Dong Zi's POV (3)

         The next day, Dong Zi took his grandmother and mother to the district park which was located near a river.  His mother was afraid of the sounds from car horns and so Dong Zi had put on ear-plugs for his mother.  The park was not too far from their home and it was just only around the corner.  He held his grandmother with one hand and the other hand was entwined with his mother's hand.  The three of them walked slowly in the sun, basking in their own little happiness.

          The weather was fine and laughter could be heard in the park.  His grandmother and mother were very happy.  Even his mother's face which is usually dull showed a slight smile.  She was obviously a 50-year-old woman but her smile was like the smile of a satisfied child.

          His mother carefully bit into the cake she was holding and Dong Zi carefully wiped off the crumbs of cake sticking to the sides of her mouth and asked softly.  "Mother….is it delicious?'

          His mother nodded as she mumbled to herself while putting all her interest in the cake in her hand. 

          Dong Zi took out the thermos flask and poured out two cups of water.  He handed a cup to his grandmother and the other he gave it to his mother.  He supported her hand to help her drink from the cup, then wiped off the excess water dripping from her mouth.  While he was busy with his mother, the phone in his pocket started to vibrate.

          For his mother's sake, he kept away all unnecessary noise or sound from his home including the phone ringtones. 

          When he stared at the number displayed on the phone screen, his originally happy mood suddenly became dark.

          It was Deng Loong.

          In a low, domineering voice, Deng Loong asked.  "Where are you?"

          Dong Zi glanced at the two elderly then stood up and walked a short distance away.  He spoke softly into the phone and his hands began to sweat.    

          Unconsciously he stammered.  "You…..you…..what do you want?"

          The man on the other end seemed to give a light laugh which gave Dong Zi a gloomy feeling.    

          "What do I want?  Ai…..what do I intend to do…..Police Officer Ai, why don’t you help me think about what I really want to do?  Huh?"

          Deng Loong's voice tone sounded like an incomparable rogue and Dong Zi really wanted to give him a punch.  Unconsciously Dong Zi's hand clenched into a fist and he turned his head sideways to look at his grandmother and mother who were eating happily a few steps away from him.  With a sigh, he used a soft tone to speak.  "Can we settle the debt another day?"

          The other side was unwilling to give in, not even half a step.  "Another day?  No…..I am already standing at your door.  Xiao Ai, after you were in my place for a few days, a group of people was sent to my place for a surprise check on my accounts.  My business was also suspended for investigation and I had to travel up and down to settle this matter wasting a great deal of money.   No matter how, as a citizen's police officer, you should at least treat me to a meal, right?"

          Dong Zi's hands and feet became cold.  The evil god had come right up to his door to look for him! 

          Immediately, he was full of vigor and at the same time, he felt scared.  Unsure whether this would lead to a long term war plan, he hurriedly said.  "I'm……not at home.  Please leave!"

          "I will wait for you to come home.  Today I have time and will wait until you return."

          "I….tonight I am not going home.  Even if you wait, it will be fruitless."

          "Hey, isn't the debt 8 million yuan?  Is it worth for you to take your grandmother and mother for a walk?  The elderly's bones are crisp.  Are you not afraid of the mountain road to the peak?"  (DL is threatening that the elderly would be harmed.)

          Dong Zi was momentarily lost for words and he answered in a confused state.  "You…..what nonsense are you talking about?"

          On the other end, the man laughed as usual like a rogue and Dong Zi could even imagine his exposed teeth when he grinned.  "Don’t fabricate stories!  Your neighbor told me that you have taken the two elderly to the park for a stroll.  Usually, you look foolish and I never thought you are so filial.  Quickly come back, it's going to be windy tonight!  I will give you 30 minutes and if it is later than that, you will regret it!"

          After Deng Loong had finished his loud roar, he hung up his phone.  Listening to his voice, it could be deduced that his mood is good like the sun in the blue sky with white clouds and there is a trace of enthusiasm in his heart.

          Helplessly, Dong Zi listened to the busy tone coming from the phone and felt the majestic aura of the man from his words which simply did not give him any chance to refuse.  He felt a burst of disgust.

          He looked up at the sky.  

It is still the same beautiful sunny sky like nothing has been washed away, the pure blue and the pure white which gives people an illusion that the world is equally pure and peoples' hearts are just as pure.

          But in actual fact, this is not the case, totally not like this.  Life can force a person to go crazy as his mother had gone crazy. 

