Ferocious Dog of Old

“Shit…” That person entered. The glass door shut with a bang; Chi Ku took one step back. Tao Huainan heard that person say incredulously, “Fuck, it really is you!”

His tone made one uncomfortable; it was a very foreign sound. “Who?” Tao Huainan asked Chi Ku.

Chi Ku didn’t speak. Tao Huainan heard the man curse again, then say, “I really fucking thought you were dead. But you were actually here, acting like a young master behind my back?”

Tao Huainan frowned; his words about Chi Ku being dead were ear-piercing, and Tao Huainan couldn’t resist replying, “Speak properly.”

“This is the blind kid you’re serving, huh?” That person took measure of Tao Huainan, then turned his gaze to resume taking measure of Chi Ku.

Chi Ku pushed Tao Huainan behind him again. The tattoo artist still working in the main lobby looked up and asked, “Who are you?”

“Who am I?” The person shrugged his shoulders and snorted exaggeratedly. “I’m his dad!”

Tao Huainan blinked. He suddenly understood. Tao Huainan’s eyes widened; the impression he’d been left with in his childhood was too deep. He squeezed Chi Ku’s hand, raising his voice and yelling, panicked, “Ge! Ge—Tao Xiaodong!”

“Yeah!” Tao Huainan’s yelling was too panicked; Tao Xiaodong ran out the kitchen with food still in his mouth, asking, “What is it?”

Tao Huainan looked towards him and pointed at the door, saying, “He says he’s Chi Ku’s dad!”

Only now did Tao Xiaodong look towards the door. It was hard to see against the backlighting. He squinted, then raised his eyebrows.

“Well fucking done, Tao Xiaodong!” The person sneered, saying in disbelief, “You really took my son away, who even are you? What were you thinking?”

Tao Xiaodong had just swallowed his mouthful of food. He walked to the front desk and took a piece of tissue to wipe his mouth with. Calmly, he asked, “Which one’s your son? Why don’t you call out for your son now, and see if anyone responds?”

“Bullshit!” Chi Zhide roared angrily, pointing at Tao Xiaodong. “You kidnapped my kid! Was he your kid to take away?”

“Why don’t you ask?” Tao Xiaodong looked at the two children. “Ask the two of them, which of them doesn’t belong to my family? See if anyone’s willing to go with you.”

“Don’t talk crap with me. My kin has my fucking blood in him, no matter where he goes.” Chi Zhide came in and sat on the sofa unbidden, lighting himself a cigarette.

Tao Xiaodong pointed his chin at Chi Ku, saying to the two of them, “Go eat. This is none of your business.”

Chi Ku frowned. A little worried, he didn’t want to leave, but Tao Huainan dragged him away.

–

In fact, for the past few years, Tao Xiaodong had always kept in touch with Chi Ku’s grandmother, asking her to call if she needed anything and often sending her gifts. The old lady had entrusted the child to Tao Xiaodong so he would survive; the fact was that Tao Xiaodong now had to raise one more child, so he didn’t owe her anything. And yet, at the end of the day, Chi Ku was very obedient and convenient to care for, so he didn’t have to worry about Tao Huainan all the time. Tao Xiaodong felt he owed her a debt of gratitude too.

Last month, Tao Xiaodong sent the old lady some supplements; the Chinese New Year was almost here, so he also asked his uncle back in their hometown to send her many things, and she didn’t want for meat or grain. Chi Zhide wasn’t at home anyhow, and there wasn’t anyone by her side, so nobody would handle these things.

But nobody expected Chi Zhide to come back this year.

Chi Zhide had been in the south for these past few years. At first, he was quite scared; son or not, beating someone to death was against the law. But after the first two years, he wasn’t so scared anymore, and he even grew a little suspicious. Yet he was in no rush to return, setting up a small business there and getting himself a new family.

This year, because he had taken to gambling there and owed debts, he decided to come back and hide.

The moment he returned, he saw the old lady getting on quite well. He already made a decent guess, thinking the woman had sold the child and asking her to cough up the money.

The old lady stubbornly denied it. Chi Zhide pursued the matter, asking where the child had been buried, and the old lady couldn’t answer.

Back then, when it first happened, he was so scared he’d lost his wits. Now he was stone-cold sober, and the old lady couldn’t fool him any longer.

