The elevator
The elevator descended smoothly, its metal enclosure isolating it from the outside noise, but amplifying the discordant sounds inside several times over.
That eight- or nine-year-old boy, like a tireless, low-quality engine, continued to make noise and shake in the cramped space.
He circled around, slapping the shiny but slightly scratched interior of the elevator with both hands and feet. The "thump-thump" sound was accompanied by strange, unintelligible cries from his mouth, like fingernails scraping against one's nerves.
Lin Feng stood expressionless in the corner, his gaze fixed on the decreasing floor numbers, like an old monk in deep meditation, completely blocking out the noise around him.
He didn't want to get involved in other people's business, especially on his first day at work; being late or showing up with a dispute was never a good thing.
Lü Yi stood to his side and slightly in front of him, his tall frame almost blocking half of the elevator door. He watched the boy jumping around with great interest, as if he were studying a new kind of creature, his eyes filled with pure curiosity.
However, the tree may wish to remain still, but the wind will not cease.
Seeing that Lin Feng showed no reaction to the commotion he had made—neither fear nor resistance—the boy grew bored. A mischievous glint flashed in his darting eyes. He slowed his circling pace, casually approaching Lin Feng, and then, taking advantage of Lin Feng's gaze being fixed ahead, suddenly raised his foot and lightly kicked Lin Feng's calf with the sole of his shoe.
Lin Feng felt a distinct touch on his leg. He frowned slightly, turned his head, and his gaze fell on the boy who had just completed his "sneak attack" and was now pretending to look up at the floor indicator light, acting as if it was none of his business.
Lin Feng glanced at it but didn't say anything. He lowered his head, reached out, and patted his trouser leg that had been kicked.
Then he turned back and resumed his previous posture.
To be honest, Lin Feng didn't like this kind of bratty kid, but he didn't bother arguing with him.
But his concession was seen by the bratty kid as daring to ignore him!
Seeing that Lin Feng was being so disrespectful, the boy became bolder. He used the same trick again, approaching once more. This time, he put a lot more force into his kick, and with a "bang," he kicked Lin Feng's shinbone in the same spot, bringing a sharp pain.
Lin Feng took a deep breath and turned his head again. This time, his gaze bypassed the boy and landed directly on the face of the middle-aged woman who had been coldly observing, even with a hint of indulgent smile on her lips. This woman was about fifty years old, with a bloated figure, wearing a cheap, brightly colored silk shirt, and sporting an outdated perm. Her face was fleshy, and her eyes revealed a shrewdness and an inexplicable sense of superiority.
He tried to keep his tone calm. "Excuse me, ma'am, could you please watch your child? He kicked me."
Compared to dealing with unruly children, communicating directly with the other party's parents is definitely more effective.
The middle-aged woman bristled like a cat whose tail had been stepped on. She put her hands on her hips, her entire body jiggling with her movements, and her shrill voice echoed in the elevator, piercing everyone's eardrums.
"What's it to you? What's wrong?! Who are you calling 'big sister'? You have no respect for elders! I'm old enough to be your grandmother!" She first argued about the form of address, then rolled her eyes and flatly denied it. "Kicked you? I didn't see it! Which eye of yours saw my Xiaobao kick you? Huh? A grown man, in broad daylight, actually accusing a child! I think you're the one who's crazy! You're insane!"
She was spittle flying everywhere, her skill in turning the tables on others was masterful, and her unreasonable attitude made Lü Yi, who was standing to the side, widen his eyes and slightly open his mouth, as if he thought this woman's "performance" was more creative than the patients in the mental hospital.
Looking at her face, Lin Feng knew that from her angle, it was impossible for her not to have seen the boy's actions.
Trying to reason with this kind of person is like casting pearls before swine. He suppressed the slight annoyance rising in his heart; trying to reason with this kind of person would only be a waste of his precious time.
He gave the woman a deep look, then stopped arguing and silently turned away. He hoped that patience would calm things down; he just wanted the elevator to reach the first floor as quickly as possible.
But his silence and concessions were once again taken as weakness that could be trampled on at will.
Seeing his grandmother so "powerful" and able to silence her with just a few words, the boy became extremely proud. He peeked out from behind his grandmother, made an extremely ugly face at Lin Feng's Back View, stuck out his tongue, and made a "lè lè lè" sound.
Seeing her grandson's "victory," the middle-aged woman not only didn't stop him, but instead showed a smug look on her face, as if she were showing off her child's "cleverness" and her "effective parenting."
Then, the boy grew bolder, thinking he could easily bully this "easy target." He raised his foot for the third time, this time with all his might, a malicious excitement on his face, aiming at Lin Feng's calf, ready to give him another hard blow. He wanted to see how long this silent "wooden man" could endure.
Just as his shoe was about to touch Lin Feng's trouser leg again, Lin Feng suddenly turned around! His movements were incredibly fast, and his usually calm eyes were now sharp as knives, fixed on the boy's face, which was distorted by the prank, and a cold sense of oppression instantly spread.
The boy was startled by the sudden, sharp gaze. His foot, which was about to kick out, froze in mid-air. The smugness on his face was instantly replaced by fear. He let out a "whoa" and, like a frightened rabbit, quickly shrank back behind the middle-aged woman, tightly gripping her clothes, no longer daring to show his face.
The middle-aged woman was startled by Lin Feng's sudden outburst of power, but then her anger intensified. Like a tigress whose territory had been invaded, she suddenly stepped forward, using her obese body to completely block her grandson, and screamed:
"What are you doing?! What do you want to do?! What are you glaring at me for! You scared my grandson! Let me tell you, if anything happens to him, I'll never forgive you! Pay up! You have to pay up!"
Looking at her unreasonable and accusatory face, Lin Feng said coldly, "Can you see your grandson kicking me now? Can't you do anything about it?"
This time, the middle-aged woman didn't completely deny seeing it; instead, she used an even more shameless excuse. She curled her lip and said in an extremely contemptuous tone:
"Hmph! So what if I saw it? What's wrong with a grown man kicking you? Will it break a piece of flesh? The kid doesn't know any better, he was just playing around! You're an adult, and you're arguing with a child, you're really sick in the head, you have no manners at all! I'm warning you, don't scare my grandson again, or I'll really report you for harassment!"
The little boy hiding behind his grandmother seemed to regain his courage after hearing her "great victory" again. He peeked half his face out from between his grandmother's arms and winked at Lin Feng again with an extremely provocative expression.
Looking at the old man and the young man, one domineering and protective of his own, the other spoiled and lawless, Lin Feng's last bit of patience ran out. He stopped speaking, simply turning away expressionlessly, as if giving up on any form of communication with them. But his eyes had turned completely cold.
Seeing Lin Feng "give in" again, and this time not even saying a word, the boy assumed the other was completely afraid. Under the "invincible" aura of his grandmother, his heart, seeking excitement and a sense of existence, stirred again. He felt he had to make up for the kick he missed earlier.
While his grandmother was still nagging about Lin Feng's "lack of manners," he suddenly sprang out from behind her, raised his foot for the fourth time, and with a vengeful satisfaction on his face, kicked Lin Feng's shin with all his might!
Just as his foot was about to touch the target—
"Smack!!!"
A crisp, loud slap, even with a slight echo, suddenly rang out in the enclosed elevator car without warning!
The sound was so sudden and so violent that it instantly drowned out all other noises, as if even the hum of the elevator had been stopped by the slap.
Time seemed to freeze for a moment.