five
1
On his way home, he found that factories had been built around the town. Some people built small buildings and rented them to outsiders to make a living. However, he had been in a hurry along the way and had no time to care about these changes. He wanted to return home as soon as possible and understand the situation at home. After crossing the provinces, he finally stepped onto the ferry and rushed to the island. The waves hit the fishing boat again, and the sea breeze blew against his face. After wandering for five years, he finally returned to his hometown.
A row of fishing boats were docked on the shore. In the distance, someone was casting a net into the sea. The setting sun floated on the sea. The surface of the sea was quiet, and a soft light flickered.
The ship docked. After so many years, he finally set foot on the land of his hometown. Many motorcycles were parked at the dock. The passengers swarmed up and asked him where he was going. When he heard the local accent, his eyes couldn't help but tear up. He had been away for many years and had long forgotten his local accent. He spoke the dialect of various places and did not know what to say. He refused the passengers and walked on the newly laid highway around the sea. He was very surprised that there was such a perfect road on the island. At the same time, he thought of those people who were doing illegal things on the island, and he became more worried. He walked on the road and looked at the blue sea. He really wanted to jump into the sea and swim around. The village was on the other side of the island. He slowed down his pace and admired the sea that was suffused with red clouds. There were many bungalows built by the roadside. Those people were standing on the roof, collecting seaweed and dried fish. From time to time, they would turn their heads to look at the passerby who was slowly walking on the road.
Wen Xuan turned a corner and walked past the next village.
The red glow was fading. The surging sea left behind a faint blush.
"Please, save me."
Wen Xuan suddenly heard a weak cry for help and turned his head to look up. The voice came from a bungalow at the foot of the mountain. He walked into the bungalow and looked inside. The room was dark and there was no sound.
"I'm here."
Wen Xuan took a few steps back and looked up from the courtyard. He saw a girl staring at him from the roof.
"Were you talking just now? A child?" Guo Wenxuan said.
"Please, put me down.”the girl said. She was lying on the roof, leaning over to look at Wen Xuan.
Wen Xuan turned his head to look at the bungalow, then turned back to look at the empty road and said,""What should I do?"
The sunlight was fading. The sea and sky were connected, and there was a faint blue light.
"There's a ladder under the tree. You can just put it on the side.”the girl said.
Wen Xuan ran to the tree, touched the ladder that was upside down, and helped it up. He leaned her against the side of the house and pressed her down, saying,"That's enough. Come down."
"Can you come up? I can't move." the girl said.
"Can't move? Just come over." Wen Xuan took out a lighter and said," Can you see it? It's bright here. Come over."
"I can't move. It was too painful. My leg is about to break. It hurts." the girl cried.
Wen Xuan held the lighter and climbed up the ladder, then he was stunned. He stood on the roof and saw a pile of stinky dead fish. A dense swarm of flies was flying around the dead object. The little girl curled up and lay on the side. One of her legs was covered in blood and flies. Wen Xuan was shocked and furious, and he couldn't help but curse loudly. He squatted down and looked at the girl's pale face.""Who did this?"
From the moment the girl saw him, she began to cry silently. She sobbed for a while and said,"Put me down before they come back." Let me drink some water."
Wen Xuan bent down, picked up the girl, and slowly descended the ladder. He tried to be as light as possible so as not to burden her. The girl only gritted her teeth and cried silently, trembling in his arms. Her feet were still dripping blood.
"Hang in there. It'll be done soon.”Guo Wenxuan said.
The girl smiled. She buried her face in his arms. He could feel her body trembling violently and knew that she was badly hurt.
"I'll carry you. This is faster." Wen Xuan squatted down. His arms were tightly grabbed by the girl. He said," Let go first." I won't abandon you. I'll carry you on my back. This will be faster."
The girl let go and looked at him.
Wen Xuan placed the backpack in front of him, then bent over and carried the girl on his back. He carried the girl on his back and jogged all the way.
The road extended upward in the twilight, as if it was climbing between mountains. Wen Xuan panted, but he refused to stop and rest for a moment. He patted the girl's back and asked,"What's wrong with you?”
The girl did not respond. Wen Xuan was shocked and continued to run forward.
The town on the island sparkled with sparks of fire. Wen Xuan carried the girl and rushed into a small clinic on the shore. The doctor who was dozing off at the side looked up and ran over to help him hold the little girl. The doctor placed the little girl on the bed and turned around to see that Wen Xuan was already lying on another bed. He ran outside and called for a helper.
