Chapter 3172: Paulownia Tree Lane, Bitter Summer 14

Jin Xiu Mei and Zhang Yue returned from visiting, the household resumed its usual rhythm, Zhang Jianguo did not come back, which made Jin Chen feel at ease.

These days he took medicine less often, constantly thinking of Chenshu, thinking of those kissing moments that could calm him down, so he didn't need to take much medicine.

At the dinner table, Zhang Yue talked about the fun things in cram school, then tilted her head to look at Jin Chen, "Brother, you look much better, eh."

Jin Xiu Mei also glanced at him, then said, "If you go out and find a job, you'll be just like a normal person."

Speaking of work, Jin Xiu Mei inevitably had to say a few more words. She began listing the hiring information of several nearby shops, analyzing which paid more, which was closer to home, and which boss had a good temper.

Jin Chen listened without refuting, silently eating the rice in his bowl; Zhang Yue stuck out her tongue at him helplessly, also finding it annoying to listen to.

In recent days, when Jin Chen went downstairs he no longer ran into Granny Zhao and that Teddy.

He didn't know the reason, nor did he investigate further; the dog no longer appeared, making him feel much more at ease—he no longer needed to calculate when to go out, didn't have to worry about hearing the sharp, frightening bark when reaching the second floor, didn't have to worry about being bitten again, and the rabies vaccine fee was not low; Jin Chen is still unemployed.

Until that Saturday night.

Jin Xiu Mei and Zhang Yue were both at home; around eight o'clock, the mother and daughter curled up on the sofa watching TV, Zhang Yue holding half a watermelon in her arms, scooping it out with a spoon to eat, the TV playing some variety show, laughter drifting from the living room into Jin Chen's room in waves.

Jin Chen was doing problems in his room.

Such matters always had to be kept from Jin Xiu Mei; it wouldn't do to let her know. In Jin Xiu Mei's view, Jin Chen dropped out of high school because he couldn't keep up with the pace, so she could spend that money on cultivating Zhang Yue with a clear conscience.

Jin Xiu Mei didn't need Jin Chen to read much; she only wanted him to be a normal person—this was her frequent remark. Sometimes she took the question of whether he was mentally ill more seriously than Jin Chen himself.

This time the questions and materials sent by the online friend were somewhat difficult; Jin Chen spent three evenings finishing the second problem, was about to start the third, had seen half the materials when suddenly it became very noisy outside the door.

Wails shook the sky, mingled with Jin Xiu Mei's sharp questioning and a woman's hoarse lament; Jin Chen couldn't hear the details clearly, but faintly caught one or two utterances of his name, he put down his pen, cautiously took two pills from the drawer and put them in his pocket, then opened the room door.

Jin Xiu Mei stood at the doorway, her face extremely grim; beside her stood Granny Zhao's niece, that woman with red-rimmed eyes, who, upon seeing Jin Chen come out, fixed her gaze on him like a knife.

Jin Xiu Mei grabbed Jin Chen's wrist in one grip, her strength surprisingly great, her nails almost digging into his flesh.

She pulled him downstairs, her steps hurried and staggering; Zhang Yue followed behind, face pale, saying as she walked, "Brother… Granny Zhao's Jin Jin was beaten to death… she… she said it was you who did it."

Jin Chen was pulled downstairs by Jin Xiu Mei, his steps unceasing.

His consciousness drifted for a moment—who died? Ah, Jin Jin, that Teddy.

No wonder I haven't heard any barking these past two days.

Then another thought arose: What does this have to do with me?

"... Did I do it?"

Jin Chen's thoughts returned in an instant; he stared blankly, turning his head to look at Jin Xiu Mei.

Auntie didn't look at him, merely pulling him forward, her steps urgent and heavy.

In the blink of an eye they had reached the first floor; outside it was still unusually lively.

Under the outdoor open space, the streetlights cast a dim yellow glow; many residents, hearing the commotion, came out with fans to watch the excitement, gathering in twos and threes under the trees, whispering about the mass lying on the snakeskin bag. The weather was hot, the dog had already rotted, and from several meters away one could smell the stench of decay.

Granny Zhao sat on the stone stoop under the tree, weeping heartbroken; her usual harsh, stern aura had vanished, leaving only the grief of an old woman who had lost her beloved.

Seeing Jin Xiu Mei pulling Jin Chen downstairs, she struggled to rush forward and slap him, but her niece held her back tightly.

"Jin Chen!" Granny Zhao's voice hoarse and sharp, "You black-hearted wretch! Give me back my Jin Jin! Give him back!"

Her niece also glared at Jin Chen, old enough to be his aunt, yet her gaze was full of resentment: "How can your heart be so cruel! You wanted to beat my family's dog to death!"

Many gazes fell on Jin Chen—suspicious, contemptuous, shocked, fearful.

"I just said he's sick..."

"Mentally ill people killing someone isn't illegal." "Jin Xiu Mei really, raising such a calamity..."

