In the Years When I Was a Father

Chapter 38: The Gangster Dad (2)

Qi Wei first found an ATM nearby. After checking the balance, it wasn’t until he saw that long string of numbers on the screen that everything finally felt a bit real. Though whether this money could legally belong to them was still uncertain, seeing that amount calmed him a lot.

He withdrew some cash to keep on hand, took the card back, and then went to a nearby pharmacy and deli.

Back at the hotel, Qi Sheng didn’t have to wait long before his son returned, carrying a roasted duck and two bottles of cola.

Taking the Yunnan Baiyao his son tossed over, Qi Sheng then heard him say, “I’m going to look for an apartment this afternoon. It’s too expensive to keep staying in the hotel.”

Qi Sheng sprayed the medicine over his body and face before chiming in with his opinion. “Find a decent place, don’t skimp. No, I’m coming with you in the afternoon. I don’t want you renting some crappy hole-in-the-wall again.”

Qi Wei glanced at the bruises on the man’s body and declined, “Just stay here and rest. Don’t worry, I won’t pick a dump this time.”

Qi Sheng looked at him but didn’t argue, instead grabbing a duck leg and munching away. On the other hand, Qi Wei didn’t seem to have much of an appetite. Qi Sheng, puzzled, asked, “What’s with the sour face? Why aren’t you eating?”

Qi Wei looked at him, hesitated for a moment, then said, “Dad, how about we go to another city and start over?”

The old bastard had lived here for over ten years and knew all sorts of shady people. Qi Wei was honestly worried that if they stayed, those people would drag him back in. Never mind all his current promises—he was never the strong-willed type.

Qi Sheng read his son’s mind, took a bite of duck meat, and nodded casually. “Whatever you want. If there’s a city you’ve got in mind, I’ll go with you. Doesn’t matter where—we’re together, that’s what counts.” His hometown was a rural village in the north. His parents heavily favored sons over daughters and spoiled their only son rotten.

Qi Sheng remembered back in elementary school when he picked a fight and ended up getting stabbed by the kid he tried to mess with. After learning what really happened, the other family refused to take responsibility. His parents felt guilty but were dirt poor, so they scraped together what little they could for his treatment. In the end, they had no choice but to give their two-year-old daughter away to relatives, half-selling and half-gifting her.

His parents didn’t have a good ending. One died of illness, the other of exhaustion. By then, the original Qi Sheng had already moved to the city to live it up. When he heard they died, he barely reacted—just went back, took care of the funeral, sold off the little land they had, and kept living his carefree life with that money.

Qi Sheng curled his lips bitterly. What a complete scumbag. Every inch of that man was rotten.

Qi Wei didn’t know the old bastard was deep in reflection. Hearing his agreement, he felt a bit satisfied. This jerk was finally starting to understand that his son was his only support going forward.

“Then let’s go to Yang City. It’s a big city with more job opportunities. I can find a higher-paying gig.”

Qi Sheng frowned at that, and seeing the confusion on his son’s face, he said directly, “Son, we’ve got some money now. How about you go back to school?”

Qi Wei was genuinely surprised to hear that from him. After thinking for a moment, he replied, “I was never a top student, and I’ve been out of school for over two years. I’ve forgotten most of the middle school material. Whether I can even get into high school is a question. Even if I do get in, I might not be able to keep up—it’d be better to just work.”

Seeing the old bastard looking a little disappointed, Qi Wei chuckled and added, “I like earning money more than studying anyway.”

Qi Sheng saw that his son was firm in his decision and didn’t press further. Like Qi Wei said, even if he did go back to school now, there was no guarantee he’d do well. The kid had been through too many tough times. Compared to studying, he just wanted to make money as soon as possible.

Qi Sheng cursed the original owner of this body again. If the man had even a slightly decent reputation, maybe Qi Sheng could have stepped up a bit and taken the pressure off his son. After all, what teenager doesn’t want to enjoy their youth?