Chi Zhide had actually been making a ruckus at home for some time; when the old lady couldn’t lie any further, she simply stopped talking, not opening her mouth no matter what he asked.

What made Chi Zhide think of Tao Xiaodong was the stuff that Tao Xiaodong had sent. The old lady lived carefully, and couldn’t bear to throw anything away. Cardboard boxes were kept to be sold for money, and packaging too, which bore the name and address of the sender.

This wasn’t hard to guess at all.

–

Coming here now, Chi Zhide didn’t say he wanted anything; he only had the goal of bringing his son back.

Tao Xiaodong wouldn’t possibly let him take the child, but he didn’t voice any conditions of his own accord either.

It was difficult for Chi Zhide to cause a scene in Tao Xiaodong’s shop. There were so many people, a bunch of tattoo artists, which was intimidating enough.

Even as he made trouble, Chi Zhide didn’t dare to make too much of it. Yet he didn’t leave either, standing at the shop entrance saying that Tao Xiaodong kidnapped his child. After that, he even made a police report, alleging to the police that Tao Xiaodong kidnapped his son, separating them for many years.

This issue was neither major nor minor, but since one party had made a police report, the police couldn’t possibly ignore it. They called them all over and went through the whole procedure, recording their statements. Chi Ku wasn’t the least bit nervous. His memories of his childhood were clear; he told them how his father had beaten him many times, and that the hospital in his hometown would probably still have records of this. He even showed the police the old scars on his head and body.

When it came to lawsuits like this one, the police would simply follow procedure. They couldn’t settle it. At any rate, they’d seen more than a few cases where biological parents would extort the adopted family.

–

Tao Huainan was left in the shop, waiting a long while for them. Only when the sky was dark did his brother and Chi Ku return. Tao Huainan heard his brother’s voice and immediately asked, “Where’s Chi Ku? Is Chi Ku back yet?”

Chi Ku spoke. “I’m here.”

Tao Huainan felt his way over and took Chi Ku’s hand. “Did he hit you? Are you okay?”

Chi Ku pressed his hand and said “I’m fine”.

Huang-ge wasn’t there during the day, and he had only just come back not too long ago. He asked Tao Xiaodong, “How much is he asking for?”

“He didn’t mention it. He’s just asking for the child for now.” Tao Xiaodong had been busy all day; the daytime clients all had to reschedule. He said to Da Huang, “It’s not going to stop for the next few days.”

“Then what do we do?” Huang-ge lowered his voice, not wanting the two children to hear. “Should I get a few people?”

“Don’t.” Tao Xiaodong couldn’t help but laugh. “I’ll slowly play along with him. Don’t do anything violent.”

–

Tao Huainan was worried to death. His brow was constantly furrowed. He stuck fast to Chi Ku, not leaving him for a  moment.

When he was little, Chi Ku’s father had left a very deep mark on Tao Huainan: his bellowing in the middle of the night, the banging of the brick thrown at the door, and the heavy smell of blood in the van.

That was Chi Ku’s blood, and Chi Ku was only so little, yet he bled so much, he was almost bled dry.

Tao Huainan couldn’t help but feel scared at the thought. Chi Ku stroked his back, saying, “It’s fine.”

“I’m scared.” Tao Huainan held Chi Ku with one hand and gripped the fabric of the sofa in the other. “He won’t take you away, will he?”

“If he does, he does,” Chi Ku said calmly. “There’s nothing to be afraid of.”

Tao Huainan immediately began to shake his head. His eyes were red in an instant. He grasped Chi Ku. “No, how could you say that? I won’t let you go. If you go, what’ll become of me?”

Just thinking about it made him want to cry. Tao Huainan didn’t know what to do. “Don’t go. If you go, he’ll hit you…”

“He can’t hit me now.” Chi Ku pinched his face. “Now I run too fast.”

Tao Huainan slapped his hand away, but couldn’t bear to let go, grabbing it after slapping it, squeezing Chi Ku’s fingertips.

–

The good thing was that it was the winter holidays, or else Tao Xiaodong would really be worried, afraid that Chi Zhide might make trouble at school. Now that it was the holidays, it was much easier to manage. Every day, wherever Tao Xiaodong went, he brought the two of them along. Chi Zhide didn’t have the ability to actually start anything with Tao Xiaodong, nor the courage.

