The argument between Ning Qiaozhen and Ning Hai escalated, as they returned to their private space and abandoned all restraint, unleashing the worst accusations and complaints against their former closest confidant.

When Ning Hai slapped Ning Qiaozhen across the face, the crisp, clear sound brought the noisy atmosphere to an abrupt halt.

After the initial shock, Ning Qiaozhen suddenly erupted in resentment, losing her temper and screaming as she kicked and punched Ning Hai. Ning Hai, in a fit of rage, even raised his hand high again.

Wan Qiu, who had been silent and uninvolved in the argument, suddenly stepped forward, straining to stand on tiptoe and try to pin Ning Hai's hand down: "Dad..."

However, Wan Qiu's underdeveloped and underweight body meant that her weak efforts to stop Ning Hai only added fuel to the fire.

Ning Hai shoved Wan Qiu aside with a flick of his wrist. Wan Qiu stepped on the fruit and lost his balance, his back and head hitting the wall with a dull thud.

The scene was very chaotic.

Chu Yigui leaned against the wardrobe, listening calmly to everything that was happening outside.

He could only hear a cacophony of sounds, but couldn't be sure what was happening.

Chu Yigui had already realized that Wan Qiu had locked himself up here to avoid being implicated.

That's too fast.

Wan Qiu reacted and hid him so quickly.

Wanqiu has a low IQ and slow reaction time. He cannot quickly understand the current situation, and even when he speaks, he needs to speak softly and slowly for people to understand him.

However, Wanqiu reacted extremely quickly when faced with his parents' argument.

It's almost like a conditioned reflex.

This is enough to prove how many similar things Wanqiu has experienced in this family.

At this moment, Wan Qiu's first reaction was to protect him.

Chu Yigui did not make any rash moves and remained safely curled up in the wardrobe.

The image of Wanqiu's gaze as she closed the wardrobe door flashed before my eyes.

Worried, apologetic...

It seems he was being protected by his older brother.

The argument lasted a long time, and Chu Yigui listened quietly.

Ning Hai stormed out in anger, while Ning Qiaozhen continued to cry, her mournful sobs sounding as if she had suffered all the injustices of the world.

Chu Yigui could not hear any of Wanqiu's voice.

Chu Yigui waited for a long time, and her legs were so cramped that they went numb and stiff.

Finally, he heard the rustling sound of Wan Qiu returning to the bedroom.

The wardrobe door was opened, and the light from the opposite building shone in through the window; the sky had changed from the still bright afternoon to the darkness of night.

In the darkness, the first thing that wafted over was a faint smell of blood.

Chu Yigui closed her eyes to adjust to the light.

He looked up at Wan Qiu.

Beneath Wanqiu's beautiful eyes, half of her face was covered with dried blood that had not been washed away.

The blood has already clotted, so the wound shouldn't be deep, but there was a lot of bleeding.

Wan Qiu made a shushing gesture once again.

Chu Yigui looked into those eyes. Even with such a glaring wound, and pain that must have been constantly assaulting him, Wan Qiu's eyes remained clear.

There was no hatred or resentment in it.

Wan Qiu took his hand, with the hand that was not stained with blood.

Carefully, Wan Qiu led him to the entrance and placed Chu Yigui's shoes on the ground.

Wan Qiu bent down, lifted Chu Yigui's leg, and even personally put Chu Yigui's shoes on for him.

Chu Yigui's expression was complicated. The thin child cherished his friend amidst the mess in the dimly lit room. Wan Qiu probably didn't know that this was called humility.

Wan Qiu opened the door very quietly, obviously to avoid disturbing Ning Qiaozhen who was probably already asleep.

After crossing the threshold of the security door, Chu Yigui looked back at Wan Qiu.

The small body, standing in the darkness within the large doorway, seemed to be separated from a sorrowful world.

Wan Qiu approached Chu Yigui, standing on tiptoe, and Chu Yigui obediently bent down.

Wanqiu whispered in his ear, "I'm sorry."

Something was placed in Chu Yigui's hand.

Chu Yigui looked down, but couldn't see clearly in the darkness.

