Chapter One, Beginning of Spring (01)

Xu Tang immediately straightened her body and said, "You cannot go up."

This time, Xu Tang no longer pointed the fruit knife at "Red Hair," but instead pressed it tightly against her own carotid artery

Xu Tang felt a chill run down her spine under his gaze, yet the fruit knife remained pressed against her artery without the slightest relaxation. She gritted her teeth and held her neck stiffly, locking eyes with him

Just as she was calculating her escape method, the spark ahead flickered slightly and then moved.

Everyone burst into laughter again

Xu Tang was upside down, only his heels were visible, his strides were large and powerful, just as they used to be

Thin and frail, resembling a sprout, she is draped in a loose school uniform that resembles a sack, making it difficult to discern any curves. With a high ponytail, only a small section of her neck peeks out from her scarf, which appears quite fair. Her skin is also fair, and the cold wind has left a faint blush on her cheeks. Although her features are somewhat delicate, there is an endearing quality about her that evokes a strong sense of protectiveness.

Zhichuan City has experienced continuous rain since the beginning of autumn, with a full week of persistent drizzles. The city has become softened by the rain, leaving the ground strewn with withered branches and fallen leaves

The footsteps behind her quickened, and Xu Tang had only run five or six steps when someone grabbed her arm. Just as she was about to scream, the person covered her mouth with their other hand and snatched the phone from her hand, "Don't shout!"

Xu Tang immediately recognized the identity of this person, Zhou Xian, the most trusted subordinate of the leader of the "Qinglong Gang," who is in charge of the northern region

Xu Tang waited for him to take out his lighter, but after several seconds without any movement from him, she had no choice but to borrow it once more

Grandmother planted several azaleas during her lifetime. After her passing, although Xu Tang devoted herself to their care, she ultimately could not keep them alive. She was reluctant to throw away the withered leaves and flowers, so she placed them, along with the pot that had cracked due to dryness, on the windowsill, as a form of helpless remembrance.

Uncertain of how long he had waited, he suddenly saw a petite figure push open the small door on the right side of the community gate, tightly gripping the handle of an umbrella, and quickly stepping into the waterlogged area. Fang Ju immediately sat up straight, focused his gaze for a few seconds, and swiftly took out his phone to dial a number.

Put me down

After Xu Tang ran into the corridor, she put away her umbrella, tidied her disheveled hair, and while patting her soaked shoulders, she stomped her feet

They went to the police station, where He Hua described the appearance of the person to the police officer. The officer filed a report and said it would be investigated. The two of them returned and waited for a week, but there was no news at all

Xu Tang suddenly turned upside down, letting out a sharp scream, writhing like a loach. Zhou Xian bent her calf, holding it tightly, and asked: "Which floor?"

Zhou Xian picked up the umbrella he had thrown on the ground, while Xu Tang examined Zhou Xian in the faint light. He was wearing a black trench coat, and the hand that picked up the umbrella was adorned with a black leather glove, while his black leather shoes were splattered with a bit of mud

The door had just opened a crack when Zhou Xian extended his arm and pushed it open with force, not waiting for Xu Tang to invite him in, and stepped inside first

"Red Hair" immediately mounted the motorcycle with several others, igniting the engine and ready to depart at any moment. Only Zhou Xian remained standing in front of Xu Tang, staring at her with a gaze that was calm yet seemed to carry profound meaning

Really cannot

Oh. Zhou Xian stopped in his tracks and glanced at the shoe rack by the door. There were two pairs of slippers on the rack, both women's. Xu Tang hurried to find shoe covers, but Zhou Xian put on his leather shoes and, wearing socks, walked straight in

Xu Tang shook her head, took out the lunch box, and tightly wrapped the fruit knife in the plastic bag that contained the lunch box

Xu Tang's body stiffened, and as the first sound of footsteps echoed ahead, her hair stood on end like a cat's bristles. She threw away her umbrella, turned on her phone, and dashed downstairs.

Cannot

Understood

Xu Tang went again, but the other party only said that the group of small rascals were roaming around, and it would probably not be so easy to recover the money, advising her to be a bit more patient.

In the pitch-black corridor, a musty odor lingered. Xu Tang took out her phone for illumination, carefully avoiding the pile of honeycomb coal accumulated by the neighbor at the base of the wall, and slowly made her way up. Just as she was nearing the third floor, the phone screen dimmed. Xu Tang was about to press a button when she suddenly held her breath—a faint scarlet spark floated in the darkness.

