Chapter Sixty-One Analysis

  Fang Zikong was a scatterbrain, unable to bear being confined to his desk for long periods of time. In just a short while, he would start fidgeting in his seat like he had a nail stuck in his buttocks. Fang Zixuan, who was sitting beside him reading a book, didn't even lift her head and directly used a ruler to whack him on the butt.

  "Fang Zikai really wanted to curse loudly, but thinking of her ruthless punishment, he could only cover his buttocks and glare at her angrily."

  "There is a way of sitting." She didn't even move her eyebrows.

  "You're being too nosy!" Looking at her sitting upright at the desk, with her back straight from start to finish, Fang Zikai didn't even have the energy to get angry. Not only did she manage his studies, but also what he wore, and even what he ate and slept. She not only managed what he said, but also how he stood and sat. As long as he was slightly careless, the ruler would ruthlessly fall on him.

  Fang Zikong had a feeling of returning to military training camp once again, this time the feeling was even more desperate than before, it was as if he was better off dead!

  To think that the hellish training camp was only a month's time, Fang Zixuan's control over him was a long and endless road. What's most terrifying is that behind her back, there's still the powerful backing of Old Master Zhang, so even if he dared to report her, all he'd get in return would be a few ruthless lashes.

  These days have been spent in blood and tears!

  Zhang Qi kicked open the door in a rage, startling two children who were buried in their books. The girl under the lamp had a calm and cool expression, while the boy's lips were slightly pursed. The quiet and warm atmosphere strangely calmed down his anger.

  These two children will ultimately be different from their father.

  Looking at Fang Zixuan, who stood up with her brother and asked politely, Zhang Qi's eyes were complex. This niece was no longer the impulsive and reckless child she used to be; her stability and introversion might even surpass that of his own sister, their mother. The questions he had wanted to blurt out were swallowed back down, and he rubbed his brow wearily. "Did your mom say anything to you guys when she left this morning?"

  Fang Zikai was always afraid of his granduncle and uncle, seeing the fierce look on his face, he was so scared that he hid behind Fang Zixuan, shaking his head subconsciously. However, Fang Zixuan thought about it very seriously.

  "Mom got up very early this morning, probably around 6:35, and came downstairs while I was having breakfast. She patted my head and said 'so early!' I nodded and asked her to have breakfast with me. She said 'I'm already full of anger, it's weird if I can eat'. Then she left." Fang Zixuan recounted the scene word by word.

  Zhang Qi sat on the small sofa in the room. He pulled at the corner of his mouth, he had known all along that with Zhang Yun's personality, how could she possibly instruct the child beforehand, probably she was really furious and impulsively stabbed him.

  He couldn't help but start blaming his father, it was all because he had spoiled Zhang Yun, if only he had been as strict with Zhang Yun as he was with his sons, things wouldn't have ended up like this today.

  "Do you know what your mom did today?"

  He had been running around all day for Shen Qin's affairs and didn't return home until now, so he naturally didn't have a good face for the siblings either.

  Fang Zikong was intimidated by Zhang Qi's suppressed anger and hid behind Fang Zixuan. Fang Zixuan shook her head honestly, Zhang Yun never told them what she did outside every day, thinking about it, it was probably just playing cards and shopping.

  "Your mom went to find Shen Qin today."

  Fang Zikun's body tensed up immediately, and his hand tightened around Fang Zixuan's again. However, Fang Zixuan looked confused, only feeling that the name "Shen Qin" sounded somewhat familiar. After thinking carefully, she finally remembered that Shen Qin was one of Fang Jianlin's mistresses outside, whom Fang Zikun had mentioned before.

  She never gossiped, and Shen Qian's name was also forgotten as soon as it was heard. Moreover, with Zhang Yun's personality, he often liked to find trouble with mistresses and illegitimate children. It was expected that he would look for Shen Qian too. Logically speaking, the Zhang family should have taken a laissez-faire attitude towards this matter. She didn't understand why Zhang Qi's attitude was so agitated.

  "How many times have I told you not to say such things in front of the child! Do you take my words as nothing but a breeze in your ear?" Old Zhang arrived upon hearing the news, and his figure standing at the door seemed somewhat worn out, yet the aura of dignity and authority around him still made Fang Zikai hide behind Fang Zixuan again, wishing that these two fierce men couldn't see him.

  "Dad, how long are you going to spoil Ah Yun? Someone almost lost their life just now, isn't that enough?" Zhang Qiteng stood up abruptly, no longer caring about being respectful or not, and retorted directly.

  "Ayin is Ayin, what's the point of saying these things in front of the kids? They're still young, will it do them any good to hear this? What if it affects their studies and growth? Get out!" Old Man Zhang suppressed his anger, his chest heaving with each breath.

  Zhang Qi, however, seemed completely unaware, "They are Ayun's children, they naturally have the right to know about Ayun! Moreover, Ayun also got into trouble for their sake! With the blood of our Zhang family flowing through their veins, if they can't even bear this little bit, then they really are a hopeless cause!"

  What's wrong with Zhang Yun?

