CHAPTER 445: 156 AUNT ZHAO’S COMPROMISE ✩✩✩✩✩ ZAIZAI, HOLD ONTO YOUR AUNT TIGHTLY!_2

"Xiao Yan, it hasn’t even been seven days yet..."

"I won’t let go until you promise me."

Li Zhiyan held Zhao Shumin’s waist tightly, refusing to loosen his grip until she agreed.

"Alright... alright, Aunt promises you."

Zhao Shumin said, trembling.

"Thank you, Aunt!"

"Let’s go."

"Xiao Yan, we’re out of it. Later, you can buy a box."

"Got it, Aunt."

After buying a box of something at a roadside convenience store, Li Zhiyan returned to Aunt Zhao’s side and tucked it into her pocket.

"Xiao Yan, what are you doing? You could just carry it yourself."

"Aunt, don’t be shy. No one will see it."

Zhao Shumin’s face reddened even more.

"Aunt Zhao, I’m certain now. Zhao Liang moving in next door wasn’t a coincidence; it must have been Shang Shunsheng who sold your address to Zhao Liang."

Zhao Shumin’s heart sank further with disappointment.

"Maybe, but I don’t care about him anymore."

Though he was her biological son, his repeated actions had completely shattered Zhao Shumin’s trust and hope.

To the point where, even as her own son, she felt utterly devoid of emotion for him.

"Hmm, don’t be afraid, Aunt Zhao. We’ll live our lives as usual. I’ll call later to have security bars installed on the windows."

"Alright."

Listening to Li Zhiyan’s voice, Zhao Shumin felt an immense sense of security. Even though Li Zhiyan was young enough to be her own son, around him, Zhao Shumin truly felt protected.

"Aunt, there’s one more thing."

"What is it?"

"The seven-day deadline I mentioned earlier is too long. Let’s change it to three days. How about it, Aunt?"

"Xiao Yan... Aunt still hopes you can go down the right path."

"But until I find a girlfriend around my age..."

"Aunt, you’re the one who’s been with me. I’m still young; seven days is too long. Aunt, think about the practicality, okay?"

"If it’s too long, I’m afraid I’ll get ill or something."

Hearing Li Zhiyan’s request, Zhao Shumin couldn’t help but recall the moment earlier when he went out without hesitation to confront Zhao Liang.

Her heart softened. Really, what difference did it make whether it was seven days or three?

"Alright, Aunt agrees. But, Xiao Yan, you have to keep your promises. If you want to push further in the future, Aunt won’t agree."

"You must promise to find a girl close to your age to date."

"Later, Aunt will introduce you to someone through matchmaking."

"Okay, I understand, Aunt!"

Li Zhiyan felt a surge of uncontrollable excitement rising within him. Three days—more than cutting the cooldown time in half.

Thinking about Aunt Zhao’s charming allure, Li Zhiyan felt a tingling itch inside.

He wished he could rush home immediately.

Once they returned home, as soon as Zhao Shumin stepped into a surveillance blind spot, Li Zhiyan came from behind and embraced Aunt Zhao tightly.

A snug, seamless hug. Li Zhiyan trembled as he spoke, "Aunt, I’ve missed you so much."

"Xiao Yan..."

As soon as Zhao Shumin turned around, Li Zhiyan leaned in and kissed Aunt Zhao’s red lips.

"Mmph, little rascal, don’t rush. Aunt will take a shower first!"

"Aunt, let’s shower together."

"Aunt has something else to give you. Come with me, Xiao Yan."

Hearing Aunt Zhao’s serious tone, Li Zhiyan couldn’t help but follow her into her room.

Zhao Shumin took out a bottle of old, shabby-looking medicinal wine from a box and handed it to Li Zhiyan.

"Xiao Yan, take this next door and give it to your Aunt Ting."

"This was sold by an old traditional Chinese medicine doctor back in the countryside. It’s very effective; I forgot to give it to her."

"Aunt, why don’t you go yourself?"

"I don’t want to see Zhao Zhihao."

To the Zhao family, Zhao Shumin felt deep disdain in her heart. That family represented the painful memories of her birth family.

"Alright, I got it."

Li Zhiyan thought that someone like Zhao Zhihao—the beast who kicked He Tingting—might even beat Zhao Aunt if she went there herself.

Better for him to go deal with that animal.

"Aunt is going to shower now. Wait for me in the room."

"Alright, I got it, Aunt."

After agreeing, Li Zhiyan took the medicinal wine and went next door.

After knocking for a while, the door quickly opened, and standing there was He Tingting with her face covered.

Stepping inside, Zhao Zhihao shouted angrily from the couch, where he was sitting like a king eating fruit, "Who let you into my house? Get out!"

Li Zhiyan glared at Zhao Zhihao. Though he didn’t say a word, his gaze was enough to send Zhao Zhihao scurrying back to the master bedroom in fear.

"Xiao Yan... come to my room."

An anxious He Tingting led Li Zhiyan into the smaller bedroom, knowing that once Zhao Liang was released, she couldn’t escape another brutal beating.

Inside the cramped room, Li Zhiyan noticed it was filled with miscellaneous items and neatly stacked corrugated cardboard.

These were likely the remnants of He Tingting’s days scavenging for recyclables. On the hangers, there were clothes that covered her entire body thoroughly.

Her shoes were all outdated and unflattering as well.

"Don’t you live with Zhao Liang?"

"No, he doesn’t want to live with me."

Ever since he discovered he couldn’t function, every time Zhao Liang saw He Tingting, he felt like she was mocking him.

So naturally, he chose to live separately from her, while his abuse toward He Tingting escalated even further.

"Xiao Yan, why are you here to see Aunt?"

Thinking about today’s events, He Tingting still felt stunned. Li Zhiyan’s fighting skills were remarkable; no one in the village could take on Zhao Liang when it came to fights.