Song Yixian was so stunned by the scene before her that she couldn’t come to her senses for a long moment.
Not until Hua Manman asked her a question.
"Are you planning on standing in the doorway forever?"
Song Yixian finally snapped out of it, asking incredulously, "I can come in?"
Hua Manman didn’t answer, simply turning and walking back inside.
Song Yixian hurriedly bent down, picked up the shopping bags from the floor, and followed her inside.
She changed into a pair of slippers and placed the shopping bags on the dining table.
Hua Manman opened the refrigerator and took out a bottled drink.
Song Yixian quickly interjected, "It’s so cold today. Drinking something cold isn’t good for your stomach. Let me get you a glass of hot water."
With that, she scurried off to the kitchen to get the hot water.
Hua Manman paused for a moment before putting the drink back in the refrigerator.
Song Yixian handed her a glass of warm water.
Hua Manman took the glass and drained it, her expression blank.
Song Yixian cautiously watched her daughter. Seeing Manman remain silent, she grew increasingly anxious.
Song Yixian couldn’t resist explaining.
"He swore to me that he’d changed. He promised he would never raise his hand to anyone again. I never thought he’d go back on his word so quickly. If I had known he would try to hurt you, I never would have brought him here."
Hua Manman set down the glass and looked up at her.
"How did he find you?"
Song Yixian answered truthfully.
"I was preparing to come see you today and ran into him right after I left the house. He said he got my address from one of my colleagues."
Hua Manman said, "So, not only does he know where you live, but he also knows where you work?"
Song Yixian hadn’t thought much of it at first, but now that her daughter had pointed it out, a number of unpleasant possibilities immediately sprang to mind.
"You mean, your father..."
Hua Manman cut her off. "I don’t have a father."
Song Yixian faltered, then corrected herself. "You mean Hua Yusen came prepared?"
Hua Manman said, "Obviously. He’s not going to leave you or me alone."
Song Yixian was still hesitant, as if clinging to a sliver of hope that Hua Yusen wouldn’t be so ruthless.
Hua Manman walked to the window. She pulled the curtain aside, creating a small gap, and peered down through it.
"He’s still waiting down there."
Song Yixian hurried over and followed her daughter’s gaze. She immediately spotted Hua Yusen standing under a streetlight.
He was holding the badly swollen side of his face, glancing up at Hua Manman’s floor from time to time.
Even from a distance, Song Yixian could see his frustrated and resentful expression.
Hua Manman said, "Do you know why I told you to come inside? I figured he wouldn’t give up. He was bound to be waiting downstairs, and as soon as you went down, he would have latched onto you."
The color drained from Song Yixian’s face.
The truth was right in front of her, leaving no room for doubt.
The last shred of hope in her heart was shattered.
She wanted to ask her daughter what they should do.
But then she thought, ’My daughter only just graduated. She’s still just a young adult who hasn’t seen much of the world. How can I dump all this messy trouble onto her?’
So she took a deep breath, pushing down her anxiety.
"Let’s call the police."
Hua Manman looked at her. "Are you sure?"
Hua Manman didn’t mind letting the police teach Hua Yusen a lesson with some Tianjiang justice, but if they really called them, the situation would blow up and could affect Song Yixian’s job.
Of course, Song Yixian understood this as well.
She gritted her teeth and said with grim determination.
"If he really came here prepared, he’s not going to give up.
Even if we manage to avoid him tonight, what about tomorrow? And the day after?
It’s impossible to be on guard day and night. We have to teach him a harsh lesson so he’ll finally back off."
Her years of struggling in the real world had taught her many things, for instance, that if you’re too kind, people will take advantage of you.
If she kept giving in, he would just keep taking more and more.
Besides, her daughter’s safety was on the line.
She could always find another job, but if she lost her daughter, she would hate herself for the rest of her life.
The corners of Hua Manman’s lips curled into her first smile of the evening.
’Her mother wasn’t completely helpless, after all.’
Song Yixian took out her phone and, right in front of her daughter, dialed the police emergency line.
It was the first time Song Yixian had ever called the police. She was incredibly nervous, her palm sweating as she clutched the phone.
The moment the call connected, Song Yixian slowed her breathing, summoned her courage, and began to speak.
"Hello, my daughter and I are being stalked. The man is my ex-husband, and he has a criminal record for domestic abuse. He’s waiting for us downstairs right now. My daughter and I are terrified. We need the police’s help."
The person on the other end responded quickly.
"Ma’am, please give us a general description of your ex-husband and tell us your address. Until we arrive, please stay inside your home. Do not go out. Lock your doors and windows, and keep yourselves safe."
The police were incredibly fast. In just ten minutes or so, a police car screeched to a halt in front of the apartment building.
Hua Yusen, who had been lurking under the streetlight, saw the police car and panicked, immediately trying to run.
His panicked attempt to flee immediately drew the officers’ attention.
He didn’t get far before the police caught up to him and arrested him on the spot.
A short while later, two police officers knocked on Hua Manman’s door.
Hua Manman accompanied Song Yixian to the police station to give a statement.
At the station, during questioning, Hua Yusen was initially indignant. He repeatedly insisted he was Song Yixian’s legal husband and Hua Manman’s biological father. He was just waiting for his wife and daughter downstairs, so what right did the police have to arrest him?!
But when the police pulled up his criminal record—which included domestic violence and causing his daughter to be hospitalized with serious injuries—Hua Yusen’s arrogant demeanor immediately vanished.
Still, he stubbornly insisted.
"So what if I hit her? I’m still her father.
What father doesn’t hit his kids these days?
Besides, I already apologized to her. What more do you want from me?
Do you want me to get on my knees and beg? She should be afraid of being struck by lightning for such disrespect!
All you do is blame me! Why don’t you take a look at my face?
My own daughter did this! All the neighbors saw it. I’m telling you the truth.
My daughter maliciously assaulted me! Why aren’t you arresting her?!"
The police took Hua Yusen’s statement to Hua Manman and Song Yixian to ask for their side of the story.
Hua Manman frankly admitted that she had hit him.
Song Yixian quickly explained.
"Hua Yusen started it. Manman only fought back because she had no choice but to defend herself.
Hua Yusen has always been violent. Manman suffered terribly at his hands in the past.
If he hadn’t gone too far, Manman never would have done that to him."
A policewoman beside them said reassuringly.
"Don’t worry, Ms. Song. We have Hua Yusen’s file right here. We know what kind of man he is."