Aren't You Her Mom

Bai Xuan's entire body trembled, her neck jerking like a stuck gear as she turned around.

Behind her, Fatty Zhao had returned, though she hadn't noticed when.

His massive figure stood there like a mountain of flesh.

His eyes were as cold as arrows, his expression dark as water, wearing a sneer.

He reached up and removed his black-framed glasses, tossing them onto the table.

The weak evening light fell on his bloated face, casting a sickening, greasy sheen.

"Click"

That was the sound of his glasses bouncing against the clean table surface.

The sound made Bai Xuan shudder, fear flickering in her small eyes.

But quickly, something seemed to dawn on her.

Her expression shifted from fear to boundless rage and hatred.

"It was you!... You took what Teacher Zhang brought back!"

Bai Xuan stood up, clenching her tiny fists, hatred blazing in her eyes.

"You just, you just watched Teacher Zhang collapse there and did nothing, and you took the food he brought back!!"

"How... how could you...!!"

She was breathing heavily, her chest heaving violently, barely able to control her emotions, teeth clenched tight.

Fatty Zhao looked at the enraged Bai Xuan, but merely spat contemptuously on the ground, completely disregarding the freshly cleaned floor:

"That old fool was bitten by zombies, he was beyond saving, little girl."

He thrust his head forward, eyes wide, eyebrows slanted, his expression full of vicious malice:

"I call this, making, use, of, waste."

Hearing these words, Bai Xuan could no longer contain the fury in her heart.

"Ah!!!"

She let out a scream and charged at Fatty Zhao, as if ready to fight to the death.

"Give Teacher Zhang back to us!!!!"

"Give, give us back our food!!"

"You...mmph....."

She was already in tears, her emotions hysterical.

But before she could get halfway there, Fatty Zhao's massive hand grabbed her head, covering her mouth.

Her angry protests were instantly silenced.

She tried to kick and hit him with all her limbs, but she was too short to reach him.

Fatty Zhao's thick arm then grabbed her throat.

With a savage expression, he effortlessly lifted Bai Xuan's tiny body with one hand, pinning her against the wall by her throat.

"Don't blame uncle for being cruel, you brought this on yourself."

His face drew close to Bai Xuan's hate-filled eyes as he whispered:

"I'll send you to meet your Teacher Zhang right now!"

Bai Xuan's small face had turned crimson from lack of oxygen, her arms and legs flailing uselessly.

Her face was twitching from being choked, her nose quivering, but her eyes remained fixed on Fatty Zhao's ugly face.

If she died, she would haunt him as a ghost!

......

Sun Jiao waited in her room for a long time, but Bai Xuan never came.

She felt an inexplicable unease in her heart.

All along, she had Bai Xuan come to clean her room.

From the first day she arrived here, she discovered that this sweet and lovely child particularly reminded her of her deceased daughter.

So understanding and strong from such a young age, acting like a little adult.

She knew she was just a pitiful creature trading her body for food, having to please those who gave her food every day.

She had long since wanted to end this kind of life, thinking it would be better to just die.

Living like this was worse than death.

But since coming here, she felt an inexplicable desire to take care of Bai Xuan.

This was why she always cleaned her room thoroughly, then had Bai Xuan come clean it again, giving her food afterward.

Sun Jiao knew how ridiculous this behavior was, giving food she earned with her body to a little girl who merely resembled her dead daughter.

This pathetic attempt to compensate for lost emotions through another.

She despised herself from the bottom of her heart, but still wanted to help this little girl as much as she could in her limited life, nothing more.

Bai Xuan always came on time, never slacking off even though the room was already clean, always cleaning thoroughly.

Now the sky was growing darker, and still no sign of Bai Xuan.

She couldn't sit still anymore.

Teacher Zhang had just died today, and she worried something might have happened to Bai Xuan.

Sun Jiao left her room and started asking around, questioning several survivors, but got no information.

Some even asked if she was looking for another transaction, eyeing her lewdly, completely ignoring her question.

When she reached Fatty Zhao's door, she knocked gently.

After a long while, Fatty Zhao came to open it, startled to see Sun Jiao.

He looked at his watch and said impatiently:

"What do you want? It's not even time yet. Didn't I tell you to come back in a few days? I'm not in the mood."

But Sun Jiao keenly noticed that Fatty Zhao wasn't wearing his glasses, and his face was full of malice.

Through the open door, she saw his table was spotlessly clean, as if someone had thoroughly cleaned it.

Her heart sank as she sensed something was wrong.

But she maintained her composure and moved forward seductively, pressing herself against Fatty Zhao as if without strength.

"You bad boy... I just... couldn't wait anymore..."

Despite having a beautiful woman in his arms, Fatty Zhao showed no pleasure. He frowned and cursed:

"Are you fucking deaf?"

He moved to push her away and out the door.

But the beautiful woman who had collapsed against him slipped sideways and rushed into the room.

She saw Bai Xuan lying unconscious on the floor.

"Bai Xuan!!"

All traces of seduction vanished from her pretty face, which had turned pale.

There were obvious choking marks on Bai Xuan's neck, a long red line, and she lay motionless on Fatty Zhao's floor, eyes tightly closed.

She rushed over and placed her hand in front of Bai Xuan's tiny nostrils.

There was still faint breathing!

"Click"

Before Sun Jiao could do anything, she heard the sound of the door closing and locking.

"Fatty Zhao, have you gone mad? Why would you hurt a child like this?!"

Sun Jiao shouted angrily at Fatty Zhao, forgetting how she usually called him "Boss Zhao" when trying to please him.

"All of you, are you so well-fed that you have nothing better to do than sneak into my room?"

Fatty Zhao cracked his knuckles, placing his left hand over his right fist.

"And you, you whore, what business is it of yours if I beat this little brat?"

"You're also sticking your nose in this, what are you, her mother?!"

He stepped forward and grabbed Sun Jiao's collar, nearly tearing her clothes.

"Slap! Slap!"

Two hard slaps landed on Sun Jiao's face, leaving red bloody marks, before he violently threw her.

She landed next to where Bai Xuan lay, completely dazed from the impact.

"You slut, you're not satisfied with just getting food from me!"

"Now you want to meddle in my business!"

He threw the stunned Sun Jiao to the ground and picked up a steel bar he kept in the room.

Sun Jiao firmly positioned herself in front of Bai Xuan, afraid the child would be hurt.

"Oh? So you really are her mother? A whore and a little brat, perfect match!"

Seeing Sun Jiao's defiant stance, his rage completely erupted.

He raised the steel bar and brought it down hard on Sun Jiao, making her stagger.

The blow was extremely heavy, leaving Sun Jiao struggling to breathe, pain spreading throughout her body.

But through gritted teeth, she managed to say:

"You... five-second wonder!"

She wanted to provoke Fatty Zhao, to draw his anger toward herself, to attract his fire.

Hearing 'five seconds' instantly broke through Fatty Zhao's defenses.

"Say that again if you dare!!!"

"Today you won't leave this room alive!"

He raised the steel bar high again.

Through the door crack, a crimson Tang sword silently slipped in.

Taking advantage of Fatty Zhao's loud shouting, it cut through the door lock in one swift motion.