Chapter 109: Kick!

Zheng Tan also has to thank Xiao Pihai's mother, otherwise he wouldn't know the effect of this medicine.

When Jiao Ba and Jiao Ma were talking, Zheng Tan heard clearly, and they happened to be discussing this brand of weight-loss medicine.

The medicine is in capsule form; Zheng Tan casually found a piece of paper, took the medicine and hid under the bed to start opening the capsules. It's impossible to throw whole capsules into the teapot, so Zheng Tan had to get the powder out of the capsules.

The cat's paws are a bit clumsy, but after using them many times they're quite dexterous; it's just opening capsules, not too troublesome.

After getting the white powder out of the capsules, Zheng Tan poured it into the teapot, and also put some into the teacup on the table; he didn't know what tea was steeped in the cup, didn't recognize it, and hoped it wouldn't affect the medicine's efficacy.

After doing that, Zheng Tan heard movement on the stairs again and quickly darted under the bed.

Not knowing whether the side effects Jiao Ba mentioned would occur, Zheng Tan could only adopt a "let's try it" attitude.

The one who came in was still that aunt; Zheng Tan wondered in his heart: this woman is over forty, not particularly fat, yet she's taking weight-loss pills, and just now when he rummaged through the drawer he saw a jewelry box full of gold necklaces and gold earrings. Wanting to be beautiful, no one blames you, but all that gold and silver jewelry must have been bought with the money from selling children, right?

Everyone says women are emotional creatures; when facing children they should have some maternal feeling. What mood could this aunt have when she steals children?

Xiao Pihai, plus the other two pitiful children. They're probably just a part of the many children they sell; I don't know how many years they've been in this line of work, but they look quite experienced.

Zheng Tan thought he was already scummy as a human, but he didn't expect that after turning into a cat he could still see people who keep lowering the bottom line.

Just as Zheng Tan was pondering, the aunt had already come to the bedside, sat down, picked up the cup of steeped tea, and took two sips.

She frowned, feeling the taste was off, and the tea had also gotten a little cold, so she opened the window. She poured out the tea in the cup. Then she took the teapot again and poured a cup. After two sips she still felt the taste was different from before, but the tricycle driver downstairs was urging her to make lunch, so she didn't think much of it. She finished the tea in the cup and hurried downstairs.

Zheng Tan couldn't see the aunt's actions, but he could infer her general behavior from the sound. Hearing the aunt drink water, Zheng Tan felt somewhat relieved, but he wasn't sure if it had any effect. With so many capsules' worth of dosage poured in, he didn't know how much the aunt had actually drunk, nor whether that dosage could produce the effect Jiao Ba described.

However, as long as it weakens their strength, that's fine; otherwise Zheng Tan would only have the chance to take them down one by one.

Soon after, the smell of vegetables came from downstairs; Zheng Tan felt a bit hungry, but for now he could only endure. This guilt is his own doing; even if it's unpleasant, he must bear it.

Crouching under the bed, Zheng Tan thought about his next plan; actually there wasn't any concrete plan, he could only take things step by step. He doesn't know these people, and he himself can't be exposed—what should he do?

Those people were eating lunch, but the old man in the room didn't come out; the aunt had brought the food in for him. Zheng Tan suspected the old man had limited mobility, which would be to his advantage.

Sigh, it's noon; I don't know what situation Jiao Ba and the others are in, what they'll do after discovering I'm missing. Zheng Tan still remembers when he ran toward the tricycle, the old lady behind him shouting angrily.

I don't know if I'll get scolded if I go back.

After finishing the meal, the three people in the room were discussing something unknown; the aunt then went back to her room to sleep. Zheng Tan overheard her talking with the tricycle driver, sounding like they had an operation planned for tonight.

Are they preparing to transfer the children tonight? Send them out of town to the buyers? Time is pressing; Zheng Tan feels he needs to do something more.

Soon after, the tricycle driver came over; he was going to buy tickets, so he first came to greet the aunt and ask if there was anything else to buy. But after he called a few times at the door, the aunt didn't respond.

Zheng Tan twitched his ears, listening to the abnormal breathing of the person on the bed.

Is the medicine taking effect?

After the tricycle driver outside called a few times, impatiently he opened the door, only to find the person on the bed looking very off, limbs twitching, and appearing to have difficulty breathing.

"Hey, what's wrong with you? What's happening?"

The tricycle driver walked to the bedside and asked a couple more times, still getting no response; the person on the bed had a high fever, and together with the current symptoms it frightened the driver, who rushed to the tightly closed door and pounded on it.

"Tie Gou Shu, open the door quick, something's happened!"

When the old man inside opened the door, his voice tense: "What's up? Any situation?"

The tricycle driver pointed at the person lying on the bed: "She seems to have fallen ill, Uncle, could it be epilepsy?"

After hearing what the tricycle driver said, the old man calmed down considerably; as long as no one comes to investigate, nothing is a big deal.

"Damn it, something goes wrong at the crucial moment!" the old man cursed.

