FVN Chapter 35
Chapter 35
Since the last brawl with Wogua, Zhong Jin has become much more confident in Aunt Liang's ability to take care of the child. Aunt Liang has proven herself capable, raising the child well—she's always smiling happily, full of energy, and noticeably putting on some weight.
Zhong Jin even had a special discussion with Aunt Liang about controlling the child's diet, as Zhong Yuntong couldn't afford to gain any more weight.
In late August, weather forecasts predicted that a hurricane with winds exceeding 11 levels would make landfall in Haishan. The orange typhoon warning signal had been issued for two consecutive days, urging residents to prepare in advance.
When Zhong Jin returned home from work, he brought back several rolls of duct tape and carefully applied "X" patterns to all the large and small glass windows in the house.
Aunt Liang brought dinner to the dining table, looking somewhat anxious. "Mr. Zhong, do you think the wind will really shatter the glass? I've lived in Haishan for over a decade and never encountered a serious typhoon. I can't help but feel nervous."
"No one can say for sure before the typhoon arrives," Zhong Jin replied, noticing Little Tong eagerly looking on. He tossed a roll of tape to her, letting her play with it in the corner.
After the typhoon warning was issued, the Haishan municipal bureau notified the station about standby duty for all police officers. Zhong Jin knew he wouldn't be able to return home during the typhoon. He discussed with Aunt Liang, arranging for her to stay with Little Tong at home, with instructions to call him in case of any issues. If the typhoon disrupted communication signals, Aunt Liang was to take Little Tong directly to the police station.
Despite these plans, Zhong Jin still felt uneasy. That day, after work, he even detoured to buy warning tape, which he applied in "X" patterns to all the glass windows at home. Regarding the effectiveness of the "X" method, opinions online were divided—some said it worked, others claimed it didn't. Seeing that the meteorological bureau had also applied the tape, Zhong Jin decided to follow suit.
After securing the windows, he brought out several blankets, preparing to set up a makeshift bed in a corner of the corridor away from the windows.
Aunt Liang was putting on her coat by the entrance, ready to head home. "I'll go back to check on things at my place and make sure the windows are secure. I'll be back early tomorrow," she told Zhong Jin.
"Alright," Zhong Jin nodded in agreement.
Even Little Tong seemed to sense the tension before the typhoon. While eating, she curiously asked her father, "What's a typhoon?"
Zhong Jin pointed to the floor-to-ceiling windows. "It's when strong winds outside will shake the windows."
Little Tong immediately grew anxious, raising a plump finger. "Will a typhoon boy break in?"
"If the windows break, yes," Zhong Jin replied.
"Oh no, save me!" Little Tong clapped her hands on her forehead. "What if he hits me?"
Zhong Jin chuckled, pinching her cheek. "Even you have something to be afraid of, huh?"
After dinner, Zhong Jin gave Little Tong a serious lecture on typhoon safety. He placed her in the corridor's makeshift bed, surrounding it with stuffed toys to create a protective barrier, resembling a large doghouse.
"During the typhoon, you'll stay here with Aunt Liang. No matter what happens outside, you must not leave this area or go near the windows. That way, you'll stay safe, okay?"
Little Tong nodded vaguely, "Okay, okay."
Remembering previous incidents like the bean sprouts and water gun, Zhong Jin feared she might repeat her antics. He reiterated sternly, "This time, Daddy isn't joking. You absolutely must not go near the windows. Can you promise me?"
"Yes," the child saw the seriousness in her father's eyes and nodded earnestly.
Zhong Jin then brought over a box of water and large bottles of milk to the corridor, along with some instant foods like bread and biscuits. Emergency supplies, such as a first-aid kit, flashlight, and mini fan, were also prepared. Despite all the preparations, Zhong Jin still felt uneasy.
What if Little Tong got bored and started wandering around? What if Aunt Liang couldn't keep an eye on her?
Since the family's tablet had been taken to the station as a monitoring device, Zhong Jin decided to take Little Tong out to buy a new one.
Seeing Little Tong laughing gleefully while holding a tablet, Aunt Liang began to feel anxious. Zhong Jin had entrusted Little Tong to her care, and it was as if he had placed his own eyeballs in her hands. She couldn’t allow even the slightest mishap for Little Tong.
With a determined grimace, Aunt Liang used all her strength to push the large, heavy sofa in the living room in front of the floor-to-ceiling windows, blocking most of the glass.
*
Earlier at the police station, just after Zhong Jin had arrived, Little Wang knocked on his office door. "Chief Zhong, we’ve received a report of a group gathering to use drugs."
"Where?"
"At the old power company housing complex in Jiuxiya."
Zhong Jin immediately stood up. "Keep the female officers at the station. Little Wang, Hu De, and I will go there."
Upon hearing the news, Hu De cursed loudly as he rushed out. "Let the typhoon sweep these bastards away. Who the hell chooses this moment to indulge in drugs?" He jumped into the car, slapped the driver’s seat, and said, "Little Wang, drive. Just make sure we don’t get caught in the typhoon on the way."
Jiuxiya wasn’t far from the police station, but the usual route was prone to traffic jams. Perhaps due to the typhoon, the roads were deserted. They arrived at Jiuxiya in just over half an hour.
Thankfully, Hu De’s usual bad luck didn’t strike, and they encountered no typhoon on their journey.
The car parked downstairs at the unit, and the three uniformed officers quickly got out, dashing into the dimly lit hallway of the old building.
At some point, the air outside seemed to have frozen. Leaves remained still, no cars or pedestrians could be seen, and the entire world felt like it had entered a silent, motionless state.
This unusual weather even caught Little Tong’s attention.
She set down her tablet, hugged Aunt Liang’s arm, and pressed her face against it, murmuring, "It’s so quiet."
Aunt Liang gently patted her back to comfort her. "Don’t be scared, dear. Auntie is here." Eventually, she turned around and hugged Little Tong tightly, trying to distract her by talking.
"Little Tong, do you love to put on makeup?" Aunt Liang deliberately chose a topic she knew would engage the child.
The little girl nodded enthusiastically. "Yes."
"Is it because you feel prettier after putting on makeup?"
Little Tong clasped her small hands together and frowned in serious thought. "No... because when I put on makeup, Daddy smiles happily."
She turned to hug Aunt Liang’s face. "My daddy works too hard. I just want him to be happy."
Aunt Liang lovingly stroked her smooth hair, thinking to herself, You might know how hard your father works, but when you spend his hard-earned money, you sure don’t hold back.
Suddenly, the phone on the floor rang loudly, jolting them as it pierced through the eerie silence.
Aunt Liang’s heart skipped a beat, filled with a sense of impending trouble.
It was a video call from Aunt Liang’s husband. Her hands trembled slightly as she tried a few times before finally answering the call.
As soon as the call connected, frantic voices came through. "Liang Qiao, something terrible has happened. You must come back right away. Your mother... she doesn’t seem well."