However, Wan Qiu closed the door slowly and very gently in front of him, without activating the motion-activated lights in the hallway from beginning to end.

Chu Yigui stroked the cold object in her hand and smelled it.

A refreshing and sweet aroma wafted over, and in his hand was a whole, undamaged mango.

In a world filled with bitterness, Wanqiu offered him a sweet treat.

Chu Yigui held the mango, lowered her eyes, and turned to go downstairs.

I was unable to host his friends today.

Wan Qiu curled up on his bed, only feeling particularly exhausted after seeing Chu Yigui off at home.

Even though they were very tired, they still cleaned everything off the ground in the dark.

The sweet scent of fruit lingered on her hands. Wan Qiu inhaled it carefully and thought of Yang Xiaoyu and Chu Jianshu.

He had secretly washed his face, and even though he was used to the smell of blood, he didn't want to soil his sheets.

Wanqiu leaned against the bed sheet and smelled a familiar fragrance.

It's not mine; it belongs to Chu Yigui.

Chu Yigui had been sleeping in his bed all this time, and still retained his scent.

Wan Qiu sat up, ran to the bathroom, turned on the tap, and quietly washed herself again before returning to the room.

Late at night, Wanqiu fell asleep.

When I opened my eyes again, it was still the familiar time.

Wanqiu sat up and went to look at the bedroom. The door was closed; if her mother had come out, it would have been open.

Wanqiu washed her hands, made breakfast: millet porridge, heated up steamed buns, stir-fried vegetables, and even picked out her favorite fruits, cut them into small pieces, and placed them next to the breakfast.

After finishing, Wanqiu went to the bathroom to wash up and looked at her back in the mirror.

While cooking, I felt a sharp pain in my back and discovered that it was covered in bruises.

Wan Qiu touched the back of his head; at least there was no bump on his head.

Having grown accustomed to such scars, Wan Qiu sat back down at the dining table and waited.

Time passed second by second, and the fruit on the table had changed color.

An hour and a half later, Wan Qiu heard Ning Qiaozhen making a phone call in her room.

Wanqiu immediately reheated the steamed buns and rice porridge.

After looking at the fruit, Wan Qiu placed it on his table and cut a new portion for Ning Qiaozhen.

Ning Qiaozhen finally came out of her room, talking on the phone with the person on the other end while quickly washing up.

Her eyes were red from crying, and she didn't even feel like putting on makeup.

From beginning to end, Wan Qiu, who was standing to the side, never received a single glance from Ning Qiaozhen.

Wan Qiu stood at the door, watching Ning Qiaozhen put on her shoes, open the door, and close it.

He stood there, seemingly transparent in the sunlight that was no longer morning.

Wanqiu returned to the dining table, finished her breakfast, put the rest in the refrigerator, and tidied up the kitchen.

I went to my parents' bedroom to tidy up the room.

However, the next second, the sound of the door being unlocked rang out. Wan Qiu subconsciously took two quick steps out of the bedroom and looked at the security door.

Ninghai is back.

Ning Hai's face was gloomy, and his eyes were full of fierce light. He glanced at Wan Qiu, who immediately stood obediently to the side.

Ning Hai returned today, but seemed uninterested in talking to Wan Qiu. He started searching the entire house instead.

"Dad," Wan Qiu said, standing behind Ning Hai, "what are you looking for?"

Wan Qiu knows the things in the house best; he can help.

"Shut up and get out of here."

Seeing Ning Hai's impatience, Wan Qiu could only stand quietly to the side.

Wanqiu looked at her home, which had been neatly organized, now a complete mess.

Wan Qiu saw Ning Hai put many things into his bag, such as his cell phone and Ning Qiaozhen's jewelry box.

In the end, Wanqiu saw Ninghai go to his bedroom and turn over his bedding.

Wan Qiu slowly opened his eyes wide, watching as Ning Hai put all the money he had saved into his bag.

"You can find so much money by picking up trash?" Ning Hai looked at Wan Qiu suspiciously. There were quite a few large bills among Wan Qiu's money, which surprised Ning Hai as well.

Ninghai is gone.

They ransacked the house and took Wanqiu's money.

The sound of the door closing was clearly audible.

