jdhmnovel Chapter 767 Trying to Escape
Chapter 767 Trying to Escape
Last year, Wang Chenchen sold Lu Jiangting's television set in an attempt to escape back home.
Now, he remembered Lu Jiangting's kindness and wanted to save enough money to go to Nancheng to find Lu Jiangting.
He remembered that his mother, Fang Qing, would be released from prison soon. He would stay with Lu Jiangting for a while longer until his mother was released.
"Brother, what are you hiding?"
Wang Chenchen was startled and quickly clutched the money tightly in her hand, placing it behind her back.
"No, I'm not hiding anything, you've mistaken me for someone else."
Are you hiding something delicious?
"No, our family is so poor, where would we get good food?"
"But I heard from Wang Er and the others that you went to the mountain to look for sweet potatoes yesterday. Did you find any?"
"No, we finished our sweet potatoes last month. We'll have to wait until next year to eat them."
Wang Zhi was so hungry he was swallowing hard.
But without food, they had no choice.
Just then, the sound of Grandma cursing Grandpa echoed from inside the house again.
It's nothing more than cursing the old bastard, saying he pooped and peed again, and then beating him up.
Then she would cry and complain about her miserable life, how she became a stepmother with her grandfather when she was young, and how hard she worked to raise several children.
They should be enjoying their old age, but instead they're suffering like this.
They are all used to it.
After Jiang Mei finished wailing, she called out Wang Chenchen's name again.
"Chenchen, I asked you to feed the pigs, did you feed them?"
Wang Chenchen: "I didn't feed you."
"You brat, I told you to feed him, why didn't you?"
"There's no more pig feed."
"If you're out of pig feed, why don't you go up the mountain to cut some?"
Wang Chenchen was furious. She clenched her fist and said, "I just got out of school, and I still have homework to do."
"What's there to do? You already got first place, what else is there to do?"
To be number one in the exam?
That was the final exam before last year's winter break. He had just returned from the city and indeed got the highest score in the class.
The village children are no match for him.
However, his grades have dropped drastically this year, and his teachers have talked to him about it several times.
He had no choice but to use the excuse that his grandmother wouldn't let him read books to appease the teacher.
The teacher knew about their family situation and just sighed.
Occasionally, you might run into Wang Chenchen cutting pig feed on the mountain, which you find a pity.
The teacher thought another miracle was about to happen in their family, but unfortunately, the two grandmothers were different.
Wang Chenchen didn't want to go, so Jiang Mei took out a bamboo strip and started whipping his buttocks. He cried and ran away, but in the end he still went to the mountains to cut pig feed.
The mountains are terrifying at night, so he has to finish cutting before it gets dark.
Wang Chenchen cried as she cut herself.
Not long after, a little boy found him with a sickle.
"Brother, I'll cut grass with you."
Wang Chenchen was somewhat surprised.
He didn't like this younger brother. "What are you doing here?"
"I'll help you mow the lawn."
"Hmph, I don't like you even if you help me cut the lawn. I'm an only child, I don't have a younger brother."
Wang Zhi stood to the side watching him, his lips pursed together.
After a while, he spoke again.
"I know you're hiding money."
Wang Chenchen was startled, dropped the sickle and ran towards him, grabbing his neck and saying, "Don't tell anyone, do you hear me, or I'll strangle you."
Wang Zhi was terrified and hurriedly said, "I won't say, I won't say."
"Humph."
Wang Chenchen then let go.
Wang Zhi said, "Are you saving up for travel expenses? You want to go to the south of the city, don't you?"
Wang Chenchen: "..." I promised him I wouldn't tell.
"none of your business."
"Definitely. If you're going to Nancheng, could you take me with you? I'm still young, so the bus fare is free. I didn't have to pay when I came back."
Wang Chenchen raised an eyebrow, "Why would I bring you along?"
“I’m going to find my mom and my sister.” He paused, then added, “I don’t want to be born into the Wang family. I hate my grandpa and my grandma.”
Wang Chenchen thought to herself that she was quite scared to travel alone for several days.
Although having him around is a burden, at least there's someone to talk to.
"It's not impossible, but we don't have enough money."
"I don't need to pay for my ride."
“I know, but it’s going to be a few days’ journey. You’ll need to eat and drink, right? Food and drink cost money. I’m not saving for the travel expenses, but for the food.”
Wang Zhi didn't understand either, but what he said made some sense.
"What should I do?"
"I know the old woman is rich, so..."
He came up with an idea: to have Wang Zhi steal Jiang Mei's money.
Since Grandpa became bedridden, someone has come to visit him at their home every month.
Once it's confirmed that he's still alive, he'll receive a month's pension.
Wang Chenchen had already figured it out.
He was waiting for the day when Wang Zhi would steal all of his monthly pension, so they would have money to go to Nancheng.
The exams are in a few days, and after the final exams, summer vacation will officially begin.
After the holiday started, Jiang Mei had no qualms about ordering him around. She would wake them up at the crack of dawn to take care of Grandpa, change his diapers, and go up the mountain to collect firewood and cut pig feed.
Wang Chenchen was older and did more work, but Wang Zhi couldn't be idle either; even as a little boy, he was ordered around by Jiang Mei to do all sorts of chores.
He clearly remembered that his grandmother wasn't like this before. She often told him that he was a little man and that men shouldn't do these kinds of chores.
He used to watch his mother wash clothes and would help by tapping the clothes a few times, and his mother would get a scolding from his grandmother.
But now, the whole family throws their clothes at him, and his grandmother doesn't tell him not to do any work anymore.
And he's only five years old, yet he has to do so much work.
He didn't notice his clothes being washed away by the water. He tried to retrieve them, but was afraid as he watched the water ripple. In the end, the clothes were swept further and further away.
Left with no other choice, he went back to Jiang Mei in tears.
"Grandma, Grandma's clothes were washed away by the water."
Jiang Mei came out of the house. "What? How come the clothes were washed away by the water?"
"I accidentally washed my clothes away while I was doing laundry."
Jiang Mei slapped him on the forehead and said, "You're useless. You can't even wash clothes properly. What use are you?"
"Grandma, but didn't you say that I'm a man, and men don't have to do chores?"
“That was before. Before, your mother would do the housework, or at least your sister. Now that your mother and sister are gone, who will do it if you don’t do it?”
"Aren't you still here? Why aren't you doing it?"
“There are so many chores in this house, how can I possibly finish them all? I also have to cook, sweep the floor, and take care of your grandfather.”
With tears in his eyes, Wang Zhi whispered, "What about the clothes?"
"Go, go and get it back. If you can't get it back, you won't eat dinner tonight."
"The clothes got washed away, I'm too scared, Grandma, you go get them."
"I told you to go and get it, and you still dare to argue?" Jiang Mei threatened him with a stick.
Fearing a beating, Wang Zhi could only run away crying.
Wang Zhong, lying in bed, knew everything. He was scolded and beaten every day, and he wished he could just die.
But the two children are still living off his monthly alimony. What will happen to them if he dies?
Of course, Jiang Mei didn't want him to die either. If he died, there would be no alimony, and she would have to starve with her two children.