Xu Changxia’s hand, which had been reaching to undo her buttons, immediately froze.
Out of the corner of her eye, she caught a glimpse of what seemed to be a pair of eyes staring at her from behind the wooden planks covering the bathroom window beside her.
She paused for two seconds, then abruptly turned her head, just in time to meet the greedy eyes peering through the gaps in the wooden planks.
In the next moment, without hesitation, Xu Changxia grabbed the hot water kettle, pulled off the lid, and flung its contents directly toward the window.
“Ahhh!!!” A scream immediately followed from outside.
“What’s wrong, Xiaxia?!” Hearing the commotion, Xu Jin and Xu Fangfei rushed over from the kitchen across the way, one after the other.
Xu Changxia didn’t even have time to put her shoes on properly. As she opened the door and ran outside, she pointed toward the back wall and said, “I hadn’t even taken my clothes off yet when I noticed someone trying to peek at me while I was bathing!”
Hearing this, Xu Jin was stunned for a moment, then immediately grabbed a carrying pole from the corner and charged outside.
Xu Changxia, still struggling to put on her shoes, followed him out. As soon as she reached the doorway, she saw a dark figure in the distance dart swiftly into a nearby dark alleyway.
Xu Jin hurled the carrying pole in his hand fiercely toward the figure, striking the person’s back.
However, the man didn’t dare pause for even a moment. Without uttering a single groan, he quickly vanished into the darkness of the night.
Two minutes later, Xu Jin returned, panting heavily as he carried the pole back.
Xu Changxia exchanged a glance with him from a distance. Seeing the mix of anger and frustration in Xu Jin’s eyes, she knew he hadn’t caught up.
“He climbed over the wall and escaped!” Xu Jin spat fiercely onto the ground. “That little bastard!”
Xu Changxia sat down on a stone by the doorway, catching her breath, and said, “It’s okay, Third Uncle. His face is scalded—he’ll be easy to recognize.”
“What if it was just a passing pervert?” Xu Jin replied with a deep frown.
“No, he’s too familiar with our alley. He must live around here,” Xu Changxia replied firmly.
“You’re right,” Xu Jin thought for a moment, then nodded in agreement. “Scalds don’t heal that quickly. In the coming days, I’ll go door-to-door asking questions and see which man isn’t at home!”
As he spoke, Xu Changxia remained silent. She reached down and twisted her right foot a few times. Fortunately, it was just a strained tendon—the bone itself didn’t hurt.
Xu Fangfei had gone inside to fetch some medicinal wine for her. Coming back out, she removed Xu Changxia’s shoe to take a look and said, “Thank goodness, it hasn’t swollen.”
Xu Jin walked over to the mother and daughter, looking at Xu Changxia’s sprained foot. Suddenly, he clenched his jaw tightly and said, “We need to move! Right away!”
Xu Changxia looked up at him. His face was flushed red with anger.
“If you don’t have the money, I’ll lend it to you!” Xu Jin continued fiercely.
Xu Jin’s words clearly carried an underlying meaning.
“Third Uncle, did you see his face?” Xu Changxia asked tentatively after a few seconds of silence.
Xu Jin looked at her, hesitated for a moment, then shook his head and replied, “It was too dark. I couldn’t see clearly.”
“Mm,” Xu Changxia responded softly.
Beside them, Xu Fangfei sniffled, as if she were crying.
Xu Changxia couldn’t help but sigh inwardly, comforting her mother, “Mom, it’s okay. Things will be better once we move. Tomorrow, when you have time, go out and look around near the Public Security compound. See if there are any good houses for rent there—it’s safer.”
“Okay,” Xu Fangfei replied with a choked voice, nodding.
Xu Jin stood nearby, watching the mother and daughter, his fists clenched tighter and tighter.
Actually, Xu Jin had just seen that person’s face, but in that instant, he doubted whether he had seen correctly, so he didn’t dare to say anything.
