Chapter 228 – The Daughter-in-Law Dungeon (Part 2)

Meng Chudong truly mulled it over until dawn.

In truth, his reluctance to return home wasn’t as strong as his sister and Fang Zheng imagined. He had merely made an objective judgment based on past experience: going back one more time wouldn’t make much of a difference, so why bother with the hassle? Meng Hanlu said he was too cold by nature—perhaps that was true. But crashing headfirst into an iceberg could only end in disaster. He couldn’t envision any other outcome.

This time, however, things felt different. Though Meng Hanlu hadn’t said anything beyond the usual clichés before leaving, he sensed that something was off with her. The problem was, his sister was the type who wouldn’t breathe a word if she didn’t want to, even if you threatened to pry her nails out with bamboo splinters. Not that anyone would dare—even entertaining the thought would leave them completely annihilated.

Fang Zheng had promised to give him time to think and, true to his word, didn’t bring it up again. He even went to the internet café early in the morning, considerately leaving space for Meng Chudong to sort through his thoughts.

During their “Bedroom Sibling Talk” the night before, Meng Hanlu had asked him why, after all his wandering, he had ended up with someone like Fang Zheng. He had an answer, but he didn’t want to share it with someone who wouldn’t understand, as it would only add unnecessary frustration. Yet, when he saw her off at the door, she did something unprecedented—she asked for a hug. Though startled, his body obeyed before his brain could protest, and in that brief moment of closeness, she whispered in his ear: You’ve got better taste than your sister.

Meng Chudong suspected that Fang Zheng, who had entered the bedroom after him for his own “talk” with his sister, had endured the brutal brainwashing of “You must convince him to come home—repeat ten thousand times.” He also guessed that Fang Zheng had nodded along like a chick pecking at rice. But beyond that, he had no idea what else Fang Zheng had said or done to his sister. The only thing he was certain of was that the Fang Zheng he loved was the same one Meng Hanlu had seen.

Resilient, optimistic, tolerant, warm-hearted.

He had long given up hope of reconciling with his parents. But that morning, when he saw Fang Zheng’s cheerful “Morning~~” grin, he suddenly thought—perhaps nothing in life was absolute.

The lush green leaves outside the window, sparse the last time he saw them, had quietly grown thick and vibrant.

Meng Chudong opened the window, letting sunlight bathe him unobstructed. As the breeze carried the faint scent of grass and trees, he made his decision.

Fang Zheng received Meng Chudong’s call at exactly 10:09 AM. He knew the time so precisely because he’d been clutching his phone since arriving at the internet café.

“I called my sister…” were Meng Chudong’s first words.

Fang Zheng immediately understood—he’d made up his mind. Overjoyed, he exclaimed, “Great! Go home, quick!”

Silence on the other end.

Fang Zheng sensed something was wrong. “What’s the matter?”

Another stretch of silence.

Fang Zheng was about to lose his mind. “What happened? Say something!”

Finally, a voice came through. “My dad… during a check-up, they found a tumor…”

Fang Zheng’s mind went blank for several seconds.

Perhaps anticipating this reaction, Meng Chudong let out a bitter chuckle. “So… I’m not going home. I’m going to the hospital.”

Fang Zheng snapped back to reality, struggling to keep his voice from trembling. “Let’s think positively—maybe it’s benign. They’ll just remove it, and he’ll be fine…”

“The doctor suspects it’s malignant…” Meng Chudong’s voice faltered. After a long pause, he continued, “They’re doing further tests. Results will be out the day after tomorrow.”

“It’s just a suspicion. Could be a misdiagnosis…” Fang Zheng didn’t know what else to say.

After a long silence, two words came through: “Hope so.”

As soon as the call ended, Fang Zheng rushed home—only to find Meng Chudong already gone.

He regretted leaving him alone that morning. If he’d stayed, he could have held him tightly, given him strength, instead of offering hollow reassurances over the phone.

Now, all he could do was pray.

Fang Zheng didn’t tell anyone about Meng Chudong’s family situation. Fifth Brother and the others assumed Birdy had been successfully summoned home by his sister for a father-son reunion, so they couldn’t understand why Fang Zheng was so distraught, barely eating and visibly losing weight.

