In the Years When I Was a Father

Chapter 107: The Abusive Dad (End)

After the college entrance exams, Qi Yang and Lin Xuan both successfully got into F University — the best university in the city and ranked among the top three in the country.

The two had long planned their graduation trip, and they were now packing up and getting ready to set off.

“Dad, while I’m away, remember to feed the fish. And don’t you dare cook the turtle for dinner!”

Qi Sheng glanced at his son’s freeloading pet and smirked mischievously. “That depends on my mood.”

Qi Sheng had disliked that turtle for a long time. When his son was younger and begged him to buy it, he reluctantly agreed. Since then, the goldfish had changed several times, but the turtle had survived through it all, eating more than any of them and sleeping like royalty. Just looking at it made Qi Sheng want to toss it in a pot, wash it up, and stew it.

Qi Yang knew his dad loved to joke around, so he just smiled, slung on his backpack, and prepared to leave. He didn’t forget to give his dad a hug before heading out.

“Alright, go on now. If you’re any later, you might miss your ride. Stay safe on the road.”

Qi Yang nodded and set off for the airport.

They had a clear itinerary: starting at the southern coast and traveling all the way to the northeastern region. Though it was already July and scorching hot, the energetic youths were eager to release their youthful passion and didn’t care about the weather.

Unfortunately, by late July, when they reached Yang City — one of the country’s most naturally cool summer resorts — they could go no further. “Yang’er, I think we should just stay in Yang City until it’s time to head home. This place is way too comfortable!”

The plan had been wonderful, and their youthful energy needed an outlet, but they just couldn’t endure the scorching sun blazing relentlessly overhead.

After returning from the coast, both of them had noticeably tanned, and by the time they reached Yang City, their initial ambition had long since faded.

China was just too vast — it was impossible to tour the whole country in one or two months!

Qi Yang agreed. Although his physical stamina was better than Lin Xuan’s, even he couldn’t handle the blazing heat outside.

So the two sensibly settled down in Yang City and began enjoying a slow, laid-back lifestyle. One day they’d head to a farmhouse for barbecue and freshly picked fruit; the next, they’d go boating on the largest lake in the city.

On their sixth day in Yang City, they had just finished touring a well-known ancient building in town. It was already 6 p.m. — dinner time.

They exchanged a glance, and with perfect unspoken understanding, decided on their target.

This kind of weather called for hot pot!

Having stayed in town for a few days, they’d already done their homework and could confidently name the must-try spots among the city’s famous long-standing restaurants.

After winding through a few streets, they arrived at Yang City’s renowned Xianwei Old Hot Pot. Just as they were about to go in, Qi Yang suddenly froze.

“Yang’er, come on! If we wait any longer, we might not get a table.”

“Oh, okay.”

Qi Yang quickly collected himself and followed the server upstairs. When the server recommended a table near the air conditioner, Qi Yang didn’t even think and headed straight for a window-side table facing the street.

“Yang’er, why are we sitting here? It’s gonna be hot as hell when the hot pot gets going!”

Qi Yang was still scanning outside the window, completely missing his friend’s complaints.

Though Lin Xuan grumbled, he still followed him to the table. Seeing how his buddy, who had been so lively during their tour, now seemed lost in thought, Lin Xuan was puzzled.

He glanced out the window too. Nothing special — just a bullfrog and fish head hot pot restaurant across the street, also bustling with customers. Beside it was a cold drink shop. He studied the view again and still couldn’t figure out what had gotten into his friend.

“Yang’er, Yang’er, earth to you. What are you looking for?”

“Huh? Oh… nothing. Probably saw wrong.”

“Oh…”

Still confused, Lin Xuan didn’t press further. The server soon brought over some snacks and drinks — a big bucket of ice-cold Coke. Just thinking about pairing that with spicy hot pot was enough to make him excited.

As they waited for the hot pot base to heat up, Lin Xuan, still in high spirits, glanced at his oddly distracted friend.

“Yang’er, weren’t you hungry just now? Try some of this crispy pork. It’s pretty good.”

Qi Yang glanced down at the plate of snacks, muttered a quick “okay,” picked up a piece with his chopsticks — and then set it back down without eating, his gaze once again drawn to the window.

Now Lin Xuan was completely curious. What the heck is out there that’s so interesting to him? Could it be… a super stunning beauty just walked by?

