Chapter 29: Half a Day of Seeing Ghosts

It was only when his colleague spoke so bluntly that Zhou Guowei finally thought of his own son.

"Are you saying Ziyang placed first in the entire city?" Zhou Guowei’s tone was filled with disbelief.

His old colleague couldn't help but find this amusing. "Prosecutor Zhou, you really are a busy man with a short memory. You don't even know your own son took first place? If I had a son like that, I’d burn incense at my great-grandfather’s grave to thank our ancestors for their blessing."

It is often said that the third mock exam is the most accurate indicator of the college entrance examination (Gaokao). Zhou Ziyang ranking first in the city meant he was a prime candidate for the top honor in the actual exams. For a father to be unaware of such an achievement was the most ridiculous joke in the world.

Zhou Guowei’s expression darkened. He suddenly recalled that Xia Wei’s expression had been strange yesterday. He had tried to ask her about it, but Xu Qing had brushed the topic aside. Now that he thought about it, it felt as though Xu Qing had been intentionally keeping him in the dark. To have his own son rank first and not know about it, only to be mocked by an old rival, was humiliating.

"Your son has a bright future," the colleague continued. "He got a perfect score on his Chinese essay. Looking across the country, very few people manage that. I heard it might even be published in the papers. You really have a good son."

Zhou Guowei knew how difficult it was to get a perfect score on a Chinese essay. Hearing this, he felt a sense of pride. After all, he was his son. He told his colleague, "The boy has always had a talent for literature since he was young."

The old rival just let out a cold laugh. "You really have no idea what your son wrote, do you? Anyway, I have a pile of work to do, so I won’t waste any more time with you. You wouldn't understand the nuance of my words anyway." With that, the colleague turned and left.

Zhou Guowei, who had been in high spirits, now felt gloomy. It wasn't that he didn't care for his son; it was just that he and Yang Lijuan had been divorced for over a decade. He couldn't be expected to lose sleep over Zhou Ziyang every day. He had checked on his son privately, even speaking to the school when high school tracks were assigned; otherwise, given Zhou Ziyang’s previous grades, he never would have made it into the advanced class.

But Zhou Guowei had his own life. If forced to choose now, he would still choose his wife, Xu Qing. His former wife was too stubborn; any minor issue would spark a fight. She would even drag their private domestic affairs into his workplace, making them public knowledge. If she had even half of Xu Qing’s common sense, they never would have divorced.

He had been married to Xu Qing for three years, and in that time, she had been meticulous in her care for him. She kept the house in perfect order, and he never had to lift a finger to wash his own clothes. What impressed him most was his teacup; before, he would only wash it every month or two. Since marrying Xu Qing, every time he returned home and sat in his study, he would find it freshly cleaned. Which man wouldn't love such a spouse? He had simply made the mistake that many men make; it wasn't as if he had abandoned his son.

He already had plans for his son’s future career, car, and house. He just never imagined the boy would actually rank first in the city. This revelation brought an unprecedented sense of crisis. He suddenly remembered what his former wife had said to him during the divorce: what if the boy grew up to be successful and refused to acknowledge him?

The more he thought about it, the more flustered he became. He decided to call his former wife. The phone rang twice before being picked up. "Hello?" Her voice was so familiar, plucking a chord deep within him. He gathered his thoughts. "Lijuan..."

*Beep, beep, beep.* The person on the other end hung up without hesitation.

Zhou Guowei was speechless. It had been twenty years, and it was always like this! It wasn't that he didn't want to communicate, but every time he called, this happened. He couldn't even offer a simple greeting to his former wife or son. But this time was different—Zhou Ziyang had placed first in the city. It was the glory of the Zhou family! Even if they were divorced, she couldn't change the fact that Zhou Ziyang carried his blood. If the boy really went on to become the top scorer in the national exam and he was left in the cold, he would become the laughingstock of the entire county.

Zhou Guowei couldn't sit still. He called his office driver to take him to the county’s First High School. Regardless of anything else, he had to see his son. Since he had achieved such a great result, as a father, he had to offer some reward. Last time, when Xia Wei had ranked first in the school, Xu Qing had pressured him into buying her an iPhone, and Zhou Guowei hadn't blinked an eye. Now that his own son had ranked first in the county, he had to be fair. Kids these days liked iPhones; surely if he bought one for Zhou Ziyang, the boy wouldn't refuse him.

He directed the driver to the mall first. The owner was a distant relative. Before arriving, Zhou Guowei called him to ask if they had any iPhones in stock.

"Yes, brother, a new shipment just arrived."

"Set one aside for me. I'll be there in a moment."

"Oh, good. Buying another gift for your wife? She’s so lucky."

Zhou Guowei replied, "No, it’s for my son. He ranked first in the city in his mock exam, and I want to reward him."

As he said this, his back straightened involuntarily. This felt completely different from when Xia Wei had ranked first.

"Your son?" The man thought for a moment. "Oh, you mean Ziyang?"

"Yes!"

"That’s amazing! He’s a chip off the old block, just like you. Maybe he’ll be a prosecutor in the future!" the man flattered.

Zhou Guowei felt quite pleased. He said the boy could do whatever he liked, as long as he was happy. "That's true."

Soon, Zhou Guowei arrived at the mall and picked up the latest gold iPhone 5s. The relative insisted he take it as a gift from an uncle, but Zhou Guowei wouldn't hear of it. He pulled an envelope with six thousand yuan from his coat and left it on the counter. "I'm taking the phone."

As he left, the relative called out after him, "Brother, why are you being so formal with me?"

It was nearly eleven o'clock when Zhou Guowei arrived at the school. He hadn't told anyone he was coming; he just wanted to sneak behind the classroom window and catch a glimpse of his son. As it happened, he reached the rear window just as class was letting out. Even during breaks, high school seniors rarely left their seats, so the classroom was full, except for Zhou Ziyang’s desk. Even Xia Wei in the front row didn't know Zhou Guowei was standing by the window.

Zhou Guowei looked for a while but couldn't spot his son. He grew curious. Just then, a male student walked out to go to the restroom and passed by him. Zhou Guowei stopped him. "Young man, is Zhou Ziyang in your class?"

The boy looked at him with curiosity, surprised by the stranger. Based on his appearance, he looked like a school administrator, but the boy had never seen him before. "Who are you?" the student asked cautiously.

"Oh, I'm Zhou Ziyang’s father. I’m just here to see him."

The boy froze, staring at Zhou Guowei for a long moment. Finally, he couldn't help but blurt out, "Holy crap! He’s real?"