Chapter 8: This Toast, Auntie Raises to You

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Although the situation was somewhat awkward, Lu Fan pretended not to notice and beckoned Bai Shuang over. “Come out, let me see your arm.”

Liu Yue’e quickly turned away and buttoned up the freshly changed clothes.

Bai Shuang clutched the snacks she had just counted, saying, “Brother, not a single pack is missing.”

Lu Fan examined the injury on her arm, about to check for other wounds, but then thought better of it and said, “Auntie, you should check Bai Shuang thoroughly to see if anyone twisted or hurt other parts of her. I’ll go to the pharmacy to buy some safflower oil, and later you can… apply it for her.”

“All right,” Liu Yue’e whispered.

Lu Fan had just stepped out the door when he saw Liu Yue’e leading Bai Shuang after him.

Before he could ask, they said, “Can we stay with you? I’m a bit scared being alone at home.”

Liu Yue’e had changed into a loose long-sleeved turtleneck shirt to cover her injuries. From the marks, it seemed she wasn’t wearing a bra.

Lu Fan’s gaze flickered briefly, then he went back inside to fetch a sharp knife, placing it firmly into her hand.

“Auntie, sometimes you can’t be too soft. You only have one life; as long as you’re willing to stand your ground, others won’t dare harm you.”

“You stay home; I’ll lock the door behind you. I’ll take Bai Shuang out for a while and be right back.”

Liu Yue’e looked at the knife with some fear, but seeing Lu Fan’s encouraging eyes, she nodded.

Lu Fan led Bai Shuang a few steps away, then suddenly turned back. “Auntie, wear another layer inside, tidy up the house a bit, comb your hair. My parents will be here soon; I’ve asked Bai Lu to meet them at the village entrance. They should arrive quickly…”

Before Lu Fan finished, Liu Yue’e darted back into the house like a frightened rabbit.

When Lu Fan returned with the medicine, he saw Lu Dawei’s old jeep parked at the alley entrance.

As he entered, he heard his father standing in the courtyard, speaking forcefully, “Attacking someone’s home in broad daylight, smashing things—this is a very serious illegal and disciplinary violation. What kind of society is this? Despite several rounds of crackdowns, they still dare act so lawlessly.”

“Little sister, come with me to the Dongping Police Station to file a report. I refuse to believe our society will allow a few hooligans and ruffians to cause such trouble.”

Liu Yue’e looked up at Lu Fan, shook her head, and said, “Thank you, brother, sister-in-law. This isn’t a big deal—just the house was messed up a bit. I wasn’t seriously hurt. Before, it was my own fault; they probably won’t dare come back now.”

She wanted to say that her son had been more unruly than those people just now; if they filed a report, her son might get dragged into it too.

“You little brat, I heard you scared those guys off with just a few words? Not bad, you’ve got some of my style. But why didn’t you hold back two and take them to the police? The eighteen grappling techniques I taught you—have you forgotten them all? Looks like we need more training someday,” Lu Dawei said happily, patting Lu Fan on the shoulder.

Bai Shuang was a little afraid of Lu Dawei and hid behind Lu Fan, only showing half her head.

Lu Fan pulled her out and solemnly introduced, “Bai Shuang, this is my dad—you can call him ‘uncle.’ Don’t be afraid; he’s a big hat, a professional at catching bad guys.”

Bai Shuang chirped, “Uncle.”

Lu Fan then pointed at Xia Hongying and said, “Auntie!”

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“Auntie!”

Xia Hongying quickly took out the candy she had brought, piling it all into Bai Shuang’s arms before scooping her up.

“Oh, I just love having a daughter! Today, I feel like I’ve gained one for free.”

Lu Fan laughed from the side, “Then from now on, let Bai Shuang call you mom.”

Xia Hongying rolled her eyes at him, “Her real mom is still here. How can you just assign her another mom like that?”

Nearby, Liu Yue’e hurriedly said, “It’s okay. If sister likes it, let Bai Shuang call you mom.”

Bai Shuang was clever and immediately hugged Xia Hongying’s neck, chirping, “Mom!”

This delighted both Xia Hongying and Lu Dawei, who showered Bai Shuang with praise.

Bai Lu quietly approached Lu Fan and poked him, whispering, “Are you okay?”

Lu Fan smiled, “I’m fine, feeling great.”

“How did you get them to leave?”

Not wanting to continue on that topic, Lu Fan pulled out the safflower oil and iodine he had just bought. “Earlier, your mom was grabbed and twisted by several women. You should apply some safflower oil for her, and use iodine on any broken skin.”

“Thank you.”

“No need to be so formal between us.”

“Mm.”

Lu Dawei and Xia Hongying were somewhat unreliable.

Ever since Bai Shuang called Xia Hongying “mom,” she was overjoyed and didn’t even discuss serious matters. The two immediately discussed with Liu Yue’e about taking Bai Shuang to stay with them for a few days.

Liu Yue’e hadn’t had the energy to care for Bai Shuang lately and was worried the Zhang family might cause more trouble. Hearing this good news, she quickly agreed and told Bai Shuang to listen to them and behave.

As a result, Lu Fan watched helplessly as Xia Hongying and Lu Dawei took Bai Shuang away without even a word to him, their own son.

Lu Fan had wanted to hitch a ride back but had no chance.

The county town was over twenty kilometers away; biking back took an hour and a half, with steep hills along the way—not all flat roads.

In the afternoon, Lu Fan took Bai Lu to the hospital to deliver food to his father-in-law. On the way back, he called home but no one answered.

Frustrated, he left a message on Lu Dayou’s pager: “I’m not coming home tonight!”

Moments later, he received a reply.

“Suit yourself!”

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“Damn!”

Lu Fan wanted to curse but had no one to direct it at.

“What’s wrong?” Bai Lu asked from the side.

Lu Fan said, “Do you have a place to stay? I’ll stay here tonight so you two don’t have to be scared.”

“Oh, yes, we have two beds.”

Lu Fan continued, “I wonder if Bai Shuang will sleep well at night, since she might not recognize strangers. Without someone familiar watching over her, can she rest?”

Hearing Lu Fan’s concern for his sister, Bai Lu was pleased. “Bai Shuang is very well-behaved. She knows this is your home and will definitely sleep well. Besides, my mom gave her instructions before we left.”

Lu Fan nodded. “Good! Let’s go to the market and buy some ribs. Tonight, we’ll improve the meal.”

“You still have a big piece of beef from lunch!”

“Make a few more dishes. We’ll have some drinks tonight—didn’t my dad bring two bottles of good wine? Anyway, your dad can’t drink it.”

“Okay!”

Liu Yue’e was touched that Lu Fan planned to stay the night.

She gathered her energy to cook properly: braised ribs, steamed sea bass, spicy twice-cooked pork, and a plate of marinated beef.

Lu Fan took a bite and was surprised at how delicious it was.

He opened a bottle of Wuliangye, prepared three cups, and poured them full one by one.

“After everything that happened today, everyone drink a little less to calm your nerves.”

“Don’t worry, my dad will definitely warn that pig-raising Zhang family. They probably won’t cause trouble again.”

Bai Lu looked at her cup with hesitation.

Liu Yue’e, who had probably drunk before, raised her glass to Lu Fan. “If you hadn’t been at home today, the two of us might have been beaten to death. And about Da Ni’s situation, it’s thanks to you forcing me to make a decision yesterday. If Da Ni had married into such a family, as her mother, I’d die a hundred times over and still not be satisfied.”

“You’ve saved our family twice now. This cup is for you, nephew!”

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