A Warm and Cute Strike (GL) - Chapter 5

The sound of clinking keys was like a death knell, bringing a wave of unease and terror.

Xiang Qingnuan’s body wouldn’t stop trembling. Shrunken and at her wit’s end, she shot a look at the little fish in the tank. The little goldfish flicked its tail, looking back at her in a panic.

Suddenly, a massive sense of responsibility surged in the little girl’s heart. She gritted her teeth and whispered to the fish, “Fishy, don’t be afraid. I’ll protect you. I won’t let the mean auntie cook you!”

Enduring her inner dread, Qingnuan walked toward the door. Taking a deep breath, she unlocked it and pulled it open, bracing herself for Auntie Chen’s fury.

Auntie Chen had just found the right key when she heard a creak and saw the door open a crack. Seeing the little tot peeking through the gap, a triumphant, arrogant sneer spread across her face. she yanked the door open and grabbed the child’s arm, dragging her out.

“Think you’re pretty capable, don’t you? Huh? Stealing my buns and hiding in your room? You didn’t wash the dishes or hang the laundry!” This was the true source of her rage. “Learning to be bad so young—what will you become when you grow up? I’ll teach you a lesson on behalf of your parents today. Let’s see if you dare steal my things again!”

She raised her hand and delivered a sharp slap to the child’s backside. Having raised four children, Auntie Chen was experienced; she knew the buttocks were fleshy—it would hurt, but it wouldn’t leave an easy mark or cause real injury.

While she was bold enough to starve Qingnuan and force her to do chores, she didn’t have the guts to leave visible bruises. If the masters ever found marks, she’d lose this lucrative job, and she wasn’t about to give up such a “fat” position.

Tears instantly burst from the girl’s eyes. She wailed and struggled, trying to retreat back into her room.

Inside the room, the little goldfish watched this scene. It swam in frantic circles, its round eyes glaring at the human woman as if they might spit fire. It paused for a moment as if thinking, then closed its eyes. Its thin fins curled up like tiny clenched fists, and its gills puffed out as if it were straining with all its might.

After a moment of exertion, a tiny glow of gold lit up between its brows. A speck of light detached from the glow and flew out of the tank. The golden speck swirled through the air and drifted tremulously toward the hallway, landing on the struggling child.

Xiang Qingnuan was fighting so hard she didn’t notice the golden speck merge into her skin and vanish. Something, somewhere, began to quietly shift.

The goldfish, exhausted by the effort, closed its eyes and sank into the sand at the bottom of the tank, seemingly unconscious.

Auntie Chen was about to strike a second time when the telephone downstairs rang. She stopped, frustrated.

“Do you dare do it again?”

Xiang Qingnuan was smart enough to shake her head, sobbing quietly. “I won’t…”

“Hmph. Wipe your eyes and go to the third floor to hang the laundry. If I come up and see you’re still lazing around, I won’t stop at just one slap!”

She let go of the girl’s arm and hurried downstairs toward the persistent ringing. “I’m coming! What’s the rush!”

Qingnuan stood there sobbing until she finally calmed down. She slowly went back into her room, used a tissue to clean her face, and checked on her fish. Seeing it “sleeping” peacefully, she climbed up to the third floor.

On the balcony, Auntie Chen had already moved the wet clothes from the washer into a bucket. Qingnuan sniffed and started placing them on hangers. She was short and lacked strength, so she couldn’t shake the clothes out; she had to smooth the wrinkles out bit by bit with her hands. If the clothes stayed wrinkled, the mean auntie would get angry and deny her food.

She really wanted to ask Mommy and Daddy why she had to do all this just to eat. The children in cartoons didn’t have to do chores. But the mean auntie forbade her from asking, threatening to turn the goldfish into soup and sell her to a place so far away she’d never see her parents again.

She loved her fish, and she loved her parents. Even though they spent very little time with her, she loved them dearly. Just the thought of seeing them made her happy, so she stayed obedient.

Exhausted, she finally got everything onto the rack. She tapped the switch with her reddened hands, and the rack rose automatically to the ceiling.

Woof! Woof! Barking rose from below, followed by a child’s crying. Qingnuan stood on her tiptoes to look over the balcony railing. She saw a girl about her age standing in the street, faced by a small cream-colored puppy.

