The Yi family strictly followed Lin Yao's instructions, dismissing Chen Shiwei from his public office at the Yanji Local Taxation Bureau and initiating legal proceedings to pursue his corruption. However, this guy had done a lot of minor misdeeds but hadn't committed any major crimes. So the Yi family changed their methods and made him bankrupt.
Unable to stay in Yanji any longer, Chen Shiwei had no choice but to leave for distant lands and seek refuge with relatives. Shenyang, Dalian—he would face attacks from the Yi family no matter where he went. Finally, he had no choice but to seek refuge with a distant cousin who had been working in Beijing for many years, thus escaping further attacks from the Yi family.
Under the emperor's nose, there are laws. Even if they could circumvent these laws, the Yi family was unwilling to cause trouble in the capital.
As a result, Chen Shiwei finally had a relatively stable life.
He tried to do business, but failed. The local tax bureau only knew how to audit accounts and collect taxes, and were also adept at extorting money and favors. Asking Chen Shiwei to do business? It was like throwing money into the water—at least you'd hear a splash. Doing business was exhausting and costly, so he reluctantly gave up.
He failed his job application for a management position. Chen Shiwei had previously thought himself capable and competent, but he couldn't even answer a few simple written test questions. The arrogant public works engineer finally realized that he actually had no management skills. Once the halo of being a public works engineer was removed, he was just a piece of trash who could only loaf around and wait to die.
He tried to learn the skills, but failed. Even the youngest apprentice learned faster and better than Chen Shiwei. His fat, bloated brain had been ruined by alcohol and greasy food, and he was simply not cut out for learning skills.
Finally, Chen Shiwei started carrying bags and moving things to make a living, becoming a pure manual laborer. Although his income and ability were far inferior to those of migrant workers, the piece-rate system of his work allowed him to barely support his family. However, his fat body also dissipated as a result, which was more effective than the tens of thousands of yuan that rich people spend on fitness and weight loss.
The wife who always made herself up with bright red lips ran away. According to her, she wanted to remarry while she was still young, so that she wouldn't be unable to get married when she was old and faded in a few years and would have to suffer with Chen Shiwei for the rest of her life.
The divorce and the loss of his woman deeply affected Chen Shiwei. During the darkest days of his life, only his elderly mother offered unwavering support and companionship, which finally allowed him to confront his past behavior and his filial impiety.
Lin Yao just stood there without saying a word.
Chen Shiwei didn't recognize Lin Yaolai. He was too busy to handle the hundred or so skewers of lamb, which involved oiling, adding seasonings, flipping, and adjusting their positions to control the heat.
After more than half a year of trying, Chen Shiwei finally found a job that he could do well, but which would not result in insufficient pay due to physical limitations: grilling lamb skewers.
Chen Shiwei cherishes this job; it's his only chance to turn his life around. His elderly mother's health has deteriorated further, but he doesn't have the money to hospitalize her. He can only earn money by grilling more lamb skewers so he can gradually buy medicine for her. He estimates that his mother will be able to be hospitalized in another month.
"Alright, here are your thirty skewers, here are your ten skewers, here are your twenty skewers..." Chen Shi distributed the lamb skewers one by one. With his excellent memory, he finished distributing the skewers in no time. After collecting the money, he started the next batch of grilling.
Lin Yao didn't pay. He didn't want Chen Shiwei to recognize him. If they met here and now, did he really want to deliberately humiliate her? He simply didn't have that kind of perverse sense of humor.
Lamb skewers cost two yuan each and are quite generous in portion. Large chunks of lamb are sizzling with oil on an iron shovel made from the steel wire of a bicycle support, making them look very appealing.
I took a bite, and it tasted pretty good.
Continuing on, when he ate the third piece, Lin Yao suddenly felt a strong oily smell. This piece of meat was white and much softer than the previous two pieces, like elastic cotton. The oil inside burst out as soon as he bit into it, and it was very fragrant.
“Each skewer will have a piece of fat, which is the fat from the lamb, so you have to eat it while it’s hot, otherwise it will turn into jelly as soon as it cools down, and it will scratch your tongue.” Xiang Honglian had obviously been observing Lin Yao, and she knew that this would happen, so she immediately explained.
"Oh, not bad, it smells delicious," Lin Yao praised, and continued to enjoy his meal.
After eating five skewers, Lin Yao couldn't stand the fatty mutton anymore because he felt it was too greasy, extremely greasy, and he felt like he would throw up if he ate any more.
The other mutton was good—tender, fragrant, and chewy. Lin Yao quickly ate all the skewers in his hand, but spat out the fatty mutton pieces on the ground after biting them off. At this point, no one paid attention to environmental hygiene, and Lin Yao couldn't find a trash can. So, he followed local customs and ruined the environment, affecting the appearance of Beijing.
"Cough cough cough." A faint sound rang out, not far away.
