After Chen Zhou finished class, Song Jianmin and Chen Zhou went to Chen's house together.
The Chen family lived in a small building similar to Song Guomin's, in a less than ideal location. It took more than an hour to walk there from the school, so the two of them took the bus.
After getting off the bus, the two went to a noodle shop for dinner.
Song Jianmin paid for the meal in the morning, and Chen Zhou insisted on paying for this meal as well. Song Jianmin had come with her, so she couldn't let him pay her again.
Song Jianmin agreed to her request and said, "If you want to give it to me, then give it to me."
After eating a bowl of noodles, the two went downstairs and put on hats and coats, then found a secluded corner to sit down.
It was already past five o'clock, and more and more people were coming downstairs. They had finished their dinner and were enjoying the cool air outside. Some people were holding their grandchildren and chatting.
Starting with the rise in pork prices, the conversation began with reminiscing about the past when they went to the countryside. Then, they mentioned that pork prices had risen while chicken prices had fallen, so they quickly went to the market to buy two more chickens.
"Oh, speaking of the market reminds me! That old lady's eyes still aren't healed!"
Some people don't understand, "What? Whose eyes are messed up?"
"You don't know?"
"What's wrong? I don't know!"
"The Chen family's son on the third floor, the one named Chen Jiamu, Chen Jiamu and his classmate were planning to steal money. They were going to break the window and climb in, but a shard of glass fell into the eye of an old woman who was passing by!"
"My God! How could such a thing happen!"
Song Jianmin and Chen Zhou exchanged a glance.
Chen Zhou pursed his lips.
"That old woman's daughter caused trouble here before! It was during the day, so you were probably all at work and didn't know. Good heavens, she was so loud that even the security guard came! Anyway, it was Chen Jiamu who did this, so the Chen family definitely has to pay compensation!"
“Chen Jiamu is no good, he needs to be taught a lesson! Last time he stole money from home, Mi Xiuhua was so angry that she chased him for two blocks but still couldn’t get the money back.”
"Tsk tsk tsk, forget about Chen Jiamu. Chen Zhou, a perfectly fine girl, was kicked out of her home. Sigh, I wonder how she's doing now."
Song Jianmin glanced at Chen Zhou.
"I heard the Chen family went to look for him, and it seems they found him. Last time I heard the Chen family say that Chen Zhou got into university!"
"What a wonderful girl, to end up with such a family."
"Sigh, I'm not saying this to be mean, but Chen Zhou ran away and that's it. He shouldn't come back. Look how biased Chen Qing and his wife are. Those two old geezers aren't good either."
"Never mind, never mind, I won't say anything more."
Chen Zhou sat by the flower bed, his back to the direction of the women.
Song Jianmin felt the person next to him trembling. He thought for a moment, then reached out and grasped Chen Zhou's tightly clenched fist.
Chen Zhou looked over, and Song Jianmin gestured with his eyes, asking if they should stay.
Chen Zhou nodded.
She whispered, "Let's wait a little longer."
She wanted to know exactly how much compensation the Chen family had to pay.
The two continued to sit by the flower bed, and soon a familiar figure came into view.
Chen Zhou immediately lowered his head, while Song Jianmin pretended to sit idly, kicking the stones on the ground.
It was getting dark, and Mi Xiuhua, not noticing the two of them, hurriedly walked past them and went upstairs with the groceries in her hand.
About ten minutes later, Chen Qing, who had just finished work, also returned.
After Chen Qing went upstairs, Chen Zhou stood up and said to Song Jianmin, "Let's go! Let's go upstairs and take a look."
The Chen family lived on the third floor. The two of them quietly went upstairs and stood outside the door.
The Chen family's door was still a wooden door, and light could be seen through the cracks.
Voices could be heard coming from inside.
"The time is almost up! Let's see how we handle this! Anyway, I borrowed over a hundred from my older brother, your family can't possibly not contribute anything, right?"
"Chen Qing! What do you mean! I went back and asked around, and my family doesn't have any money to lend! What can I do!"
Chen Qing sneered: "Anyway, we're going to Chuanfu Town tomorrow. We're still short two hundred. If we can't pay, we can expect Chen Jiamu to go to jail!"
Soon after, the sound of weeping came from inside, accompanied by Chen Jiamu's wailing as he was being beaten.
"I won't do it again, I'll never do it again!"
Chen Qing was furious. "Look at you! You're bad at studying, you get into fights, and now you're stealing! Have you ever calculated how much money we've spent on you over the years?!"
Chen Jiamu roared angrily, his neck stiff, "Is this my fault?! If Chen Zhou hadn't refused to take me to the hospital, I wouldn't have gotten a fever and become stupid!"
Upon hearing this, Chen Zhou coldly curled the corners of his lips.
Even now, the Chen family still wants to hold her accountable for this.
Mi Xiuhua chimed in with her own curses, "That damned Chen Zhou must have saved up a lot of money, but she won't even help us out in our time of need! Our whole family could die right in front of her, and she wouldn't even blink. How could I have given birth to such a heartless daughter!"
Chen Qing: "What's the use of saying all this now! Chen Zhou is about to call the police! Go back to your parents' house right now and keep borrowing money. You have to kneel down to get that money back!"
Outside the door, Song Jianmin's face flushed red with anger.
Chen Zhou pulled him downstairs.
I need to take a day off tomorrow.
Song Jianmin: "I want to invite you too, I'll go with you."
Chen Zhou's eyes widened. "Why are you taking leave? I have important business to attend to. You go to your class."
"Never mind that, I just want to ask for leave."
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