“Big Brother! Big Brother!” the girl cried. A boy of eight or nine dashed out from the opposite yard, shielded her, and shooed the puppy away before comforting her.

“Big Brother…” Qingnuan murmured. Her almond eyes were filled with envy. She watched until they went inside, then silently retreated back into the house.

Back on the second floor, she saw Auntie Chen walking out of her bedroom, unable to hide a look of excitement. Qingnuan’s face went pale. She sprinted past her into the room, only relaxing when she saw the goldfish was safe.

Auntie Chen scoffed at the girl’s reaction. That fish was her best tool for keeping the kid in line; she’d never actually kill it.

“Laundry done?” she asked.

“Mhm. Done,” the girl whispered, sounding drained.

“Good. Your lunch and dinner are on the table. Since you love being in your room so much, you can stay in here for the rest of the day!”

With a clack, the door was shut and locked. The moment Auntie Chen turned around, her face lit up again. She hurried to the servant’s quarters, grabbed her bank card, and stared at a slip of paper with a phone number and a bank account on it.

The phone call just now was from a “TV station.” They claimed she had been randomly selected as a lucky viewer and won a grand prize of 480,000 yuan!

480,000! She had never seen that much money in her life. Her heart hammered against her ribs. She knew the masters were in the entertainment industry, so a call like this didn’t seem far-fetched. She figured even if the prize was technically for the homeowners, as long as she claimed it quietly, who would know? If she got caught later, she’d just pay it back. What could they do to her?

The only catch was the “tax.” The caller said that because the prize was so large, she had to pay over 30,000 yuan in taxes upfront before they could ship the prize.

30,000 was more than half a year’s salary. Auntie Chen’s eyes flickered with hesitation—she had two kids in school, after all. But 480,000… with that, she’d never have to be a nanny again. Trading 30,000 for 480,000 was a steal. Greed won out. She grabbed her bag and hurried out of the house to find a bank.

Inside the locked room, Qingnuan tried the handle, then gave up. She looked at the table and found two golden croissants and a 350ml carton of milk. She cheered softly, carefully inserted the straw, and took a blissful sip.

After the crying and the chores, her stomach was hollow. She finished a croissant and patted her full belly with satisfaction. The goldfish had regained consciousness and was drifting lazily, looking weak but happy to see Qingnuan’s smile. It flicked its tail, making her giggle.

At the E-City Hospital, outside the ICU.

“The patient is stable for now, but not yet out of the woods…” the doctor told Xiang Nan and Ye Feifei.

Exhausted, Ye Feifei hadn’t slept since landing the day before. “I’ll go find Xuening and tell her the good news,” she told her husband.

In the ward, Qin Xuening’s aunt, Qin Xinlan, was talking to her. “Xiao Ning, Auntie has to handle your father’s funeral arrangements these next few days. I might not have much time to stay with you, but don’t be afraid—Auntie Ye and Uncle Xiang are here.”

Su Yuyan was an orphan, so Xuening had no other maternal relatives. She had to rely on Auntie Qin. Xuening looked at the woman—she looked so much younger and gentler now, without the sharp, hysterical edge life would give her ten years later.

Her aunt had once been very good to her. Even after Xuening lost a leg and her voice in the accident, the woman never abandoned her. But after marrying the future uncle, Chen Yang, everything changed.

Qin Xinlan wasn’t a bad person, just weak. Her strongest moment was marrying into her husband’s house while carrying a disabled niece. That decision, however, was the start of a nightmare for both of them.

Xuening looked away, her expression cold. Her aunt sighed. The doctor said the trauma of seeing her parents’ accident had caused a total personality change—the once-vibrant girl was now silent and hollow.

Ye Feifei entered the room, and Qin Xinlan left after a few polite words. Feifei took Xuening’s hand with maternal tenderness.

“Your mother is out of immediate danger. Don’t worry,” Feifei smiled.

Xuening finally felt a wave of relief. A rare, faint smile touched her lips—a smile like melting snow. Feifei, seeing the resemblance to her friend Su Yuyan, hugged her tight.

As she did, Xuening “accidentally” let her tablet slip to the floor.

“Oh, I’m sorry!” Feifei picked it up. Before she could hand it back, her eyes caught the content on the screen.

The screen displayed several news articles. They were all about nannies abusing young children.