2
When Wen Xuan woke up, he suspected that he was dreaming. He turned his head and saw a girl glaring at him. He immediately sat up and sized up the place.
The girl's feet were fixed by two wooden planks and were wrapped in white gauze. She lifted her other leg and looked up. She stared at Wen Xuan expressionlessly.
Wen Xuan thought of those things and turned to look at the girl. He suddenly felt very awkward. He had never been looked at like this by another girl. He lowered his head and glanced at the kettle. He got out of bed and poured a glass of water. He helped the girl up and asked,"Do you want some water?"
The girl lowered her head and licked it a few times before burying her face in the cup.
"Slow down, drink slowly." Wen Xuan said, thinking that she must not have eaten anything yet. He put down the glass of water and placed her on the bed. He picked up his backpack and ran out.
Many shops along the street had opened for business. The goods were exquisite and varied. Wen Xuan ran across two streets and shuttled between the people who were going to the market. He stopped in front of a small shop. He ordered a bowl of plain porridge and two fried dough sticks and waited at the side. The master's apron was covered in flour. The white dough was thrown into the boiling oil, making a squeaking sound. The dough floated up and turned into a long deep-fried dough stick. He took the bowl of porridge and a fried dough stick, turned around, and returned to the crowd.
This dilapidated market was now brand new. The bowl of porridge was steaming. White smoke sprayed onto his face. He blinked, thinking that he was hallucinating. No one had visited this deserted place in the past. Now, the lively scene surprised him.
He carried the bowl of porridge and rushed into the small clinic. The girl thought that he had run away and was sitting on the bed crying. He quickly put down those things and patted the girl's shoulder.
Seeing that he had returned, the girl wiped her tears and looked up at him without saying a word.
"Hurry up and have some porridge. The hot air blew on my face just now, so I'm probably cold now.”Wen Xuan said.
The girl giggled. She turned around and picked up the bowl of porridge. She looked at the bowl of noodles that was shining with white light and did not move.
"Oh, right. And this." Wen Xuan took out the youtiao wrapped in newspaper and waved it in front of the girl's eyes as if he was waving a big knife.
The girl giggled and looked at him.
Wen Xuan took out a fried dough stick, tore it open, and threw it into the porridge, saying,""Hurry up and eat."
The girl shook her head and handed him the porridge from that night.
Wen Xuan smiled and shook his head. He rubbed his stomach and said,""You eat. I've eaten. I'm very full."
The girl held the bowl in her arms and ate slowly, holding back her tears as she ate.
Wen Xuan stood up and turned his head to stare out of the window. He coughed a few times and said,""You can eat here first. I'm going out for a walk. I'll be right back.”
The girl put down the bowl and looked up at him as he left the clinic. She did not say anything.
The door was pushed open, and the morning light swirled in and scattered on the floor. In the girl's eyes, Wen Xuan seemed to have stepped into a flickering light and disappeared.
Wen Xuan stood by the door and looked up at the sea bathed in the morning light. He got off the road and walked to the dock. Staring at the row of slightly swaying fishing boats, he spat into the sparkling sea and said,""Damn it. What's going on?"
Under the scorching sun, he stroked the beard on his chin and looked at the fishing boat that had drifted to the horizon. He felt that it was too hot outside, so he spat into the sea again and turned back to the small clinic.
The moment the door was pushed open, Wen Xuan saw the girl staring at him and naturally smiled.
"Eat it. I can't eat anymore." The girl pushed out the half bowl of porridge and stared at Wen Xuan, whose face was red from the sun, forcing a smile.
Wen Xuan took the bowl, sat down, and ate it silently. He noticed that the girl was staring at him, so he did not look up. He only put down the bowl when the doctor came in.
The doctor picked up the medical record and pushed up the presbyopic glasses that had slipped to the tip of his nose. He looked at them and said,"Last night, you all fainted. I don't even have basic information here.”He tapped on the medical record and looked at Wen Xuan. Light shone from his glasses.
The girl kept looking at Wen Xuan as if she was waiting for a hint. She didn't speak.
"It's fine according to your actual situation.”Wen Xuan stood up and walked to the doctor's side so that the girl's gaze could follow him.
"Little girl, what's your name? How old are you? Also, what happened to your foot?" the doctor asked.
The girl glanced at Wen Xuan, shook her head, and lowered her head.
The doctor was stunned and turned to look at Wen Xuan.
"I'm not sure either. I just saved her from the roof.”Wen Xuan shrugged his shoulders and looked at the girl." Don't be afraid. Just tell me."”
