After tidying up the kid’s clothes, she looked him up and down and praised, "Little An looks really nice."
The kid became even shyer, lowering his head bashfully.
...
Jiajie rode his bike to the town and bought two packs of Panda cigarettes from the supply and marketing cooperative. Each pack cost over two yuan.
He stuffed the cigarettes into his pocket, rode his bike to the courtyard of the police station, barely parked it, and rushed inside hastily.
"Something’s happened! Someone could die!"
He exaggeratedly shouted as he dashed inside.
There was only one man inside; hearing his urgent voice, he quickly stood up.
"What’s going on? What happened?"
Jiajie’s eyes turned red: "My sister and brother are being forced to death! My brother was beaten, not a single spot on his body was left unhurt... and my sister is trapped at home, being forced to repay with her life! Comrade, you must stand up for my sister and brother!"
He recounted the incident, speaking somewhat exaggeratedly.
The man asked, "A fight and brawl incident?"
Jiajie nodded vigorously: "I ask the comrade to lend a hand, take my brother and sister to the county hospital for treatment, and also bring those troublemakers with their children. We won’t use the government car for free; we’ll fill it up with gas upon reaching the county. Saving a life is more virtuous than building a pagoda, comrade, you can’t just sit by and do nothing!"
The only comrade in the station, Xiao Liu, asked, "Why do the troublemakers need to go to the hospital too?"
"My sister said we need to verify the injuries, let those people see clearly, the hospital staff won’t lie."
Having finished speaking, Jiajie stepped forward and placed the newly bought two packs of Panda cigarettes into Xiao Liu’s hand: "Please, be kind, my brother and sister can’t wait. I’m afraid they’ll be bullied so bad that nothing will be left of them when I return..."
Holding the two packs of cigarettes in his hand, Xiao Liu squinted his eyes, then picked up the car keys from the table, "Let’s go, I’ll go take a look with you."
...
The Gu Family.
In the courtyard, Widow Chen asked the person next to her, "Why haven’t we heard anything for so long?"
"I don’t know, could they be trying to dodge responsibility?"
"This won’t do!" Widow Chen stepped forward and shouted toward Gu Jin’s door, "You dumb girl, what are you doing in there? Come out and pay us compensation, don’t waste everyone’s time!"
Chen Hong sat in the kitchen cooking; she was too lazy to bother with the people outside, seeing that Jin girl had her own ideas, she didn’t need to stick her warm face to a cold behind.
And inside Gu Jin’s room, she was eating a White Rabbit candy with the child.
The candy was bought from the Wanhai City department store.
"Is it sweet?"
An Mingji nodded vigorously, holding the increasingly small candy in his mouth, it was almost gone, he was full of reluctance.
But it was too delicious, sweet and milky.
An Mingji carefully savored the candy in his mouth, cherishing it immensely.
Both of them heard Widow Chen’s voice outside the door but paid no attention.
Gu Jin took out a tin box of cookies from the suitcase, took out a few pieces, and placed them in the kid’s hand.
"Did you remember what I told you?"
"I remembered." An Mingji accepted the cookies.
"Eat a couple more cookies to fill your stomach, after you finish, Brother Jie should be back soon. When you see the people, you do as I said, okay?"
"Okay."
With a face full of bruises, An Mingji obediently nodded.
"I’m saying you dumb girl aren’t you trying to dodge responsibility!"
Widow Chen was impatient, came over to knock on the door.
An Mingji bit the cookie in his mouth, turned his head to look at the door, his eyes showing unease.