"It's not like I pushed your dad, he voluntarily blocked my way. I didn't want him to turn into a zombie either. You can't blame everything on me!" Li Dan frantically defended herself as she saw Xiao Feng approaching step by step, clearly intending to settle scores with her.
But Xiao Feng still grabbed her throat with one hand.
She immediately had trouble breathing, her face turning red from the strain.
She frantically slapped at Xiao Feng's hand, straining her neck to speak.
"I know you don't like me, but your mom's death has nothing to do with me or your dad! It was her own problem!"
Hearing this, Xiao Feng's grip tightened even more.
The violent intent in his eyes was palpable.
"What problem could my mom have?! It's all because you seduced my dad and made him have an affair that caused my mom to get depression!" Xiao Feng roared.
"Who... who told you that?!" Li Dan gasped.
"Your mom developed depression after giving birth to you. As time went on, her symptoms got worse and worse.
At that time, I was just a staff member at the TV station, and my relationship with your dad was completely innocent.
Once when I went to submit some documents, I personally saw your mom going crazy in your dad's office, smashing various things. When your dad tried to calm her down, she hit him in the head with an ashtray, causing him to bleed.
It wasn't just that one time. There were several other occasions when your mom came to make a scene at the station, not only causing your dad to lose face but also once biting his arm during a public meeting, nearly taking a chunk of flesh."
"You're lying!" Xiao Feng's face was full of disbelief.
Li Dan sneered, "You can check if I'm lying by looking at whether there's a big scar on the right side of your dad's head, and if there's a row of teeth marks on his left hand!"
After Li Dan finished speaking, Xiao Feng furrowed his brow.
He remembered that his dad did indeed have a row of teeth marks on his left arm!
Just as he was shaken by this realization, suddenly there came the sound of bones dislocating and a low "hoo hoo hoo" growl from behind him.
His eyes darkened as he released Li Dan and turned his head.
He saw that Xiao Jun had completely transformed into a zombie, suddenly raising his head to glare at him fiercely before charging towards him.
For a moment, Xiao Feng was stunned.
Just as Xiao Jun was about to pounce on him, a vine quickly shot out from the side, binding Xiao Jun and dragging him back several steps.
The zombified Xiao Jun struggled constantly, opening his mouth wide to howl.
Xiao Feng looked at the familiar yet strange person before him, his gaze extremely complex.
"You know, even though your mom was like that, your dad still didn't give up on her. He sent her to the hospital and got the best doctors to treat her," Li Dan's voice came from behind again.
"But that day, your mom managed to evade everyone's attention and escape from the hospital. She returned to the roof of your house alone and jumped off.
So, your mom's death wasn't caused by your dad or me.
Because at that time, your dad and I were still just ordinary colleagues.
Your dad and I only got together about two and a half years after your mom passed away.
Your dad didn't explain this to you because he didn't want you to feel guilty, since your mom developed depression after giving birth to you.
At first, I wanted to get along well with you, but you know your temper - you never gave me a chance.
I was also raised as a pampered child at home, when have I ever endured such treatment?
After a while, I got tired of it too.
Because no matter how much I tried to please you, you would never give me a kind look. So why should I keep living so humbly?
So, you can't entirely blame me for the strained relationship between us."
Li Dan's words made Xiao Feng clench his fists tightly.
He lowered his head slightly, his heart churning with turbulent emotions.
This was completely different from what he had always believed!
At this moment, Li Dan quietly sidled away.
Then she quickly ran upstairs.
Nie Yizhou was about to stop her, but Xiao Feng spoke up.
"Let her go," he said, his voice sounding muffled.
"Don't listen to her nonsense. She might just be trying to deliberately confuse you," Nie Yizhou frowned, seeing Xiao Feng's low spirits.
Xiao Feng shook his head, "What she said is very likely to be true."
In fact, many things could be traced back if one looked carefully.
Now that he connected the dots, the truth of the matter became apparent.
He had always thought that his dad's affair had caused his mom to commit suicide.
But he never imagined that his mom had developed depression because of giving birth to him.
And yet he had resented his dad for so long.
Looking at Xiao Jun who had turned into a zombie before him, Xiao Feng's heart was filled with a mix of emotions, an indescribable feeling.
Yun Xiaoxiao and the others didn't know how to comfort him.
They weren't naturally good at consoling people anyway.
This was something Xiao Feng had to figure out for himself.
About half an hour later, Xiao Feng finally raised his head.
He looked at the struggling and howling Xiao Jun, tightening his grip on the knife in his hand.
"Xiao Feng, why don't I do it instead?" Yun Xiaoxiao suggested.
"No need, I'll do it myself. This is... the only thing I can do for him now," Xiao Feng said, his eyes flickering with faint sadness.
Yun Xiaoxiao nodded and withdrew her vines.
The released Xiao Jun immediately pounced towards Xiao Feng.
But just as he got close, a knife was directly plunged into his head.
He finally closed his eyes forever.
"There's a zoo behind the TV station. Nie Yizhou, can you take me there?" Xiao Feng said, glancing at Xiao Jun lying at his feet, his eyes slightly red.
"I want to... lay him to rest."
No one objected.
So, Nie Yizhou led the group there.
Arriving at the zoo, after three months of neglect, the grass had grown quite tall.
There were also some zombies wandering around the park, and bloodstains, animal remains, and garbage could be seen on the ground from time to time.
It looked dirty, messy, and desolate.
They came to a grassy area.
Yun Xiaoxiao, Ling Jing, and Little Cutie were responsible for clearing out the zombies in the surrounding area.
Nie Yizhou was in charge of digging. After digging a hole, Xiao Feng placed the body inside.
Nie Yizhou covered it with soil, shaping it into a grave mound.
They didn't have paper money or incense, so Yun Xiaoxiao took out some fruit instead.
Xiao Feng arranged the fruit, kowtowed three times towards the grave, and remained silent for a good while before standing up.
"I want to kill some zombies," he suddenly said.
Yun Xiaoxiao knew he was feeling very upset, so she said, "Go ahead, we'll accompany you."
"Yeah, let's go all out today. Kill as many as you want, until you can't kill anymore," Nie Yizhou also smiled.
Ling Jing put his hands in his pockets, looking relaxed.
"Happy to oblige."
They all smiled at each other.
Although they came from different places and had different personalities, they got along surprisingly well.
Sometimes, friends don't need many words.
They just need to help you when you need help, and be there for you unconditionally when you're feeling down or hurt.
That's enough.
(In the next chapter, they'll encounter a 'very cute' animal. Now taking suggestions for names. If suitable, I'll use them. Come on, everyone, think about it and give your suggestions.)
