Chapter 102: The Nephew

Is my future to be like my father’s, sitting by the stove every day dipping candles? He had studied and read many Australian “magazines,” and his knowledge was much greater than that of ordinary people. But this excess of knowledge had become the source of his anxiety: the most painful thing is to wake up from a dream with no way out. And he was now deeply mired in such pain.

After eating the congee his mother had left for him, Zeng Juan was about to review the books he had neglected these past few days—the Four Books and Five Classics were the basic skills of a scholar, and he had to be able to recite them backward and forward. He had just picked up a book when his mother came over.

“A-Juan, go to your brother-in-law’s house and see Ming’nü, Cheng’zai, and Hua’zai.”

These were the three children left behind by his sister. Her fourth child had died during a difficult birth.

Since his sister’s death, these three children had been left without care. Zeng Juan’s parents doted on their grandchildren and would send Zeng Juan to see them every ten days or so, bringing some things with him.

Zeng Juan didn’t really want to go. Since his brother-in-law had remarried, he had to face the new wife’s displeasure every time he went, and he would inevitably be subjected to a few sarcastic remarks. But his mother still insisted he go.

“Go. If you don’t go, that woman will think our family doesn’t care about them. How will your nephews survive then?”

“Brother-in-law is still there…”

“What do you know? With a stepmother comes a stepfather.” His mother had prepared a bundle of summer clothes for the children. “Take these, and act like a proper uncle.”

Zeng Juan had no choice but to take it. He knew his mother was right. Without the support of their mother’s family, he didn’t know how much the three children would suffer—he still had affection for his nephews.

Zeng Juan left with the things and went out into the street. His house and his brother-in-law’s house were only two streets apart, a short walk through a few alleys.

He arrived at the teahouse. The business was not bad, with customers filling the place. It was a small, common teahouse in the area, with only a dozen or so tables on its two small floors. There used to be a shed in front with four or five tables, and during the season, they would also sell seasonal pastries like mooncakes. Now it had all been torn down. Since the demolition on Chengxuan Avenue, everyone knew the Kun people were “for real” and that it wasn’t something that could be smoothed over with a small bribe to the yamen runners. Most had dismantled their own structures before the officials came to notify them. A few who thought they had strong backing had their structures demolished by the government, and the shopkeepers were taken to the yamen and suffered a great deal: they were whipped and fined, and their “backers” didn’t do a thing.

Zeng Juan’s brother-in-law’s “backer” was a yamen runner from the Panyu County constable’s office, and they were distantly related. A business like a teahouse or restaurant couldn’t operate without someone in an official position to stand up for them.

Although his “backer” had been “retained,” he no longer dared to stick his neck out and meddle in affairs. Zeng Juan’s brother-in-law had wisely dismantled the shed himself.

His brother-in-law was at the counter doing the accounts. Seeing him, he said with an impatient look, “A-Juan, what are you doing here?”

“It’s getting hot. My mother asked me to bring some clothes for my nephews,” Zeng Juan said. “Are Ming’nü, Cheng’zai, and Hua’zai alright?”

“Fine, fine, fine,” his brother-in-law said with a look of disgust, taking the bundle of clothes and tossing it behind the counter. “As long as they’re not sick or in trouble, they’re fine! Is there anything else?”

Since his sister’s death, his brother-in-law’s attitude towards him had gotten worse day by day. If it were up to Zeng Juan’s temper, he would have left immediately, but his mother’s words were still ringing in his ears. He said, “I want to see my nephews.”

This poked the hornet’s nest. His brother-in-law’s face immediately darkened, and he sneered, “Your family is too nosy. They are the descendants of the Cao family. What do they have to do with the Zeng family? I am their father. Why do you and your mother have to inquire about them every few days? I think you should be studying hard. If you can become a xiucai in the future, your father won’t have to suffer from the stench of the oil so much. That’s what you should be doing!”

Zeng Juan swallowed his anger and said, “Brother-in-law, what are you talking about? Although my sister is gone, they are still my parents’ grandchildren. You can’t break the bonds of blood. My family may not have much money, but we still want to do our best to feel at ease…”

“Bullshit!” his brother-in-law sneered again. “When your sister died, why didn’t your parents take Ming’nü back to raise? Even if you think she’s a girl, you could have taken Cheng’zai or Hua’zai. It would have saved me so much trouble! Now that I’ve remarried, you come every few days with a few ragged clothes. Do you think I’m short of a few ragged clothes here? If your parents don’t have the spare money, they should stop worrying about things that are none of their business.”

Hearing him speak so contemptuously of his parents, Zeng Juan was furious. He was about to retort when his brother-in-law’s new wife came out. She had been helping in the back kitchen and was carrying a bucket of dirty water. When she saw Zeng Juan, her face darkened. Zeng Juan called out “sister,” but she ignored him and splashed the dirty water onto the street, the water almost splashing onto his face. Zeng Juan knew that his “sister” didn’t like him, and even hated him, but he still had to appear frequently to show his presence.