Jin Chen went to look at the dog on the ground.

A few days ago it was still howling ferociously, chasing passersby and barking madly; now it lay motionless in the snakeskin bag, fur dirty and tangled, bloodstains dried and blackened, with a stick placed beside it, its tip also stained with blood.

Jin Chen's eyes revealed an astonishing calm.

After looking at the dog, he raised his head to gaze at those accusing him; his cold stare frightened them, for they expected a lament, a breakdown, not such a terrifying look.

Granny Zhao was further enraged by his gaze: "Look! Look at his attitude! He's just black-hearted! Isn't it just that Jin Jin bit him once before? How could he hold a grudge and then commit evil by beating my Jin Jin to death!"

Jin Xiu Mei's face turned as white as paper; she grabbed Jin Chen's arm, eyes red-rimmed, voice trembling: "Jin Chen, apologize! Apologize to Granny Zhao..."

Jin Chen looked at her blankly.

"Why? Why say I killed the dog?"

Zhang Yue also reacted, "What basis do you have for saying my brother killed it! Is there any evidence!"

Granny Zhao's niece sneered, "Yes! How could there not be!"

She pointed at the man standing at the edge of the crowd, "Lin Jie saw it! Jin Jin went missing at noon four days ago, he said he saw you!"

Everyone's gaze turned to Lin Jie; he shrank his neck, yet under the stare of all he forced himself to speak: "Yeah… that day I went to the roof to hang clothes, heard the dog bark a few times, then Jin Chen came down from the third floor, and there was no sound, nor did I see the dog. I thought it odd at the time."

"... Well, I didn't say he was the one who hit it, I just said I saw him coming downstairs then."

Jin Xiu Mei was somewhat on the verge of collapse, sobbing as she gripped Jin Chen's hand tightly, nails digging into his skin: "You…! You apologize, then we'll let this go… we'll pay compensation… you forgot… you forgot what you were like when you had your episodes before!"

Zhang Yue also stared blankly at Jin Chen, cautiously asking, "Brother… did you take your medicine that day?"

Jin Chen's inner turmoil surged to the extreme; he wanted to vomit, also wanted to flee, yet instead he grew calm.

He shook off Jin Xiu Mei's hand.

Jin Xiu Mei shouted sharply, "Jin Chen!"

"I say, it wasn't me." Jin Chen looked at her bloodshot eyes, ignoring her hysteria.

He crouched down, looking at the dog.

The stench of decay assailed his nostrils; after looking a while, he suddenly stood up and gazed at Granny Zhao.

Granny Zhao was frightened by his gaze, her face turning pale, she instinctively stepped back; her niece stood in front of her, warily asking, "What do you intend to do!"

Jin Chen kicked the bloodstained stick beside the snakeskin bag with his toe, "The dog was beaten to death with a stick. It's this one."

"Only someone weak would need to strike it so many times."

Lin Jie stared for a moment, asking, "What do you mean? You're scrawny, how could you be strong?"

Jin Chen glanced at him, bent down and picked up a clean stick from the ground, about the same thickness as the weapon, as thick as a child's arm.

He held it in his hand, bent it with both hands, and the wooden stick snapped into two pieces in his hand.

A sound of sucking in cold breath rose from the surroundings; nobody could tell that this thin, tall youth actually possessed such hand strength.

Grandma Zhao stared for a few seconds, then cried out more fiercely, "What do you mean! Are you threatening me! Everyone saw…… he is threatening me!"

Jin Chen held the broken stick in his hand, reached it toward Grandma Zhao, his expression cold and calm, yet his eyes held a near‑mad hostility, staring fixedly at her, "If it were me, I would only make it stop barking wildly, but I didn't lay a hand on it."

"Because you never give the dog a bath, it's filthy, and I don't want to touch it."

Jin Chen paused a few seconds, his agitated thoughts jumping a bit, believing he had already clarified things, so he pushed the broken stick forward again, "The dog bit me, and you still haven't paid for the vaccine."

Grandma Zhao screamed in fright.

Jin Xiumei completely broke down, she rushed over and shoved Jin Chen hard, looking at him as if he were something she couldn't handle, feeling angry, anxious, and afraid.

"Jin Chen! What exactly do you want to do! Do you have to ruin my reputation to be satisfied!"

Jin Chen was pushed back by her, looking at Jin Xiumei's reddened eye sockets and trembling lips, suddenly unable to say anything.

"Jin Chen!"

Chenshu heard the commotion and had just come downstairs; he originally wanted to see what excitement there was to watch, but after squeezing into the crowd, he actually saw Jin Chen surrounded in the middle.

He quickly walked over, pushed through the crowd and grabbed Jin Chen's hand, "Xiao Chen, what's wrong?"

Jin Chen, his hand held by Chenshu, slowly released the half‑stick, he turned his head, looking at Chenshu and said, "The dog is dead. They say I beat it to death."