Siheyuan: Starting from the driver

Chapter 769 The Birth of a Demon Child
Bang Geng was supposed to be released 5 days ago, but the day before his release, Bang Geng got excited and had another conflict with Xiao Liu Zi.

The correctional officer immediately locked up the dog for a few more days to teach it a lesson.

After being detained for five more days to quell the arrogance of the gangsters, they were finally released on the weekend.

Early in the morning, Jia Jia, Yi Zhonghai, and others were waiting outside the juvenile detention center.

Officer Wang went in first to complete the handover procedures.

Pat pat pat——

Footsteps sounded through the door, and the small door slowly opened.

Then, led by the correctional officers and Officer Wang, Banggeng appeared before everyone and left the juvenile detention center.

Boom!
Gazi~
As the door hinge opened, it made a sharp, dull sound, and the nerve in the rod twitched.

He instinctively shrank his neck and leaned his shoulders forward, assuming a defensive posture.

"My dear grandson! My good grandson!" Jia Zhangshi cried out and rushed forward to hug him.

Upon hearing Jia Zhangshi's wailing, Bang Geng, who had been keeping his head down, slightly raised it and finally saw his family.

That familiar body odor wafted over, something that would have annoyed Banggeng in the past, causing him to turn away.

Now he just stood there stiffly, letting that body crash into his thin frame.

Those arms gripped him so tightly they hurt, but he didn't struggle, nor did he show the slightest displeasure.

He just hung his head, staring blankly at his feet, which were worn black and rough from being in the juvenile detention center, with grime stuck under his toenails that he couldn't wash off.

Seeing Bang Geng, who dared not move an inch, Qin Huairu felt heartbroken.

"Stick."

Qin Huairu hurriedly stepped forward and saw Bang Geng's thin and bony appearance.

The child's baby fat had completely disappeared, his cheekbones were high and prominent, his eye sockets were deep, and his chin was frighteningly sharp.

Her lips, which were once rosy, were now dry, cracked, and peeling, completely devoid of color.

He seemed to have been drained of his energy, leaving only a skeleton that had been forcibly stretched and then quickly withered.

The two-week experience in the juvenile detention center had a huge impact on Bang Geng.

"Bang Geng, look, Mom's here to pick you up."

Upon hearing this, Banggeng dared not lift his head even more.

Seeing this, the correctional officer nodded with great satisfaction.

Yi Zhonghai stood a little behind, watching this scene with a furrowed brow and a mix of emotions in his heart.

"Bang Geng, it's good that you're out. Once you're out, stay home and behave yourself."

The stick remained silent.

At this moment, the correctional officer spoke up: "147!"

Banggeng immediately roared in response, "Here!"

"After you get out, behave yourself and don't do anything stupid again. I don't want to see you in there again."

"Yes!"

The correctional officer nodded in satisfaction, then looked at Qin Huairu, Jia Zhangshi, and the others: "Take the child back with you."

After saying that, he turned and went back.

Boom!
The small door slammed shut, and Banggeng's pounding heart finally calmed down.

Only then did he dare to look up at the sky outside. The sun was still so dazzling, and the sunlight felt warm on his body.

Take a deep breath; that's the taste of freedom.

"It's out! It's out!" Bang Geng roared inwardly, but his face remained expressionless.

He then looked at the crowd in front of him.

Qin Huairu, Jia Zhangshi, Yi Zhonghai, and that Wang clerk who sent him in!

It's all because of them that I'm living such a miserable life inside.

"Let's go home." Qin Huairu held back her tears and gently tugged at Banggeng's arm.

His arm was so thin it startled her; it was almost devoid of flesh, just skin and bones, and it pressed against her palm.

Banggeng obediently started walking, silently following Qin Huairu and Jia Zhangshi, keeping his head down the whole time.

He took small, steady steps, each one measured as if it had been carefully planned, maintaining a rigid rhythm.

This is the way of walking that he has been trained countless times over the past fifteen days and that has been ingrained in his bones.

This made Qin Huairu and Jia Zhangshi feel even more sorry for Bang Geng, whose personality had changed.

Originally, I just wanted him to go in and experience some hardship, but I never expected it to turn out like this.

The alley is still the same alley, and the courtyard is still the same courtyard.

Familiar neighbors were sitting or standing at the door.

Upon seeing them return, all eyes turned to Bang Geng.

"Oh, the sticky rice is out now?"

"He looks incredibly thin."

"Tsk tsk, life in a juvenile detention center must be tough, right? Look how they've tormented the kid!"

"Keep your voice down, don't let Granny Jia hear you."

Whispers buzzed into Banggeng's ears like flies, but they didn't stir his emotions at all.

Their words were far less damaging than the harm the juvenile detention center inflicted on him.

If this had happened before he went in, he would have yelled at them, "What are you looking at!"

But the punishments he received for resisting countless times in the juvenile detention center remain vivid in his memory.

Scarface once said, "Want to get beaten less? You have to act like a coward! Swallow your pride and keep your teeth in your mouth!"

