Volume 1, Chapter 26: I Promise to Treat You Well

I kept lecturing Xu Li, making her tremble with fear and feel utterly ashamed.

The last of Xu Li’s resolve shattered.

She suddenly knelt before me, weeping and begging. "Xiaoyan, I beg you, please don't tell your father. With his temper, he will surely kill me."

I recoiled in disgust and sat on the edge of the bed.

Xu Li crawled over on her knees, clinging to my legs, continuing to sob and plead. "I know I was wrong, please let me go! Your father is never home; I’m a normal woman, I have needs, do you understand?"

"You have your grievances, but what about me?" I roared.

"Don't worry, I will make things clear to Liu Ziwen. He will never bother you again," Xu Li promised hurriedly. "Xiaoyan, please let me go, okay? I promise I’ll treat you well from now on, just like my own child."

With her face streaked with tears and her shoulders shaking, she looked rather pitiful.

In the end, my heart softened, and I managed to choke out two words: "Fine."

Relieved, Xu Li lunged forward to hug me tightly. It took a great deal of effort for me to push her away, my face flushing red.

Seeing me blush, Xu Li finally smiled. "Xiaoyan, you rest. I’ll make you a feast. Don't worry, I won't put anything in the food."

Xu Li swayed her hips with her customary gait as she headed downstairs to the kitchen.

I lay on the bed, already regretting letting her off so easily. But I soon consoled myself. When it came down to it, Xu Li was still Fu Xiaoya’s mother. If I pushed her too far, Fu Xiaoya would surely blame me, and I would lose her as a sister. Then there was Liu Ziwen at the jewelry store; if I didn't let Xu Li go, I feared he wouldn't let me go either. If he insisted I had committed theft and it escalated to the police station, the outcome would be unpredictable.

At this moment, however, I felt an unprecedented sense of joy. After struggling under such pressure for so long, Xu Li had finally surrendered and bowed to me. Looking at the fountain pen on the nightstand, I suddenly felt like a towering hero.

The dinner was magnificent. Xu Li had stewed a chicken, steamed a fish, and prepared braised ribs, a large platter of greens, and bowls of glistening white rice. She kept putting food on my plate, urging me to eat more. I felt a trace of warmth and found her much more agreeable. If only things had been like this from the start.

***

For the first time, Xu Li acted like a bitter woman, confiding many things to me. She blamed my father for ruining her career. Her kindergarten had been doing well, and she had once planned to open a chain. After marrying into our family, she had become a mere housewife. She said the family’s finances were worsening, living beyond their means, and they were currently spending her early savings. She claimed my father was always running around outside but rarely brought home any money. Xu Li even suspected that my father was being unfaithful and supporting another woman, citing his occasional lack of interest when he did return home.

I just nodded perfunctorily. I ate until I was stuffed, so I had to go for a walk to digest.

In front of the small park, I saw Han Feng again. He was still sitting on that rock, hugging his guitar, singing a melancholy song, not forgetting to keep a small iron basin in front of him for handouts. I tossed him two packs of cigarettes and sat down beside him, hugging my knees.

"Brother, what have you been up to these days?" Han Feng asked.

I didn't tell him the business with the jewelry store was settled, so I said vaguely, "Studying at home, preparing to repeat a grade."

"Repeating a grade is useless." Han Feng was the first to oppose my decision. He exhaled a puff of smoke and boasted, "Going to college is just to find a better-paying job. Brother will take you to make real money; millions are not a dream."

I looked at the few coins in his iron basin and was speechless.

"I’ve already picked up the trail of Chu Hailong. Wait a few more days, brother, and we’ll go pay him a visit together."

"...Alright, I’ll go with you, Brother Feng."

I had intended to find an excuse to decline, but Han Feng had helped me deal with Zheng Juan, and I owed him a significant favor. Whether it was a den of tigers or a pit of snakes, I had to see it through with him.

After chatting with Han Feng for a while, I headed home. But right at my doorstep, I was blocked by the persistent Qin Shaohu and his lackeys. I hated him so much I just wanted to fight him to the death. Noticing a thick tree branch lying on the side of the road, I picked it up and gestured at them angrily.

"Zhou Yan, getting beaten is your destiny. Hurry up and kneel down and kowtow." Qin Shaohu approached arrogantly, his lackeys smirking and cracking their knuckles behind him.

"Don't come any closer, or I’ll kill you!" I roared, staring at Qin Shaohu’s big head, wishing I could just finish him off.

"Damn it, a loser like you dares to fight? I don’t believe it." Qin Shaohu looked at me with disdain and charged forward with his fists raised.

***

I swung the branch, but I missed and stumbled instead. Qin Shaohu kicked me to the ground, snatched the branch away, and prepared to smash it down on me viciously.

Just then, the sound of a siren echoed down the road. Qin Shaohu stopped, cursed his bad luck, and stepped aside. A police car on patrol sped over and came to a sudden halt. The window rolled down, and a middle-aged officer in uniform revealed half his face, frowning as he asked in a deep voice, "Shaohu, what are you doing here?"

"Uncle Wu, I’m just catching up with a classmate. We’re going our separate ways soon, and it won't be easy to meet again." Qin Shaohu lied, quietly discarding the branch. His lackeys immediately put on innocent faces and solicitously helped me up.

This officer was close with Qin Shaohu; he wouldn't take my side. But this was my chance to escape. Without hesitation, I ran into the house and locked the door. Looking out the window, I saw the police car drive away. Qin Shaohu and his gang hung around my door for a long time, but eventually left when I didn't emerge.

I let out a sigh of relief, feeling once again how difficult it was to survive. Qin Shaohu was relentless, and I had no way to deal with him. I truly didn't know when these days would end.

Xu Li cleaned my room and even changed my bedsheets. She began washing my underwear again, though she no longer hung them next to her own. That night, I slept soundly, with no dreams that I could recall.

I was awakened early by my phone ringing—it was an unfamiliar landline number. When I answered, a cold voice came from the other end.

"Is this Zhou Yan?"

"Yes, it is."

"This is the New District Police Station. I am Officer Zhang. I hope you can cooperate with the police investigation."

My heart skipped a beat; I suspected Liu Ziwen had reported me. The relationship between Xu Li and Liu Ziwen was nothing more than an affair. Liu Ziwen might not listen to Xu Li, and he might be looking for a chance to extort me. I was young and inexperienced; I regretted going to his office to take the bag.

"Zhou Yan, where were you last night?" Officer Zhang asked.

"Sleeping at home. I didn't go anywhere."

"Who can prove you were home the entire time?"