Chapter 10: The Family Causes a Stir at the Mall

"Your money is harder to find than state secrets; where would I even steal it from?" Wang Peng sneered. "Do you have any idea how much money we actually have at home? Are you just lying through your teeth?"

"How dare you talk to me like that?" Wang Song, stung by the retort, lashed out in fury. "Where did you even get the capital to start a business? Don't tell me those watermelons were given to you on credit; there isn't such a fool in this world."

"Who are you calling a fool? You're the fool!" Du Lei snapped, his composure breaking. The first cart of watermelons had indeed been given to Wang Peng on credit by his grandfather.

He glared at Wang Song. "The cart is mine, the melons are mine. Wang Peng is helping me sell them and is eating and sleeping at my place. How on earth did my business become his?"

Wang Song froze, rendered speechless by the rebuttal.

That was the only logical explanation. There was no money missing from home, so how could a penniless Wang Peng have started from scratch?

"What is your relationship with him? What are you trying to do?" Li Guifen demanded of Du Lei.

"We’re classmates and good friends," Du Lei retorted. "What are *you* trying to do? Are you trying to steal my money by falsely claiming my business is Wang Peng's?"

"Do you take me for a fool?" Li Guifen shrieked. "I saw it with my own eyes. Wang Peng was weighing the melons and taking the money, and you were lugging them around for delivery. Whose business is it, really?"

"Yesterday, Wang Peng was on his own. My daughter saw him eating beef and buying sneakers with her own eyes. He’s the boss," Wang Song said, pointing at Wang Peng’s shoes.

"Wang Peng sold five hundred jin of watermelons for me yesterday, and the sneakers were his reward. He sold another five hundred today, and I’m planning to reward him with a pair of pants. Is that any of your business?"

Du Lei draped an arm over Wang Peng's shoulder. "Brother Peng, leave the cart. I’m taking you to buy some jeans."

*Are you serious, man?* Wang Peng was caught between laughter and tears, but he left the handcart and followed him toward the People’s Department Store.

At the same time, he silently decided that if Du Lei spent more than thirty yuan on the jeans, he would give him a good thrashing. Still, he needed new pants sooner or later; he couldn't just keep wearing the same pair every day.

Wang Song, unsure if Du Lei was lying, left Li Guifen to guard the cart and took Wang Cheng into the store.

The first floor was filled with clothing and shoes. Du Lei patted his wallet. "Go ahead and pick, Brother Peng. Pick whichever one you like."

"Thanks, Boss. You're a generous man," Wang Peng said, giving him a thumbs-up.

In his past life, Du Lei had been a remarkable person, and his fearless demeanor just now showed a touch of natural authority.

"Comrade, how much are these pants?" Wang Peng pointed to a pair of grey jeans.

"These are Apple brand jeans, one hundred and twenty-eight yuan," the saleswoman replied.

"Oh, boy." Wang Peng nearly bit his tongue. *My taste is truly impeccable,* he thought, *I picked the one that costs over a hundred.*

That was outrageously expensive. The entire cart of watermelons he’d just sold had only netted a profit of one hundred and fifty yuan—was he really going to blow it all on a pair of pants?

"Can't afford that. Let's pick another pair," Du Lei said, not daring to act tough and certainly not willing to buy hundred-yuan pants. He was afraid of getting beaten up.

"Apple jeans are imported from the U.S. The authentic ones are 588 yuan; these are high-end replicas," the saleswoman laughed. "The cheapest jeans here are at least thirty yuan. Most people can't afford to wear them."

***

That was true enough. Wang Peng looked at Du Lei. "Brother Lei, could you get me the cheapest pair, please?"

"This..." Du Lei pretended to be conflicted. "If I buy these for you, you have to sell another ten carts of watermelons for me. The people in the residential compound only trust you; they won't buy the melons I sell."

"Deal. I'll sell ten more carts for you," Wang Peng nodded hurriedly. Everything was going according to his script, and Du Lei was proving quite quick-witted in his improvisation.

The saleswoman checked his build, measured his waist with a tape, and pulled a pair of light grey jeans from the counter.

"Comrade, that door there is the fitting room. Go ahead and try them on," she said.

"Thank you, comrade." Wang Peng stepped into the fitting room and peeled off his ragged pants to put on the new jeans.

