Chapter 2: Super Memory

For a long time, Li Mantang remained silent, then finally asked Li Qi calmly, "Third son, you only finished junior high and couldn’t even get into a vocational school. I don’t have the means to find you a job. You can’t just drift through life; you need a way to make a living. This time, whether it’s the twenty thousand yuan or the job at the mine, Uncle Manjiang’s family can offer it to you without hesitation. But no matter what you decide today, you must think carefully about the consequences. A kidney, once gone, cannot grow back. Tell me, what are your thoughts?"

Upon hearing this, Du Li jumped up again. "Dad, what are you saying? What do you mean by ‘what are his thoughts’? This isn’t something he can decide on his own. He only finished junior high, couldn’t get into any technical school, so is he supposed to be a burden at home forever? Now, if he donates a kidney to little brother Tianyi, he can secure a stable job. Such a windfall is rare—others would kill to have this chance. How could he refuse? Is he just being ungrateful? Dad, you can’t be confused at a time like this."

Li Qi sighed helplessly and shot Du Li a sideways glance. "Sister-in-law, stop jumping around like a wild monkey. What’s the point of showing off? If you want to donate a kidney, let big brother do it. He’s family and surely compatible. Then your family would get the twenty thousand yuan, and the mine’s job would go to your brother Du Ming. Isn’t that a perfect arrangement?"

Du Li’s expression changed instantly. "No way! Big brother is the disciplinary director; how could he donate a kidney? What if it affects his health later?"

"Didn’t you just say you asked Su Yu from Second Aunt’s family? That man has two kidneys; donating one won’t affect his health. The worst is not being able to do heavy labor. Does big brother have to do hard work at school?"

"That’s different. That involves surgery... no..." Du Li was rendered speechless by Li Qi’s words, confused by his unusual assertiveness. Normally, Li Qi was silent, always listening to Dad and big brother. What was this all about today? She looked to her husband for help.

Big brother Li Qi also sensed something was off with his younger brother today, but this decision had to be made. Whether he could be promoted to vice principal depended entirely on this. After the restoration of the college entrance exam, he earned a diploma but lacked the qualifications to stay in a big city, so he returned to Taihe City. Fortunately, the town junior high lacked talent, and the old principal valued him, promoting him to deputy director of academic affairs in a few years. But to advance further, his education level wasn’t enough.

He had to seize the chance to attend the southern training and purchase a bachelor’s degree to open the path to becoming a principal one day. This was what music teacher Li Xiaona had confided to him in bed. Though Li Xiaona wasn’t exactly proper, she had accompanied many leaders in the education system, always present at district inspections and city research visits, with her wine glass and chopsticks on the table.

So Li Qi trusted Li Xiaona’s words. Frowning, he said unhappily, "Third son, don’t be foolish. They’d definitely look for younger donors; I’m almost thirty..."

"Your kidney is only twenty-nine this year, just mature enough to donate. I’m only eighteen, still too young and undeveloped. I’ll go tell Uncle Manjiang right now to send the money and job offer to you, so you two can discuss."

Hearing this, Li Peng was furious. What was wrong with this kid today? That’s a kidney! A man’s vitality depends on that. If he loses a kidney, how is he supposed to live? His wife and Li Xiaona were already a bit disappointed in him for lacking strength. Losing a kidney now was unthinkable. Irritated, he said, "Stop fooling around. Your second brother and I are both married and can’t donate. Our youngest, Li Zhe, is still under eighteen. You’re the most suitable. Don’t worry about the money; I’ll keep the twenty thousand yuan safe. Your sister-in-law and I will always look after you. You’ll never have to worry again. Once you start working at the mine, your sister-in-law will find a woman for you to marry at their chemical plant. You give one kidney and gain a lifetime of stability. I’m doing this for your own good. You have to seize this opportunity; your sister-in-law speaks harshly but with reason. This is Uncle Manjiang’s favor to you. You have to accept it."

A cold smile appeared at the corner of Li Qi’s mouth. In his past life, he had been deceived by these words and donated his kidney. What happened then? The twenty thousand yuan ended up in big brother’s hands and was as good as dead money—he never saw it again. After surgery, due to poor nutrition and recovery, he couldn’t do any hard work. After three years at the mine, his superiors gave him indirect insults, practically calling him a freeloading vagrant. He had to give his job to younger brother Li Zhe. From then on, his life became a tragedy.

In this life, how could he let that happen again? Then he remembered something that would surely stir up the room if spoken aloud. He could hardly suppress a smirk.

"Big brother, spare me. You’re still trying to control me? When Mom was dying, you swore you’d shoulder the family’s burden as the eldest and even tricked Mom out of her two thousand yuan savings. How many times have you come home these past three years? If it weren’t for Dad’s sixty-eight yuan monthly pension, the three of us would have starved. Today, I want to ask: where did the two thousand yuan you took from Mom’s hands go? Can it be recovered?"

Li Qi’s words detonated the room. When their mother died, big brother Li Peng had a head start and took the savings while only sister-in-law Du Li was present, so no one knew. The money barely warmed his hands before Du Li took it back to her parents’ home to build a house for her mother. Li Mantang kept quiet to maintain family harmony. He only found out after asking Du Li for money and hearing her curse him by accident.

Second sister-in-law Tang Chunyan was incensed. "Well, look at you, Li Peng! I said Mom was thrifty and wouldn’t leave a penny behind, but you stole it. You and Li Hai have gone your separate ways, but as the eldest, you should take better care of the elders. You took the money and haven’t sent a single firewood bundle home these three years. I’m the one who comes back from time to time to cook for the three of them. And you even spread rumors that I don’t care for the elders or clean their house. If I don’t scratch your ugly donkey face into potato shreds today, I, Tang Chunyan, am not human!"

Tang Chunyan, a seasoned market fighter reputed to be invincible on South Street, was on a completely different level from Li Peng, who was quickly left with scratches all over his face. Du Li, unwilling to watch her husband get beaten, joined the fray with a shout. But Tang Chunyan fought off both with ease.

Seeing the three tangled in a brawl, Li Mantang grew anxious and shouted, "Second son, third son, separate them at once!"

Li Hai rubbed his chin and said, "Dad, that’s enough. My wife can handle those two on her own; they’re no match for her. If I jump in, they probably won’t get up next week..."

"I told you to pull them apart, not join the fight!" Li Mantang was exhausted.

He glanced at Li Qi, puzzled. This child was usually quiet, keeping things inside. Why had he suddenly opened up today? Why say everything, even what shouldn’t be said? He didn’t blame Li Qi for exposing big brother’s misdeeds; Li Peng’s petty actions were indeed annoying, but he could only scold him occasionally—it was still his son. What else could he do? He couldn’t just beat him to death...

Li Qi watched Tang Chunyan thrash his big brother and sister-in-law like a master monk dominating wild monsters in the jungle, feeling satisfied. Evil must be fought with evil. There were plenty more secrets hidden inside himself to reveal little by little, enough to fuel feuds between these two families for years.

After rebirth, once past the initial panic, he realized his memory had become incredibly sharp—almost like a super memory. Everything from his past life, things heard, newspapers, news, books read out of boredom—he could recall them all precisely, not a word missed. Was this the perk of rebirth? How pitiful... Others had spaces, spirit springs, or two worlds, and he just got better memory? What a miserable reborn soul.

With three of them now injured on the floor, Li Mantang finally lost his temper. "Second son, third son, youngest, separate them now!"