Yesterday
Chapter 9
昨天 by 風弄 Chapter 9
Yesterday by Feng Nong
Because of this current battle, I still don"t dare to attend parties as I please. I discovered that I am really useless. If it"s talking about business circles, YuJiang"s schemes I have already experienced. Who could possibly match him? I only hope that dad"s lengthy experience could control him a little. I hid myself, all depressed in the house. I watched as my old man"s expression became more and more unsightly and as he started to lose weight. I know that things at the office is not favorable and yet I did not help one bit. I looked at my reflection in the mirror, the person that looked back has an ugly scar on his forehead, wan and sallow appearance, no sign of the former lively energetic demeanor. Dad asked:
"There is no use in shutting yourself indoors, you should properly complete your studies." I know that Huang enterprise is suffering a huge crisis, the shares continuously propped up a hundred ways by dad. But it is akin to building a mud house on a sandy beach, suffering continuous surging attacks. How many prominent families, glorious for a hundred years, brought to ruins when caught unprepared. But since I don"t have any fighting ability, it"s best that I just don"t create any difficulties. I packed my luggage and returned to Harvard to complete my final year of business studies. I conducted myself as before, dressed in the latest branded clothes, a rich young man with gold card in hand. Standing among my cla.s.smates, I however lack my previous carefree and uninhibited warm personality. My cla.s.smates said:
"ShengSheng, you"ve changed a lot since your long absence." I laughed:
"Rather than changed, it"s better to say matured."
"Congratulations! It must be that you have experienced a major incident that brought about such a steady and controlled temperament. Your previous strong points were all on the surface. Now with your maturity, it reveals even more of your inner charm." I forced myself to smile, accepting their flattering words:
"That"s too much. You"re all going to mature too, so what"s there to admire?" These words are just a matter of fact. You all have no idea how I feel when I say these words. There is no use in worrying about matters in the business world. I tried my best to emulate a scholar that shuts both ears to things outside his window. I was faintly aware of the extremely critical constant change of events happening outside. The rise and fall of finance tyc.o.o.ns are abrupt and constant. The changes in this world is really frightening. Everyday I would receive mom"s phone call, idle talk, nothing more than repeated words of encouragement. I patiently answer the phone, and continue until I feel sleepy before hanging up. Today the phone rang again. I was dumfounded when I answered the phone. It was actually my old man.
"ShengSheng, how about you come back for a bit?" Dad sounded very tired and sleepy, his old age showing in his voice. My heart suddenly sank. An uncertain feeling enveloped my entire body. I simply said:
"OK, I"ll return right away." After hanging up the phone, I immediately left without even a word. Once on the plane, my imagination started to run wild. The more I thought, the more anxious I got, as if suffering in a burning fire. If something happened to Huang enterprise, it would definitely be related to YuJiang, and also definitely related to me. Heavens! I only wish I never met this person. Upon arriving home, all corners were quiet, not a servant to be seen. Mom was sitting alone on the sofa in the main hall. The mahjong table was standing desolately on one side, the tiles on top still in a mess, scattered in all directions.
"Ma."
"ShengSheng!" Mom abruptly gave a clap and turned around and looked at me affectionately while pointing towards the study. I nodded and simply put down my luggage and immediately entered the study. The study was just as before, except that for some reason there was a heavy smell of smoke, that filled the dim room with despair. Dad was sitting quietly in his chair, numbly looking at the desktop screen. The screen was showing the ever changing stock charts. There"s no need for me to look at it. I know that the chart has already changed to terrifying extent, capable of harming goodness knows how many family fortunes.
"Pa, I"ve returned." He raised his head to look at me, and slowly nodded saying:
"Ask your mom to come in here as well. We need to talk as a family." I grimly went out to guide mom inside. Everyone sat down and waited for dad to speak. Dad opened his mouth a couple of times yet swallowed his words. After staying silent for a long while, he finally said: "Victory or defeat although common in military operations, however, I have suffered a crushing defeat this time. I fear it would not stand for another day. You all should prepare yourselves. I widened my eyes, who would have thought that it would have come to such a desperate situation? Dad looked at my shocked expression and calmly smiled.
"ShengSheng, you"re still young. An army in flight is like a landslide. Everyone rushing with great momentum, naturally stepping on one another. This is not like a one to one combat, it is a one against all fight. A little show of a decline in power, and it"s like an invitation to launch a fatal attack, until you give up the ghost." This type of situation, yet dad can still speak calmly with confidence, showing his broad-mindedness. I really admire him. Only at this time do I realize my old man is so respectable and lovable. But I was still unwilling.
"There is still hope, since we have not declared bankruptcy, so how can we give up? Where is G.o.dpa ......... " Dad shook his hand in admonition.
"That is your G.o.dpa, not your real father. It is easy for him to add flowers to brocade but not so when it comes to sending charcoal in snowy weather. There is no need for us to throw away our self-respect. Furthermore, this large crisis, he is unable to help. I underestimated my opponent and greedily and insatiably wanted to annex them. This could be considered a fitting punishment for my crime. Ai, I have wronged your mom ....... She all along advised me to reduce my appet.i.te, and be happy with our current a.s.sets, unfortunately I did not listen. How many years have we been husband and wife, now I have harmed her in our old age." Mom, who usually likes to cry, today, not a single tear:
"So many years as husband and wife, how many times have you listened to me? However, I have enjoyed so much happiness with you, as matters stand, I don"t feel that I have been wronged at all." Mom turned towards me and looked at me with heartache. "Only ShengSheng has been wronged." It"s really only when one is at a hopeless situation, that one"s true character is revealed. Mom, calm and content looked at my bewildered self indulgently. Before, I have always considered that the older generation could not compare with us. Only can be pretentious because of wealth, operating in business circles as if like the rich ladies gossiping together by the mahjong table, frittering away life. How can it compare to our new outlook on life, attending school with our relaxed and unrestrained vitality. When met with disaster, the one most unable to understand, the one most unable to accept, is actually me, who always regarded myself as most carefree and relaxed, uninhibited me. I felt very ashamed, and snuggled up to mom"s embrace.
"Pa, on the capital side, if the bank is willing to help, can we get over this crisis?" Dad said:
"The economy is not good, small banks do not dare to get involved, the only one with capacity ....... " He looked at me and softly sighed. GuiDe. I felt really guilty. Who would have thought that with one kick I had lost the last straw that could save my family. Don"t tell me we should just sit quietly and wait for death? No way! There are two ways out. Either beg YuJiang, or beg NiLuo. YuJiang I would absolutely not go to. I"m only left with NiLuo. It was not at all easy to trace NiLuo"s whereabouts but unexpectedly he was again having a party tonight. I grit my teeth and solemnly vow that even if I have to handcuff myself to the bed, I would definitely not make any untoward movements. But I don"t know if NiLuo is willing to give me the opportunity. I was already so anxious the last time, this time compared to the last is ten thousand times worse. The last time, it was only a scar on the forehead, my wealth and status were still as before. This time, Huang enterprise is suffering a big crisis, who wouldn"t be able to tell the reason for me being there. How extremely insufferable.