Chapter 5 — Leaving That Dinner Table, I Had 70 Million Yuan

September came, the weather started to get cold, and my brother's life started to get cold too. First, there was a problem with his business. He used one of his four houses as collateral and borrowed 2 million yuan to invest in a construction materials project. The partner ran away midway, the goods piled up in the warehouse, and not a single penny was earned. 2 million yuan, just evaporated. Every month he still has to pay the bank 38,000 yuan. If he is three months late, the mortgaged house will be confiscated by the bank. It didn't stop there, the second bad news came soon after. The house in the south of the city was accused by residents of having quality problems, the floor was water-logged, the outer walls were peeling, and the news was on the local hot board. House prices in that area decreased by 30% overnight. My mother's four houses, one was pulled down, one is clearly seeing its value drop. Two things came at the same time like two blades, making him unable to bear it. How I know those things is because my mother called and told me, that's right, it was the person who said I could only enjoy the Northwest wind when I left that house, and the person who divided the house into four without leaving me a single house. On the phone, she said my brother had been having difficulties lately, was under great pressure, and had become thinner. I just replied "yes". She said he was also for his family, no one would have to take risks when doing business. I said “yes” one more time. Then she got straight to the point, her voice slowing down.

"Vien Chu, I'm your brother, my brother is in trouble, can you help me a little?"

The light in the living room shined down on my hand. I squeezed the phone, staring at my fingers.

“How to help?”

“His loan is 38,000 yuan each month, if you can bear some of it…”

“I get 5,000 yuan a month.”

The other side was silent. I continued.

"The day the house was divided, my mother said that my condition was like this, having a house was of no use."

Silence lasted for a long time.

“So 38,000 yuan a month, with your condition of 5,000 yuan, how can I help you?”

I heard the other party take a soft breath.

"Back then, mom said that when I left home, I could only drink the Northwest wind. So now mom can rest assured, since I've left, the Northwest wind is also drinking."

“Vien Chu, I…”

"About nursing, I'm looking for him, that's something that's been made clear before."

I hung up, placed the phone face down on the table, sat still for a moment, then stood up and went to the kitchen to reheat the remaining bowl of soup from yesterday. I took a sip, the salty taste spread out, I don't know if it was from the soup or my throat. Half a month later, my brother called three times, I didn't answer, my sister-in-law called twice, I also didn't answer, it wasn't until my mother called again that I picked up the phone. The first thing she said was:

“You did it on purpose, right?”

I do not understand.

“You intentionally didn't help your brother, was it because of the house issue?”

My hand holding the glass of water paused a bit.

“Mom, I don't have money, I can't help.”

“What about my car? It's several hundred thousand yuan. If I sell it, I'll have money!”

“That's my car.”

She choked. I can almost imagine that expression, lips pursed, eyes red, nose slightly trembling, an expression that I've seen too many times since childhood.

“Why are you so selfish?”

Her voice trembled.

"That's your biological brother, born to the same mother. He got into trouble and you just stood there watching?"

I sat on the sofa, not moving, outside the window someone was walking a dog. The dog barked twice and then fell silent.

“You say it.”

“That day there were four houses for him, there is not a single room for me..."

“That's not the same!”

“Not the same anywhere?”

She couldn't speak. Because she herself didn't know what else to say. If I share the money, I'm an outsider. If you ask for money, I'm your younger brother. She does not understand that principle. She just doesn't want to hear me say it.

“Mom, take care of your health.”

I hung up. This time I sat on the sofa for a long time, the bowl of soup had cooled, the lights were still on, the darkness outside the window was pressing down layer by layer. I remember when I was little, that winter my mother bought a new down jacket, put it in my brother's bag, and I asked her where my coat was. She said I could still wear my old shirt. That year I was nine years old, my old shirt had a broken zipper, every time I went out the wind blew straight into my chest, I was used to crossing my arms across my chest to keep warm, as if hugging myself. Twenty-eight years now. I finally don't have to hug myself anymore.