Chapter 009

After putting on his clothes and hat, Zhuo Xi helped Meng Li climb out of Shuiyue Temple. Pushing his sturdy “28” bicycle, he helped Meng Li onto the back seat and began pedaling, heading toward Zhima Hutong.

The cold wind quickly roused him from his drowsiness. He turned to Meng Li and asked, “Why are you in such a hurry to go home?”

The truth was difficult to say, so Meng Li had to make up an excuse. “There’s something I need to take care of, something I promised my mom.”

Zhuo Xi didn’t ask further. He pedaled faster and said, “Hold on tight.”

He took Meng Li to the entrance of her home, stopping right outside the gate.

Meng Li appeared anxious as she got off the bike and immediately started running toward the gate.

After a few steps, she turned back to Zhuo Xi and said, “You can go back now. I won’t be going out these next few days.”

Zhuo Xi nodded at her from his bike. “Alright, I’ll be off then.”

Before he could even turn the bike around, Meng Li was already rushing into the yard.

Zhuo Xi watched her figure disappear before he turned the bike around and headed back.

On his way back, he rode more slowly, stopping by the alley entrance to buy some breakfast to bring back with him.

By the time he returned to Shuiyue Temple, Wei Dong and the others had already woken up.

Zhuo Xi placed the breakfast on the kang and casually called out, “Breakfast is ready.”

Zhou Nan was the first to come over, climbing onto the kang and asking, “Where’s the Third Master?”

Zhuo Xi glanced at him. “There was something at home. He left.”

Over on the other side, Wei Dong was diligently arranging the bedding. “Don’t you guys think something’s off about the Third Master this time? He’s different from before.”

Zhou Nan and Jin Bei both spoke in unison, “I’ve noticed that too.”

Zhuo Xi glanced at the three of them, thinking to himself that it wasn’t just him who felt something strange.

Since Wei Dong and the others also sensed it, it must be true.

Thinking back to yesterday and this morning, Meng Li had frequently shown an oddly strange demeanor—often dazed and soft, lacking any vigor.

As Zhuo Xi was deep in thought, he suddenly heard Wei Dong exclaim, “What the hell, did the Third Master wet the bed?”

Hearing this, he immediately looked up, and Zhou Nan and Jin Bei also turned their heads to look at Wei Dong.

The three of them got off the kang and moved over to Wei Dong. Sure enough, on the bedding where Meng Li had slept, there was a small stain.

Since the bedding was dark gray, the stain was naturally black.

Jin Bei rubbed his chin. “That’s not much urine, is it?”

Wei Dong thought for a moment, then suggested seriously, “Could it be blood? Did that bastard Ji Chen do something to him yesterday and not tell us?”

Zhuo Xi and Zhou Nan turned to look at each other, but neither of them spoke.

After a brief exchange of glances, they both cleared their throats in unison and turned to eat breakfast.

…

Meng Li was quite anxious. After sending Zhuo Xi off outside the yard, she rushed into the house and headed straight for the northern room where the Cheng family lived.

Once inside, she quickly searched for a basin, some hot water, clean pants, as well as sanitary pads and toilet paper.

Gu Huijuan and Cheng Chunliang had already left for work, leaving only Grandma Cheng and Tang Yuan’er at home.

Meng Li shut the door and cleaned herself up. She felt much more comfortable once she was clean.

Now that her period had started, Meng Li naturally had no intention of going out to play anymore.

She felt uncomfortable even walking, only wanting to lie down or sit still.

After tidying up and washing her clothes, Meng Li sat down by the bed in her room and let out a deep sigh.

As soon as Meng Li let out a deep sigh, she lifted her gaze and saw Tang Yuan’er crouching by the door.

She fixed her gaze on Tang Yuan’er and asked, “What is it?”

This time, Tang Yuan’er didn’t turn and run away. Instead, she walked in slowly, hands behind her back. She then stretched out her small, pale hand, holding a round, flat metal box, and in her sweet voice, said, “Grandma asked me to give this to you.”

Meng Li glanced down and saw that Tang Yuan’er’s little white hand was holding a snowflake ointment box.

She was stunned for a moment. Tang Yuan’er had brought her a snowflake cream.

Seeing that Meng Li didn’t speak or make any move, Tang Yuan’er, unsure of her reaction, continued in her babyish voice, “Grandma bought it with her own money for you. Do you want it? If you don’t, I’ll give it to Mom.”

