Fang Qiao turned around and saw Director Zhang riding over on a bicycle.

In front of her, Liu Lai'er sat sideways on the high bar of the bicycle, her little hands gripping the handlebars tightly out of fear.

Director Zhang stopped the car in front of Li Dan and lifted Liu Lai'er off the bicycle by her armpits.

An unnatural smile appeared on Li Dan's face: "Director Zhang, the child is being naughty and running around everywhere. I'm sorry to have troubled you."

"You say the child is immature? I think she's more mature than you. Locking such a young child alone at home, you must have a lot of brains to do something so reckless!" Director Zhang sneered, "I want to ask you, what important business did you go on that you couldn't take the child with you and had to lock her at home!"

Li Dan was embarrassed by Director Zhang's words, her face turning pale and then red. She subconsciously retorted, "Director Zhang, it's not what you think. I just went out for a little while to get some medicine. Who knew she would be so naughty, learning bad things instead of good ones? She can't even wait a little while. At such a young age, she's already learning to climb over walls!"

Li Dan was implying something, subtly accusing Fang Qiao of instigating Liu Lai'er to climb over the wall.

"Stop dragging others into this." Fang Qiao was speechless: "Lai'er said she woke up at 7:20, and there was no one home by then. It's past 10 now, almost three hours. Is this what you call a 'little while'? Well, your 'little while' is quite long."

Li Dan's face darkened: "Are you questioning me?"

Fang Qiao shrugged: "It's just stating the facts."

Li Dan was furious, but unable to do anything about Fang Qiao, she grabbed Liu Lai'er and pulled her in front of her, raising her hand to hit her: "I'll teach you to be disobedient! I'll teach you to be bad! I'll teach you to climb over the wall!"

"Speak your mind, why are you hitting the child?" Director Zhang quickly shielded Liu Lai'er behind him. "It's wrong for the child to climb over the wall, but you locked him up first! Anyone who isn't mentally challenged would have found a way out. You were in the wrong from the start, why are you taking it out on the child!"

With this kind of awareness, you're still working in the after-school program? I don't think this job suits you at all, lest you take your anger out on other kids someday! If you don't want to do it, say so now, I'm going to talk to your after-school program leader.

Li Dan wasn't afraid at first, but when she heard that Director Zhang was going to see her superior, she quickly admitted her mistake: "No, no. Director Zhang, I was wrong. I didn't really mean to hit the child, I just acted impulsively."

"Even in a moment of panic, you can't hit a child!" Director Zhang sternly reprimanded her. "Li Dan, this is a child, not a kitten or puppy, that you can just tie him up with a rope and close the door and be done with it! Since you brought the child here, then take good care of him! Learn from the other families in the compound how they raise their children!"

"Since this is your first time, I'll give you a few words of criticism and a chance to repent. But if I find out again that you've locked the child up like a cat or dog, leaving him at home unattended, see how I deal with you!"

"I understand." Li Dan lowered her head, her drooping eyelashes concealing the reluctance in her eyes.

After reprimanding Li Dan, Director Zhang left. Li Dan stood there, watching Director Zhang ride his bicycle and disappear around the corner. She turned her head and glared fiercely at Liu Lai'er beside her.

Liu Lai'er was so frightened that she took a few steps back.

Chen Guizhi rolled her eyes: "What are you glaring at me for? You want to hit the child? Let me tell you, the neighbors are watching. You dare to lay a hand on him?"

"I can't be bothered with you." Li Dan snorted coldly, no longer pretending to be friendly. She glared at the group of people, picked up the bag of Chinese medicine in her hand, took out her keys, and turned to go home.

Liu Lai'er stood there hesitantly, somewhat afraid to go back.

Li Dan snapped at her impatiently, "What are you standing there for? Do you want me to personally invite you in?"

Liu Lai'er shrank back after being yelled at and hurried home.

Soon, the sound of Li Dan ordering Liu Lai'er around to do chores could be heard coming from the courtyard.

One minute they'd make her scrub the clay pot, the next they'd make her light the stove, and they'd call her an idiot every now and then.

Before long, the bitter smell of Chinese medicine wafted into her house.

Fang Qiao and Chen Guizhi exchanged a glance and smiled helplessly.

We've done all we can to help; the rest is up to the girl's own fate.

The two talked for a while under the big poplar tree, and it was 11 a.m.

Chen Guizhi's family has three primary school students who get out of school at 11 o'clock and need to eat as soon as they get home, so she usually starts cooking at 11 o'clock.

Fang Qiao's family has no students, and Cheng Baidong doesn't get off work until midnight, so he usually doesn't cook until 11:30.

Chen Guizhi went home to cook, and Fang Qiao, not wanting to stay outside alone, also carried her small stool home.

She went to the toilet and was still washing her hands when she heard someone at the gate of the yard ask, "Is anyone home?"

"at home."

Fang Qiao quickly wiped her hands clean and came out of the bathroom, where she saw Wu Tianyou, wearing a white shirt, carrying gifts as he came in from outside.

It seems that the person Xiaojing was talking about this morning was him.

"It's you?" Fang Qiao looked him up and down and asked, "Do you need something?"

"Yes, something's come up."

Wu Tianyou looked embarrassed. He took a few steps forward, placed what he was carrying in front of Fang Qiao, and then stepped back, speaking earnestly: "Shuyi has told me everything that happened before. She knows she was wrong, but she's too shy to apologize to you in person. So I'm here to formally apologize to you on Shuyi's behalf. I also think that since you're colleagues in the same unit, it's better to resolve conflicts than to let them fester. Of course, it would be best if we could shake hands and make peace. This small apology is just to express my remorse."

Fang Qiao glanced at the ground and realized that the items he had brought were quite valuable.

One is wild ginseng from Northeast China packaged in an exquisite tin box, and the other is highland winter, spring and summer herbs packaged in a cloth gift box. In addition, there are two boxes of pastries from a century-old brand.

That's a big spender!

It's been over a month since her affair with Sun Shuyi happened; it's all old news. Is it really worth him using these things as an apology?

This is really strange. Could they have some other motive?

Fang Qiao had reasonable suspicions.