Chapter 3173: Paulownia Tree Lane's Bitter Summer 15

Jin Chen's explanation didn't dispel everyone's doubts, and Grandma Zhao was still wailing.

"What sin! How did I end up living in the same building as this lunatic? He killed my dog! Look at him—he's a madman!"

Jin Xiumei stood in the middle of the crowd, her face alternating between pale and bluish, her lips trembling, about to grab Jin Chen's arm again. Chenshu had already stepped forward to shield Jin Chen behind him, he lowered his head to look at Jin Chen's arm, where several red marks were visible—scratches Jin Xiumei had just made, now reddened and swollen.

Chenshu's brow furrowed slightly, then he lifted his head to look at Grandma Zhao and Aunt Zhao, saying, "Police need evidence when they make an arrest; we're all neighbors, so if you think Jin Chen killed the dog, you should also produce evidence."

Aunt Zhao: "Lin Jie saw it! Isn't that evidence?"

Lin Jie was called out again, he shrank his neck, and could only repeat what he had just said.

Chenshu wore a smile, yet it carried a faint aggressiveness: "Then, by that logic, you can suspect Jin Chen, and we can also suspect you of doing it."

Lin Jie's face changed instantly: "What nonsense are you spouting! I'm not a lunatic—why would I kill someone else's dog?"

Jin Chen's eyes shifted, his dark, deep pupils from behind Chenshu gazing at Lin Jie; Chenshu still smiled, his tone light: "Don't get so worked up, what's wrong, you're feeling guilty, huh?"

Someone in the crowd said, "Oh my, Xiao Lin is so honest and hardworking, his wife is recently pregnant—how could he do such a wicked thing?"

Hearing that, Grandma Zhao, who had been momentarily speechless from Chenshu's words, heard someone chime in and immediately regained her vigor, she flew into a rage again, pointing at Jin Chen's nose and shouting, "You have to compensate me for my Jinjin!" She screamed until her voice cracked, "Jin Xiumei, I'm telling you! If you don't give me an explanation, I'll let the whole Paulownia Tree Lane know what kind of thing you're keeping in your house!"

That remark was like a needle, precisely striking the spot where Jin Xiumei felt most pain—what she feared most in life wasn't poverty or exhaustion, but having people know her family harbored a lunatic, and that he was her brother's posthumous son…

Jin Xiumei's body trembled, she turned her head to look at Jin Chen, her eye sockets reddened to the point of almost bleeding, her lips trembling, unable to hold back her breakdown: "Jin Chen, apologize… apologize to Grandma Zhao… hurry and beg her forgiveness…"

Jin Chen felt a sharp pain from being gripped, he wanted to shake her off, but her hold was too tight for him to break free.

"It wasn't me!" Jin Chen growled, violently shaking off Jin Xiumei's hand, "Why won't you believe me!"

With that much force, Jin Xiumei was thrown back two steps, staggered a bit before regaining her balance.

She stared blankly at Jin Chen, lips trembling, unable to speak.

Everything inside Jin Chen was being devoured by terrible emotions—anger, resentment, and a suffocating feeling with no escape—he appeared so gloomy and terrifying, like a beast trapped in a corner, baring its teeth and letting out a low growl, ready to pounce at any moment.

The people around were startled and hurriedly stepped back, fearing he might do something uncontrollable the next second.

Jin Chen took two steps toward Grandma Zhao, who was so frightened she couldn't stand, stumbled backward, and was caught by her niece; her face finally showed fear, her lips trembling, unable to speak.

"Xiao Chen… Xiao Chen!"

Chenshu gripped Jin Chen's arm, his other hand wrapping around his back to gently stroke from top to bottom, only the two of them able to hear, "Calm down, be good. I'll take you home—how about to my place? I'll help you, you have to trust me."

Jin Chen's standing body was stiff as stone; Chenshu could feel the muscles in his arm trembling slightly, his breathing quick and shallow.

After a while.

After about ten seconds, Jin Chen felt the noisy sounds gradually fade, he relaxed his strength, leaning into Chenshu's embrace and surrendering his weight.

"Okay," he said, his voice hoarse, "Chenshu, I'm feeling a bit better."

Chenshu released Jin Chen, instead taking hold of his wrist.

"Jin Chen!" Jin Xiumei suddenly realized, "Do you have your medicine on you? Take your medicine!"

Jin Chen suddenly tightened his fingers into a loose fist, glanced at Chenshu who was rummaging for his phone, then lowered his eyes, ignoring Jin Xiumei's words.

Chenshu seemed not to notice the reminder, he flipped out a photo from the album, held it up, and said to everyone,

"How convenient—I've lately liked to walk around with my camera taking pictures; I have a vague feeling that I might have captured something that day, I can go upstairs now to get the camera and see who killed the dog."

Aunt Zhao: "Good! Go!"

Chenshu made a motion to pull Jin Chen upstairs, but after just a few steps he suddenly stopped, turned his head, and looked to the left side. There, taking advantage of the darkness and the crowd's attention on Chenshu, Lin Jie slipped back silently, trying to sneak away.

"Hey there, young man, why are you running?" Chenshu called out to stop him.

The onlookers all turned their heads in unison, Lin Jie stood in the shadow where the streetlamp couldn't reach, his face flushed red from neck to ears, he abruptly turned around, intending to run.

Several middle-aged men in the crowd, quick-eyed and quick-handed, grabbed him in one motion, "No way, is it really you, kid?!"

"Good heavens, we've wronged an innocent person…"

"Lin Jie, what's wrong with you!"

Lin Jie was pressed face-down on the ground, finally managing to sputter, "That dog was noisy and annoying… my wife is pregnant, she can't stand the barking… I just wanted to hit it a few times to make it stop… who knew it would die…"

Grandma Zhao stared for a few seconds, then let out a shrill wail, lunging to beat Lin Jie: "You have to compensate me for my Jinjin! You damn murderer!"

The scene fell into utter chaos, the lights stretching the swaying silhouettes into long and short black shadows on the concrete floor, tangled together indistinguishably.

"The truth has come out at last," Chenshu said with a grin, but there was no mirth in his eyes.

Jin Xiumei stood frozen in place, watching all this, she turned her head to call for Jin Chen, but realized there was no one left at the stairwell.

The hallway lights were dim and yellowish, Jin Chen gazed at Chenshu's profile, his heart pounding fast.

He unconsciously tightened his grip on Chenshu's hand, not daring to exert even his breath.

Jin Chen, afflicted with his illness, could offer little emotion or trust; among those he had opened up to, whether intentionally or not, they always managed to tear his heart to shreds, and each time he mustered the courage to reach out, he received only a deeper wound.

But Chenshu… Chenshu, Chenshu.

Jin Chen savored that name in his heart, he lowered his eyes; in his cold, beautiful eyes, the dim light reflected, as if being sucked into endless darkness, appearing cold and heavy, possessiveness sprouting in the depths of his heart, spreading at a terrifying, unstoppable pace.

He withdrew all his emotions, then redirected them toward the same person—those feelings once scattered among others, betrayed and wasted, he gathered them back and poured them entirely onto the person before him.

This left Jin Chen's chest full and sour, aching from the strain; he wanted to vomit up that goldfish, ripe and symbolic of his feelings, yet feared frightening Chenshu if he did so now, so he forced himself to swallow it back, trembling with agitation to the point his fingertips quivered.