That evening, the original braised pork ended up burnt, leaving the family with just two vegetable dishes.
Kang looked at the stir-fried carrots and bok choy, completely devoid of appetite.
Yet the young couple seemed to be thoroughly enjoying the meal, and afterward, they even took him out for a post-dinner stroll.
As they reached downstairs, several middle-aged ladies warmly greeted them—
“Aren’t you the fierce mom from the news? The one who broke that trafficker’s nose with a single punch?”
“That’s definitely her; she’s wearing the same outfit as on TV.”
“I knew she was from our community, looking so striking—I recognized her right away!”
Kang chuckled to himself. Well, well, so she made it to the news.
Yue Qin, puzzled, turned to his wife, “What trafficker?”
Kang thought, Your focus is a little off—shouldn’t you be more impressed that she broke someone’s nose with one punch?
Summer replied casually, “Just some lunatic who tried to snatch the baby. I broke his nose with a brick. Nothing to worry about.”
A brick? Kang thought. This woman’s definitely hiding something—she doesn’t even dare admit she used her fist.
Yue Qin, now visibly worried, exclaimed, “How did this get reported? What if the trafficker was only pretending to be insane? Now that you’re on TV, what if others come looking for revenge?” He wasn’t always there to protect them.
“It’s fine,” Summer reassured him. “They blurred out my face; strangers wouldn’t recognize me.”
“And it was just a small local news channel—not many people will see it.”
The story of a young, gentle-looking mom knocking out a larger, taller trafficker with her bare hands was quite newsworthy. Summer had agreed to the interview only because they offered a thousand-yuan payment. But she figured it was such a minor news segment that hardly anyone would notice.
No sooner had Summer finished speaking than Yue Qin’s phone rang—
“Mom?”
“Baby’s fine.”
“Summer’s fine too. I just found out myself. I’ll send you a video later.”
As soon as he ended that call, another one came in.
“You saw the news? Yes, it was Summer, but she’s okay.”
“Thanks for checking in. She left her phone at home, so she didn’t bring it with her.”
Turns out, local news had a far wider reach than expected.
When Yue Qin hung up, Summer added, “It’s nothing. Those who recognize me do so because they’re familiar with me. My face was pixelated; strangers wouldn’t know me.”
Just then, a woman with her daughter passed by, and she couldn’t help but comment, “You’re the amazing mom from the news, the one who broke that trafficker’s nose, right?”
Kang couldn’t help but burst out laughing—that backfire sure came quickly.
Summer was just as bewildered. Was this really such a big deal, a local news segment?
But it seemed it was!
When they got home, Summer discovered a dozen missed calls on her phone—calls from her mother-in-law, sister-in-law, classmates, best friends, and colleagues, all asking about her safety and the status of the trafficker.
After responding to each one, Yue Qin hesitated for a moment before speaking up. “Your mom texted me asking for your number. She must have seen the news. She wants to know if you’re okay.”
Summer couldn’t help but laugh, though it was a laugh tinged with frustration. “You don’t need to respond. She knows I’m fine. Every time I’ve almost been killed, I’ve always asked her for help. Since I didn’t, it’s obvious I’m okay.”
Yue Qin had heard stories about his wife being bullied in the past, and each time, his heart ached.
He couldn’t imagine a five- or six-year-old, a sweet little girl, being bullied and always turning to her mother, only to be told she was too weak, with no comfort or support. He couldn’t fathom what kind of childhood that must have been.
“I won’t respond to her,” Yue Qin said, not wanting to give his mother-in-law any reason to worry. “From now on, you have me and our baby.”
Kang, who had been listening nearby, couldn’t help but lose control of his expression as he overheard.
This woman? Bullied? He couldn’t believe it! Did she really look like someone who could be bullied?
The next morning, when Summer woke up, Yue Qin was still at home.
"I'll take you both to school. I'll come pick you up at noon," Yue Qin said, having barely slept the night before, haunted by images of his wife and child in danger.
"We'll be late for work," Summer remarked.
"It's fine, our boss... he's understanding," Yue Qin replied.
Just then, Kang, who had been about to leave with his shoes in hand, overheard this. He paused, scratched his nose, and decided to wear his shoes instead. He couldn’t quite understand why Yue Qin had so casually mentioned changing jobs.
Yue Qin dropped his wife and child off at school. If it weren’t for the need to earn a living, he would’ve preferred to stay by their side all day.
"It's fine, this is a school. No one can just come in. Go to work," Summer reassured him, and only then did Yue Qin remember he also had to work.
Kang, on the other hand, sat listlessly among the group of special-needs children. The child beside him, who had been chewing on toys earlier, was now eating a piece of bread.
Kang kept glancing at Summer outside. She seemed a bit distracted today.
He couldn’t quite put his finger on it, but something about this woman felt far from ordinary. There was an aura of danger about her—one he didn’t want to get entangled with.
Kang had always been sensitive to danger.
Summer, meanwhile, was looking down at her phone, replying to the latest messages:
[“I saw your news. Are you okay?”]
[“What do you think?”]
[“I’m asking if he’s okay?”]
[“His nose is broken, but he’ll be fine.”]
[“Are you coming back? We’re short on people.”]
[“I’m not coming back.”]
After a long pause, the reply came:
[“If you change your mind, you can contact us anytime.”]
Summer looked up, her gaze shifting to the children in the classroom. Her own son was four years old now.
And she remembered that when she was four, it felt like she was always crying—always in tears.
As a child, she had thought she would never grow up, never reach adulthood.
But now, her child was already four, and she had become an adult.
Kang was finally let out, and as he stepped outside, he sensed that Summer seemed a bit down.
Kang wasn’t particularly concerned about her mood—after all, everyone had their ups and downs, and that was perfectly normal.
He followed her like an obedient tool of a son, allowing her to lead him away from the school.
Summer's mood didn’t stay low for long.
She received a message from the art center, informing her that one of the teachers had to take an urgent leave and that the students were already waiting. They asked if Summer could substitute.
The teacher who had called in sick taught adult piano classes, which were easier to manage. Summer asked if she could bring her son along, and once she got the green light, she brought him to the center with her.
"Thank you, Summer," one of the colleagues said.
"It’s fine. I'm getting paid anyway. No need to thank me," Summer replied, her smile polite but slightly distant.
"Of course."
Kang could sense that her mood hadn't fully lifted, but she had switched into work mode with a practiced smile.
For the first time, Kang, who was used to his own privileged world, found himself experiencing what it meant to be a corporate drone. No matter how bad your mood, once work came in, you had to adjust and get things done.
In the classroom, Kang sat at the back, observing as Summer calmly taught four adult students. She smiled warmly as she guided them through piano lessons, repeating basic finger positions and patiently correcting mistakes again and again.
Kang, who had been relegated to the role of "tool son," couldn't help but compare her to the graceful figure on stage. The image of Summer playing the piano yesterday still lingered in his mind, and for some reason, a feeling of discomfort settled in his chest.
This was a side of life he had never seen before—an unflinching reality, stripped of illusions. It was harsh, and yet, it was undeniably real.
Comments (0)
See all