“Open the door!”
“You old fart, open up!”
“What do you want? Come to buy something!”
It was like a drop of water hitting a sizzling wok.
In an instant, the whole world erupted.
Lin Zao and Lin Xiaobao exchanged a glance, both looking a bit panicked.
“Dad…” Lin Xiaobao called out. “It’s Grandpa Zhang’s house…”
“Shh—”
Lin Zao dug his nails into his palm, forcing himself to stay calm. He made a silencing gesture toward Lin Xiaobao, cutting him off.
In a hushed whisper, he said, “Don’t be scared. You eat first and stay quiet. Dad’s going to take a look.”
Lin Zao stood up and hurried to the wall by the kitchen. He switched off the lights in both the kitchen and dining room.
The curtains weren’t fully lightproof—they’d only give away their position if he closed them.
With that done, Lin Zao crept to the kitchen window in the dark. He parted the blinds just a crack and peered outside.
From the kitchen window, he had a clear view of Grandpa Zhang’s front door.
By now, the sun had set.
It was growing dark, too dim to make out much normally.
But Lin Zao could see everything outside crystal clear.
Because…
Those men had driven up.
Two battered white minivans flanked Grandpa Zhang’s door, one on either side.
Their high beams blazed bright and harsh, shining straight onto the old man’s door.
That let Lin Zao take in the whole scene below.
The minivan doors swung open, and six or seven burly thugs climbed out, clutching wooden bats and iron sticks.
The zombie outbreak was still recent, and a few of the men seemed to retain a shred of shame. They wore black balaclavas pulled low over their faces.
But one bald man didn’t seem to care about being recognized. His head was shiny dome, his face just as bare.
Lin Zao stared at his face—it looked familiar somehow.
But from this distance, he couldn’t quite place him.
All seven men surrounded Grandpa Zhang’s house, swinging their weapons and hammering at the door.
Clearly, they wanted to terrify the old man first, give him a proper scare.
At the same time, it was a warning to everyone else on the street: don’t get any ideas, don’t stick your neck out for anyone.
Grandpa Zhang lived alone, no kids, no wife. He scraped by running his little convenience store.
A few years back, his old wooden door had rotted out. Fu Cheng had hooked him up with a manufacturer and gotten him a heavy-duty roller door just like the one at the auto repair shop—at cost.
The sticks crashed against the iron roller door with deafening clangs.
The noise echoed down the entire street.
But things weren’t all bad yet.
The door made a hell of a racket, but it held firm!
The metal panels dented a bit, but there was no sign of it giving way.
Thank goodness Fu Cheng had swapped it out ahead of time. A regular wooden door would’ve shattered under that onslaught.
Lin Zao held his breath, gripping his iron stick tight as he watched.
The robbers saw they couldn’t break in, so they switched tactics and started yelling.
“Open up!”
“You old bastard, open the damn door!”
“Isn’t this a convenience store? Customer’s here—open up!”
“Come on! We’re here to buy stuff! Open the door!”
In times like these, money was just fancy toilet paper.
“Buying stuff” was a polite way of saying “robbing you blind.”
But…
Grandpa Zhang’s store didn’t even have a sign out front.
How did they know it was a convenience store?
How did they know an old man lived here?
Suddenly, Lin Zao remembered that white flash streaking past a few nights ago.
That’s right—that light!
Those were the robbers below, scouting for prey!
Grandpa Zhang had food and water, and he lived alone. They’d marked him.
Shit. This was bad. Really bad.
Six or seven men—even Fu Cheng might not take them solo.
What chance did an old guy like Grandpa Zhang have…?
Clang—clang—
“You old bastard, open up!”
“Customer’s at the door—you not doing business?”
“Open up already!”
The robbers kept cursing and pounding when Grandpa Zhang didn’t budge.
Lin Zao’s heart clenched at the sounds.
He took two deep breaths to steady himself, dropped the blinds, and dashed back to the dining room.
“Little Bao…”
Lin Xiaobao sat in his baby chair. Lin Zao had told him to eat, but the boy was too worried about Grandpa Zhang to touch his food.
Lin Zao lifted him from the chair and asked softly, “Little Bao, do you remember how to lock the third-floor door?”
Lin Xiaobao was clearly spooked. He stood there dazed, instinctively lunging into Lin Zao’s arms, his voice thick with tears. “Dad, I’m scared…”
“Don’t be scared, don’t be scared.” Lin Zao hugged him tight, rubbing his back gently. “Dad’s right here.”
Little Bao was too shaken to lock the door alone, let alone hide by himself.
Of course. No amount of practice could prepare a three-year-old for the real thing.
Lin Zao needed to get him settled first.
Scooping Lin Xiaobao up in one arm, Lin Zao hurried toward the third floor.
As he went, he kept his voice low, soothing the boy as best he could—but time was short, so his words tumbled out fast.
“Little Bao, don’t be afraid. Those guys are bad men, and they want to hurt Grandpa Zhang.”
“But Dad and Big Daddy are good guys. So are all the uncles and aunts on the street. We’re all going to help Grandpa Zhang.”
“You’re too little, and not strong enough, so you can’t go out. If they grab you, you’d be like a hostage in those cartoons—they’d use you against Dad and Big Daddy.”
“So Dad’s gonna hide you now. You have to stay hidden too, and not let them find you, okay?”
Lin Xiaobao’s eyes were red, his little body trembling with every bang from outside.
Lin Zao took the boy’s small hand in his warm palm, grounding him.
