Chapter 676: Family

Chapter 676: Family

“What are you standing there for? Hurry up! Apologize to your father at once. It’s already this late—how much more trouble do you want to cause?”

“That’s right. If it were my son, I’d have him tied up and beaten by now.”

The bewildered Yang Xiaohai looked around in disbelief, unable to believe what he saw—these people who were supposed to be his relatives, the dock dwellers.

In their eyes, the Monkey Boy was no human being at all, merely a commodity for sale!

Yang Xiaohai's gaze slowly turned toward his own father, Chi Bai Shui, and bitterness filled his heart.

Not only the Monkey Boy—but even himself, his own flesh and blood, was nothing more than something that could be exchanged for silver in his father’s eyes!

But just then, Chi Bai Shui noticed that Yang Xiaohai had been silent for so long, and under the watchful eyes of neighbors and townsfolk, he felt his dignity crumbling.

He rolled up his sleeves, walked over to Yang Xiaohai, and slapped him hard across the face. “Get down on your knees!”

The pain on his cheek quickly dulled the bitterness in his heart, but a sudden surge of anger flared within him, burning through his skull like fire.

“I won’t kneel! Why should I kneel?! You’re not fit to be a father!” Yang Xiaohai pushed his father away with both hands, fists clenched, shouting furiously.

“Damn it! You’ve gone too far!” Enraged and humiliated, Chi Bai Shui glanced left and right, picked up a wooden plank with nails, and raised it to strike Yang Xiaohai on the head.

At that moment, Yang Xiaohai’s mother and his two older brothers rushed forward, trying to stop him with their combined efforts.

Just as the situation grew tense, the eldest sister stepped forward, offering her father a way out.

“Let it go, Father. There’s no need to sell these three children. Besides, with war and chaos everywhere, what good would a few silver coins bring? We’ve got enough already,” she said calmly.

Hearing this, Chi Bai Shui lowered the plank, though his words grew even harsher.

“I’m telling you, Wuwu! I am your father! Those three kids are going to be sold! If you dare speak another word, I’ll sell your wife too! A gentleman’s word is binding—he can’t take back what he says!”

Upon hearing those words, Yang Xiaohai’s expression changed instantly. He had never understood why Chun Xiaoman had killed his father before, but now he finally knew why.

It turned out that even family members could be worse than strangers!

“Alright, Father, don’t say such nonsense,” the eldest sister said, giving her younger brothers a meaningful look. They immediately understood and helped escort their father into the boat cabin.

“There’s nothing else to it. Everyone, disperse now. Sorry for causing such a fuss at this hour, keeping everyone awake.”

After dispersing the dock dwellers, she approached Yang Xiaohai and scolded him in a tone befitting an elder:

“What’s wrong with you? You’re all family—you can’t even speak softly?”

Yang Xiaohai kept his head down, his cheeks puffed out, hands tightly clenched, trembling slightly. It seemed as if he had already made up his mind about something.

Seeing his attitude, the eldest sister sighed helplessly. “Tonight will have to do. Uncle San went out fishing. You can sleep on his old boat tonight. We’ll deal with everything tomorrow when morning comes.”

She said that, then pointed toward a small, lonely boat floating on the sea not far off.

Yang Xiaohai nodded silently, took Monkey Boy by the hand, and led Zhao Xiumei—who was pale with fear—toward the boat.

The vessel was small and dilapidated, with water seeping through its hull. Yang Xiaohai sat down dejectedly, like a statue.

“Master? What are we going to do?” Zhao Xiumei trembled beside him, clinging to him. She was truly terrified.

The environment reminded her of the horrors she had endured in the bandit camp.

“This place isn’t our home, and they aren’t my family! Let’s go home—we’re going back to Niuxin Village.”

Zhao Xiumei watched as Yang Xiaohai, once a statue, began to come alive again, his young face showing a strong longing.

“The fellow disciples from Niuxin Village are my real family! Niuxin Village is my true home!”

When he was a beggar, he had imagined countless times how his family might be, how they would treat him kindly.

But now, he finally came to his senses. If they had truly cared for him, they wouldn’t have sold him out. All his previous hopes had been nothing but wishful thinking!

“How are we going to get there? The carriage and silver were taken by Grandfather,” Zhao Xiumei said bitterly.

“If they took it, we’ll take it back. That silver belongs to us. How dare they take it without asking me first?”

Yang Xiaohai clenched his fists. “The silver is with the eldest sister now. I’ll find a reason to lure her out later. Monkey Boy, you two get the silver out.”

“Once we have the silver, we can buy a carriage and horses again. After getting the silver back, we’ll leave while they’re asleep tonight. Head straight back to Qingqiu.”

There was one more thing Yang Xiaohai didn’t mention—that without the silver, his family wouldn’t join that evil cult known as the Fa Sect.

“Okay!” Hearing this, Zhao Xiumei let out a deep breath of relief. She hadn’t mistaken him after all.

As they continued discussing the details, voices outside the cabin suddenly rose. Both of them immediately fell silent.

“Wuwu, it’s cold. I brought some blankets for you and your wife,” came his mother’s voice. A trace of tenderness appeared on Yang Xiaohai’s face. Here, his mother was the only warmth he had.

He stepped out and brought his mother inside. “Oh my, how can anyone live here? It’s leaking all over. Look at the dampness,” his mother complained.

As she spoke, Yang Xiaohai looked at her seriously. “Mother, I’m leaving. Do you want to come with me? I’ll take you to enjoy life on Niuxin Mountain.”

“What? Wuwu, did I hear wrong? My ears must be deaf. What did you say?”

Yang Xiaohai pulled his mother out of the cabin and waved his arms wildly toward the distant shore, finally making his meaning clear.

“Wuwu, why are you leaving? I just saw you—why must you go now?” His mother cried, desperately pleading with him.

Yang Xiaohai shook his head sorrowfully. He didn’t want to part from his mother either. Among all these people, only his mother truly cared for him.

“Is it because of your father? We’re family. We can talk things through.”

Yang Xiaohai tried to persuade her, but she refused to leave with him. In the end, he only asked her not to tell his father.

“Fine, I won’t tell your father. Wuwu, remember to write a letter once you reach your destination. If you ever pass by, come visit us again.”

Watching his mother turn back several times as she returned to the cabin, Yang Xiaohai noticed a light on the horizon—there was a ship approaching the shore. But now, he had something more important to do. Under cover of darkness, he headed toward his eldest sister’s boat.

(End of Chapter)