Li Yunlan called everyone to breakfast. Lin Xiaoxiao held Xuanxuan as she sat at the table, watching the hulking yet surprisingly gentle figure of Lin Zihao.

He followed closely behind Zhou Xiaoling, docile and almost endearing.

She couldn’t help but lean over and whisper to Zhou Hua’an, “I never noticed before how oddly cute Lin Zihao can be. Makes you just want to ruffle his hair.”

Zhou Hua’an’s face darkened instantly. Holding An’an in one arm, he placed his other hand on top of Lin Xiaoxiao’s head, nudging her to sit up straight and stop looking. “Xuanxuan is hungry.”

Xuanxuan, indeed, was clumsily trying to stuff a piece of egg white into his mouth with his little fist.

Hearing his name, the toddler turned his head toward his father, considered for a moment, then offered the mangled piece of egg to him, grinning a toothy, egg-speckled smile.

Zhou Huai’an gave the soggy offering a pained look and gently guided his son’s hand back toward his own mouth.

Lin Xiaoxiao snorted with laughter, her eyes sparkling as she watched Zhou Hua’an. Seizing a moment when Li Yunlan went to the kitchen to get the congee and Zhou Liyun hadn’t yet arrived with Qianqian, she whispered again, “Are you jealous? That’s pretty cute too.”

Zhou Huai’an ignored her, focusing on tying a bib around his daughter’s neck.

Lin Xiaoxiao chuckled to herself. Seeing his mother laugh, Xuanxuan started giggling too, spraying bits of half-chewed egg everywhere.

Just as Zhou Xiaoling and Lin Zihao sat down and the family was about to begin their meal, a commotion erupted outside.

Lin Xiaoxiao paused. It couldn’t be the families of those two troublemakers, could they?

Zhou Huai’an was already handing An’an to Zhou Xiaoling and getting up to investigate.

A small crowd had gathered at the gate, where two guards were unsuccessfully trying to reason with Wei Guoqiang’s mother.

Seeing Zhou Hua’an, the guards looked apologetic. “She insisted on seeing you. She started crying and making a scene when we tried to stop her. We thought it best to escort her here.”

Zhou Huai’annodded. “Thank you. I’ll handle it from here.”

Once the guards left, Mrs. Wei slumped onto the snowy ground, wailing and beating her thighs. “Come and see! Look at this family! They beat my son nearly to death and now they refuse to take responsibility! Is there no justice left?”

Her dramatic cries drew more onlookers.

Li Yunlan moved to go out, but Lin Xiaoxiao stopped her, worried the stress would aggravate her condition. Zhou Xiaoling and Lin Zihao certainly couldn’t show their faces outside.

“Mom, stay inside with the others. I’ll see what this is about. How dare she cause a scene here?” Lin Xiaoxiao threw on a coat and marched out.

She found Mrs. Wei still performing on the ground while Zhou Huai’anstood over her, his expression icy—probably waiting for her to exhaust herself before attempting reason.

But Lin Xiaoxiao knew this type. If left unchecked, the woman could keep this up all day.

She stepped beside Zhou Hua’an. “Auntie, whatever you have to say, say it standing up. The ground is freezing. And causing a disturbance here isn’t going to help your case.”

Mrs. Wei paused mid-wail, then cried louder. “I’ve done nothing wrong! Are the bullies the righteous ones now?”

Lin Xiaoxiao’s patience vanished. Her face hardened. “Get up! Stand up and state your business clearly. Don’t think having a son in the hospital automatically makes you the victim. If you want a public judgment, then get up and let everyone hear the facts.”

Mrs. Wei, a veteran of alleyway squabbles where volume trumped reason, scoffed at the young woman. She remained seated, wiping her nose on her pants. “What? Throwing your weight around now? My son is lying in a hospital bed! Even if he broke the law, it’s for the courts to decide, not for you to beat him half to death!”

Lin Xiaoxiao shot her a look of pure disgust. Arguing with someone like this was pointless; they lived in a different reality.

She turned instead to the growing crowd. “You’re probably wondering who this woman is. Let me explain. Her son was indeed hurt by someone in our family—Lin Zihao, the young man recovering here. Why did he hit him?”

Ignoring Mrs. Wei’s renewed howls, Lin Xiaoxiao clearly and firmly recounted the events of the previous night.

She then looked down at the woman on the ground. “We admit it was wrong to resort to violence. But Lin Zihao has the mental capacity of a seven-year-old. Even if he had killed your son, the law wouldn’t hold him responsible! Yet here you are, causing a disturbance on protected grounds—and that is a crime you’re fully aware of.”

The mention that Lin Zihao could kill with impunity made Mrs. Wei scramble to her feet. “Nonsense! You can’t just say he’s above the law! Who do you think you are?!”

Lin Xiaoxiao didn’t flinch. She turned to Zhou Hua’an. “Call Security. This woman is threatening our family’s safety.”

She looked back at Mrs. Wei. “You’re welcome to keep making a fool of yourself.”

She turned to go inside, then stopped. “You’d better think carefully about what you’re doing. Not every place is suitable for your little performances. Don’t let someone else use you as their pawn.”

Mrs. Wei seethed, wanting to shout back but now afraid. She finally spat out, “I don’t believe there’s no place left for justice!” before Security arrived and escorted her away.

Back inside, Li Yunlan was furious. “They hurt my daughter, and I haven’t even said a word, and she has the nerve to show up here making accusations?”

Zhou Xiaoling was equally angry. “Before, I thought we should pay their medical bills if Lin Seven-Year-Old hurt them badly. Now? Not a single penny. He got what he deserved.”

Lin Xiaoxiao knew she was speaking from anger. While Lin Zihao might not face legal consequences, compensation was still the right thing to do.

Throughout the commotion, Lin Zihao had sat quietly beside Zhou Xiaoling like a scolded child. A dull throbbing had begun in his head, but he was too afraid to mention it.

It was Lin Xiaoxiao who noticed something was wrong. “Does Lin Zihao have a fever? He looks terrible.”

Li Yunlan felt his forehead—it was burning up. “Poor boy, why didn’t you say you were so feverish? Where does it hurt? Liyun, get him an Analgin tablet!”

Lin Xiaoxiao stopped her quickly. “The wound on his head hasn’t fully healed. We can’t give him just any fever reducer. He needs to see a doctor.”

“You’re right, of course,” Li Yunlan agreed, flustered. “We mustn’t be careless. Hua’an, take him to the hospital immediately. He must have caught a chill last night, dressed so lightly.”

Lin Zihao stood up with Zhou Hua’an. But before he could take a step, his legs buckled, and he collapsed to the floor.