It seems that the only option is to report to the police

"Red-haired" laughed lightly and walked towards Xu Tang, "I apologize, beautiful..." Just as he was about to extend his arm, he suddenly saw a flash of cold light in front of him

After hesitating for a moment, he took it down again

At her shout, "Red Hair" was compelled to act contrary to his intentions. The situation was tense, and Xu Tang took a step back, forcefully colliding his forehead against "Red Hair's" nose. "Red Hair" let out a cry of "Ouch!" and immediately covered his nose with his hand, nearly brought to tears. In that moment of distraction, the fruit knife was once again seized by Xu Tang.

Xu Tang patted her shoulder and said, "I will go back and ask my mother, so don't worry. In the future, don't go looking for trouble with them alone; you cannot handle them. If you encounter them, try to avoid them as much as possible"

"You don't have to say anything; I can go door to door to ask." After saying this, he deliberately paused for a few seconds, seemingly giving her time to confess and receive leniency.

A sinister laugh followed, and someone urged: "Old Fang, hurry up, give her a kiss, seal the deal first, lest the light beauty runs away."

"Red Hair" immediately took a step back, smiled awkwardly, and greeted, "Xian Ge." The others also greeted him.

Xu Tang's eyes widened even further

She looked up at the shadow sitting on the sofa and said, "May I borrow your lighter"

Hehua's family is in a difficult situation, and she cannot afford the tuition fees to attend school

A few security guards attempted to intercept, but their legs could not match the speed of the motorcycle. After running a few steps, they watched as the motorcycle sped away, and could only give up and turn back.

At first, Xu Tang was still struggling to resist, but before she knew it, she gradually gave up. Her heart, caught in a chaotic and fierce kiss, fell into an inexplicable flutter.

Just knowing is enough. If I return the money and others from the gang hear about it, how are we supposed to survive in Duhhe Town

The voice-controlled light is not on

Xu Tang hurriedly replaced the lid and put it back into the plastic bag. Just as the action came to a halt, several motorcycles were already approaching. He Hua quietly pointed at one person on the motorcycle and whispered, "It's him."

Xu Tang felt a sudden chill on her arm, her fingers brushed against the button, caressing it twice before retracting.

Since the conversation with "Red Hair" began, Xu Tang's hand had quietly reached behind her school uniform, gripping the fruit knife hidden at her back. She was slender, and her school uniform was of a sporty style, bought one size larger, so even if she hid ten kilograms of rice in the loose fabric, it would not be noticeable, let alone a small fruit knife.

"Red-haired one," seeing her speak earnestly, couldn't help but laugh, "Do you know what we do?"

Xu Tang pressed her lips together, remaining silent

Jiang Hehua inquired with curiosity

Xu Tang widened her eyes and looked at the person: "The rules of the Qinglong Gang clearly state that you must not bully women and children!"

Jiang Hehua came over and grabbed Xu Tang's hand, "Sister Xu Tang, are you alright?"

Xu Tang paused with the chopsticks in hand and said, "Zhou Xian."

Four years ago, in the cramped attic of Duhhe Town, the light was dim, and the sheets and pillows carried a damp, musty odor. Outside the window, the sound of rain was torrential, evoking the same kind of agitation that made her heart feel as if it were strung tightly on a bow, trembling for a long time.

"Red Hair" clearly saw the object in her hand and immediately spat, "With this thing, you think you can deal with me?" In the midst of speaking, he swiftly acted, locking one hand around Xu Tang's wrist and wedging a leg between her legs, pinning her entirely against the gray wall behind her

"In your pocket, you take it out yourself"

After a moment of stalemate, Xu Tang finally compromised and said with frustration, "Sixth floor"

The person released their grip and handed the phone back to her.

As she calmed her mind, she gauged the distance between herself and the person ahead. The second floor had been uninhabited for years, and her only hope now was to pray that she could make it to the community entrance safely, or that her screams would be loud enough to alert those upstairs

"Red Hair" cursed and kicked Xu Tang on the shin. Xu Tang winced in pain, pressing the fruit knife tighter in hand, glaring fiercely at "Red Hair": "Return the money to Hehua!"

I will let go now, Xu Haitang, dare to shout and I will deal with you right here

After going up, Xu Tang slowly took out her keys to unlock the door while casting a sidelong glance at Zhou Xian's expression from the corner of her eye. Zhou Xian stood slightly behind her, lighting a cigarette, and his face was instantly shrouded in a haze of swirling smoke.

During dinner, Xu Tang mentioned the matter of Hehua's tuition fees to Xu's mother

Xu Tang, feeling helpless, reached out towards the pocket of his trench coat. Just as her fingers barely touched the pocket, Zhou Xian tightly grasped them. Xu Tang's heart suddenly skipped a beat, and in the next moment, Zhou Xian threw the still-burning cigarette butt into the glass on the table, raised his hand to grip her chin, and abruptly lowered his head.

