Chuxia asked him to hold her hand and said with a frown, “If it hurts, you can cry out.”

Cen Huai’an didn’t cry out; he only made a soft sound when it was particularly painful.

Chuxia’s face showed both pain and helplessness. “Why are you so stubborn?”

“Mom, it doesn’t hurt,” Cen Huai’an said to comfort her, which only made Chuxia feel more distressed.

She patted his head.

The doctor finally put a plaster on his ankle and said, “The swelling is quite severe. You must not put any weight on it until it’s fully healed.”

He then smiled and added, “I’ve never seen such a brave child before.”

Usually, when children got hurt, they cried loudly and cooperated only if they could. It was impossible for them not to cry.

Chuxia smiled faintly but said nothing.

She would have preferred if Cen Huai’an weren’t so brave.

Jiang Zhida had never seen Cen Huai’an like this before.

He left before the examination was complete, feeling deeply distressed.

Teacher Fang was still in shock from Cen Huai’an’s ability to endure pain.

How could a child be so fearless of pain? How had his mother raised him to be so understanding and strong?

Teacher Fang couldn’t figure it out.

During the payment, Teacher Fang tried to pay, but Chuxia refused, and even Jiang Zhida was not allowed to contribute.

“Don’t worry about it. An’an is my son, so this is my responsibility.”

Chuxia firmly insisted on paying, and she covered the expenses.

She had planned to carry Cen Huai’an out of the hospital, but Jiang Zhida picked him up first.

“Cousin, if you won’t let me pay, at least let me hold An’an.”

Chuxia finally showed a smile, and she was less tense than before. “Of course, you can hold him.”

Seeing Chuxia and Jiang Zhida’s expressions finally ease a bit, Teacher Fang felt some relief.

When they arrived back at the alley, Chuxia asked, “Teacher Fang, where is your home?”

Teacher Fang pointed into the alley. “My home is just down this alley.”

The car continued down the alley.

Not far in, Teacher Fang hurriedly leaned over the front seat and said, “Stop, stop, my home is here.”

Teacher Fang got out of the car and stood in front of a house similar to Chuxia, waving her hand with a smile. “My home is here. Don’t forget to come to school this afternoon.”

The car moved forward a bit and stopped.

Chuxia got out first, and then Jiang Zhida turned off the car and got out, carrying Cen Huai’an.

As Teacher Fang prepared to watch the car leave, she saw Cen Huai’an’s mother still there. She blinked, confused. “An’an’s mom, why aren’t you leaving?”

Chuxia pointed to the gate in front of her. “My home is right here.”

Teacher Fang’s eyes widened suddenly.

She looked at Chu Xia and the others in shock, then at the house.

“This house has been vacant for a long time, hasn’t it? When did you move in?”

When Chu Xia’s family moved in, Teacher Fang was at school.

She would come home only for meals and then go to bed, so she didn’t know that new neighbors had moved in next door.

Chu Xia replied, “We moved in a few days ago.”

She didn’t say much more.

Teacher Fang, still unable to calm her emotions, watched as Chu Xia and her family went inside.

She then shook her head and hurried home.

“Mom, are there new people living next door?!”

Chu Xia had prepared dinner before Cen Huai’an came back from school, and the food was waiting for him in the pot.

Due to the incident of Cen Huai’an getting hurt in a fight, they were all hungry now. Not only was Chu Xia hungry, but Cen Huai’an and Jiang Zhida were also starving.

Chu Xia’s cooking skills were average, limited to simple home-style dishes, and she wasn’t able to make complex meals.

Because Jiang Zhida was there, she made an extra dish.

Usually, she and An’an would only cook one dish since they wouldn’t finish more.

She made tomato braised beef brisket and stir-fried vegetables. With the fresh spring vegetables in season, Chu Xia made sure to take advantage of them.

Jiang Zhida said while eating, “Cousin, your cooking is amazing. It tastes much better than my mom’s!”

Jiang Zhida’s mother, Ms. Yang Mei, was knowledgeable about various books and languages, but cooking was not her forte.

Jiang Dajiu could only cook rice, so as Jiang Zhida and Jiang Zhishu grew up, they took over the kitchen because they couldn’t stand eating inedible food.

Jiang Zhida primarily assisted while Jiang Zhishu cooked.

After Jiang Zhishu got married, the cooking was left to him and Jiang Dajiu, with his mother occasionally cooking, but it was never good.

Thinking about it made Jiang Zhida’s eyes well up with tears of bitterness.

Cen Huai’an innocently asked, “Does Auntie not cook?”

Jiang Zhida looked at Cen Huai’an, sighed deeply, and said, “It’s not just about not knowing how to cook; some people manage to make it taste terrible even if they know how to cook.”

Cen Huai’an was confused.

If someone could cook, why would it taste bad?

Only those who couldn’t cook would make bad food, like his dad, who didn’t cook well because he didn’t know how.

Jiang Zhida didn’t explain further.

