Chapter 16: Betrayal

Qi Changxiao’s father died in the Korean War. His remains were never recovered, so his father’s grave was merely a symbolic tomb. That was eighteen years ago, when he was only four and could no longer remember what his father looked like. Over the years, he and his mother had relied on each other for survival. Although the military provided a pension, his poor health required medication, and simply living off the money wasn’t sustainable.

Two of his father’s comrades had always cared about their well-being, sending money every year. However, his mother was a proud woman who hated to accept charity, so she became a police officer. Those two comrades, still worried about them, even visited occasionally, leaving a faint impression on him. One had lost an eye and now worked in an administrative office, while the other remained physically intact and was still serving in the military, reputedly a prominent leader. As for his father’s old commanding officer, he had never met him, only heard of him from his mother when he was young. Simply put, his mother had only met that leader once, and it was that leader who personally delivered his father’s medals. Because his mother was too grief-stricken at the time, she never paid attention to the leader’s name or background. Later, they obtained contact information through his father’s comrades. It was said the family lived in the Northeast and were doing quite well.

None of this concerned him much. Since his mother had to work and take care of him, she rarely talked about those matters, so he didn’t know that the old leader’s surname was Yao. Seeing that name now felt like quite a coincidence. But Yao Zhizhi’s father was apparently named Yao Erdan, which seemed unrelated to that old leader. It was probably just a coincidence.

That afternoon, after taking his medicine, he went out for a walk to enjoy the sun and casually mailed a letter. Meanwhile, far away in the Northeast, the recipient of the letter was engulfed in a storm of worries. His daughter was being unruly. The family had arranged a match for her, which she had once agreed to, but now she had changed her mind and even insulted the prospective groom as delusional, leaving him so angry he couldn’t eat. At that moment, the daughter was still crying with her mother.

“I just don’t like him, okay? He’s just a worker. Does he deserve me? I refuse to marry down!” Yao Jingjing cried her heart out, gasping for breath. Xie Chunxing, who had always spoiled her children, gently urged her husband, “Old Yao, maybe we should just let it go. Jingjing has her own ideas; it’s better not to force her. Besides, you can’t just think about repaying a debt and sacrifice our daughter’s whole life for that.”

“Xie Chunxing, tell me, what kind of mother are you? No matter if the child’s right or wrong, you just spoil her whenever she cries and throws a tantrum? What’s wrong with that young man from the Qin family? He doesn’t steal or rob, and he’s a grade eight worker—not like your daughter, who can’t even graduate from the health school!” Yao Jingzong was furious. He crushed out his cigarette butt and lit another one.

Xie Chunxing sighed, “Old Yao, you can’t always impose your views on the child. It was Old Qin who saved you, not his son. If you really want to repay him, why don’t you marry into that family yourself?”

“Xie Chunxing, don’t be like her, making a fuss! Too much indulgence ruins a child. Keep spoiling her then!” Yao Jingzong slammed the table and stormed out. After a few steps, still fuming, he returned to warn, “I don’t care how she wants to act, but I forbid you from going to the Qin family to sort this out. She broke off the engagement herself; let her handle it.”

Then he left without looking back.

Xie Chunxing sighed and comforted Jingjing softly, “Jingjing, don’t cry. Your father is just stubborn. He’ll come around eventually. But I have to ask, you agreed before—why suddenly change your mind?”

“I like Duan Cheng now. He treats me well,” Yao Jingjing wiped her tears, clinging to her mother’s embrace, unwilling to get up. “Besides, I was young before and didn’t know what kind of man I liked. Now that I’m grown, I have my own thoughts. I don’t want to be controlled by Dad anymore, is that so wrong?”

“Then… have you told the Qin family?” Xie Chunxing sighed, unable to bear seeing her daughter cry. Every tear tugged painfully at her heart, making her side with the child. She knew breaking an engagement after agreeing was unprincipled and could affect the family’s reputation. People might say the Yao family couldn’t keep their word, and that their daughter was ungrateful, willing to break a promise just to climb higher socially. But what could she do? It wasn’t her or Old Yao getting married—it was Jingjing herself. Of course, Jingjing should choose whom she liked.

Still, Jingjing needed to tell the other party clearly; Old Yao couldn’t afford to lose face. Yao Jingjing remained silent, burying her head in her mother’s arms, avoiding the question. A mother knows her daughter best; Xie Chunxing was already worried.

She frowned, “How can you do this? The engagement isn’t broken off yet, and you’re already involved with someone else. Do you think that’s right? If your father finds out, I won’t be able to stop him from getting angry.” At that point, Old Yao’s reputation would be ruined—a high-ranking leader with a fickle daughter cheating on an engagement and playing both sides. It would show terrible family discipline.

