Hearing his comrade's words, Chen Zhengnian's brow furrowed. His gut told him the trouble at home had something to do with him and Wang Xinxin.
He tightened his grip on Wang Xinxin's hand and looked at her.
"Xinxin."
"I'll go with you."
From the look on Chen Zhengnian's face, Wang Xinxin seemed to understand what was happening.
'She'd have to face the Chen family eventually. Sooner or later, it made no difference. She might as well go now.'
The two of them got into the car driven by his comrade and headed for the Chen family home.
The jeep bounced along the rutted dirt road, kicking up a trail of yellow dust. It finally stopped before a small, detached house with its own private courtyard.
The house was enclosed by a blue-gray brick wall. Inside the courtyard, a few drought-resistant poplars RUSTLED in the wind.
Unlike the lively, bustling atmosphere of Wang Xinxin's alleyway home, this compound felt austere and distant.
