Chapter 90: His Childhood

By late morning the next day, Yao Jia set off to meet Meng Yutang, following the address he had given her.

She had heard that the retirement home where Meng Yutang lived was no ordinary place; only those with substantial wealth could afford to retire there.

Upon entering this luxurious retirement haven, she truly realized just how extraordinary it was.

This was no mere “home” for the elderly; it was a community of retirement villas.

Almost every resident had their own villa, with ponds, pavilions, squares, and various facilities scattered between them.

Life here was peaceful and detached from worldly concerns.

Yao Jia immediately fell in love with the place. She realized that living a life free from worldly worries required a certain level of wealth. If Meng Yutang hadn’t worked hard in his youth to build his fortune, he wouldn’t be able to enjoy such a serene and affluent retirement now.

Yao Jia arrived early on purpose to avoid inconveniencing Meng Yutang and his wife, Jiang Rui, by making them come out to meet her.

She walked around the traditional pavilions and towers, eventually finding the villa where Meng Yutang and Jiang Rui lived.

After ringing the doorbell, Jiang Rui came to answer.

This was Yao Jia’s first time meeting Meng Xingzhe’s mother. She had assumed Meng Xingzhe’s good looks came from Meng Yutang, but seeing Jiang Rui, she was stunned to realize that Meng Xingzhe owed much of his handsome appearance to his mother.

Faced with this fairy-like, beautiful woman, Yao Jia didn’t dare to greet her rashly, fearing she might startle her.

Instead, the fairy-like aunt smiled warmly, took her hand, and said kindly, “You must be Xiao Yaojia? What a pretty young lady! I’m Meng Xingzhe’s mom. You can call me Aunt Jiang!” Noticing Yao Jia carrying a bunch of things, she feigned displeasure, though her tone remained gentle. “Xiao Yaojia, next time, don’t be so formal! Just having you here is enough; why bring so many things?” She suddenly smiled and said, “But I think the wine you brought is delicious. I’ll sneak a sip!” She winked at Yao Jia.

Yao Jia blushed slightly, thinking how beautiful and adorable this aunt was. She thought, wow, Meng Xingzhe has a fairy for a mother.

She also thought that such a beautiful and gentle fairy should be cherished at home, lest she be disrespected or bullied outside.

Jiang Rui affectionately led Yao Jia inside by the hand.

Lunch wasn’t ready yet; today’s chef, Meng Yutang, was still busy in the kitchen. Jiang Rui sat with Yao Jia on the sofa, chatting with her warmly.

While chatting, Jiang Rui examined Yao Jia closely, looking more and more satisfied, her eyes crinkling with her smile. Yao Jia was almost embarrassed by the fairy aunt’s gaze.

Soon, Meng Yutang finished cooking the last dish and called the two from the sofa to the table.

Yao Jia looked at the table full of delicious dishes prepared by Meng Yutang and could only exclaim “Wow” and “Oh my god” in amazement. Her genuine admiration pleased Meng Yutang, who was so delighted that he even brought out his cherished wine to share with her.

The three of them started eating. Meng Yutang poured wine for himself and Yao Jia. Jiang Rui pleaded with Meng Yutang to pour her some too. Meng Yutang reluctantly poured her half a glass, saying, “Just this much, no more! Otherwise, you’ll drink too much and start singing wildly outside again!”

Jiang Rui turned to Yao Jia and winked, “Your uncle is exaggerating, don’t believe him!”

Meng Yutang shook his head with a smile.

Yao Jia thought, wow, I haven’t even started eating, and I already feel full from this middle-aged couple’s affection!

After a toast, they began to eat and chat more freely. Meng Yutang smiled at Yao Jia and said, “Yao Jia, do you know, the day you all went to the countryside, I was so curious to see Meng Xingzhe’s reaction when he returned from the countryside—”

Jiang Rui continued seamlessly, “We both hid at Little Meng Xing’s house, waiting for half the night!”

Meng Yutang added, “When Meng Xingzhe came home in the middle of the night, your Aunt Jiang and I almost died laughing!”

