Special Fondness – Chapter 1

           Fang Su forgot how he got into the house, he only remembers he calmly nodded and agreed to his father. The moment he let go of this breath, his father’s newly wounded face brightens with a happy look, even if there was a touch of guilt, it was replaced with unconcealed gratitude.

           The house is simple and crude, the only thing separating the outer hall and the inner room is only a dilapidated wooden door, unable to stop the cold wind from blowing in, let alone human voice.

           That voice was sharp and piercing, it didn’t care if he was able to hear it, that voice kept chattering in a festive tone: “In my opinion, it’s better for him to get married. Although he is a man, there is no need to feel wrong, shouldn’t he be grateful and thanks heaven and earth that there’s someone who wants him? In the future there’ll be one less mouth to feed, it is a good thing for us!”

           There was no surprise on Fang Su’s face, he has long been used to it, he just listened to it numbly. His father was probably trying to stop that voice, that voice gradually became more and more unscrupulous, and became even higher, deliberately yelling toward his room: “Did I say it wrong? He has eaten from our Fang family for free for so many years! What has he done for this family?”

           “This time he didn’t say anything and saved my life…” Father Fang’s weakened voice could be heard, then only, the voice who was cursing became more tamed.

           Fang Su who was packing his luggage came to a stop, his sight fell between his old clothes, and a wry smile appeared on his lips.

           Thinking along the lines of the words, he was born weak, he couldn’t go to the fields, but one couldn’t say he did nothing for his family. Feeding the poultry, cleaning the yard, washing the dishes, and even sewing or doing embroidery, the things that only women would do, he did them all, simply because he wanted to make up for his family and let himself be less blamed.

As the elder son of the Fang family, he wasn’t appreciated by outsiders, and he only come to realize today that perhaps, he should have broken off their kinship and left home long ago.

           “He gave birth to him, raised him, it is only natural for him to exchange his life for yours.” After a while, the woman’s voice mumbled again, seeming to have found a new excuse, continued to her false reasoning, “If it’s such a big deal after this matter is over we will just cut off our relationship, he won’t owe you for bringing he up, and you won’t have to worry about someone burning incense for you, without him, don’t we still have another son?”

           Fang Su didn’t want to listen to it anymore.

He doesn’t have many personal things, only two old outfits, one wooden hairpin, it wasn’t cumbersome for him to pack, he can leave this place without any worries. He straightened him from his narrow wooden bed and walked back to the outer hall with his simple and crude luggage.

           The woman who was talking to herself finally stopped talking and rolled her eyes at him disdainfully.

           Fang Su’s did not give even half a glance at his father, he walked outside without any expression on his face, he stepped a foot outside of the threshold and paused for a while, he looked back and said to the woman peacefully: “Second mother is right, it is only fair that I use my life to repay the kindness for bringing me up. I hope that it will be as you said, from now on, the Fang family and I, will have no more relationship.”

           The woman did not expect that he who has always been weak and obedient would say such words before leaving, as if he deliberately slapped her in the face, as if he was afraid to have anything related to her, she couldn’t stop her anger, she stopped and pointed at his back while cursing at him.

           Fang Su did not hear anything, he thinks from the bottom of his heart that he really wants to cut things off and he wasn’t trying to vent his anger by saying what he said.

           Since his mother left this world, his father seemed to have changed into someone else – although his temperament is the same, he wasn’t the father who would protect him anymore. Fang Su and his second mom can not be considered as a family, there isn’t any feeling between them, what he said before leaving was directed at Fang father, he also wishes he could remember it himself, from now on even if the future ahead of him is unknown, he can be alone and carefree.

           Outside the farmyard, a few burly men were already waiting impatiently for him, they did not wait for him to walk closer, they reached out and grabbed his arm, and forced him into the carriage. Fang Su didn’t know where he would be taken to, he could only resign himself to fate, he hugged the luggage between his arms and closed his eyes wearily.

           Only then, did he finally have the time to remember this whole farce.

           Just a quarter of an hour ago, the person who is driving the carriage to some unknown place threw his father on the Fang family farmyard.

           Father Fang yelled in pain, on his face were many new injuries. Fang Su hurriedly ran out of the house and bent over to help him, only to see Fang father grab him like a rescue board, holding his hand and begged him: “Please save your dad, save dad… Our Fang family cannot afford to pay for it, if you refuse to save me, then dad is afraid he won’t be able to live through today…”

           Fang Su did not understand but he was still shocked by the life and death situation his father was talking about, he was at a loss and ask nervously: “What on earth happened?”