          Dong Zi looked helplessly at his mother's face that was expressionless.  His grandmother bent her hunchback to wipe away the water droplets that was on his mother's clothes and her shriveled hands worked slowly over the water droplets.  This scene really hurt Dong Zi's eyes and it drilled a hole in his heart. 

          He picked up the phone and made a call to that man.  The phone call was picked up and the man happily answered.  "Hello."  Then he heard himself said in a cool voice.  "If you are angry, take it out on me, but….."  He paused.  "Don’t frighten my mother."

          It was obviously beginning of summer but Dong Zi felt a bit cold as he stood under the green branches of the tree which covered his expression.

          He lived on the third floor of the building and Dong Zi supported his grandmother and mother as they climbed up the stairs.  Although he is an energetic young man, he still had a film of sweat on his forehead as he had to look after two elderly with mobility problem.  Actually, he was mainly worried about his mother who would only humph a few times when she feels tired or uncomfortable like an awkward child since she was not totally insensitive like a piece of wood.

          When he saw his mother humph with this reaction, Dong Zi frowned and hoped to quickly reach home and let her lie down. 

          Thinking of the man waiting at the door, who had a big head and a body of an athlete, Dong Zi frowned even deeper and prepared his grandmother in advance.  "Grandma, I have a friend who is waiting for me at the door.  He……he came to look for me.  When you see him, don’t be scared, alright?"

          Grandmother simple-mindedly nodded her head as she puffed and leaned on her grandson's arm to climb the stairs.  "Ai, Ai…….grandma is not afraid.  Dong Dong's friends are all good boys, this……grandma knows."

          Dong Zi pursed his lips, in his heart, he said to his grandma……just wait until you see him then you will not think so.  A good boy?……just that he is a fierce and evil one!

          How did I provoke such a demon?

          Just like Fang Liang Liang could not figure out how she got involved with the demon Kang Zixian…….Dong Zi also could not figure out…..he really could not figure out.

          With a dark expression, Dong Zi raised his head and saw the man leaning near his door.  His heartbeat quickened and wished the light in his eyes could drill a hole into the man's body thus doing a favor to the world.

          But it was impossible.

          Deng Loong knew he had acted rashly in coming to look for Dong Zi in his home which was not Deng Loong's usual style.  It was because he was anxious and if his close friends knew that he had come personally to get Dong Zi like a love-struck adolescence in his younger days, he would not know where to put his face.

          But he had finally found someone to his liking which was not easy for him and whichever way he looked at Dong Zi, he was pleasing to his eyes.  These few days, the image of Dong Zi’s fearful and brave pretense appearance kept emerging in his mind.  Dong Zi's pale skin with the tipsy pink on his cheeks aroused the urge in him to grab and ravage him. 

          But Deng Loong was not a crude man and he disdained such uncouth acts.  In actual fact, he enjoyed having control over people and to achieve his purpose he would go about it in secret.  He would not let his prey hide nor escape thus making his prey feel anxious.

          This time, Deng Loong saw the family of three slowly climbing the stairs.  The senile grandmother, the lifeless expression of the middle-aged woman and his little guy who was looking at him angrily and helplessly made him slightly surprised for a moment.  Then his face broke into a wide friendly smile.

          His friendly smile was so very, very fresh.  When Dong Zi saw it, he gritted his teeth and his face twisted into a knot.  The man standing on top of the stairs nodded slightly to him and using his polite voice, he gently greeted them.  "Good day to grandmother, good day to aunt……My name is Deng Loong."

          That brat warned Deng Loong not to frighten his mother, so he had to speak gently and lightly........as light as cotton.

          After all, the grandmother was experienced in life and she had met a lot of people.  Deng Loong's thick eyebrows and big eyes did not show any malice and since her grandson is a very good child, she assumed her grandson's friend would not be bad and politely nodded at Deng Loong in acknowledgment.  "Hello, did you wait long?"

          "No, grandmother……I just arrived."

          Deng Loong pretended not to see Dong Zi glaring at him and moved down two steps to help support grandmother to the top of the stairs.  He behaved properly and at a glance, he could really be a good guy. 

          Dong Zi silently cursed.  You keep calling my grandmother so happily.  You want my money and you also want to snatch my grandmother...…you scum!

          Dong Zi's mother who was mentally ill behaved a bit different from normal people and normally when she sees strangers, she would be in conflict.  When she saw Deng Loong, a tall white skin young man of 1.85m, she humphed in her throat and foolishly looked at Deng Loong in confusion.