Jiang Rui took over again, gently saying, “Your Uncle Meng jumped up, filming Little Meng Xing with his phone, saying: ‘Son, did you fall into a mud pit? Tell Dad how you fell, make Dad happy!'”

Yao Jia couldn’t help but burst into laughter.

Such a wonderful pair of parents, such a wonderful son, such a wonderful family.

As she laughed, Meng Yutang and Jiang Rui joined in.

After this bout of laughter, any remaining awkwardness or reserve Yao Jia felt with these unfamiliar elders dissipated. She felt relaxed and at ease sitting with them.

They continued eating for a while.

When they were almost done, Yao Jia saw Meng Yutang turn to Jiang Rui and ask gently, “Honey, are you full? If so, I want to tell Yao Jia about the past.”

Yao Jia saw Jiang Rui nod lightly, “Yes, I’m full.”

The next moment, Jiang Rui turned to Yao Jia and said, “Xiao Yaojia, Aunt Jiang has a dance practice with some friends, so I won’t be keeping you company now!”

Before leaving, she held Yao Jia’s hand again, full of affection, “Wonderful! You must come visit Aunt Jiang often! We can drink and sing together!”

After she left, Meng Yutang asked Yao Jia, “Xiao Yaojia, did Meng Xingzhe upset you again while you were in the countryside?”

Yao Jia quickly replied, “No, no!”

Meng Yutang smiled at her, “That boy has many flaws.” After a pause, he asked, “Do you know why Meng Xingzhe has so many flaws? There’s a reason for it, something happened when he was a child.”

Yao Jia’s eyes widened in response. She had a feeling this was related to Meng Xingzhe’s fear of the dark, dogs, and ants.

She heard Meng Yutang say, “Uncle wants to tell you what happened to Meng Xingzhe when he was young, but it’s a rather tragic story. Your Aunt Jiang has a soft heart and can’t bear to relive it, so I sent her off to dance with her friends. Let’s chat, just the two of us!”

On the verge of uncovering Meng Xingzhe’s most hidden past, Yao Jia felt an inexplicable heaviness and tension. She almost held her breath, listening as Meng Yutang peeled back the layers of dusty memories, carefully recounting the past.

“Meng Xingzhe wasn’t always this flawed and annoying,” Meng Yutang began with a smile, winking at Yao Jia. “When he was little, he was a warm-hearted and adorable little angel.”

Yao Jia couldn’t help but smile at Meng Yutang’s description.

“When he was young, I was running a business, and it was quite successful. Our family was wealthy, and he lived well. You could say he was a young master from a rich family. But what’s rare is that even at a young age, he had a lot of empathy and compassion. He wasn’t one to flaunt his wealth; he was a kind and empathetic child who would find ways to help less fortunate kids. Doesn’t that sound unbelievable? His current personality is completely opposite to how he was as a child.”

Yao Jia nodded. It truly was completely opposite.

“When he was seven, one day while playing outside, Meng Xingzhe saw a little boy crying. The boy was from a single-parent family; his father had brought him from the countryside to find work. They lived in a nearby shantytown slated for demolition, and Meng Xingzhe often played with him. That day, Meng Xingzhe asked why he was crying. The boy said his father had lost his job, their money had been stolen, and his father had fallen ill from worry. They had no money for treatment and could only lie at home waiting for death. That foolish boy, Meng Xingzhe, came home and begged me to help his little friend and his father.”

Yao Jia let out a soft “ah.” It was hard to imagine someone as helpful and warm-hearted as Meng Xingzhe could accomplish such a thing.

“In this world, there are two people’s requests I can’t refuse: one is my son’s mother, and the other is my wife’s son. So, I agreed to Meng Xingzhe’s request and helped that father and son. I let the boy’s father work at my house, helping with chores and taking the child to and from school. For convenience, I even paid to transfer the boy to Meng Xingzhe’s school.”

Meng Yutang sighed at this point. Yao Jia thought this sigh must be foreshadowing some twist.

“But you wouldn’t believe how unpredictable some people’s hearts can be. I helped that man—let’s call him ‘Evil’ for convenience. I let Evil stay at my house to help with chores and paid him a generous salary. But guess what?”

