Reservoir Dogs chapter 22

What does it imply?

At a red light, all the cars stopped. Xiao Zhou was still in a daze and hadn’t stepped on the brakes. If not for Xiao Yun’s scream, he wouldn’t have reacted, slamming on the brakes just in time, the tires screeching as they halted, almost hitting the car in front.

For the rest of the ride, no one spoke, the tension in the air palpable, like a taut string ready to snap.

“When did this happen?” Xiao Zhou asked as they got out of the car.

“The year you got your sentence extended,” Xiao Ping said, staring intently at Xiao Zhou, the veins on his forehead bulging from the effort. “Dad was crossing the street when he heard the news. A car came, the driver was drunk. The driver said he kept honking, but Dad didn’t react, didn’t even try to dodge, got hit and died on the spot. The driver claimed Dad was trying to kill himself.”

Xiao Zhou’s fingers clenched into fists, knuckles turning white, voice trembling, “Why didn’t you tell me then?”

“Why?” Xiao Ping sneered, “There’s no why. Mom was afraid you couldn’t handle it, that the psychological burden would be too much, so she didn’t tell you.”

Xiao Zhou’s temples throbbed. “What do you mean?”

Xiao Ping spoke bitterly, “Do the math. After that incident, the compensation to Li Xin’s family, the settlement money to seek their forgiveness, hiring a lawyer to file a lawsuit, your appeal, borrowing money from everywhere—the house was sold long ago, everything was spent, and we were left in debt.”

Xiao Zhou knew all of this.

“Even with all that, Mom still wanted you to get out, accepted Lawyer Liang’s proposal, and wanted to get you surgery and parole through the pardon court.”

“So, where do you think the money for your surgery came from? There was no money left at home. That was Dad’s accident compensation!” Xiao Ping was getting agitated, gripping Xiao Zhou’s shoulders tightly, his nails digging into the flesh, his face contorted with anger. “The first time I could understand it was an accident, but why couldn’t you behave in prison afterward? Mom and Dad borrowed money from everywhere to get you out. My plans to go abroad were ruined, Mom and Dad lost their jobs, and now even their lives were at risk for you!”

“What are you? Are you here to collect a debt? Did we owe you in a past life?” His voice broke into a shattered scream, his body shaking uncontrollably as memories surged like a tide. Tears flowed down his face, crisscrossing his cheeks.

All the grievances and despair, the days of begging for money, being pointed at and gossiped about. Having a murderer in the family, being ostracized at school, criticized by neighbors at home, and now facing a hopeless life. He should have had a bright future, but now it was all ruined. No education, no family support, a brother with a prison record—no one would hire him. He could only sell his labor, and as a Beta, even that was despised.

Xiao Zhou felt a chill all over, staring blankly at Xiao Ping’s tearful face, small and pale, covered in snot and tears.

After the outburst, everything became particularly quiet, cold, and dead under the night shroud.

But those words still echoed, pounding in his ears, lingering like knives stabbing his heart, causing intense pain.

Xiao Ping, exhausted, left the two of them, limping upstairs with a crutch.

Xiao Zhou watched his retreating figure, feeling the air in his lungs being sucked out, a sense of suffocation setting in.

It wasn’t until Xiao Yun tugged at his finger, pulling a tissue from her pocket and standing on tiptoe to hand it to him, “Ge, don’t cry.”

Xiao Zhou lowered his head, a tear fell, shattering into four pieces on the ground. Only then did he realize he was crying.

He took the tissue, sniffed, bent down, and picked Xiao Yun up. In a hoarse voice, he said, “Ge will take you home.”

Xiao Yun quietly lay on his shoulder.

Xu Cuiping’s home was on the third floor. When he reached the door, he found the iron gate wide open.

Xiao Zhou grew cautious, put Xiao Yun down at the entrance, and went inside. As soon as he stepped in, a folding stool came crashing down with the wind. He dodged to the side, avoiding the blow, and instinctively struck the person’s wrist, ready to kick. When he saw who it was, he stopped.

“Aunt Xu?”

Xu Cuiping didn’t expect it either. She put down the stool, looking unhappy. “What are you doing here?”

Xiao Zhou led Xiao Yun in from outside. “I ran into Xiao Yun on the road, so I brought her back.”

Seeing her missing daughter, Xu Cuiping immediately pulled Xiao Yun into a tight hug, her voice choked with relief and fear, “Where did you go? Why didn’t you tell Mom you were leaving? You almost scared me to death!” She gently patted her daughter’s back, “You can’t do this next time, understand?”

“Okay,” Xiao Yun said softly, leaning on Xu Cuiping’s shoulder, glancing at Xiao Zhou and pointing, “Ge saved me.”