For the first time, Fang Zheng felt that “waiting for the day after tomorrow” was excruciatingly long and torturous. Worse still, when the day finally arrived, there was no news. By 4:30 PM, when “Birdy” finally flashed on his phone screen, he almost thought he was hallucinating.

Meng Chudong didn’t keep him in suspense. He got straight to the point: “It’s benign.”

Fang Zheng felt the boulder in his heart drop with a bang, like a firecracker on a festive day. “I told you it’d be fine!”

Meng Chudong: “But he still needs surgery. The doctor said that at his age, even surgery carries risks.”

Fang Zheng: “Was it the same doctor who suspected it was malignant?”

Meng Chudong: “Yeah, same one. Why?”

Fang Zheng: “And you let him live until now?”

Meng Chudong laughed for the first time in days. Fang Zheng seemed to possess some kind of magic—no matter how steep the obstacle, how formidable the opponent, how thick the gloom, he could leap over it, topple it, and scatter it.

Fang Zheng knew doctors had to present all possibilities objectively. His teasing was just to coax a smile out of Birdy. And though he couldn’t see it, he knew the person on the other end of the line was smiling—lightly, lips curling, unbearably handsome.

Just as Fang Zheng was lost in this blissful mental image, Meng Chudong suddenly said, “Come to the hospital tomorrow.”

Fang Zheng was stunned. Without thinking, he refused. “Are you crazy?! Your dad’s about to have surgery! What are you dragging me there for? To team up and piss him off?”

Meng Chudong was torn between laughter and exasperation. “I’m not dragging you. My dad wants to see you.”

Fang Zheng froze, utterly bewildered.

Meng Chudong sighed. “Originally, he had no such request. But Meng Hanlu praised you to the skies in front of him, and now he’s got all these fantasies about you.”

Fang Zheng felt the weight of ten thousand tons pressing down on him. “Fantasy usually ends in disillusionment…”

Meng Chudong chuckled. “Then hurry up and disillusion him.”

Fang Zheng made a last-ditch effort. “Can’t we wait until after the surgery…?”

Meng Chudong shot him down. “No. The doctor said the surgery carries risks. Better safe than sorry. His exact words were: You must arrange a meeting immediately.”

Right now, Fang Zheng wanted nothing more than to blast that conscientious doctor with a critical-hit Crimson Lotus Holy Fire.

Though Old Man Meng had demanded an “immediate” meeting, given that it was already evening when the order was issued, Birdy took it upon himself to schedule it for “tomorrow.” Alternatively, he might have foreseen that his partner needed time to prepare.

Father: Meng Wenzhi, university professor, rigid, stubborn, and humorless.

Mother: He Jingyan, editor-in-chief of a newspaper, excelling in both family and career.

Sister: Meng Hanlu, foreign company executive, beautiful, wealthy, with a heartwarming son.

Ex-brother-in-law: Fang So-and-so, renowned lawyer, currently handling his own petition for remarriage…

Fang Zheng recorded all the information he’d gathered from Birdy in a notebook and spent the entire night studying it. He came to two realizations:

1. This was a cheat-code family.

2. If he were Old Man Meng, he’d also want to kick out the son who didn’t fit the mold.

Too anxious to sleep properly, Fang Zheng only managed to doze off in the early hours. As a result, when his alarm went off the next morning, his dark circles were spectacular. Desperate, he turned to facial cleanser, which, after sacrificing half a tube, finally did its job. Or perhaps he’d just stared at his reflection for so long that he’d accepted the dark circles as an inseparable part of his complexion.

Considering Birdy’s father was a scholar, Fang Zheng deliberately chose a blue-and-white casual outfit. Paired with his round face, he almost looked like a college student—especially since he’d lost another four and a half pounds since last time. Now, he could… no, barely… no, with one foot, he could just squeeze into the slightly chubby category.

Meng Chudong came down to the hospital entrance to meet Fang Zheng as soon as he called. But amid the sea of people coming and going, he couldn’t spot him—until Fang Zheng practically skipped over, arms full. If not for the items in his hands, he would have pounced.

