The police from the local Police Station arrived quickly. Chi Qingchuan felt around his pockets and handed out cigarettes one by one. His voice caught in his throat as he asked, “Officer, can this help find the culprit?”
An older police officer took the cigarette but didn’t light it. He walked around the car once and shook his head regretfully. “It’s tough.”
The young officer explained to Chi Qingchuan, “There are blind spots in the surveillance everywhere around here. Cars come and go along this road—finding the perpetrator? Not easy!”
The older officer pointed at the car. “They smashed everything that could be smashed. Where’s the dashcam? The other side didn’t leave any clues for you to catch them.”
He added, “Not just your car was parked here—the others are all fine… Have you offended someone lately?”
Chi Nuan’s eyelids twitched.
Chi Qingchuan said, “No!”
Yue Yun clutched her belly and gasped in pain. The frantic Chi Qingchuan turned to support her, but she pushed him away.
Yue Yun turned and walked off.
Chi Qingchuan said to Chi Nuan, “Nuannuan, you and your sister-in-law go home first. I’ll stay here and handle this.”
Chi Nuan knew she couldn’t help by staying and was worried Yue Yun might have an accident, so she hurried after her.
Once inside the house, Yue Yun silently returned to the bedroom and slammed the door shut with a bang.
Chi Nuan and Gu Ningzi stood in the living room. The house was so quiet they could hear the ticking of the wall clock.
Chi Nuan’s heart felt heavy. She said to Gu Ningzi, “Gu Ningzi… you see, something’s come up at home. It might not be convenient to have you stay. Can you head back first? Once the homework’s done, I’ll take photos and send them to you.”
Gu Ningzi said, “Sure.”
The situation had arisen suddenly, and Gu Ningzi fully understood Chi Nuan’s decision. She went to the room to pack her things.
Chi Nuan leaned against the wall, feeling dizzy and lightheaded. At that moment, her mobile phone rang. She saw the caller ID and immediately muted it, then walked into the bathroom and locked the door.
“Seen it?” Cao Pinhui’s voice asked.
Chi Nuan stared at herself in the mirror. Her lips parted and closed; she didn’t need to think before blurting out, “Was it you?”
Otherwise, how could it be such a coincidence? Cao Pinhui had just asked if Chi Qingchuan was driving for Young Mr. Ji, and now the car was wrecked like this? His perfectly timed call was to check his handiwork!
Cao Pinhui laughed on the other end, his tone light and relaxed. “I didn’t do anything.”
Chi Nuan’s eyes reddened. “Why did you do this?”
Cao Pinhui said, “I realized you’re not taking my words seriously time after time. Just a little reminder.”
His words? He meant…
“Since you’ve seen it… are you interested in giving it a try?”
“What I said last time—how’ve you thought about it?”
Those two sentences leaped unbidden into Chi Nuan’s mind, sending chills racing through her entire body.
Gu Ningzi’s voice came from outside the door. “Chi Nuan?”
Chi Nuan’s face drained of color.
Cao Pinhui whispered in her ear, “Wait for it. I’ll contact you again.”
…
Chi Nuan twisted on the faucet and washed her face before coming out of the bathroom. Gu Ningzi stood outside the door with her backpack in hand. She had apparently overheard fragments and looked at Chi Nuan with some confusion.
Chi Nuan avoided her gaze. “I’ll walk you downstairs.”
Gu Ningzi asked, “Are you okay?”
Chi Nuan said, “Yeah.”
Gu Ningzi swallowed the words on the tip of her tongue.
After Gu Ningzi left, Chi Nuan sat downstairs for a long time before slowly heading home.
Yue Yun was so angry she skipped lunch. By three or four in the afternoon, Chi Qingchuan returned. Chi Nuan’s nerves had been taut all day; the moment he appeared, she rushed up to ask how things had gone.
Chi Qingchuan looked exhausted. “The insurance is still assessing the damage. The Police Station… probably won’t catch the culprit. Mr. Ji said I don’t need to pay—just go through insurance, and he’ll cover any remaining repair costs. …I don’t think that’s right. The car was borrowed by me, and I parked it there… He’ll front the money, and then deduct half my salary each month to pay it back slowly.”
Chi Qingchuan let out a long sigh. “Sorry, Nuannuan. It was a nice holiday, and now it’s all ruined.”
“Chi Qingchuan! You’re the one who’s going to ruin this family! How much do you earn in a month? Deduct half—how are we supposed to live!? Is the baby even going to be born!?” Yue Yun leaned against the doorframe, her eyes bloodshot. From the anxiety and frustration, her voice had turned hoarse. “Mr. Ji said you don’t have to pay, so why are you playing big shot? Look at yourself—what kind of life have you given me!?”
Chi Qingchuan hurriedly glanced at Chi Nuan and scolded, “Yunyun! What are you saying?”
“You’re afraid your sister will hear? You’re just a good-for-nothing!” Yue Yun’s chest heaved rapidly as tears streamed down. “Even the police said you offended someone and got revenge. I bet it’s something Mr. Ji stirred up! Why are you taking it all on yourself to pay for him? You’re not even worth a hair of his—your brain must be fried pretending to be noble! Pretend your mom’s cunt!”
Chi Nuan turned and ran back to her room.
Chi Qingchuan coaxed Yue Yun into the room and closed the door, trying to block out the harsh accusations and curses. But Yue Yun’s pent-up dissatisfaction with life and her fears of the uncertain future still stabbed into Chi Nuan’s heart like flying knives.
Chi Nuan covered her face and cried until she could barely breathe. It was all her fault. She shouldn’t have provoked Cao Pinhui or brought this disaster on the family. But… but where exactly had she gone wrong?
She didn’t understand. She didn’t understand why some people could act so recklessly, building their selfish desires and pleasures on the dignity and blood-tears of others.