The girl looked up at Wen Xuan, then turned her head to look at the doctor, saying,""I don't have a name. They would never call me, they would only point at me and ask me to do this and that.”
"How old are you?" The doctor shook his head.”
"Twelve years old." the girl said.
"Where are your parents?" the doctor asked.
"My father hit my mother, grabbed her neck, and slammed her head against the door. Each time, he used more force than the last. He even scolded her loudly, saying that she was useless and could not give birth to a son. Then, my mother grabbed my neck and slammed my head against the wall, asking me why I wasn't a boy. I have three sisters. One of them starved to death, and the other two can't speak. I have to take care of them every day, do housework, have no food to eat, and get beaten up.”The girl wiped the tears that were flowing down her face and gritted her teeth.
The doctor sighed, took off his glasses, rubbed his eyes, and asked,""What happened to your foot?"
"My dad lost money and came back to beat my mom. He tore her hair and made her blood everywhere. His sister was crying. My dad came over and told us to get lost. He hit me with a bamboo pole, stepped on me, and then a brick. My feet bled a lot. Her mother was screaming, saying, throw her out, throw her out. This useless piece of trash. My dad lifted me up and threw me onto the roof. I lay there for a day and a night with those dead fish. Eighty-six people passed by, and only you saved me.”The girl turned her head to look at Wen Xuan, tears streaming down her face.
Wen Xuan lowered his head and looked at the girl's injured leg. He said softly,""That's a beast."
"This is the folk custom here. Having a son was more important than anything else. In order to have a boy, some people avoided family planning and ran away everywhere.”the doctor said.
"Are there any other injuries on her body?”Wen Xuan asked.
"There are quite a few old injuries on his hands and feet. However, he did not know if his head had fallen.”the doctor said.
"Where are your legs?" Wen Xuan asked.
"It might be a little eversion. If only we could have arrived earlier." the doctor said.
"It's already very good that you can be saved.”The girl straightened her body and held Wen Xuan's hand. She said to him," You're really a good person."”
"It's nothing. Have a good rest." Wen Xuan withdrew his hand and followed the doctor out.
The road was dusty. A few motorbikes carrying guests hurried over.
The children ran over and stopped in front of the dock to look at the fishing boat.
Under the scorching sun, the surface of the sea turned into a vast white light.
"I'm a little worried. After all, this child has nothing to do with you.”The doctor took off his presbyopic glasses and rubbed his eyes tiredly." Besides, it's very awkward to be twelve years old. There were quite a number of people who threw away their newborn girls. Some were adopted, some died.“
Wen Xuan stretched out his leg and used the soles of his shoes to rub against the stone steps. He looked up at the pedestrians who were passing by in a hurry and did not say anything.
"However, this girl will be abused even if she is sent home. Many children couldn't stand it and ran away, wandering outside. This girl was still too young. It's obvious that he's malnourished." the doctor said.
"No one cares about these things?" Wen Xuan asked.
"This is a family matter? Who cared? In addition, this girl should not have received any education. Her parents definitely didn't let her go to school.”the doctor said.
"I think so too." Wen Xuan frowned and turned to spit. He noticed the blood on his shirt and turned to look at his own shadow in the window. The beard that climbed up made him look tired and old.
"What do you plan to do? She could stay here until she recovered. However, he had to leave once his injuries were healed. We won't keep anyone here." the doctor said.
Wen Xuan stroked his stubble and said,""I understand."
"Then what do you plan to do?" the doctor asked.
"We can't let her return to that bastard.”Wen Xuan said.
The doctor shook his head and said,"It's really hard to say."”
3
In the afternoon, Wen Xuan returned to the village. The fisherman sitting at the village entrance recognized him immediately. The man stood up and said,""Aren't you Old Guo's child? I haven't seen you for many years."
Wen Xuan stopped and looked at the white-haired fisherman. He thought for a while and asked,""Are you Uncle Zhang?"
The fisherman nodded and patted his shoulder, saying,""You're finally back. Old Guo has been waiting for you for a long time. However, I still didn't see you. They even sent people to look for you everywhere."
"You didn't wait?" Wen Xuan turned to look at the other villagers who were enjoying the cool under the tree.
The fisherman's eyes were wet. He choked for a while and said,"Your father is dead."”
"What happened?" Wen Xuan ran past the villagers who nodded at him and ran home.
"She got NPC two years ago and died after a year.”the fisherman said loudly.