To be fair, with so many people around, Fang Zheng dressed like a student and his arms completely obscuring his lower half, even Hawkeye would’ve struggled.

“Did you rob a supermarket?” Meng Chudong teased, reaching for the items. Fang Zheng dodged, making him laugh. “I’m trying to help, not mug you.”

“No, no, no!” Fang Zheng shook his head vigorously. “I have to carry them myself to show how polite I am!”

Meng Chudong finally pinched his cheek. “Careful not to overdo it.”

“Overdoing it highlights my sincerity!” Fang Zheng grinned, then suddenly remembered something. “Oh, when your sister came to see you the other day, why didn’t she just tell you about your dad’s condition? Why wait until the next day?”

“She didn’t even tell me the next day,” Meng Chudong sighed. “I called her to say I’d decided to go home, and that’s when she told me.”

Fang Zheng’s eyes widened—this was a first. “So if you’d decided not to go home, she wouldn’t have told you at all?!”

Meng Chudong: “Right.”

Fang Zheng: “Why?!”

Meng Chudong: “My dad’s orders. Unless I chose to come back on my own, she wasn’t to mention his illness.”

Fang Zheng: “So I ask again—WHY?!”

Meng Chudong: “He didn’t want my return to be forced by emotional blackmail.”

Fang Zheng: “…”

Even with a tumor, he still has the energy to stick to these principles. Old Man Meng, you’re truly something!!!

It wasn’t until they were in the elevator that Meng Chudong finally asked where Fang Zheng had dug up his outfit. Fang Zheng admitted it was something he’d bought years ago, worn twice, then shelved when it no longer accommodated his expanding waistline. The uplifting news was that it could now see daylight again. But by the time Meng Chudong had racked his brain for a suitable adjective, they’d already arrived at his father’s floor.

Fang Zheng took deep breaths as they stepped out of the elevator, but his heart was still pounding by the time they reached the door.

Afraid Fang Zheng might hyperventilate and end up a patient himself, Meng Chudong simply opened the door without warning.

Fang Zheng had no choice but to follow.

Old Man Meng was in a double room, but the other bed was empty. Aside from the already-familiar Meng Hanlu, the only other occupants were Old Man Meng, propped up in bed reading a newspaper, and his wife, sitting beside him… also reading a newspaper.

“Dad, Mom,” Meng Chudong said softly, his voice cutting through the quiet room. “Fang Zheng is here.”

The family had noticed their arrival the moment the door opened—evidenced by Meng Hanlu rising to greet them. But it wasn’t until Birdy spoke that Old Man Meng and his wife finally looked up, as if just realizing they had guests.

Fang Zheng felt like he’d been X-rayed by four searchlights. His throat went dry, but he forced himself to speak. “Uncle, Auntie, hello.”

“No need for gifts,” Meng Hanlu, the only friendly one, stepped forward and took the items from his hands. “Perfect timing—saves me a shopping trip.”

Fang Zheng swallowed the “You’re welcome” on his tongue.

At last, Old Man Meng spoke from the bed. “You two, step outside.”

Meng Hanlu set the gifts down, shrugged, and obediently left, shooting Fang Zheng an “encouraging” look on her way out.

Meng Chudong remained rooted in place.

Old Man Meng raised an eyebrow. “What, you think these old bones can still hurt him?”

Meng Chudong didn’t budge. “There’s still Mom.”

He Jingyan removed her glasses and rubbed the bridge of her nose wearily. “I stopped scratching people twenty-seven years ago.”

Fang Zheng instinctively took a step back. He desperately tried not to imagine how horrifically the last person scratched by He Jingyan must have suffered to make her swear off violence. Unfortunately, his imagination had already run wild…

Mom, where are you? Your son might die in this hospital, do you know that? TAT

Though reluctant, Birdy eventually left the room. He knew his parents wouldn’t resort to violence, but words could cut deeper than blades. He was worried, but Fang Zheng kept pushing him out, eyes silently insisting he was fully buffed. He chose to believe him.

After seeing Birdy off and closing the door, Fang Zheng took several deep breaths before returning to the bedside.

“Sit,” He Jingyan gestured to the chair Meng Hanlu had vacated.