Meng Yutang asked Yao Jia, whose heart sank.

“Did he repay kindness with betrayal?”

Meng Yutang laughed, a mocking smile on his face.

“Yes, he repaid kindness with betrayal. The boy’s father stayed at my house for a long time, felt we were wealthy, and became increasingly unbalanced. He started stealing money and items from my house. One time, while stealing a watch I’d left on my desk, he was accidentally seen by Meng Xingzhe. Fearing exposure, he knocked Meng Xingzhe unconscious.”

Yao Jia felt a scream stuck in her throat, unable to come out, and shivered all over.

“What happened next?” She knew Meng Xingzhe was fine, that he survived. Yet, she couldn’t help but tremble at the unknown ordeal he must have faced.

Meng Yutang’s lips curled into a bitter, weathered smile.

“Later, that man suddenly told me he had urgent matters back home and quit, taking his child back to the countryside. That evening, after he left, Meng Xingzhe didn’t come home. I felt something was wrong and reported it to the police. Initially, I didn’t suspect Evil. The police asked if anything unusual had happened recently. I said nothing unusual, just that a helper had quit and returned to the countryside.

“The police said that was unusual. They went to the countryside overnight, found Evil, and conducted a thorough investigation with repeated questioning. Evil eventually couldn’t withstand the pressure and confessed. The police asked where he had hidden the child. Yao Jia, do you know what he said? He told the police, me, and your Aunt Jiang that he had accidentally killed the child and, in fear, disposed of the body.”

Yao Jia gasped, her whole body trembling. She couldn’t imagine the despair Meng Yutang and Jiang Rui felt upon hearing such terrible news. She suddenly understood why Jiang Rui couldn’t recount this past.

“Upon hearing this, your Aunt Jiang fainted on the spot. I nearly collapsed too, but I knew I had to hold on. At the very least, I needed to know where my child’s body was. I asked Evil where he had disposed of the body. Can you guess his reaction?”

Yao Jia thought for a moment and said, “Repentance?”

Meng Yutang laughed, a harsh and weary sound. “Child, you haven’t seen enough of the world to understand how sinister people’s hearts can be. I asked Evil to tell me where he disposed of the body, but he laughed and said, ‘Seeing you all in such pain now makes me feel great. Even if I’m sentenced to death, I accept it! Why should you have money? Why should you be so happy just because you’re rich? Why should I, being poor, be inferior and have to work for you every day?'”

Yao Jia felt a chill run through her. This was like the farmer saving the snake.

“At that moment, I realized that money isn’t a good thing. I prayed to the heavens, saying if Meng Xingzhe could return to me, if I could enjoy the joy of family with him, I would give up all my wealth, stop doing business, stop being rich. I would fulfill any of Meng Xingzhe’s wishes, just to have my child back!”

Yao Jia’s eyes filled with tears.

“I told Evil I was willing to give him all my money if he would tell me where he disposed of the body. Evil said it was useless to know because he had locked the child’s body with a dog, and the child had long been fed to the dog.”

Yao Jia felt the world spinning, her body shivering uncontrollably. Even knowing Meng Xingzhe was eventually fine and grew up safely, her heart ached, and her throat felt suffocated.

“Why was he so cruel?” she asked, her voice and body trembling.

“He wanted the dog to eat the body, to destroy the evidence, so no one could trace it back to him,” Meng Yutang explained.

Yao Jia took a deep breath, trying to calm herself. Then, in a hoarse voice, she asked, “Uncle, what happened next? How was Meng Xingzhe found?”

Meng Yutang poured her a glass of water, comforting her, “Child, drink some water. It’s all over now.”

Yao Jia’s hands shook as she held the glass, sipping water and choking on it.

Once she calmed down, Meng Yutang continued, “Later, the police used various methods and finally got the location out of him. It was actually in a cellar in the abandoned shantytown where he used to live. That area was being demolished, and no one lived there. After throwing Meng Xingzhe into the cellar, he drove a stray large dog in, then returned to my house, resigned, and went back to the countryside.”