All that was left for Wanqiu was a quiet, unusually messy house, from which she had to tidy up again.

Wan Qiu wanted to clean up his house as soon as possible; he needed to go out and collect trash.

There wasn't enough money at home for dinner and breakfast. Dad took all his money, and if Mom didn't come back with groceries, neither of them would have dinner.

After tidying everything up, Wanqiu quickly grabbed her small bag and cart and ran off to pick up trash.

“Wanqiu.” Yang Xiaoyu stood in front of Wanqiu.

Wan Qiu looked up, and the scabbed scars on his cheeks were clearly visible in the sunlight.

Yang Xiaoyu's worries came true this time.

Wanqiu was beaten again.

Why didn't Chu Yigui tell them anything?

The scar wasn't very noticeable, yet it was blatantly displayed on her face. Yang Xiaoyu still felt as if her heart was being squeezed tightly by an invisible hand, the pain almost unbearable.

Wan Qiu knew that Yang Xiaoyu was unhappy.

Standing still, Wanqiu looked up and said with some worry, "Mom, I have something very important to do today..."

Could you please not hit me so hard?

If it hurts too much, he will get very tired when he runs.

Yang Xiaoyu's hand, which was about to touch Wan Qiu, stopped in mid-air. Looking at the child in front of her, she felt like an icicle that had been broken from the inside, which might shatter immediately even without being touched.

Wanqiu closed his eyes, but the expected pain did not come.

He opened his eyes and saw 'unhappiness' on Yang Xiaoyu's face.

But this kind of 'unhappiness' doesn't bring him pain, just like his friends.

"Thank you, Mom." Wan Qiu took a step back and moved away from Yang Xiaoyu's side.

Thank you? Why thank you? However, before Yang Xiaoyu could ask, Wan Qiu was already anxiously trying to leave her side.

"Wait, where are you going?" Yang Xiaoyu suddenly grabbed Wan Qiu's arm.

The bruises on Wanqiu's back stung with pain. She pursed her lips to endure the pain before saying, "I need to go make money."

Yang Xiaoyu frowned: "Where's the money I gave you?"

Wan Qiu replied, "Dad took it."

Wanqiu was very calm. Even if the money he had worked so hard to earn was taken away, as long as it was his father, Wanqiu felt it was normal.

Yang Xiaoyu's fingers stroked Wan Qiu's injured cheek.

Her fingers were trembling.

Her beautiful child didn't care at all about the scars on his face, even though the scars and swelling made him look quite disheveled.

"Didn't Mom say that if you stay with her, she'll give you money?" Yang Xiaoyu took a deep breath and forced a smile. "How about spending more time with Mom?"

Wan Qiu observed and watched Yang Xiaoyu's expression.

Yang Xiaoyu knew this, but her desire for Wanqiu to be by her side was genuine, and Wanqiu would surely understand.

“Okay, Mom,” Wan Qiu agreed.

Wanqiu never refused anything she wanted to do, except going home with her.

Yang Xiaoyu called Chu Jianshu and took Wan Qiu to the hospital again.

Yang Xiaoyu values ​​beauty highly, and she cannot allow Wanqiu to have scars on her face.

She also hoped to see Wan Qiu fatten up and grow into a handsome and elegant young man.

Wan Qiu obediently followed Yang Xiaoyu to the hospital, where she saw Chu Jianshu again.

It was the doctor I'd seen before, who applied the medicine to him.

"Are there any other injuries?" the doctor asked.

Wan Qiu blinked but didn't say anything.

He was injured elsewhere; his back hurt a lot.

However, Ning Qiaozhen said that no one should see what was under his clothes, so Wan Qiu wouldn't say anything.

Yang Xiaoyu didn't take Wanqiu around today, but went to the small park instead.

The small park was crowded with elderly people and young couples. The sounds of musical instruments could be heard in some of the more popular corridors.

When Wanqiu finished tidying up the room and came out, it was already afternoon, and the place was very lively.

Wan Qiu had been here before, but mostly just passed through; he only came here because there were so many beverage bottles.

