Chapter 48 Bring to Justice

Chapter 48: Justice Served

After only two days away, Li Chun already knew where Cai Ji was staying—probably tipped off by Meng Yang.

For two whole days, the Cai family hadn't bothered to check on him, like he only mattered when they wanted cash.

Cai Ji gritted his teeth and replied: [Got it.]

At noon, Cai Ji left school and made his way to the net café. The dim lighting inside bathed the place in gloom, filled with gamers chain-smoking, the stench of instant noodles hanging thick in the air.

Li Chun was sitting in his usual spot, his bleached hair growing out black at the roots, greasy and unwashed for days. When he saw Cai Ji, he smirked and made a show of flicking cigarette ash.

As Cai Ji sat down beside him, Li Chun grabbed his hair and yanked his head around violently. “So? How’s the rich kid’s mansion? Must be nice, huh? Soft bed? Gourmet food?”

Cai Ji ducked his head, saying nothing, which immediately infuriated Li Chun. Without another word, he went to smash Cai Ji's head against the desk. Cai Ji instinctively braced his hands against the table, but Li Chun was too strong. Just as Cai Ji braced for impact, a large hand intercepted, palm flat against his forehead.

“If you like smashing heads so much, why not smash your own?” Zhao Zhangfeng’s voice came.

Li Chun turned and saw Zhao Zhangfeng, towering at nearly 1.9 meters, looking down at him with an intimidating presence that made Li Chun tense up and instinctively let go.

From the sheer strength in Zhao Zhangfeng’s grip alone, Li Chun knew he was outmatched. He could only hock a loogie in disgust.

Zhao Zhangfeng tossed a plastic bag onto Cai Ji’s desk. “Blowing off lunch for this dump? Real smart.”

“Thanks,” Cai Ji muttered, eyes fixed on the floor.

Zhao Zhangfeng pulled out the chair next to Cai Ji and sat down, booting up the computer to play a matching game, making no move to leave.

Li Chun cut Cai Ji a look and sneered, “Oh, so you’ve got backup now?”

Cai Ji didn’t respond. He placed his phone on the table and opened the plastic bag—inside was a still-warm chicken mushroom donburi, its rich aroma making Li Chun’s gut rumble even louder.

After all, they'd already bled dry the card Cai Ji had left at home. They’d have to wait until next month for the next allowance deposit.

Last night, Li Chun had only eaten instant noodles, and the same for breakfast this morning. Watching Cai Ji quietly eat, Li Chun flashed his nicotine-yellowed teeth and jeered, “Look at you, living the soft life. Must be nice being kept by a rich kid.”

The next second, Zhao Zhangfeng’s icy gaze flicked over. “Your mouth smells like a sewer. Shut it.”

Li Chun snorted and whipped out his phone, about to call in some thugs for backup—when Cai Ji’s phone screen lit up with a text alert:

*"Sheng City Bank: Your account ending in 0334 has received a deposit of RMB 200,000.00. Available balance: 200,005.00."*

Li Chun’s pupils dilated like a shark smelling blood. He triple-checked the number—it was two hundred thousand yuan. His fingers twitched toward the phone right then and there!

But with Zhao Zhangfeng sitting right there, he knew he couldn’t win.

Cai Ji looked up, saw the message, and immediately jammed the phone deep in his jeans, shooting a terrified glance at Li Chun.

Li Chun pretended not to notice and turned back to his game.

Too nervous to eat much, Cai Ji gave up on the meal halfway.

Zhao Zhangfeng spoke up, “Done? Let’s bail and catch some Z’s in class.”

Cai Ji glanced at Li Chun, who sneered, “Go ahead.”

Relieved, Cai Ji quickly followed Zhao Zhangfeng out of the internet café.

The moment they left, Li Chun fished the leftovers from the garbage and inhaled it, calling his stepfather between bites.

“Hey, Lao Cai! Check that card Cai Ji uses for his allowance—what’s the last four digits? 7826? Lao Cai, listen—we’re sitting on a goldmine! That sneaky little shit opened a new account behind our backs—it’s got 200,000 in it! I bet he’s planning to run! We gotta get that money out!”

The two of them were buzzing like they’d won the lottery.

That night at 9:30, after night prep, Xiao Gao drove Jiang Ruotang, Zhao Zhangfeng, and Cai Ji back to their apartment building.

Cai Ji took a deep breath and went for the car door, backpack in hand.

Jiang Ruotang and Zhao Zhangfeng wanted to say something—maybe “It’s not too late to back out,” or “Be careful and protect yourself”—but what good would words do now?