“Dad’s heading down to help Grandpa Zhang any second. You can help him too—you’re a brave, smart little kid, right?”
“Yeah…”
Terrified as he was, Lin Xiaobao nodded faintly.
“Yeah.”
“Good. Dad’s gonna tuck you in the closet now. Hide like we do in hide-and-seek—no peeking out.”
Lin Zao carried him to the third floor.
“Dad’ll lock the bedroom door and the security door too. Don’t open them for anyone. Don’t let them catch you.”
“Dad’ll chase them off and come right back. Our signal is—”
“‘Who’s the bravest, smartest kid in the world?'”
“And you answer—”
Lin Xiaobao sniffled. “It’s me…”
“That’s right, it’s you. Dad and Big Daddy’s favorite Little Bao.”
Lin Zao carried Lin Xiaobao into the bedroom and opened the closet door.
He set the boy inside, then took a big coat off the hanger and draped it over him.
Finally, Lin Zao grabbed the big keyring from home and handed it to Lin Xiaobao.
He couldn’t take the house keys if he was going out to help Grandpa Zhang.
If he dropped them and the robbers found them, it was game over.
“Little Bao, this is yours. Guard it good.”
Lin Zao looked at him seriously, his tone firm.
“When Dad gets back, only open the door if the signal matches.”
“No one else—no matter who—gets in.”
“Got it?”
“Mm…” Lin Xiaobao clutched the keys and nodded hard. “Dad, don’t worry.”
With everything said, Lin Zao turned, grabbed the headphones from the nightstand, slipped them on the boy, and started a children’s song.
Then he cupped Lin Xiaobao’s face and planted a solid kiss on his forehead.
“Dad’s going.”
“Dad, be careful! Don’t get hurt… I’ll go with you…”
Lin Xiaobao tried to follow as Lin Zao left.
Lin Zao hugged him back into the closet and shushed him again.
Lin Xiaobao settled obediently, hugging Dad and Big Daddy’s coats, tears brimming as he watched.
“Don’t worry, don’t be scared. Dad’ll be right back.”
Lin Zao nodded reassuringly, gave him a steady look, then shut the closet door.
Lin Xiaobao sat in the closet, watching his dad go.
Cheerful children’s songs played in his ears, soft clothes surrounded him.
But his little heart pounded like crazy.
He felt like if he opened his mouth, it’d leap right out his throat.
So he clamped his baby teeth tight, balled his fists, and gripped the coat.
Dad was so tall, Big Daddy so strong. They’d chase the bad guys away for sure.
Big Daddy would protect Dad.
They’d be fine.
Meanwhile, Lin Zao got Lin Xiaobao settled and locked the doors.
Normally, you couldn’t lock a door from the outside without a key.
But he’d anticipated Little Bao might be too scared to do it himself.
So he’d rigged rubber bands on each door ahead of time—one end looped on the knob, the other in his hand.
Shut the door, yank hard—
The band spun the knob.
A click meant it was locked.
Lin Zao did it for the bedroom and security doors.
No time for second thoughts. Doors secure, he snatched up the iron stick and bolted downstairs.
Lin Zao didn’t rush out blindly. He reached the first floor, went to the window, peeled back the paper covering it, and scoped the situation.
The robbers had been pounding for a good five minutes.
But the heavy iron door wouldn’t budge.
They were getting pissed.
“You old fart! Fancy door you got!”
“Open up! We’re just buying stuff—no murder!”
The roller door was mangled now. They couldn’t get in, and even Grandpa Zhang couldn’t open it from inside if he wanted to.
Lin Zao licked his tense, cracked lips, praying silently.
He hoped they’d get fed up and bail.
That way, no need to face them head-on, outmatched.
Go on, get lost.
This was Fu Cheng’s custom iron door—they couldn’t break it.
Beat it, and you’d live.
Scram!
Sure enough, a few robbers wavered.
They all turned to the bald guy in the middle.
“Boss, this store’s weird. Door’s made of who-knows-what—been hammering forever, no dice.”
“Tough old bone. Call it? Hit up that place on the next street? Another old fart there.”
Lin Zao swallowed hard, eyes locked on them, not daring to blink.
Yeah, go—get out!
But the next second, Baldy hawked and spat on the ground.
“Fuck that, I ain’t buying it!”
“Door won’t break? Smash the windows!”
“Windows hold? Ram it with the van!”
Baldy kicked the roller door hard.
“I’m getting this store today, come hell or high water!”
“Qiangzi, take some guys and smash the windows. Gimme the car keys.”
“I ain’t letting this slide!”
Baldy snatched the keys and headed for the van.
No way a roller door could withstand a minivan ramming it.
Can’t let them!
Lin Zao started to shout, but the words stuck in his throat.
No—that wouldn’t work either!
These guys were animals, out for blood and loot.
One yell from him wouldn’t stop shit.
Plus…
Little Bao was still home. Shouting would pinpoint their house, invite payback.
Wolf at the door? Disaster.
No, no, nothing would work!
Lin Zao’s mind was mush.
He looked up, scanning around.
The next instant, through the window glass, his eyes met Grandpa Zhang’s in the house next door.
Grandpa Zhang stood at his window too, one hand on a long-handled firewood knife, the other clutching a ratty red plastic bag.
Lin Zao had no clue what was in it, no time to wonder.
Their eyes locked, and Grandpa Zhang shook his head.
—Don’t. Stay back.
Lin Zao shook his head fiercely.
—No way! Absolutely not!
