Father and "son"

  High school language group office, after being electrocuted by Ye Cai with an electric baton and recovering smoothly from physical health, Bi Changfu sat restlessly behind the office desk, at a loss for what to do about the matter that had happened to his son, Ye Cai, who was the head of the district's criminal police brigade.

  For him, like a nervous breakdown and escaping into the vast city of Ye Cai, when he really encountered something unexpected, Ye Changhu, the captain of the criminal police brigade, would mostly shift his anger to the school, making Ye Cai's class teacher, Bi Changfu feel somewhat uneasy.

  Suddenly, he received a call from the classroom next door, claiming that Ye Cai had returned to the classroom and was currently in a relatively stable condition.

  Overjoyed, he hung up the phone and immediately called Ye Changhu, who was searching for his son on the street, telling him that his son had returned safely, without a single hair out of place.

  On the other hand, Ye Changhu hung up the phone and thought to himself silently, not saying a word, slowly changing lanes to head back to Luoshui Middle School to find Ye Cai and get some answers.

  In the eyes of Ye Changhu, a national security officer, although Ye Cai herself was unharmed, the focus is not on this, but rather that during her frenzy, she actually caused physical harm to three school personnel. Even if responsibility can be attributed to mental derangement and exempt from legal punishment, as a father, he must give his "son" Ye Cai a good ideological education, and if necessary, a good scolding to wake her up.

  The co-pilot seat, fortunately overheard the gentle and elegant Liu Youyou, pursed her lips and lowered her head to give a relieved expression to Leng Xiaoyao in the backseat. Leng Xiaoyao was stunned and looked up, widening her eyes to seek confirmation, seeing Liu Youyou nodding with a relieved face, she let out a sigh of relief and slumped down, realizing that Ye Cai had escaped danger, couldn't help but curl up the corners of her mouth.

  Less than twenty minutes later, they returned to the main gate of Luoshui Middle School and under the strange gaze of a group of security guards, they saw Ye Changhu and his party walking towards the teaching building.

  It's break time, Ye Cai deliberately ignored Xiao Xue and leaned against the railing to gaze into the distance under her quiet company, intending to clear his mind and return to a completely calm state.

  Li Wei peeked from a distance, her face filled with anxious and urgent expression, occasionally opening her small mouth to mutter, then dimming her eyes and lowering her head in fear.

  Suddenly, she noticed that her classmates who were chatting in the corridor quickly dispersed and made way for a tall and majestic middle-aged man wearing a police uniform, who strode over with big steps. She was stunned - wasn't this the same policeman from just now? Why had he come back again?

  However, she soon realized that the police officer with a gloomy anger, his stern and solemn gaze was fixed on Ye Cai who was leaning against the railing not far away.

  Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed a figure with an aura of murder approaching, Ye Cai turned her face away, expressionlessly staring at her father who was walking towards her in big strides. Suddenly, a black shadow appeared on the left side of her field of vision, and with a loud slapping sound, Ye Cai stumbled and fell to the ground after being slapped.

  The crowd suddenly boiled, and they dispersed a distance away, exclaiming in surprise. Liu Youyou hastily grabbed Ye Changhu's arm, and with a face full of pleading, her eyes brimming with tears, she shook her head repeatedly at Ye Changhu, whose face was cold as ice.

  Leng Xiao Ya quickly ran away with her head down, and together with Xue Snow, they helped Ye Cai up, who had blood at the corner of his mouth. Then, surrounded by the crowd's chatter, the "father-son" pair stood one meter apart, staring at each other, the atmosphere heavy and oppressive.

  Ye Changhu lowered his eyelids, casually brushed open the pulling of Liu Youyou, half-turned around, and nodded at Ye Cai to follow him.

  Ye Cai lowered her face, her eyes hidden under the shadow of her bangs, making her look even more somber. Without a word, she pushed away the supporting arms on either side and rubbed her swollen cheek. She spat out a mouthful of bloody saliva with a twisted face, then, under the silent and fearful gaze of the onlookers, she took a step forward and followed Ye Changhu's tall and majestic back.

  The two-minute silent walk, the father and son walked down the teaching building one after another, Ye Changhu finally brought Ye Cai to a secluded corner that was hard to be found.

