Independent Black Eagle Chapter 1: Family War
Yuan Mountain Village was located on the edge of City A, not far from the bustling metropolis. Despite years of reform, this small village remained poor and backward. Recently, the government proposed the slogan “Renovate old cities, revitalize new cities,” completely transforming the old city. The surrounding villages and farmlands had been purchased by the government to prepare for urban expansion.
Yuan Mountain Village was selected for this development. Some families were excited to escape their struggles and join city life, while others worried about how their interests might tear apart once-harmonious families.
“Ping pong” – sounds came from the second floor. Wang Qingmei looked up, her wrinkled face expressing helplessness. She felt powerless to change the situation that unfolded daily, sometimes even waking them at night.
Jing Xin looked up from her book: “Mom, stop sighing. I’ll go tell my brother that I don’t want the house.”
“Wang Qingmei stood up and stopped her, ‘Jing Xin, Mom won’t allow you to do this. I never balanced this bowl of water properly. You and Jing Rong are both children of the Tian family. When the old house is demolished, what belongs to your brother also belongs to you. No one can change that.’ Her voice was resolute.
The sound upstairs suddenly went quiet. Jing Xin felt her sister-in-law must be listening.
Her mother continued: ‘Three houses were allocated. One must be given to you, one to your brother, and I’ll live in one. When I die, this house will go to your brother. What else can she say? She’s always causing a scene.’ Wang Qingmei was pushed to her limit by her daughter-in-law’s recent tantrums.
As soon as she finished speaking, a figure rushed down from upstairs, shouting: ‘Who are you calling unreasonable? You don’t earn a penny, using our things, spending our money, and still want to give houses to outsiders. Tell me, who’s being unreasonable?’
Jing Xin sighed helplessly. Her sister-in-law was notorious in the village for her sharp tongue.
Her brother also came down, looking worn and dejected. He timidly tugged at his wife’s sleeve, mumbling: ‘Ai Ping, please stop. Don’t let the neighbors hear and laugh.'”
His wife shook off his hand and shouted: “I want to say this. Let everyone come and listen, let everyone judge. I’ve been in this family for 6 years, taking care of the old and the young. Isn’t my life hard? A married daughter is like water poured out. I’ve never seen a mother who doesn’t protect her son.”
Her voice attracted several neighbors. Jing Xin softly said, “Sister-in-law, please stop. I’ll graduate soon and will take care of mom. She’s old and not in good health. Please don’t cause a scene.”
Her sister-in-law looked at her in disbelief. “Tian Jing Xin, don’t try to be the good person here. Don’t you know why I’m making a scene? It’s all because of you, heartless girl. I let you go to university, gave you good food and clothes, and now you want to compete with me. You Tian family people are all heartless and unrighteous.” She sobbed loudly, resembling a bizarre hippopotamus.
At the top of the table, their father’s photo, framed in black, smiled peacefully, unaware that his wife was crying, his beloved daughter was being bullied, and his honest son had become a henpecked husband.
Ai Ping jumped to speak but was forcefully pulled upstairs by Jing Rong, and the door slammed shut. The onlookers gradually dispersed, leaving the room silent. The mother leaned on the table, sobbing, while Jing Xin hugged her, gently patting her shoulder.
Chapter Two: Encounter at the Cemetery
During the Qingming season, rain fell as travelers wandered the road. When asking for a tavern, the shepherd pointed to Apricot Blossom Village.
The Angel Mountain Cemetery on the city’s outskirts was bustling with visitors. Even after Qingming, many still paid respects, likely having traveled from afar to mourn their loved ones.
In April’s southern town, fine rain fell, cool against Jing Xin’s face. She placed a large bouquet of brilliantly blooming marigolds before a grave marked by a tombstone featuring a young, handsome boy, unaware of the surrounding pain.
Jing Xin traced his beautiful features, caressing his name on the cold stone, feeling the chill of the rain and a slight ache in her heart.
She sat gently, murmuring, “Tian Ya, I’ve come to see you. I’m in a bad mood today and miss you so much it suffocates. I wish you were here with me. What should I do?”
I can’t even stay at home anymore; they’re always fighting. Tian Ya, I don’t want to compete with my sister-in-law. What I wanted is already lost, or perhaps never existed.”
Jing Xin hugged her knees, burying her face deep, tears flowing onto the white marble.
No one could understand Jing Xin’s pain. At 17, during her most beautiful years, she had loved with subtle affection. Who could have imagined that such a vibrant life would suddenly disappear, leaving everything unchanged except for the missing presence?
Two years ago, the boy she loved had left forever in a car accident, like a gardenia blooming and suddenly withering. Since then, she could no longer find him in this time and space. Everything between them had become a cold memory.
Who could understand that she could no longer feel his breath or hear his heartbeat, leaving despair in her heart?
Jing Xin sat quietly, lost in her thoughts.
In this cemetery separating life and death, people become pure and elegant, temporarily forgetting fame and fortune, restraining all evil thoughts, revealing the softest part of human nature.
A rustling sound came from beside her, followed by the click of a lighter and wind brushing through the pine trees.
A faint blue smoke carrying the unique smell of incense drifted over.
Jing Xin wiped her tears. A tall man nearby wore a thin sweater, with fine rain dampening his hair. His sharp eyebrows were deeply furrowed in sorrow. His face bore small scars, and his thin lips were pressed tightly.
The man pulled out several cigarettes, lighting them in a row before the tombstone. He glanced at her, lingering unabashedly.
Jing Xin looked up and noticed the man’s hand holding the lighter bore a savage scar. She quickly averted her gaze, thinking it best to stay away from him.
The man caught her glance, noticing the fear in her look.
In the eyes of law-abiding citizens, they were social outcasts to be avoided.
Jing Xin stood up, looking at the photo on the tombstone. Softly, she said, “Tian Ya, I have to go now. Be good and listen to God’s words! I’ll come see you next weekend when the cherry blossoms bloom.” She turned and walked down the mountain.
The man withdrew his gaze, his eyelids lowered, expressionlessly looking at the tombstone. Thin raindrops fell in the wind, while the sky remained low and gloomy. Jing Xin quickened her pace, needing to catch the 5:30 bus back to the city to avoid worrying her mother.
As she walked down the mountain path, wildflowers bloomed, their petals adorned with raindrops.
Chapter Three: Showdown
Suddenly, a commotion erupted behind her. She was roughly bumped and almost fell as a small man rushed past her. Stumbling, she stepped aside and found a mobile phone in her hand, seemingly slipped to her by the man, who quickly instructed, “Dial the first number in the phone book.”
Confused, she wondered if she had stumbled into a gang fight. Ahead, over a dozen people were entangled in a chaotic scene, holding clubs and machetes, surrounding two men. One tall man, though at a disadvantage, was formidable, managing to kick down several attackers. But with so many against him, he inevitably took hits. A fat man’s knife was poised to strike from behind.
