Chapter 75: Fear of Delayed Return

In the morning, Guzhen was drizzling, rain sliding down the grooves of the steel-framed roofs of houses, drawing intermittent lines between sky and earth.

Most houses in Guzhen were self-built by residents, their peeling walls exposing red bricks, while the steel-framed rain canopies atop the old staircases were newly installed, creating a subtle dissonance—like an elderly man wearing a brand-new baseball cap.

Ning Zhe drove through narrow alleys where the patter of raindrops clattered sharply against both sides of the road.

These steel-framed rain canopies had only become popular among Guzhen’s residents in the past two years.

Qinzhou lies south of the Dajiang, and Taoyuan City lies even further south within Qinzhou, surrounded by hills, shrouded in mist, with high humidity and frequent rain year-round. The same waterproof coating that might last ten or twenty years in northern Yongzhou or Yunzhou would begin peeling after just five years in the misty rain of Taoyuan City, Qinzhou.

For decades, the damp climate and constant rain had plagued Guzhen’s residents with leaking roofs and peeling walls that ruined insulation, making rheumatism the most common illness among the elderly. Yet the solution was simple—build a steel-framed rain canopy over the roof to keep rain from directly hitting the building.

This greatly extended the lifespan of exterior finishes and completely eliminated roof leaks.

Steel-framed rain canopies were not expensive or complex projects; ordinary townspeople could afford them, and construction was quick and hassle-free. So why had this simple, practical solution only become popular in Guzhen in the past two years?

Because no one thought of it.

The town’s youth had left for other provinces to work, returning home only rarely and staying briefly, never truly experiencing the architectural problems caused by damp air. The elderly who remained in town had at most a secondary vocational education; most were illiterate.

The young built others’ hometowns; the old, lacking education, could not improve their own. That was all.

So simple that the townspeople had suffered from this small problem for decades.

“Once the tourist site is built, life here might get better…”

Ning Zhe returned the car to the hotel where Zhang Yangxu was staying, spoke briefly with his assistant using Zhang’s credentials, and an hour later, he returned to his family’s old home with a contract in hand.

Because of the rain, his grandfather hadn’t gone fishing; his rheumatism had flared, and he sat in the living room’s wicker chair, warming his knees over a basin of charcoal fire. His grandmother had just come out of Ning Zhe’s room, muttering to herself.

Ning Zhe leaned his umbrella against the wall and walked in, sitting beside the fire: “It’s so hot outside—why are you still warming yourself?”

His grandfather’s tank top was soaked through with sweat.

“What can you do? As soon as it rains, my legs ache—no ointment helps. Only the heat from the fire brings relief.” His grandfather shook his head. “Where have you been these past two days? Your teacher called—said you weren’t at school, and you weren’t home either.”

“I went to negotiate a contract with a real estate developer,” Ning Zhe lied without blinking, handing his grandfather a printed contract. “Our house is in a good location, and the developer’s offer looks fair, but you’d be getting cheated. I spent two days negotiating and got them to raise the price.”

His grandfather grunted and nodded, pretending to flip through the contract—he’d only completed second grade and could barely read, recognizing only the two characters “contract.” “Sign your names on the blank space at the bottom of the last page, or press your fingerprints. The process will take a week, and the demolition compensation will be deposited into your account.” Ning Zhe turned to the last page and explained: “I negotiated four times the standard compensation for your area’s size, plus an entire floor of Jiangcheng Junjing. Watch your wife—don’t let her say anything foolish.”

His grandfather’s eyes widened: “You said Jiangcheng Junjing? That one in the city?”

His grandmother, standing nearby, was equally stunned. Jiangcheng Junjing was the most prestigious residential complex in Taoyuan City, with sky-high prices. Last year, Wu’s son from town made a fortune trading in Yanzhou and still had to take out a loan to buy a 180-square-meter apartment there.

Yet Ning Zhe had secured not just four times the compensation, but an entire floor of Jiangcheng Junjing. The sudden windfall left both elders dazed.

“The developer will deliver your property certificate next month. Go to the police station first to handle the paperwork, then move in together. High-rise apartments have less dampness—your legs will feel better there.”

Ning Zhe spoke casually: “Pack up the old house these days. Don’t take anything unnecessary—we don’t need that money anymore.”

The old couple exchanged a glance, their decades of marriage granting them silent understanding.

His grandmother sat beside Ning Zhe, placing both hands on his thighs. “Forget it, A-Zhe. Your grandfather and I can’t live in such a tall building. When the compensation comes, take us to a quiet, ordinary neighborhood and buy a small apartment. That’s enough.”

“Jiangcheng Junjing is rare. If we old folks live there, girls will look down on it. We want to save it for you—when you graduate, it can be your wedding home.” Her rough, wrinkled hands gently rubbed his knees, the orange glow of the fire flickering across her face.

His grandfather pulled out a rolled cigarette, lit it at the fire, took a deep drag, then said: “Your grandmother and I are old. We won’t live much longer. The compensation money won’t go far if we save it—we’ll leave it all to you.”

“No need. Just move in. Good neighborhoods have better property management—you’ll see.” Ning Zhe shook his head and said no more.

=9+Book_bar

The old couple exchanged another glance and sighed together.

Ning Zhe was a good child—studious, healthy, well-behaved. He’d never given them cause for worry. He never complained about their poverty, never envied other families’ wealth, never coveted other children’s toys or snacks, never been bullied or taken advantage of. Aside from reading and cartoons, he had few other hobbies.

Ning Zhe had always been this way—detached, never acting like a rebellious teenager.

He didn’t even seem like a living person.

His emotions were too flat. When his grandfather saw Bai Zhi sitting by his bedside that day, he’d been overjoyed, thinking his grandson had finally awakened to love for a girl—only for her to vanish and never return.

After settling matters at home, Ning Zhe took a long leave from school and quietly left his hometown.

(End of chapter)