bayedsolid Chapter 54 Men
Chapter 54 Men
"What kind of friend are you?"
Why are all your friends like that?
"They heard we became rich overnight and they all want to ask us for money."
After Ms. Leopard finished speaking, she looked at her husband, who was lying on the ground, and continued to ramble on.
“We didn’t even have coal briquettes before, and the children slept on the cold kang (a heated brick bed).”
"Nobody paid any attention to us back then."
As she spoke, Ms. Leopard seemed to suddenly remember something.
"But what was that friend doing at the time?"
"It was when Zhengfeng was this big~"
Ms. Leopard gestured silently behind Zhengfeng's father, not caring whether he saw her or not, and muttered to herself.
“When Zhengfeng was this age, he caught a cold and didn’t have money to buy medicine, so I borrowed money from all over the place.”
"That guy, your fellow townsman~~"
"Let's come to Seoul together~~"
"You suddenly showed up, and we had a shot of liquor together back then~~"
"At the time, I thought to myself, 'This person has no sense of propriety. We're practically broke, and we still have to entertain guests...'"
"But... when that friend left, he said, 'Buy some good food for Jung-bong and Jung-hwan~' and then secretly slipped me 5 won."
"He was also barely making ends meet back then."
"Really~"
"5 back then!"
"Ouch~"
"That friend was like God to me back then!"
"Savior!"
"Heh~~~"
Go find friends like that!
"Don't go looking for useless friends; you'll only make things harder for yourself!"
"Right~~"
"Oh! I'll give him a call!"
As Ms. Leopard silently recalled the events, she didn't realize that Zhengfeng's father's eyes had already opened and were no longer closed; his eyes were slowly becoming moist.
"He is who he is."
Zhengfeng's father's voice suddenly rang out softly, and for a moment, Ms. Leopard didn't open her mouth to speak, listening blankly as her husband spoke.
"It's him! It's him!"
With tears welling up in his eyes, Zhengfeng's father spoke in a louder voice.
At this moment, Ms. Leopard finally couldn't help but lower her head and look at her husband's back.
She finally understood why her husband would rather endure her harsh scolding than go to that friend to return the goods.
Zhengfeng's father was also surprised that Ms. Leopard still remembered his friend and fellow villager who had helped him many years ago, and he finally revealed the truth to her.
At that moment, the room fell silent, save for the sound of two tears falling from different eyes, striking the floor...
......
Meanwhile, at the street stall, Paula's father had already drunk his fifth bottle and hadn't gone home yet, still sighing and drinking to himself.
The once optimistic father has been completely touched by a joke between his children, leaving him half-asleep and half-awake from drinking.
Staggering, Paula's father woke up, naturally revealing a grown-up smile. He grinned sheepishly at the barbecue stall owner, seemingly having drunk enough to really enjoy the drink...
An elderly woman with a slightly hunched back walked towards the stall at just the right moment, carrying her wares. She placed her items on each table, but when she saw that no one paid attention, she quietly put them away.
A wrinkled hand reached onto Paula's father's table, and the old lady bowed slightly as she placed two small trinkets on the table.
"Ah~~"
Paula's father looked up at her, picked up the things, and pushed them out slightly.
Let's call it a day.
Paula's father's voice was heavy with a hint of regret as he refused.
The old lady didn't argue, picked up her things and slowly walked to the next table.
Only after the next table also waved to indicate their refusal did the old lady slightly bend over and prepare to leave.
"Ah~~"
"Grandpa!"
Give it to me~
Paula's father couldn't bear to see the old lady, who was the same age as his mother, hunched over selling cheap trinkets in the dead of night, without selling a single item.
Today is~
"The last time~"
"I can't buy any more of these in the future."
Paula's father took his wallet out of his clothes, handed the old lady a bill, and then looked at her, muttering these words.
He was muttering to himself, and to onlookers, it might seem like he was explaining things to the old lady. But only Paula's father knew that for the sake of his child and family, he could no longer indulge his kindness and act recklessly...
The old lady took the money and bowed to Paula's father in gratitude, to which Paula's father politely returned the bow...
"Have a safe journey~~~"
Paula's father watched the old lady stoop as she walked away, and finally couldn't help but lower his head. Yes, he was no longer his mother's child; he was a father now. Although it was his first time being a father, he could no longer act on impulse...
The old lady carried the box in her hand back to her stall. On the other side of the canvas, Zhengfeng's father was sitting at another stall, with several empty bottles on the table.
The hardships he had endured hadn't broken him, but now, the friends who had once helped him so much were no longer the same as before.
How could he not know how much that piece of clothing was worth?
How could someone who lives such a frugal life not see the value of that piece of clothing? What he wanted to buy wasn't just a piece of clothing, but also a memory of the past he and his old friend could never return to...
Zhengfeng's father wasn't as foolish as Ms. Leopard made him out to be. He wasn't deceived; rather, he preferred to deceive himself rather than believe that his old friends and fellow villagers, who had helped him so much during his lowest points, had been driven to this state by life...
......
Paula's house, early morning.
The television was broadcasting news of the escaped criminal being captured and brought to justice.
"Oh dear~ that's so pitiful~" Paula's mother couldn't help but sigh as she watched the news of the hostage's death on TV.
Paula's father was lying on the ground, about to say something, when the door was suddenly pushed open, interrupting his speech.
"Dad! Mom! I'm home!" Deok-sun jumped in happily.
"Look! A gift!" Deok-sun showed her mother a back scratcher.
The air suddenly fell silent.
"Damn girl!"
"The stick is over there!"
"That thing is so expensive! How dare you leave it on the train!"
Bora's mother, whose anger was soaring, couldn't find a stick. Just then, she saw Deok-sun's back scratcher, snatched it, and prepared to teach her a lesson.
“Ah~”
"Mom~~Mom~~"
Deok-sun struggled and ran out, Bora's mother chased after her angrily, and Bora's father pulled the blanket over his head and went back to sleep...
"I was wrong! I was wrong!" Deok-sun ran away as fast as she could.
"Where did you put your memory?"
"You brat! Where did you put your memory?"
"Stop!"
"Stop right there! You brat! Stop right there!"
Paula's mother relentlessly pursued her.