Endless Fall

120 Feel Free to Smash His Glass

“She called your sister-in-law bi*ch in front of the neighbors and even smashed the things in the mourning hall.”

“She’s really out of her mind for money.”

“Not only is she crazy, but she can even use her life as a bargaining chip.” Pei Zicheng recounted the scene.

He tapped his cigarette twice. “If the police didn’t come in time, I’m afraid she would have jumped.”

Pei Zhi could not understand the mentality of people who threatened to kill themselves just to achieve a certain goal.

He heard footsteps outside the door and stopped discussing this topic. “Sister-in-law is back.”

“Where’s the ashtray?”

“Over there with Dad.”

Pei Zicheng hurriedly stubbed out his cigarette.

He picked up his teacup and took two sips, trying to cover the smell in his mouth. “Come over and smell if my clothes reeked of nicotine.”

“I’m sure they are.”

“Then I’ll go up and change.”

Pei Zhi shook his head and laughed.

He blew out a last puff of smoke and helped Bai Ying pour a cup of tea. “Sister-in-law, did you buy a lot?”

“Not a lot.” Bai Ying came over after changing into a pair of slippers.

She was wearing a checkered Chanel jacket and black wide-legged pants, looking quite smart.

She walked to the sofa with a gentle smile on her face. “Jiaojiao, who won between you and Dad?”

“Dad won more.” Lin Jiao was not good at chess. If not for the spectators giving her guidance, she probably would not have won a single round.

Bai Ying took the snacks from Auntie Luo and asked Lin Jiao, “Jiaojiao, do you want to have pork trotter soup for lunch?”

Lin Jiao quickly shook her head. “Not really.”

Thinking of the effect of the pork trotter soup, Pei Zhi subconsciously moved his eyes down below her neck and then quickly looked away.

He suddenly thought of something. “Where’s Pei Yilan?”

“She went on a trip with Jiang Ye.”

“Where?”

“Xiangnan Mountain.” Bai Ying forked a piece of apple. “There’s a hot spring resort there. You can bring Jiaojiao there next time.”

“Okay.” Pei Zhi remembered it.

He played with the lighter in his hand and chatted with them from time to time, making the atmosphere more lively.

At lunchtime, a strong fragrance filled the hall.

Pei Zhen, whose appetite was aroused by the fragrance, immediately brought them to the dining room.

He looked at the bottle of white wine on the table and thought of that stubborn old man. “Jiaojiao, how’s Old Lin?”

“Not bad.”

“When did he move to the countryside?”

“A long time ago.” Lin Jiao recalled. “Probably when I was in high school.”

“Dad.” When Pei Zisheng was peeling prawns for his wife, he looked up and asked, “Do you know Jiaojiao’s grandfather?”

“Her grandfather is Lin Kanglu.”

“Lin Kang… you mean Uncle Lin?”

“Who else could it be?” When Pei Zhen first found out about this, he was even more surprised than Pei Zisheng.

He picked up a piece of pork rib and placed it in Lin Jiao’s bowl. After some thought, he said, “Jiaojiao, are you free tomorrow?”

“I am.”

“Then bring me and Old Chu over to see your grandfather.”

“Okay.” Lin Jiao thought that saying too much at the dining table wasn’t appropriate, so she didn’t ask the many questions she had.

She ate the oyster that Pei Zhi put into her bowl and looked at Pei Zicheng, whose hands were covered in oil. “Brother, why aren’t you wearing gloves?”

“I would have forgotten if you didn’t tell me.”

Pei Zicheng took out a wet tissue to wipe his hand.

He unscrewed the cap of the white wine and a funny image appeared in his mind. “Dad, you should change the way you address Uncle Lin in the future.”

“What do you mean?”

“According to seniority, you should call your daughter-in-law’s grandfather uncle, right?”

“Impossible!”

Pei Zhen’s expression was extremely interesting.

He took the half glass of wine from Pei Zicheng and downed it in one go. “If I call him Uncle, I will be made a laughing stock among my friends.”

“But according to…”

“I don’t care about seniority.”

Pei Zisheng tried his best to hold back his laughter. “If you don’t, Uncle Lin might kick up a fuss.”

“Let him be. What kind of fuss can he kick up,” Pei Zhen said in a huff, his nostrils flaring. “Do you think I’m afraid of him?”

“What if he objects to Jiaojiao marrying Pei Zhi because of that?”

“He won’t.” He was like an old child. “If he dares, I’ll fight him to the death!”

“Are you going to fight him with a walking stick?”

“Pei Zisheng, are you itching for a beating?”

Seeing that he was about to grab his walking stick, Pei Zicheng, who did not want to be hit, quickly snatched the walking stick and shut up.

He elbowed Bai Ying, who glared at him and picked up the food with chopsticks. “Dad, try this bass.”

Pei Zhen snorted and let him go.

After having lunch with the children, he walked to the window with his walking stick and shouted at the next door.

“Old Chu, come and play chess!”

“Wait a minute!”

“Are you constipated again?”

After a few seconds of silence, someone scolded, “Pei Zhen, you old fool, I’m having lunch!”

Pei Zhen, who was scolded, laughed instead of getting angry.

He leaned out of the window, afraid that the others in the neighborhood could not hear him. “You’re only eating now? Is your child starving you or what?”

“Cut that crap.”

“I saw it all last night.”

An old man in his seventies, who had also stuck his head out, grabbed a handful of stones from a flower pot and threw them at the person next door.

He pointed at Pei Zhen, who was smiling like a blooming flower. “Shut up. I don’t have time to fool around with you!”

Pei Zhen, who was almost hit, stared at the glass.

He tapped the ground twice with his walking stick and said in a louder voice, “Try hitting me again.”

“Do you think I don’t dare?”

With that, he threw another piece of stone.

Pei Zhen was completely ‘enraged’.

“Pei Zisheng, get me a slingshot!” He turned to shout into the living room, looking like he wanted to fight with the person next door.

Pei Zisheng was speechless.

He closed the window as usual and dragged Pei Zhen back to the living room to prevent the quarrel from escalating.

“Uncle.” Lin Jiao, who was amused, lowered her voice and asked the person beside her, “Do they do this often?”

“Almost every day.” Pei Zhi was used to it.

He raised his chin at the window and said calmly, “They’ve smashed four or five windows.”

“Always with stones?”

“Not necessarily. It depends on their mood.”

Lin Jiao looked at the wooden slingshot that Pei Zhen had found in the cabinet. Out of curiosity, she played with it.

She looked up. “Did you make this?”

“Of course.” Pei Zhen threw a stone up and nimbly caught it. “Do you want to try?”

“I can’t control my strength.”

“It’s fine. Feel free to smash his glass.”

“Forget it.”

She put down the slingshot. Afraid that he could not hear her, she raised her voice slightly. “I have something to ask you.”

“What is it?”

“My father cut ties with my grandpa when I was very young. Do you know why?”

Pei Zhen raised an eyebrow. “No one told you?”

“No.” Lin Jiao peeled the peanut shells and placed the nuts on the plate. “My mother doesn’t let me ask either.”