Chapter 200 – What do you mean it’s gone?
As it turned out, fate didn’t seem to be on Yang Zhigang’s side.
As they walked, the sky gradually darkened, and the deeper they went into the mountains, the colder and more eerie it felt.
“Yang Zhiwen, we still can’t find him.”
“It’s getting dark, we have to go back. We can’t keep going, or we’ll be in danger.”
“Let’s go back now and come back to search tomorrow.”
Those who were hired to accompany Mother Yang and Yang Zhiwen to search in the mountains saw that it was getting dark and were unwilling to continue.
“How could you just go back like this? My son has not been found yet.”
“No, you’ve been paid, so you have to keep looking.”
When she heard that her son hadn’t been found yet and they wanted to go back, Mother Yang exploded with displeasure, and her face full of reluctance.
Yang Zhiwen heard his mother’s words and knew it wasn’t good.
Did his mother still think it was when his father was a village official? Still acting high and mighty? Arrogant?
Sure enough, when those people heard Mother Yang’s words, their faces immediately fell, and they turned around to go back.
“We’ve been paid, but we were hired to find your son, not to risk our lives for you.”
“It’s dark, deep in the mountains. Who knows if there might be wolves or blind bears.”
“If you don’t care about your lives, you can continue searching on your own.”
“We’re going back anyway.”
“You, you…” Mother Yang was so angry her hands were shaking, but she was helpless.
She turned to Yang Zhiwen and said, “Zhiwen, we have to keep looking for your brother.”
“It’s getting dark, and we’re in the mountains. If we don’t find your brother soon and wait until tomorrow, your brother might…”
As she spoke, tears welled up in Mother Yang’s eyes.
Yang Zhiwen naturally understood what his mother meant.
A fool, venturing into the deep mountains alone, and now facing darkness, was certainly in grave danger.
But, what the hired search party said was also true.
When it gets dark, wild animals come out.
They might also face danger.
Were they supposed to risk themselves for a fool?
For Yang Zhiwen, that was out of the question.
“What do you mean Mom, that we should keep looking?”
“Of cour—” Before Mother Yang could finish, suddenly, a wolf’s howl echoed from deep within the mountains.
After one howl, another followed.
And the howls grew louder, as if getting closer to them.
“The wolves are coming, why aren’t you running? Do you want to wait and get eaten by wolves?” Those who had already walked a short distance shouted at Yang Zhiwen, speeding up their steps.
“Mom, you—” Yang Zhiwen’s words were cut off as his mother grabbed his hand.
“Zhiwen, there are wolves, they’re about to come out and attack. Let’s hurry and leave.”
Mother Yang pulled him along, her steps quick and showing no sign of her age.
“Mom, didn’t you say we should keep looking for big brother?” Yang Zhiwen, being dragged forward, asked.
“We’re not looking anymore. It’s dark, and we’ve encountered wolves. This is all your big brother’s fate,” his mother replied.
Yang Zhiwen fell silent.
He glanced back at the depths of the mountains, feeling it grow increasingly quiet and pitch black.
Yes, it’s all fate!
Since it’s fate and unchangeable, one must bear it.
*
Wei Rou had been quietly waiting at the Yang family’s home.
She too was awaiting fate’s judgment on Yang Zhigang.
Her heart was constantly filled with strong emotions.
She sat quietly like this, not knowing for how long. The sky gradually darkened, and sounds could be heard outside.
Are they here?
Wei Rou’s head instantly lifted, and she walked out.
Wei Rou saw the frightened Yang Zhiwen and his mother, but she didn’t see Yang Zhigang.
At that moment, Wei Rou was already certain of something.
“Were you waiting for us?”
“We didn’t find big brother,” Yang Zhiwen walked toward Wei Rou.
“There are wolves in the mountains.”
At this, Wei Rou fully understood.
Yang Zhigang, can’t come back anymore.
Wei Rou, with her head lowered, had a slight smile on her face, but when she raised her head again, a trace of melancholy crossed her brow.
“Are you going to continue searching tomorrow?” Wei Rou asked.
“I don’t know, I’m going back to my room first,” Yang Zhiwen replied.
Yang Zhiwen went back to his room, and his mother followed suit.
Neither of them mentioned whether they would continue looking for Yang Zhigang or report to the police to search.
Wei Rou understood it all too well.
Sure enough, the next day, Yang Zhiwen and his mother never brought up finding Yang Zhigang again, let alone going to the police station to report him missing.
They had already accepted that Yang Zhigang was missing and wouldn’t return.
Or rather, they assumed Yang Zhigang had entered the deep mountains and died.
Mother Yang seemed sad for several days, but she gradually returned to normal after a few days.
Wei Rou didn’t know for sure if Mother Yang cared about Yang Zhigang, her foolish son.
She felt that perhaps Yang Zhigang had some weight in Mother Yang’s heart, but not much.
It was mostly about continuing the family line.
Because Yang Zhigang was missing, Yang Zhiwen couldn’t carry on the family line, and Father Yang was gone.
So, Wei Rou’s child in her belly naturally became the only remaining member of the Yang family, apart from Yang Zhiwen, and the one to carry on the family line. That’s why Mother Yang paid extra attention to Wei Rou during this period, almost never leaving her side, fearing something might happen to Wei Rou’s child.
Previously, Mother Yang had been hoping for a boy from Wei Rou’s belly, but now, she even more so wished for a boy.
However, if it had been a girl, there wouldn’t have been any way around it.
She would have loved her as well; after all, she would have been the only descendant of the Yang family who could carry on the lineage. Worst-case scenario, she would have stayed at home and find a husband who’d marry into the Yang family.
Wei Rou understood Mother Yang’s thoughts, but she didn’t pay any attention to them. She let Mother Yang do as she pleased.
However, something did come up these past few days.
That was when Yang Zhiwen mentioned that he had lost his job.
“What do you mean, lost it? How did that happen?” Mother Yang, who had been sitting, suddenly stood up, her voice rising significantly.
Yang Zhiwen then briefly explained why he had been fired and how it had happened.
“How could this happen? Your father is your father, and you are you, you’re not the same. Besides, your father is already gone, how could they, how could they…” Mother Yang started crying as she spoke.
“No, I have to go to the food factory, find your manager, and make it clear to them. I must get your job back,” Mother Yang said, getting up to leave.
“Don’t go, it’s already settled, no matter what you do, it will just end up being a joke,” Yang Zhiwen said impatiently.
Mother Yang suddenly froze, “So, so I shouldn’t go, and the job is just gone?”
“Yes.”
With a plop, Mother Yang’s legs went weak, and she sat on the ground, hands patting her thighs, tears streaming down, her voice full of anguish, “How could this happen, why is my life so bitter, how did it come to this?”
“My husband is gone, my eldest son is missing.”
“Now, my youngest son has lost his job.”
“Why is my life so bitter?”
It would be so horrible if Yang Zhigang was attacked by the wolves, but I’m guessing it’s most likely the case that he was eaten by some animal. It was clear that Mother Yang didn’t truly care about him, though, since she didn’t even bother looking for him the next day or even report it to the police; you’d figure at least having the police searching would come up with something because he might actually still be alive or could at least his death could be confirmed with some evidence left in the mountains.
Thanks for the chapter! 😀
What exactly is the militia for if they have hire villagers or call the police in cases like this?