Although Lin Xuan was a hardcore anime fan, there were still some real-life beauties who could make him break the dimensional wall. So now, with a mischievous grin and full of curiosity, he kicked Qi Yang under the table and raised an eyebrow at him.

“Come on, spill it — did you just see a total knockout?”

Anyone who could catch his buddy Yang’er’s eye had to be on the same level as their campus goddess, Wen Qingxue. Wait — wasn’t his buddy getting along pretty well with Wen Qingxue just a while ago? He had even thought Qi Yang was about to be “married off”!

Their two-person trip had almost turned into a three-person one, and Wen Qingxue hadn’t come only because of some urgent family matters. That made Lin Xuan even more confused.

His buddy was the devoted type — the fact that he could chat with Wen Qingxue for so long obviously meant he had feelings for her. Otherwise, he would’ve politely declined from the start. It was only a matter of time before they ended up together. Besides, the night before their departure, the campus beauty had even handed over two of her prized limited-edition figures and begged Lin Xuan to keep an eye on Qi Yang — to make sure no one seduced him away. Since he had accepted her favor, he had to get to the bottom of this!

So Lin Xuan pressed on: “You’re basically half taken now. Better behave yourself, or I’m telling on you!”

Qi Yang shot him a glare. This shameless traitor — sticking to his “righteous cause” without remorse.

“It wasn’t a beautiful woman.”

That only made Lin Xuan even more curious. “If it wasn’t a beauty, what were you looking at? There’s nothing special out there.”

Qi Yang didn’t respond. Lin Xuan leaned in, still pushing: “What is it you can’t tell me? Come on, we’ve been through everything together.”

Since they were kids, they could’ve easily been named “Best Bros in China.” And now his buddy was keeping secrets from him? Ouch.

Despite his usual antics, Qi Yang didn’t laugh like he normally would. Instead, he glanced at his best friend and said quietly, “My mom.”

“Huh?”

“Your… mom?”

Qi Yang said, “She just looked a bit like her. I probably saw wrong. I haven’t seen her in years — it’s probably not her.”

Even as he spoke, Qi Yang couldn’t help but glance out the window again. But the figure he’d seen earlier was long gone — probably just his imagination.

Thinking back to the past, Qi Yang remembered that woman as gentle and caring. Every time his father got angry, she would shield him and take the brunt of it herself. During those years of domestic abuse, mother and son would huddle together on his tiny bed, crying silently. Back then, he had vowed that one day he’d protect her.

But when he was five, she abandoned him.

She had finally gotten the divorce she longed for — finally escaped his father. But one clause in the agreement stated that custody could only go to the father.

So she compromised. And in the end, when he cried and begged her not to go, she still left — heartlessly.

He had hated her. Resented her. Missed her.

Three years after she left, when Qi Yang was once again beaten so badly he couldn’t get out of bed, he finally pulled out the photo of her that he had hidden away — just to remember.

Thinking about all that made Qi Yang feel heavy inside. Lin Xuan, seeing his friend like this, didn’t know what to say.

He knew what his buddy had gone through, but he didn’t know much about Qi Yang’s mom. Qi Yang rarely mentioned her, and all Lin Xuan knew — from his own mother — was that the woman had left Hai City after the divorce and lost contact entirely.

Looking at his friend’s dazed expression, Lin Xuan decisively said, “Let’s go eat across the street.”

Qi Yang shook his head. “Forget it. I probably saw wrong. No need to go through the trouble. The food’s already here.”

Lin Xuan looked at the mouthwatering hot pot, then glared at Qi Yang. “Let’s go. Just trust me. You think you’re gonna enjoy the food looking like that? Watching you mope kills my appetite too.”

After a quick glance at the bubbling hot pot, he noticed two young guys about their age entering the restaurant. He immediately went over to the server and said, “We have an emergency and need to leave. We’ll settle the bill now — and let those two guys take our hot pot. Consider it a gift.”

After paying quickly, he turned back to Qi Yang. “Let’s go.”

The two young men who suddenly received a free hot pot, still stunned and unable to even say thank you: … Who are you heroes? Please leave your names at least!

As they came downstairs, they saw the bullfrog and fish head hot pot place directly across the street. Qi Yang watched the steady flow of people going in and out, hesitating for a moment.

