Ji Huan calmly asked the caller for the name and address of the hospital where his sister was staying. He wanted to know more about her condition, but the caller refused to say anything further and quickly hung up.
At that moment, the panic Ji Huan had been holding back flooded his heart.
Without even glancing back at the classroom, Ji Huan walked out of the building in a daze.
His face was serious, his lips tightly pursed, and as the cold wind hit him, his body gradually cooled down, though his gaze sharpened.
His slow walk turned into a jog, and soon he was running with long strides.
His first stop was his after-school job—a car repair shop.
"Give me my salary for last month," he said directly to the shop owner, not wasting any time.
"Hey! It's only the start of the month; we agreed to pay wages mid-month!" A greasy man emerged from under a car, glaring at Ji Huan.
Ji Huan didn't respond, just met his gaze coldly.
Though still in his growth period and rather thin, Ji Huan was taller than the shop owner, who was just over 1.7 meters. The shop owner remembered the strength hidden in this slender frame. The first time he met Ji Huan was when a group of local thugs tried to corner him. Even small towns like Bade had their share of troublemakers. The shop owner had been ready to see Ji Huan take a beating, but the situation soon flipped. Ji Huan fought back fiercely, taking down all four thugs by himself.
Later, when Ji Huan came looking for odd jobs, other places rejected him because of his age. But the shop owner, recalling that fierce strength, hired him, thinking Ji Huan could be useful against rowdy types.
The owner's judgment was right. Though young, Ji Huan could do the work of two men and fend off the thugs who came by to extort protection fees. He had even fought them off a few times, after which they never returned. The shop owner often boasted to his wife about this "smart decision," but over time, he had forgotten how fierce Ji Huan could be.
Now, though, Ji Huan was looking at him with that same cold intensity.
Swallowing nervously, the owner tried to respond, but found himself at a loss for words and even felt his legs tremble slightly.
"I was under fifteen when I started working here. You're employing a minor illegally," Ji Huan said, his tone icy.
"What kind of child labor are you?" the owner mumbled under his breath. Avoiding Ji Huan's gaze, he waved him off. "Go ask Aunt Wang in the back to settle it for you."
Aunt Wang was both the shop's accountant and the owner's wife. In small shops like theirs, family often handled everything.
Lowering his head, Ji Huan returned to his quiet demeanor. He walked past the owner into the back room.
Inside, Aunt Wang was watching TV, munching on sunflower seeds and laughing heartily. Seeing Ji Huan enter, she quickly lowered the volume and smiled at him.
"Ji Huan, you're here?"
Ji Huan nodded. "Aunt Wang, I'd like last month's salary," he said directly.
"Huh? It's not due yet… but no problem, I'll get it for you." She gave him a thoughtful look, glanced at the calendar, then took a worn notebook from a drawer, checked his hours, and handed him the money.
Ji Huan counted the money carefully, pausing after a moment. "It's three hundred more."
"That's overtime. I called you in during the national holiday last month, remember?" Aunt Wang smiled. "Take it. It's yours."
"Oh." Ji Huan pocketed the money carefully, then looked at Aunt Wang for a moment before bowing deeply.
"What are you doing? Alright, I know you. You don't ask for early wages unless it's important. Go on, do what you need to," Aunt Wang waved him off.
Ji Huan nodded and hurried away.
Next, he ran to the train station to check the fare to the city where his sister was. He calculated his savings and figured out how to stretch his money. Afterward, he stopped at the grain store in town to buy a big bag of rice, then got a piece of pork belly at the butcher's, and even picked up some eggs. With the bags in hand, he boarded the bus heading up the mountain, carrying everything himself.
"Xiao Hua, are you preparing for the New Year already? Why buy so much rice when we still have some at home?" his grandfather asked, surprised by Ji Huan's serious expression.
"I changed my mind and want to go to college." Ignoring his grandfather's nickname for him, Ji Huan put the eggs on the table, set the rice down, and placed the pork in the fridge.
"You finally decided, huh? Good for you, kid! It's the right choice. I hear children in the city even go on to graduate school these days!" Grandpa said, brightening.
"My sister called. She wants me to join her for winter cram school. I agreed," Ji Huan explained, using the excuse he had thought of earlier.
"Your sister called? I wondered why we hadn't heard from her this month."
"Sister said she called you, but you weren't home." His response came smoothly; Ji Huan knew Grandpa missed calls often because of his outdoor work.
"I'm leaving tomorrow. I already bought the ticket," Ji Huan continued.
"…Alright, go and check on your sister, and study hard," Grandpa replied, showing no sign of suspicion. Ji Huan was relieved.
He had no intention of telling his grandfather anything yet. Grandpa's health wasn't good, and he couldn't risk shocking him.
Dinner that night was the usual—a simple porridge made by Grandpa, Ji Huan's homemade pickles, and buns he had bought in town. He had bought enough buns to last Grandpa nearly three weeks.
That night, Ji Huan also went down the mountain to bring back a new gas cylinder.
After preparing everything he could think of, he went to bed with a heavy heart.
In the middle of the night, he was unaware that his grandfather had come to his room.
The old man sat at Ji Huan's bedside for a long time, gently touching his forehead before leaving.
Despite sleeping late, Ji Huan woke up on time the next morning. His grandfather had risen even earlier, and the small bag he had packed last night now looked much fuller, with Grandpa having added extra items.
As he routinely checked his luggage, Ji Huan found a thick envelope of cash stuffed inside. He took it out and handed it back.
"I have enough money with me," Ji Huan said, squatting on the ground.
"That's not for you. It's for Xiao Hei. Get her a nice dress, something pretty and colorful," Grandpa waved his hand, insisting.
Ji Huan put the envelope back but kept it close to his body instead of in his bag.
Though he had never left his town before, he knew enough to keep money close when traveling, especially on trains.
With his small bag, Ji Huan waved goodbye to his grandfather.
After he left, Grandpa stood beneath the large tree in the yard for a long time, gently patting its trunk. Then, with a sigh, he went to retrieve an axe from inside.
"…I'll need some fresh wood," he murmured, as he swung the axe at the last tree standing in the yard.