Siheyuan: I just came across and wanted to chase me away

Chapter 1159 Preparing to Escape

Liu Di chuckled and patted his shoulder so hard that he stumbled: "Look at you, so pathetic. Just a few kids like you, they'd tremble at the mere glare I gave them during the day, and now they're either crying or listless. Even if we don't keep an eye on them, they won't dare to run away. Don't worry, nothing will happen. If they do run away, we'll just catch them and break their legs, no big deal."

Li He was still a little uneasy, but seeing Liu Di's confident look, he felt that what he said made sense—after all, the way those children had been crying and whining during the day didn't seem like they had the guts to run away. He hesitated for a moment, but finally nodded and followed Liu Di to the door. Their footsteps made a "thump-thump" sound in the empty corridor, as if a countdown was underway.

Liu Di walked to the door, then turned back, deliberately raising his voice like a thunderclap. His eyes swept over the children in the room like knives, finally landing on Bang Geng—this kid always kept his head down during the day, looking the most honest, but he always seemed to be hiding something.

"Let me say a few words first—" He paused, spitting as he spoke, "You all better stay put. Don't think you're safe just because I'm gone. Let me tell you, my eyes are in the back of my head, watching you all the time! If anyone dares to run away in the chaos and I catch them, watch out for their legs! You hear me?"

Banggeng and the other children immediately lowered their heads, their hunches almost touching their chests, barely daring to breathe. They had long heard of Liu Di's prowess; a few days ago, a child had cried and wanted to go home, and Liu Di had slapped him so hard that his mouth bled and half his face was swollen. No one dared to joke about their own legs.

Seeing that they were terrified and silent, Liu Di snorted with satisfaction, turned around and walked away with Li He, their footsteps gradually fading into the distance, eventually swallowed up by the barking of dogs in the alley.

The room fell silent instantly, the air itself seeming to freeze, weighing heavily on everyone's hearts. Only the suppressed sobs of a few children in the corner remained, faint and fragmented, like newborn kittens whimpering in the cold wind, carrying an indescribable pitifulness. Banggeng slowly raised his head, his disheveled hair sticking to his sweaty forehead, obscuring half of his eye. But in the one eye that was visible, a cunning glint flashed, incongruous with his age, like a little fox sneaking out to hunt in the dark, exuding an unfathomable cleverness.

He listened intently to the sounds outside the door, his ear almost pressed against the door panel—there were no more familiar footsteps outside, only the "whooshing" sound of the wind blowing through the window frame, like someone sighing softly in the dark, or like the groaning of the old wooden door.

Bang Geng knew in his heart that his chance had come, and this was his only chance. If he couldn't escape tonight, Liu Di and the others would likely keep a closer watch tomorrow, perhaps even adding two more people to guard him. Escaping then would be virtually impossible. He clenched his fists, his knuckles turning white from the force, his mind racing, rapidly calculating each step he should take.

He glanced at the children huddled together beside him, some hugging their knees in a daze, others wiping away tears with their sleeves. His lips moved, but he ultimately didn't voice his plan. Who knew if any of these kids were cowards? If he told them, they might use it as a pledge of loyalty to betray him to Liu Di, and then everything would be over. It was more reliable to do it alone; the fewer people who knew, the less risk there was.

Banggeng had a clear plan: as long as he could escape, he would find a deserted haystack outside the village to hide for a couple of days, spend the night wrapped in straw, and wait for the storm to pass before sneaking home along the paddy field ridges. When his parents saw him, they would be heartbroken and would definitely hide and protect him. No matter how ruthless Liu Di and his gang were, they couldn't possibly chase him into their house and ransack the place to arrest him.

He shifted to the corner, his back pressed against the cold earthen wall, and simply closed his eyes, pretending to be asleep. He deliberately made his breathing deep and slow, his chest rising and falling slightly with each breath, mimicking the movement perfectly. He knew now wasn't the best time—that Liu Di was the most cunning; last time he'd pulled a feint, saying he was going out on business but never actually leaving. He'd squatted behind the woodpile by the door, smoking his pipe, and caught the two kids trying to slip away red-handed, like catching rabbits.

He still remembered the scene that day: those two clueless boys had just climbed over the high wall, their feet barely touching the ground, when Liu Di grabbed them by the back of their collars and dragged them back like chicks. What followed was a good beating; the slaps on their faces made a loud, chilling sound, causing the two boys to cry and scream in pain, their faces covered in tears and snot. In the end, they were punished by being made to stand in the yard for half the night. From then on, no one dared to try to escape again. They all looked like wilted eggplants, listless and afraid to even speak loudly.

Ke Bang wasn't afraid. In his opinion, Liu Di's act was nothing but bluffing. If he really got caught, the worst that could happen was a beating. He was thick-skinned and could just endure it. He would cry and apologize, beg for mercy sweetly, and call them "uncle" or "big brother" a couple of times. The other party wouldn't necessarily kill him—after all, they were only responsible for guarding him. If they really beat him badly, it would be hard to explain.

He squinted, leaving his eyelids slightly open, and silently observed the movements inside the house, beginning to plan how to get out: should he go through the door or climb out the window? The door was closer to the gate, making it easy to be seen; although the window was higher, it overlooked the vegetable garden, and he could use the seedlings to cover himself if he squeezed in.

About half an hour later, the old clock on the wall struck once. Judging that the people guarding outside must be tired and relaxed, Bang Geng quietly got up, crouched like a cat, and slowly made his way to the door. He looked out through the crack in the door—in the moonlight, the courtyard gate was empty. The two guards were indeed gone. Only two kerosene lamps hung on the wall, their flames flickering in the wind, casting dim and bright light on the ground.

Banggeng's heart leaped with joy. He suppressed his almost jumping heart and tiptoed to the window. A rusty padlock hung on the inside of the window, its body blackened. It looked sturdy, but for Banggeng, who had always loved taking things apart, this was a piece of cake. He pulled out a thin wire hidden in the sole of his shoe. He had secretly picked it up from the woodpile a few days ago, sharpened it for several days until it was sharp and smooth—he had it ready long ago.

The other children in the room who hadn't yet gone to the countryside stared at him intently at his actions, their eyes shining like stars in the dim light, filled with a mixture of fear and longing. A small boy tried to lend a hand, but as soon as he lifted his foot, he quickly pulled it back—everyone remembered the beating they'd received last time; their skin burned as if on fire, and even now, the thought of it made their arms tremble.