Wen Xuan ran faster and faster. He entered the village and was surrounded by newly built buildings. He felt a little lost. He crossed a few alleys, kicked away a ferocious dog that was charging at him, and ran through someone else's yard. Then, his dilapidated little house appeared in front of him. The wooden door was old and moldy. He pushed the door open. A musty smell assaulted his senses. The room was dim. Dust flew in the air under the sunlight. He stood outside the door and stared at the dilapidated house that had been empty for a long time. He did not come back to his senses for a long time.
Then, he ran to the Liu family to look for Wengui. The villagers walking on the street all looked at him and pointed at him, asking if he was Old Guo's eldest son. Old Guo's name kept flashing. He was so upset that he wished he could see his living parents at the Liu residence. He rushed into the newly built bungalow and stood in the living room for a while, sizing up the new furniture. Then, he turned around and entered a room.
A child was sleeping on the bed with his mouth open and snoring.
Wen Xuan turned around and entered another room. The room was clean and tidy. The newly added furniture gave off a strong smell.
The curtain fluttered in the wind.
Wen Xuan felt that he had come to the wrong place. This bungalow did not look like his sister's home. He went out and bumped into Wen Gui, who had just returned. The clothes that had just been washed fell to the ground. The steel plate fell to the ground with a thud. It spun a few times on the ground, glowing with silver light, and then stopped. It was as if a silver hole had suddenly appeared on the ground, reflecting silver light.
"Where are Mom and Dad?" Wen Xuan asked.
Wen Gui glared at him and squatted down to pick up the wet clothes. She put it in the steel plate and walked to the tree with the steel plate. One end of the rope was tied to the tree trunk, and the other end was tied to the iron bars on the windowsill. Wen Gui picked up a piece of clothing, swung it, and hung it on the rope, leaving the dazed Wen Xuan to the side.
"Where are Mom and Dad?" Wen Xuan stepped forward and stared at Wen Gui as he asked.
"You're free now. Go wherever you want." Wen Gui said.
"Where are Dad and Mom? Are you sick? Is it true?" Wen Xuan asked.
Wen Gui turned his head and stared at Wen Xuan." Not only is he sick, he's dead."”
Before he could finish speaking, Wen Gui had already started to cry.
"We asked around for news about you, but you seemed to have vanished from the face of the earth. Before I died, I was most worried about you and wanted to see you the most.”Wen Gui gritted his teeth and said," We all thought you were dead.”
"Where's Mommy?" Wen Xuan asked.
"Dad didn't leave for long, and she left too. Don't look at how fierce and powerful her mother was usually. But once her father left, she lost her soul.”Wen Gui said.
Wen Xuan reached out and supported the Dragon Eye Tree beside him. He shook his body and sat down on the protruding tree root. He didn't say a word. His face turned green as he stared at the light spots on the ground that were moving with the wind.
Wen Gui wiped away his tears, picked up a pair of pants, and swung it around, putting it on the rope.
"When Dad left, he couldn't swallow anything. There was a lump in his throat. He would feel pain whenever he swallowed. We can only use a tube to guide things in. Actually, after he fell sick, he could not eat rice anymore. We can only make some noodles for him. You know how much he hates eating that stuff. His mother even made all kinds of noodles for him, and they were different every day.”Wen Gui said.
"Mommy is a cook. In Daddy's eyes, she's just a cook.”Wen Gui glanced at the empty basin, squatted down, and said," Mom always said before she died. Her father was a scholar and never ate the noodles she stole from the dining hall. At that time, if it wasn't for her mother bringing these things back from the dining hall, the whole family would have died long ago. Mother always said this, repeating it repeatedly. However, his father was a middle school teacher, and his salary was not as high as his wife's, so he naturally suffered a lot. At that time, it was normal that he could not eat this mouthful of noodles. Actually, her mother didn't mean to lose her temper. She had to consider the money, but she was also forced by reality. Now that we have a family, we understand. At that time, her father had insisted on keeping Yongnian, which had indeed angered her. Before she left, her mother always said that she knew that her father looked down on her and thought that she was just a cook and illiterate. It was as if she had gotten a great bargain to be able to marry a cultured person. Actually, it was a fact that his mother's salary was high. It was also a fact that his mother had supported this family. When she mentioned that her father had been eating noodles for a whole year, she would laugh and say that he deserved it. When she left, she said it again.”
Wen Xuan looked at the clothes moving on the ground. They were like marionettes, dancing on the ground with the wind.
The child who was sleeping on the bed woke up and ran out. He rushed into Xiao Gui's arms and said,""Mom, you're crying."
Wen Gui hugged the child and buried his head in the child's bulging stomach. He shook his head and said,"Aren, you're so good."
