Under the cover of night, Xu Mengyao carefully supported Zhang Xiaomei as they walked home.

"We're here, Xiaomei, don't be afraid." She gently pushed open the door of her home. Huang Wenrong came out to greet her and saw that their eyes were full of concern:

"Wenjuan, where have you been? Xiao..."

"Shh, sister, come into the house first and we'll talk in detail later." Xu Mengyao interrupted Huang Wenrong and pointed upstairs to indicate that no one should hear.

Grandma Huang and her mother were sitting in the living room watching TV. When they saw the two people come in, Grandma Huang immediately put down the fan in her hand, glanced sharply at Zhang Xiaomei, and then frowned, with a hint of indignation in her tone:

"What kind of suffering has this child endured? Was it your father who beat him again? He is such a piece of shit!"

Huang's mother looked at the wounds on Zhang Xiaomei's torn clothes, turned and went into the room. After a while, she came back with a brand new set of cotton and silk clothes in her hands. They were clothes she had just made today, and she handed them to Zhang Xiaomei without hesitation.

"Child, let me treat your wounds first, and then you can change into this set." Huang's mother said gently.

Zhang Xiaomei's hands trembled slightly as she took the clothes. When she went to the room to change, her knees were black and purple, which was shocking. There were also bloodstains on her body left by the belt, which made everyone present gasp.

Huang's mother's eyes were red. She quickly took out iodine and gauze and carefully wiped Zhang Xiaomei's wound.

Huang Nai also took out a bottle of medicated oil from the drawer, poured it on Zhang Xiaomei's knees, and rubbed it slowly with her palms to disperse the blood clots there.

"Child, cry if it hurts, don't hold it in." Grandma Huang said with concern.

But Zhang Xiaomei just shed tears silently without making a sound.

"Grandma, I'm not in pain...it's just..." Zhang Xiaomei's voice choked with sobs, tears streaming down her face. "No one has ever been so kind to me..."

Huang Nai's hand paused slightly, a trace of sadness flashed in her eyes, she gently patted Zhang Xiaomei's back and comforted her softly:

"Good boy, cry, it will heal you. Hard times will eventually pass. Look at me, my little feet have weathered so many storms. Life is like this medicated oil. It may hurt a little at first, but slowly, the blood stasis will dissipate and the wound will heal. Remember, the more bitter the beginning, the sweeter the end."

Zhang Xiaomei listened to what Grandma Huang said, nodded heavily, closed her eyes, felt the warmth on her knees, and fell asleep on Huang Wenrong's bed, with tears still on her face.

In the living room, Huang Nai's eyes were filled with worry. She gently stroked the teacup in her hand and turned her gaze to Xu Mengyao:

"What are you going to do about this child? We feel sorry for her, but no matter how much we feel sorry for her, she's still someone else's child, and her biological father lives upstairs."

Huang's mother sighed, her brow furrowed. "Yeah, how about waiting for your dad to get home from get off work tomorrow and have him go upstairs and try to persuade them? Or, should we go to Zhang Xiaomei's father's workplace and report the situation?"

Xu Mengyao shook her head, her eyes revealing a bit of determination and helplessness:

"No, we've already reported this to the workplace, but what happened? Zhang Xiaomei was just abused in a different way. If we provoke her father again, Zhang Xiaomei will still be the one to suffer. We can't act rashly. We have to find a more reliable solution."

She paused and continued, "Tomorrow I'll ask Xiaomei what she thinks. If she really doesn't want to go back to that house, I'll take her out for a while and wait for the right time and method to resolve the issue."

Grandma Huang and Mrs. Huang looked at each other. Although they still had many concerns in their hearts, they had no choice but to nod in agreement.

The next morning, sunlight streamed through the window, and Zhang Xiaomei slowly opened her eyes. Her body still ached from yesterday's injuries, but she felt the most restful sleep she had felt in a long time.

"You're awake, Xiaomei. Let's go eat." Huang Wenrong, who was in the outer room, heard the noise, pushed the door open and greeted her with a smile.

Huang's mother had already gone to the snack bar to work, and Wenxia ran out early to play with his friends. Only Huang Nai, Xu Mengyao and Huang Wenrong were left at home.

When helping Zhang Xiaomei cross the yard, Huang Wenrong even used a towel to cover her face to avoid being discovered by Zhang Xiaomei's father and stepmother upstairs.

At the dining table, Zhang Xiaomei twisted the corners of her clothes tightly with her hands and lowered her head nervously, as if every slight movement could reveal her inner panic.

Seeing this, Grandma Huang patted her shoulder and said, "Child, eat first. Only when you are full can you have the energy to think."

After the meal, Xu Mengyao gently put down her chopsticks and spoke gently, "Xiaomei, what are your plans next? Do you still want to return to that...home?"

Zhang Xiaomei's eyes instantly turned red when she heard this. She shook her head and said in a choked voice, "That's not home. It's the place I dream of escaping from."

When she said this, her emotions fluctuated a little. Huang Wenrong quietly moved closer and put his hand on her shoulder, conveying silent support.

Xu Mengyao took a deep breath and looked at Zhang Xiaomei firmly:

"I haven't thought of a better solution yet, but if you really don't want to go back, I can help you hide for a while. There's still more than a month left before school starts, so at least you'll be safe during this time."

Zhang Xiaomei's eyes flickered with hope when she heard this, but then dimmed again. She shook her head and said with a wry smile:

"Thank you. I'm really grateful for taking me in last night. I'm really scared to go back, but my dad... he's a lunatic. If he found out I was at your house, he would definitely come and make a scene.

We had some kind neighbors who tried to help us in our previous rental, but he always came to our door and made a scene. He said I was his child, and it was his business if he beat me to death. I didn't want to implicate you, but he wouldn't kill me." He said this while forcing a smile.

Her smile hides helplessness, but also reveals a tenacity that transcends her age.

Xu Mengyao felt a surge of mixed emotions as she looked at this stubborn and strong girl. In this precarious moment, she didn't cling to a lifeline, but instead prioritized not causing them any trouble. Such understanding and kindness only solidified Xu Mengyao's resolve to help her.

"Xiaomei, don't worry." Xu Mengyao held Zhang Xiaomei's hand. "I'll make arrangements and make sure your father and stepmother don't find out I helped you. I'll take you to the city, where they won't be able to find you. Trust me, we'll definitely find a better solution."

However, that afternoon, Zhang Xiaomei's father's rough and angry shouts suddenly rang out in the family compound, his voice filled with anger and threats:

"Zhang Xiaomei! Zhang Xiaomei! Where have you been hiding, you bitch?! Get home now! Or I'll catch you and beat you to death!"