It was a new year, and a new beginning was due.
Since he had decided to leave, why waste time making a meal?
Despite her heart being a mix of emotions, and the thought of never seeing him again making her want to cry, Zhan Jingchun still said it wasn't necessary.
"Let's go."
Peng Fei was silent for a moment, unsure what else to say. He stood up straight.
"Okay, I'm leaving then."
As he turned, Zhan Jingchun called out to him again.
"Wait."
"Don't you have any money on you? You can't walk back, can you? I'll get you some."
Peng Fei indeed had no money and knew he couldn't walk back, but he didn't want Zhan Jingchun's money.
"No need."
"What do you mean, no need? It's almost New Year. Even if you want to find work, you'll need a place. Take it, you owe me more than this anyway."
They never exchanged contact information, so Zhan Jingchun couldn't transfer the money. She gave him ten thousand in cash.
Peng Fei's face flushed red when he saw the amount.
"I don't need this much. I'll take the train back."
He wanted to take a thousand, but Zhan Jingchun pushed it all into his arms.
"Take it all. If you can't spend it, donate it when you get back, do some good for your hometown. Go now."
Peng Fei was extremely reluctant. He looked her up and down one last time and left with lingering regret.
The villa complex was vast, filled with greenery that remained lush even in the dead of winter, a beautiful sight.
But he only felt desolation and profound loneliness. Each step felt heavy as lead. It took him half an hour to reach the gate.
Just as he was about to step out and leave this place forever, a black car suddenly sped towards him.
A familiar, bright voice called out.
"Brother! Brother Peng Fei!"
Peng Fei turned to see Nannan.
She was sitting in the back seat of the car, rolling down the window and waving excitedly at him with her chubby little hand.
Her face was strangely red in a large patch, and it looked like she had a bandage on her forehead.
Recalling the scene of her father's rampage last night, Peng Fei's heart clenched.
She had only been out of sight for half a day, how did she end up like this?
Could it be that scumbag father hit her?
Hit her so hard her head was bleeding?
Without time to think, he chased after the car.
"Nannan, why are you injured? What happened to your face?"
The man, hearing his daughter talking to someone, shouted furiously while driving.
"Who told you to roll down the window? Roll it up! Don't you know not to talk to strangers? You're asking for death!"
With that, he rolled up the window.
Nannan's entire arm was still outside and she couldn't retract it in time, getting caught by the glass.
Seeing her like this and hearing the man's angry roar, Peng Fei became even more worried.
Nannan's mother was fighting a custody battle to get her back. Could this man be trying to take Nannan away and hide her to avoid her mother?
How could such a young child endure such torment?
"Stop, stop!"
He didn't know what he could do by chasing after them, but instinctively, he kept going.
The man ignored him. The automatic gate recognized the license plate, the barrier lifted quickly, and the car sped away.
Peng Fei relentlessly followed, running and shouting for him to stop.
The man drove very fast, but Peng Fei ran just as fast. He chased them for two blocks and was still behind them. The man was furious. As they approached the next intersection, he slammed on the brakes, stopped the car by the roadside, got out, and walked towards Peng Fei menacingly.
"What the hell do you want? Are you done yet? I haven't settled the score with you for bullying my daughter, and you dare follow me? You're tired of living!"
He was about Peng Fei's height but weighed dozens of pounds more. He walked up to Peng Fei and shoved him.
Fortunately, Peng Fei's strength had recovered, and he stood firm, blocking the man's arm in return.
"What happened to Nannan's face? Why is her head bleeding? Did you hit her? Are you even her biological father? How could you lay hands on such a young child? Are you even human?"
"Go to hell! Who the hell are you to yell at me like this? You think you're so great? I'm not her father? Then who are you? Are you that woman's lover? Did she have her with you secretly behind my back?"
He was a lawyer, yet his language was so vulgar.
Peng Fei grabbed his tie.
"Watch your mouth! I've seen people looking for death, looking for medicine, but never anyone looking to wear a cuckold's hat. Someone like you thinks they can be a father?"
"Since you dislike Nannan so much, why don't you let her go and give her back to her mother?"
The man gritted his teeth and tried to pry Peng Fei's hand off.
"Do I need you to teach me how to be a man? I think you're asking for a beating! Let go of me, or I'll beat you until you can't find your teeth!"
As they cursed each other and were about to fight, Nannan pushed open the car door and ran out.
She didn't dare pull either of them, shouting "Daddy, Brother, please don't fight," while crying and running into the traffic.
"I'm so scared, I want to find Mommy. Mommy, where are you? Nannan is so scared~"
Hearing her voice, both men looked at Nannan.
Seeing her run into the traffic with her eyes closed, they forgot about fighting and both ran to chase her.
Cars honked their horns, and drivers slammed on their brakes to avoid her.
Peng Fei ran fast, overtaking the man. Before a car could hit her, he scooped Nannan up in a move that resembled a "bottom-of-the-sea-moon-scoop."
He glanced back; the man had almost been hit by a car and was now blocked by another vehicle.
Seizing the opportunity, he ran in the opposite direction with Nannan in his arms.
"Don't cry, I'll take you to find your mother. Come with me!"
Peng Fei ran with all his might, heading towards secluded areas and alleys. The man couldn't catch up.
After running for an unknown distance, and estimating that the man could no longer catch up, he finally stopped.
Looking at Nannan, who was crying inconsolably, he wiped her tears.
"Do you know where Mommy's house is? Stop crying, I'll take you to her. You'll be safe once you find your mother."
Although he didn't know where her mother was now, Nannan remembered her maternal grandmother's house.
Peng Fei took a taxi based on her directions and took her to her grandmother's house.
Nannan's mother was extremely grateful to Peng Fei. Her ex-husband had always kept Nannan like a caged bird, preventing her from getting close.
Now that her daughter was finally back with her, even if it meant losing everything and exhausting her life's energy, she was determined to win her back.
Seeing that Nannan was safe, Peng Fei had no more ties to Nancheng. He was ready to leave.
He took a taxi to Nancheng train station. It was already past three in the afternoon.
The square outside the train station was vast, and there were so many people.
It was his first time traveling by train, and he was lost, not knowing how to buy a ticket. As he was walking and researching on his phone, a black car suddenly accelerated towards him.
A scream erupted from the crowd. Peng Fei had no time to dodge, and the car hit him squarely.
He was thrown several meters before crashing to the ground, blood splattering everywhere. He instantly lost consciousness.