Those tattered pants had been hand-me-downs from Wang Song, patched up by Li Guifen. He had never owned a piece of new clothing in his entire life.

*I'll sell another cart tomorrow and replace my underwear and shirt, too,* he resolved.

He looked down at the jeans and the new sneakers, a mix of bitterness and sweetness in his heart. *I was such a fool in my past life. Why didn't I ever spend money on myself?*

He stepped out of the fitting room, head held high. From now on, he would spend his own money to please himself.

The sneakers were stylish and vibrant, and the jeans accentuated his long legs. The entire look radiated the energy of youth.

"Wow, clothes really do make the man," Du Lei applauded. He unzipped his wallet and pulled out thirty yuan, bill by bill.

"I must say, you look like a different person in those jeans," the saleswoman smiled as she took the money and wrote out the receipt.

Bathed in the praise, Wang Peng felt a surge of confidence. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Wang Song, whose face had turned as dark as the bottom of a pot.

"Dad, that's thirty yuan for a pair of jeans! If we bought vegetables with that, it would last our family half a month," Wang Cheng muttered, staring fixedly at his older brother's pants.

Wang Song felt a pang of heartache. They were so poor, yet Wang Peng was spending his earnings on himself. If that thirty yuan had been spent on meat, the family could have eaten well for days.

The more he thought about it, the angrier he became. He glared at Wang Peng. "Give those pants to your brother. An older brother should love his younger brother. Come home with me; I'll let you go to school."

He wouldn't even spend thirty yuan on pants, so how could he possibly be willing to pay two hundred yuan for tuition?

It was a blatant lie. Wang Peng’s heart ached, and he desperately wanted to ask if he was even their biological son.

"I'm not a three-year-old. You give me the two hundred yuan for tuition, and I’ll give him the pants right now," Wang Peng shook his head.

Living a second life, he could no longer be the fool he was before; he could no longer treat his parents' words as absolute truth.

With his lie exposed, Wang Song flew into a rage. "You ungrateful brat! How dare you bargain with me?"

"I'm telling you, this is your last chance to come home. You won't find this opportunity again once you walk away," he spat, pointing a finger at Wang Peng's nose.

"Drop that feudal patriarch act. I am a human being, not a dog you raised," Wang Peng sneered. "If the father is unkind, the son has no obligation to be filial. I don't recognize a father as biased as you."

"What did you say? Say that again, I dare you!" Wang Song roared.

"Don't forget! We have already severed ties! I—Wang Peng—do not recognize you as my father! I do not recognize this family!" Wang Peng stood his ground, completely unafraid.

"Brother, just say less. Don't make Mom and Dad any angrier. It wasn't easy for them to raise us; show some consideration," Wang Cheng said, feigning an earnest tone. "If you're still mad, just slap me twice to vent your anger?"

*Smack! Smack!*

Wang Peng struck Wang Cheng across the face twice in quick succession!

"Fine! I'll satisfy your request!"

Wang Cheng was stunned into silence.

"You wretch!" Li Guifen rushed over. "I'll beat you to death, you unfilial beast!"

"You wretch! You absolute wretch!" Wang Song was so furious his lips were trembling.

At that moment, the saleswoman couldn't take it anymore. She stepped in front of Wang Peng, glaring at Li Guifen.

"This is the People’s Department Store, not a place for you to throw a tantrum." Her voice was booming. She pointed at Wang Song and the others, her face full of disdain. "I’ve seen my share of terrible parents, but you lot are a first! A pack of vampires, forcing your own son to hand over money! You have no shame!"

"If you want to throw a tantrum, go home and do it. If you come back here to cause trouble, I'll have security throw you out."

State-run store clerks held real authority. Li Guifen didn't dare act up and retreated behind Wang Song, looking crestfallen.

The surrounding crowd began to whisper and point.

"That's right, you parents shouldn't be so biased!"

"There has to be a limit to favoritism!"

"They've truly broken their child's heart!"

...

"This is a family matter! It’s none of your business!" Wang Song retorted, his neck reddening with indignation.

"This isn't your home!" The saleswoman was truly incensed. She turned and shouted to the security guards, "Xiao Li, Xiao Wang! They’re causing a scene, throw them out!"

The two security guards, who had been watching the scene unfold, had long been fed up. At her command, they marched over, grabbed the three of them, and shoved them toward the exit!