Resisting Winter

The human memory is strange, if the contents aren’t mentioned for a long time, they would forget it, but sometimes a small index can instantly turn the situation in a completely different way.

Just like now.

The house had a rare lively atmosphere after a long time. Aunt Wu and Wang Jie were cooking in the kitchen, Xu Hui and Xu Zhenggang wre sitting at the table in the dining room.

Xu Zhenggang was reading a newspaper.

Such a picture gave Xu Hui a vague sense of familiarity. When he began to recall, he found that the main characters of similar images in his mind were Wang Jie and Xu Yiheng, the mother and son duo warmly facing each other and gossiping, driving a somewhat dull Xu Zhenggang, and Xu Hui in the warm atmosphere.

How long had it been since Xu Zhenggang had returned?

Maybe almost a year, Xu Hui could not remember.

No one likes to stay in such a home where gloominess roams in every corner. Xu Zhenggang in recent years were completely devoted to work and didn’t come back often. Men are always good at avoiding negative circumstances and emotions, just like Xu Hui.

The meal was served, Wang Jie and Auntie Wu were good at their craftsmanship, simple home-cooked dishes that were also done in full color and flavor were wafting delicious aroma.

Wang Jie sat next to Xu Zhenggang, Auntie Wu was going to leave, but was called by Wang Jie.

“Sister Wu, let’s eat together.”

“No, no.” Auntie Wu hurriedly waved her hand, “I can’t, I’ll just eat something in the kitchen.”

Wang Jie looked at her, as if seeking reliance.

“Come and sit down, Sister Wu.” She said while looking at Xu Zhenggang, indicating through her eyes for permission.

Xu Zhenggang had not been home for too long and was not quite sure what the situation was. He glanced his wife before looking at Aunt Wu and casually said, “Okay, sit down and eat. You are not outsider.”

“Aigoo this is too embarrassing.” Auntie Wu said, sitting next to Wang Jie.

The meal was dull and dreary. Xu Zhenggang asked Wang Jie about the situation at home, and Wang Jie whispered, “It’s okay, everything is fine.”

Xu Zhenggang asked in concern, “Do you have enough money?”

Wang Jie nodded, “I have ……”

Xu Zhenggang: “Tell me if you don’t have enough.”

Wang Jie nodded again, “Okay.”

Xu Zhenggang looked at Wang Jie, who had no spirit, and tried to cheer her up, “Why don’t you go out and have some fun? It’s almost winter, you can go to the south to travel and have a break, don’t stay at home every day.” After saying that, he looked at Auntie Wu and said, “If you don’t want to go alone, have someone accompany you.”

Aunt Wu carefully touched Wang Jie shoulder and said, “Yes, it’s good to have a change of scenery and mood.”

Wang Jie slowly shook her head, “No, I won’t go anywhere.”

Xu Zhenggang suggested in a more careful tone, “Just a few days, not long.”

Wang Jie squeezed her chopsticks, lifted her head and looked squarely at Xu Zhenggang while emphasizing each words.

“I won’t go for a few days, not even a day. If you want to go, then go.”

Auntie Wu saw that the atmosphere was not right, so she hastily agreed with Wang Jie, “Ok, ok. You don’t have to go, it’s okay to be at home.” After comforting her, she looked everyone around the table before saying joyfully, “We had a dog in our family that recently gave birth. The puppies were so cute!”

Xu Zhenggang didn’t care what she said and casually nodded his head. Turning his head, he was about to start eating when he saw Xu Hui sitting on the table with his mouth closed. Hesitating for a while, he finally gathered enough courage to talk to his son.


“What about you? How is school?”

Xu Hui whispered, “It’s okay.”

“What about your grades? Did it improve?”

Xu Hui replied carelessly, “Just like before.”

Seeing him careless about his grades Xu Zhenggang asked, “Do you want to take the college entrance exam?”

Xu Hui paused for a moment before replying, “No.”

Xu Zhenggang took a deep breath and put down his chopsticks. He couldn’t understand why someone like Xu Hui who had so good grades suddenly became so careless towards it. No, actually, he knows, but he denies to accept it.

“You used to study more frugally, how come now you don’t even want to take the college entrance exam? How can you fall to this level?”

Xu Hui kept quiet and said nothing.

Xu Zhenggang said again, “Do you want to go abroad then? I have a friend who can help me in this regard. If you want to go abroad for study, I can help him make arrangements for you.”

Xu Hui shook his head, “No, I don’t want to go abroad either.”

“Then ……”

“Dad.” Xu Hui finally raised his eyes to look at Xu Zhenggang and asked, “Can you come with me for a moment? I have something to tell you.”

Xu Zhenggang froze, and Wang Jie also looked over.

Aunt Wu looked at Wang Jie and said to Xu Hui, “Let’s eat first. Your mother has cooked for you, eat now or it will get cold later.”

Xu Zhenggang frowned impatiently and asked Xu Hui, “What is it?”

Xu Hui didn’t explain only said, “Come with me for a moment.”

Xu Zhenggang put down his dishes and got up to go to the second floor, Xu Hui following behind.

