Cleaning House. Part 2

White steam curled upwards. Ding Yanshou held a bowl of bone broth, utterly without appetite. Ding Erhe still wore his gentle, frugal, and respectful demeanor, peeling sweetened garlic for everyone. He asked, "Fourth Brother, where did you run off to?"

Jiang Ting'en said, "I went to find Big Brother, to find Ji Zhenzhu!" He had only thought of using Ding Hanbai as a show of force, and with one sentence, he sold out the star-crossed lovers.

Ding Keyu was startled. "They met in secret?" He glanced guiltily at Ding Yanshou. He hadn't kept a good watch and was afraid of being scolded. Jiang Ting'en said, "Second Brother, first you moved the materials from the South Room, and today you came to move the Third Shop's accounts. Your Second Shop isn't making money, so why should our Third Shop bleed to cover for you?"

This was an open confrontation. Just as Jiang Shuliu was about to intervene, she was interrupted by Ding Yanshou's coughing. Ding Erhe explained, "No matter which shop, they all bear the name of Jade Pavilion. They are all the Ding family's shops. Moving accounts is just to solve a temporary emergency for our own shop."

Jiang Ting'en said, "It's true they all bear the name of Jade Pavilion, but for all these years, the Second Shop has been under your management, a clear division."

As if playing right into his hands, Ding Erhe sat up straight. "Listening to you, does this mean you want to split the family assets?"

With that one sentence, the entire table fell silent. Living in a three-courtyard residence, eating at the same table every day, for the past eight or ten years, no one had ever mentioned splitting the family. Ding Houkang's face was calm, while Ding Keyu looked at his own brother in shock.

With a "clang," Ding Yanshou set down his soup bowl with a trembling hand.

It was immediately followed by another "clang" as the living room door was forced open. Ji Shenyu walked in with his back straight, unhurriedly went to his seat, sat down, and directly raised his eyes to look at Second Brother opposite him.

Without waiting to be asked, he said, "Why is the lamb placed so far away? The turnip must think the lamb isn't here and is rushing to be the first in the pot."

It was another one of his veiled accusations. Ding Erhe pushed up his glasses, looking both scholarly and awkward. "Fifth Junior Brother, where have you been all day?" He shot out questions like arrows. "Were you with Hanbai? No matter how Eldest Uncle tries to stop you, even if he kicks Hanbai out of the house, you two still won't separate?"

Ji Shenyu understood this tactic. First, remind Ding Yanshou about his relationship with Ding Hanbai, ensuring Ding Hanbai had no chance of being forgiven. Then, when they discussed splitting the family, Ding Erhe would have the upper hand no matter how it was divided.

He remained silent, not wanting to add fuel to the fire.

Ding Erhe said, "Eldest Uncle, you and my dad are getting old. You've been sick recently, and managing three shops is exhausting. It's better to split them."

Ji Shenyu asked, "Second Brother, how do you want to split them?"

Ding Erhe replied, "First, your surname isn't Ding. You're an outsider, and you promised never to take a share, so you're excluded first." He paused, as if with a hint of regret. "Eldest Uncle, Grandpa said back then that the one who runs the family is decided by skill. We admit we are not as skilled as Hanbai, but since Hanbai is gone, we can only settle for second best."

Ji Shenyu said, "Who doesn't get sick once in a while? Splitting the family just because Master is sick, are you hoping he won't get better? And from what you're saying, now that Senior Brother is gone, the shops will be given to you sooner or later anyway. You really see the big picture from small details. Through this illness, you can already see a hundred years into the future. Who are you trying to curse?"

They traded barbs. Ding Yanshou pressed a large hand to his chest, trying to suppress the violent turmoil within.

Ding Erhe's demeanor was polite, but he wielded a gentle blade. "I wasn't thinking that far ahead. But since you mentioned a hundred years from now, let's talk about it. Eldest Uncle has no son anymore. Who will Jade Pavilion go to after a hundred years? Won't it go to our family? Giving it to us earlier means you can retire earlier."