Aren turned his head and stared at Wen Xuan. He pointed at him and asked,"Mom, who is this?"
Wen Gui looked up and smiled. Wiping away her tears, she said,"This is a tramp. Running around. Dad and Mom don't want it anymore."
"This is too bad. Chase him away.”Aren clapped his hands at Wen Xuan and glared at him.
"He will leave, he will leave soon.”Wen Gui patted Aren's head and said,"Can you help me carry a basin back?"”
"But he's still here. Hurry up and let him go. I hate him. He made Mommy cry." Aren said.
"Alright. Aren was so obedient. Take the basin back." Wen Gui said.
Aren glared at Wen Xuan again, grabbed the edge of the basin, and dragged it back. Bang bang. The voice was very sharp and ear-piercing. Before entering the door, he glanced back at Wen Xuan.
"How can you lie to a child like this?" Wen Xuan said.
"I have no choice. I don't want the child to get close to you. I don't want him to learn from his uncle." Wen Gui said," Dad didn't say much before he died. He just kept emphasizing that he regretted not letting you go to school. I told him that his grandson would definitely go to school and not be a homeless person who had nothing to do. Before Mom left, she kept holding my hand and said that it would be great if she could find a girl for you earlier. It would be great if you could have a family and a child. That way, you wouldn't be running around without a trace all day. I told her that it was useless. You are a restless guy who will only harm that girl.”
Wen Gui smiled at him and looked at the change in Wen Xuan's expression. He seemed to be very pleased with himself.
"Mom wasn't angry when she heard that. She knew I was right. Some people were born like this and didn't know what responsibility was.”Wen Gui raised his head and stared at the row of clothes that were floating slightly. He said," You keep saying that Yongnian and I are insensible. I wonder which one is insensible." She also said that she was not wrong to not let you go to school. There was no benefit in going to school at all. The couple had been arguing for half a century, and before they left, they were at odds. These are our parents."
Wen Xuan stood up with his hands on his waist and looked at the row of bungalows in front of him, feeling dizzy.
"Where are you going?" Wen Gui stood up and held onto the clothline as he looked at his pale-faced brother.
"Where can a tramp go?" Wen Xuan said. He blinked, leaned against the tree trunk, and looked at his sister. Wen Gui had already tied up her hair, and her sharp chin had become round. His face glowed red. She had also become much rounder and looked like a woman.
"Don't run out anymore, brother. Before I left, I told you that if you come back, I'll find you a girl and let you start a family. Why did you run outside? If you can't live in that broken house, come and squeeze with us. You can go back when the house is repaired.”Wen Gui said.
"Why are you becoming more and more like Mom?”Wen Xuan shook his head as if he was avoiding a fly.
"Mom said that a man without a woman is like a wandering ghost. Look at what you've become! Like a prodigal son. Do you think this is very interesting?" Wen Gui noticed that Wen Xuan had turned his face away and said," If you don't have money, we can give it to you first. You can stay. Dad and Mom left you some money before they left. They also hope that you can come back here and have a home.”
Wen Xuan turned his head and saw another child standing outside the courtyard. The child was skinny and had a bag slung over his shoulder. He stared at Wen Xuan with red eyes.
"Mom." He ran to Wen Gui's side, held her hand, and turned to look at Wen Xuan.
"Abu, you're back." Wen Gui touched Abu's sweaty head and asked," Why are you so early today?”
"I ran back today." Abu said.
"Then go back to your room first. Finish your homework." Wen Gui said.
"I've finished my homework." Abu said.
"That's great. Then help mom cook. Add another bowl of rice." Wen Gui said.
Abu shook his head and stared at Wen Xuan, unwilling to leave.
"It's fine. You can go back first." Wen Gui said.
Abu glanced at Wen Xuan, turned around and ran into the house. The cloth bag swung around his waist.
"Look at you. Your face is full of stubble, and your clothes are dirty and torn! Where did the blood stain on his shirt come from? Did you fight with someone again? How can you not have a family? If you continue to mingle like this, you'll become an old man.”Wen Gui said.
Wen Xuan glanced at the tattered and old shoes on his feet and shook his feet.""You're really becoming more and more like your mother. Where did Gui go? Who is this old woman?"
"That's it! He would stay here for now. I asked Yongnian to get someone to repair that room. When the house is repaired, you can move there. Let's go in and take a shower first and change into Yongnian's clothes.”Wen Gui said.
Wen Xuan replied to Wen Gui, but he turned around and prepared to leave.