That afternoon, Qi Wei went to the train station to buy tickets. When he got back, Qi Sheng insisted they stop by the nearby mall so Qi Wei could buy himself a phone.

That night, lying on the hotel bed, Qi Wei looked at the already asleep old bastard beside him, and the whole day felt surreal.

That morning, he’d been drowning in despair about his future. By noon, he was a free man again. He thought this lifetime would end in total severance from the old bastard, but just as he made up his mind, the man suddenly started changing. And tomorrow, they were heading to a brand-new city. As Qi Wei tossed and turned, he felt worry about the future—but more than that, he felt hope.

He glanced at the balance in his phone one more time before forcing himself to sleep. He thought he’d be too wired to rest, but the next time he opened his eyes, it was already morning.

After washing up and having breakfast together, the father and son headed for Huashi Train Station. At the ticket gate, Qi Wei couldn’t help but look back at the sky above Huashi. He’d lived in this city for over a decade. There were plenty of bad memories here, but now that he had something to look forward to, even this city felt a little dearer to him.

Finally, the two of them boarded the train to Yang City. Watching the city blur past outside the window, Qi Wei’s lips curved up, his eyes shining with excitement.

Qi Sheng looked at his happy son and deliberately picked a fight. “Smug brat, what are you grinning for? It’s over twenty hours on a hard seat—I’ll be surprised if you’re not crying tomorrow!”

Qi Wei shrugged nonchalantly and continued watching the scenery flash by outside the window, his mind filled with visions of a bright future.

Qi Sheng endured a grueling night in the hard seat, and finally got off the train the following afternoon.

Over twenty hours in a hard seat was no joke. As soon as the two exited the station, they immediately stretched their limbs. Seeing his son clearly tired, Qi Sheng said, “Brat, regret not buying sleeper tickets now, huh?”

“Not at all!”

Qi Wei rolled his shoulders and looked up at the clear blue sky, his heart instantly feeling lighter.

“Let’s go. We’ll find a hotel in the city first, and tomorrow we’ll look for a place to rent.”

Qi Sheng could clearly sense his son’s excitement and felt his own spirits lift as well. He had no objections to his son’s plan. “Alright, we’ll do as you say. You’re the boss of the house now.”

Qi Wei turned to look at him, surprised. This old scoundrel was actually being so cooperative now!

He had already thought about a lot during the train ride. Although society placed heavy emphasis on educational qualifications, people like him still had their place. He was young and full of energy—even if he had to start with the most labor-intensive jobs, life would gradually get better.

They took a bus to the third ring road area and wandered around a bit. Finally, under Qi Sheng’s displeased gaze, Qi Wei chose a very cheap hotel and booked a standard room. Big cities were expensive, so they had to be frugal for now.

Qi Sheng was helpless, but since he’d agreed to let his son take the lead, he followed through.

That evening, they had two bowls of noodles at a roadside stall before mustering the strength to begin exploring the new city.

“Slow down, son! Who walks this fast when they’re just sightseeing?”

Qi Sheng trailed behind, occasionally calling out to Qi Wei. But the boy was determined and completely unaffected by his complaints.

“Hurry up and keep up. Stop looking around. Let’s get familiar with the area first—there’ll be time to play later,” Qi Wei said patiently, glancing at the big burden he was dragging along.

If he wasn’t worried the old scoundrel might sneak out and get into trouble again, he wouldn’t have brought him along at all.

He glanced at the map on his phone and made mental notes of the streets they’d passed. All he wanted was to settle down in this city as soon as possible.

Meanwhile, Qi Sheng looked completely at ease, strolling around like he was on vacation, showing none of the desperation of someone under pressure.

The next day, the father and son found a room for rent on the first floor of an old residential building nearby.

The room wasn’t big—barely over thirty square meters—with no private bathroom or kitchen. A single wall divided the space into two sections.