          Deng Loong was a bit clear when he saw Dong Zi's mother's strange expressions.  He watched as Dong Zi coaxed his mother like a child.  "Mother, don’t be afraid.  Don’t be afraid.  He is not a bad man.  Dong Dong is here, no one will bully mother."

          As he coaxed his mother, Dong Zi patted her head which gave an illusion that the roles of mother and son had reversed.  But as the thoughtful Deng Loong looked at the scene, he realized it was not an illusion. When Dong Zi's grandmother noticed Deng Loong did not say anything, she gave him a smile that showed the vicissitudes of life.  Her mouth moved as if to give an explanation but in the end, she kept quiet. 

          Deng Loong felt that as he stood in this simple residential building whatever he is experiencing this second, this minute is actually a spiritual shock.

          He was speechless.

          He always felt that Dong Zi is a thoughtless kid who is always cowering in fear and had the urge to put a stamp 'timid as a mouse' on his forehead. 

          He always felt that Dong Zi is like a female and not truly a man who is forever hiding behind his Senior Sister when in trouble, like easy prey to be bullied and never thought that he would have such a fragmented family under this small sky.  Deng Loong sat down and his eyes followed the thin figure as he watched him piggy-backed his mother to the toilet and then piggy-backed her back to the bed before carefully putting her down.  Holding her shoulders, he slowly put her down on the bed then covered her with the quilt and gently encouraged her.  "Is mother happy today?  Next time we will go again to bask in the sun, okay?  Sleep now and at night, we will cook mother's favorite tomato scrambled eggs, okay?"

          Deng Loong thoughtfully looked at the young man in the room and felt he looked more and more pleasing to the eye.  This little brat now looks like a true man! 

          Deng Loong said that to himself and kept it hidden deep in his heart.

          Dong Zi settled his mother and saw her close her eyes to sleep.  When he raised his head to look out, he saw the man sitting in the small living room looking in.  His eyes were dark and he carried a smile but it was not the cynical smile that Dong Zi was familiar with.

          His heart sank.  He frowned and pondered for a while before he stood up and walked to the living room to settle with the troublesome evil man.

          Due to the appearance of the burly man, the small living room became a little cramped.  The man's dressing was not suited to appear in this low-end residential area.  Dong Zi gently shouted to his grandmother who was washing rice grains in the kitchen.  "Grandma, let it be!  I will do it once I return after sending off my friend."

          Once Deng Loong heard that the brat wanted to get rid of him, he became anxious and the next moment, he said.  "I…. I also like to eat tomato scrambled eggs."

          The disguised pleading to stay for a meal in Deng Loong's voice made Dong Zi blinked a few times.  Is the man standing in front of him, the same bully he knows?  To Dong Zi's ears, Deng Loong seems to be like a greedy little daughter-in-law who only thinks of eating.

          The two men looked at each other and Dong Zi did not know how to continue talking.

          Fortunately, the old grandmother in the kitchen who was hard in hearing but who was not totally deaf interrupted as she laughed.  "Deng Loong, do you also like tomato scrambled eggs?  That's good.  Dong Dong and his mother love the dish……Dong Dong, ah…..go to the market to buy some food.  Quick, if your mother wakes up and the food is not ready, she will throw a tantrum."

          Deng Loong quickly interrupted and said naturally.  "Grandmother, cook more rice because I love to eat rice."

          After he finished speaking, he turned and smiled at Dong Zi.

          Immediately Dong Zi avoided his eyes that was emitting too much warmth.  He was afraid that his mother would be hungry so he did not dare to delay.  He gave the smiling Deng Loong a brief glance before he picked up his wallet and walked out of the house. 

          Dong Zi rushed downstairs like the wind and at the same time, Deng Loong who followed behind him called out without any trace of his usual unreasonable self.  “‘Hey!  Hey!"    When Dong Zi reached the ground floor, he made sure that no one was around before he turned and asked with a dark expression.  "Ai….what do you want?"

          On seeing the brat was strung up as if in a confrontation with the enemy and his body had grown thorns ready to attack, Deng Loong still smiled without any change to his expression and said.  "I don’t want to do anything.  Didn’t I tell you?  I was passing this area and came over for a free meal."

          Dong Zi who had tasted his bitter medicine did not dare to believe Deng Loong's nonsense.  He raised his head and retorted.   "We are a small family living in a small house.  We dare not treat an important man like you to a meal lest you get a stomachache after the meal and demand a hundred million as compensation.  Please leave."

