah, all right,” Guo Rufeng replied, her tone a touch ingratiating—nothing like that of a mother.

This restaurant was one of the best in Yuanping County; naturally, the prices were high. Guo Rufeng had never set foot in such an upscale place before. She paused when she saw the prices on the menu. “Jinjing, can I order whatever I want?”

Chai Jin nodded. “As you like.”

“Good.” Guo Rufeng was very pleased. “Child, I always knew you were the most filial. Your little brother always asks what abalone tastes like when he sees it on TV—today his big brother is making his wish come true.”

The “little brother” she spoke of was the small boy sitting beside her, who resembled his father, with narrow eyes, a flat nose, and high cheekbones. He was also exceedingly rude; he hadn’t greeted anyone when he entered—a spoiled, ill-mannered child, plain to see.

Seeing his mother ordering, he showed no restraint. He clamored for this and that.

Guo Rufeng, noting Chai Jin’s silence, seemed to fancy herself the mother of a great entrepreneur, sitting more upright, and ordered seven or eight dishes in one go.

When the waiter arrived, she even put on airs, instructing, “Serve the dishes quickly. My son hasn’t eaten all morning.”

The waiter smiled politely and turned to Chai Jin. “Mr. Chai, is there anything else you need?”

Chai Jin smiled. “No, just bring the food.”

“Very well.”

The waiter left and closed the door behind him.

As soon as the door shut, Guo Rufeng’s crocodile tears welled up again. She dabbed her eyes and sighed, “Those were hard times, truly. I had no choice. I only wanted to go out and earn some money to provide for you.”

“But you know what a stubborn man your father was—he wouldn’t let me come home. I had no choice but to marry someone else.”

If Chai Jin remembered the letters from his previous life correctly, Chai Minguo had begged this woman to return home.

His expression remained calm. “It’s all right. Those were hard times for everyone.”

“Did you have something you wanted to discuss? I heard you’ve been to Aunt Bai’s place many times?”

This made Guo Rufeng a little uncomfortable. Weren’t they already reconciled mother and son? Why was he still so distant?

She put on the airs of an elder, reproving, “What are you saying? You’re my own flesh and blood—of course I come to find you.”

“Of course,” Chai Jin replied coolly, taking a sip of water.

Chai Fang, kind-hearted, spoke up. What child doesn’t miss their mother? “Mom, how have you been?”

This was exactly the question Guo Rufeng was waiting for. She had rehearsed her response countless times. With a heavy sigh, she replied, “Not so well.”

“These are hard times—the factories are shutting down everywhere, workers are losing their jobs. Your uncle lost his job too.”

“And now your uncle’s son is getting married, making a terrible fuss every day.”

“It’s not much, really—just an apartment and ten thousand yuan as a bride price.”

“But we just can’t come up with it. They’re driving your uncle and me to despair.”

She finished with a series of mournful sighs.

She expected that her son would be worried about her hardship and, eager to help his mother, would immediately offer the money.

But to her chagrin, Chai Jin remained silent. The dishes began to arrive, and he simply ate, as if none of this concerned him. It was as though he were watching a play, his face expressionless.

Chai Fang was puzzled by her brother’s demeanor. She could hardly bear it—her brows knitted, and she was about to offer to help their mother.

But just as she was about to speak, she felt Chai Jin tug her sleeve under the table, stopping her.

“Brother, you…”

“Let’s eat. The abalone here is quite good—delicious, really. Sis, you haven’t tried it, have you? Let me get you a piece.”

He turned the glass lazy Susan. But before it had gone far, Hanhan—a little boy—slapped his palm down forcefully to stop it, glaring furiously at Chai Jin.

Chai Jin glanced at him indifferently, then picked up a piece of abalone for Chai Fang and another for himself.

Hanhan wouldn’t have it. He burst into loud tears, pointing at Chai Jin in outrage, “Mama, he ate my abalone!”

“How could he do that? How can a grown-up bully a child?”

“Waaah, that was my abalone!”