Sitting under the ivy-covered corridor, with layers of leaves and lush greenery, Yang Xiaoyu's beauty, when framed by the leaves, was like a flower blooming among the green leaves, more beautiful than anyone else, attracting frequent glances from those around her.

Yang Xiaoyu patted her leg: "Do you want to lie on Mom's lap?"

When the people around heard that it was a mother with a child, some of the young people who had been itching to go out were a little disappointed.

Yang Xiaoyu ignored the stares around her and looked intently into Wan Qiu's eyes.

Wan Qiu lowered his head and looked at Yang Xiaoyu's legs.

Small expectations, subtle and indistinct, are hard to see clearly.

Yang Xiaoyu pulled Wan Qiu over and made him lie on her lap.

Wan Qiu smelled a scent very similar to Chu Yigui's, but it was more fragrant, softer, and had a very pinkish feel.

Wanqiu felt incredibly safe, enveloped by her mother's gentle warmth.

Wanqiu went to bed very late last night and has even more work to do today. She is really exhausted.

Wan Qiu heard Yang Xiaoyu's soft singing voice.

It sounds great.

It sounds just like a female celebrity singing on TV.

Amidst the gentle breeze and the singing, Wanqiu seemed to be lying on a cloud, being lulled to sleep, as if in a dream.

How could Yang Xiaoyu not see Wan Qiu's exhaustion?

The child, who was already underdeveloped and much thinner than others, was pale and walked unsteadily, looking as if he might faint at any moment.

Chu Jianshu sat not far away, conducting a meeting and working on his phone, occasionally glancing back in their direction.

Chu Jianshu hung up the phone and walked over to the two of them.

Even though it was noisy around, the place seemed quiet because Wanqiu was fast asleep.

Chu Jianshu bent down slightly and reached out to gently stroke Wan Qiu's hair, his movements tender and meticulous.

However, Chu Jianshu's hand froze.

Wan Qiu's face was pressed against Yang Xiaoyu's abdomen, his back to him at the moment.

From Chu Jianshu's perspective, he could see a few bruises peeking out from under Wan Qiu's wide collar.

Wan Qiu was too thin. Even though the clothes fit her perfectly, the neckline of her clothes was empty, revealing a large part of her shoulders. Underneath the clothes, the bluish-purple marks could not be concealed.

Upon seeing Chu Jianshu's strange expression, Yang Xiaoyu immediately looked over. The next moment, she clenched her fingers tightly, her nails digging into her palm.

Chu Jianshu immediately grasped Yang Xiaoyu's hand and shook his head slightly.

He comforted his wife.

Yang Xiaoyu gripped Chu Jianshu's arm tightly, as if she wanted to spit all her resentment into her husband's arm.

When Wanqiu woke up, it was almost time to go home.

Sitting up, Wanqiu's cheeks were marked with red marks. Her eyes were still sleepy, and she looked adorably dazed.

The more adorable Wan Qiu was, the more Yang Xiaoyu hated Ning Qiaozhen and Ning Hai.

"I'm going home, Mom." Wan Qiu looked at the sky and stood up.

Yang Xiaoyu clenched her fingers and gave Wanqiu a large bill: "This is the time Mom bought you today. Mom is really happy to be with our Wanqiu."

Wan Qiu held the money, but his eyes were fixed on Yang Xiaoyu. He didn't rush to leave as he usually did.

Yang Xiaoyu tilted her head, waiting for Wan Qiu to speak.

Wan Qiu lowered her eyes, and the half of her face that had been pressed red seemed to turn even redder.

"Mom..." Wanqiu's voice was soft.

"Hmm?" Yang Xiaoyu replied.

"Mom smells nice and is soft." Wan Qiu pursed her lips, thought for a moment, and then added, "Sweet."

Yang Xiaoyu's eyes widened slightly.

The silly boy, who wasn't good at expressing his feelings, searched for what he considered to be the best words to praise his mother.

Yang Xiaoyu had heard countless flowery words and the most elaborate praises, but none of them could compare to the shock this child gave her with the purest eyes and the simplest words.

Those pure, always empty eyes reflected Yang Xiaoyu's image. Yang Xiaoyu hadn't felt such a strong sense of motherhood in a long time.