“Husband, we’re almost out of firewood. Don’t forget to buy some. And don’t forget to collect the teacups over there,” the woman said to her husband, ignoring Zeng Juan. “There’s so much work to do in the shop, and you’re still chatting with an idle person who eats for free! I’m going to cook. Those three little beasts who can’t be starved to death are still waiting to eat!”

Her husband just smiled apologetically. “Alright, alright, I’ll go right away.” He watched her disappear behind the curtain of the back kitchen before turning to Zeng Juan and saying coldly, “You should go now. I won’t see you out.”

His brother-in-law had asked him to leave, so Zeng Juan had no choice but to go. Since his sister’s death, his brother-in-law seemed to have become a different person. He used to be always smiling. Even his new wife, as his mother had mentioned, was not a shrewish woman in her maiden home. He never thought she would become like this after getting married!

As he walked back down the street, he felt uneasy. But since his brother-in-law wouldn’t let him into the back of the house, there was nothing he could do. He had to walk back. Halfway there, he suddenly saw Ming’nü carrying a large bowl with a piece of moldy tofu in it, limping as she walked. Zeng Juan quickly went up to her and called out, “Ming’nü!”

When Ming’nü saw Zeng Juan, tears started streaming down her face before she could even speak. Zeng Juan quickly led her aside, put down the tofu, and wiped her tears with his sleeve while asking, “Why are you limping?”

This question was all it took. Ming’nü’s mouth twisted as if she was about to burst into tears. Zeng Juan quickly covered her mouth. “Don’t cry, don’t cry. Tell me slowly.”

Ming’nü sobbed as she explained that last night, she had broken a teacup while washing dishes, and her “mother” had made her kneel as punishment. She had knelt for half the night until she collapsed to the floor and went back to her room. Now her knees were swollen, and she could barely walk…

Although Ming’nü was only ten years old, and there was a distinction between men and women with Zeng Juan, he naturally couldn’t look at her knees. But seeing how difficult it was for her to walk, it was clear she wasn’t lying.

“What about your father? Didn’t he try to calm her down?”

“Father tried to calm mother down, saying a teacup wasn’t worth much. But mother got angry and said she had the worst luck to have married into this family,” Ming’nü sobbed as she spoke. “It’s bad enough that she has to work hard in the shop, but she also has to take care of our food and clothing…” She said timidly, “She was cursing like a madwoman. Father didn’t dare to say much.”

Zeng Juan felt a pang of heartache. He squatted down and rubbed her knees. Seeing his niece wince, it was clear she was in great pain. His eyes stung, and he almost shed tears. He then asked, “Are Cheng’zai and Hua’zai alright?”

“They don’t dare to speak at home now, for fear of angering mother.”

Zeng Juan saw that Ming’nü’s clothes were still neat, just a little dirty, and her hair hadn’t been properly combed. He then asked, “Are you getting enough to eat?”

Ming’nü nodded. “There’s food to eat, but nothing good. When Hua’zai said he wanted to eat fish, he got a slap in the face. Mother said father’s teahouse doesn’t make much money, not even enough to get by…” She suddenly started crying again and threw her arms around Zeng Juan’s waist. “Uncle! Please tell grandmother to take me back! I heard mother and father discussing that business is bad now and they’re short on money, and they want to sell me to a wealthy family as a maid…”

Zeng Juan was trembling with anger. It was common for stepmothers to abuse their stepchildren. As long as no one was killed, it wasn’t a big deal. He had to swallow his injustice and sympathy. But selling his niece to a wealthy family as a maid was too much. He didn’t believe his brother-in-law’s family was in such dire straits—this woman was trying to get rid of his sister’s children!

His sister’s flesh and blood, left in this world, could not be trampled on like this.

He wanted to turn back and question his brother-in-law if he had any sense of humanity left, to curse him out. And then to give that woman a few solid slaps. But he immediately realized that he wasn’t even a literary student, and his brother-in-law and his wife wouldn’t listen to him. When a woman threw a tantrum, even a few men might not be her match. Was he really going to fight with that woman in the street and bring shame upon himself?

Even if they were to meekly accept his scolding, what then? Zeng Juan knew it was impossible for this “despicable couple” to “repent and mend their ways” after this commotion. It was more likely they would “intensify their abuse.” His own family had no ability to raise his nephews. In the end, the children would only suffer more.

A huge wave of indignation surged in his chest, but no matter how great his anger, it was futile. He was completely powerless in this matter. He could only comfort her, “Don’t be afraid. Uncle will go back and think of a way. I will definitely not let you be sold as a maid.” He fumbled in his sleeve for a long time and could only sigh in vain.

On the way back, Zeng Juan kept thinking about how to stop this. But his own family had no money and no powerful “backer”—and even if they did, they wouldn’t dare to step forward now. As he was lost in thought, he suddenly heard someone shouting.

“New Australian paper for sale, come and see…”

He stopped in his tracks—how could he have forgotten him! This was the Australians’ world now. Why not ask Zhang Yu, who was in the Australians’ favor, for help! He had even met a real Kun chief. If an Australian were to say something, wouldn’t this despicable couple be scared out of their wits!