Fang Zheng waved his hands. “No need, I’ll stand!”

He Jingyan put her glasses back on and said to Meng Wenzhi, “Let him stand then. Facing two opponents, a little height advantage might salvage some dignity.”

With a thud, Fang Zheng immediately sat down, unmovable as a bell.

These two weren’t bosses—they were GMs!!! TAT

Satisfied, Old Man Meng nodded. “Let’s cut to the chase. How much did that unfilial son pay you?”

Fang Zheng, sitting ramrod straight and ready to listen attentively, was blindsided. “What money? He didn’t pay me anything! I like him because of the pure love that blossomed from our long-standing revolutionary camaraderie—”

“You fooled Hanlu, but not me,” Old Man Meng cut him off. “How much did he pay you to act this out? And who wrote this shameless script?!”

Act?

Fang Zheng was dizzy for a moment before realizing: Old Man Meng wasn’t accusing him of being a gold-digger—he thought Fang Zheng wasn’t even in a real relationship with Birdy, just a hired actor pretending to be his boyfriend?!

“We’ve been together for a long time. I swear I’m not a temp actor!” Never in his life had Fang Zheng been this sincere.

Old Man Meng: “I don’t believe you.”

Fang Zheng: “What kind of kid hires a gay man to liven things up when their parent is sick?!”

Old Man Meng: “What did you just say? Say it again! Where’s my knife—where’s my knife—”

“There’s only a fruit knife here,” He Jingyan shot her husband a look, instantly deflating him, then turned to Fang Zheng. “That word is absolutely forbidden in this household. Understood?”

“Understood!” Fang Zheng nodded like a woodpecker. “I’ll censor them automatically from now on!”

He Jingyan studied Fang Zheng for a long moment before speaking. “I believe you’re not an actor. But I don’t understand what you see in Chudong. He has no money, no looks, and his personality… is worse than both.”

Fang Zheng: “…”

He Jingyan: “Cat got your tongue?”

You’ve blocked all three escape routes—what am I supposed to say? TAT

He Jingyan: “Nothing beyond those three?”

Fang Zheng: “…Feelings?”

“Hear that, Meng Wenzhi?” He Jingyan turned to her husband. “I got the answer for you. He’s in it for the feelings.”

Fang Zheng blinked, unsure whether this was a two-against-one or a one-against-two situation. Also, did He Jingyan just seamlessly sync with his inner monologue…?

As Fang Zheng wondered how many people were secretly watching this interrogation, Old Man Meng suddenly asked, “How do we make you leave him?”

Fang Zheng perked up—this was the climax of meeting the parents! “I’ll never leave him!”

Old Man Meng: “Fine.”

Fang Zheng: “No matter what you—wait, what?!”

Hold on, he needed to process this. Normally, at this point, the male lead’s father would slap a check on the table and say, “Take the money and get lost!” Why wasn’t Old Man Meng following the script… How stingy are you?!

Fang Zheng wasn’t the only one stunned. He Jingyan was also surprised, though she quickly masked it behind her glasses. Her expression softened noticeably—still not smiling, but no longer icy.

“Jingyan, you step out too,” Old Man Meng said, ignoring their bewilderment. “I want to talk to this kid alone.”

He Jingyan didn’t move or speak, just stared at her husband.

Old Man Meng sighed. “I won’t do anything to him.”

Fang Zheng suddenly understood: He Jingyan was on her son’s side, and Old Man Meng knew it. The only one oblivious was their foolish son.

Finally, He Jingyan stood and left the room.

Now it was just Fang Zheng and Old Man Meng—one staring at the wall, the other at the floor, in awkward silence.

“My surgery is scheduled for a week from now,” Old Man Meng broke the silence.

Fang Zheng hurriedly said, “It’ll go smoothly, I’m sure!”

“I know my own body,” Old Man Meng forced a bitter smile. “Time spares no one. The doctor said the risks are high.”

Fang Zheng: “Can I meet this doctor? =_=”

Old Man Meng: “And yesterday, the patient next door passed before his surgery. His family was… inconsolable.”

Fang Zheng: “…” So this was why you should either get a private room or a shared one—the former cost more but spared you the sight of suffering, while the latter saved money and might gift you the joy of a roommate’s recovery. Why pick a double room?!