Ding Yanshou was choked with anger. "Erhe, aren't you a little too eager?"

Ji Shenyu looked at Ding Erhe. Of course he was eager. Because Ding Erhe wasn't sure if Ding Hanbai would return, he had to act fast. He looked at that man whose civility had been swept away and silently glanced at the clock.

"Eldest Uncle, you've been in charge for many years, you've had your turn. Let's split the family and each manage our own. You can enjoy your old age in peace from now on," Ding Erhe said. "Hanbai is making big money dabbling in antiques. The fact that he could leave so easily probably means he looks down on this little plot of land at home."

Just then, a voice came from the doorway—"Who said I look down on it?"

The entire table was truly shocked. Everyone turned in unison to see a tall figure flicker into view, his features gradually becoming clear. Ding Hanbai strode in, open and aboveboard. Jiang Ting'en immediately gave up his seat, glaring at Ding Erhe like a fox borrowing the tiger's might, all but ready to pull out a banner for this "Big Brother and Sister-in-law."

Ding Hanbai sat down on his own, carrying the air of self-righteousness he was born with. He turned his head to look at Ding Yanshou, then at Jiang Shuliu, and then looked at every person at the table, one by one.

"Dad, you told me never to set foot in this house again for the rest of my life, but I've brazenly come back today." As he spoke, he stared hard at Ding Houkang. "I came to see what kind of power trip my usually silent, but now biting, cousins are on."

Ding Houkang looked embarrassed. Ding Erhe said, "Hanbai, if you want to vent your anger, aim it at me. Don't stare at my dad."

Ding Hanbai's voice suddenly rose. "You were just shamelessly forcing my dad to split the family, so I'm damn well going to yell at your dad!"

Ding Erhe loosened his collar. "Eldest Uncle, have you allowed Hanbai to return? Since you don't acknowledge him as a son, he has no right to interfere in any family decisions."

Ding Hanbai was extremely arrogant. "He may not acknowledge me as a son, but I've never said I don't acknowledge him as my father!" It was a thunderous shout, not just for the heartless wolves to hear, but also for Ding Yanshou to know. No matter what happened, he, Ding Hanbai, would never be so depraved as to disown his own father.

Ji Shenyu, who had been quiet for a moment, said, "Second Brother, aren't you just afraid that Senior Brother will come back one day? That's why you're so impatient to split the family. In this family, skill determines the hero. Second Uncle can't compare to Master, and you can't compare to Senior Brother. You must have been overjoyed when the father and son had a falling out, weren't you?"

Ding Erhe clenched his fists under the table. He looked at Ding Yanshou through his lenses, knowing that Ding Yanshou was a man of principle who would never go back on his word. "Eldest Uncle, are you allowing Hanbai to return? Are you allowing him to make decisions for you?" He was betting, betting that Ding Yanshou wouldn't go back on his word. "If you overturn your previous decision, I will immediately retract all my opinions."

Ding Yanshou's hand was like an imprint on his chest, veins popping on his forehead. Overturn what? Wouldn't overturning his decision mean accepting Ding Hanbai and Ji Shenyu's relationship? All exits were blocked. He began to cough, a earth-shaking cough that tore at his throat until he spat out a mouthful of bloody saliva.

Ji Shenyu quickly poured tea and helped him drink, carefully prying away the large hand pressing on his heart. He helped him catch his breath, and as soon as his breathing steadied, he immediately rushed out of the living room and towards the small courtyard.

Ding Hanbai said, "You don't need to pull this stunt. You're waiting for my dad to deny it so you can kick me out, right? Let me tell you straight, I never planned on coming back. I'm only here today to sort you out." He stood up abruptly, leaning over the table, and looked at Ding Erhe through the increasingly ethereal white steam. "Didn't you say my dad has been in charge for many years? Didn't you say he's had his turn? Since you don't want to listen to his authority, why the hell are you even asking him?"

