The farr didn’t chase after them, as the two of them ran up the slope and stood there looking down. They could still see the farr pointing his shovel at Jing Changle, the threat unmistakably clear.
"Who are they?" Luo Yirui asked while panting.
Jing Changle’s face was full of resentnt as he replied, "He’s my grandfather’s son."
Grandfather’s son?
This description was quite odd, but upon reflection, it made sense.
"What’s the story, really?" Luo Yirui felt this must be a complicated matter.
Jing Changle simply sat down on the slope, and Luo Yirui sat down beside him.
He had a blade of grass in his mouth, speaking slowly, "I told you I was an orphan, right? I was taken in by my grandfather. At that ti, my grandfather’s son, the man you just saw, only had a daughter at ho. They always wanted a son, but every ti they checked, it was always a girl, so they’d abort and try again. I ca into their ho during that period, and they were quite happy then, deciding to take as their son."
Jing Changle was silent for a mont, then continued, "I stayed for over four years, and when I was four years old, the man’s wife got pregnant again. This ti they checked, and it was a boy. Ever since finding out it was a boy, the way they looked at changed."
Upon hearing this, Luo Yirui understood. Clearly, after having a son, the family no longer wanted Jing Changle. But it shouldn’t lead to such hatred, right?
"Once, I fell down and hurt my head. Before, they’d always bring for a tetanus shot, but not this ti. The woman even pointed at and cursed, saying it was bad luck, that she shouldn’t see blood while pregnant, and insisted on sending away to avoid affecting the child inside her."
Jing Changle chuckled coldly, "Not long after that, she turned around and fell down hard, losing the baby in her belly."
It was expected that Jing Changle would be the scapegoat for the so-called bad luck. The loss of the child was naturally blad on him, and the man and his wife went mad wanting to beat him to death!
Staying in that household was no longer possible for Jing Changle, so he had to leave on his own. But the village was so small, everyone had their own family and livelihood, no one could take in a child.
At that ti, Jing Changle was over four years old, unable to live independently.
Jing Changle rembered that his grandfather had a huge fight with that man, then took him away, gathering a few village laborers to build a wooden house on the hill. They lived there for several years.
Jing Changle would soon be seven, and mories of those tis were still vivid.
So that’s why that family hated Jing Changle so much. But it seed like the woman found an excuse for herself. She fell by accident, and the child was a son. If she didn’t find a scapegoat, who knows how the man would treat her!
To say Jing Changle’s bleeding was bad luck was just an excuse to send him away. As long as there are children at ho, who can guarantee no accidents?
Everyone understood, but no one would speak up and offend others.
Jing Changle was quite content, moving to this hill and avoiding people’s temperants.
"Grandfather didn’t get along with them either. The man often snapped at grandfather impatiently. Grandfather said he regretted having this son; after his wife passed away, he was left alone and always had to watch his son’s face."
At the ti, Jing Changle didn’t really understand that feeling, of a son being cold and impatient with his father. And even now, he didn’t fully grasp it, but he could see that his grandfather was deeply saddened.
Later, Jing Changle returned a few tis. Grandfather’s health was poor; he always had issues. As a child without money, Jing Changle could only go back to find that man, but each ti he would be beaten and thrown out, being told that after the old man left, they severed all ties and there was no need to ask for money!
"Such an ingrate!" Luo Yirui said angrily.
Jing Changle’s face showed sadness, "Because we had no money, grandfather’s health kept deteriorating. Then I went out to work, but I was too young and couldn’t get hired. Later, I t a group of people who said I could earn a lot of money, so I followed them. You’ve guessed it, I was trafficked, and that’s how I t you."
Jing Changle smiled, "Luckily, I t you, or else I’d have died outside, and wouldn’t be able to co back and be with grandfather."
Luo Yirui nodded but didn’t speak, no wonder he showed such longing, only to refuse his mother in the end.
"Let’s go, I need to get dication for grandfather. Doctor Sun said, if he keeps taking the dicine, grandfather will get better," Jing Changle said with a smile.
Luo Yirui watched Jing Changle’s smile but saw the helplessness and panic in his eyes.
Upon reaching the small house, Jing Changle called inside, "Grandfather, I’m going to get dicine!"
Then he called out to Luo Yirui to leave, suddenly recalling sothing, "Forget your encounter, better not go to the big village. I’ll go get the dicine and inquire about the situation for you."
Initially, Luo Yirui didn’t trust people very much, but after that bowl of rice, he told Jing Changle the reason behind it.
Upon hearing how the police were after him, Jing Changle was shocked and quickly deduced that those people must have wanted to catch Luo Yirui and threaten his parents!
When Luo Yirui heard Jing Changle’s views matching his own, he was pleased.
"You wait inside; I’ll be back shortly," Jing Changle said.
Luo Yirui nodded and went inside, but soon ran out in a panic, shouting towards Jing Changle, who was almost at the top of the slope, "Jing Changle co back, your grandfather, your grandfather he..."
Upon hearing this, Jing Changle dashed down frantically, plunging straight into the small house.
Luo Yirui followed closely and went inside, seeing Jing Changle kneeling by the wooden bed, watching the old man struggle to open his eyes.
"Grandfather, what’s wrong?" Jing Changle asked with a trembling voice.
The old man smiled wryly and said, "Child, I’m going."
Originally, when Jing Changle heard the old man speak, he was happy, but hearing these words left him stunned, "Grandfather is leaving? Where is grandfather going? Doesn’t grandfather want Lele anymore?"
He didn’t understand what grandfather ant by leaving, but instinctively, it wasn’t good.
The old man shook his head, saying just one sentence had exhausted all his strength. He had much he wished to share with the child, but now it seed all those words might be buried underground.
"Your... real na... is Jing Changle, rember that... and..." The old man opened his mouth, seemingly trying to breathe.
Jing Changle could not worry about anything else, he cried out loudly, turned and hugged Luo Yirui shouting, "Save my grandfather! Save my grandfather!"
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