Old Man Meng: “Don’t bother with platitudes. There are only so many ways to say the same thing.”

Birdy’s sarcasm medal was definitely half inherited from his dad and half from his mom!!!

“If I could say it differently, it wouldn’t be talking—it’d be magic…” Fang Zheng muttered, reaching for an apple on the bedside table. “Let me peel this for you…”

Old Man Meng didn’t stop him, just watched quietly.

Halfway through peeling, Fang Zheng had an epiphany: this father genuinely feared he might not survive the surgery and wanted to see his son—and his son’s partner—one last time. Even if he couldn’t accept or approve, he still wished to vet his son’s choice for the final time.

He didn’t know if he’d satisfied this father.

He hoped he had.

“Are you peeling the apple or the core?”

Old Man Meng’s voice snapped Fang Zheng out of his thoughts. Looking down at the grotesquely misshapen apple in his hand, then at Old Man Meng, Fang Zheng grinned. “It’s too big. I was worried you couldn’t finish it.”

“This is wasting food—”

“Disgraceful!”

Old Man Meng’s words were cut off, leaving him thoroughly aggrieved. “Did you like interrupting your teachers in class?”

“Wow, how’d you know?!” Fang Zheng recalled fondly. “They always praised me for being quick-witted!”

Old Man Meng nodded. “Translation: a mischievous troublemaker.”

Fang Zheng: “…”

Old Man Meng: “…”

Fang Zheng: “Do teachers hate students who talk back?”

Old Man Meng: “Absolutely.”

Fang Zheng: “I loved doing it…”

Old Man Meng: “Control yourself.”

Fang Zheng: “Haha, well, I’ve graduated now! I’m a free-flying bird now~~~”

Old Man Meng: “…”

Fang Zheng: “Uncle, sorry, I got carried away…”

Old Man Meng: “Now I understand that song.”

Fang Zheng: “Huh?”

Old Man Meng: “Sudden Realisation.”

In truth, Fang Zheng and Old Man Meng never discussed anything substantive. Whether the old man had no intention of broaching serious topics, had already seen through Fang Zheng, or simply lost the thread due to early derailment was unclear.

It wasn’t until the conversation neared its end that Fang Zheng felt compelled to defend Birdy. “Uncle, Meng Chudong is actually outstanding—smart, composed, determined. Once he sets a goal, he charges forward without hesitation! He’s not cold; he’s just reserved on the outside, warm on the inside. You have no idea how good he is to me…”

“Oh?” Old Man Meng’s tone lifted strangely. “So he does know how to treat people well…”

Fang Zheng immediately shut his mouth and cautiously asked, “Uncle… are you jealous of me? =_=”

Old Man Meng: “Of course not. Haha.”

He got haha-ed. TAT

Old Man Meng: “Relax, I believe you now.”

No, you don’t. TAT

Old Man Meng: “Call them back in.”

Fang Zheng knew their one-on-one was over, yet he still had so much to say. Well, there’d be time.

Taking a deep breath, Fang Zheng locked eyes with Old Man Meng. “Uncle, the surgery will go smoothly. I can feel it!”

Old Man Meng was about to scoff when the chubby young man beside the bed suddenly lunged forward and hugged him tightly. Not only did the embrace nearly snap his old bones, but his cheek was also smacked with a loud kiss before the perpetrator fled, leaving him dumbfounded.

By the time he recovered and prepared to hunt for a knife again, his children and wife had already returned to his bedside. What could he do? Swallow his rage and humiliation… Bah! Just wait till after the surgery—he’d buy a brand-new eighteen-piece knife set!!!

Afterward, Birdy repeatedly asked Fang Zheng what he’d said to his father to suddenly boost his spirits so much that even the doctor praised his strong will to live. Fang Zheng always humbly denied any credit, insisting the old man must have figured it out himself.

Over time, this became an unsolved mystery in Birdy’s heart.

Another person equally desperate for answers was—

Title: If I Ever Challenge Ghost Server Legion Again, May I Swallow Shit and Die!!!!!!!!

Poster: No Birds Over a Thousand Mountains