Xu Cuiping then stood up, holding Xiao Yun’s hand, looking at Xiao Zhou with some embarrassment. “Thank you for bringing Xiao Yun back. Sorry about earlier.”

Xiao Zhou said, “It’s okay, but I have something to tell you.”

Xu Cuiping frowned slightly, “Tell me?”

Xiao Zhou nodded. After sending Xiao Yun to her room, the two of them sat on the sofa. Xiao Zhou told Xu Cuiping about the lawyer’s character and what Jiang Chengyuan had told him.

Xu Cuiping was stunned, frozen in place for a long time, her lips trembling as if she wanted to believe but couldn’t. Her gaze towards Xiao Zhou became more guarded. “Why are you telling me this? Aren’t you with him?”

It was understandable for Xu Cuiping to be suspicious. Xiao Zhou himself couldn’t understand why Jiang Chengyuan had told him these things. Wouldn’t it be better to save these defense strategies for court, to win a case unexpectedly and beautifully? Why tell others in advance and let them prepare?

Xiao Zhou couldn’t see through Jiang Chengyuan. From the information he had gathered over this period, Jiang was despicably evil, a scum, profit-driven, twisting truths with his eloquence, aiding the wicked.

Yet strangely, Xiao Zhou felt he was different from people like Zhou Jun and Xu Cuiping’s lawyer. He didn’t have the cunning and sleazy look of a petty villain, nor the sneaky, fragmented evil. He wouldn’t exhaust his mind to deceive others.

Maybe it was because his desires were too open and honest, so clear in their pursuit of wealth, domination, and control, yet he did not bow down to money and power. Instead, he stood upright, contemptuously taking what he wanted. Evil reached its pinnacle, and at the pinnacle was righteousness. Thus, he walked the fine line between good and evil, finding a place to sit based on his delicate balance.

Although the purpose was unclear, telling Xu Cuiping this information could only benefit her.

Xiao Zhou said, “I belong to no one. You can ask my mother about the lawyer; she knows. As for the case, Lawyer Jiang did ask me to tell you. Believe it or not, it’s up to you.”

Xu Cuiping remained skeptical.

Xiao Zhou was ready to leave. Before he did, he glanced at Xu Cuiping’s bare house. Jiang Chengyuan wasn’t wrong; Xu Cuiping was indeed very poor, even worse off than his own family. Despite such impoverished conditions, the most conspicuous thing upon entering was still the mahjong table, scattered playing cards and dice.

Xiao Zhou hesitated, then asked, “When your sister was home after giving birth, did you visit her often?”

Xu Cuiping nodded.

“Did she show any strange behavior?”

Xu Cuiping said, “I already told the police, she kept complaining to me about Zhou Jun, saying he…”

Xiao Zhou interrupted, his dark eyes staring straight at her, “I know things were tense between you and Xu Juan because she wouldn’t help you with your gambling debts. Please tell me the truth; I won’t tell the police.”

Xu Cuiping’s expression changed. She struggled for a while and then sighed, “Her mental state was very strange, she was always in a daze, and she didn’t respond when I talked to her. Later, she locked herself in her room and wouldn’t see anyone. I actually saw her very few times.”

“Why did you suddenly go to see her?”

Xu Cuiping seemed to realize something, her eyes bulging and her emotions becoming agitated, “She’s my sister after all, is it wrong for me to visit my nephew? Are sisters supposed to hold grudges forever? Just because of that money, do you think I’d cut off ties with her until death? What exactly are you suspecting?”

Xiao Zhou didn’t ask more. Although he knew it might be pointless, he reminded her before leaving, “You should move out as soon as possible. If Xiao Ping wasn’t here today, Xiao Yun might have been taken away by debt collectors.” After a pause, he added, “If you can, after paying off the debt, don’t gamble anymore. Take Xiao Yun to a new place and live a good life; after all, you’re the only one she can rely on now.”

Xu Cuiping’s frail body first showed a defensive posture, then relaxed. Her usually shrewd and sharp eyes were now murky, and her sharp-tongued mouth said nothing. She seemed dejected, nodding listlessly.

Xiao Zhou walked downstairs and saw that it was almost nine in the evening.

Because he came back in a hurry, the car was parked in the corridor. He shone a light to check the car body and his heart sank; there were indeed several scratches.

Just as he drove onto the main road, his phone rang. It was an unknown number. He answered, and it was Ji Yang.

As soon as he connected, Ji Yang said, “Chengyuan is drunk at my place. Come and pick him up.” He then gave an address.

Why were Jiang Chengyuan and Ji Yang together again? Xiao Zhou was suspicious. He turned the car toward the given address.