Go

With their collars hoisted up from behind, the two children's heads were trapped inside their own necklines, their toes barely touching the ground. They looked utterly miserable.

Cheng Xiaoshu looked at the children, then at Hesta. "...What is this?"

"These two were planning to scribble all over the door, and I caught them," Hesta said. "I asked which household they belonged to, but they wouldn't say, so I brought them up first."

"Scribble?" Cheng Xiaoshu looked at the children's filthy hands. "What were they going to write?"

"They hadn't gotten the chance to put pen to it yet," Hesta said. "But it definitely wouldn't have been anything nice—"

"Let them go," Eucali suddenly said.

Everyone looked at Eucali. She stared at the two children, her expression stiff.

"Just let them go?" Hesta asked in surprise. "But they—"

"...They're children from downstairs," Eucali said softly. "I know them."

The two children listened to the adults in front of them babbling away in a language they could not understand, and their expressions grew even more frightened.

"Apologize!" Hesta snapped again, letting out a low, almost threatening growl.

"Sorry!" the two girls said in unison.

Hesta let go. The instant their feet touched the floor, the children scrambled away on all fours.

After closing the door again, Hesta took off her shoes, still sounding dissatisfied. "How could we just let them go? We should at least talk to their parents."

"It's no use. They came by this morning too, and I caught them red-handed," Eucali said quietly. "I already told Yu Xuekun about it this morning. She said she would talk to them... If that doesn't work, I'll just move again."

"Move again?" Hesta frowned. "You've already—"

"What did they write on your door?" Cheng Xiaoshu interrupted.

"...Just some dirty words," Eucali replied