Starting Off By Confessing To My Classmate's Mother

The sounds of "domestic violence" from the neighboring unit were unmistakable. The loud, rhythmic noises echoed through the walls, yet the aunt next door showed no signs of restraint. It was almost as if she didn't care that others could hear her "suffering."

Fang Zhiya's face grew redder by the second.

"Fang Aunty, your face is getting really red," Li Zhiyan remarked, his curiosity piqued.

"It's nothing," she stammered, her voice flustered. "The heat must be getting to me. Hurry up and finish your food, Xiao Yan. We need to head out for the stall soon. You also need to get back home early, don't you?"

"Alright…" he muttered, though his eyes betrayed his wandering thoughts. His gaze flickered to the thin wall separating them from the "action" next door, clearly intrigued.

Li Zhiyan had a strong disdain for domestic violence. He had heard too many tragic stories of families torn apart because of it—marriages ending, wives suffering, and children bearing lifelong scars. He firmly believed that a world without violence would be a far better one.

But his intense focus made Fang Zhiya's face burn hotter. She felt increasingly uneasy. Why did they have to pick this time to be so... noisy? What if Xiao Yan ends up traumatized by all this?

"Fang Aunty," Li Zhiyan said suddenly, his tone serious, "should we intervene? I think that uncle is terrible—hurting someone like that and doing it so… rhythmically, too!"

"N-No!" Fang Zhiya choked on her words, nearly dropping her chopsticks. "Absolutely not!"

"Why not?" he asked, puzzled. "Domestic violence is awful! If we don't step in, who knows how bad it could get?"

"Stop overthinking it! Just finish your meal, and let's leave soon!" she urged, eager to flee the suffocating confines of the small rental flat. She couldn't bear another second of this madness.

The meal was a torturous ordeal for Fang Zhiya. She could barely sit still, feeling her composure unravel. In less than a few minutes, she had dragged Li Zhiyan out of the house, her voice rushed and insistent.

"Xiao Yan, hurry downstairs!"

"But Fang Aunty, I haven't finished eating—"

"No time! Let's go!" she said firmly, nearly shoving him out the door.

As she locked up, Li Zhiyan wandered over to the neighbor's window out of curiosity. To his surprise, the glass pane was uncovered—no curtains, no newspapers taped up. His widened eyes said it all.

"Xiao Yan!" Fang Zhiya yelped, rushing to drag him away. She quickly locked the door and practically pulled him down the stairs, her steps unsteady. Her mind was awash with shame and fury. That awful couple! What kind of terrible people expose a child to this sort of thing?

---

On the street, Fang Zhiya handed Li Zhiyan the cart's handle.

"Push this for me, will you, Xiao Yan?" she asked, her voice soft but distracted.

"Of course, Fang Aunty. Don't worry—I'll handle it. You just walk alongside me," he replied cheerfully, taking the opportunity to help her. Pushing the cart felt productive, like a small workout, and he welcomed the chance to lighten her load.

As they made their way to the stall location, the summer heat continued to cling to Fang Zhiya, making her face flush even more. But the heat wasn't the only culprit. Why does the world conspire to put me in such awkward situations with this child? she thought helplessly. I just want to be a good elder to him, maybe even adopt him as my godson someday. But now…

"Fang Aunty," Li Zhiyan suddenly said, breaking her thoughts, "don't you think their way of 'fighting' was kind of strange? It reminded me of something we learned in biology class—could it be…?"

"Stop!" Fang Zhiya interrupted hastily, her voice rising in panic. "Don't imitate them, understand? Just forget about it! Focus on helping me at the stall. And once it's time, you're heading straight home. Got it?"

Under her flustered insistence, Li Zhiyan nodded obediently, though a sly smile tugged at his lips. He knew pressing the topic further would only make things worse. It's fun seeing her so ruffled, he mused silently.

---

Soon, they reached the stall's usual spot, where a handful of other vendors had already set up. There were people selling sesame cakes, iced mung bean soup, and various street snacks.

"Xiao Yan, let's set up here," Fang Zhiya instructed, already unloading the folding table and chairs from the cart.

The sun dipped low on the horizon, casting a warm glow over the street. The oppressive heat of the day began to ease, though business was still slow. After a while, a young man approached.

"Boss lady, one order of noodles, please. I'll be back to eat it after getting some mung bean soup," he said before walking off.

Fang Zhiya busied herself with preparing the order, sneaking glances at Li Zhiyan as she worked. He seemed… distracted. His usual sharp focus had dulled, his mind clearly elsewhere.

Her heart sank. Could it be? Did the "incident" earlier really affect him that much? She chastised herself for not shielding him better. What if he can't shake those images from his mind? What if this leads him astray?

She had seen it happen before. A friend's son had gone from a top student to a failing one in mere months—all because of a chance encounter with inappropriate content. Once a child's mind veered off the right path, it was almost impossible to steer it back.

After the customer finished his meal and left, Fang Zhiya finally approached Li Zhiyan, concern written all over her face.

"Xiao Yan," she began softly, "you're not… thinking too much about what happened earlier, are you?"

"What do you mean, Fang Aunty?" he asked, tilting his head innocently.

"Well… you know…" She fumbled for words, her traditional upbringing making it difficult to broach the subject. But she couldn't let this go unaddressed. I have to guide him properly. If he falls into bad habits because of this, I'll never forgive myself.

"Fang Aunty," Li Zhiyan said, his voice calm but teasingly curious, "what exactly are you trying to say?"

Her face turned crimson. This child… she thought in exasperation. How does he always manage to make me so flustered?

"I… I just want to make sure you're not learning the wrong things, alright? That's all!" she said firmly, her tone almost scolding.

Li Zhiyan chuckled inwardly. This identity as a "child" really is useful. Watching her squirm is too entertaining.

But outwardly, he nodded seriously. "Don't worry, Fang Aunty. I understand."

Fang Zhiya let out a sigh of relief, though her heart still raced. This boy… I need to be more careful around him. Otherwise, who knows what kind of trouble he might stumble into next?

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