Meng Li snapped out of her daze and quickly reached out to take it.

She was a bit overwhelmed and didn’t know how to respond at first. After a moment, her voice became hoarse as she said, “Please… please thank… thank Grandma for me…” She hesitated for a moment, then added, “Grandma…”

Tang Yuan’er looked at her and asked, “Are you going to cry?”

Meng Li quickly forced a smile and replied, “No, why would I cry for no reason?”

Tang Yuan’er tilted her hips, then said, “Well, after you’re done smelling it, come out and eat.”

Meng Li nodded. “Okay.”

After Tang Yuan’er turned and left, Meng Li held the snowflake cream box and stared at it for a while.

Then, she twisted open the lid and brought it to her nose to sniff. A smile appeared on her face.

…

After finishing her meal, Meng Li stayed at home and didn’t go out to find Zhuo Xi and the others.

However, by evening, Zhuo Xi and the others came to find her.

The four of them came, but only Zhuo Xi entered the Cheng family’s courtyard.

He went inside to see Meng Li and said, “Ji Chen wants you to meet him in Chaoyang Park for a one-on-one fight in three days. No one is allowed to come with you, and no weapons are allowed.”

Upon hearing this, Meng Li was momentarily stunned.

Zhuo Xi studied her expression carefully, catching every subtle change on her face. Before Meng Li could respond, he continued, “If you don’t want to go, I’ll go in your place.”

Meng Li, of course, understood the unspoken rules of the streets. A challenge like this was essentially a declaration of war—there was no such thing as sending someone else in your stead.

Besides, she couldn’t let Zhuo Xi take the fall for her.

She had already made up her mind to avoid Ji Chen in the future and steer clear of trouble in Beijing. Naturally, she didn’t want to accept the challenge.

But at the same time, she didn’t want Zhuo Xi to step in for her either.

After a moment of thought, Meng Li finally said, “What’s this nonsense about you going in my place? Don’t worry about it.”

Zhuo Xi stared into her eyes, a faint hint of amusement flickering in his gaze. “So, you’re going on your own?”

Meng Li couldn’t shake the feeling that she saw the words “looking down on you” written all over Zhuo Xi’s expression. She wasn’t sure if it was just her imagination.

Logically, Zhuo Xi shouldn’t be looking down on her as the leader.

Meng Li cleared her throat seriously, trying to project the aura of a leader. “What kind of question is that? When has Third Master Meng ever been afraid of anything? It’s just Ji Chen. I can take care of him with a single pinky!”

Zhuo Xi suppressed a smile, lowering his head. After a moment, he looked up at Meng Li again. “As long as the Third Master isn’t afraid, the meeting is at 9 AM.”

Meng Li, maintaining a composed air, nodded. “Got it.”

…

Zhuo Xi finished speaking and was about to leave, not intending to stay any longer at the Cheng family’s house.

He didn’t let Meng Li walk him out. He lifted the door curtain, stepped out of the northern room, and headed straight for the main gate of the yard.

Just as he reached the gate and hadn’t stepped outside yet, he unexpectedly ran into Gu Huijuan, who had just come back from work.

Gu Huijuan, with her round belly, didn’t even glance at Zhuo Xi.

Zhuo Xi and the others were well aware of what kind of person Meng Li’s mother was, so he didn’t greet her.

He stepped aside to let her enter, waiting for her to pass before he could go out.

Gu Huijuan, walking slowly due to her pregnancy, reached the northern room, lifted the door curtain, and entered. She placed the cloth bundle on the square table and then turned to the door of Grandma Cheng’s room, leaning her head inside to take a quick look.

Upon seeing Meng Li in the room, her expression turned cold. She spoke sharply, her tone icy, “Why aren’t you out there fooling around with them? Haven’t I told you not to bring those indecent people into this house?”

Ever since Meng Li had arrived in this new life, she had endured far too much of Gu Huijuan’s mistreatment.

She was never given fine food, never allowed to eat much meat, and even eggs were a rare treat. She was constantly criticized for this and that.

Meng Li couldn’t understand how a mother could treat her own daughter with such cruelty and bitterness. Bitter enough to not even want to see her, to wish she’d always stay out on the streets, far from home.

Perhaps even death would be preferable in her eyes—just one less burden to deal with.

Cry? Not a single tear would fall from her eyes!