"Red Hair" was about to speak when he suddenly heard a sound of footsteps coming from the alley. He glanced in that direction and immediately said: "Xian Ge, why don't we leave?"

After returning home from evening self-study, Xu Tang moved a high stool to hide the plastic bag at the very top of the wardrobe. After hiding it, she thought for a moment and still felt it was inappropriate: usually, when Xu's mother cleans, she also sweeps away the cobwebs up there

Brother Xian, sister-in-law has returned

Upon this reminder, "Red Hair" finally lowered his head to scrutinize Xu Tang

You can go and rob others, the Hehua family is truly in a difficult situation

The others, who were originally laughing and joking, now saw Xu Tang seemingly ready to fight for her life, and they all restrained their smiles. One of them shouted a series of curses, "Little bitch, don't push your luck!"

After a while without any movement, Xu Tang urged him again, and only then did he slowly walk over to her side

Xu Tang was originally standing tall and fearless, but at this moment, just a glance from Zhou Xian made him feel a chill rising from the soles of his feet up his calves, causing his hands to tremble involuntarily. Zhou's gaze was not severe; compared to the malicious intent of "Red Hair," it resembled a normal look of assessing a stranger. Yet, that single glance carried an almost probing depth, making Xu Tang's heart suddenly race.

The three people had just gotten off the car, and seeing that Hehua had already run far away in a flash, they did not pursue her. The person referred to as Hehua, who had a tuft of red hair, raised her eyebrows and smiled, asking: "Why aren't you running?"

Zhou Xian straightened up and looked at her: "Which floor do you live on?"

Xu Tang remained silent

Xu Tang nodded and said softly, "As we discussed earlier, run into the alley, exit from the ice cream shop, and then go around to the entrance to call the security guard over."

Jiang Hehua nodded slightly, unable to suppress a very soft sigh

Several people were taken aback for a moment, and then they burst into laughter

The small town of Duhhe is divided into three factions by the local delinquents, reminiscent of the ancient Three Kingdoms period of "struggles for supremacy and territorial division." On ordinary days, there are fights every three days and armed conflicts every five days, while in their leisure time, they engage in "sheep shearing" (extorting money) near the school district.

Xu's mother complained a few more times and ultimately scraped together 300 yuan from the daily expenses to lend to Hehua.

Xu Tang pushed the rice in the bowl aside and said softly, "Is there any other danger this week"

Xu Tang immediately stopped struggling and widened his eyes

Zhou Xian let out a sound of "hm"

Xu Tang stared at him stubbornly

He Hua comes from a difficult family background. Her father works odd jobs, her mother is unemployed, and her younger brother has just turned five. Additionally, there is a seriously ill grandmother in the household. They usually have to stretch every penny to make ends meet. The three hundred yuan tuition fee is what she painstakingly saved up by setting up a stall all winter.

Xu Tang was jolted by his sudden impact, her teeth aching, and tears streamed down her face. Her breath was tightly entwined with the strong scent of tobacco and the taste of rain-soaked dust on Zhou Xian's body, creating a sensation of near suffocation. Her waist was gripped by Zhou Xian's gloved hand, causing pain as if her bones were being forcibly broken.

After hanging up the phone, Fang Ju turned on the car radio, relaxed his body against the seat, started the engine, and happily hummed along to the music from the radio while steering the wheel

As Xu Tang opened the lid of the lunchbox, he heard the distant sound of motorcycles revving. Looking up, he saw three or four people racing towards him through the swirling dust.

The sound of the reeds trembled slightly as I saw three or four people dismounting from their motorcycles, quietly asking, "Sister Xu Tang, are you alright on your own?"

Waiting is not an option; thus, the only path left is to wait by the tree stump for a hare to come.

Fang Ju, what are you nagging her about? Search to see if there is any money, and if you find some, leave quickly

She searched for a suitable hiding place in the room, turned around, and inadvertently glanced over to the flower pot on the windowsill. She stared at it for a moment, then walked towards the windowsill

Xu Tang estimated that 300 yuan was merely the amount those people would spend on a few rounds of billiards and a few nights out. It was certain that they would soon be looking for someone to target again. Every dinner time, she would take her lunch box and wait with He Hua in the alley behind the school. After squatting there for three or four days, she actually managed to wait for them.

Xu Tang shook his head again, "It's nothing, I'm just afraid of getting into trouble if the teacher sees us."