Wan Qiu was not indifferent to violence; even though he showed no outward signs, his fear was still subtly revealed.

The contrast between Yang Xiaoyu and Ning Qiaozhen softened the child's heart slightly; the melting ice crystals flowed with a gentle, warm stream, which softened Yang Xiaoyu's heart.

This easing of tension was clearly a good thing for Yang Xiaoyu, but it made her feel utterly incompetent for not choosing a better, quicker way to get Wan Qiu to acknowledge her.

Wanqiu left.

Yang Xiaoyu felt as if she had been watching Wan Qiu leave these past few days.

Chu Jianshu stood quietly beside Yang Xiaoyu: "Thank you for your hard work, Xiaoyu."

"How much longer?" Yang Xiaoyu's expression was angry, but even more so, dejected. "Why is it like this, yet he still insists on going back? How can he be so foolish as to stay with someone like that?"

Chu Jianshu wanted to offer some comfort, but his phone suddenly rang.

Chu Jianshu saw the caller ID and immediately answered the phone.

"Boss, it's me, Lu Qinghe." The person on the other end immediately stated their identity.

"Yes," Chu Jianshu replied.

"Ninghai has run away," Lu Qinghe reported directly.

"Did they follow?" Chu Jianshu said coldly, which was expected.

"We've followed along, and now we know the specific direction. We've confirmed that there's only one person in Ninghai. What are the boss's next plans?"

"Arrest him." Chu Jianshu leaned back in the car, his expression calm, but his eyes were cold. "Send him directly to the police station."

“Okay, boss,” Lu Qinghe replied.

"Has the follow-up been handled properly?" Yang Xiaoyu asked.

"They said it was a fair trade and they wouldn't pursue the matter further," Lu Qinghe said. However, there was still something to report. "Ning Hai went home before he ran away, probably to get some valuables. Because Ning Hai ran away, Ning Qiaozhen lost her job. Ning Qiaozhen went out once today and just got home a little while ago. Ning Qiaozhen here..."

After hanging up the phone, Yang Xiaoyu's mood gradually grew heavier.

Her slender fingers gripped the hem of her clothes tightly; she didn't want her child to be hurt again because of this.

"Okay, you can bring him back now." Yang Xiaoyu stood up and headed in the direction Wan Qiu had left. "He already likes me, just a little bit..."

"Xiaoyu, this is the last time." Chu Jianshu pulled Yang Xiaoyu back again, determined to be even more ruthless. "Bear with it, this is the last time."

After this, Wanqiu will have no further connection with Ning Qiaozhen.

Even if it's just persuasion.

But Chu Jianshu's voice was extremely low, as if this sentence was not only a word of comfort, but also a warning to himself to endure to the very end.

As the head of the Chu family, he was ruthless enough.

As a father, he condemned his own heartlessness.

Wanqiu went to the market and spent a lot of money buying meat and fresh vegetables.

Today he will try his best to cook a delicious meal for his parents when they come home.

After eating something delicious, Mom and Dad might make up quickly, just like before.

He took out his key to open the door, but the door opened by itself before he could.

"Mom." Wan Qiu immediately looked up and saw Ning Qiaozhen, his voice stopping abruptly.

Ning Qiaozhen had permed her hair a long time ago, and the curls were always clipped back with various kinds of hair clips. However, her hair, which she had always taken great care of, was now extremely messy, as if it had been scratched out, with strands of hair piled up haphazardly on her head.

Beneath her disheveled hair, Ning Qiaozhen looked terrible. She hadn't put on makeup when she went out today, and now she looked even paler and more disheveled.

"Where have you been!" Ning Qiaozhen's displeased tone descended instantly upon seeing Wan Qiu, and in that instant, Wan Qiu felt a strong sense of 'unhappiness'.

"I'm sorry, Mom." Wan Qiu stood there, subconsciously lowering her head.

"Where have you been? Did I tell you to go out? Why are you running off instead of staying home?!"

Ning Qiaozhen's tone was sharp and her voice was extremely high. She was in a very bad mental state and was quite frantic.

She reached out and grabbed at Wanqiu.

