Neighbors 02

Faced with accidentally killing someone, Zhang Xi was much calmer than Li Juan.

"Now we're both grasshoppers tied to the same rope. Let me tell you, I'm helping you because you're my wife, but remember, you're the one who killed her!" Zhang Xi quickly made a decision.

Li Juan's mind went blank. Staring at Fang Wanwan, who had completely stopped breathing, her hands and feet trembled.

"This is all your fault! You stirred up trouble between me and my husband, trying to get us divorced. You also, you also ruined my reputation! It's all because of you!"

Li Juan quickly found an excuse for her actions.

Zhang Xi directed her to hide Fang Wanwan's body in the kitchen, and the next night, they secretly dragged it out to bury it.

When Fang Wanwan's family came looking for their daughter, Zhang Xi wore a look of complete ignorance: "No idea. Honey, have you seen our neighbor?"

Li Juan, who had brainwashed herself countless times, poked her head out: "No, but..."

She let out a heavy sigh: "A while ago, I saw her hanging around with some unsavory characters, seemed like she was doing that kind of work..." Her face showed a mix of sympathy and disdain. "I tried to advise her, so young, why not do something proper instead of this..."

The Fang family was devastated but chose to continue their search.

Fang Zhiyi took a deep breath: "That's just too inhuman, isn't it? Don't tell me they got away with it?"

Little Hei shook his head: "Not exactly."

Fang Wanwan was missing. Her family reported it to the police, but there were no leads for the time being. However, Li Juan didn't fare any better either. On the contrary, with her secret now in Zhang Xi's hands, she became even more obedient to him.

To raise gambling funds, Zhang Xi even forced Li Juan into prostitution.

Already unsettled from the murder, and now forced into this despised trade, Li Juan's psyche gradually twisted.

Finally, after coming home one day to find her son, Zhang Xiaoli, beaten by Zhang Xi until his nose and mouth were bleeding, she snapped.

Her outburst wasn't directed at her husband, who was still snoring on the sofa. Instead, she picked up her son and walked to the rooftop. Ignoring her son's panicked cries and pleas to live, Li Juan's eyes were empty: "Don't be afraid. Mommy will take you to a world where you won't get beaten."

"Xiaoli, Mommy knows you hate this world too, right?"

She tightened her arms around her struggling son and jumped off the rooftop.

"What utter bastards!" Fang Zhiyi leapt to his feet, the commotion drawing his eldest daughter, Fang Zaolao, from outside the room.

"Dad, what are you yelling about!"

Fang Zaolao was the polar opposite of her sister. While her sister was kind and innocent, Fang Zaolao was hot-tempered and had a terrible disposition. This was also one reason why Fang Wanwan didn't want to come home.

"Nothing." Fang Zhiyi narrowed his eyes.

Little Hei added: "And then the story truly begins. Zhang Xiaoli didn't die. He was in a coma for two full years. After his mother's death, Zhang Xi seized the opportunity. First, he lamented how hard his life was, then pinned the blame for abusing Zhang Xiaoli on his dead wife. Later, when Fang Wanwan's body was discovered, he acted completely clueless."

Little Hei paused: "This guy was quite clever. He had kept the murder weapon Li Juan used. Now that Li Juan was dead, she naturally took all the blame. Zhang Xi and his son received sympathy from all corners of society. People donated money to them, which is how Zhang Xiaoli's life was saved."

"Twelve years later, when Zhang Xiaoli came of age, the first thing he did was break Zhang Xi's legs and imprison him at home. He remembered the events of that year clearly. It was from this moment that the great villain, Zhang Zhiran, was born."

Fang Zhiyi understood. That made sense. With parents like that, it would be hard to turn out normal.

Little Hei continued: "The key point is that Zhang Xi outlived his son. He hung on until the protagonists' team defeated Zhang Zhiran, then rescued him. He even ended up living out his days peacefully in a nursing home."

"Little Hei, can you just... eat this 'Heaven's Way' or something?"

Little Hei looked up: "Maybe find an opportunity."

"Find an opportunity."

Fang Zhiyi glanced at the calendar and stood up: "Fang Zaolao!"

At that moment, Fang Zaolao was in the yard arguing with a neighbor, nine and a half sentences out of ten needing to be bleeped. Fang Zhiyi had to call her twice before she reluctantly came in.

"What?"

Seeing her furious expression, Fang Zhiyi stroked his chin: "Pack your bags. You're coming with me to Yuecheng."

Fang Zaolao was stunned: "Go to Yuecheng? Why?" A moment later, she understood. "Dad, you want to see your precious little daughter? I'm not going. She annoys me, acting all pure and innocent every day."

Fang Zhiyi frowned: "Is that any way to talk about your own sister?"

"Didn't you say the same thing? She's nothing like our family! Have you forgotten what you said back then? That she could die outside and it would have nothing to do with you?"

"That was said in anger!"

"Hah, and you forgot you slapped her too?"

Fang Zhiyi was taken aback. Seeing Little Hei nod slowly, he suddenly felt somewhat awkward.

"That... that was unintentional..."

"Don't know what's gotten into you, suddenly wanting to go see her. Go by yourself if you want. I'm not going." Fang Zaolao turned and left.

Fang Zhiyi also felt somewhat helpless. The original host had raised two daughters alone. As the elder sister, Fang Zaolao learned from a young age that you had to be tough to stand your ground. So, she was like a hedgehog towards everyone. It was also because of her notorious reputation that Fang Wanwan faced less bullying. However, Fang Wanwan consequently came to believe that both Fang Zhiyi and her sister Fang Zaolao were unreasonable people.

After being beaten up by her sister and slapped by her father, Fang Wanwan secretly vowed never to return home again. That's why she chose to settle down in the city. This move naturally displeased Fang Zaolao, who had dropped out of school early to work so that Fang Wanwan could attend university—something Fang Wanwan never knew, believing instead that Fang Zaolao was expelled for fighting.

"So this is the kind of thing I hate most in TV dramas," Fang Zhiyi's fingers rubbed the armrest of the chair. "Things that could be cleared up with a few words, they have to hide and conceal, creating misunderstandings that drag on for dozens of episodes. Completely ridiculous!"

Fang Zaolao didn't expect that Fang Zhiyi would simply drag her straight to the train station. Her complaints along the way didn't change his mind. After all, it was her father, so Fang Zaolao could only board the train, grumbling and cursing under her breath.

Watching his eldest daughter, who had complained herself to sleep, Fang Zhiyi's gaze turned to the window.

"Little Hei."

"Hmm?"

"There's something I need to trouble you with."

Little Hei looked at the slight curve of Fang Zhiyi's lips and, after a moment, nodded anyway. It wasn't like he could get himself into trouble.

Fang Wanwan smoothed out the newly bought bedsheet, nodded in satisfaction, and then stretched with a big yawn.

"Just you wait. I'll make you see me in a new light sooner or later!" Fang Wanwan muttered to herself, images of her sister and father—two utterly unreasonable people—floating in her mind.