Chapter 28: Going to Town

To Fang Zhuowei's surprise, he waited for half the day without a second blow landing on the door.

The unknown creature that had suddenly barged into his yard seemed baffled by the door’s solidity after its initial attempt, caught in a quandary, uncertain whether to strike again or retreat.

Through the wooden door, Fang Zhuowei could hear heavy, labored breathing, reminiscent of a bellows fueling a fire. Judging by the sound, whatever was outside was no small beast.

He stayed alert, barely daring to breathe.

Not long after, he heard a faint, chaotic shuffling—something crawling or dragging itself. With this noise, the heavy breathing gradually faded, and finally, all sound vanished.

“Has it… left?” Fang Zhuowei furrowed his brow in surprise, unable to decide what to do.

Naturally, he still didn’t open the door to check. He had a strong constitution, but he was neither reckless nor foolish. What if the creature was still lurking?

He stood watch at the door all night, unable to sleep. Only when dawn broke did he peer out through the window, confirming nothing remained outside before finally succumbing to a brief, restless nap.

After regaining some energy, he skipped breakfast and hurried over to Tang Jinhua’s house.

There were only a handful of families nearby, and Third Aunt’s was the closest. If a wild boar truly had come down from the mountain, her home was highly likely to be “visited” as well.

Though her family was sizable, there was only one man—his third uncle. Moreover, his uncle was elderly and frail, unlikely to withstand any real trouble. The rest were women, and when confronted by large beasts like wild boars or bears, panic and screams were likely, which could actually provoke the animal, driving it into a frenzy and increasing the danger.

Fang Zhuowei was no saint, but Third Aunt’s family had shown him kindness. He repaid kindness and returned enmity in kind—a principle he had always lived by.

He pressed on at a hurried pace.

Twenty minutes later, the two-story house draped in climbing ivy came into view.

When Fang Zhuowei arrived, Tang Jinhua was washing clothes.

“Oh, Fang, you’re here! I swear, it’s as if you can smell your way here. I was just about to make buns today, and here you are. You’d better stay and eat with us…” Tang Jinhua greeted him with a smile.

“No… no need, Auntie. I have to go to town soon, just passing by to check in.”

Seeing his aunt safe and sound, Fang Zhuowei finally relaxed.

“By the way, Auntie, did you… hear anything strange last night?”

After a few polite words, Fang Zhuowei went straight to the point.

Though nothing had happened to Tang Jinhua’s family, he felt it best to ask. If she had heard something, they could exchange information; if not, it would serve as a warning, a precaution.

“Strange noises? You know, now that you mention it—yes…” Tang Jinhua wrung out the clothes, thought for a moment, and nodded. “Last night, probably around ten, I was half-asleep and vaguely heard something run into the yard. I thought it was one of the neighborhood’s stray cats and dismissed it. But this morning, while cleaning the yard, I found several claw marks on the door…”

“Your uncle said, judging by the size and depth, it could be a bear from the mountain…”

Tang Jinhua whispered, her eyes flashing with lingering fear.

The tragedy from years ago still haunted her. Thankfully, they’d installed a solid wooden door and a security door inside; if the bear had truly broken in, they might have been eaten alive last night.

“So, Zhuowei, did something come to your place as well?” Tang Jinhua asked.

“Mm, even damaged the door,” Fang Zhuowei replied.

“Dear me, that’s serious!” Tang Jinhua’s brows knitted. “Did you get a good look at what it was?”

“No, my yard has no lights, so it’s impossible to see anything at night. But I don’t think it was a wild boar or bear,” Fang Zhuowei said, frowning.

“If it wasn’t a boar or bear, what else could it be? No other animal would have that kind of strength. When your family installed that door, I helped out. Your father picked the wood himself—solid stuff,” Tang Jinhua said in confusion.

“I’m not sure. The sounds it made last night were strange—not like any wild boar or bear,” Fang Zhuowei shook his head. Without seeing it, he could only guess.

“By the way, Auntie, where’s Uncle?” Fang Zhuowei glanced around.

“Your uncle? He has a friend who specializes in these matters, so he took some photos to show him…” Tang Jinhua explained. “Don’t worry, Zhuowei, I’ve already called the police. They should be here soon. Once they arrive, we’ll sort it out—whatever it was.”

She offered him comfort.

“I’m not afraid, Auntie,” Fang Zhuowei replied with a wry smile.

Just then, Zhang Ya emerged.

She wore a gray-green light sweater on her upper body, tight jeans below, slender and graceful in her movements.

In terms of looks, Zhang Ya had inherited all the best features from Tang Jinhua and Zhang Zidong. Her beauty was exceptional, especially her eyes—bright, clear, sparkling like the night sky.

Yet her expression was icy, unsmiling, giving the impression of an aloof, forbidding presence.

“Hello, Zhang Ya,” Fang Zhuowei greeted politely.

“Brother,” she replied, her face blank. She did call him “brother,” but her voice was so low it was barely audible, clearly unwilling to engage. She probably did it only because Auntie had scolded her previously.

Fang Zhuowei noticed, but his mood was far from what it used to be; the greeting was merely a formality.

“Oh, Zhuowei, your sister needs to go to town too. Why not go together? You’ll have some company,” Tang Jinhua suggested.

“Mom, when did I say I was going to town?” Zhang Ya protested. “Besides, I have things to do. No time for a trip…”

“You, girl, always busy with games and dramas, hanging out with people I don’t even know—what business could you possibly have?” Tang Jinhua retorted, hanging up the freshly wrung clothes as she shot her daughter an exasperated glance.