Chu Xia served a piece of beef to Cen Huai’an and said, “Eat up, you need to eat more to grow taller.”

Cen Huai’an immediately forgot about his previous question and focused on eating the meat.

After dinner, since Cen Huai’an was injured and Jiang Zhida was a guest, Chu Xia was the one who cleaned up the dishes.

Of course, Jiang Zhida didn’t just sit idly by; he quickly stood up and said, “Cousin, let me help.”

Chu Xia didn’t refuse and let him throw the leftovers into the dog bowl and help her take the dishes to the kitchen.

Once everything was cleaned up, it was almost 2 PM, and school started at 2:30.

Chu Xia asked Cen Huai’an if he was tired.

He had a habit of napping in the afternoon, and so did Chu Xia.

Cen Huai’an rubbed his eyes and said, “Mom, a little bit.”

“Then take a nap,” Chu Xia said.

Since they needed to address the issue of An’an being bullied by Zhao Jin and Zhao Yin in the afternoon, they likely wouldn’t make it to class.

She had also informed Teacher Fang, so being late to school was not a problem.

After Cen Huai’an fell asleep, Chu Xia came out and saw Jiang Zhida standing in the yard, looking up at the tender leaves on the jujube tree.

“Cousin, you’ve never tasted the jujubes from this tree, have you? They’re very sweet.”

Chu Xia also looked up at the jujube tree and saw the new leaves, indicating its vitality.

“I’ll have to try them when they’re ripe.”

Jiang Zhida glanced over at Cen Huai’an’s sleeping room and, touching his chin, asked Chu Xia, “Cousin, what do you want to do about those kids who hit him?”

“An apology, and making sure they won’t dare to bully anyone again.”

Jiang Zhida said, “That’s a given. Do you want anything else?”

Whatever Chu Xia said, Jiang Zhida could handle it.

He was a local of the capital and had many friends.

“We’ll see what happens in the afternoon. If they don’t admit their mistakes, we’ll use other methods.”

“Okay,” Jiang Zhida nodded.

Chu Xia, having regained her composure, planned to make the two kids scared so they wouldn’t bully others again.

At around 3 PM, Chu Xia woke Cen Huai’an, gathered her things, and the three of them went to the school.

Zhao Jin and Zhao Yin’s mother was already impatiently waiting in Teacher Fang’s office.

She looked frustrated and said, “Teacher, when are those kids who hit mine coming? We’ve been waiting here for half an hour already. I won’t let this go if Zhao Jin’s arm is hurt.”

“I won’t let it go either!”

Chu Xia’s voice sounded from outside the office.

Jiang Zhida carried Cen Huai’an, and Chu Xia followed, entering the office.

Zhao Jin’s mother, a robust woman with small, upward-slanting eyes, looked fierce as she saw Chu Xia.

“Is your son the one who bit my son like this? How did you raise your child to bite people like a dog?”

Chu Xia stared back unflinchingly, “How dare you say such things? It’s people like you who can’t tell right from wrong that raise kids who bully their classmates!”

“What are you saying? You…”

The stout woman launched into a long string of vulgar and offensive insults, even coming towards Chu Xia as if she intended to act physically.

Jiang Zhida had already placed Cen Huai’an on a nearby chair.

Hearing the woman’s harsh words, his face darkened.

Seeing her approach him, he grabbed her arm firmly.

“Ouch! It hurts, let go!” The stout woman tried to reach for Jiang Zhida’s face with her other hand, but he quickly pushed her away.

The burly woman not only failed to hit Jiang Zhida but was also pushed down to the ground.

She wanted to continue scolding but looked up and met Jiang Zhida’s fierce gaze.

His eyes were as menacing as those of the street thugs who came to collect protection fees from her every month—no, even scarier, as if he intended to kill her.

Zhao Jin’s mother recoiled and turned to Teacher Fang, saying, “Teacher, he… he’s hitting people.”

Teacher Fang was stunned by Zhao Jin’s mother’s earlier outburst.

It was her first time witnessing a parent behave so unruly in the office.

Although she was young, she had dealt with student issues before, but this was a new experience for her.

Seeing Zhao Jin’s mother trying to shift the blame, Teacher Fang’s dislike for her grew.

She frowned and said, “Zhao Jin’s mother! What are you trying to do? If you don’t want to resolve this properly, then take your child and leave. Don’t come back to my class!”

Back then, parents had great respect for teachers.

Even though corporal punishment was common, parents would not usually protest and often allowed teachers to discipline their children.

Furthermore, before the “Compulsory Education Law” was enacted, nine years of compulsory education had not been implemented yet.

Teachers and principals had significant authority, including expelling students, regardless of their age.

When Teacher Fang spoke, Zhao Jin’s mother quickly got up from the ground, “Teacher, I don’t want to avoid solving the problem.”

At that moment, seeing Jiang Zhida’s street thug-like appearance, she felt scared.

She had previously refused to pay protection fees, but the thugs had smashed her stall and beaten her.

