Madam, Please Behave

Chapter 58: Insurance

Zhou Shiyan opened the door to find Liu Changqing standing outside.

Seeing his unexpected visit, she was clearly surprised.

“Uncle Liu… why are you here?”

“I have something to ask you,” Liu Changqing said, glancing inside the house. Noticing that Zhou Shiyan’s mother, Lan Yixian, wasn’t home, he asked, “Your mom’s at work?”

“Yes.”

Nodding slightly, Zhou Shiyan seemed unsure about his intentions.

Looking down at her, Liu Changqing said, “Let’s talk inside.”

Though she didn’t quite understand what he wanted, her good upbringing prevented her from refusing. She stepped aside to let Liu Changqing enter.

Inside, Liu Changqing’s gaze swept over the room, noting the neatly stacked textbooks on the table and the meticulously folded bedsheets.

After closing the door, Zhou Shiyan walked over, looking at Liu Changqing nervously.

“Uncle Liu…”

“My son was attacked last night,” Liu Changqing stated bluntly.

“Attacked?!”

“That’s right. Do you remember the last time we met? You said someone was following you that night.”

Liu Changqing raised his head. “Did you get a good look at them?”

“...”

Zhou Shiyan froze, her mind still processing the shocking news that Liu Zhiyue had been attacked. Her face paled as guilt rose in her chest.

It’s all my fault… If he hadn’t walked me home…

“Did you see what they looked like? Answer me,” Liu Changqing pressed.

His words snapped her out of her thoughts. She hesitated, clearly flustered.

“I… I didn’t…”

Standing before Liu Changqing, she fidgeted like a child who had made a grave mistake. The knowledge that Liu Zhiyue’s injury stemmed from walking her home made her deeply uncomfortable.

“Don’t overthink it,” Liu Changqing said, recognizing her distress. “The most important thing now is figuring out who attacked my son.”

Narrowing his eyes, he continued, “I already had a feeling something was off that night. Now, it seems there really was someone following you. Even the dog that barked was probably reacting to that person.”

“But… my mom and I don’t have enemies. And we’re not wealthy…”

“This probably has nothing to do with you or your mom,” Liu Changqing said, shifting his gaze to her. “By the way, does your family own the breakfast shop?”

“No… we rent it…”

Her eyes darted nervously, avoiding his face.

Liu Changqing caught these subtle changes in her expression.

“Is that so?”

He could tell she wasn’t lying but sensed she was withholding something.

“Your mom is divorced, right?”

“Yes…”

“And your dad?”

“...”

Zhou Shiyan fell silent, her hands clenching involuntarily as if she wanted to push the topic away.

“Why did they divorce?”

“...”

“Alright, let’s drop it,” Liu Changqing sighed, leaning back.

He could see she was reluctant to talk, and he wouldn’t force her.

Having learned little, he decided it wasn’t worth staying any longer. He stood and moved to leave.

As he passed her, Zhou Shiyan suddenly asked, “Which hospital is Liu Zhiyue in?”

Midday.

Zhou Quan staggered along, humming an off-key tune. His face, purple from years of heavy drinking, and his filthy, matted hair showed how neglected he was.

Garbage piled around him as he stumbled to a dilapidated shack built from tin and wood. Reaching into his dirty pants pocket, he pulled out a key, unlocked the door, and stepped inside.

After shutting the door, he turned—only to see a shadowy figure in the room.

“Ah!”

His scream was filled with terror as he stumbled back, losing his balance and landing hard on the floor. Instinctively grabbing at anything within reach, he knocked over a washbasin from a nearby shelf, sending it clattering to the ground.

Panting heavily, Zhou Quan’s previously dull eyes widened in fear as he stared at the figure before him.

“You’re just getting back now?”

The figure slowly emerged from the shadows. Despite the heat, they were fully covered, leaving only their eyes visible.

Zhou Quan’s expression turned from surprise to sheer panic.

“You… you…!”

“I told you before—I hate being kept waiting.”

The voice was hoarse, as if the person’s vocal cords had been damaged, making their tone grating and unpleasant.

Zhou Quan’s face twisted in fear as he stammered, “I-I didn’t know you were coming today…”

The figure didn’t respond. Instead, they pulled an iron rod from behind their back and swung it down.

“Ahhh!”

Zhou Quan screamed as the rod struck his arm. He collapsed to the ground, curling up and clutching his arm in pain. His face pressed against the floor, his mouth gaping as he gasped for air.

The figure didn’t stop there. Stepping forward, they delivered a swift kick to Zhou Quan’s face, silencing his cries.

Zhou Quan felt several teeth loosen or fall out, the excruciating pain sharpening his senses. He dared not make another sound, trembling as he gasped for breath.

The figure crouched in front of him, using the rod to poke at his mouth.

“Only three teeth, huh…”

“P-please… don’t hit me again…”

“Hit you? Didn’t your teacher ever tell you that liars must be punished?”

The figure chuckled, their laugh harsh and grating.

“Why did you lie to me?”

“I…”

“You told me the shop your mother left went to you, but it went to Lan Yixian instead, didn’t it?”

“I… I didn’t know! I’m her son—it should’ve been mine! There must’ve been some mistake…” Zhou Quan sputtered, blood dripping from his mouth as he tried to force a smile.

But the figure wasn’t buying it.

“Also, you said you bought an accident insurance policy for your daughter, with yourself as the beneficiary. Is that true?”

“Yes! Yes, it’s true!”

“Good.”

The figure stood, tucking the rod back into their waistband and covering it with their clothes.

“When the money comes through, it’s all mine. You’ll figure out how to handle the rest of your debts.”

“You have to leave me something! I’ll die without it!” Zhou Quan panicked at the thought of losing everything.

Turning back, the figure’s narrow, bloodshot eyes bore into Zhou Quan.

Lifting their chin slightly, they sneered, “If I don’t get it all, I can make sure you die right now.”