Tao Huainan was so scared over the past few days that he grew thin; terrified that Chi Ku would be taken away, he couldn’t eat, couldn’t even drink his milk. The first thing he did when he opened his eyes in the morning was feel for Chi Ku next to him. If he managed to touch him, he would lightly rub his arm; if he couldn’t feel him there, he would panic.

Chi Ku went to the toilet. Tao Huainan felt about next to him; it was empty. He sat up and called for Chi Ku.

Not hearing a response after a long while, he was so scared his heart went thump-thump. He left the room barefoot.

Tao Xiaodong was making congee in the kitchen. Seeing him come out, he said, “You’re up?”

“Where’s Chi Ku?” Tao Huainan asked.

“Toilet, probably.” Tao Xiaodong didn’t pay it too much mind.

Tao Huainan felt his own way to the toilet. Chi Ku was washing his hair. When Tao Huainan managed to touch him, he glued himself against his back.

Chi Ku twisted around to look behind him, then kicked his slippers over. “You always forget.”

“I was wondering where you went.” Tao Huainan breathed a sigh of relief. “I called out for you, why didn’t you answer?”

“I didn’t hear.” Chi Ku continued to wash his hair.

“You never hear,” Tao Huainan muttered.

Chi Ku moved his waist, wanting Tao Huainan to get up. “Don’t cause a fuss the moment you wake up in the morning.”

Tao Huainan pursed his lips, no longer moody. He stepped into Chi Ku’s slippers and turned to leave.

–

After plodding along for over half a month, it was almost Chinese New Year, and Chi Zhide couldn’t push things any further. He sat in Tao Xiaodong’s shop, wanting to parley.

Tao Xiaodong was waiting for him to do just that. He took him to the break room and asked him to speak.

Chi Zhide said, “The child isn’t yours. You can’t keep him here by force, and you won’t win a lawsuit.”

Tao Xiaodong nodded. “So?”

“Either I take my son, and keep him so he can take care of me later on.”

Tao Xiaodong didn’t speak, waiting for him to continue.

“Or you give me a million, and the boy’s yours. From this day forward, he can be alive or dead, named Chi or Tao—I won’t care, and I won’t come looking for you again.”

“One million.” Tao Xiaodong laughed just hearing it. “You really have the nerve.”

“Why wouldn’t I?” Chi Zhide took stock of the room, sneering as he said, “You’re managing such a big shop. You’re not short of money. Those of you in this line of work all have money.”

Tao Xiaodong didn’t respond to that. He kept silent for about a minute. When he opened his lips again, he said, “Normally, I wouldn’t bother with you, and I wouldn’t give you a single cent. I’m willing to raise the child—the old lady asked me to from the very first—but I’m not willing to make this a transaction.

“But I also can’t be bothered to deal with you. Every day, my little brother worries that you’ll make trouble, and it’s really annoying me.” Tao Xiaodong fixed his eyes on him and said blandly, “A hundred thousand. If you want it, take it. If not, forget it.”

Chi Zhide choked. He stood. “Tao Xiaodong, are you playing with me? Is my son only worth a hundred thousand to you?”

–

“No.”

The door was opened from the outside. Chi Ku responded to his question, looking straight at him as he said, “I’m not worth one cent. If you want to take me, take me. If you want money, you won’t get anything. I’ll be eighteen in a few years.”

“Shut the hell up!” Chi Zhide glared at him. Chi Ku had changed a great deal since those days, but as ever, all it took was a glance to see that he was a descendent of the Chi family. Chi Zhide swore, then said, “It’s not your place to speak!”

Tao Xiaodong also said to Chi Ku, “Go out for now, Xiao Chi.”

“Ge, don’t give him money.” Chi Ku was extremely calm. He said to Tao Xiaodong, “If you give any now, there’ll be a next time. Our family shouldn’t give money to anyone.”

Tao Huainan didn’t sleep soundly. The moment Chi Ku left, he woke. He rose from the sofa and felt his own way out; he didn’t hear any of the conversation before, only one line from Chi Ku: “Going back’s no big deal anyway.”

Tao Huainan’s footsteps paused. His eyelashes trembled; he blinked his unseeing eyes, then slapped Chi Ku’s back with great force, making a dull, heavy smack over the jumper.