Autophagy

"Get over here you mutt!" the man shouted at the teenager. The teenager was trying to guard himself and the little girl behind him with his skinny arms. It was a heart wrecking scene for any normal person.

The man had an empty beer bottle in his hand which he then proceeded to hit the teenager in front of him with.

"Ugh... That hurt you asshole."

The teenager was bleeding from his head. He had become dizzy and was about to blackout. Fortunately, the bottle didn't break. If it did, things would be much worse for the teenager.

The little girl crouching behind the teenager was crying nonstop.

"Dad! Please stop hitting my brother! I'm scared!" The girl kept crying while begging his so-called dad.

"Hi scared! I'm dad." The man said. Then he started laughing at his own joke while holding his belly. The man suddenly stopped laughing and looked at his daughter.

"You little wench! I work so hard for you little shits every day and this is how I'm getting treated!?" shouted the man.

"Zeng Wuying! Didn't I tell you to never come to this place again!? This is not your home anymore! Mom gave this house to my aunt before she died! Get the hell out of here before I call the police!" The teenager shouted. This dad had always been a bad father. After his mother died, he became even more abusive than before.

"You!? Hahahaha! With what phone will you call the police!?" The man sneered. This run-down house only had a landline which didn't work properly anymore.

Suddenly, the door of the room burst open and a burly man came in.

"Wuying! I've told you so many times, didn't I!? Do you want to die?"

"Bro Feng?! Uhhh... You misunderstood! I was just educating my son and daughter!"

The man named Feng frowned and lifted his hand.

*Smack!

"Sit down dog! Do you really think that you have the right to educate Lei?!" Feng pointed at the teenager.

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"He has been trying to restore this shitty family of yours all by himself! I dare you to call him your son again!"

"I won't! I swear! Please just let me go this time. Just for once!" Zeng Wuying got down on his knees and started begging.

Jia Feng looked at Lei and asked:

"Do you forgive him?"

"Of course not! But... *Sigh" Lei looked at his father briefly then turned his head back to Jia Feng.

"Just let him go." He then looked at his father again.

"And you! If you dare come near me or Ai ever again, I will kill you!"

Zeng Wuying didn't even look at his eyes. He just stared at the ground for a bit and ran out of the house.

"Are you okay?" Jia Feng looked at Lei with concern in his eyes. "My god! You are bleeding! We should take you to a hospital."

"No. There's no need to. I can just wrap a bandage on my head and I'll be fine." said Lei.

"You... You never listen to me. You should take care of yourself or you'll collapse. If that happens, who'll take care of your sister?" asked Jia Feng. This burly young man had been taking care of Lei and Ai since they started living in the slums. He was a single construction worker in his twenties. He was also the one who helped Lei find a job.

Lei didn't answer. He turned to his sister and smiled.

"Little Ai, go to your room and sleep. You have school tomorrow, right? I'll help you do your hair tomorrow morning."

"But big bro! You are hurt!"

Lei's smile got even bigger. He held his arms up and flexed his almost non-existing muscles.

"Haha! Your brother is very strong! Zeng Wuying can't do anything to me!"

Ai wiped her eyes with her hands and looked at Lei with curiosity.

"Really? Brother must be really strong. Ai'll listen!"

Ai got up and ran to her room. Lei looked at her with affection in his eyes.

'If this little girl grows up to be a happy, independent, and strong person. I will be satisfied with the life I've lived up until now.'

Lei then turned to Jia Feng.

"I know I'll collapse one day if I keep going like this. But you know that I have no other choice."

"I do. I do but..." Jia Feng couldn't talk anymore. He was about to cry. Although he looked like a strong and strict person from the outside. He wasn't like that at all.

"Anyways... Just do your best okay? Make sure that you never collapse. You can come to my house anytime you want! You can read those novels you like so much or play some games with your sister. Just- Just know that I'll be there for you when you need."

"Dude... If you keep talking like this, you'll make me cry. Just go back."

"Mm."

Jia Feng turned and left the house.

Lei stared at the door dazedly for a long time. If he didn't block the brunt of the damage with his arms, he would probably have a severe concussion. He stopped staring at the door and went to wrap a bandage around his head.

...

Morning came and the sun shined. It was a normal day for everyone.

"Hey, little guy! Throw me the water bottle!"

Lei turned his head and shouted at the construction worker.

"Which one?"

"The one in the middle."

Lei picked up the bottle and threw it at the man.

"Thanks, young man."

"You're welcome." Lei smiled.

"I forgot to ask. What happened to your head?" The man asked. "Did you fall down or something?"

"I got in a fight," said Lei with a sour face. "Wasn't a fun experience."

"It shouldn't be. It's not good to fight people. Was it for a girl?"

"Not really... Do you really think I have a chance with any girl?"

"Why not? You're a handsome young man though a bit skinny."

"Really?" Lei smiled.

"Yes yes! I'm sure you'll find a beautiful girlfriend in no time. Now, enough talking. The break is over. Let's get back to work."

...

It was already 7 p.m when Lei left his job.

"Do you want to come over tonight? I'll order some takeout. You can bring Ai too," asked Jia Feng.

"We have some leftovers from yesterday and Ai must've already eaten by herself. I have to finish the leftovers so I'll pass."

"If you say so... Be careful on your way back okay?"

"Sure."

Lei started walking. Slums were dangerous during these hours of the day, so he had to be extra careful.

He entered a dark alley. This was the only way he could use to get to his home as the road he normally used was blocked that day.

"Huh?"

Lei suddenly heard heavy breathing, as if someone was trying to breathe as loud as possible.

"Hello?"

*Stab

"Uhh..."

*Thud

"What..?" Lei was dumbfounded. He didn't understand anything. The pain coming from his chest, his body going cold... Why was this happening?

"Hahahaha! Finally! Finally, I got rid of this little shit! You said that you would kill me if I got near you again, right? Sorry, but you can't! Because I'll kill myself!"

*Stab

*Thud

Lei looked at the body lying next to him. Soulless, quivering.

'This fucker was on drugs...' he thought.

'I'm sorry Ai.' He thought.. That was the last thing he thought in this life.