Chapter 360: Li Qing's Background
Love blossomed, tinged with a rosy hue. It was only as dawn approached that the two reluctantly parted.
Nestled in Zhao Dong's embrace, Wang Jing's face was brimming with happiness. Zhao Dong, on the other hand, smoked one cigarette after another, a conflicted look on his face.
"You have something to say, don't you?" Wang Jing suddenly asked.
"Ah..." Zhao Dong hastily extinguished his cigarette, his expression awkward.
"I know what you want to say." Wang Jing caressed Zhao Dong's arm. "You want to say that you have other women, right?"
"Well..." Zhao Dong could only manage a bitter smile. Wang Jing was just as sharp as she had always been.
"Yes, I do have other women... but I..."
"Shh!" Wang Jing placed a hand over Zhao Dong's mouth. "There's no need to explain. From the moment we first met again, I knew. You and I are from different worlds now."
"A divorced woman with a child... I'm not worthy of you."
"No, that's not what I meant..." Zhao Dong tried to explain.
But Wang Jing cut him off again.
"Zhao Dong, I know you don't look down on me, but I'm also clear about my own situation. Everything that happened tonight was my own choice. I don't regret it now, and I won't regret it in the future, so please don't blame yourself."
"I don't dare hope you could love me or stay with me. As long as you can remember me... that's enough..."
As her words hung in the air, the room fell into a dead silence. The two gazed at each other, their eyes filled with love.
Zhao Dong was deeply moved. This woman before me, though weathered by life's hardships, is just as she's always been, thinking only of me without ever asking for anything in return.
He impulsively lifted Wang Jing into his arms.
"Ah!" Wang Jing let out a surprised cry, her hand pressing down on him. "You... you've recovered already?"
"Don't you want to?" Zhao Dong asked with a mischievous smile.
"No... I... I really can't take it anymore... It's been all night, and we've already..." Wang Jing was on the verge of tears. Although she had been blissful all night, she hadn't expected it to be so far beyond her limits. It hurts a little...
Zhao Dong scratched his head, feeling a pang of sympathy and preparing to pull back. But Wang Jing suddenly pulled him closer, her eyes hazy as she murmured, "You... don't be in such a rush... it's not like... that's the only place..."
...
It wasn't until dawn that the two finally fell into a deep sleep. They slept until noon, only waking when Xiaoya called for them.
Seeing Zhao Dong and Wang Jing embracing again, Xiaoya showed no surprise, only pure joy. A blushing Wang Jing got up to make lunch.
She was an excellent cook. Zhao Dong, who hadn't eaten a home-cooked meal in a long time, heartily devoured three large bowls of rice. At the side, Wang Jing and Xiaoya giggled endlessly as they watched him eat ravenously.
After lunch, Zhao Dong took out a card and handed it to Wang Jing.
"There's some money in this card. Take it for now. When you have time, go find a better apartment. This place is too rough for you and your daughter."
"No, no!" Wang Jing looked panicked. "I can't take your money..."
"Silly girl, this money isn't for you. It's for Xiaoya," Zhao Dong sighed, reaching out to ruffle Xiaoya's hair. "Xiaoya is at a formative age. She learns from everything she sees."
"Not only is this neighborhood unsafe, but there are always shady characters hanging around downstairs. Think about it. If Xiaoya stays here, what if she picks up bad habits?"
"Ah... Is it really that serious?" Wang Jing asked, her face filled with terror.
"Of course!" Zhao Dong immediately affirmed.
Hearing this, Wang Jing was clearly torn. Finally, with a bitter smile, she accepted the card.
"I really don't know how to thank you..." she said, clutching the card tightly with her head bowed, a mixture of guilt and gratitude on her face.
"I..."
Just as Zhao Dong was about to offer some words of comfort, a violent sound erupted.
BANG, BANG, BANG!
Urgent, heavy knocks hammered on the door.
"Wang Jing! You rotten bitch, get your ass out here! I know you're in there, don't you fucking play dead on me!" a man roared from the hallway. "Open the door! Open it now!"
"Li... It's Li Qing!" Wang Jing's face instantly turned deathly pale.
Xiaoya was so scared she burst into loud sobs. Wang Jing quickly picked her up and hid behind Zhao Dong, her body trembling uncontrollably with fear.
"Don't be scared, I'm here," Zhao Dong said, turning to comfort them before striding forward and yanking the door open.
"You stinking..."
Li Qing opened his mouth to curse, but the words died in his throat when he saw Zhao Dong.
WHOOSH!
Li Qing's face went white. He staggered back, nearly falling to the ground.
"You... why are you here?" he stammered. "Great! Just great! You two... you're really having an affair!"
Li Qing pointed a trembling finger at Zhao Dong.
Zhao Dong stepped forward with a cold smile. "Kid, I warned you last time not to come looking for trouble. Have you already forgotten how to spell the word 'death'?"
"No... a misunderstanding... it's a misunderstanding! I just came to see my daughter... I... I didn't mean anything else..." Li Qing hurriedly changed his tune. Behind him, the few lackeys he'd brought along began shuffling their feet, ready to bolt. They had already suffered at Zhao Dong's hands at the food stall and had come today looking to bully Wang Jing. Confronted by Zhao Dong again, their bravado evaporated.
Zhao Dong's expression darkened as he seized Li Qing by the neck. He glanced back at Wang Jing and asked, "Has this piece of trash ever come to see Xiaoya?"
"No! Never!"
Before Wang Jing could speak, Xiaoya spoke up, her small face fierce. "This bad man only ever hit me and Mom! Ever since he abandoned Mom, he has never come to see Xiaoya even once! Xiaoya doesn't have a dad! Xiaoya's dad is already dead!"
Xiaoya's words were like a knife to Wang Jing's heart, and tears streamed down her face.
Zhao Dong sighed. What could a child so young even remember? Only a bone-deep wound could make her hate her own father with such resentment.
He turned his head back to Li Qing. His eyes were like a vengeful ghost's, and the look alone sent a cold chill straight to Li Qing's groin.
"Bro... Sir... I was wrong! I swear I didn't know this... that this woman was under your protection! Otherwise, I would never have dared to cause trouble! How about this? You let me go, and I swear I'll never come back, okay? I... AHHH!!!"
Li Qing was only halfway through his sentence when the sickening sound of his arm snapping echoed through the hallway, followed by his own piercing scream.
Ultimately, Li Qing was Xiaoya's father, so Zhao Dong didn't want to kill him. But with scum like this, if you don't make them truly fear the pain, a softer approach is useless.
"AHH!! Bastard... you're asking for it! You're dead!! Let me go! Do you really fucking think I have no one backing me up?! AHH!!!"
"Heh, it seems you haven't had enough pain," Zhao Dong sneered, his right hand tightening once more.
CRACK!
Li Qing's other arm was snapped.
"AHHHHH!!!"
A bloodcurdling scream shot through the building.
"Ah... you... you're dead meat! Ah... I'm with the Blood Worship Gang! You dare touch me?! The Blood Worship Gang won't let you off! They won't let you off!!!"