“Once we knew the location, we rushed to the shantytown and found the cellar. Your Aunt Jiang and I thought the child was gone. We were like walking corpses, only thinking about giving the child a proper burial. But guess what? When we opened the cellar, we saw that Meng Xingzhe was still alive!”

Yao Jia felt a rush of warmth and tears fill her eyes and nose.

“Later, Meng Xingzhe told me that when he woke up after being knocked out, he didn’t know where he was. It was pitch black, the air was damp and oppressive, and ants crawled all over him. He said he was so scared he couldn’t even cry. Then he noticed two blood-red dots looking at him in the darkness. As they came closer, he realized it was a vicious dog.”

Yao Jia shivered uncontrollably. At that moment, she felt a newfound fear of dogs.

“Meng Xingzhe said he fought the dog with all his might. He took off his pants and managed to tie the dog’s mouth shut. Although the dog quickly broke free, it bought him some time to climb up the cellar.”

Yao Jia thought, young Meng Xingzhe was so brave and clever.

“You might not have seen a cellar,” Meng Yutang said to Yao Jia, gesturing as he spoke. “A cellar is deep, with a narrow passage for going up and down, just wide enough for a ladder and a person. At the bottom, it opens into a large space, like a room for storage. This narrow passage gave Meng Xingzhe more room to survive. He climbed up the passage, spreading his arms and legs to brace himself, keeping the dog from reaching him.”

Yao Jia imagined the terrifying scene.

Little Meng Xingzhe, arms spread wide, holding himself up, with a vicious dog below him barking and jumping, trying to bite him; the darkness all around, with only the dog’s eyes glowing a fierce, blood-red; ants crawling up the walls, onto his limbs, his face…

Yao Jia closed her eyes. It was all too terrifying and hopeless.

When she opened her eyes, she asked Meng Yutang, “Even if it was a shantytown being demolished, wasn’t there anyone passing by who could have found him?”

Meng Yutang gave a bitter smile and said, “In hindsight, it might have been better that no one passed by. After Meng Xingzhe was rescued, he told me that two people had actually passed through the shantytown. When he heard their laughter, he shouted for help.”

“And then?” Yao Jia asked eagerly.

“Then one of them said, ‘Don’t go over there, it might be a ghost.’ Meng Xingzhe shouted loudly that he wasn’t a ghost and begged them to save him. At that moment, the dog started barking, its cries were eerie. The other person said, ‘Today is the Ghost Festival, let’s just leave. The child’s voice and the dog’s barking are too frightening.’ Meng Yutang paused and said, ‘So, they just walked away like that.'”

Yao Jia’s heart sank heavily. She agreed with Meng Yutang that it would have been better if those two had never appeared. They gave Meng Xingzhe a glimmer of hope, only to leave him even more despondent—at the moment he needed help the most, when he was desperately pleading for his life, he received none. How utterly disheartened and hopeless must he have felt at that time?

Yao Jia thought she finally understood why Meng Xingzhe repeatedly said that helping others was never a virtue for him, but a way to bring misfortune upon himself. He had been hurt too deeply.

“Later, he couldn’t hold on any longer. When he came out, he told me he felt so tired and sad, he thought it might be better to just die. Then he let go and fell into the cellar.”

“The vicious dog immediately ran to his side and bit down on his leg.”

Yao Jia felt her heart twist painfully.

“When we arrived, we lifted the cellar lid, and through the light, we saw Meng Xingzhe lying below, covered in blood, with the dog tearing at his leg. Your Aunt Jiang almost fainted again. At that moment, Meng Xingzhe weakly called out to us from below.

“He said, ‘Dad, Mom, it hurts so much.'”

Tears rolled down Yao Jia’s cheeks.

She felt it too, the pain.

— Translator’s Notes —

• Ghost Festival: The Ghost Festival (also known as the Hungry Ghost Festival or Zhongyuan Festival) is a traditional Chinese Buddhist and Taoist festival observed on the 15th day of the seventh lunar month. It is believed that the gates of hell open, allowing spirits of the deceased to roam the earth, and people avoid disturbing them or venturing into eerie places during this time.