  Fang Zixuan looked down at Fang Zipeng, his face was tense, but he couldn't hide the nervous look, his hand clenched hers tightly, making her feel a bit painful, and the palms of their hands were sweaty, it was unclear whose sweat it was.

  "Shut up! The children are still so young, how can you vent your anger on them?" Old Master Zhang was furious and didn't care that his two grandsons were still present, directly hitting Zhang Qi with his cane. "What's the difference between what you're doing and Fang Jianlin?"

  "They're Fang Jianlin's kids! Maybe they're a pair of white-eyed wolves too! Is it worth our while to do this for them?" Zhang Qi was furious, and shot back without thinking.

  "Father!" Zhang Songwen and Cheng Li, who rushed upstairs in a hurry, both looked at Zhang Qi with disapproval.

  "Ah!" The walking stick fell to the ground, Old Man Zhang stared blankly at Fang Zixuan, unable to utter a word. Zhang Qi felt embarrassed and also looked at the siblings with a sheepish expression, following Old Man Zhang's gaze.

  Fang Zikai's face was pale, and his chubby face was full of helplessness and panic. His eyes were welling up with tears, as if they would overflow at any moment. Fang Zixuan, on the other hand, kept her head down, not saying a word, making it impossible to tell what she was thinking.

  "Big aunt, what happened to mom?" After a few seconds, she raised her head, staring at Zhang Qi with calm eyes, still without any emotional fluctuations.

  Zhang Qi looked at her, and couldn't help but feel a twinge of guilt. Fang Zi Xuan's changes over the past few years, he had witnessed with his own eyes. Although he hadn't believed it before, she had forcefully refuted his doubts with her achievements. This aloof and detached girl may not have been likable or charming, and he had never liked her before, but he couldn't deny that she was indeed a model student who gave adults peace of mind. In the heat of the moment, saying such words probably hurt her too.

  "She stabbed Shen Qin with a knife and is now in custody. Shen Qin is being treated in the hospital." Zhang Qi said calmly.

  The room fell into a deathly silence.

  "Uncle, aren't you the director of the Public Security Bureau? Why don't you let mom go?" Fang Zipeng said timidly from behind Fang Zixuan's back, tears already rolling down one by one. If he wasn't too worried about his mother, he wouldn't have dared to say a word in front of Old Man Zhang and Zhang Qi.

  "Intentional injury is a criminal offense, even if the uncle is the director of the Public Security Bureau, it's impossible to just let it go, not to mention that Secretary Fan has just arrived and is keeping an eye on Uncle. At this time, we absolutely cannot afford to have any trouble." Zhang Qi hadn't had time to say anything when Fang Zixuan slowly lowered her head and spoke to Fang Zipeng.

  As soon as Secretary Fan was mentioned, Zhang Qi's eyes became complex and unpredictable. He turned his head to look at Old Man Zhang, only to see the old man with a sentimental expression. The last time Xiang'er was present, when Old Man Zhou inadvertently brought it up, she had been keeping it in mind all along. Although she usually kept quiet and didn't ask about worldly affairs, her heart was as transparent as a mirror.

  "Is Mom going to jail?" Without noticing the change in facial expressions of several people, Fang Zipeng's face was full of horror, and his small face turned even paler.

  "It depends on Shen Qian's injury. There are four possible outcomes: minor injury, slight injury, serious injury and death. According to the criminal law, intentionally injuring someone is punishable by up to three years in prison, detention or surveillance; causing serious injury is punishable by three to ten years in prison; causing death is punishable by ten years to life imprisonment or even death penalty."

  As soon as she heard the two words "death penalty", Fang Zikai's grip on her hand tightened, and even his breathing seemed to stop, but she seemed oblivious, continuing to speak calmly.

  "But if it's a minor injury, it would only be considered a civil tort and not a criminal offense. The most important thing is to distinguish between intentional and negligent behavior. Mom has always been confident and used her family background to intimidate others, but she doesn't have the habit of carrying knives or using violence, and before going out, she was only prepared to argue with Shen Qian, without any intention of harming her. So, it's highly likely that during their argument, she accidentally stabbed Shen Qian with a knife from Shen Qian's home. Therefore, she didn't intentionally harm anyone, but rather acted negligently. However, negligent behavior that results in injury only constitutes a crime if the injury is severe or above.

  If Shen Qian is diagnosed with minor injuries, Mom won't go to jail. If it's severe, she'll get three years or less of imprisonment or detention. If Shen Qian dies, she'll be sentenced to three to seven years. These legal terms were thrown around casually by Fang Zixuan, but 12-year-old Fang Zipeng was confused, and basically everyone else except Zhang Qi and Zhang Congwen didn't understand what was going on."

  "If it's confirmed as a serious injury, your mother might really end up in jail." Zhang Qi's probing tone was thick at this moment.

  "If it's a serious injury, it's also possible to not go to jail, suspended sentence, parole, bail pending trial, these are temporarily not considered," Fang Zixuan paused, "If you want to be acquitted without leaving any record of the case, it's all possible, can lean towards justifiable defense."