"Where are you going?" Wen Gui asked.
"Don't worry, I have something on and can't leave for the time being.”Wen Xuan said.
"Then where are you going to stay?" Wen Gui asked.
"Back to that place." Wen Xuan strode out.
"No one has lived there for a year. You should stay here for now. At the very least, he should have a meal here tonight.”Wen Gui said.
"No need. I'm afraid it'll scare the child. It's not good to dirty your house, sister.”Wen Xuan walked out of the alley and looked up at the unfamiliar alley before slowly walking down.
"I'll get Yongnian to send you something.”Wen Gui ran out and shouted.
"No need. Whenever I see that bastard, I want to beat him up.”Wen Xuan said.
4
Wen Xuan returned to the broken house and found the old clothes in the cabinet to change into. The old books on the cabinet reminded him of his father sitting at the table and writing. He took down the pile of books and wiped the dust off them with his hand. Then, he opened the books one by one and saw the teaching materials written by his father. He touched his father's name on the cover and thought that his father's health must have deteriorated after writing this textbook. He put the book back and sat in front of his father's desk, crying silently at the small iron window on the wall. That day, they had talked here. He was in a hurry to leave and did not speak properly to his father. The words of those fathers all had the meaning of urging them to stay. However, he was young and impetuous, so he ignored all of them and left in a hurry. He stood up and seemed to see his father dragging his crippled leg out with the youth from back then. So he went out as well. He walked straight out, went down the beach, and dived into the sea.
This was the first time he had come into contact with the sea in five years. The familiar waves reassured him. At the same time, he began to regret leaving this island. Now, he was already thirty years old and was in his thirties, yet he had nothing. Wen Gui's words had indeed touched him. Those past days suddenly came back to him. The setting sun cast golden light on the sea. He had spent many days and nights in this sea. He had returned to this place many times in his dreams. Now, he was back. His parents had already passed away. The old house looked dilapidated in the twilight. All of a sudden, he felt that he had lost everything he could have lost, but he had not gained anything other than his age.
At this moment, he only wanted to settle down and stay here. In the years to come, he only hoped to see such a sunset.
At night, he returned to the small town. There were more than a dozen men sitting by the door of the clinic. Most of these people were in their forties or fifties and reeked of alcohol. They lowered their heads and chatted, glancing at the passersby. The light in front of the clinic was on, casting a circle of yellow light on the ground, illuminating the faces of these men with dazed expressions.
Wen Xuan walked over and walked past the strange gazes of this group of people. He came to the door of the clinic. A man leaning against the door stood up straight and made way. Wen Xuan glanced at him and realized that his eyes were bloodshot. He turned around and knocked on the door. He pushed the door and found that it was locked. So, he turned to look at the group of men and walked down the stairs. He went to the window, looked inside, and knocked on the window.
The doctor was sitting in front of the bed. When he saw him, he waved his hand. Wen Xuan pointed at the door and ran back to knock on it. The others were all looking at him in surprise.
The doctor opened the door and saw that it was him. He turned to look at the group of people outside. He blinked at Wen Xuan and pulled him into the clinic, closing the door.
"What's going on? Why are there so many people outside?" Wen Xuan walked to the bed and looked down at the sleeping girl.
"They were all brought over by the girl's father. He wants this girl back." the doctor said.
"How can I? She wasn't done yet? If we bring him back, he'll be abused." Wen Xuan said.
"In the afternoon, he came alone. I don't know where he got the news. The moment the girl saw him, she cried and made a scene, wanting to run away. He pulled the child up forcefully, determined to take her away. It's useless for us to come out and stop them. However, when it came to money, he let go. I asked him to pay the medical fees first before leaving with the others. Hence, he left. He had brought back a group of people from somewhere, claiming that someone had abducted his daughter.”the doctor said.
"Preposterous." Wen Xuan was furious. He placed one hand on the glass window and turned his head to stare at the quiet street outside the window.
Someone was rushing across the street, looking in their direction and walking over in fear.
"He also asked for compensation or he would call the police. Now, he had already run to the police station and left this group of people to guard the place.”the doctor said.
"We can't let him take the girl away. If that was the case, he would become even worse and hurt her even more.”Wen Xuan said.
"It's troublesome for you to stand up like this. He will bite you to death. These people were not to be trifled with. They have the advantage in numbers and will harm you instead. They are waiting for you to appear." the doctor said.
"So what? Was he going to watch the girl suffer again? These scumbags did not even let their own flesh and blood off.”Wen Xuan reached out and knocked on the window before turning to look at the girl.