One by one, Ding Hanbai listed the grievances. He was extremely tired after a long day. If it weren't for this useless thing pushing his luck, he wouldn't have had the time to attend this treacherous banquet. "So quiet and unobtrusive, but your jealousy is really strong, isn't it?" He brought up an old incident. "The jade censer, you were the one who broke it, right? And then you pushed the blame onto your own little brother."

Ding Keyu was stunned. When he understood, he was utterly shocked, a mix of emotions swirling within him.

Ding Hanbai continued, "Your Second Shop has had my dad help out with work more than once. You contributed no labor and no materials. I caught you once, and you didn't dare say a damn thing. Now you're all bark and no bite, pretending to be some big bad wolf?"

"The moment I left home, you started asking around about what I was doing. You saw me down on my luck and finally felt you could hold your head high. Unfortunately for you, I started dabbling in antiques and running a porcelain kiln, with a daily turnover equal to half a month's for Jade Pavilion. So you came crawling, deliberately revealing it to my dad. You must be terribly disappointed that you didn't manage to anger him to death directly, aren't you?"

"When a person is shameless, their skin is truly thicker than anything a grinding machine could polish. First, you moved my materials, putting on a show of distributing them, but you're not afraid of bursting from swallowing tens of thousands of yuan. The materials weren't enough, so you went to move the Third Shop's accounts. You've had your eye on that jewelry shop for a long time, haven't you? Aren't you and your father afraid of becoming a laughingstock among the staff?"

Ding Hanbai seemed to be stripping Ding Erhe's clothes off piece by piece, practically skinning him alive. He returned to tonight's main topic. "Split the family? The First Shop to you, the Second Shop to you, and the Third Shop to you too? After stripping him, Ding Yanshou, of his power, do you also want him to work for you? Have we been too good to you, so you don't know your place anymore? Go look at yourself in a puddle of boiling water, what the hell do you think you are?!"

Ding Erhe's face turned white. Ding Houkang wiped away his sweat, finally remembering to play the peacemaker. Something about being cousins, growing up together, being foolish, making a mistake, just give him a beating and let it go—all just excuses to get him off the hook.

Ding Hanbai suddenly smiled. "Second Uncle, I got physical the last time they played tricks on Shenyu, and you felt bad for them. So I don't plan to use my hands this time." Footsteps approached as Ji Shenyu returned with a stack of papers. He took them and said, "I have inventory lists and receipts for all the materials in my room. Ding Erhe, without my consent, seized my private property. I'm not going to hit you. I'll let the police handle it."

This was far more vicious than a private execution. Once this "family shame" was aired out, Ding Erhe's reputation in the industry would be ruined.

No one had expected it to escalate this far. Voices of persuasion and pleading rose up all around. Ding Hanbai ignored them, pulled back his chair, walked to Ding Yanshou's side, squatted down, and carried him on his back, steadily returning to the bedroom.

He knelt by the bed, mustering his courage to grasp Ding Yanshou's large hand.

A thousand words choked in his throat as he softly called out, "Dad."

Ding Yanshou asked, "What do you plan to do?"

Ding Hanbai said, "I want you to rest well. How can you discipline me when you're so sick?" He slowly rose, hugged Jiang Shuliu, and raised a hand to touch the white hair she had grown.

Leaving the bedroom, Ding Hanbai closed the door behind him. In the living room, the hot pot had gone cold. Ji Shenyu had just hung up the phone from calling the police. Ding Hanbai grabbed Ding Erhe and dragged him outside, like pulling a heap of hopeless sludge, like yanking a resigned, mangy dog.

Early summer nights were the liveliest. Every household came out for a stroll after dinner. At the gate of the most imposing Ding family home, a crowd of brothers had gathered, waiting for the police car to come and take the man away.

The commotion, the spectacle—it was as if they were afraid people wouldn't know.

Ding Hanbai threw Ding Erhe down the steps, completely severing this bit of brotherly affection in front of the onlookers. He had said it before: if a mistake was truly made, it would not be over.

A neighbor couldn't help but shout, "Eldest son of the Ding family! What's going on?"

Ding Hanbai spat out the words like hammered nails— "Cleaning house!"