Some chasms could only be crossed by Cai Ji himself. No one else could do it for him.

The moment Cai Ji stepped inside, he saw his father, stepmother, and Li Chun all sitting in the living room, their eyes gleaming at the sight of him.

His stepmother oozed fake concern. “Cai Ji, have you eaten? Want me to make you some noodles?”

Cai Ji kept his head down and made a beeline for his room. “No need… I’ll just grab some things and leave. My classmates are waiting downstairs… We’re studying together. I won’t be staying the night.”

Watching his retreating back, Li Chun shot his stepfather a look—*See? He’s trying to take the money and ditch us.*

Lao Cai’s temper flared. He charged into Cai Ji’s room like a bull, grabbed him by the hair, and dragged him back to the living room.

“You goddamn rat! You opened another account behind my back, didn’t you?! That day you said you needed it for your exam registration—that was a lie, wasn’t it?! I should’ve kept your damn ID so you couldn’t try any funny business! Who gave you the money?! What the hell are you planning to do with it?! Lie to me one more time, and I swear I’ll fucking end you!”

Li Chun chimed in, “Lao Cai, why waste words? Just beat him till he talks! It’s only been a few days, and he’s already pulling this?”

The stepmother played mediator. “Cai Ji, look, don’t let money ruin the family. Hand over the card and the password, and I’ll calm your dad and brother down.

But if you keep being ungrateful, don’t blame them for what happens next. I won’t take you to the hospital.”

Cai Ji glared at Lao Cai, his voice cracking with rage. “I’m your son! Why do you always treat me like this?! You’re my father, not Li Chun’s! Do you even remember who you are?!”

“Cai Chuan doesn’t have a backstabbing little worm like you for a son! Looks like last month’s beating wasn’t enough—your bones healed, and now you’re getting bold, huh?! That bitch gave you money so you could run, right?! Dream on! You’re my son—your money is mine! Hand it over now, or I’ll snap you like a twig today!”

Li Chun laughed. “Hear that? If you’ve got money, you should be filial! Hiding it and trying to bail? You deserve a lesson!”

Cai Ji turned to Li Chun, his voice icy. “Do you even share my last name? Do you know who you are? What right do you have to spend my mom’s money on me?! My grandparents are coming to Sheng City to stay with me! I’m eighteen—I can leave! That money isn’t for you!”

“If we don’t spend your money, what’s the point of my mom marrying your dad? For his paycheck? Or his skills in bed?”

The stepmother snapped, “Li Chun, shut your mouth! Just make him hand over the money!”

Li Chun grinned. “Relax, Mom. Let me light a cigarette first—gonna give him a cigarette-branded 'plum blossom' scar!”

“Try it! Lay a finger on me, and you’ll never see a cent of that money! I left the card at school. Tomorrow, when I go get it, I’ll show my teachers and classmates every bruise you give me!” Cai Ji shouted.

“Oh-ho! Look who's grown a spine!”

Li Chun snatched Cai Ji’s backpack, dumping its contents—papers, pencil cases—onto the floor. But the card ending in 0334 wasn’t there.

While they searched, Cai Ji discreetly nudged a black pen under the couch with his heel.

Finding nothing in the bag or on Cai Ji’s person, they finally believed the card really was at school.

“Damn, this kid’s sneaky!” Li Chun spat.

“Tomorrow, I’ll go with him to get the card, then we’ll withdraw the cash.”

Just as Lao Cai raised his hand to strike, someone knocked at the door.

Xiao Gao's voice came through: "Cai Ji! Cai Ji, have you finished packing yet?"

The house went completely quiet.

"Cai Ji? Did they hit you again? If you don’t open the door, I’m calling the police!"

Xiao Gao’s voice rose an octave, so loud the neighbors opened their doors to look.

Cai Ji’s stepmother poked Lao Cai. "Hurry up and open the door to send him away. What if he really calls the police?"

"What’s there to fear? A father punishing his son is his right!"

Despite his words, Lao Cai opened the door and snapped at the young man standing outside, "Who the hell are you? What are you doing at our door?"

"I’m the driver from Cai Ji’s classmate’s family, here to pick him up," Xiao Gao said coldly.

"He’s my son! He’s been out gallivanting for two days, and I haven’t even reported you for kidnapping him yet! Scram!"

The door slammed shut with a loud "bang—".

Xiao Gao shouted from outside, "Cai Ji, if you come to school hurt again tomorrow, my family will call the police for you."

Cai Chuan kicked the door furiously. "Damn it, nosy bastard!"

Li Chun also lost his temper. "So you’ve really found yourself a backer!"