Chen Shiwei put a large handful of lamb skewers on the counter, turned around and walked to the side of the street. In a corner in front of the roller shutter of a shop, an old man was huddled up.
It was the old woman who accused her of hitting someone!
Lin Yao immediately recognized the coughing old man and felt uneasy.
The old woman had diabetes and rheumatism, which was known in Yanji. Now she had fallen on hard times and was living in Beijing. Lin Yao didn't know how her health was, but from the sound of her cough, he could tell that her condition was probably worse than before.
"Mom, are you cold? Do you want some water?" Chen Shiwei stopped beside the old woman, squatted down and tucked the military overcoat covering her body. From the side, Lin Yao noticed the concern on his face.
"I'm fine, Erzi, you go ahead and do your work. So many people are waiting. Don't worry about me here." The old man's voice was not loud, but it was very clear.
"Mom, I told you you don't need to come out with me tonight, I can manage on my own. If you can't come tomorrow, just wait at home." Chen Shiwei suddenly remembered where she lived with her mother and felt a pang of sadness.
Once upon a time, he lived a comfortable and luxurious life in Yanji, but his greed and obedience to his wife ruined it all. He encountered a very powerful figure and has fallen to this state, where he lives in a cramped and dilapidated place, and his mother has to suffer with him.
"I'm worried about you." The old man's voice was somewhat bitter. "You're divorced, your wife is gone, how can a grown man live now? Even your son has been taken away by that woman. I can't rest easy if I don't keep an eye on you. I'll watch over you every day I can, anyway, I don't have many days left to live."
"Mom, don't worry, business is going very well now. You'll be able to go to the hospital next month, and you'll definitely get better." Chen Shiwei's voice was low and somber. He regretted it. He regretted finding an unfilial wife, regretted being so obedient to her and having no opinions of his own, and regretted being so unfilial to his mother who gave birth to him. Now, he could only try his best to atone for his sins.
“My illness is nothing serious. Save the money you earn. You’ll need to find a wife and start a family someday. A man can’t live without someone to take care of him, especially as he gets older. He can’t live alone.” The old woman smiled, her optimistic expression returning. “Actually, I also have to thank that young man from last time. Although I’m struggling financially now, I feel more at ease. I’m very content that my second son can take care of me.”
"Mother, please don't say anymore. It was my fault. I'm just reaping what I sowed, but I've dragged you down with me." Chen Shiwei choked up a little.
"Stop talking and get to work. There are a lot of customers waiting over there. We can't ruin our reputation." The old man reached out and gently patted Chen Shiwei, urging him to go grill the meat.
Hearing this, Lin Yao was deeply moved, thinking to himself that the two incidents tonight happened at very similar times.
Humans are so complex. When they are successful, they lose their true nature or show it. When they are unsuccessful, they become something else entirely. So which one is their true nature?
Chen Shiwei's experiences and changes are more representative. From being arrogant and domineering when he was successful, even disrespectful to his mother, to showing the behavior of a loyal and filial son when he was down, the contrast is so great that Lin Yao could hardly believe it.
So, what is his true nature? In Yanji, Lin Yao couldn't see a trace of kindness in him, and even the old man in Yanji, despite his frail appearance, had a filthy soul.
But nowadays, the loving mother and filial son are practically the epitome of human ethics. Should I be moved by this?
"Yaoyao, don't think so much. Everything has a cause and effect. The cause you sow will reap the corresponding effect. It's not a fixed pattern. Everyone can make mistakes, and everyone can do good deeds. Of course, apart from a very few people who are inherently cold-hearted, most people have two sides. The difference lies in the different proportions of good and evil." Xiaocao interrupted Lin Yao's conflicted emotions. Lin Yao was habitually using his mind to think about the problem, and she heard everything.
"How do you know so much?" Lin Yao asked in surprise, not paying attention to Xiao Cao's words for a moment.
"I'm much more diligent at work than you. While you're chatting with women at work, I'm browsing the internet and learning a lot," Xiaocao said proudly.
Lin Yao felt ashamed, both for neglecting his duties at work and for Xiao Cao's abilities. This guy was practically a learning fanatic, a real person.
"Of course I'm a real person, I'm even a god above real people." Little Grass started to boast. "Don't think so much. This family got what they deserved. Now things have changed. They'll be fine as they are. If they have good karma, they'll have a good life in the future. You don't need to think so much."
"Oh." Lin Yao agreed with Xiao Cao's statement, thinking that it was precisely because of his punishment in Yanji that the mother and son had changed. Otherwise, they might have remained the same as before, with the son being arrogant and domineering, bullying the weak, and the old woman aiding and abetting evil, harming people against her conscience.
All of this is cause and effect. You don't need to feel guilty or receive special help, because everyone has to take responsibility for their own actions. It's not like others should treat you a certain way just because you've turned over a new leaf. You have to create your own good life.
Lin Yao has not wronged them, so he has no responsibility or burden for their current situation, and it is normal for him not to help.