The ride back was filled with Wang Yi's non-stop chatter, which I had grown accustomed to by now. What really got on my nerves, though, was when he suddenly asked Jiang Shiyu if she had a boyfriend. He kept pushing, saying, "Miss, you've got a good face, very prosperous for a husband. I wonder if you have a boyfriend? My son is 28 and still doesn't have a girlfriend. He looks just like me, very handsome, you know."
Jiang Shiyu couldn't help but laugh, "Old man, stop joking. You're so handsome, I'm not worthy of your son."
"Not at all!" Wang Yi said with a serious face, continuing, "My family was poor back in the day, and then I accidentally joined a Taoist temple, which is how I got labeled as a 'superstition' spreader. So, don't worry, miss, there's no need to feel pressured."
I couldn't help but frown. What started as a joke had clearly turned into a one-sided conversation. But Jiang Shiyu, ever the good-natured person, just played along. However, as soon as we got on the highway, the car suddenly sped up. Wang Yi stopped talking and began driving like a maniac, transforming his SUV into a race car, speeding through the road like a comet.
I was on edge the whole way, feeling my heart race as we drove. After a while, we got off the highway and headed for the Dandong District hospital. I was planning to drop Wang Yi off while he checked in on his son. It seemed his son was the source of much of his trouble, and it made sense that Wang Yi would be in a rush.
By the time we arrived, it was already evening. Jiang Shiyu looked exhausted; she had spent two full days with me, barely getting any sleep. I felt bad for her. But as soon as Wang Yi got out of the car, he scratched his head and said, "Apprentice, do you have any money? I gave it all to my son before leaving. Yesterday, he called me, and it seems like he's lost all of it. He needs money for his hospital deposit, but I have nothing on me."
I couldn't believe it. "Master, your son is a gambler. Giving him money only enables him. You're really making a mistake."
He sighed heavily. "What can I do? The karma I created back then has to be repaid. He's my only son, and I owe him. What can I do but accept it?"
Jiang Shiyu asked me a few questions about his son, and I casually shared a few stories of Wang Yi being beaten up by his son. Then, I reached into my pocket and pulled out the last 500 yuan I had and handed it to Wang Yi. Jiang Shiyu grabbed my arm, saying that she hated unfilial people and wanted to meet Wang Yi's son to see what kind of person he was. She also wanted to talk to him.
I didn't see the point. His son was practically a beast. Wang Yi didn't want us to go at first, but after Jiang Shiyu offered to lend him money, he reluctantly agreed, and we made our way to the hospital room.
The Dandong District hospital was a two-star facility, very run down, resembling something from the 80s. The walls were cracked, peeling, and painted green, and the smell in the hallway was unpleasant. As we walked down the corridor, we could hear shouting coming from the room. It sounded like someone was demanding money.
"Wang Shoudi, don't think just because you're in the hospital that you're off the hook! I'll break your leg if you don't pay the 10,000 you owe me! If you don't pay, I'll keep smashing things!"
"Tiger Brother, I really don't have the money!" a voice was pleading with a cry.
Wang Yi panicked and pushed the door open. Jiang Shiyu and I followed him inside. The room was crowded with young men, all with tattoos and crew cuts. The leader, a man with a scar on his face, was grabbing Wang Yi's son by the hair and slapping him across the face.
"Let go of my son!" Wang Yi shouted, furious.
The scarred man looked at Wang Yi and grinned, showing his yellow teeth. "Well, well, now that your old man's here, I can finally relax. Your son owes me 10,000 yuan. You can pay up."
Wang Yi immediately asked about his son's condition, but the scarred man's face turned pale. Wang Yi was a master martial artist, someone who could deal with zombies and spirits without breaking a sweat. But these weren't supernatural beings—just a group of thugs. If things escalated into violence, Wang Yi could handle himself, but what about his son? A martial arts master beating up gangsters was one thing, but in this case, I wasn't sure the old man could pull it off.
Just then, his son spoke up, "Old bastard! Where the hell have you been? I've been calling you for days! If you had come back earlier, my leg wouldn't be broken! Where's the money?!" He yelled angrily, as if Wang Yi owed him.
Jiang Shiyu couldn't sit still anymore, and I had to hold her back. Wang Yi looked confused, "What money? Isn't this just for medical expenses?"
His son snapped, "Stop pretending, you can't understand Chinese? I'm broke! I owe them 10,000 yuan, and you need to pay up. Tiger Brother is so busy, coming all the way to Dandong just for this small amount of money. Don't be such a pain."
Wang Yi, now flustered, rummaged through his pockets, looking helpless. It was a stark contrast to the confident man who could fight off ghosts and demons. He pulled out the 500 yuan I had given him and said, "This is all I have."