He crushed his cigarette, ready to burn Cai Ji, but his stepmother stopped him.

"Don’t leave any marks on him. That guy outside sounds connected. He might actually call the police. We can’t afford to lose the money and end up in jail while Cai Ji gets away. That’d be a total loss!"

Li Chun gritted his teeth, glaring hatefully at Cai Ji.

Cai Ji lowered his head and shrank back.

Perhaps because of Xiao Gao’s warning, Lao Cai and Li Chun didn’t touch him that night, just kept watching him instead.

Just thinking about getting their hands on that 200 grand—enough to live comfortably for years—kept them awake.

Cai Chuan drank and sighed. "200,000! Who knew that bitch had so much money! The little shit must’ve complained to his mom, and she told him to take the money and run. Lucky we caught him!"

Li Chun sneered. "As long as we have Cai Ji, we’ll never run out of money. If that bitch refuses to pay, we’ll call her, beat Cai Ji while she listens, and make her fork over the money. Who knows? Maybe she’ll give us 500,000 instead of just 200,000!"

"Haha, now you're talking!"

Cai Ji lay silently in bed, listening to their fantasies and dreams—all recorded by the voice recorder hidden under the sofa.

Early the next morning, Lao Cai and Li Chun dragged Cai Ji to school. The gates had just opened when they shoved him into the classroom. Li Chun tore through Cai Ji’s desk drawer before finally finding the bank card taped underneath.

"You little brat, you’re clever at hiding things, huh?"

"What’s the password?"

"My mom said if you ever get the password, she’ll stop depositing money. If you want the cash, I have to be the one to withdraw it."

Cai Ji spoke firmly. Li Chun was about to hit him on the spot, but Lao Cai stopped him.

"This is a school. If you’re going to beat him, wait till we have the money."

Afraid Cai Ji might escape, the whole family—Lao Cai, Li Chun, and even the stepmother—marched him to Sheng City Commercial Bank to withdraw the money.

As soon as the bank opened, Lao Cai and Li Chun pinned Cai Ji in front of the counter.

Cai Ji glanced at the teller, an experienced employee who frowned at the crowd gathered at the window.

"Withdraw the money!" Lao Cai shoved the bank card and ID into the counter. "Check if there’s 200,000 in there and give me all of it!"

The teller took the card and ID, looking at Cai Ji. "Is this your card?"

"Yes," Cai Ji nodded.

"Withdrawing 200,000 in cash requires an appointment," the teller said.

Lao Cai barked, "Then transfer it! To this card!"

He threw his own bank card onto the counter.

"Hold on. Mr. Cai, please fill out this remittance form." The teller handed Cai Ji a form.

After writing, Cai Ji quickly handed it back.

The teller glanced at it and said evenly, "Supervisor, authorization needed."

The supervisor checked the form and said to Cai Ji, "Sorry, sir, this is an interbank transfer. This is the wrong form."

He then tore several more forms and handed them to Cai Ji.

"Damn it! Why’s this so complicated?" Lao Cai growled.

The supervisor said politely. "Mr. Cai, take your time. No rush. If there’s even one mistake, you’ll have to rewrite it."

Cai Ji filled out the forms slowly. As the pile grew, Lao Cai and Li Chun grew increasingly impatient. Li Chun’s mother, who had been waiting in a chair, came over to ask what was taking so long.

"Hurry up! Are you stalling on purpose?" Li Chun leaned down, about to pinch Cai Ji’s arm hard, but the teller’s warning look made him back off.

After nearly seven or eight minutes, Cai Ji handed the forms back.

The teller went over them carefully before pointing at one. "Mr. Cai, sorry, but this form needs to be redone. You wrote the character for 'two' incorrectly."

Hearing this, Lao Cai couldn’t resist slapping Cai Ji’s head. "How can you screw that up? Are you stupid? What'd you learn in school?"

The teller spoke up. "Sir, this is a bank. There are security cameras. Mind your behavior."

Suppressing his anger, Lao Cai watched as Cai Ji started writing again.

Another two or three minutes passed before Cai Ji resubmitted the forms. The teller began reviewing them once more.

Li Chun was getting suspicious and slammed the counter. "Hey! Are you messing with us? What’s taking so long? Your bank won’t let us withdraw or transfer—what's the game here?"

"Sir, this is 200,000, not 2,000 or 20,000. Large transactions require reporting and authorization. I’m just doing my job. Also, this transaction belongs to Mr. Cai. Who are you? Step back if you're not banking."

"You—"

Just then, a police car rolled up outside. Three officers walked in, and the security guard immediately pointed. "That’s them! They’re forcing this young man to withdraw money!"

