Zhuang Zi'ang's solid sp sent Zhuang Yuhang reeling.

  Did this guy eat gunpowder? Was this the same pung bag he knew?

  Even Su Yudiel was surprised. She didn't expect the mild-mannered Zhuang Zi'ang to resort to violence.

  The other diners in the restaurant didn't know the whole story.

  From their perspective, Zhuang Zi'ang was bullying a child, and they started whispering and pointing fingers.

  "What's wrong with this guy? Hitting a kid so hard."

  "Call the cops, let them teach him a lesson."

  "Let me record a video and post it online. Assaulting someone in public, he's out of trol."

  ...

  In the past, Zhuang Zi'ang would have cared about other people's opinions and probably would have patiently expined himself.

  But his mi had pletely ged.

  Whatever you strangers want to say, say it. Who cares?

  My time and energy are limited, and I'll only spend them on those I love and those who love me.

  The owner of the rioodle shop rushed over, looking surprised. "Xiao Zhuang, why did you hit your brother?"

  He knew Zhuang Zi'ang and was somewhat familiar with his family situation. So, uhe others, he didn't immediately n him.

  "Sorry, Uncle, sorry for the trouble. We'll be leaving now."

  Zhuang Zi'ang told Su Yudiel to wait for him, then followed the owo settle the bill.

  Zhuang Yuhang scrambled up from the flring at Zhuang Zi'ang with rese.

  But he was only ten years old and no match for Zhuang Zi'ang in terms of size. He could only swallow his anger for now, pnning to pin to his parents whe home.

  It took Zhuang Zi'ang a while to return. He grabbed Su Yudiel's wrist and said, "Let's go!"

  Su Yudiel didn't say anything and obediently followed him.

  As they reached the door, Zhuang Yuhang, assuming Zhuang Zi'ang wouldn't e back to hit him again, yelled, pretending to be brave,

  "Zhuang Zi'ang, you're in big trouble! My parents won't let you get away with this."

  Zhuang Zi'ang chuckled coldly. "If they won't discipline you, I'll help them out. Stay out of my sight, or you'll regret it."

  After delivering his threat, he left without a backward gnce.

  This felt much better than being a doormat.

  Su Yudiel hadn't finished her cy pot rioodles and was still thinking about them.

  Seeing her wistful expression, Zhuang Zi'ang bought her two grilled sausages and an ice cream, which finally satisfied her.

  "Hey, why did you hit him? It was kind of scary."

  "Because he not only insulted me but also said disrespectful things to you. I won't allow ao talk to you like that," Zhuang Zi'ang replied seriously.

  Su Yudiel remembered that Zhuang Yuhang had called her "not a det girl," and that's when Zhuang Zi'ang suddenly attacked.

  A warmth spread through her heart.

  That little brat deserved a beating.

  They didn't dwell on the unpleasant i.

  They returo the library to tinue reading.

  About half an hour ter, Zhuang Zi'ang's phone vibrated. It was a call from Zhuang Wenzhao.

  It seemed Zhuang Yuhang had already gone home and pined.

  Zhuang Zi'ang promptly rejected the call and put his phone on silent mode.

  To cheer him up, Su Yudiel found some kids' books.

  They huddled together, sharing a book and sharing their joy.

  When they came across a funny joke, they couldn't ugh out loud, so they exged knowing smiles.

  Zhuang Zi'ang saw his own refle in Little Butterfly's clear eyes.

  I see the mountain's beauty, and I re the mountaihe same ihis is a modified line from a poem by Xin Qiji, a famous Song Dynasty poet.)

  After a while, Su Yudiel secretly pulled out a bag of fruit-fvored hard dies.

  She uned a strawberry one and held it up to Zhuang Zi'ang's mouth.

  "How did you sneak dy in here?"

  "Shh, keep it down. Sweets make you fet your troubles."

  The dy dissolved on his tongue, and sweetness bloomed in his heart.

  A faint, girlish fragrance wafted into his nostrils.

  Sweets are addictive, and Zhuang Zi'ang knew he was a goner.

  But does someoh only three months left to live have the right to love someone?

  As the afternoon sun snted westward, the library grew quieter.

  They had spent the eernoon reading seven ht joke books and ics.

  Like junk food, it wasn't nutritious, but it was enjoyable.

  When you're with someone you like, time flies by like a rushing stream.

  At 5:30 PM, Zhuang Zi'aurhe books, and they left the library, walking towards the school.

  "Zhuang Zi'ang, do you remember anything we read today?" Su Yudiel asked, skipping along and stepping on the pavement squares.

  "No, I've already fottehing," Zhuang Zi'ang answered with a smile.

  "Me too, hahahaha..."

  Their ughter echoed along the street.

  Iting sun, Zhuang Zi'ang looked at Little Butterfly dang gracefully ahe gentle caress of time.

  Who sent you to my side?

  At 6:10 PM, the number 19 bus arrived as scheduled.

  Little Butterfly stood on the bus, looking back at Zhuang Zi'ang through the window, waving goodbye with a hint of reluce.

  Zhuang Zi'ang waved back gently.

  Even after the bus disappeared from sight, he stood there bnkly at the bus stop, feeling a sense of emptiness.

  His day tly split in two by the time 6:10 PM.

  Being with Little Butterfly and being without her were two pletely different states of mind.

  He grabbed di a diner oreet auro his apartment.

  In the gss fish tank, the two goldfish swam tirelessly.

  Zhuang Zi'ahem and talked to them absentmindedly.

  "Little fish, do you think Little Butterfly likes me?"

  "If she does, blow a bubble."

  "If she doesn't, solve a quadratic equation for me."

  He took out his phone and saw that Zhuang Wenzhao had called five times ahree 60-sed voice messages.

  Zhuang Zi'ang couldn't be bothered to listen to his nonsense and directly called him back.

  "Yes, I hit him. He deserved it for being a little shit."

  "Instead of bming me, you should refle whether you're a qualified father."

  "If you think I hurt him badly, take him to the hospital. I'm not taking care of it. I don't have money, and even if I did, I wouldn't give it to him."

  ...

  While Zhuang Zi'ang was talking to Zhuang Wenzhao, he could hear Qin Shun in the background, fussing over her precious son and cursing.

  He sneered inwardly. You've put up with your crap for over a decade. Do you still think I am one?

  After venting his frustration, he hung up again.

  So satisfying!

  Oher end of the line, Zhuang Wenzhao heard the beeping sound and was furious.

  "You ungrateful brat, you animal! What kind of monster have I created?"

  Anger made him lose his reason. He didn't even sider why Zhuang Zi'ang's personality had ged so drastically.

  Nor did he refle whether he had fulfilled his responsibilities as a father.

  Qin Shun sobbed, "Look what he did to Yuhang! The swelling still hasn't gone down. My poor baby!"

  Zhuang Yuhang smmed his fist oable. "Dad, go to their school tomorrow, drag him back, make him kneel and apologize to me, and then whip him raw."

  "So what if he gets first pce every year? He hits his own brother. What's , is he going to hit his own father?"

  Zhuang Wenzhao was enraged and had no iion of letting Zhuang Zi'ang off easily.