Chapter Eight: Mom, Please Go Home

"Zhuo Nan, come out. Your family is here to see you." It was just after breakfast when Old Wu came to unlock the door.

"Thank you, Old Wu," Zhuo Nan replied with a smile.

"No need for thanks. Come on, they're in Interview Room Two." After last night's brawl, Zhuo Nan had become the undisputed leader in the cell, so Old Wu now treated him with a certain respect.

Wang Liru waited anxiously in the visiting room, her greatest fear being that Zhuo Nan would suffer in there. The people inside were notorious, after all. But as soon as she saw Zhuo Nan, she was finally able to breathe easy. "Nannan, are you all right in there?"

"Hey, who’s this beauty? Wow, what a figure!" After a night’s rest, his mind felt exceptionally clear, and now that voice emerged again.

Zhuo Nan was annoyed, cursing internally, "Get lost, that’s my aunt. What are you up to?"

"Your aunt? Wow, she’s so young, and that figure is something else," the mind replied brazenly.

"Stop thinking such nonsense and go back to sleep," Zhuo Nan scolded in his thoughts.

"Zhuo Nan, you’d better be polite to me. Careful, or I’ll take over your body and make you do something worse than an animal," the mind threatened.

"Damn it!" Zhuo Nan was alarmed. If his mind really did take over and made him do something indecent, that would be disastrous. He quickly changed his tone. "Super Brain, sweetheart, why not get a bit more rest? I’ll talk with my aunt, and then we’ll chat some more, all right?"

"Now, that’s better. I’m going to sleep. But seriously, your aunt is gorgeous…" Zhuo Nan could almost hear the drool. He cursed inwardly at how perverse his own mind was.

"Don’t insult me. I can sense it," the mind responded again.

"Sorry. Go to sleep, be good." Zhuo Nan could only coax this lecherous brain.

"Fine, off I go. Drifting away~~~~"

As the "brain" obediently retreated, Zhuo Nan finally relaxed. Who on earth had invented such a thing? And why did it have to be such a perverted brain?

Seeing Zhuo Nan standing there, unmoving, eyes darting about and not answering her, Wang Liru grew worried. "Nannan, what’s wrong? Don’t scare me."

Realizing his mistake, Zhuo Nan hurried over and took her hand. "Auntie, I’m fine. I’m doing great in here. The people inside are all looking out for me."

Wang Liru didn’t quite believe him. Her eyes roamed over Zhuo Nan’s face and body, searching for any traces of injury. After a careful inspection, she found none.

"They haven’t beaten you, have they?" she asked anxiously.

"Auntie, I really am fine. I’m getting along very well with everyone. If you don’t believe me, ask Old Wu." As he spoke, he glanced at Old Wu, who was standing nearby.

Seeing this, Wang Liru realized Zhuo Nan really was on familiar terms with these people—even speaking so casually to the police. She quickly took several bills from her bag and tried to slip them to Old Wu, saying, "Comrade, this child is still young and doesn’t know any better. Please keep an eye on him. Here, take this for some cigarettes."

Old Wu glanced around, and seeing no one, pocketed the money. "Make the most of your time. Someone from the department will be coming soon for questioning." With that, he stepped outside.

"Auntie, I’ve caused you trouble," Zhuo Nan said, lowering his head in shame.

Wang Liru affectionately patted his head. "It’s all right. Your uncle and I were just worried you’d be bullied in there. Now I see it’s not as terrible as they say."

Zhuo Nan thought to himself, it’s not that the cell isn’t scary, it’s that your nephew is. I scared everyone into submission in one night. But aloud, he said, "Don’t worry, Auntie. I’m fine. By the way, where’s Uncle?"

Wang Liru sighed. "He wanted to come see you, but we decided it was better for me to come while he goes to talk to Wang Zhenguo, to see what the Wang family intends to do."

Her words made Zhuo Nan picture his uncle going around outside, begging that scoundrel Wang Zhenguo to let him off. At that thought, Zhuo Nan silently vowed—one day, Wang Zhenguo, I’ll bring you down.

"Auntie, I’m sorry. I’ve been so thoughtless and made you worry about me at this age." Zhuo Nan spoke from the heart, deeply ashamed. In two lifetimes, the people he owed most were his uncle’s family.

Wang Liru stroked his cheek, tears welling up in her eyes. "Silly child, you’re still young. Of course you’ll make mistakes. Just remember the lesson this time and don’t get into fights again. If you kill someone, you’ll have to pay with your life."

"Auntie, I promise I won’t make you worry again. I’ll study hard and get into a good high school."

"That’s all I could wish for," Wang Liru said, wiping away her tears with a smile. At this moment, she felt that letting Zhuo Nan suffer a little might be a good thing—it meant he was finally growing up.

Just as she finished speaking, Old Wu returned. "The investigators are here. You should head back. Zhuo Nan won’t be mistreated here."

Though she was reluctant, Wang Liru knew she couldn’t stay in the detention center. She said plaintively, "Comrade, please take care of him. He’s still just a child."

Old Wu thought, just a child? On his first night, he subdued Long Kun, the notorious thug from the outskirts, and now no one in the cell dares touch him. Out loud, he simply said, "Don’t worry, nothing will happen to him."

Hearing this, Wang Liru had no choice but to leave, looking back every few steps. Zhuo Nan felt a surge of emotion, tears threatening to spill, but he held them back and said something Wang Liru would never forget: "Mom, go home. Really, I’m fine."

In that instant, the tears Wang Liru had just wiped away flowed freely again. In front of Old Wu, she turned and hugged Zhuo Nan tightly. "Nannan, I’ve waited thirteen years. You finally called me Mom."

Even Old Wu was moved by the scene. Zhuo Nan, embarrassed, gently pushed her away. "Mom, look at you, crying like this. There are people around."

"You little rascal, I’m just happy. I raised you all these years, and you always called me Auntie," Wang Liru said through her tears of joy, as if Zhuo Nan had already been released.

"Mom, you’d better go now. If the investigators have to wait, it’ll just cause more trouble." It was the only way Zhuo Nan could persuade her to leave.

At this, Wang Liru quickly wiped her tears and said anxiously, "Yes, I’ll go now. Don’t let the police give you more trouble." She turned to leave, reminding Zhuo Nan again and again to take care of himself.

After she left, Old Wu finally spoke. "Your mother’s a good woman."

Zhuo Nan watched Wang Liru’s retreating figure. "She’s my aunt. After my parents died, she and my uncle raised me."

Old Wu put on a pompous face. "That’s not easy. You should be good to her."

Zhuo Nan shot him a disdainful look. "Like I need you to tell me that. Now hurry up and take me to the interrogation room."

"Dammit, can’t even scare you. Let’s go."

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