The girl had already woken up. She looked at him with tears in her eyes. Wen Xuan walked in front of her and sat down. He held her hand and said,""Don't be afraid. I won't let them take you away.”
The girl wiped her tears and closed her lips in panic.
At this moment, someone knocked on the door and shouted,"Open the door quickly." He opened the door. Hand over the girl."
The girl was shocked and immediately fell into Wen Xuan's arms. She trembled and cried, saying,"Don't hand me over. I don't want to go back to that place.”
Wen Xuan touched her head and placed her on the bed.""I'm fine. It'll be done soon." He stood up and glanced at the worried doctor.
"You shouldn't stay here. It's not easy to say here." the doctor said.
The girl held Wen Xuan's hand and stared at him, saying,""Don't leave me."
"I won't leave." Wen Xuan looked back at the wooden door that was knocked loudly and said," It's nothing more than seeking money."”
"I'm most afraid that you won't be able to save her even if you give her money. You'd better leave from the side door first. If the police come, I can help her slow down. After all, her injuries were not small. I can't leave here for a day or two." the doctor said.
"I don't want to." The girl shook her head and cried." No, he'll kill me." Don't leave me behind. This time, he will really kill me. If I go back with him, I won't live anymore. Anyway, I won't be able to live."
Wen Xuan sat down and looked at the girl without saying a word.
At this moment, the door was pushed open. The man in the straw hat rushed in with a few people, glaring at Wen Xuan with a smile. There was a long scar at the corner of his eye, as if it had been cut by a knife. When Scar smiled, he twisted his face tightly together, making his entire face look very strange.
"Hurry up and get out. This is a place for medical treatment, not a market. If he came in so casually, he would disturb the patient.”the doctor said.
The man pushed the doctor away and slowly walked to the bed. He glanced at Wen Xuan, then stared at the girl hiding behind him and said,""I'm here to see my daughter. Can't I? Besides, my daughter has been missing for two days. I don't know who kidnapped her. These villagers are here to find my daughter, not to cause trouble. Nowadays, the outside world was so chaotic. If he didn't get some help, he really couldn't do anything.”
The group of stinky men nodded and said yes. The few people who came in stood around the door with their backs against the wall, looking absent-minded.
That person patted the girl's head, grabbed a handful of hair, and glanced at Wen Xuan. The girl shook her head and stared at him. She hid further away and grabbed Wen Xuan's hand tightly.
"Who are you? Why are you holding on to my daughter? My daughter has been missing for two days. She was fine when she was at home. Why was she covered in injuries now? Who did this!" The man stood up and turned around to face his people in the room.
"You bastard, how dare you beat your own daughter up like this! You're the one who complained first." Wen Xuan also stood up and said.
That person laughed. The scar twisted up like a viper crawling on his face.
"This person kidnapped my daughter and is still talking nonsense here. It was him who took my daughter away from home and abused her. He was simply a pervert. Look." The man pulled the girl's hand and pulled off the blanket. He pointed at her injured leg and said.
Everyone was in an uproar.
"This is clearly your own doing.”Wen Xuan said.
The man lowered his head and winked at the person beside him."This is a human trafficker. Hurry up and arrest him. Don't let him harm other children.”
Just as Wen Xuan was about to retort, a few people rushed up and grabbed his hand. They punched him in the face and kicked him to the ground.
"I don't want to." The girl screamed and pointed at the person." It's always him. He's been hitting me and my mother. Look here, and here, they were all hit by him.”The girl pulled up her sleeves, revealing the scars. She pointed as tears fell.
The man sat down, grabbed his daughter's hand with one hand, and put his other hand around his daughter's shoulder. He lowered his head and bit her ear, whispering,""Don't talk nonsense. Otherwise, we'll all die." Then, he looked up and said to the people outside,""My dear daughter, what medicine did he give you to make you talk nonsense? Or did he beat you silly?”
The man slapped his daughter's face hard and gritted his teeth. He touched his daughter's face and pulled her head over.
The girl screamed and spat at her father's face."You hit me, you broke my legs. And all of this was your doing. You even knocked Mom out."
"It seems that this human trafficker is too powerful.”The man turned his head and gave the others a look.
Those people lifted their legs and kicked Wen Xuan hard, not giving him any space to breathe.
"Child, I'm here to save you and these uncles.”The man pointed at the others and smiled." They're all here to save you."”
"Don't hit him, he's a good person. He was the one who saved this girl." the doctor said. Before he could finish speaking, he was surrounded by a few fishermen. They pushed the doctor to the corner and stared at him, making him unable to speak.