  He turned around, stretched out his hand without saying a word, and tore open Ye Cai's jacket. Ye Cai struggled silently, but the buttons on his suit and shirt were still torn off. Then Ye Changhu grabbed Ye Cai's pink little vest, clenched it tightly, shook it, gritted his teeth and asked: "What is this? Ah? What is this! ? You explain to me clearly!"

  Ye Cai lowered her head with a bland expression, carelessly shifting her gaze and said: "Little vest, don't you recognize me?"

  Ye Changhu suddenly stretched out his left hand, grabbed Ye Cai's shoulder-length hair, and slapped him heavily with his right hand.

  Ye Cai's body went limp and he almost fell, but his hair was grabbed by Ye Changhu, so he couldn't fall down. As a result, his whole body twisted like a snake for two times.

  With a hum of annoyance, Ye Changhu lifted Ye Cai's hair and pulled it back, revealing her bright red and swollen face. Ye Cai's nose and mouth were bleeding, and her eyes were filled with tears, but her expression was indifferent.

  Ye Changhu couldn't bear to look directly, narrowed his eyes, pursed his lips, and the "father-son" pair stared at each other coldly for a moment. Ye Changhu's face sank in shame, feigning annoyance as he pushed Ye Cai away, letting her stumble backward, and said in a deep voice: "Tell me everything clearly, from start to finish."

  Her whole body felt weak and dizzy, Ye Cai couldn't help but kneel on the ground, hunched over with one hand supporting herself against the wall. She struggled to get up, laboriously lifted her head, and gazed at Ye Changhu's gloomy face. A sly smile spread across her mouth as she said, "What do you want me to explain? Ah? What else do you want to know? So many things haven't happened before, what's going on now? Did you take the wrong medicine?"

  Yè Cháng Hǔ's face sank, and he gritted his teeth fiercely. He strode forward, raised his leg to kick, but saw Yè Cǎi covering her head with both hands, closing her eyes tightly in deep fear, and his movements stiffened involuntarily.

  Then he saw the son who had been silent and strong, after realizing that he hadn't hit him, opened his eyes, and tears gradually welled up in his round eyes, with a pouting mouth. Seeing this pitiful appearance, Yang Changhu's mind was in chaos, looking around, clearing his throat, and slowly putting down his leg.

  He then pretended to be nonchalant, glanced sideways at the other party, raised his hands and shook his collar, shook his head, swayed back and forth, and tilted his neck left and right, just like Ye Cai's usual style of doing things.

  Ye Cai, who had been frightened into losing his balance and kneeling on the ground earlier, stood up again at this moment, still lowering his head, expressionless, and silent.

  Ye Chang took a deep breath, pursed his lips, and turned to look at Ye Cai, who seemed shrouded in a thick haze. He let out a sigh that seemed to come from the heart, then smiled inexplicably and said: "Speak up, Ye Cai, speak, don't bottle it up, if you want to say something, just say it, if you resent me, hate me, think I'm the one who made you this way...just say it, Dad doesn't want you to end up like me..."

  Ye Changhu wept silently, took a deep breath, pursed his lips tightly, and raised his face high, intending to hold back his tears.

  Ye Cai, who was leaning against the wall with one hand and lowering his head, couldn't help but bite his teeth and sob at this moment. His shoulders shook uncontrollably, tears streaming down his face, dripping onto the ground.

  He lowered his face, and Yu Long let out a sigh, suppressing the pain in his heart as he forced a smile. He had been holding it in for half a day, but couldn't help letting out a hoarse laugh. It was as if he had aged half a lifetime in an instant. He walked unsteadily to Ye Cai's side, then tilted his head and showed a hint of shyness, gazing at the "son" who was crying with his head down. In his heart, he felt a strange warmth.

  He pulled out a pack of soft Chinese cigarettes from his pocket, took one out and gently tapped the ashtray on his right arm, as if he had already understood that the only way to communicate with his "son" was through an equal dialogue.

  Out of the corner of her eye, she saw the cigarette being handed over to her. Ye Cai couldn't help but smile with a sob, pursing her lips to hold back tears, and took it over casually.

  Then, the "father and son" sat awkwardly in the corner of the wall, squinting their eyes to smoke and gazing up at the sky.

  "Dad said: 'The justice in this world is not absolute, Ye Cai, you've also grown up, I hope you can understand this...' "

  Ye Cai forced a smile and thought: "But some things can't be measured by law, I just want to...just want..."

