Feng Mingshu walked out of the hospital, and the last bus at the bus stop had just passed by; she couldn't catch it.

There was a guesthouse next to the hospital, but a letter of introduction was required to check in. In addition to the money she left for bus fare, she had put all the money she had on her in a letter to Zhou Jinshan as an apology.

After standing in the cold wind for a while, she decided to walk back, hoping to blow away all the random thoughts in her mind.

There were few pedestrians on the street, no stars or moon in the night sky, and the streetlights were dim and sparse, with some areas completely dark. Fortunately, she did not have night blindness.

Just as Feng Mingshu stepped onto a dark road, she suddenly heard the jingling of bicycle bells and shouts behind her, but she did not stop and instead quickened her pace.

Suddenly, a beam of flashlight shone over.

Immediately afterward, with a screeching sound, a 28-inch bicycle sped up onto the curb and blocked her way. The person on the bike, holding a flashlight, grinned at her and said, "It really is you, Feng! Why didn't you stop?"

Feng Mingshu secretly reached into his schoolbag, looked up and said coldly, "I don't know you, get out of my way."

"Feng, don't be so cold. We're in the next class. My name is Pi Dapeng. You sit by the window, right? I pass by your window every break. You really don't recognize me... Ah!"

Pi Dapeng grinned and brought his pimple-covered face close to Feng Mingshu, but before he could get close, a cold glint flashed before his eyes, startling him so much that he hurriedly leaned back, resulting in him and his bicycle crashing to the ground with a clatter, letting out a scream.

Looking at the disheveled Pi Dapeng on the ground, Feng Mingshu felt a surge of indescribable emotion. She gripped the gleaming short blade in her hand tightly and gritted her teeth, saying, "If you dare to act like a hooligan towards me again, I can kill you and you won't have to pay with your life!"

Pi Dapeng, who was about to get up, was so frightened by the knife in Feng Mingshu's hand and the cold light in his eyes that he dared not move. He repeatedly protested, "Classmate Feng, I was just greeting you. It wasn't indecent. It didn't warrant drawing a knife... Okay, okay, I was wrong. I apologize and make amends. Please put the knife away."

Feng Mingshu did not put away the knife, and even waved it at Pi Dapeng: "Get up now and lift the car up."

"Grandma, okay, okay, I'll listen to you. Whatever you say goes."

Pi Dapeng got up and obeyed orders to lift the bicycle up. After testing it and finding no problems, he was then ordered to push it onto the deserted road and prop it up.

“Now you can get out of here!” Feng Mingshu grabbed the handlebars and shouted at him.

"Grandma, if you wanted my car, you should have just said so. I'd give you myself... Ouch, don't use the knife! I'm leaving, I'm leaving, okay?"

Pi Dapeng dodged Feng Mingshu's knife, smiling apologetically as he retreated until he reached a dark, secluded spot.

Feng Mingshu knew that the other party was still hiding in the shadows, but she didn't bother them anymore. She got on her bicycle and rode forward with all her might.

Finally, she saw that familiar, bright streetlight in the distance—that was where her home was!

She braked and jumped off, turning around to find no one in sight, her heart still pounding. She kicked the bicycle hard, sending it crashing into a crooked tree by the roadside with a thud. She had already driven far away.

"Ring ring, ring ring—"

The doorbell suddenly rang in the quiet Feng family mansion. Wang Ma was startled awake. She put on her cotton coat and went out of the bedroom, only to see the mistress open the door and go out first. She hurriedly followed.

Soon, she saw the lady open the courtyard gate and bring the young lady in. Wang Ma exclaimed in surprise, "Miss, didn't you ask Old Yan to tell you to stay at the hospital tonight...?"

But before she could finish speaking, her wife interrupted her: "Wang Ma, lock the courtyard gate, and then go prepare hot water."

When Wang Ma saw the mistress's cold face, her heart tightened, and she quickly agreed to go to work, not daring to ask a single question.

Once inside the building, Feng Mingshu drew strength from her mother's embrace, lifted her face, and forced a smile: "Mom, I'm actually fine. It's just that the hospital didn't need me to take care of them, so I took a ride back. It was just that the wind was strong on the way, and I caught a bit of a chill."

Seeing her daughter, pale-faced and trembling, yet managing a smile to comfort herself, Yu Jingqiu felt an overwhelming pang of heartache and regretted letting her go out tonight. She embraced her daughter and tried to calmly say, "Zhuzhu, let Mommy help you take a bath."

"Mom, I'm all grown up, I can wash myself."

Feng Mingshu shook his head repeatedly, but he still couldn't resist Yu Jingqiu's persistence.

In the warm bathroom, Feng Mingshu had just taken off her cotton-padded coat when Yu Jingqiu's gaze sharpened. She grabbed Feng Mingshu's left hand, rolled up her sweater sleeve, and immediately revealed a red mark around her wrist. Yu Jingqiu's expression changed: "Did he bully you?"

Sensing her mother's anger, Feng Mingshu quickly shook her head: "He didn't bully me. It was on the way. Before he fell asleep, he grabbed my wrist. I couldn't break free, so he left some marks. Uncle Yan knows about this too."

Seeing that her mother's expression had not improved, Feng Mingshu continued to explain, "Mom, you know that my skin is thin and will leave a mark if touched. Actually, he didn't use much force at the time."

Yu Jingqiu didn't say whether she believed it or not, but just looked at her daughter and said, "Zhuzhu, take off all your clothes."

Feng Mingshu was stunned for a moment, but still took off her clothes as instructed. Her skin, as white as jade, was flawless except for the red mark around her wrist, making her look like a beautiful woman.

Even though they were mother and daughter, Feng Mingshu blushed with embarrassment. Yu Jingqiu realized this, took a step outside, drew the light gauze curtain, and apologized softly through the curtain: "Zhuzhu, I'm sorry."

As the curtains were drawn, Feng Mingshu immediately stepped into the bathtub. The hot water dispelled the chill from her body. Suddenly, she heard her mother's apology, and an indescribable emotion welled up in her heart. She shook her head and said, "Mom, I don't blame you. I know you were just afraid that I would be bullied but didn't tell you."

But Feng Mingshu still wouldn't tell her mother about the people and things she encountered on her way home tonight, because she didn't want her to worry.

Yu Jingqiu was silent for a while, then said, "Mom was wrong tonight. I will never force you to be with any man again."

Hearing her mother's words, the events of the night kept churning in her mind, finally settling on the image of Zhou Jinshan unconscious on top of her. Her throat suddenly tightened, and she lowered her head, saying, "I've disappointed you, Mom."

She had made up her mind to let the other person go and to forgive her own conscience, but she had disappointed her mother.

Perhaps, ten years from now, when the situation has stabilized, she can find someone to settle down with, and then her mother will be at peace.

...

In the pitch-black alley, Pi Dapeng finally found his bicycle, but the smile on his face disappeared when he discovered that the handlebars were crooked and the chain was broken. He cursed angrily, but soon smiled again.

The laughter was particularly eerie in the pitch-black night.

"Which bastard is going crazy in the middle of the night? I'll smash you to death!"

A wooden ladle flew out of Old Lady Li's yard and hit Pi Dapeng on the head with a thud!