Auntie Wu also put down her chopsticks and whispered, “Not good ……”

Wang Jie didn’t say a word and lowered her head to continue eating.

After entering the study, Xu Zhenggang closed the door and sat on the leather chair while taking a cigarette.

Xu Hui stood in front of his father as he said, “I want to borrow some money.”

Xu Zhenggang’s face remained unchanged, “Borrow money?”

“Mm.” Xu Hui nodded.

“How much?”

Xu Hui hesitated for a moment before replying, “Half a million. ……”

Xu Zhenggang paused his smoking, “Half a million? What do you need so much money for?”

Xu Hui said, “I’m going to live alone.”

Xu Zhenggang snorted, “You’re living alone now too.”

Xu Hui took a deep breath before blurting, “I mean, I won’t come back here in the future, ever.”

Xu Zhenggang continued smoking as if he hadn’t heard him. But Xu Hui kept talking, “When you lend me the money, you can give me an IOU, and I’ll pay you back within five years.”

Xu Zhenggang did not say anything, after a while he spoke in subdued anger, “not coming back ……” and could not help but curse, “this family is fucking what? Your insurance?”

Xu Hui lowered his head and looked at the ground.

Xu Zhenggang slapped the table, his voice lighting with fire. “What do you think you’ve been doing these past few years? Not going to school properly, not studying properly, and not understanding life! How old are you? I had already started supporting my family when I was your age!”

Xu Hui lowered his eyes and listened to his father’s rebuke.

The more Xu Zhenggang said, the angrier he became, “I won’t force you to study if you don’t want to, but at least take care of your family and be a man! Look at you now!” Xu Zhenggang stood up directly and pointed at Xu Hui, “Look at this family again, was my expectations too high? Do you think I’m asking too much from you?”

Xu Hui suddenly looked up, with stubbornness in the corner of his eyes and eyes blazing with anger.

“It’s not like I don’t want to!”

Xu Zhenggang also became more angry, “Then why don’t you? Who doesn’t give you a chance? Who doesn’t-“

The door of the study was pushed open with a bang, cutting his sentence in half. Wang Jie stood outside the door, her eyes red, staring hard at Xu Hui.

“Is it me?” She said softly and shakily, as if accepting her own fault, “I don’t give you a chance? That’s what you mean, right?”

Auntie Wu tried to pull Wang Jie behind her, “Forget it, don’t be angry, let’s go down.”

Wang Jie shrugged Auntie Wu off, didn’t look at Xu Zhenggang and patted her chest before loudly questioning Xu Hui, “Is it me? Are you saying that I don’t give you a chance!?”

“Motherfucker!” Xu Zhenggang could not stand it anymore. Cursing loudly, he picked up an ashtray on the table, and let out his anger out by smashing it on the ground. The ashtray hit the floor and immediately broke, it’s pieces scattering everywhere, much like this family.

After that, he turned around and left.

His steps landed heavily on the floor with loud thumps, pouring all his anger on the floor.

After a loud bang of the front door closing, the sound of a car starting was heard. But both Xu Hui and Wang Jie stood motionless as if they didn’t heard anything.

When everything was silent, Wang Jie slowly walked over and stood in front of Xu Hui.

Xu Hui was much taller than her, she tilted her head to look at the teenage boy that looks like her husband, questioning in a unusually soft voice.

“Xu Hui, you know about me and your father, right?”

Xu Hui turned his head away, he didn’t want to hear how his father cheated on her mother. But Wang Jie didn’t give him the opportunity to escape and continued talking, “I and your father were childhood friend. We grew up together. He was worthless when I accompanied him through his highschool days. He told me to wait for him but for family circumstances, your father had to marry your mother. It was my fault…… I couldn’t forget him. That day your father came to me, drunk and…* “



[T/N: Someone has a gun? Please lend me so that I can kill this bit-, woman and go to jail.]



Xu Hui headed for the door but was pulled by Wang Jie.

“Your mother just died when your father said he was afraid you could not accept us because you were too young. So I took Xiao Heng with me without his father’s name to live away. Until you went to junior high school did he married me. Xiao Heng grew up without a father, how much he suffered do you know? He is such a good kid, he loves you so much, he loves you-“

The force on his arm grew stronger, Xu Hui said loudly and coldly, “Let go!”

Wang Jie’s voice grew more and more mournful the more she spoke.

“He loves you so much! He stayed up for days to make you a birthday present, how could you do it?! You hate us that much!? We really do owe you! We mother and son, we owe you, don’t we?! You said I didn’t give you a chance, did you ever give me a chance? I beg you, give us a chance too, please.”

“Let go!”

Xu Hui in the end was a big boy, he threw away Wang Jie without much hesitation and headed out.

Auntie Wu was blocking the doorway, Xu Hui reached out to push her when his arm was again grabbed by Wang Jie.

She pulled Xu Hui’s body to turn around and face herself.

Xu Hui’s eyes crashed into those aging eyes. He was suddenly scared to look at those eyes, scared that they would see through him.