The correctional officers also put him in solitary confinement twice, which finally taught him to remain silent.

After passing the rear house and the front yard, we returned to the familiar middle courtyard.

A smell that was both strange and familiar wafted towards me.

Banggeng paused at the threshold of his house, his body tensing instinctively.

"Come in, come in! Are you starving? Grandma made you something delicious!" Jia Zhangshi wiped away her tears and hurriedly ushered the rice stalks into the inner room.

"Look at these hands, they're so rough! You must have suffered inside, my dear grandson!"

Bang Geng let Jia Zhangshi hold his hand without responding.

His gaze swept over this familiar yet unfamiliar home.

The rickety table, the walls covered with old newspapers—nothing has changed.

Qin Huairu watched Bang Geng's every move with heartache, and whispered:

"Bang Geng, are you hungry? Mom will cook you some food right away."

After saying that, he immediately went to cook.

Qin Huairu had already decided what kind of food to cook.

A plate of scrambled eggs, a small plate of stir-fried cabbage stalks with pork cracklings, and steamed buns made of white flour.

These dishes are usually eaten during the Chinese New Year.

The meal was ready in no time.

"Sit down! Are you starving? Eat up! It's all your favorite food!" Qin Huairu quickly pressed the stick onto the stool, her face plastered with a flattering smile.

He shoved a large white steamed bun into Banggeng's hand and then hurriedly pushed the plate of scrambled eggs in front of him.

Banggeng grabbed the soft, warm steamed bun, but instead of eating it right away, he immediately placed it on the bowl.

Then he stood up with a 'whoosh,' chest out, head held high, eyes forward, waiting for the command.

His behavior was exactly like that of someone in a juvenile detention center.

Looking at her grandson's state, Jia Zhangshi felt a strong sense of déjà vu about the scene.

Isn't that how she looked in prison? Waiting for the prison guards to give orders before she could eat.

"Bang! Bang!" Jia Zhangshi's voice trembled, on the verge of tears. "My God! What are you doing! Sit down! Sit down!"

"This is our own home! On our own kang (heated brick bed)! Nobody's watching you, nobody's punishing you! Relax and eat, okay? Enjoy your meal!"

Jia Zhangshi forcefully pressed the stick back onto the stool.

But Banggeng's body was like an iron rod, his muscles stiff and resisting. No matter how much Jia Zhangshi cried and pushed him, he refused to bend his knees and sit down.

Qin Huairu could no longer hold back her tears, and she hurriedly wiped them away with the back of her hand.

She quickly piled a large spoonful of scrambled eggs into Banggeng's bowl, trying to cover it up: "Eat, Banggeng, eat up! Mom knows you've been wronged, eat more to nourish yourself!"

"It's all for your own good, Banggeng. Don't blame your mother. I'm also heartbroken."

In desperation, Jia Zhangshi could only imitate the stern tone of the correctional officer, her voice trembling with tears, and shortly call out, "Sit!"

Banggeng's body stiffened as if a switch had been flipped, and he sat down rigidly.

"Eat!" Jia Zhangshi immediately gave another order.

Bang Geng then lowered his head, his gaze finally focusing on the bowl.

In an instant, as if wolfing down food, he didn't care about his image at all and stuffed all the food into his mouth.

He didn't taste it, didn't experience the pleasure of chewing.

He grabbed the steamed bun, fiercely tore off a large piece, stuffed it haphazardly into his mouth, and swallowed it almost without chewing.

The chopsticks became a mere means of transportation as he forcefully rummaged through the food in his bowl, roughly mixing scrambled eggs and cabbage with pork cracklings together before shoveling it all into his open mouth.

His cheeks were bulging and deformed from being stuffed with food, and his throat made rapid, almost suffocating swallowing sounds.

His eyes remained vacant, his focus solely on how to empty the bottom of the bowl as quickly as possible.

It felt like completing a task; if they didn't finish eating quickly, they might not get to eat at all.

"Eat slowly, eat slowly, no one's going to take it from you!"

Qin Huairu said with heartache, watching her son eat like a robot, each bite felt like a knife stabbing into her heart.

"Have some more eggs, that's great!"

"The pork cracklings smell delicious, you should try some!"

Eat slowly, don't choke.

The bowl was piled high with food, but the gluttons ate mechanically and methodically.

Since Bang Geng was released from the juvenile detention center, he hasn't said a word. He's completely like a dead person. Seeing Bang Geng eating like this now makes Qin Huairu feel even more distressed.

Her original intention was simply to help Bang Geng change his bad habits and become more sensible, but she didn't expect this outcome.

Finally, the rice and food in Banggeng's bowl were all gone.

He put down his chopsticks without making a sound. He placed his hands neatly on his knees, his back still straight.

That posture seemed to be waiting for the next instruction.

Seeing this, Qin Huairu and Jia Zhangshi felt even more distressed.

Fortunately, Bang Geng was able to finish his meal, which eased Qin Huairu's guilt a little.

Madam Jia's lips trembled as she tried to say something, but in the end, it all turned into a long, choked sigh.

