Chapter 2
When I was about to go home, Lydia gave me an address and told me to go there.
I thought she wanted to discuss the birthday party. But when I opened the door to the private room, all I got was a cold drink from Lydia:
“I wondered why you agreed so quickly to handle the birthday. Turns out you took my mom’s money.”
“Jude, seven years, and I thought you’d learned, but you’re still a dog that can’t change its ways!”
Asher handed me a tissue, pretending to be a mediator.
“Sorry, Jude, it’s my fault. I shouldn’t have spoken about it earlier, causing you and Lydia to fight.”
Then he tugged Lydia’s sleeve, pretending to slap himself a few times, eyes red:
“Lydia, don’t scold Jude. It’s my fault. Blame me if you must.”
But Lydia held his hand, rubbing his unhurt face with concern:
“Don’t hit yourself. I care about you.”
“Besides, you did nothing wrong. If not for you, I wouldn’t have known Jude dared to ask my mom for money.”
“Tell me, baby, what reward do you want?”
Asher propped his chin, deep in thought:
“You’ve already bought me a Lamborghini, given me a lakeside villa.”
“Regular gourmet food, endless gifts. Last time, I just mentioned wanting lobster, and you bought it and even peeled it for me.”
“And the time before, at that auction, I liked a watch worth thirty million. You bought it without blinking and released all the sky lanterns just for me. You’ve spoiled me rotten; my material desires are incredibly low…”
“Tell me, darling, what reward do you want?”
Asher rested his chin in his hand, thinking deeply:
“You’ve already bought me a Lamborghini and gifted me a Lakeside Villa.”
“We enjoy gourmet food regularly, and the gifts never seem to stop. Last time, I casually mentioned wanting lobster, and you immediately bought it and even peeled it for me.”
“And the time before that, at an auction, I took a liking to a watch worth thirty million. You purchased it without a second thought and even lit sky lanterns for me. You’ve indulged me so much that my material desires have become almost nonexistent…”
Asher recounted Lydia’s generosity over the years, and the more he spoke, the colder my heart grew.
While I spent decades eating unappetizing meals and living in a dark, damp servant’s room with cockroaches and rats, Asher lived a life of luxury and comfort.
Driving luxury cars, residing in mansions, enjoying gourmet food daily, being served shrimp peeled by Lydia, and receiving various gifts from her.
And yet, as Lydia’s husband, the most indulgent meal I’ve had in these seven years was vegetarian, and the best place I’ve stayed was a temple.
Indeed, without comparison, there is no disappointment…
Just then, my thoughts were interrupted by Asher’s words:
“Sister Lydia, I know what reward I want! I want to eat an egg yolk pastry from that place we often visit in the east of the city!”
He emphasized “often visit,” frequently glancing at me with a provocative and boastful look.
I pretended not to notice.
Over the years, I’ve grown accustomed to Asher’s provocations.
While I was lost in thought, Asher sighed and spoke to himself:
“It’s such a shame it’s so far, 30 kilometers away. Maybe I should just forget it…”
Asher’s deliberately forlorn act made Lydia feel quite sorry for him.
In the private room, one of Lydia’s girlfriends suddenly suggested:
“Let Jude go get it!”
“Yeah, he’s got nothing else to do anyway! Plus, it’s his fault in the first place; this could be a way to punish him for deliberately asking Auntie for money!”
Lydia paused for a moment, then nodded slightly in agreement:
“That’s actually a good idea.”
She turned her head, glanced at me indifferently, her voice ice-cold.
“What are you standing there for? Didn’t you hear that Asher is craving egg yolk pastry? Go buy it!”
Asher immediately put on a facade of goodwill, came to me and said insincerely:
“Brother Jude, 30 kilometers is quite a way. You don’t have a car, right? I can lend you one.”
He reached into his pocket and pulled out a bunch of car keys—Cayenne, Maybach, even a Rolls-Royce Phantom.
All kinds of luxury car keys, you name it.
Asher dangled the car keys in front of me, eyes gleaming with pride:
“Brother Jude, pick whichever one you want to drive.”
I knew he was deliberately flaunting, taking the opportunity to provoke me.
However, before I could respond, Lydia snatched the keys away, her voice cold:
“Do you think you’re worthy of driving?”
“Just walk there step by step, it’s only 30 kilometers. Consider it exercise. Are you afraid of a little walk?”
I didn’t react as I used to, shouting and resisting. I just nodded silently, accepting it all with calmness and composure.
In the beginning, when Lydia deliberately tormented me, I resisted. But it only brought more severe torment.
Since the outcome is already decided, why waste my breath and effort?
Lydia’s words made her girlfriends’ eyes widen, and they laughed uproariously:
“Lydia, you’re really clever.”
“Don’t worry, we’ll keep an eye on him for you.”
Lydia didn’t expect me to agree so readily. The words she had prepared to counter me got stuck in her throat.
She stared at me for a while, feeling that I seemed different these past couple of days.
In the past, every time she punished me, I would argue forcefully, accusing her of being unreasonable.
But today, I seemed soulless, unusually quiet.
But soon she convinced herself that I was using reverse psychology, trying to get her attention.
She raised an eyebrow, quickly covering the surprise in her eyes with a cold demeanor, and snorted:
“Seven years and you still haven’t learned. You guys must have been too lenient.”
“This time, I’ll watch him myself.”
Under the scorching sun, I limped along, with Lydia’s car following behind.
The fierce sun beat down on the earth, my back soaked with sweat, and large drops of sweat fell like broken strings of beads.
Occasionally, a few drops fell into my eyes, stinging painfully.
Every time I wanted to stop and wipe my sweat, the car behind would honk sharply, accompanied by the cold ridicule of Lydia’s girlfriends.
“Jude, didn’t you eat? Walk faster!”
“Yeah, you’re so slow; are you trying to starve Asher?”
And Lydia watched coldly the entire time, never intending to speak up for me.
I could only endure the pain, dragging my heavy steps forward…
We passed through bustling streets and entered a small alley.
Suddenly, the car behind stopped.
Lydia looked at me, drenched in sweat, and said coldly:
“Stay there and wait. Asher wants to eat street skewers. We’ll leave after we’re done.”
I didn’t know what else Lydia had in mind, but I obediently stood aside, took out a tissue, and wiped my sweat.
Lydia and her friends laughed and joked, walking together toward the street vendors.
As I watched their joyous departure, I couldn’t help but lower my gaze, lost in thought.
I vaguely remembered when Lydia and I weren’t on bad terms, I also wanted to eat street barbecue.
But she pulled me away, frowning in disdain:
“Jude, the son-in-law of the Song family eating street food? It’s too embarrassing if it gets out. Don’t tarnish the Song family!”
So I had to compromise and give up on eating street barbecue.
After that, to be a good son-in-law for the Song family and not embarrass them, I had to attend classes every day to learn Western dining etiquette.
But when it came to Asher, he didn’t know how to use a knife and fork for steak.
Lydia not only got him chopsticks but also complained to the restaurant, demanding that they provide chopsticks at every table.
Now, dressed in tens of thousands of dollars worth of high-end custom clothes, she stood in a place swarming with flies, eating junk food fed by Asher, smiling tenderly and indulgently.
Turns out, she could be so down-to-earth.
Turns out, she could eat street food, just not with me.
The sun was blazing overhead, and my knees had long gone numb from the pain. I felt dizzy, and then everything went black as I lost consciousness.