Rebirth: He Decides to Lie Flat
Chapter 244 - 244 241 Unintended Rescue

Chapter 244: Chapter 241 Unintended Rescue Chapter 244: Chapter 241 Unintended Rescue “…Back when things were tough at home, when we barely had enough food for the next meal, our entire family still tightened our belts and gritted our teeth to put you through school—whatever little we had of value was sent to support your education. When you were admitted to Beijing University and allocated a job, we thought you’d finally be able to give something back, to help put your two younger brothers through school. But who could’ve imagined you’d make such a mistake? Your father and I lived honestly our entire lives, and now to be scorned and pointed at in our old age… Your wife is from the city, and I understand she looks down on her mother-in-law, but Xiaoyan is my own flesh and blood grandchild. How can she raise him to not even recognize his own grandparents, to not even visit his ancestral home? Elder son, as the eldest, with Xiaoyan as the eldest grandchild, you can’t let him break the traditions of the Jiang Family and become ungrateful and cold-hearted…”

In the hospital ward, Jiang Yan’s grandmother was going on and on, recounting the old stories she had told countless times, as well as Jiang Yan’s disregard and thoughtlessness towards them.

Jiang Fengwei lay on the bed, staring motionlessly at the ceiling.

After a long while, he finally spoke up to interrupt his grandmother, his voice hoarse and weak, “Mom…”

After the surgery, he had been in a coma for two days and nights. Last night, he woke up in the middle of the night just to have Officer Xiaowang give him a couple of sips of water before he fell back into a deep sleep, only to wake up again now.

In the ward, there were his parents, his siblings, all looking at him with eager eyes; not one asked him how he felt—whether he was in pain, thirsty, or hungry.

Perhaps they were still waiting for him to provide them with money to buy food, or perhaps, they were waiting for his son to come and buy it for them.

Only now did Jiang Fengwei realize that he had spoiled his nearest and dearest to be stingy and self-serving!

“The opportunity for me to study was not given up by my younger brothers. It was because they didn’t want to study and I had good grades. The teacher came to our home, and grandfather made the decision, you had no choice but to let me continue my studies.”

Because talking made his throat sore, Jiang Fengwei spoke very slowly, and these words, buried deep in his heart, came out one by one from his mouth, cold and devoid of warmth.

“I never spoke up, but it doesn’t mean I didn’t know. I was just foolishly filial and stupid, always trying to prove to you, who favored others, that I was the strongest, that my younger brothers were far inferior to me, that only I could bring you glory, money, and a good life. But it’s only now that I realize how ridiculous that thought was!”

He looked at his grandmother with empty and powerless eyes, “The dowries for the marriages of the second and the third brothers, a two-story house for each of them, the furniture and appliances in the house, including their motorcycles and electric bikes, as well as the renovation of the old house you and dad are living in, the fridge and washing machine you’re using; where did all these come from? Did you earn them yourselves, or did they come from my meager salary of a few thousand yuan a month? Mom, do you understand now why I ended up making a mistake and landing in here?”

Jiang’s grandmother’s face twisted with anger, “What are you implying? Is it our fault that you ended up here? Was it us who made you greedy for money and buy…”

“No, the mistake was mine, for I spoiled you with high expectations, and instead of stopping you, I tried every possible way to satisfy you. So I don’t blame you for me ending up here, I blame myself.”

Jiang Fengwei spoke calmly, “I was foolishly filial, without principles, and even tried to use morality to bind Shu Wan and Xiaoyan, but as you wished, my wife and child left me, and I ended up like this, reaping what I sowed… So, is it possible now to offset the grace of you giving birth to me? Stop saying that you raised me, since a month after I was born, you left me with my grandmother, because of the need to work in those days, so I don’t blame you. Later, you kept my younger brothers close by your side, naturally favoring them, and I don’t blame you for that either. But favoritism is still favoritism, stop repeating that everyone supported me through my education. Think about it, during my schooling, how many times did you actually give me money?”

Jiang’s grandmother glared at him, her whole body trembling with fury.

Jiang Fengwei turned his head away, no longer looking at her. He closed his eyes, exhausted, and sighed, “Xiaoyan doesn’t owe you anything; it’s me who owes him. Don’t try to use the eldest grandson argument to bind him anymore. He has nothing to do with you, nothing to do with the Jiang Family!”

“You can go now, and don’t come to see me anymore. From today on, consider me dead!”

“Jiang Fengwei…”

“Big brother…”

“Otherwise, give me back the money for the houses and purchases you made, to cover the debt, and I can get out of here. The family still has my two acres of land, right? I can go back to my hometown and farm it, can’t I?”

The hospital ward was silent, no one spoke again.

Jiang Yan stood at the door, head bowed.

It wasn’t long before the door to the ward opened, and Jiang’s second uncle supported the old lady, with Jiang’s third uncle and Jiang’s grandfather, heads hung in dejection, following behind.

Upon seeing Jiang Yan, they were briefly startled. Jiang Yan stepped back and to the side to make way, tilting his head slightly without looking at them.

Their faces were all somewhat unsightly. The old lady glared at him angrily, opened her mouth as if to say something, but was promptly stopped by Jiang’s third uncle stepping forward.

After they left, Jiang Yan walked into the ward.

After saying so much, at this moment Jiang Fengwei was so tired he could barely open his eyes, drowsy for quite a while until he heard the sound of water pouring beside him and slowly opened his eyes.

“Xiaoyan…”

Jiang Yan placed a straw into the water cup, then brought it to his lips.

Jiang Fengwei looked at him, bit the straw, and took three sips in one breath before his throat felt a bit better, not as dry and painful as before.

“Officer Xiaowang bought you some porridge, do you want to eat a little?”

Officer Xiaowang was the young prison guard, the one saved by Jiang Fengwei at the risk of his own life.

There had been a fight, some wanted to take advantage of the chaos to escape, one of the rioters had set fire and upon seeing Officer Xiaowang running to put out the fire, because he had been beaten before, had long held a grudge against the young officer, and with a stolen sharp-end steel pipe, threw it viciously.

In the nick of time, as he was putting out the fire, Jiang Fengwei turned sharply and yanked Officer Xiaowang away, and at the same time, the steel pipe that cut through the air went through his chest.

If he could look back on the incident, Jiang Fengwei certainly would not do it again; he wouldn’t dare.

Even putting out the fire, he hadn’t been truly invested, only thinking of going through the motions in the hope of getting his sentence reduced. He hadn’t intended to save anyone, let alone at the cost of his own life, but as the steel pipe soared towards him, suddenly the face of Jiang Yan appeared before his eyes.

His son was studying at Beijing University, with a bright future ahead, just like the young officer, who had graduated from the police academy less than a year ago—their roads ahead were still so long…

He didn’t know why these thoughts flashed through his mind in that instant. By the time he came to, Officer Xiaowang had already been pulled away, and the steel pipe had pierced through his body.

But as he fell, he let out a sigh of relief. Good, if this could atone for his sins, then he had done his part for Xiaoyan’s future.

At least this way, his son wouldn’t have a father with a criminal record!