Grotesqueries of the Old Domain

Chapter 30: Parents

“Where are your parents?” Upon hearing Song Jianguo say that, Zhang Wenda, who was packing his books, paused involuntarily.

“No idea, maybe they’re on a night shift.” Zhang Wenda replied casually.

“Night shift? Then who made this bowl of noodles for you?” This time, Zhang Wenda didn’t answer Song Jianguo’s question, as if he hadn’t heard it at all.

“What kind of job do your parents do? Do they really work night shifts?”

“I heard you’re having some trouble with rules right now? Then why don’t you ask your parents for help? Why are you figuring things out on your own?”

Just as Song Jianguo was still firing off questions, the next second, Zhang Wenda flung his schoolbag directly at her.

Song Jianguo shrank her head instantly, and the bag brushed past her cat ears.

Zhang Wenda ran straight over, and with one hand, slammed her head down hard onto the table, almost growling, “If you provoke me again, believe it or not, I’ll make you eat shit!”

For a moment, Song Jianguo was stunned, that fierce expression on his face—he hadn’t even looked like that when they had fought.

It was as if she had touched his reverse scale.

When Zhang Wenda let go of her and went to pick up the schoolbag, Song Jianguo looked at his back with a strange expression on her face.

What had happened between him and his parents? Why was he so explosive?

The more Zhang Wenda refused to talk, the more curious she became.

“Eat up, wash up, and go to sleep. You sleep under the bed.”

Although Song Jianguo really wanted to argue, in the end she still grumbled in her heart and obeyed.

But when she got under the bed, she was very surprised.

She had thought it would just be the cold cement floor, but under the bed was actually a small bed made from rags and cardboard, and there were even some small toys and tools beside it—it even felt a bit cozy.

Lying back on the little bed, she picked up a tin frog and scraped at it with her sharp nails. To her surprise, Song Jianguo found this living arrangement rather decent.

Both of them were tired, and there wasn’t much to say. Soon, the light in the room went out.

As Zhang Wenda turned off the TV and lay on the bed, Song Jianguo’s voice came from under the bed, tinged with a bit of apology.

“I actually didn’t mean to provoke you. I’ve never met my parents. I was just curious, that’s all.”

Zhang Wenda took a deep breath and slowly closed his eyes. “That’s a good thing. If you’ve never met them, you can imagine them however you like, assign all those noble qualities from TV and novels to your own parents. But reality isn’t like that. No one is perfect.”

After a slight pause, he continued, “Anyone can have children, but not everyone is fit to be a parent. If you’re unlucky and end up with two beasts, your life is done for.”

Hearing this, Song Jianguo under the bed immediately showed a bit of discontent. “You’re awful, saying that about your own parents.”

Zhang Wenda’s face twisted, and as if triggered, his voice suddenly rose.

“Yes, you’re right. I’m unfilial. I’m a heartless brat. I’m not even human! I’m trash! Happy now? Haven’t you noticed how I’ve gotten so good at enduring pain?”

The room suddenly went dead silent, with only the sound of Zhang Wenda’s and Song Jianguo’s breathing remaining.

A few minutes later, Zhang Wenda spoke again, this time in a much calmer tone.

“Think whatever you want. I don’t care about them. I don’t care, understand? Even if I’ve never seen them once, so what? I don’t care.”

A few minutes later, Zhang Wenda’s voice rang out again. “The room’s this small, and I’ve never seen them once. You think I didn’t notice? I knew long ago. So what? I don’t care! Whether they’re dead or alive, even if they’ve turned into monsters like the Youth Center—it has nothing to do with me! I don’t care! I don’t give a damn!”

“I won’t look for them. I won’t bother with them. No matter how strange or dangerous this world gets, even if I’m tortured to death by the rules—I won’t ask them for help!!”

After saying all this in one breath, Zhang Wenda sat on the bed panting heavily, but after a while, he didn’t hear any response from Song Jianguo.

He listened carefully and heard the faint sound of snoring from under the bed—Song Jianguo had already fallen asleep at some point.

“Sigh…” The room quieted again, with no further movement.

The next morning, Zhang Wenda woke up early. He kicked the bed frame and woke up Song Jianguo as well. “Get up.”

“So annoying! I barely slept!” Song Jianguo crawled out from under the bed with an irritated look.

“Let’s go, I’ll treat you to breakfast.” Zhang Wenda shook the green tickets in his hand.

“What do you mean ‘treat me’? That’s my money…” Song Jianguo muttered as she reluctantly followed him out.

At the bustling breakfast shop, Zhang Wenda ordered two portions of soup dumplings and two cups of soy milk, and the two of them started eating.

“I’m going to class today. During this time, you go outside and catch mice and sparrows. When I’m done with class at 5 PM, meet me with the money you’ve earned.” Zhang Wenda issued instructions to Song Jianguo while eating.

Seeing her grabbing buns with her hand, Zhang Wenda frowned. “Are you Indian? Eating with your hands? Use chopsticks, and put your feet down!”

Song Jianguo glared at Zhang Wenda fiercely, unwillingly pulled a chopstick from the bamboo holder, stabbed a bun, and tossed it into her mouth.

Zhang Wenda knew he couldn’t always be tough with Song Jianguo. After all, such a good tool needed some soft handling too. If this girl was constantly plotting to kill him while staying by his side, it would be a headache.

“Don’t look at me like that. Brother here has been through it all. I’ll definitely get rich one day. When I become the richest man in the country, you, as my number one employee, will be well rewarded.”

Just as Zhang Wenda was painting her a bright future, he saw other students already walking past the breakfast shop with their schoolbags.

He pushed the last two soup dumplings in front of Song Jianguo, grabbed his backpack, and hurried out. “Remember, 5 PM sharp, meet me at the school gate!”

It was his first time going to school, and he felt a little unsure. Having someone with him would be safer.

Mainly, after what happened before, he was a bit skittish. If the Youth Center could hide monsters underground, what if this school turned out to be some shady place?

So he made a point to get up early today and stake out Fatty and the others at school, to carefully ask whether this school was really a proper one.

And to find out whether besides studying, they had to do anything else—like some strange tasks like in the Youth Center.