Li Zhiyan never imagined that in his lifetime, he would have his clothes ripped apart like this.
He always thought this was the kind of thing that only happened in catfights between shrews.
Like the old woman Zhao Shumin tore into before—if her underwear hadn't been sturdy enough, the crowd would have been treated to quite a spectacle.
With Zhao Shumin pressing down on his back,
Li Zhiyan truly felt the strength of this woman's waist.
She was as slippery and nimble as an eel, seemingly capable of anything.
Then, Zhao Shumin started pounding on Li Zhiyan's chest.
Her immense strength forced Li Zhiyan to let go of Shang Shunsheng in pain.
He grabbed Zhao Shumin's wrists in reflex,
and threw her off.
Shang Shunsheng charged again, and mother and son both went at Li Zhiyan together.
Meanwhile, Liu Yan just stood by watching; getting involved in something this dangerous wasn't something a "fairy" like her would do.
The neighbors quickly called the police.
In less than ten minutes, the officers arrived.
When the police saw the disheveled Li Zhiyan with his shredded clothes and the bruised and battered mother-son duo of Shang Shunsheng and Zhao Shumin, they frowned.
"You three, come with me to the station for an investigation!"
...
At the police station, in the mediation room.
This was Li Zhiyan's first time at a police station; he had always been a model kid growing up.
He'd never done any of the bad things delinquent students did.
But today, here he was, hauled in for a fight, being interrogated by the police in the dead of night.
"Tell me, what happened?"
"Officer!"
"It's this pervert! He harassed my daughter-in-law!"
Zhao Shumin was fuming; even her chest was bouncing slightly with her agitation. Sometimes, having an overly full figure could be a real burden.
The officer's gaze toward Li Zhiyan turned a bit more severe.
"Officer, I've been wronged! I just wanted to use the bathroom."
"But when I came out, the restroom was occupied, so I just sat on the couch to wait. As soon as she came out, she accused me of peeping on her."
"And they made me come out in this weather wearing long sleeves and pants! Doesn't fairness exist anymore?"
"Officer, there's a surveillance camera in the living room. I suggest you review the footage."
"I don't want to live with this false accusation hanging over me!"
At this moment, Li Zhiyan was visibly indignant. He felt that women these days really had changed.
For instance, Xu Qianqian could shamelessly ask him to foot the bill without a blush or a second thought, as if it were only right.
And then Liu Yan came out of the bathroom, looked at him sitting on the couch, and decided he had been ogling her.
Where did these women get their confidence from?
The police officer studied the aggrieved look on Li Zhiyan's face.
He could tell that Li Zhiyan was probably telling the truth.
"Ma'am, are you sure he was trying to peep on you?"
"There are cameras in this rental apartment. I suggest you be careful with your accusations."
"This is a police station, after all."
Only then did Liu Yan mumble guiltily, "I think he definitely intended to peek at me."
"And earlier, he was sitting in the living room wearing shorts and a t-shirt. So indecent."
The officer couldn't help but laugh in exasperation.
"It's the height of summer! People get heatstroke every day."
"What else should he be wearing if not a t-shirt and shorts?"
After clarifying the details, the police began mediating.
In the end, the resolution was for Shang Shunsheng to compensate Li Zhiyan 1,000 yuan to settle the matter.
After both parties agreed, the officer remarked, "Now, this is how it should be."
"Neighbors should coexist peacefully. In today's society, harmony is what matters most. There's no need to fight over such trivial matters."
Li Zhiyan felt quite satisfied. He knew that if he hadn't stood up to fight back tonight, this bizarre couple would never have toned it down.
As Li Zhiyan stood up to leave, the officer said, "Call a guardian to come and get you. I need to have a word with them."
"You have a bit of a temper. You really roughed him up. If this had escalated, you'd have had the worse end of it."
The officer then added, "Though, I must say, those people really are infuriating…"
"Uncle, I don't have family in Shanghai."
"What about a university teacher?"
"I only just finished my third year of university."
"Think about it. See if there's anyone you can call."
Li Zhiyan fell silent as he sat there.
"Young man, have you decided who to call yet?"
"I…"
"I do have one elder. Her name is Shen Hongmei. My Aunt Shen is my only support here in Shanghai."
As he spoke, Li Zhiyan felt a twinge of sorrow.
The loneliness of being adrift in a foreign city was something only those who lived through it could truly understand.
"Tell me her phone number."
The officer patted Li Zhiyan on the shoulder, feeling sympathy for this young man trying to make his way in Shanghai. Life was tough for everyone.
...
At home, Shen Hongmei had just finished applying a face mask and was preparing for bed.
She had just lain down when her phone rang, displaying the label "Police Station."
"Hello, Officer."
"Is this Shen Hongmei? Ms. Shen?"
"Yes, Officer. Is there a problem?"
"Here's the thing: there's a young man named Li Zhiyan here who got into a fight today. He says you're his only support in Shanghai."
"Could you come and pick him up? The young man is too impulsive. He needs some guidance from an elder."
Shen Hongmei's heart tightened instinctively. Hearing the words "only support" tugged at the softer corners of her heart.
"Officer, is Li Zhiyan alright?"
Seven hundred days' worth of shared history couldn't simply be erased. The saying goes, "a day as husband and wife means a hundred days of gratitude."
Even if she tried to stay rational, Shen Hongmei wasn't a cold-blooded person. It was impossible for her not to care about Li Zhiyan at all.