Rebirth Of Chen An

Chapter 203: Side Story: Chen Yang, Gone Amok (I)

Translator: Flying Lines

Chen Yang had always had a cheerful, outgoing disposition. At least he'd managed to put on such a display, before he met Chen An. Could he be otherwise, like depressed and gloomy all day?

People liked a kid with a cheerful dispostion, a classmate with an outgoing personality, and a student with an optimistic attitude.
Chen Yang did not have a childhood, so to speak. Before he was a month old in the world, the woman who was his mother ran off with another man, for which both the infant and his father became the laughing stock of the villagers.

From what they saw, Chen Yang's father was a good-for-nothing, who couldn't even keep his wife.
And the child, who lost his mother while still in the cradle, was to be pitied.

Perhaps because the child reminded the man of the mother, Chen Yang's father left Chen Yang alone almost entirely. And also because he was sick of being the butt of the jokes by the villages, Chen Yang's father spent his years away from home, out working to make ends meet.

Chen Yang wasn't exactly disliked by the villagers, though he got no parental love or care. The kid smiled a lot, and his laugh was bright like the sunshine, as if there were no shadows over it. With a pair of big, watery eyes, rosy lips and pale skin, the child was pretty like his mother, or so the villagers said.
As it happened, older women in the village gave him food and other snacks. Sometimes they slipped small bills into his hand with a kind look in their eyes. Chen Yang would say "thanks" with big, innocent eyes opened wide, and then change these bills into a notebook, a pencil or some candy at the local grocer's.

With the candy slowly melting on his tongue, he would work on his homework with a childish intentiveness, occasionally looking up at the blue sky, wondering what the future held for him.

Chen Yang maintained his optimism the way a general guarded his fortress. He was aware that in the whole world the only person he could rely on was himself, ever since he had a sense of self. Thus, it really wouldn't do to wallow in self-pity; he wanted to make himself happy whenever possible.
Once at the entrance to the village, a boy threw stones at him, as his companions cheered and spat: "my mom says your mother ran away with a man. Chen Yang, you're an unwanted child!"

"Your mother is a bitch! So you are the son of a bitch! Hahaha!"

Chen Yang stiffened. He stood there with a heavy shoolbag on his back, looking at the jeering children. The boy who threw stones at him was the son of the woman who gave him sweets several days back.

A few days later, their teacher at school called the boy to the front of the class, asked him to stretch out his palm and beat it with a ruler: "not doing your homework, and now lying!"

"I...I didn't!" The boy bawled, turning to take a glance full of hate at Chen Yang sitting in the first row. He had handed his homework to Chen Yang.
But their teacher clearly did not believe him. After all, Chen Yang was the good student who behaved and did well in his schoolwork; why would he lie to his teacher?

Seeing the boy look at him, Chen Yang lifted the corner of his mouth. It was the first time he got back at those who hurt him in a way he was not proud of; yet it would not be the last time.
Many years after that, he was no longer alone: he had Chen An.

"All right then, I won't come to you. But Chen Yang, call me if anything happens, okay?"
"Yes, I will."

Smiling, Chen Yang ended the call with clear reluctance. He slipped his phone back into his pocket, and looking in the mirror, smoothed his hair, adjusted his tie, and put a few eye drops in his eyes. Taking a deep breath, Chen Yang walked out of the lounge with a frown. Tears could be seen in his eyes; he was the bereaved, loyal son today in the mourning hall.