Daily life
The next day.
In Shen Heng's room on the fourth floor of the Supervision Bureau.
The Supervision Bureau assigned every member a room. Anyone who needed to could move straight into the bureau, while those who did not could simply use it as a place to rest when they were tired.
At that moment, Shen Heng was in the bathroom, his head tilted slightly back toward the showerhead, letting the fine streams of water trickle slowly down his body.
After a long while, Shen Heng suddenly drew a deep, ragged breath, then lowered his head again to look at the bruises of various sizes covering his body.
He raised a hand and gently pressed one of the bruises.
Pain immediately shot from the spot.
"The captain really doesn't pull his punches!" Shen Heng drew in a soft hiss of breath.
Still, he had no intention of complaining. Just as the captain had said, taking a beating really did help him learn quickly. With the captain holding back his strength and speed, Shen Heng had gone from doing nothing but taking hits to at least being able to strike back once or twice yesterday.
Shen Heng shook his head, stopped paying attention to his injuries, and hurried through the rest of his shower.
Within a few minutes, Shen Heng left the bathroom and returned to his room.
The room was slightly better equipped than an average hotel room, with a large bed, a wardrobe, a window, a computer, a bathroom, and so on. It even had a washing machine, making it practically a studio apartment.
Shen Heng changed into clean clothes with practiced ease, stuffed his old clothes into the washing machine, and headed downstairs to the dining hall.
The dining hall was empty at that hour. The Supervision Bureau served lunch and dinner at set times, but breakfast had no fixed time.
This allowed those on the night shift to eat first if they were hungry, while those on the day shift would still have something to eat if they arrived a little later.
With practiced ease, Shen Heng took three steamed buns, two eggs, a large bowl of soy milk, and a serving of meat cutlets made with a secret recipe from the warming counter in the kitchen, then carried them into the dining hall and began eating.
Shen Heng picked up a steamed bun and stuffed it into his mouth.
As he polished off one bun after another, the dining hall finally welcomed another diner.
"Morning!"
"Morning!"
Zheng Anlin gave a composed nod, then headed into the kitchen with the same practiced ease.
A little later, Zheng Anlin emerged carrying his breakfast in his only remaining hand. He paused at the kitchen doorway, then walked over and sat down beside Shen Heng.
"I heard from the captain that you've been taking your training very seriously lately?" Zheng Anlin glanced at Shen Heng.
"Yeah, I suppose so." Shen Heng nodded.
"It's good to train like that, but I heard about your awakening. I hope you'll remember not to be too hasty in a fight. Staying alive is always more important than anything else!" Zheng Anlin said gravely.
Shen Heng glanced at Zheng Anlin. Does he think I was too reckless when I rushed in to save someone back then, so he wants me to be more cautious? But... I actually do value my life quite a bit...
Although he felt that Zheng Anlin had misunderstood him somewhat, Shen Heng still nodded earnestly.
"Yeah, I understand. Thank you!"
After finishing his meal, Shen Heng said goodbye to Zheng Anlin.
He went back upstairs and hung his clothes out to dry, then left the Supervision Bureau and headed home.
It was Sunday, so he did not have school.
Apartment 201, Building 3, Emerald Garden Residential Complex.
Click!
Shen Heng pushed the door open and walked inside.
To Shen Heng's surprise, his mother was actually home.
She was holding a mop, cleaning the house.
Hearing the door open, Xu Yuqin turned to look. When she saw Shen Heng, a smile immediately spread across her face.
"Xiao Heng, did you just get back from work?"
"Yeah. Didn't you go to work today?" Shen Heng asked, a little puzzled. From what he knew of Xu Yuqin, she wished she could have forty-eight hours in a day so she could work more jobs and earn more money to repay their debts.
"I did. I went to help out at the breakfast shop this morning. As for the hotel, I have the day off today!" Xu Yuqin said with a smile.
Shen Heng raised his eyes and looked at Xu Yuqin. There had been a slight fluctuation in the latter half of her words just now. The truth probably was not simply that she had a day off from the hotel, as she claimed.
Shen Heng thought for a moment. She had probably been working for too long, and the people at the hotel had forced her to take a break out of concern that something might happen to her.
"If you have the day off, get some proper rest. Don't do this stuff. I'll take care of it when I come home and have some free time!" Shen Heng glanced at the mop in Xu Yuqin's hands.
"It's fine. Compared to working, this little bit of housework is easy!" Xu Yuqin smiled, perhaps feeling a little warmth from Shen Heng's concern.
"Xiao Heng, you just got back from work. Have you had breakfast?" Xu Yuqin asked, looking at Shen Heng.
"Yeah, I have." Shen Heng nodded.
"Then hurry and get some rest!" Xu Yuqin said with concern.
"Okay!"
Shen Heng nodded and headed toward his bedroom.
He opened the door and walked inside. Just as he was about to close it, Xu Yuqin spoke up.
"Oh, Xiao Heng, should I wake you for lunch?"
"No need. I'll sleep until evening and go straight to work!"
"What about dinner?" Xu Yuqin asked again.
Shen Heng had intended to refuse again, since the Supervision Bureau provided meals and he could simply eat there, but he paused slightly after opening his mouth, before any words came out.
He raised his eyes, glanced at the expectant look in Xu Yuqin's eyes, and nodded.
"Yeah. If you're cooking dinner, wake me up to eat!"
"Okay, good. Hurry and get some rest, then!" Xu Yuqin smiled, seemingly happy that, after so long, the family could finally share a meal again.
Click!
The door slowly closed. Shen Heng lay on his bed, his eyes unfocused as he listened to the surrounding noises for a while.
A moment later, he once again gently pressed the tip of his tongue against the roof of his mouth.
"In... out... in... out..."
The sound of steady breathing slowly drifted through the room...
When Shen Heng opened his eyes again, it was already evening, and he heard knocking at the door.
"Xiao Heng, are you up? It's time for dinner!" Xu Yuqin knocked at his door.
Shen Heng let out a long breath, sat up in bed, and replied, "I'm up. I'll be right there!"
Hearing his reply, the knocking outside stopped.
Shen Heng slowly shook his head to clear it a little, then got up, changed his clothes, and headed outside.
Outside, Xu Yuqin and Shen Shuning were already sitting on the living room sofa.
When she saw Shen Heng emerge, Xu Yuqin beckoned to him.
"Xiao Heng, come on, it's time to eat!"
"You two start first. I'll wash my face and be right over!"
With that, Shen Heng headed for the bathroom.
After spending two minutes brushing his teeth and washing his face, Shen Heng returned to the living room.
"Come, sit down and eat!" Xu Yuqin said again.
Shen Heng nodded, glanced at the two sitting on the long sofa, then walked toward the armchair.
"Here, Xiao Heng!" Xu Yuqin held out a bowl filled with rice.