"Let's go take a look," Zhou Hui said, momentarily stunned but ultimately deciding to investigate. He felt a wave of anxiety wash over him. If it was just a piece of glass, that would be one thing, but if someone was injured, it could be a serious issue. Despite knowing that this could lead to trouble, his innate kindness compelled him to move forward.
"Forget it, I don't want to get into trouble," one of his friends replied, shaking his head. If the homeowner had a bad temper, none of them would end up unscathed. Moreover, none of them came from wealthy families and couldn't afford to pay for broken glass.
"I have something to do too, so I'll head out first. We can play next time," the chubby boy said, clearly frightened, and quickly ran away. The remaining friends were unwilling to accompany Zhou Hui.
"Whoever broke it should go," Azan said, holding his head with a relaxed demeanor. He was still somewhat intimidated by Zhou Hui and avoided making eye contact.
"Then I'll go by myself," Zhou Hui replied, seeing that no one was willing to join him. He walked toward the house alone, feeling no resentment. After all, this was his fault. It was a favor for others to help him, and it was also their right not to.
Though Zhou Hui stood at 180 cm tall and had a cool, slightly rebellious appearance, he felt a twinge of fear in this situation. Cold sweat began to bead on his forehead.
"It'll be alright. It'll be alright," he reassured himself, trying to calm his nerves.
"Damn it! Which kid did this?!" Zhou Hui heard the homeowner shout before he reached the house, the voice tearing through him like a knife.
"It seems I've run into someone unpleasant," he muttered, feeling a surge of fear. Zhou Hui slowed his pace, cautiously approaching the door.
"Excuse me..." His voice was soft, almost like a kitten's meow. He peeked inside, careful not to act rashly.
"Um?" The homeowner turned around, and Zhou Hui got a clear look at him. The man was in his 40s, wearing flip-flops, and his vest struggled to contain his growing belly. A gold ring adorned his hand, and while he appeared disheveled, there were white streaks in his hair.
"Excuse me, I'm here to retrieve the baseball. I saw it come this way," Zhou Hui explained.
The middle-aged man's fury ignited. "So you're not here to apologize? You just want to pick up the ball!"
"Okay, so it was you who called. Come over and take a look!" He yanked Zhou Hui by the collar, pulling him toward the broken window. The man was surprisingly strong, and Zhou Hui stumbled, nearly falling.
"Look at the hole you made in this glass!" the man shouted, pointing at the shattered window, nearly spitting in Zhou Hui's face.
"Uh..." Zhou Hui hesitated, momentarily at a loss for words. The man's intimidating presence left him speechless.
"I'm telling you, you need to give me an explanation today, or you won't be leaving!" The middle-aged man lit a cigarette, showing no signs of letting Zhou Hui off the hook.
"How can we resolve this?" Zhou Hui asked, realizing that he wouldn't be allowed to leave until the issue was settled. It was clear the man wanted money.
"I didn't expect you to be so sincere. From your accent, I can tell you're not a local. I won't make it difficult for you. Just leave 5,000 yuan here, and you can go."
"What? 5,000?" Zhou Hui was taken aback by the exorbitant demand. Was this glass made of gold? While he acknowledged his fault in breaking it, asking for such a sum was outrageous!
Zhou Hui's father worked in construction, so he had a rough idea of glass prices. A piece like this could be replaced for about 1,000 yuan. Coming from a modest background, it was unrealistic to expect a kid to pay 5,000 yuan.
"What? Can't you afford it?" the man sneered.
Zhou Hui nodded, feeling the weight of the situation. He had little pocket money and had come out just to play baseball, so he didn't have that much cash on him. Trembling, he pulled out a few coins and a 1,000-yuan bill from his pocket. "This is all I have saved for the week."
The middle-aged man snatched the money and began counting. "Only 1,800 yuan in total? Are you trying to send me away with beggar's change?"
"That's all I have. Why not let me go home to get the rest?" Zhou Hui pleaded, but the man was unconvinced. He had no idea who Zhou Hui was or where he lived. If Zhou Hui didn't return, how could he complain?
"You're dreaming! Without 5,000 yuan, you can't leave!" The man was aggressive, fully aware that Zhou Hui couldn't come up with the money but refusing to let him go.
Zhou Hui felt trapped. If he ran away, guilt would consume him. Calling his parents was not an option; they worked hard every day, and if they found out he was in trouble, they would worry. Their family was already struggling, and he didn't want to add to their burdens.
Now, he was in a dilemma, feeling far from the confident player he had been on the baseball field.
"I've been watching for a long time. As an adult, can't you see this kid really has no money? Why not just let him go?" an elderly voice interjected. Zhou Hui turned to see an old man pushing a bicycle toward them.
Though he had never met this man before, Zhou Hui felt an inexplicable sense of familiarity.
"Hey, old man, it's easy for you to talk. This isn't your glass. If you have the guts, pay for it yourself!" the middle-aged man retorted.
"Okay, I'll pay!" the old man replied, stopping his bicycle and approaching the middle-aged man. "How much do you want from him?"
"5,000 yuan," the man stated.
The old man rummaged through his pocket, pulled out five 1,000-yuan bills, and handed them to the middle-aged man. "You're lucky. Now let him go."