If that woman really was inside, what could they even say to each other?

Qi Yang no longer hated her after all these years, but his longing had also faded. Seeing her earlier had stirred something in him, but now that he was possibly about to see her face-to-face, he felt nervous.

Luckily, Lin Xuan was right there beside him. Sensing his hesitation, he grabbed his arm and marched him straight in.

“Boss, do you have any open tables?”

“Yes, yes — right this way!”

The man behind the front desk was indeed the owner. He wasn’t very tall, about 1.7 meters, with an average build and a bit of a beer belly. His facial features were ordinary, but when he smiled, his eyes turned into little slits — the kind of warm smile that could lift your spirits, likely honed through years of running a business.

Qi Yang glanced at him subconsciously and registered the man’s face — vaguely familiar, but only just. His mind was still preoccupied with the woman from earlier.

The two of them sat down, and the boss personally handed them the menu. It was peak dinner hour, and business was booming. The staff was clearly stretched thin, so the owner had stepped in to help.

“The bullfrog here is tender and delicious—it’s one of our specialties. If you two can eat bullfrog, I highly recommend trying it.”

Without hesitation, Lin Xuan ordered two catties from the menu. As a seasoned foodie, his taste was nothing if not extensive.

“Boss, is your place just this one floor?” Lin Xuan handed over the menu he’d filled out. Noticing his buddy’s mind was elsewhere again, he asked casually.

“Yup, just the one floor. But even though it’s only one level, our space is quite big. See over there? That partitioned area still holds five more tables.”

Once the boss walked away with the order, Lin Xuan glanced at his friend. “Still didn’t find her?”

Qi Yang shook his head.

“Wanna go check that partitioned section?”

Qi Yang originally didn’t want to, but a sliver of unwillingness nagged at him. In the end, he got up and did a quick sweep of the area.

“Well? Anyone?” Lin Xuan asked, though Qi Yang’s expression had already given it away.

Sure enough, Qi Yang shook his head again.

Lin Xuan offered, “If you really want to see her, we can start keeping an eye out. You know what she looks like, and you’ve got her name and age. With the internet nowadays, if you really want to find someone, you probably can.”

Qi Yang took a deep breath and forced a smile. “Forget it. I probably really just mistook someone else for her. If she’s not here, then she’s not. Maybe she’s doing well now, and I don’t need to go stirring things up.”

“But what if she’s not doing well?” Lin Xuan asked instinctively.

The moment the words left his mouth, he wanted to smack himself. What a stupid thing to say.

Qi Yang was momentarily stunned. The question shook him—he had always imagined that after she left their home, she had gone on to live a good life. He had never even considered that she might not be doing well.

Seeing the effect of his words, Lin Xuan quickly tried to walk them back. “Don’t overthink it, really. I was just saying nonsense. Your mom’s such a beauty—if she found someone else, he’s gotta be way better than Uncle Qi—uh, former Uncle Qi, I mean.”

With Qi Yang’s looks as good as they were, and people always saying sons resemble their mothers, Lin Xuan didn’t even have to meet the woman to be sure she was a knockout.

Qi Yang gave a faint “mm” and, thinking back to Lin Xuan’s earlier suggestion, decided he would try to look for her once they were back. He didn’t necessarily want to reconnect or anything—he just wanted to know she was doing okay.

Now that he’d made the decision, he felt a little more settled. “Don’t worry about me. I’ll look for her when we get back.”

Lin Xuan was relieved to see his friend returning to normal. His own mood lifted as well. At that moment, the dishes arrived. Lin Xuan had just picked up his chopsticks to grab some meat when he noticed a beautiful woman walking toward them and froze.

“Beautiful” might not be exactly right—she was probably around the same age as his own mother. Lin Xuan took another closer look at the elegant woman, then instinctively swallowed.

Those eyes… they looked a lot like his buddy’s.

He was just about to nudge Qi Yang when, to his surprise, the restaurant owner came over beaming, and very affectionately took the beautiful woman’s hand.

“Yang’er…”

“What?”

“Uh, that, that—turn around and look over there.”

Lin Xuan had finally decided to give his buddy a heads-up. Whether or not it was her, it was better to be prepared.

Qi Yang followed his gaze in confusion. One look, and he froze.

It was her.

Right then, the owner and the woman were chatting. Whatever the man said made her laugh so hard she nearly doubled over.