"Tie Gou Shu, do you have any medicine? We can't let her stay like this. The night's operation plan is all set; without her we can't go on—I, a big man, can't possibly drag the kids that far; I'd likely get spotted by police as soon as we leave the station. You also said we can't keep giving the kids sleeping pills, or we won't get a good price; only she has the knack to pacify the children, and I really can't handle bringing them along!" The tricycle driver exclaimed urgently.

The old man spat, cursed a couple more times, then told the tricycle driver to take the person to a small clinic not far away for a look.

"That clinic is closed; the owner is preparing to buy a house in the city. I came back today and saw the door shut, no one inside," the tricycle driver said.

"Then just find the nearest hospital and send her there, trying to avoid people as much as possible."

"Ah, I certainly know that; she's made up today, and this place is far from Youle Chang, so going out no one will recognize her."

Zheng Tan watched them busy for a while; the tricycle driver took the aunt away. Hearing the sound of the passenger tricycle leaving downstairs, Zheng Tan let out a long breath—only the old man's words would make things easier. But the old man has been hiding in the room; how to lure him out?

Zheng Tan ran downstairs once; the downstairs layout is much simpler, and the motorcycle that the tricycle driver once rode is there. The downstairs bedroom should be where the tricycle driver sleeps, a bit messy, with nothing special.

The downstairs windows have anti-theft nets installed; Zheng Tan gave up the plan to escape through the window later. After thinking, he decided to just open the door—even if someone came in to steal, Zheng Tan wouldn't mind, since it's not his own stuff anyway. Those people deserve to be robbed blind. Having someone come in would be fine; better to discover the old man's secret sooner.

After walking around, Zheng Tan went upstairs again.

Zheng Tan looked around, then went to the aunt's room, hugging the teacup and hurling it hard at the window.

Pa!

The window broke open a hole. The teacup also flew out.

These three people guard against outsiders so strictly, meaning many people around actually don't know they're selling children. Zheng Tan thinks that since he can't act well himself, he'll rely on external force.

Zheng Tan continued looking for things to throw at the window. Anyway, it's not his own property, so he doesn't mind if they break.

Teapot, kicked!

Table, overturned!

All the drawers were pulled out, flung onto the floor, things scattered everywhere; even the jewelry box the aunt had hidden was smashed to the ground, gold chains, gold earrings, etc., tossed randomly across the floor.

The sound of smashing the window attracted many idle people nearby; someone saw the family's gate open, called out twice at the doorway, got no answer, but also didn't enter. Recently many families have been arguing over land compensation distribution, and some have gotten hurt in fights; the neighbors guessed it might be the same reason, so nobody wanted to get involved, and besides they aren't acquainted with this family, they just stood at the doorway watching and chatting.

The old man inside actually heard the outside noise, pulled the thick curtains open a slit, peered outside, hesitated for a while, but still didn't open the door. He called the other two, but no one answered; he had a bad premonition. He walked two laps in the ten-something-square-meter room, lit a cigarette, sat there smoking, and beside his hand lay a knife with a blood groove.

If it were just a thief, the old man wouldn't be afraid, as long as it's not the police. Outside things can be stolen; as for the loss, a few deals can earn it back.

After sitting a while, still feeling anxious in his heart, the old man picked up a nearby white plastic liquor pot, unscrewed the cap, poured a cup, drank two sips; liquor bolsters courage, and the old man's ruthlessness in his eyes grew stronger; although his leg was slightly injured, it didn't hinder his resolve.

In the cramped room smoke filled the air, while the little Pihai placed on the baby's bed twitched his eyelids; likely the sleeping pill's effect was wearing off, as if he were about to wake up.

Zheng Tan saw the old man still curled up inside, with no one outside coming in, and felt a bit annoyed; he glanced at the messy junk on the floor, then looked again at the tightly closed door.

Since the old man won't come out, let's just go hard! We can't wait for the tricycle driver to return, or all our previous effort would be wasted.

Hearing outside movement but not opening the door, if I go knock, that old man still won't open. Zheng Tan observed that the aunt's room door and that tightly closed room's door look similar; if it's just this grade of door, kicking it will still open it.

Can't hesitate any longer.

Zheng Tan came to that door, stepped back a few steps, took a deep breath, accelerated, leapt up, and kicked hard at the lock.

Originally Zheng Tan planned to kick the door open within three attempts, but he didn't expect that this time, the door was kicked open directly.

And the old man inside had just drunk some liquor to bolster his courage, holding a knife and was about to come out to take a look; just as he approached the door, the door burst open with a bang, slamming directly into his head.

Zheng Tan heard a "thud", and when he cautiously peered inside, he saw the old man lying on the floor, blood flowing from his forehead. As the old man fell, he knocked over the uncovered wine jug on the table, and fifty- to sixty-degree baijiu poured out. Moreover, the half-smoked cigarette the old man had tossed on the floor and was still burning caught fire upon contact with the liquor and immediately ignited. (To be continued...)