  Dad slanted his eyes, took a look at the pink small vest exposed on Ye Cai's chest, and couldn't help but furrowed his brow. He raised a dry smile and said in a warm voice: "Don't hide it from me anymore, ah, Ye Cai, what's going on with you now? How come it seems like even your Adam's apple is gone? If you really want to be a girl, Dad will spend money and effort, as long as you're happy, Dad will fully support you, ah?"

  Her mind in a flurry, Ye Cai lowered her head, her lips moving as if she wanted to explain, but was hindered by the enormity of having transformed into a cigarette, and ultimately choked out two lines of tears.

  No response was received, but Dad smiled and covered his embarrassment, symbolically putting his hand on Ye Cai's weak shoulder, shaking it a few times, but couldn't help but shake himself into tears, saying: "Don't be like this, Ye Cai, didn't I tell you? Don't learn from me anymore, I'm actually not good, sometimes my heart feels very painful... Ah, little Cai, speak out your troubles, you kids have grown up and learned to keep silent, we parents will feel lonely..."

  Ye Cai dodged her father's sincere and tearful gaze, pouting her mouth, her cheeks twitching with sobs that couldn't be voiced, and unconsciously buried her face between her knees, curling up deeply.

  Then, Ye Changhu finally noticed the strange curve of her back line, and was shocked and stunned, dazed for a moment, and without saying a word, he lifted Ye Cai's chin.

  Ye Cai struggled and dodged nonstop, so she was pinched tightly on the chin, crying out: "What's wrong with you?"

  Ye Changhu cried with a sad face without realizing it, staring at Ye Cai's smooth and white neck, stunned for half a day. He was shaken off by Ye Cai and opened his mouth to mutter: "Really, really become a girl?"

  Ye Cai, holding her legs in a state of high alert, pouted and nodded timidly.

  Upon seeing this feedback, Ye Changhu glared with wide eyes and asked: "Have you checked it?"

  Ye Cai nodded slightly.

  The world seemed to have come to a standstill, as Ye Changhu was stunned for a long time. After reacting, he adjusted his posture in a flurried manner, licked his lips and looked around before finally clearing his thoughts. He then reluctantly said: "Then why don't you say it? Why hide it from me? I'm your father..."

  Ye pouted and argued in a wronged tone: "I told you so earlier, but you didn't believe me..."

  "Yechang Hu said angrily: 'When did I say that? Ah? How come I didn't hear it?'"

  She puffed out her cheeks, and after some careful thought, she seemed to realize that she hadn't actually said it before. Her face turned red with embarrassment as she avoided her dad's gaze, but then she thought again and realized that she had mentioned it indirectly. So she turned back and retorted: "I did say it! I said I was wearing a tank top... anyway, it's all the same thing, who told you to think that way..."

  Staring at Ye Cai's round eyes and the little girl's sulky demeanor, Ye Changhu couldn't help but be stunned for a moment, then burst out laughing, rubbing Ye Cai's head, messing up her hair, making her shrink her neck, hug her legs and curl up again, only with her lips pursed high, as if extremely embarrassed.

  "Oh dear......tsk."

  Ye Changhu stood up with his knees, smiled and sighed, looked down at his daughter who was squatting in the corner of the wall, pursed her lips and said: "Let's go, Xiao Cai."

  Ye Cai Gao raised her face high and asked with wide open eyes: "Where are you going?"

  Ye Changhu's face had a warm smile, and he gently patted her shoulder. She stood up with doubt and hesitation, still drooping her hands, pitifully shrinking her neck, and tilting her head with one shoulder raised.

  Smiling and patting her head, it seemed that after being labeled as a "girl", Ye Cai's father, Ye Changhu, looked more pleased with himself. Without needing to ask, he roughly understood the cause and effect of Ye Cai's nervous breakdown. So, without another word, he pulled up Ye Cai's small hand, and after nearly resisting, Ye Cai could only smile sweetly and obey. She tilted her head and asked: "Where are we going, Dad?"

  Yè Cháng Hǔ turned his head, lowered his face, and forced a smile, but couldn't help tears welling up in his eyes. "Let's go home," he said with a laugh, "we'll have a good family reunion."

  Taking a deep breath, Ye Cai smiled slightly and looked up at her father's warm face, as if seeing again the happy scene of their family gathered around the dinner table when she was young. She nodded vigorously.

  （……）