When Qi Yang looked over, she had just finished laughing. Their eyes met by pure chance—and in that instant, the bright smile on her face vanished.

“Wife, what’s wrong?”

Chen Miao—the woman in question—snapped out of it at her husband’s voice. She shook her head. “Nothing. Just thought I saw someone familiar.”

She couldn’t help but glance back toward Qi Yang again. But he had already turned away. Not seeing his face filled her with even more unease.

Was it him? Was that… her child?

That child should be about this age now, right? But growing up in that kind of environment… could he really have grown up healthy?

Thinking of the little boy who had cried and begged her not to leave, Chen Miao felt a pain so sharp it stole her breath. She regretted leaving him behind, yet she hadn’t dared return to face that demon again—hadn’t dared to try and take her child back.

Qi Yang looked bitterly at the hotpot in front of him and said to Lin Xuan, “Looks like today’s not the right day for hotpot.”

From his friend’s expression, Lin Xuan could tell he had guessed correctly. Judging by the affectionate interaction between the owner and his wife, Qi Yang’s mother really did seem to be living a good life now.

“Then let’s go. I’ll pay—wait for me outside.”

Qi Yang gave a quiet “mm” and didn’t object. His mood was heavy. Knowing she was doing well brought a sense of relief, but also a deep sadness. All these years—she knew where he lived, knew the conditions he might be living in… and she had never once thought to come see him?

The hotpot restaurant owner was confused when he saw that the customers who had ordered hadn’t taken a single bite and were now leaving. He was just about to ask Lin Xuan why when he noticed his wife suddenly run out after the young man who had left first.

His wife? What was going on?

Puzzled, the owner glanced at the steaming hotpot, then back at the young man in a hurry to pay. Suddenly, he remembered the other boy just now.

“Hold on with the bill a sec—I’ll go check something.”

With that, he followed Chen Miao out but came to a stop just outside the restaurant door.

Not far ahead, his wife was talking to that same young man.

“Yang Yang, it’s you, isn’t it?” Chen Miao had followed Qi Yang around the corner and now, seeing him turn to face her, broke into uncontrollable sobs.

Qi Yang looked at the woman crying before him. He wanted to wipe away her tears, but when he raised his hand, he froze halfway.

“Don’t cry.”

“As long as you’re doing well, that’s enough.”

Seeing her cover her mouth, unable to speak, Qi Yang went on quietly, “Dad later saw a psychiatrist. He quit drinking, and he got better, bit by bit. I’ve been doing fine these past few years. I just finished the college entrance exams this year and got accepted into F University.”

She kept crying, nodding along to everything he said. Qi Yang added, “That guy seems to treat you well. That’s good. Then I can stop worrying. If there’s nothing else, I’ll go now.”

Chen Miao had been too busy crying to react. But seeing him about to leave, she quickly reached out to stop him. “Yang… Yang Yang, stay for a meal, please? I’ll make a few dishes myself. Let’s sit down and talk, just for a bit.”

Qi Yang shook his head and gently pulled his arm free. Seeing the deep disappointment in her face, he added, “I’ve got something else to do. Maybe next time. You… take care of yourself.”

With that, he turned and walked away quickly, no longer caring how sad she was behind him.

Watching his retreating figure disappear without a trace of hesitation, the “I’m sorry” on Chen Miao’s lips never had the chance to be said.

Lin Xuan slapped two red banknotes into the boss’s hand and dashed out after Qi Yang, ignoring the man calling out to him from behind.

It wasn’t until he’d run a full block that Lin Xuan spotted his buddy waiting nearby.

“Come on, let’s go. After all that, I’m starving. Let’s just go get some barbecue.”

Qi Yang looked at the friend who had stuck with him through all of it and smiled. “Alright. Whatever you want to eat today, order it. Figures, toys, whatever—just say the word.”

Lin Xuan gave a big “Yay!” and slung an arm around his buddy’s shoulders. The two teens headed off toward a barbecue joint downtown, walking playfully down the lively street. Qi Yang glanced at his goofy friend and chuckled, finally letting go of the gloom that had weighed on his heart.

This isn’t so bad after all.

There was no longer a need to worry about his mom. He had a father who loved and cherished him, a best friend he could trust completely, and someone he liked who liked him back. This life—was already good enough.