Chapter 84: Endure It

"That's terrifying!"
Duman looked up at Xu Fei in shock.
"I once heard another story..."
Xu Fei glanced at Duman in his arms and asked, "Would you like me to tell it to you?"
"Sure!"
Duman nodded curiously.
"They say that back in the days when students were sent to the countryside, on their very first night at the commune, one of the students had his throat slit..."
"Ah!"
At this point, Duman buried her face in Xu Fei's chest in fright.
Xu Fei glanced down, amused—his story was working.
"Why did you stop?"
Duman asked, still nestled in his arms.
"You still want to hear more?"
"Mhm."
Xu Fei lowered his voice, making it rough and husky, and continued, "The next day, the students moved to a different house, but the strange thing happened again—another student had his throat slit!"
"No, no, don't go on!"
Duman was trembling all over from fear now.
Xu Fei simply wrapped his arms tightly around her.
"Don't be afraid, it's just a story."
"I don't want to listen anymore."
"Aren't you curious who the killer was?"
Shaking her head, Duman replied, "No, I'm not."
Xu Fei held her contentedly.
After a while—
"Was one of them sleepwalking?"
Duman asked softly.
Xu Fei let out a quiet sound of assent.
"You guessed it."
By now, he was nearly asleep.

The next day—
Xu Fei opened his eyes.
He saw Duman in the kitchen, cooking.
He got up and walked in.
"Why are you up so early?"
Duman turned to look at him.
"Your eyes..."
Xu Fei pointed at her eyes in surprise.
She laughed. "What's wrong?"
"You're laughing? It's all because of that story you told—I was so scared I couldn't sleep all night."
"Were you afraid the killer would come for us?"
Xu Fei made a throat-slitting gesture across his own neck.
Duman lowered her head.
"Look at you, you have panda eyes now. You really..."
Xu Fei pointed to the bed.
"Go lie down for a bit, I'll finish cooking."
"Never mind, I'll sleep after you all leave."
Seeing her resigned expression,
Xu Fei smiled and left the kitchen.
"Fei, you’re up early,"
Chen Da said, rubbing his neck as he walked out.
He looked exhausted.

"Big brother, how did you sleep?"
"Hmm?"
Chen Da glanced at Xu Fei and shook his head. "I don't know why, but I can never sleep well in a new place. I feel as if I've been beaten all over."
"Really?"
Xu Fei secretly chuckled, but didn't let it show. He led Chen Da into the courtyard.
"Get some exercise, big brother. After breakfast, you can head to work."
"Alright."
Chen Da walked a few laps around the yard.
"By the way, Fei, when are you planning to leave?"
"As soon as Third Brother gets the address for the TV factory from his friend at the Second Department Store, I'll set off."
"Good, you’re always so efficient. Oh, and don’t you have a court hearing on the 25th?"
Xu Fei nodded. "There's plenty of time. I figure the trip south will take three or four days round-trip, plus a day to negotiate with the factory. I should be back in about five days."
"Right, right."
Chen Da thought for a moment.
"Is that Lawyer Zhang reliable?"
"I think he's alright."
"If this doesn’t go well, you might end up in prison, you know?"
Chen Da looked at Xu Fei gravely.
"I know."
Of course Xu Fei understood the seriousness of the situation.
Still—
He felt Zhang Ze was a capable man.
They continued their exercise until
Duman called from inside,
"Breakfast is ready!"
Xu Fei and Chen Da went in.
Xu Qing and Xu Yun also came out.
The four of them sat down.
Duman brought over bowls of porridge.
Just as they were about to start breakfast—

Bang!
The courtyard gate was kicked open.
"Chen Da! Is Chen Da here? Get out here!"
Chen Da had just taken a sip of his porridge when he heard the commotion outside.
He choked, spraying rice all over the table.
"Big brother, are you alright?"
Chen Da coughed violently.
"It’s—it's her!"
He turned to look outside.
A tall woman with shoulder-length hair strode in, grabbed Chen Da by the hair as soon as she saw him.
"Hey, hey, hey..."
Chen Da grabbed her hands.
"Guo Suhua, what are you doing?!"
"What am I doing? What do you think I'm doing? You stayed out all night—did you move in with someone else?"
Guo Suhua hoisted Chen Da up as she spoke, then glanced at Duman, who had just come out of the kitchen.
"Who’s this?" she asked sourly.
Xu Fei stood up. "Sister-in-law, this is my wife."
"Your wife?"

Guo Suhua looked at Xu Fei.
"Aren't you that Xu Fei who used to play cards with Chen Da?"
Xu Fei nodded awkwardly.
It was true.
"Don't think I don't know what kind of person you are. Who in Donghai City doesn't know you? A good-for-nothing—you’re the one who tried to use your wife to pay off your debts, right?"
Xu Fei wanted to explain.
But...
It seemed that rumor had become fact.
"Sister-in-law, let me explain, yesterday—"
"Don't speak."
Guo Suhua cut him off.
"You owe my husband money, and now you’re trying to pay it off with your wife, is that it?"
"Um?"
Xu Fei looked at Chen Da.
"Big brother, what’s going on?"
Chen Da quickly winked at him.
"What do you mean, what’s going on?"
Guo Suhua sneered at Duman.
"Quite pretty, but a tramp all the same."
"Who are you calling a tramp?"
Duman’s face darkened.
Chen Da saw things were about to spiral out of control.
He quickly wrapped his arms around Guo Suhua.
"Dear, let's not make a scene here. Let's go home and talk."
He pulled Guo Suhua out of the house.
But Guo Suhua wasn't done.
She stood in the courtyard, shouting insults at Xu Fei and Duman.
"Xu Fei, look..."
Duman pointed outside, aggrieved.
"Sorry, darling, you saw it too. My big brother was signaling me to keep quiet. Let's just endure for now."
By then,
Chen Da had dragged Guo Suhua away.
"Just look at this mess,"
Duman said angrily, flopping into a chair and lowering her head, tears streaming down her face.
"Don't be upset. Why are you crying? There's nothing between us and her, you know that."
"But think about what the neighbors will say about us!"
Duman glared at Xu Fei.
"Alright, it's my fault. I'll apologize on my brother's behalf, okay?"
Hearing this, Duman cried even harder.
Xu Qing and Xu Yun exchanged looks.
"Xu Fei, what kind of friends do you even have? Big brother? What kind of big brother is that?"
Xu Qing walked over to Duman.
"Sister-in-law, don't be upset. Next time this Chen Da comes, I'll just throw him out!"
"That's right, sister-in-law, I'll help chase him out too!"
Hearing this,
Duman finally felt a little better.
"Xu Qing and Xu Yun are the only ones who treat me well."