Qi Wei was very satisfied. Housing in Yang City was expensive, and this place was the best option he’d found—cheap and in a decent location. As for Qi Sheng’s demand for a private bathroom, there was a shared toilet just outside. Qi Wei had checked the hygiene conditions and deemed them acceptable. They were just two men; no need to be so picky.

Qi Sheng lay on the made bed like a salted fish, watching his son carefully arrange their new home. He tried to negotiate, “We’re not short on money. Why not treat ourselves better?”

Qi Wei glanced at him but didn’t respond. Still, seeing the discontent on his face, he patiently explained, “That 200,000 might look like a lot, but if we don’t watch our spending, it’ll be gone before we know it. We agreed not to touch that money unless necessary. Once I get a job and earn some income, the first thing I’ll do is top that amount off.”

Qi Sheng wilted and said nothing more. Qi Wei ignored him and, once the room was set up, started thinking about job options. After browsing on his phone and heading out several times, he finally settled on a job on the fourth day after arriving in Yang City—delivering food.

Qi Sheng was displeased and objected, “That job has no technical skill and is dangerous. You’re earning peanuts. Sure, the weather’s nice now, but what about when it rains or gets freezing cold? You’ll suffer!”

“We’re not strapped for cash. Why don’t you take some time to learn a trade first? That way, you’ll have more confidence when job hunting.”

Qi Wei thought for a long time before replying, “Let’s stick with this for now. I haven’t figured out what I really want to do yet. If I rush into learning something I end up not liking, it’ll just waste time and money. It’s better to make some money now—maybe I’ll discover a field I actually enjoy later on.”

Qi Sheng knew his son had a point. He wanted to say, You can study whatever you like. I’ll support you even if it takes a lifetime. But the reality was, he was still being supported by his son.

Qi Wei saw him lying on the bed like a defeated man and couldn’t help but scold him, “You should start job hunting tomorrow too. See if there’s anything you can do. Don’t just sit at home all day—you’ll end up sneaking out to mess around again.”

Qi Sheng nodded perfunctorily. In Qi Wei’s eyes, the old scoundrel was just lazy and didn’t want to work.

Qi Wei had a full-time job now and couldn’t watch him constantly, so he would discreetly check on him at night, afraid he might fall back into old habits.

Compared to Qi Wei’s daily hustle, Qi Sheng lived a much more relaxed life. During the day, he’d either go for walks or chat with elderly neighbors. His only redeeming quality was making sure dinner was ready when his son got home.

This routine continued for about a week, until Yang City was hit with several days of heavy rain. Seeing his son soaked through again, Qi Sheng felt a deep ache in his heart.

“Brat, listen to your old man—let’s enroll you in a technical school first. Once you graduate, then we’ll think about work. You’re still young. Why the rush to make money?”

Qi Wei just smiled. He didn’t mind his soaking wet clothes and even found it amusing that the old scoundrel was actually capable of worrying about him now!

Seeing the gloomy expression on the man’s face, Qi Wei still offered some comfort. “It’s really not that bad. On rainy days, the commission is higher. Plus, the weather isn’t cold right now. A bit of rain doesn’t matter.”

Qi Sheng snapped, “What about when winter comes? Be careful you don’t end up ruining your health at such a young age!”

Qi Wei took off his wet clothes and looked at the hot water and towel that had already been prepared. He was a bit surprised by how considerate the old bastard was being. Realizing the concern was genuine, he said, “I’ll just wear more layers. I’ll do this job for a couple of years first. Once we’re more stable, I’ll think about what to do next. Maybe after saving up for two years, I can open a small shop?”

Qi Sheng felt powerless. His son was dead set on working and saving money. It wasn’t like he himself couldn’t work, but given his apparent qualifications, he couldn’t find a high-paying job.

Watching his son leave early and return late, come rain or shine, made Qi Sheng feel bitter. Kids his son’s age were still carefree students, while his own son had to shoulder the burden of supporting both himself and his father.