To catch a thief, you must catch them red-handed.
Moreover, he was afraid that if he said it, Xu Fangfei wouldn’t be able to handle it psychologically.
Xu Changxia also knew that he had recognized who that person was, because he had instinctively cursed at them earlier, calling them a “little bastard.”
In fact, the moment she saw those eyes, Xu Changxia recognized them as Xu Luyuan’s.
Those lecherous eyes—even if she hadn’t seen them for a lifetime, she could recognize them at a glance.
The wooden board on the bathroom window had been nailed up by her two years ago to guard against Xu Luyuan. Unexpectedly, over time, the wood had shrunk, leaving a gap! Xu Luyuan had seized the opportunity!
The three of them stood silently at the door for a long time. After Xu Fangfei finished applying the medicated oil for Xu Changxia and helped her up, a sudden commotion erupted from Xiaolin’s Mother’s house diagonally across the way.
“…Get out now! Don’t make me do something!” Xiaolin’s Mother’s scolding voice sounded particularly jarring in the quiet night.
Amidst Xiaolin’s Mother’s shouts, a man covered his head and ran out in a panic.
Xiaolin’s Mother, brandishing a broom, chased after him while yelling, “You have the nerve to come here and plead for Zhou Yun! Have you thought about how Xiaxia and her mother feel? They’re your own sister and niece!”
“This isn’t just about two hundred yuan! Even if you gave me two thousand more, it wouldn’t matter! If Zhou Yun dares to do it, she should dare to face the consequences! I won’t let this go!”
“I know you’re not just here for Zhou Yun! Isn’t it for that good-for-nothing son of yours, Xu Luyuan? Hasn’t he done enough sneaky, underhanded things? Now he even dares to trick his own parents into committing crimes! While he’s still young, if he gets caught and serves a few years in prison, he might still have a chance to turn his life around! Otherwise, his whole life will be ruined!!”
In his frantic dodging, the man happened to lock eyes with Xu Changxia.
Xu Changxia looked at him, her eyes gradually filling with disappointment.
So, Xu Cheng had rushed to the bank before closing time to withdraw money to silence Xiaolin’s Mother.
Between his own small family and this extended family, he had still chosen to protect the other side.
“Xiaxia…” Xu Cheng froze for a few seconds before quickly walking over.
Xu Changxia didn’t say a word. She turned away to avoid him and limped back into the house.
“Fangfei…” Xu Cheng then hurried over to Xu Fangfei.
“Big Brother, the law will never spare anyone who does wrong,” Xu Fangfei shook her head at him and said softly, “Whether it’s Zhou Yun or Xu Luyuan.”
With that, she also turned and went back inside.
Only Xu Cheng and Xu Jin were left standing face to face.
Xu Jin looked at him for a long moment before speaking with a stern expression, “Fangfei, Xiaxia, and I have already agreed. In the next few days, we’ll help them move out. Since you insist on protecting that mother and son, from now on, live however you want! It has nothing to do with us anymore!”
“Ah Jin!” Xu Cheng could only watch as Xu Jin brushed past him and went inside.
He stood alone under the streetlight for a long time.
The night grew deeper, and the sounds of laughter and joy from the neighbors’ houses reached his ears. He couldn’t help but let out a long sigh, then walked over to Xiaolin’s Mother’s door, picked up the two hundred yuan that had fallen on the ground.
As he walked back into the house with his hands clasped behind his back, he faintly heard someone outside cry out, “Dad! Save me!”
He leaned out and glanced toward the alley entrance, but there was no one in sight—only the distant barking of stray dogs.
“I must be so angry my mind is playing tricks on me…” he muttered to himself.
On the main road, just out of Xu Cheng’s line of sight, Jiang Yao slammed Xu Luyuan’s head hard against the curb with a loud thud.
Xu Luyuan’s mouth was covered, unable to make a sound, and he could only let out muffled, frantic whimpers.