In the 90s, you could acquire max-level skills every 14 days.

Chapter 129 The Family Divides, Each Goes Their Own Way

Xiao Li called the gatehouse of Jinsong Community.

"Yongzi, your uncle's case has been officially transferred from the district to Baoding. He's being held on charges of multiple crimes, including fraud and involvement in the production and sale of counterfeit goods. Baoding has taken over his custody."

Zhang Yong leaned against the door frame of the gatehouse, while Grandpa Chen inside sipped jasmine tea from an enamel mug, his ears perked up but pretending not to hear.

"Where is Liu Cuiping?"

"They signed the mediation agreement and agreed to cooperate in selling the small building in Zhangzhuang."

Xiao Li flipped through the notebook and read aloud, "The auction process will take about forty days. After it's completed, the illegal gains will be deducted, and the remaining funds will be returned to your family and your uncle's side of the family proportionally."

"How much can I get back?"

"To be honest, it's hard to estimate. That building is located in a village, so the auction price won't be too high. Optimistically speaking—it could fetch around 20,000 yuan."

Twenty thousand.

The hole of 8,420 can be considered plugged.

"Also, your cousin Zhang Chao's visitation permit has been processed. Have him come over to put his fingerprint on it and get the receipt."

Zhang Yong didn't respond to that. "Okay, I got it. Let me know if there's any news."

After hanging up the phone, Grandpa Chen peeked out from behind the enamel mug.

"Yongzi, is it about the police station again?"

"It'll be settled soon, sir."

"That's good, that's good." Grandpa Chen sipped his tea. "Your father's hair has turned quite a bit white lately, don't let him worry about you anymore."

Zhang Yong smiled, didn't answer, and went upstairs to find Zhang Chao.

"Your father has been transferred from the detention center to the branch detention center. Bring your ID card and report to the visitation window at the Tongzhou Detention Center." Xiao Li folded the certificate and handed it to Zhang Chao.

"Fifteen minutes at a time, talking through the iron fence, no passing things."

"Personal belongings must be handed over to the prison guards for inspection."

Zhang Chao took the paper, wrote his name and pressed his fingerprint at the signature section, and thanked Xiao Li.

"Come on, I'll take you there. It'll only take an hour." Zhang Yong patted him on the shoulder.

-

"Um.

""

The visiting room of Tongzhou Detention Center.

The whitewash on the cement wall has turned yellow, and the incandescent light bulb is flickering due to poor contact.

The iron gate clanged open, and the guard led a man in.

Zhang Dewang had shaved his head and was wearing the blue-gray prison uniform issued by the detention center. He looked much smaller. His eye sockets were deeply sunken, his cheekbones were prominent, and a layer of stubble had appeared on his chin.

He looked up and saw Zhang Chao standing outside the iron fence.

"Chao—Chaozi—what brings you here?"

Zhang Dewang grinned and rushed to the fence, tears streaming down his face.

"Chaozi! Dad is so sorry! Dad is so sorry!"

Zhang Chao stood outside the iron fence, motionless.

"Chaozi, Dad—Dad was just confused for a moment. That Boss Ma—he tricked me—I didn't know—"

"Stop lying, my mom knows everything."

Zhang Chao remained expressionless, looking at his father as if he were a stranger.

Zhang Dewang's crying stopped abruptly.

"And everyone in our village knows about it."

Zhang Chao stared at the face behind the iron bars, as if trying to see a trace of remorse.

"You keep a mistress on the side, give her money to build a house, and the property deed is still in her name."

"You claim it was a moment of confusion? You've been confused for years!"

Zhang Dewang opened his mouth, but couldn't utter a single word.

"My family has truly lost all face."

Zhang Chao's voice finally began to tremble.

"My mom said that once you're out of here, don't go back to the village. Go up the mountain to guard the orchard and the graves."

"Don't ever come into my house again."

The guard glanced at his watch and knocked on the iron bars. "Time's up."

Zhang Chao nodded, handed over a bundle, and turned to leave.

As I stepped out of the detention center's large iron gate, the sunlight hit me in the face, so bright it made my vision go white.

Zhang Yong had been guarding the door and saw Zhang Chao standing there blankly.

He didn't urge him either.

After a long while, he finally spoke.

"What are you planning to do next?"

"I don't want to go back." Zhang Chao looked at him. "You help me think about it. I can't stay in the village anymore."

Zhang Yong stomped out the cigarette butt.

"I've already thought of it for you. Get in the car, we'll talk about it when we get home."

It was a little after nine o'clock at night.

The phone in the reception area rang again.

Grandpa Chen ran upstairs to call for help. "A long-distance call from Baoding!"

Zhang Yong went downstairs and took the microphone.

-

"Feed".

There was a two-second silence on the other end.

"Is it from the third son's family?"

My aunt's voice was unusually calm, like a bowl of cooled boiled water.

"Auntie, it's me, Zhang Yong. I'll hand the phone over to—"

"You don't need to call me Dad. I'll just tell you."

97

Zhang Yong paused for a moment. "Please go ahead."

"I know everything. When that woman came to identify Xiaolou, I went with her to see it."

Her voice was flat.

"It's really embarrassing. Chao'er also told me that he doesn't want to go home, but I still have to live my life."

Zhang Yong didn't interrupt.

"I only have one request," Auntie's tone hardened. "Once the auction proceeds come in, we'll settle our accounts. Your uncle and I will separate. After that, we'll each live our own lives."

"When he comes back from prison, he can go up the mountain to guard the orchard if he wants, or starve if he wants. It's none of my business."

Auntie————

There was silence on the other side for a while, as if they were wiping away tears.

"Also, pass on a message to your father: let's keep our two families separate from now on, and mind our own business."

"Let's just pretend we're not related."

After I finished speaking, the phone went dead.

Zhang Yong stood in the reception room, holding the microphone, for more than a minute without moving.

he knows.

But some accounts in this world cannot be settled, nor should they be.

That night.

In the bedroom, the table lamp was turned on.

A train whistle drifted from afar outside the window, a muffled sound, sometimes long, sometimes short.

Zhang Yong sat at the table with a piece of paper spread out in front of him.

Zhang Chao sat upright on a small stool opposite him, his hands resting on his knees. On the corner of the table was the small bag of peanuts he had brought from Baoding before he left, which he hadn't been able to open.

"Brother Chao, have you thought this through?"

"I've made up my mind. I'm going to learn something." Zhang Chao's voice was unwavering. "Whatever you say you'll learn, that's what I'll learn."

Zhang Yong pushed the paper over. There were only two words on the paper.

Electric welding.

"Why welding?" Zhang Chao asked.

"Look outside now, roads are being built, buildings are being constructed, bridges are being erected, and pipelines are being laid everywhere," Zhang Yong said, tapping the table with his pen. "In the future, there will only be more and more infrastructure construction. Welders are in short supply everywhere."

"Moreover, welders earn high daily wages; one day's work is equivalent to three days of farming. They don't have to be subservient to anyone. During the busy farming season, they go home to farm, and during the off-season, they come out to take on jobs. After three to five years, they can save enough to build a house and get married."

Zhang Chao's eyes lit up.

"How much can you earn?"

"I've inquired around, and skilled welders in Baoding earn eight to twelve yuan a day. It's even higher in Beijing. If you get a certificate and work on a construction site welding pipes or steel structures, you can easily make over three hundred yuan a month without a break."

More than three hundred.

Zhang Chao's fingers clenched tightly around the seam of his trousers. He farmed in the village for a year, earning only seven or eight hundred yuan even with good weather.

"Of course you can't take shortcuts." Zhang Yong held up one finger.

"You need to learn it properly."

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