So, Qi Sheng made a decision. When Qi Wei returned from work the next evening, he thickened his skin and said, “Son, buy me a computer. I don’t want to go out and work. I just want to stay home and surf the internet.”

Qi Wei looked at the man’s earnest face and immediately lost any good mood. The old bastard shamelessly wanted to freeload already!

“No way. You forgot what you promised me? That you’d find a proper job. Tomorrow you’re going out to look. Worst case, just do deliveries like me.”

Qi Sheng went full drama mode, putting on a pitiful act. “You know what your old man is like. Even if someone did hire me, I wouldn’t last. I’m just not cut out for working. I swear, if you buy me a computer, I’ll just use it for entertainment—nothing shady, promise!”

At first, Qi Wei was still unwilling. But he couldn’t withstand the man’s persistent nagging. Honestly, Qi Wei himself didn’t really believe his dad would go out and earn money. Thinking about how the old bastard had actually behaved recently, Qi Wei gave in before the man could start rolling on the floor again.

“Fine. I’ll buy it on my day off. But I’m warning you, no funny business online.”

Qi Sheng eagerly agreed, then impatiently added, “Why wait for your day off? Let’s go now! There’s a big mall nearby.”

Qi Wei had no choice but to agree.

At the computer store, Qi Sheng started working his persuasive magic again. Eventually, Qi Wei gave in and very reluctantly bought him a laptop worth over six thousand yuan.

As they left the mall, Qi Wei’s face darkened. He stomped ahead, not wanting to say another word to the old bastard. But thinking about how much money he had just spent, he turned back angrily and warned him.

“Now that I’ve bought this, don’t even think about spending on anything else for a while!”

“I got it, you stingy brat. You only give me fifty bucks a day for food—what else can I spend it on?”

“Fifty is plenty. I’m not even home for lunch.”

The two of them bickered while walking, with Qi Sheng hugging the laptop, beaming with joy. In his heart, he marveled that he’d come to this—shamelessly pestering his underage son for stuff. How ridiculous!

Even 277 couldn’t stand it anymore and finally said, “Host, I… I’m only just realizing how thick-skinned you are!”

Qi Sheng rolled his eyes at 277 and silently began planning. Watching his obedient son go out day after day to earn money broke his heart. He couldn’t let things go on like this. He had to find a way to help his son make money more easily.

Once the broadband was set up and Wi-Fi installed, Qi Sheng clung to the laptop all day “playing around.”

Qi Wei noticed he was either binge-watching dramas or watching various livestreams. Since he wasn’t getting into trouble online, Qi Wei was both relieved and a bit deflated, and he stopped worrying about him.

One evening, Qi Wei got off work late, quickly ate dinner, and was just lying down to rest when the old bastard said, “These internet celebrities and wannabe stars don’t even look half as good as my son!”

Qi Wei ignored him. Now that he was earning money with his own hands, he felt grounded and content. He just wanted to save for a few years, open a small shop, and live a steadily improving life.

Unfortunately, the old bastard had wild ideas. He even walked over and asked, “Son, do you want to become a celebrity?”

Qi Wei sat up, amused. “You think being a celebrity is all about looks? I’ve got no talent, no education, and I can’t act. What kind of entertainment company would want someone like me? Stop dreaming.”

Then, seeing the excitement on his dad’s face, he added worriedly, “Just enjoy the stuff online for fun. Don’t take it too seriously.”

Qi Sheng pouted. “Acting and talent can be learned. My son is smart and good-looking. It would be a waste not to become a star.” Then he went back to his game.

Qi Wei didn’t take it seriously, assuming his dad had just gotten inspired by some online show again.

But Qi Sheng had already made up his mind—he was going to turn his son into a beloved superstar.

The entertainment industry might require all kinds of qualifications and a bit of luck, but Qi Sheng had decided—he would be the sugar daddy behind his son’s success. He would throw money at it if he had to! Even if Qi Wei didn’t become hugely famous, at least he could live more comfortably. Anything was better than sitting around uselessly like this.