It clicked for Lao Cai and Li Chun.

Cai Ji had written "call the police" on one of the forms, which was why the teller kept giving him more to fill out, stalling them at the counter.

"You dared to work with the bank to call the cops? I’ll kill you!" Lao Cai raised his fist, but an officer swiftly grabbed his arm.

Old Cai struggled violently, spewing curses and even attempting to kick the officers.

"You dare hit a cop?!"

Before he could finish, Old Cai was slammed onto the floor, his back pinned down by an officer's knee. The sharp click of handcuffs echoed loudly through the hall.

Li Chun shouted, "What are you doing?! He's my brother! We just brought him here to handle some business!"

With that, Li Chun lunged to grab Cai Ji by the hair.

Cai Ji immediately dodged behind the police, pulling up his sleeve to reveal the burn scars from days prior.

"Please save me, officers! They beat me every day! They forced me to withdraw the living expenses my mom sent me—threatening to kill me if I didn’t comply! I have proof! I have medical records!"

Shaking and sobbing, Cai Ji’s plea moved the bank staff and security guards deeply. Other customers in the bank pointed at the family in outrage.

"No conscience at all!"

"I saw it—this student’s arms are covered in scars!"

"Even tigers don't eat their cubs! This family is worse than animals!"

Hearing this, Old Cai went berserk. Despite being restrained by the police, he thrashed, trying to kick Cai Ji. "A father beating his son is natural! Even if I killed you, no one could say a damn thing! You little snitch! I'll snap you in half!"

Sensing the situation turning against him, Li Chun tried to flee, but as an officer grabbed his shoulder, he panicked and threw a punch.

"Assaulting an officer again?!"

The officer flipped him with a shoulder throw, pressing him hard into the ground, knocking the wind out of him before cuffing him.

"Cai Ji! You little traitor! You think this little scheme will work? Just wait till I’m out—I’ll make sure you regret this—"

Seeing his stepmother about to escape, Cai Ji shouted, "She’s in on it too!"

The stepmother stumbled on the steps and was promptly caught.

The trio continued hurling insults—"Police brutality!", "This ain't your damn business!", "Who are you to stop a father disciplining his son?!"—even bellowing like hogs in the middle of the bank.

Though few people were around that early, the commotion drew passersby and workers. A few middle schoolers couldn’t resist filming their disgrace, while the security guard explained the situation to onlookers, who listened with their blood boiling.

Forced into the police car, the three still refused to cooperate, insisting it was a "family matter"—what did it matter if they hit him? Cai Ji’s money was the family's money, and sons were obligated to support their fathers.

Police accompanied Cai Ji to his home, where they retrieved a hidden recorder under the sofa and medical records of his injuries. Surveillance footage from an internet café further exposed Li Chun’s repeated abuse, proving the family was pure evil.

Old Cai kept screaming, claiming beating his son and demanding money was nothing new—he’d done the same to his ex-wife. "Just let me sign something and go!"

The cops nearly lost it, exasperatedly explaining this wasn’t "parenting" or even just domestic abuse. Their actions constituted extortion and abuse, backed by irrefutable evidence. The 200,000 yuan (about $28,000) involved qualified as a major sum, carrying a sentence of three to ten years plus fines.

The victim had already declared he would not forgive them.

Old Cai and Li Chun were stunned. How had this become extortion?

They desperately argued it was just a family affair—merely asking Cai Ji to transfer money.

Old Cai roared, "He’s my son! His money is mine! That's what sons are for!"

The officers, too furious to engage, just hit play on the damning recordings.

"You ‘ask’ for money by beating him? By threatening his mother over the phone?"

Old Cai erupted, screaming for Cai Ji's head and vowing to beat him to death if he didn’t drop the charges.

"Shut your mouth!"

The officers exchanged looks of disgust—this man was beyond redemption.

As for Li Chun, a repeat offender with a record, he initially thought it was nothing. But when shown footage of him bullying Cai Ji dozens of times over six months—some incidents before Cai Ji turned 18—he realized he was screwed.

Under interrogation, Li Chun confessed everything, even admitting he’d got paid off by Meng Yang to force Cai Ji to cheat. Police notified Beicheng Guangyao Middle School.

Teacher Song Qinghe’s investigation could finally wrap up. The school penalized Meng Yang with a major demerit, benching him all semester—effectively killing his chances at college sports recruitment.

Cai Ji, as the victim, was completely cleared. Instead, Teacher Song praised him in class for having the guts to stand up to abuse, calling him an inspiration to us all.