After getting beaten several times, she had started to comply.

Those thugs didn’t negotiate; they would beat you up if you didn’t pay, and she had seen people left severely injured.

Teacher Fang continued, “Then stop scolding. Besides, what they said isn’t wrong. Zhao Jin and Zhao Yin often bully other students at school, and as their parent, you’ve played a significant role in not disciplining them properly. Moreover, this fight started because Zhao Jin and Zhao Yin were the ones who first bullied Cen Huai’an.”

Zhao Jin’s mother didn’t agree with Teacher Fang’s words but was frightened by both Teacher Fang and Jiang Zhida.

She mumbled, “But my two sons are also injured.”

Chuxia, looking at her, suddenly pulled out several large bills from her bag and smiled, “Oh, you’re injured? We’ll compensate you. I can give you more.”

Zhao Jin’s mother’s eyes lit up with greed.

She wanted to take the money but was scared of Jiang Zhida. “If you had said this earlier, things would have been much easier to resolve.”

“An’an’s mother,” Teacher Fang frowned, “that’s not…”

Chuxia held up her hand, signaling Teacher Fang to be patient.

She pulled out a few more large bills and said to Zhao Jin’s mother, “Compensation is fine, but it can’t be settled like this.”

“Dazi, hold onto Zhao Jin and Zhao Yin.”

Then she gently said to An’an, “An’an, you hit them where they hit you. After you’ve finished, we’ll compensate them. Zhao Jin’s mother, as long as they aren’t left severely injured or killed, it should be fine, right?”

Zhao Jin’s mother was stunned by Chuxia’s words.

Watching Jiang Zhida easily subdue Zhao Jin and Zhao Yin, who were now pale and trembling, she panicked and shouted, “No! I don’t want the money! No, no!”

“It’s okay, we will still compensate,” Chuxia said with a smile. “We won’t be too harsh. My child’s injuries will be matched by what happens to your sons—no more, no less.”

Teacher Fang quickly intervened, “An’an’s mother, let’s be rational. We need to keep our cool.”

Chuxia looked at Zhao Jin’s mother with some regret, “It seems you don’t want our compensation plan. Let’s move to the second option then.”

Zhao Jin’s mother nodded vigorously.

She had never seen such a crazy woman like Chuxia before.

With the man who looked like a thug standing beside her, she was genuinely frightened.

She asked, “What is the second option? I don’t want the compensation plan.”

Chuxia slowly put away the money, still smiling, “It’s simple. Zhao Jin’s mother, have your child apologize to An’an in front of the entire school. Also, don’t forget to compensate us for the medical expenses. I’ll also give you the amount for your children’s injuries. I’m not unreasonable.”

“No need! No need!” Zhao Jin’s mother waved her hands frantically, fearing that if she agreed, her sons would come home with missing limbs one day.

Teacher Fang was stunned.

She hadn’t expected that despite Chuxia’s seemingly gentle demeanor, her handling of the situation was so unexpected.

Zhao Jin’s mother had to give in, and the rest of the matter was resolved smoothly. Chuxia didn’t ask for more than necessary, paying only for An’an’s medical expenses and estimating the damages to Zhao Jin and Zhao Yin.

Zhao Jin’s mother was too scared to accept the money, so Chuxia gave it to Teacher Fang to be used as class funds.

Student fights were common, and Teacher Fang didn’t always call parents.

However, because Zhao Jin and Zhao Yin often bullied others, Teacher Fang wanted their parents to discipline them properly.

Furthermore, the fight had resulted in noticeable injuries, which parents would be concerned about, and it had a negative impact as other students had witnessed it.

As the end of school approached, Zhao Jin and Zhao Yin, defeated and scolded by their mother, were taken home.

Next Monday, during the flag-raising ceremony, they would have to apologize to Cen Huai’an in front of the entire school, reading an apology letter.

Teacher Fang did not let Cen Huai’an return to class.

Given his current condition, with his face smeared with ointment and his ankle swollen, she couldn’t bear to let him continue.

She let Chuxia take him home to recuperate.

On the way home, Chuxia said to Cen Huai’an, “Do you know why I told you to hit Zhao Jin and Zhao Yin earlier?”

Cen Huai’an, on Jiang Zhida’s back, answered, “Mom, it was to scare Zhao Jin’s mother.”

“Correct,” Chuxia said with a smile. “Also, Zhao Jin’s mother is clearly not someone who would admit fault easily, so we needed another method to make her and Zhao Jin and Zhao Yin realize their mistakes. But An’an, don’t take what I said literally. No matter how much money we have, we mustn’t just hit people because we can pay for it! Such behavior is no different from Zhao Jin and Zhao Yin’s, and even worse!”

Cen Huai’an nodded seriously.

He knew his mother’s words were not to be taken literally, as she had always taught him not to start fights.

Chuxia patted his head and continued, “In this world, there are many types of people. Different methods can be used to deal with different people. But An’an, you must have your own principles and be an upright person.”