           Fang father moved his lips with pain, and wasn’t in a hurry to answer, then saw one of the burly men approaching him. He shielded his head with his arm, and curled up on the ground, trying to hide beside Fang Su without success, he received a kick mercilessly. Fang Su hurriedly tried to protect him, but only heard the man sneered and say: “This old thing, with only four bare walls at home he still dared to enter our gambling house, now he owes us a handle of debts, even if he sells his doghouse, it won’t be enough to pay up for it!”

           Fang Su was stunned, there was a sudden cry that came from the house, the second mom who was hiding behind the door and peeping at them heard the truth, was hopeless and sat on the ground making a fuss, she keeps repeating “You darn thing”, screaming that they can’t live anymore.

           Fang Su remained calm, his father’s pleading reverberated in his mind, unexpectedly these people didn’t beat him to death on the spot, instead, they took the pain to escort him back to this worthless farmyard, then they surely had a reason, so he looked up calmly and asked the brawny man: “What are your plans?”

           The burly man smiled coldly after he heard him: “How? There is someone willing to pay for your father, it depends on whether you want to accept it.”

           Fang father immediately pinched him, his eyes filled with pleading. Fang Su looked at these cowering eyes, and understood in his heart, knowing that this matter obviously has something to do with him, and he was afraid that it wasn’t far from ‘selling one’s body to be a slave”.

           He pondered for a while, not wanting to anger the man who just spoke.

           The brawny man saw him lingering, and he was neither flustered nor grateful when he heard the words, the man felt that he lost face and bent down to catch his arm and pull him up from the ground to stare at him fiercely. Fang Su couldn’t break away, and could only calmly meet those eyes until he heard some strange words filled with innuendo that his expression finally cracked a little.

           “It’s no wonder, you are a man but was born with such a face, you surely will be worth some tael. Since that man said he is willing to keep you, how about you use yourself in exchange for your dad’s life, how about this deal?”

           A voice came from the house: “Either you pack up your things and marry yourself, or you should prepare your father’s funeral!”

           “Please save dad, consider it as dad is begging you…” Fang father was trembling all over when he heard it, immediately tugged at the hem of his clothes, begging. Few steps away, the woman behind the door inserts herself into the conversation, saying that it’s a good lifesaving solution, urging him to respond quickly.

            Fang Su’s mind was chaotic, he wasn’t thinking about being willing or not, he couldn’t believe it and said: “But I am a man, how…”

           “Tss”, the brawny man laughed, looked at his fragile figure, did not treat him as a man at all, mocked him: “Who doesn’t know about the trend now, those high-ranking officials like this south trend. You must have never been to Goulan Yard, the little male prostitutes there… tsk tsk, look at your delicate skin and tender meat, it is not worst than them.”

           He just finished saying that the burly men behind him busted out laughing.

           Fang Su’s face became red, then became white then green, the palms under his sleeves were gradually squeezed into fists. He didn’t know how he should think about it, he only knows that he couldn’t stay in this place anymore, he shook off his father’s hand on his clothes and walked back to the house.

           Fang father heart was in a panic, afraid that he would refuse, hurriedly got up to chase behind him, but he was kicked severely by the person behind him. The strong man laughed and threw him a sentence: “Laozi doesn’t have much patience, if that person doesn’t come out before the sun goes down, I will set your house on fire!”

What’s more about asking him to marry someone as a man, isn’t his biological father not worried about what kind of situation he will go through?

           “Dad is begging you… Dad doesn’t want this but if you don’t agree, dad’s life will be gone, Fang family will also be gone…” Fang father saw him distracted for a long time and thought that he still did not agree to it, started to reason him, “Besides, our family is poor, if you go to a big family, even if you will be considered as a woman, at least you won’t have to worry about food and clothing, don’t you agree?”

           Fang Su laughed at himself when he heard this, nodded, and said “right”. After that, he paused for a while, and under Fang father surprise gaze, he said: “Don’t worry dad, I agree to it.” Fang Su turned around and went back to his room without hesitation.

           Fang father’s words woke him up, because he always missed the affection in his childhood, he deceived himself for so many years. This place isn’t his home anymore, instead of staying here for a long time, he should live somewhere else. Even if the person he will be facing is violent and cruel, the worst result will be nothing more than death.

Fang Gu completely gave up this place where he lived for more than a dozen years and left resolutely.