“Ah—stop hitting me!”
Frightened, Cheng Zi stepped back two paces.
“I’m telling you, Xiao Xiangfang, this is theft. I’m going to beat you to death today!”
A thin, dark-skinned man grabbed the woman’s hair and slapped her hard. Blood immediately gushed from her nose. Tears mixed with blood made her appearance horrifying and tragic.
Cheng Zi had never witnessed domestic violence before—she was completely stunned.
The woman’s cries turned miserable, but she still clutched tightly at her pocket, refusing to let go.
“Give me the money.”
“No… this is money for my brother’s life-saving treatment. I earned it myself. You can’t—”
“Smack!”
Another vicious slap.
“Your short-lived brother’s medical fees are already covered by the army. Why are you meddling?”
Cheng Zi’s pupils widened slightly.
Xiao Xiangfang?
Brother? The army?
“Wait.”
She spoke just as the man raised his fist again.
The thin man turned around viciously, eyes like he wanted to devour her. “Mind your own damn business.”
Xiao Xiangfang also looked at Cheng Zi.
For the first time, Cheng Zi saw it in someone’s eyes—dead stillness. Utter lifelessness.
“Are you the family of Xiao Xiangyuan? Why are you fighting here? My husband is already looking for you. He’s Xiao Xiangyuan’s team leader. He was injured in service this time, and the unit has issued compensation. Why haven’t you come to collect it?”
Both of them froze.
The man loosened his grip slightly, still suspicious. “You’re saying there’s compensation?”
Cheng Zi nodded firmly, acting indifferent as if she didn’t care about the scene at all. Her tone even carried impatience.
“If you’re done here, hurry up and go inside. You’ve been dragging this out forever. My husband has contacted you several times already. It’s so annoying.”
Hearing this, the man believed her even more. He released the woman completely and even smiled.
“Comrade, about Xiao Xiangyuan’s medical fees…”
Cheng Zi gave him a look as if he were some ignorant villager. “Of course the army covers the medical fees. Do you even need to ask?”
The man immediately grinned in satisfaction and snorted at Xiao Xiangfang.
“Did you hear that? Get up and tidy yourself. Go in.”
Cheng Zi watched as Xiao Xiangfang struggled to stand, her face covered in blood. She forced herself not to step forward to help, waiting a moment.
Only when the woman could barely follow did she raise her chin and walk ahead confidently, fully playing the role of someone arrogant and in control.
Of course, there was no compensation.
She was lying.
She just needed to bring them inside first—bring them to Xie Ci.
Otherwise, Xiao Xiangfang might really be beaten to death.
That man was clearly unstable. If she acted impulsively, she might get hit too.
She was scared.
Cheng Zi arrived at the hospital very punctually every day. At this time, Xie Ci would always come out, wait at the stairwell, and pretend it was a coincidence—when in reality, he came specifically to help her carry her lunchbox.
Today, he had paced the stairwell twice and still didn’t see her.
Just as he was about to go down to look, he saw Cheng Zi walking toward him with a strange expression.
As she got closer, he noticed the two people behind her.
When Cheng Zi saw him, she quickened her steps and gave him several urgent signals with her eyes.
Xie Ci narrowed his eyes slightly.
He didn’t recognize Xiao Xiangfang, but the blood on her face and sleeves was very noticeable.
He took the lunchbox from Cheng Zi, stepped forward, and skillfully shielded her behind him.
When the thin man saw Xie Ci, he immediately put on a smile.
“Leader, hello. I’m Xiao Xiangyuan’s family. I’m here to collect the compensation.”
Cheng Zi tugged at Xie Ci’s sleeve.
A sharp glint flashed in Xie Ci’s eyes. He scanned the man coldly. “Let’s talk over there.”
“Alright!”
The man quickly became obedient in front of Xie Ci and even lightly pushed Xiao Xiangfang forward.
She trembled but didn’t dare speak.
When they reached the hospital room, Xiao Xiangfang could no longer hold back her tears. She looked toward the room but didn’t dare step in.
The man blocked her with a warning glance.
Cheng Zi coughed lightly and pretended not to see anything.
“Hubby, these two are Xiao Xiangyuan’s family. You’ve been trying to contact them about the compensation, right?”
Xie Ci raised his brows slightly and gave a faint “mm.”
“You.” Cheng Zi pointed at Xiao Xiangfang. “Come in with me.”
The man immediately became alert. “I’m going in with her.”
But Xie Ci interrupted coldly, as if he understood everything. “You stay here and verify information with me. Otherwise, you can’t collect the compensation.”
“Yes, yes!” The man immediately agreed at the mention of money.
Xiao Xiangfang hesitated for a moment, then quickly followed Cheng Zi inside.
In the ward, Xiao Xiangyuan was sitting up in bed reading a newspaper.
Hearing movement, he called out warmly, “Sister-in-law is here?”
Cheng Zi looked at the woman beside her. “Go in.”
Xiao Xiangfang covered her face and sobbed uncontrollably.
“Xiao Yuan…”
“Brother!”
She rushed forward, her steps unsteady.
Xiao Xiangyuan froze for a moment. “Sis?”
The siblings cried together.
Cheng Zi waited about five minutes before stopping them.
Not because she lacked sympathy, but because she was rational.
First, Xiao Xiangyuan’s body couldn’t handle it.
Second, there was still a big problem outside.
“Stop crying for now.”
Xiao Xiangyuan liked this sister-in-law very much during this time. He listened to whatever she said.
“My sister is here. It’s a good thing—we shouldn’t cry.”
Only then did he notice the blood on his sister’s face and her swollen features.
“Who hit you?!”
His face turned red with anger immediately.
Xiao Xiangfang quickly tried to hide it. “No… no one. I just fell on the way.”
But Cheng Zi didn’t cover for her. “A thin dark-skinned man hit her. Xiao Yuan, don’t rush. I need to ask you something first.”
Xiao Xiangyuan took a deep breath and nodded.
Cheng Zi still didn’t understand.
It was clearly domestic violence—why was this woman enduring it?
Her brother was a soldier. Why didn’t she tell him?
He had been injured for ten days already—why was she only coming now?
Xiao Xiangfang’s fear, her movements, her screams…
It reminded Cheng Zi of the dean who raised her.