          After he had finished speaking, he turned around to leave.  He did not expect that the man with the expression of a good man would wrap a heavy arm around his shoulder.  To put it nicely, Deng Long embraced him or another way of describing it........ Deng Loong had seized him like a hostage.  

          Their bodies suddenly became very close.  Dong Zi could feel his stiff muscles as well as his hot body temperature and suddenly Dong Zi's breathing became chaotic.

          "Ai…..ai…..what are you doing?  Let go, what do you want?"  Dong Zi's voice unconsciously became louder and also it was evidently lacking in confidence.

          Deng Loong laughed shamelessly and it made people doubt whether this person's skin is really human skin or the imported African rhinoceros skin.  "Xiao Ai, don’t get excited.  What can I do in broad daylight?  Where do you want to go?"

          Unconsciously, Dong Zi's face turned redder and redder.  Hastily, he avoided Deng Loong's narrowed eyes and twisted his body to disentangle himself from Deng Loong's hand that was on his shoulders.  He speeded up his steps and moved quickly forward.  "Ai, ai…..Xiao Ai, slow down and wait for me, ah!  I have never been to a vegetable market in my life.  Take your Brother Loong with you to give me some knowledge and experience."

          Dong Zi ignored the noisy person behind him and kept walking by himself.

          "Xiao Ai, Xiao Ai……is the vegetable market smelly?"

          "Yes, it is smelly…..you can leave, go back to your Meise!"

          "No…..Xiao Ai, I want to eat ribs."

          "Ai…..buy some tender corn and ribs…..that is fragrant."

          "….."

          ”What kind of fish is good?"  Someone was comparing the freshness of the mandarin fish and the striped bass fish and then finally he decided.  "Striped Bass......steamed."

          Dong Zi could not stand it anymore and whilst walking on the road, he roared.  "Ai…. I am a poor man!  My family is poor and is not able to give you a proper meal, Master.  Please leave!"

          Deng Loong was sometimes cold, sometimes warm, sometimes noisy and sometimes cunning.  Dong Zi's nerves were really tortured to the extreme by this forever-changing man.  He was annoyed and walked away.  Then after thinking for a while, he walked back and with an extremely calm voice, he said.  "I have only a few ten thousand yuan in deposits but I will not give it to you.  That is for my grandmother and mother's medical expenses which can’t be touched.  I am only a small policeman and meeting you is my bad luck.  You can break my hand or break my leg, it’s up to you but don’t overdo it.  I still have to keep myself alive to support my grandmother until her old age.   I have no money and if you don’t mind, I can go to your place to work and repay your money."

          Speaking up to here, Dong Zi suddenly raised his head showing eyes that were crystal bright.  Deng Loong was suddenly stunned and was amazed to see the strength and the silent patience mirrored in his eyes.  He felt he was being sucked into the pair of eyes.

          Dong Zi frankly said.  "Before my mother fell sick, she had educated me to love my dignity and love myself.  I can’t.......”  Suddenly his eyes avoided Deng Loong and darted in other directions as his face became red.  ".........do that with you …… because of money."

          After that, he turned and quickly walked away.  His footsteps were quick and chaotic but with a trace of the resolute of young people.

          Deng Loong watched as he walked away.  Then completely silent in the wind, his eyes looked into the distance.

          I also don’t want you to do that with me for the sake of money........

          He looked happily towards the sky and he really wanted to roar:  Heavens, ah…..this time I have really found a treasure!

         

          When Dong Zi, who was carrying a bag filled with corn, ribs, tomatoes, eggs and vegetables, opened the door, the first thing he saw was the grinning tall man and he gritted his teeth……really hateful!

          He had never seen such a thick-skinned man whose skin was as thick as concrete.  Even though he had poked and poked it still could not go through.

          As a result, someone ate his favorite tomato scrambled eggs, corn-ribs soup and the steamed bass.  The man kept on eating non-stop and he even ate three bowls of rice.  While eating his rice, he also exclaimed.  "Grandmother, this is really delicious!  It’s a long time since I have eaten such a delicious meal!"

          He ate like a pig.  Sitting opposite him, Dong Zi pursed his lips with disdain while complaining in his heart and he did not even look directly at him. 

          Although he did not look at the man, he did not miss that man picking up food for his grandmother and mother.

          A person who is solicitous hides evil intentions, Dong Zi silently cursed.

          At this time, the man sitting opposite him suddenly raised his head and looked at him.  His eyes were smiling and a light was burning inside as if to say:  Hey, you have guessed right!  Not only will I rape you but I also want to rape you forever.