Chapter 800 When the guard, Zhang Sao, knelt down with a thud and burst into tears, spouting absurdities, it not only failed to elicit any sympathy but also made Old Lady Fang even more contemptuous.
"Borrow?" Old Mrs. Fang was so angry she almost laughed. "You call this borrowing? You think you can 'borrow' back even the peach shortbread you've already eaten?"
Lu Qingyang remained expressionless and unmoved: "Aunt Zhang, stop with your act. You know in your heart whether the item is borrowed or not, and the law knows even better."
Aunt Zhang's crying stopped abruptly; she knew she had gotten through this ordeal.
She thought to herself that losing some money was better than going to jail; as long as she was alive, she could always make a comeback.
"I'll pay...I'll pay..." She collapsed to the ground as if her spine had been removed, speaking weakly and tremblingly as she pulled a small bag wrapped in a handkerchief from her inner pocket, containing some spare change she had saved.
She counted and counted again, and with great reluctance, paid back the money according to the amount calculated by Old Lady Fang.
After paying the compensation, she collapsed to the ground, thinking that the matter was over.
However, Lu Qingyang's next words made her feel as if she had fallen into an ice cave.
"You've paid the money, but this matter can't just be left like this." Lu Qingyang nodded to Fang Zhongyi, who had rushed over upon hearing the news. Fang Zhongyi immediately understood, turned around, and walked out, clearly to make a phone call.
Aunt Zhang stared wide-eyed in horror: "I've already paid the money! What more do you want?!"
"How about that? This is the first time you've done this, but it will definitely not be the last. Today you stole snacks and scissors, but tomorrow it might be something even more valuable."
This will truly teach you a lesson, and you will always remember it.
The police must get involved. They'll leave you with a criminal record so you'll know that having clean hands comes at a price.
Aunt Zhang panicked completely. She tried to rush up and pull Lu Qingyang away, but Ma Hongxia stopped her.
She wanted to curse him out, but she lost her courage under Lu Qingyang's cold gaze.
She could only watch in despair. Not long after, two uniformed police officers followed Fang Zhong into the room.
When Aunt Zhang was taken away, her face was ashen, and she could no longer utter any words of excuse; only endless regret remained.
As Grandma Fang watched Zhang Sao being led away, she sighed, "Alas, if only I had known this would happen, I wouldn't have done it in the first place."
Lu Qingyang's tone was calm yet firm: "Grandma, can we be soft-hearted towards this kind of person? If it were her first offense and she sincerely repented, perhaps we could give her another chance. But she is clearly a repeat offender and shows no remorse whatsoever; she only knows how to lie and make excuses."
Let her learn a real lesson; she'll remember it and will go back to harm other people in the future.
Although Zhang Sao's matter was resolved, Old Mrs. Fang was still left with a lingering shadow in her heart, always feeling uneasy without a reliable person watching over the family.
Fang Zhong saw this and felt that always relying on family members to do everything for her, especially worrying that his mother was getting old and tired, was ultimately not a long-term solution.
After much deliberation, he used some connections to submit an application report to the military, outlining his family's actual situation.
The old man is a distinguished veteran who needs to rest, his mother is elderly, and his children are busy with work.
After a period of approval, the unit finally granted special permission to temporarily transfer a young guard named Chen, who had a strong work ethic, to the home to assist with the work for a period of time. His main responsibilities included handling household chores, running errands, and also taking care of the security of the house.
The day Xiao Chen arrived, he stood ramrod straight, his face was dark, and his eyes were clear yet held a hint of military restraint.
He stood in the Fang family's living room and introduced himself in a loud voice: "Reporting to the commander, guard company soldier Chen Weidong is here to report for duty. Please give instructions!"
This shout startled Grandpa Fang, who was dozing off, and made him open his eyes.
When Grandma Fang looked at this honest young man, her heart skipped a beat. She thought it was rather unreasonable to have a soldier's son doing housework.
But soon, she discovered how good Xiao Chen was.
Xiao Chen is quick and efficient, and has a keen eye for detail.
He took on all the heavy work, and did it quickly and well.
He was strong and steady, helping the old man take walks and get in and out of bed.
More importantly, he was extremely disciplined and kept his mouth shut. He would not only inquire about family matters, but also look around suspiciously.
Grandma Fang asked him to buy things, and he wouldn't even try to embezzle a single penny of the price difference. He would come back and report the expenses clearly.
At first, Grandma Fang was too embarrassed to let him do so many chores, but Xiao Chen said in a serious tone, "Grandma, the commander instructed me that taking good care of the old commander and you is my task, and I must complete the task!"
That earnestness is irresistible.
He even learned some simple care on his own, such as reading the newspaper to the old man and pushing his wheelchair to sunbathe in the yard when the weather was nice.
Seeing the house neatly organized and the old man with a reliable support beside him, Grandma Fang finally felt a huge weight lifted from her heart.
She privately remarked to Fang Zhong, "We finally found the right person this time! Xiao Chen is honest and reliable, a hundred times better than that scheming nanny!"
Later, Grandma Fang also heard that Xiao Chen's family was all gone, his parents had passed away, and he was raised by his grandmother. The child's family was well-off, and he joined the army at the age of seventeen.
Grandma Fang then told Grandpa Fang about it: "Look at this young man, he has only an old grandmother left at home, and he still has to come and help us."
Grandpa Fang was most interested in hearing things like this: "In the future, take better care of him."
After staying at Fang's house for a while, Xiao Chen gradually felt that this task was much more comfortable than training and standing guard all day in the company.
This comfort doesn't mean the work is easy, but rather that the chores are still done; it's the warm feeling in one's heart.
The Fang family didn't treat him like an outsider.
Grandma Fang was the first to "break through" his psychological defenses.
Whenever the family cooks something delicious, like stewed meat or dumplings, they always fill his bowl with a large portion. Seeing him eat with gusto, the old lady smiles broadly.
What he found most difficult to handle was that the old lady was also keen on arranging dates for him. Today she would mention Aunt Wang's niece from the neighborhood office, and tomorrow she would talk about Teacher Li's daughter, Jing, from the next alley. This would often leave this young man, who would furrow his brow on the training field, blushing and at a loss for what to do.
This warmth reminded him of his grandmother back home, who always worried about him getting married.
When Lu Qingyang came back, he often brought him some rare and interesting things.
Sometimes it's the newest snacks from Xinweiju, or the snacks you can buy outside, like egg tarts and coconut balls, with different varieties; sometimes it's a few books suitable for him to read, to broaden his horizons.
Under this daily feeding and care, Xiao Chen's originally angular face visibly became rounder, and his military uniform seemed to fit him tighter than when he arrived.
He would occasionally pinch his chubby cheeks in front of the mirror, feeling both amused and touched.
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