"You people just want money.”Wen Xuan took a deep breath, spat out the blood in his mouth, and raised his head. The corner of his mouth had already cracked open, and blood was seeping out. His face was beaten black and blue.
"Don't let this human trafficker off. He will abduct more children." The man covered his child's mouth and said loudly," Think about your children. They are at home, waiting for you to return. However, this human trafficker would sneak into the house, steal the children, and then abuse and beat them up. He was a pervert and would abduct even more children.”
Those people continued to punch and kick Wen Xuan. The others by the door shouted, asking for more strength. The girl struggled and broke free. She climbed out of bed and cried loudly. Her father kept pulling her away.
"You beat my daughter up like this. Of course you have to pay for it. " In addition," the man spat on Wen Xuan's face and whispered to Wen Xuan," you still have to pay with your life." Let's see if you still dare to extend your hand so far. Let's see if you still have the guts to run into someone else's house and take them away. You've stretched your hand too far, hero.”
"That's right, that's right." The fishermen standing outside the door raised their hands to watch the show and shouted loudly.
"Stop fighting, stop fighting." The girl knelt down and said to the man," I'll go home with you, okay? Stop hitting him. Let go."
"You still have to go home, child. You were bewitched by him. Such a scumbag could not be allowed to stay in the human world and harm other children. This was especially true for those children who were not sensible and were alone at home. Villagers, don't you think so?" the man said.
"That's right, that's right."
That person smiled. The scar was twisted and bulged. He came in front of Wen Xuan and kicked him in the back a few times until he curled up and hugged his knees and spat out blood. Seeing Wen Xuan groaning in pain, the man squatted down. He grabbed Wen Xuan's head and whispered into his ear,""You want to be a good person, right? It's not that easy to be a good person. At the very least, you had to have a strong body to withstand the beating. Also, don't touch other people's things.”He stood up and kicked Wen Xuan's back twice. Then, he stepped on Wen Xuan's neck and slid his feet on it. The others looked at Wen Xuan, who was panting on the ground, and did not say anything.
At this moment, there was a commotion outside the door. Those people stepped back and made way for him. The man was about to lift his foot when he saw the people outside the door separate. He stopped and turned his head to look.
Wen Xuan spat out a mouthful of blood. He tried hard to blink his eyes, feeling the flesh on his face sticking back together after it split open. The feeling of being torn apart made him wish he was dead. He opened his eyes and saw a pool of glistening blood on the ground. A pair of shiny leather shoes stepped into the clinic. He raised his head slightly, but his vision was blocked by the girl who pounced on him. The girl looked at him with tears in her eyes. She waved her hand in front of his face and wiped away the blood that had poured into her eyes.
Wen Xuan saw the shadow on the ground moving towards the door. The people surrounding them were leaving. For a moment, he thought that he had been beaten deaf. Because he felt a warm current surging in his ears, constantly flowing out. The surroundings were silent again. He felt as if he was at the bottom of a soundless valley. He rolled his eyes and looked at the girl's tearful chin. Then, he reached out to touch it. Perhaps, he was just trying to determine if he was hallucinating. The girl reached out and held his hand, pulling him into her embrace. He felt unprecedentedly tired and sleepy. He blinked and looked behind the girl. Behind her, the girl's father was kicked to the ground. The pair of leather shoes kept bumping into his body, but he did not resist at all. He did not even let out a moan. He only gritted his teeth and stared at the girl and Wen Xuan. Then, he bent over and lay on the ground without moving.
"Why is there no sound?" the man in leather shoes said. He squatted down with his back facing Wen Xuan.
Wen Xuan stared at the man's back and watched as he pulled out a small knife from his waist and slowly cut off the girl's father's ear.
Perhaps, as long as he relied on his strong willpower and gritted his teeth, that person could endure it. However, he did not. He was screaming in pain, twisting and struggling, and his hands were grabbed by the two people who came up. Blood spurted out from the wound. The ear was cut off just like that. The man in leather shoes swung his hand and threw the bleeding ear out of the door. The group of fishermen had already left silently. The street outside the door was empty and exceptionally quiet. A stray dog ran over, bit its ear, and ran away.
The wounded man's face was covered in blood. His eyes were wide open, and he seemed to be spitting blood. Painful moans kept coming.
Wen Xuan blinked, and a figure flashed in the depths of his memory. Suddenly, he realized that the man in leather shoes was Liu Yongnian and fainted in the girl's arms.
This book comes from：m.funovel.com。