Neighbor 08

Li Juan, due to multiple injuries, remained in the hospital for treatment, while Zhang Xi was invited back to the police station for a 'chat'. Zhang Xiaoli followed the Fang sisters, Zaolao and Wanwan, back to their home.

Looking at this thin, small child, Fang Wanwan very thoughtfully prepared a blanket for him.

Meanwhile, Fang Zaolao began instilling her own philosophy into the child.

"You're six years old already. You can't let people bully you, understand?"

Zhang Xiaoli nodded.

"If anyone messes with you, you hit them!" But after glancing at Zhang Xiaoli's scrawny arms, Fang Zaolao felt a bit helpless, "Or bite them!"

Fang Wanwan couldn't listen any longer: "Sis, he's just a child."

"So what if he's a child? When you were little and got bullied, when that kid pulled your braids, how old was I when I chased him all the way to his house with a brick?" Fang Zaolao planted her hands on her hips.

"Uh..." Fang Wanwan hadn't expected her sister to remember that incident, "Seven or eight?"

"Oh, that was a bit younger then." She reached out and patted Zhang Xiaoli's head, but her mind was already starting to scheme.

Because Li Juan insisted she hadn't been beaten and wouldn't press charges, Zhang Xi was released very quickly. However, he completely forgot about his son. Cursing and grumbling, he went home and collapsed into sleep, only remembering he had a son after waking up.

Those two little bitches next door actually called the cops on him?

He got straight up, opened his door, headed to the neighboring apartment, and started pounding on the door.

He hadn't even knocked twice before the door opened. Zhang Xi, eyes wide, was about to start yelling when a kitchen knife was placed against his neck.

"You... what are you doing?" The cold steel on his neck rapidly deflated Zhang Xi's anger.

"Me? Someone's banging on my door. I don't know their intentions, so I got scared and grabbed a kitchen knife. Reasonable, right?" said Fang Zaolao.

Zhang Xi looked at this woman and felt his guts tremble. If it were just Fang Wanwan, he wouldn't be afraid at all, but this woman in front of him clearly had a reckless, don't-give-a-damn air about her. She might really dare to chop him!

"I... I just came to get my son."

As he spoke, he caught sight of his son out of the corner of his eye and immediately acted as if he'd seen a savior: "Son, come here quick. Dad's here to take you home."

Zhang Xiaoli looked at him, fear in his eyes, but Fang Zaolao winked at him.

Zhang Xiaoli nodded: "Okay, Dad."

Only after he stepped outside did Fang Zaolao move the knife away from Zhang Xi's neck. Zhang Xi gasped for breath, shot a glance at the little brat, and started calculating how to teach him a lesson later. He couldn't mess with this woman, but couldn't he still beat his own son?

He gave Fang Zaolao a resentful glare and practically dragged Zhang Xiaoli back home. The moment he closed the door, he was about to start his usual pre-abuse tirade.

Unexpectedly, Zhang Xiaoli suddenly said, "Dad, I got this."

Zhang Xi's eyes widened. It was a hundred-yuan bill.

Instantly, his eyes lit up. Broke and desperate for money lately, he was practically suffocating. He immediately snatched the bill from Zhang Xiaoli's hand. "Where'd you get this?"

Zhang Xiaoli answered timidly, "My godmother next door gave it to me. She said she can give me pocket money from now on."

"Godmother?" Zhang Xi was stunned for a moment. He looked at Zhang Xiaoli, then at the money in his hand, and his eyes brightened. "You've got some luck, kid! You even got yourself a godmother? Good, good!"

Meanwhile, Fang Zaolao, who had her ear pressed against the door, also let out a sigh of relief. She was gambling, betting on Zhang Xi's greed for money. Sure enough, seeing the cash dissipated more than half his anger. Hearing that Fang Zaolao would give his son money in the future made him happy. That wretched wife of his earned too little now. His son, so young, could already get money? Not bad, not bad.

Watching Zhang Xi's delighted, beaming face, a sliver of contempt unexpectedly arose in Zhang Xiaoli's young heart. He suddenly felt his father wasn't so terrifying anymore, even a bit pitiful, to get that happy over a single bill.

True to form, with a bit of money in hand, Zhang Xi couldn't sit still. That very afternoon, he wanted to go out. He specifically instructed Zhang Xiaoli to go next door, even making a gesture with his thumb rubbing against his index and middle fingers.

Zhang Xiaoli returned to Fang Wanwan's home. Fang Wanwan had gone to work, and Fang Zaolao was watching TV.

Seeing him, Fang Zaolao smiled: "How'd it go? That bastard didn't hit you, did he?" She didn't mince words about her title for the boy's father.

Zhang Xiaoli nodded: "Godmother, you're amazing."

Fang Zaolao blurted out: "It's not that I'm amazing, it's..." She suddenly paused, then nodded somewhat unnaturally, "Isn't that obvious? I'm your godmother!"

Due to frequent beatings, Zhang Xiaoli's mind was more mature and sensitive than other children his age: "But Godmother, you shouldn't give me money anymore. Dad just takes it and spends it."

Fang Zaolao waved her hand: "Doesn't matter. Godmother has money."

Even as she said this, she wondered to herself: What was her old man up to out there? He actually contacted her specifically to say not to worry about money.

"Do whatever you want to do. If the sky falls, your old man will hold it up for you!" That's what her dad said on the phone. Fang Zaolao thought he'd been drinking too much first thing in the morning, but then he directly transferred a hundred thousand yuan to her bank account.

She wanted to ask, but Fang Zhiyi suddenly hung up, and she couldn't get through when she called back.

Fang Zaolao was also helpless, but at least she knew her dad was okay and seemed to have made some money. Her primary task now was to protect her sister.

Li Juan returned soon after as well. Her first action was to knock on their door. When it opened, her face was full of resentment: "Give me back my son!"

Fang Wanwan looked at the bruises on her face: "Sister Li, you..."

"I don't need your fake kindness! Stop pretending to be a good person! You made me lose all face! Give me back my son!" Facing Fang Wanwan, Li Juan was full of confidence.

But when she saw Fang Zaolao's unfriendly expression, her momentum immediately shrank.

She had seen Fang Zaolao hit someone before.

Li Juan didn't even dare meet Fang Zaolao's eyes, just insisted that Fang Wanwan call her son out. Moments later, Zhang Xiaoli appeared. Seeing his mother, he felt some happiness, but there was also something else in his eyes.

Li Juan grabbed him, shot a fierce glare at Fang Wanwan: "Let's go! Don't be so spineless from now on! Can't you see they look down on you? We'd rather starve than accept anyone's charity!"

Her words seemed deliberately aimed at Fang Wanwan. And indeed, Fang Wanwan felt genuinely hurt hearing them.

"Sis, let's go back inside," Fang Wanwan said softly. She couldn't understand why Li Juan was acting this way.

Fang Zaolao gave a cold laugh.

"Good thing you didn't lose your temper just now," Fang Wanwan said.

"Hitting her would dirty my hands. Don't worry, she'll get what she deserves." As Fang Zaolao spoke, a hint of a smug smile appeared.

Fang Wanwan didn't understand. She was juggling work while worrying about her precognitive dreams, but her inherently kind nature still made her sympathize upon seeing Li Juan's pitiful state. This time, however, she wouldn't repeat the mistake of letting the wolf in through the door.