Wan Qiu's thin arms were deeply marked by Ning Qiaozhen's grip, and Wan Qiu entered the doorway following Ning Qiaozhen's force.

Wan Qiu was thrown out hard by Ning Qiaozhen. Wan Qiu, who always changed his slippers and put his shoes away, stumbled and stepped on the clean floor tiles that Ning Qiaozhen had carefully maintained.

The vegetables she had bought were thrown into the entryway because Wan Qiu let go of her hand.

On the floor tiles, there were all sorts of broken pieces, water stains, and tables and chairs scattered about...

Wan Qiu's frail body was nearly knocked to the ground by Ning Qiaozhen's force.

Even after regaining his footing, Wan Qiu saw the shattered vase on the ground.

This is a vase he found, a very simple decorative vase, only it was broken. He carefully decorated it and placed it in his home.

The kettle was broken on the ground, with shards of glass and hot water that had lost its temperature.

The sofa cover was carelessly thrown on the floor, the cabinet was open, and there were all sorts of random small items being rummaged through. An ashtray was upside down on the floor.

The room, which had been cleaned, was now a mess again.

Wan Qiu's heart was racing, but he was slow to react and Ning Qiaozhen grabbed his hair.

Wan Qiu's scalp ached from being pulled, but he could only follow Ning Qiaozhen's force and walk towards the bedroom. All the clothes in the bedroom had been turned over and were in a mess.

However, Ning Qiaozhen simply placed Wanqiu's head on the spot in front of her dressing table where she kept her jewelry.

"Where are my things? Where are they? Where have all my valuables gone?!"

A sharp, rebuking shout echoed in Wanqiu's ears.

Wan Qiu stared blankly at the empty space where the jewelry box had once been.

It was taken by Dad.

"It's Dad..." Wan Qiu had barely finished speaking when he was slammed hard to the ground, but the soft carpet eased the pain.

Wanqiu instinctively clutched his head, curled up, and waited for the pain to begin.

Ning Qiaozhen is 'unhappy', and her unhappiness has already led to the destruction of the entire house, and he will also become a target of destruction.

However, the expected pain did not come.

He heard Ning Qiaozhen crying.

"Waaaaah... You bastard, you bastard, waaaaah, men... all men are bastards, waaaaah..."

Wan Qiu glanced at Ning Qiaozhen secretly; Ning Qiaozhen was already sobbing uncontrollably.

She seemed to have lost all motivation, collapsing onto the carpet, crying desperately and uncontrollably.

She didn't even have the energy to vent her anger.

Wanqiu had no idea what had happened.

But looking at Ning Qiaozhen, he seemed to understand something vaguely.

Wan Qiu got up from the ground and looked at Ning Qiaozhen. Ning Qiaozhen's crying was very unpleasant, with highs and lows and a sense of despair.

Wan Qiu approached Ning Qiaozhen: "Mom..."

Ning Qiaozhen just cried, unmoved by Wan Qiu's voice.

Wan Qiu felt very sad; Ning Qiaozhen's crying pained his heart.

"Mom?" Wan Qiu wanted to comfort Ning Qiaozhen and think of a way, but he didn't know how. "Mom, Dad..."

However, just as Wan Qiu uttered the word "father," Ning Qiaozhen suddenly slapped him hard across the face.

Wan Qiu felt a buzzing in his brain, and the pain in his cheeks made his nose hurt as well. Wan Qiu was slapped directly onto the bed.

Her cheeks swelled up at a visible speed.

Ning Qiaozhen rarely hit him.

Ning Hai was the one who did most of the fighting, while Ning Qiaozhen just watched coldly from the sidelines as Wan Qiu was being beaten.

Ning Qiaozhen never stopped Ning Hai from hitting him.

Ning Qiaozhen only likes to slap people on the face, which leaves marks, so she rarely does it.

Ning Qiaozhen's hands were thick and slightly larger than those of an average woman, making them very painful to hit.

Wan Qiu didn't know what he should do. He was cornered by Ning Qiaozhen in front of the dressing table in the bedroom, unable to get out or do anything.

Wanqiu's vision was obstructed by the swelling in one of her eyes.

