Chapter 60: Zhang Fuyao Betrays Zhang Tong

Chapter 60: Zhang Fuyao Betrays Zhang Tong

A guilty look flashed in Zhang Fuyao's eyes. "I eat at the school canteen, Mom," he said, sounding less sure of himself. "Didn't I tell you the prices before? They're still the same."

Catching her son in a lie, Shen Xiuhua grew even angrier. She snatched up a bamboo stick from the ground, her tone turning fierce. "Try and remember exactly what you had for lunch yesterday and how much you spent."

Although Zhang Fuyao had been eating out for lunch for over half a month, he still ate dinner in the canteen and knew the dishes and prices well. He shot back, "Crucian carp for three yuan fifty, and vegetables for fifty cents, so four yuan total."

"That's a lie! You bought a rice ball at the school gate yesterday. How much money have you blown eating out this month?"

Zhang Fuyao jerked his head up in surprise. He thought of Zhang Weilong, who had just left their yard, and instantly blew up. "It was Uncle Weilong who told you, wasn't it? His own stall at the school gate is awful, so he comes back to snitch. What's his problem?" He cursed Zhang Weilong dozens of times in his heart. Did Zhang Weilong have any idea how awful his own rice balls tasted? They were terrible, so no wonder his business was bad.

After he found out that Zhang Weilong also sold rice balls at the school gate, he had secretly asked a classmate to buy him one. To his surprise, the taste was nowhere near as good as Xuehe Rice Ball's. So, to avoid being seen, he'd always wear a hat whenever he went to Xuehe Rice Ball. He never expected the petty Zhang Weilong would still have the nerve to come to his home to tattle. What a jerk!

"Never mind who told me. I'm asking you: do you often go to that... whatever Xue-something place to buy food?"

"Yes... but Mom, their rice balls are really good, and they're not that pricey."

"Not pricey?" Shen Xiuhua was about to lose it. Do you know how much pork twenty yuan can buy? "Did you steal the three hundred yuan from my wallet?"

Zhang Fuyao's eyes shifted evasively. The next second, he stubbornly jutted out his chin. "I didn't steal it! I took it—I borrowed it!"

*Whack!* The bamboo stick connected with a sharp crack. Zhang Fuyao yelped and jumped in pain.

Shen Xiuhua rarely hit her son, usually directing her discipline toward his two older sisters. But this time, he had not only stolen money but also eaten what might be drugged food. Furious, Shen Xiuhua was determined to teach him a proper lesson.

Zhang Tiandi, who had overheard their conversation, came out of the woodshed. Seeing her mother about to hit her brother, she pretended to be anxious. "Mom, don't hit him. What did he do wrong?"

"Go back and cook properly!" Shen Xiuhua glared at Zhang Tiandi, showing no trace of guilt.

Just last week, she had wrongly accused Zhang Tiandi of stealing the money and had beaten her severely. Even now, knowing she had wronged her daughter, she showed no remorse—her heart was completely biased.

Zhang Tiandi felt deeply upset. Wiping the tears from the corner of her eyes, she reluctantly returned to the woodshed. She secretly vowed that one day she would escape this wretched place.

In the yard, shouts and the sound of the bamboo stick striking the ground echoed continuously as Zhang Fuyao was chased around.

"I'll beat you to death, you thief! I'll beat you to death, you spendthrift! You've even learned to lie!..."

Although Zhang Fuyao was fifteen, he took after his father, Zhang Guiqiang—not particularly tall but very agile. Shen Xiuhua had only managed to hit him once at the beginning; afterward, the bamboo stick seemed to have no aim, failing to land on him again.

After the scolding and chasing, Zhang Fuyao no longer dared to hide the truth. He honestly confessed how much he had spent at Xuehe Rice Ball.

"What did you say? You spent over four hundred yuan? Are you insane?" Shen Xiuhua's eyes were filled with disbelief.

Zhang Tiandi chimed in from the side, "Brother, your monthly food allowance is only four hundred yuan. What did you eat for breakfast and dinner then?"

Shen Xiuhua fumed, "What did he eat? He stole money from home to eat out! Do you know there's something wrong with that stall's food?"

"There's nothing wrong with it. I'm perfectly fine, aren't I?" Zhang Fuyao had been eating there for over half a month and felt his mental state and physical condition were better than before.

"Hah! If there's nothing wrong, why are you addicted like it's drugs? Think carefully: don't many people go to that shop every day, feeling miserable if they miss a day, as if their parents died?"

"It's definitely drugs. If you keep eating, you'll be ruined. Do you know how the young man at the end of the village died? He died from drug abuse—his whole body rotted away!"

"You're our only son. If something really happens to you, how will your father and I live?"

Zhang Fuyao fell silent. He truly couldn't stop thinking about the food from Xuehe Rice Ball, feeling an itch if he missed a day. He had never considered the possibility of drugs.

But could the owner really have added something illegal? And he wasn't the only one who felt addicted—others in his class felt the same way. After trying Xuehe Rice Ball's rice balls, they lost interest in other stalls and wanted to eat them every day.

The thought sent a shiver down Zhang Fuyao's spine. He had seen the man from the end of the village before he died—not only skin and bones but also mentally disturbed. He didn't want to end up like that.

He lowered his head and admitted his mistake. "Mom, I was wrong. I won't buy from there again."

Shen Xiuhua glared at him, disappointed. "Tomorrow, we'll go and demand our money back. Also, you need to get your body and head checked at the hospital. If there's any problem, I won't let her off!"

Zhang Fuyao said, "We can't go tomorrow."

"What? Are you really possessed?" Shen Xiuhua shook her son's shoulders, filled with anger and worry, looking as if she wanted to kill someone. Zhang Weilong was right—there must be something wrong with that stall. Otherwise, why would her son become so foolish? It must have damaged his brain.

"Mom, they don't do business on weekends."

"Oh, then we'll go on Monday to get our money back."

"Mom..." After some thought, Zhang Fuyao decided to betray Zhang Tong. "Zhang Tong also often buys food from Xuehe Rice Ball. I've seen her many times. Shouldn't she get checked too?"

"What? Zhang Tong eats it too?" Shen Xiuhua stood up abruptly, dusted off the dirt from her pants, and was about to leave.

Zhang Tong lived two doors down from Zhang Fuyao's house, and the two families were on good terms. Shen Xiuhua felt she had to tell Zhang Tong's parents.

After taking only two steps, Shen Xiuhua turned back. She glanced at her son, then went to her room to retrieve her wallet. She needed to guard against the thief in the house for the next few days.

Fifteen minutes later, the sounds of middle-aged curses and a girl's cries echoed from Zhang Tong's house.

After learning about her brother's reckless spending at school, Zhang Tiandi felt resentful. She had good grades and wanted to study but was forced to drop out to do farmwork at home, with plans to work in a factory after turning eighteen. Her brother, on the other hand, could go to school but didn't cherish the opportunity—not only were his grades too poor to get into high school, but he also loved to show off and spend money carelessly.