Fang Ju parked the car under a tall phoenix tree outside the community, the wipers swaying left and right, clearing a small area of the windshield in front of him. He curled his fingers, unconsciously tapping on the steering wheel, again and again.

Xu Tang took a deep breath, quickly turned on her phone screen to illuminate the person, whose features were deep-set, with a sharp nose. Xu Tang opened her mouth several times before finally uttering the words: "... ... Zhou Xian."

Xu Tang's palms were sweaty as she looked up at him, "I was just waiting for you, why did you run away"

The money was not returned, and Jiang Hehua felt dejected. Knowing that she could not blame Xu Tang, she simply lowered her head and kicked the stones at her feet.

Younger brother Xu Yang picked up a piece of glutinous rice cake and asked while eating: "Who took it?"

Zhou Xian also fell silent, taking a step forward to embrace Xu Tang's waist, lifting her effortlessly onto his shoulder.

Xu Tang is patient, but He Hua's homeroom teacher has run out of patience. Except for He Hua, the tuition fees for the entire class have been paid. The homeroom teacher gives daily admonitions and even criticizes students by name in class. He Hua, being sensitive, cannot bear this and turns to Xu Tang to express her grievances.

Xu Tang stomped again, but it still did not light up

The red-haired individual looked on, feeling a stir in their heart, while someone beside them kept urging them on. At that moment, they moved the fruit knife aside, grasped Xu Tang's chin with one hand, and leaned down.

As soon as the words were spoken, the others burst into laughter. "Red Hair" chuckled triumphantly, "Unfortunately, I have a girlfriend now. Otherwise, you could wait two weeks, and after I break up, then I might consider you"

Do not come over!

Xu Tang was taken aback and looked in the direction of the voice. It was only at this moment that he noticed a motorcycle parked not far away, about three to four meters away from "Red Hair" and the others. The person riding the motorcycle was wearing a black jacket, leaning against the bike, holding a cigarette in his hand, and his gaze was fixed in this direction

"Red Hair" was taken aback for a moment, then burst into laughter, "Beautiful lady, there is no precedent for us to return the money we 'took'"

Xu Tang's neighbor, Jiang Hehua, had just started her first year of junior high school. That noon, she came to the high school cafeteria crying, saying that the three hundred yuan meant for her tuition had been snatched away by some thugs on the street

Xu Tang's second encounter with Zhou Xian occurred four years ago, at the beginning of the second semester of their senior year in high school. Although it was already the beginning of spring, Duhe Town was still gripped by a biting cold wind, and only at noon would the sun deign to peek out from behind the thick clouds.

Zhou Xian threw away a cigarette butt, stepping on it with his leather shoes, extinguishing it underfoot. He walked over to Xu Tang, who was covered in dust, glanced at her, then looked at "Red Hair," a smile of ambiguous intent appearing on his face. "Fang Ju, you are becoming less picky about food."

Xu Tang looked at his back in silence, raised her hand to press the switch, and indeed it did not light up. She changed into her slippers and searched the drawer for the unused candles from her last birthday, but she could not find a lighter

Xu Tang's expression was serious, "You took He Hua's tuition fee, could you please return it to her"

He twisted Xu Tang's wrist, and the fruit knife deftly landed in his hand, the sharp blade pressed closely against Xu Tang's cheek. He maliciously blew a breath onto Xu Tang's face and laughed, saying: "If you're really anxious, I can discuss it with my girlfriend; there's no need to resort to violence."

While smiling, I suddenly heard a cough

Hurry up! Xu Tang patted He Hua on the shoulder, and she immediately dashed inside like an arrow released from a bow

As the ominous atmosphere receded, Xu Tang immediately lost all her strength and her body went limp. She set down the fruit knife, leaning the weight of her back against the gray wall, gasping for breath while watching the motorcycle team kick up a cloud of gray dust, tearing a gap through the encircling security guards, gradually fading away amidst the sound of revving engines.

The red-haired person let out an awkward laugh

Xu Tang found herself in a difficult situation. Although her family was somewhat better off, they had just celebrated the New Year, and with the expenses for food, clothing, and daily necessities, the family's available funds had nearly been depleted. There was a sum of money set aside for her university education and for her brother to build a house and marry, which could not be easily touched. The little pocket money Xu Tang received during the New Year had long been turned over to the family funds.

This stalemate lasted for over ten seconds, the footsteps drawing closer. Zhou Xian let out a sneer from his nose, glanced at the fruit knife in Xu Tang's hand, but said nothing, turning around and striding back.

Do not touch me

After a moment of silence, Mother Xu let out a light scoff, "Like mother, like son"

Change your slippers

Xu's mother immediately looked up and asked, "Which Zhou Xian?"