Qin Huairu took a deep breath, trying to break the suffocating silence, and said in the gentlest tone possible:

"Bang Geng, it's good that you're out. Take a good rest at home for a few days. Don't worry about it."

She paused, her gaze sweeping over the stick, as if searching for some evidence that he was still "normal".

A sentence, almost unconsciously, just slipped out:

"After you finish eating, remember to do your homework! You've fallen behind for so many days, and school starts soon!"

"Do your homework!"
These three words, like a thunderclap, struck Bang Geng's lifeless heart without warning!
boom!
Qin Huairu's unintentional remark was a fatal blow to her spirit!
Bang Geng's suppressed and deeply buried hatred was completely ignited by these three words!

Her injuries hadn't healed, the fear in her heart hadn't subsided, and the food in her stomach hadn't even warmed up! How dare she mention "doing homework"?!

His actions after his release were all deliberate, intended to make Qin Huairu, Jia Zhangshi, and others feel guilty.

He was fine until Qin Huairu's words broke his defenses!
All the previous 'performance' has been in vain!

The cold iron bars on the bars of the juvenile detention center, the scarred, grinning face, the maddening darkness of the solitary confinement cells, and the cold, stern eyes of the correctional officers.
None of these things are as damaging as Qin Huairu's words!

The man's nails dug deep into the flesh of his knee, but the intense pain left him feeling nothing.

Anger surged within him, causing his cheek muscles to twitch uncontrollably and his teeth to grind.

Those lifeless, lowered eyes were fixed on Qin Huairu's body.

Bang Geng wanted to explode, but remembering what the warden had said before he was released, he immediately suppressed his impulse.

He has to pretend! He has to endure it! Otherwise, he'll have to go to juvenile detention again.

He used all his strength to suppress the raging hatred within him!
Time seems to have frozen.

One second, two seconds
Under the tense, almost breathless gazes of Qin Huairu and Jia Zhangshi, Bang Geng's deeply bowed head nodded very slightly.

The amplitude was so small as to be almost imperceptible, more like an uncontrollable physiological twitch.

"Whoo~"

Qin Huairu breathed a long sigh of relief, her heart finally settling down; as long as the penis responded, that was good.

A sliver of morbid comfort welled up inside him: "Bang Geng agreed. Bang Geng still knows he has to do his homework. Bang Geng isn't completely stupid. He understands the rules. This juvenile detention center... it's still somewhat useful."

Madam Jia also breathed a sigh of relief, forcing a smile that was more like a grimace onto her wrinkled face:
"Yes, yes! Listen to your mother, take a break and then do your homework! Our Banggeng is the smartest."

She reached out, wanting to touch her grandson's head again.

Banggeng suddenly stood up, dodged Jia Zhangshi's outstretched hand, and went straight to the kang (heated brick bed) in the inner room.

Qin Huairu and Jia Zhangshi exchanged a glance, both seeing weariness and a hint of confusion in each other's eyes.

Madam Jia lowered her voice, her tone trembling with tears, "Huai Ru, this child... this child's heart is completely dead. What are we going to do?"

Qin Huairu shook her head helplessly.

Xiao Dang watched silently from the side. Ever since her brother came back, she had tried her best to hide herself, afraid of being bullied by Bang Geng.

If her brother bullies her, her mother and grandmother won't help her, and they might even let the gangsters take their anger out on her.

Looking at the food on the table, he saw that the best parts had all been eaten by the glutinous rice stalks, leaving only some leftovers.

At least it was prepared to the standards of Chinese New Year, and the food was much better than in previous years.

Little Dang ate it secretly.

Banggeng lay on the bed, ignoring the discussions coming from outside.

During his time in the juvenile detention center, Bang Geng has been having trouble sleeping and is often woken up in the middle of the night.

Now that I'm back, I can finally get a good night's sleep.

Not long after, the snoring of Banggeng began.

"She's asleep." Qin Huairu and Jia Zhangshi heard the sound and tiptoed over.

"Huai Ru," Jia Zhangshi said in a low voice, her voice trembling with tears, "Do you think... Bang Geng... is he possessed?"

Qin Huairu shook her head: "I don't know either."

After saying that, she stared straight at Banggeng: "Banggeng, don't blame your mother. I'm doing this all for your own good."

For the first time, Qin Huairu began to waver in her belief that her words were "for your own good."

The price seemed too heavy for her to bear.

And this was only Bang Geng's first day out of the juvenile detention center.

Yi Zhonghai watched all this in silence, his brows furrowed in worry.

He noticed the hatred in Bang Geng's eyes.

This kid is ruined!

His heart skipped a beat, and a chilling thought popped into his head.

It's not that my body is ruined, it's that my mind is ruined!
The juvenile detention center completely destroyed the last bit of innocent wildness in his bones, but it failed to teach him anything good. It only instilled deeper and more poisonous resentment in him, twisting his character.

"Bang Geng, you've just come out, don't think too much. Take a few days to rest and recover. We can talk about it later."

After saying that, Yi Zhonghai turned and left.

(End of this chapter)