Xie Chunxing’s headache deepened as she scolded, “Jingjing, could it be your classmate egging you on? You’ve been going to her house a lot lately, and while I understand you need friends now that you’re older, staying overnight at someone else’s place isn’t right.”

“Mom, is it wrong for me to be close to my friends? Besides, this has nothing to do with her. I just don’t like Qin Yicheng,” Yao Jingjing continued her tearful protest.

Xie Chunxing sighed again, “Your father has high blood pressure and can’t get upset. You should go talk to the Qin family before this escalates. Otherwise, if they say something unpleasant that reaches your father’s ears…”

Yao Jingjing felt frustrated. She didn’t want to face the Qin family alone and be questioned by so many people. She pouted, “I don’t dare to go. Mom, please come with me.”

“I won’t. Your father forbids me,” Xie Chunxing said firmly. Although she spoiled her children and was protective at home, outside she still followed her husband’s orders. Old Yao had explicitly forbidden her involvement in this matter; she could not test his limits.

Yao Jingjing protested, “Come on, we’ll go quietly without letting him know.”

“No, your father said no. You’ll have to go alone,” Xie Chunxing refused.

Angry, Yao Jingjing pushed her aside and stormed out, crying, “I knew it—you favor boys over girls, and you don’t care about me at all!”

Xie Chunxing felt wronged. She hurried after her, but Jingjing was too fast and disappeared in a flash. She sighed and returned home to call her eldest son, Yao Weiguo.

That evening, Yao Weiguo came home. Xie Chunxing quickly asked him to think of a solution. At twenty-nine, he was married with children but lived in the staff dormitory near his workplace instead of with their parents. He arrived on his bike, sweating, and gulped down two bowls of cold water. After hearing his mother’s story, he put the bowl down.

“Jingjing’s causing trouble? She agreed before, so why back out now?” Yao Weiguo disliked his sister. If their mother hadn’t always sided with her, he would have scolded her many times.

He was angry that she was so capricious about marriage.

Xie Chunxing looked troubled. “What can I do? She won’t listen. That’s secondary. The main problem is she’s involved with someone else, and the Qin family doesn’t even know. Weiguo, you have to help Mom think of a way.”

Yao Weiguo sneered, “What can I do? You spoiled her.”

“You’re such a child. I’m already worried. Can’t you be a little less harsh?” Xie Chunxing was speechless. This boy was just like his father—always combative and sharp-tongued, striking at the heart.

He drank another bowl of water before speaking, “Where is she? I’ll ask her what’s going on.”

“She went out and hasn’t come back yet,” Xie Chunxing hesitated, then said, “Maybe she went to find Duan Cheng.”

“She’s involved with the son of Commander Duan?” Yao Weiguo was stunned. “Does she even think she’s worthy? She hasn’t graduated from the health school, and that boy is a university lecturer. They don’t match in education. If they get together, it’ll only cause resentment and ruin my father’s relationship with Old Duan.”

“I’m worried too. Your Uncle Duan’s no fool. Maybe Jingjing lied and told them she broke off with the Qin family. Weiguo, you have to help your mother. This can’t turn into a scandal that shames your father,” Xie Chunxing said, feeling guilty for always spoiling her daughter. But she had no choice.

Her daughter was born in the countryside, malnourished, weak, and sickly as a child. When they returned to the military base, they put a lot of effort into improving her health. So she always felt indebted and protected the child in everything.

But now, the situation was a mess, and she had no choice but to ask her eldest son to intervene.

Yao Weiguo didn’t want to get involved. But if he let things slide, his father’s heroic reputation would be destroyed. The thought infuriated him.

He slapped his thigh and stood up. “I’m going to find her! Even if I have to tie her up, I’ll bring her back and make her apologize to the Qin family in person!”

“Will that work?” Xie Chunxing worried. Although the Qin family was no longer in the military, Old Qin had a brother still serving. If this escalated, her husband might lose face in the military.

Jingjing was just too reckless.

Yao Weiguo couldn’t guarantee success but warned, “Promise me this: no matter what happens, you have to listen to me. Otherwise, I won’t get involved.”

“I…” Xie Chunxing hesitated but finally agreed.

Soon, Yao Weiguo found Yao Jingjing at the Duan family’s house. He didn’t openly lose his temper to avoid suspicion. Smiling, he greeted, “Uncle Duan, Mom told me to bring Jingjing back to catch up on her studies, so she won’t fail the graduation exam this year.”

Yao Jingjing saw him and knew trouble was coming. She scowled and refused to leave.

Yao Weiguo was not going to indulge her. He stepped forward, took her arm, and led her away.