"You bastard, you bastard, waaaaaah Ning Hai, Ning Hai, you shameless bastard, ahhhhhh..."

Ning Qiaozhen's suppressed sobs were extremely pitiful. She collapsed to the ground, looking incredibly fragile.

"Don't cry." Wanqiu's voice trembled with sobs. "Don't cry, Mom, don't cry."

Wanqiu didn't know what to do.

Wanqiu has no say in anything.

"Get out of my way." Ning Qiaozhen sat on the ground but kicked Wan Qiu away. "What use are you? Trash, a burden, an idiot, a moron! You eat my food and wear my clothes every day, but you can't even guard the house. What use are you? You're not even as good as a dog!"

Wan Qiu staggered back two steps, his leg bones aching from the kick, but Ning Qiaozhen, who was already exhausted from crying, didn't cause him much harm.

Ning Qiaozhen's voice was not very clear due to her intense sobbing, but Wan Qiu heard the content clearly.

"Why are all the people around me useless? Why are they all useless? I can't live a good life, it's all your fault! Ning Hai, Ning Hai, you bastard, you actually ran away! Gone, everything is gone..."

What's wrong with Dad?

Wanqiu doesn't understand, Wanqiu can't comprehend.

What does it mean to run away?

Ning Qiaozhen kept crying and complaining, speaking in broken sentences that Wan Qiu couldn't understand.

Wan Qiu knelt before Ning Qiaozhen, forgetting the burning pain in his cheeks, his eyes fixed solely on Ning Qiaozhen.

Mom, don't cry.

Mom, don't cry.

Wanqiu wanted to speak, but couldn't bring himself to say it.

His mother didn't want to listen to him.

Mom, what can I do?

Wanqiu could only watch; there was nothing he could do.

Ning Qiaozhen held her phone and made calls one by one, but no one answered.

No matter how many times you dial, all you get is a busy signal that the call has been disconnected.

"This is what friends are! This is what friends are all about! To hell with friends!"

Ning Qiaozhen spoke with resentment, tears, and despair.

Wan Qiu was like a transparent person.

Ning Qiaozhen slammed her phone against the wall, leaving a dent before it finally fell to the ground, its screen shattering.

Ning Qiaozhen tossed and turned until late at night, without even turning on the lights in the room.

At night, all the lights in the houses are on, but Wanqiu is hidden in the darkness.

Ning Qiaozhen eventually fell asleep, exhausted, on the carpet beside the bed.

Her face was a mess, she didn't wipe her nose or tears, as if she had lost all desire to move. Her eyes were red, and she was breathing with her mouth open. She looked more like she was in a coma than asleep.

Wan Qiu stood up, having been kneeling until now; the pain in her legs almost made her unable to support her body.

I found the broken phone and quietly placed it next to my mother.

By the light from the window, Wanqiu painstakingly folded up the messy things in the bedroom and put them back in the wardrobe.

He made the bed, but dared not move Ning Qiaozhen.

Wan Qiu covered Ning Qiaozhen's abdomen with a thin blanket, thankfully preventing her from catching a cold on a summer night.

When Wanqiu arrived in the living room, he only dared to turn on a white nightlight and clean the living room by the light, doing the only thing he could do.

My legs hurt, my cheeks hurt, and I could taste blood in my mouth.

Wanqiu was tidying up when, late at night, the lights outside the window were turned off, leaving only a few scattered lights.

Wan Qiu opened the bedroom door, but he didn't dare to go into his mother's bedroom.

Lying on the cold floor of the entryway, Wanqiu took only a pillow and leaned against her mother.

Mom was very unhappy.

Mom might need him.

When Ning Qiaozhen woke up, she felt a splitting headache. The long-term crying and lack of oxygen made it take her a long time to react.

My eyes are red, swollen, and painful.

She looked up and saw Wan Qiu sitting at the door.

"Mom." Wan Qiu's voice was filled with relief when he saw that she was awake. "Mom, are you awake? I cooked some porridge. I'll go heat it up and bring it over."

Memories flooded back: Ninghai's betrayal, the loss of contact with friends, the suppression from his former boss—all of it came rushing back to mind.