“I won’t forgive you, you’ve ruined our whole life.*” Wang Jie said word by word, her heart full of grievance. The curse left her mouth easily, like she had molted them for a thousand years.


[T/N: Wow!!!!! The nerves!!]


“You would go to hell.”

Xu Hui trembled and drew his arms out of her grasp. Wang Jie said behind him, “You don’t deserve to live a good life, you don’t deserve…”


Wang Jie couldn’t finish because Xu Hui suddenly looked up, with stubbornness in the corner of his eyes. Giving one last glare at the broken woman, he left.



He strode down the stairs, jumped to the last few steps in a hurry and violently push open the door. The cold wind that touched his body made him feel alive.

On the ground, there were two obvious ruts, which were left by Xu Zhenggang when he left.

Xu Hui’s legs are long, so his steps are oddly large. He walked outside the neighborhood like the wind and disappeared quickly.

It was 6:30 p.m., the time to prepare dinner. Walking on the road alone, he could smell the smell of vegetables.

The roadside stalls were preparing their pots and pans, rice, oil, salt, and other ingredients. The scene was full of life, unlike his heart which seemed to be dead.

Xu Hui left the neighborhood, walking aimlessly on the street. The cars around him sped past him, everyone seemed to be in a hurry to reach their next destination.

He seemed to be the only one, who didn’t know where to go.

But the woman’s voice chased him, echoing in his head over and over again.

“You would go to hell.”

“You don’t deserve a good life ……”

“You don’t deserve ……”

The north wind blew, shuddering his body.

Xu Hui felt his scalp tingled.

Looking around in the noisy and complicated world, there was a moment when he could only hear his own breathing.

Pulling out his cell phone, Xu Hui’s fingers trembled as he dialed a number extremely quickly.

He knew that Bai Lu would not answer the phone at this time, but he still couldn’t help it.

Listening to the sounds of two phones’ connecting until it was hanged up, Xu Hui’s heart gradually stabilized.

This is the place where he found himself, a medicine to his wounded heart, a moment of tranquility, a place to hide.

He didn’t know where this feeling came from, but he didn’t want to subdue it.

At this simple, pure age, nothing needs a reason.

Xu Hui hailed a cab and sat in the back seat before looking out the window at the flickering streetlights and dead trees.

The phone was still in the palm, but not clenched tightly as before.

When he arrived home past 8 o’clock, his brain was very confused. He couldn’t remember how he reached here. He didn’t stay in the apartment, just changed his clothes and paced back and forth on the path in front of the building.

From time to time, he would look at the watch.

He was waiting for ten o’clock, when Bai Lu would answer the phone.

The time seemed moving too slow for him, Xu Hui casually grabbed a leaf of the Lonicera bush and blew on it before leaving it from his hand. He watched as the cold wind carried it away, far and far away from him.

The night was very cold, people can already faintly see the white haze.

The leaf hadn’t yet fallen to the ground when a sound came from behind.

“Xu Hui!”

Xu Hui turned his head and saw a boy standing not far behind him.

When the boy came over, Xu Hui looked at him up and down. The boy was slim, spry, wearing a dark blue autumn school uniform with a circular pattern on the right front chest, which was a flying bird with its head held high.

It is the school logo of the Sixth Highschool.


“Oh ……” When he got closer, Xu Hui recognized him. “Wu Hanwen?”

Wu Hanwen came over and smiled at Xu Hui, “It’s been a long time.”

Xu Hui nodded his head.

Wu Hanwen hesitantly started a conversation, “We live close to each other, but don’t have the same time after school.”

Xu Hui gave a light laugh, “Hmm.”

Wu Hanwen was distracted by this smile, the hand carrying his school bag unconsciously tightened.

He was still the same as before.

No, he was even colder than before.

Xu Hui didn’t seem to have anything to say to Wu Hanwen, simply greeted him, raised his hand to look at his watch again, before turning to walk in another direction.

He was wearing a dark gray knit shirt, his back was slim and clean. Wu Hanwen watched him fade into the darkness, his mind racing with the decisions he took.

Closing his eyes and taking a deep breath, Wu Hanwen gathered enough courage and shouted.

“Xu Hui, I have something to say you!”

Xu Hui stopped, his eyes still fixed on the wristwatch. He turned around and look at Wu Hanwen lazily before whispering in a careless voice,


“Hmm?”












T/N: Two disgusting characters; Wang Jie and Xu Zhenggang Honestly, I couldn’t understand what do they want to prove? That they are happy to cheat on Xu Hui’s mother? Why does this kind of people even exist? Can they just disappear from the face of earth?


I’m happy this kind of disgusting people, who twists the meaning of love in their way hasn’t appeared in front of me. Otherwise, I won’t be able to help my hand that would go their neck and squeeze hard. They not only suffer but make their children suffer along with them.

If I was in Xu Hui’s place, I would have never felt guilty. It’s not I’m saying he is a saint, but whatever happened to Xu Yiheng was his parents’ fault, not him. If they hadn’t been disgusting, then their son wouldn’t have paid the price. Poor Xu Yiheng, he was only ten. *Cries*

Karma really is a bitch.