Ning Qiaozhen saw the room, which had been cleaned and tidied up.

She stepped outside and saw the equally clean living room.

But the cleanliness of everything did not improve Ning Qiaozhen's mood.

What's the point of cleaning up? This isn't her house. She won't even be able to pay the rent next month.

These neatly tidied things are practically mocking her.

Even the house is spotless, but hers is a complete mess.

Wan Qiu came out carrying a bowl.

"Mom, is there anything I didn't clean properly?" Wan Qiu asked, noticing Ning Qiaozhen's gloomy expression.

"Who told you to clean? What's the point of cleaning? You're just doing useless things. Are you deliberately trying to annoy me?" Ning Qiaozhen was just asleep, but she hadn't forgotten to be angry.

Wanqiu put the small bowl in her hand on the table: "Mom, you didn't eat last night, eat today."

"Eat, eat, eat. All an idiot knows is eating. What else can you do besides eat?"

Ning Qiaozhen suddenly knocked over the bowl in Wan Qiu's hand.

Wanqiu lost his grip and instinctively tried to scoop it up, but ended up grabbing the scalding hot porridge instead.

The intense pain of the high temperature burning her skin was excruciating, but Wan Qiu only bit her lower lip to stop herself from making a sound of pain. Her hands, hidden behind her back, trembled uncontrollably from the pain.

The loud sound of the bowl shattering on the ground once again jolted Ning Qiaozhen.

"Do you only feel happy if you cause me trouble every day? Why did I even take you in and raise you in the first place? You ungrateful wretch, can't you ever do me a favor?!"

Suddenly, Ning Qiaozhen grabbed Wan Qiu by the back of the neck and shoved him violently into his room.

"Don't come out and get in my way, I don't want to see you!"

Wan Qiu paused for a moment, then suddenly turned around, and at the same time heard Ning Qiaozhen lock the door from the inside.

Wan Qiu's heart clenched suddenly, and he instinctively lunged towards the door, trying to turn the knob to open it, but he couldn't.

He was locked up.

He was... locked up.

Wanqiu leaned against the door, gazing blankly out the window at the summer morning.

The daylight slowed Wanqiu's heartbeat.

Wan Qiu dared not utter a sound and sat quietly in the room.

Wanqiu obediently got up, found a piece of draft paper, and wiped his hand, which had been scalded by the porridge, clean. It hurt, it burned, but it was only red.

Wanqiu held his pen, wanting to do his homework, but he couldn't concentrate.

I could hear my mother talking incessantly on the phone outside.

"Do you know where Ninghai went? Hello, hello?"

"It's me. I'm in trouble. My man ran away with all my money, and I'm penniless. Can you lend me some money...?"

"Why, why are you all treating me like this? What did I do wrong?"

Mom was on the phone the whole time.

However, in the end, she still burst into tears.

Wanqiu couldn't do his homework, so he leaned against the door.

In a vague way, Wanqiu seemed to understand something.

Dad is gone.

Dad will never come back; he abandoned them.

Mom, don't cry.

Mom, and me too.

Mom, I can collect garbage to support you.

The intermittent crying made Wanqiu extremely distressed. She curled up by the door, burying herself in her arms.

Time passed slowly, and night returned to the sky.

Wanqiu stayed in the room for the entire day, with no possibility of being released.

Finally, Wanqiu knocked on the door.

"Mom, Mom, please let me out, okay?" Wan Qiu knocked on the door softly, pleading in a low voice.

"Mommy, please let me out, Mommy, I need to pee."

A whole day, I don't know how long it's been now.

From the moment she felt the urge to urinate until now, Wan Qiu herself doesn't know how long she has been holding it in.

Wanqiu was sweating profusely and in great pain; tears were streaming down her face.

"Mom, please." Wan Qiu knew that Ning Qiaozhen hadn't left.

But Ning Qiaozhen did not open his door.

"Mother."

Wanqiu heard his own faint plea to Ning Qiaozhen, but he received no response.

"Mom, please." Wan Qiu's voice, choked with sobs, lasted for a long time.

He received no response.

When patience reaches its limit, everything will eventually break.

In that instant, the bright light streaming through the window...