A license plate-less van was speeding rapidly.
Karen's acting skills went into overdrive. First, she screamed desperately, then she begged incessantly.
Lip's mind was blank, still unable to recover. His body shook uncontrollably, and he didn't speak.
One second, two seconds, three seconds...
After several seconds, Karen suddenly said with a sobbing voice, "Please, I'm pregnant, several months along. Let me go, okay?"
This was the script Karen had agreed upon with Blackie.
Hearing this, Blackie was supposed to let her go.
So, Blackie's friend sitting in the driver's seat immediately turned the steering wheel, drove the car into a small alley entrance, and slammed on the brakes.
The car stopped. Blackie asked with a raspy voice, "Are you really pregnant?"
Hearing this, Karen immediately nodded repeatedly. "Really, really."
After responding, Karen sought Lip's support. "Lip, say something."
Hearing this, Lip finally came back to his senses a little. Mustering his courage, his mouth moved several times before he made a sound. "Big brother, really, she's really pregnant..."
Blackie didn't make a sound. He pulled the pistol from his waist, racked the slide, and pressed the muzzle against Lip's forehead. "You better not be lying to me!"
Although Lip couldn't see, he knew clearly what was pressed against his forehead. Instantly, his body shook even more violently, and he was just a hair's breadth away from wetting himself.
"I'm not lying to you, really not..." Lip said with a trembling voice.
Blackie was silent for two seconds before moving the gun away. Then, he beckoned to his friend. "Throw this woman out."
Hearing this, Karen acted like a drama queen possessed and asked weakly, "Then, then what about Lip?"
"Say another fxxking word and don't think about leaving!" Blackie immediately threatened fiercely. "Hurry up and get lost! Also, if you dare call the police, we'll come find you again!"
Karen didn't dare speak again.
Lip was somewhat moved. His masculinity surged, and he gritted his teeth and spoke up. "Karen, it's okay, go quickly."
"Okay, I'm sorry..." Karen said.
"It's okay," Lip replied.
Blackie couldn't stand listening to it anymore. "Are you two fxxking acting out a melodrama here?! Whoever says another fxxking word, I'll kill you!"
This shout was very effective. Neither Karen nor Lip dared to speak again.
Soon, Karen was escorted off the vehicle, and the van immediately started moving again.
Hearing the sound of the van driving away, Karen took off her hood, looked at the van, and grinned brilliantly. Honestly, she felt this kind of thing was too fxxking fun.
Karen smiled very happily, took out a cigarette, and lit one. Only when the van disappeared from view did she walk back quickly with the cigarette in her mouth.
The distance wasn't far. In a few minutes, Karen returned to her car, stomped on the gas, and headed for the place agreed upon with Blackie.
Time flew by.
Blackie and Karen arrived successively at a deserted wasteland.
Seeing Karen, although Blackie felt a woman like Karen was truly a bit terrifying, for the sake of money, he still smiled at her.
Karen returned the smile, then waved her hand, signaling Blackie to hurry up and do the job.
Taking people's money to eliminate their disasters.
Blackie didn't have many morals, but he did have some. Without delay, he decisively signaled his friends to drag Lip out of the car, held down Lip's shoulders, and made Lip kneel on the ground.
Subsequently, Blackie walked behind Lip, pulled out his pistol, racked the slide again, and began reciting his lines. "Phillip Ronan Gallagher, right?"
Lip truly felt he was going to die. He was already panic-stricken and witless. Hearing his name, purely subconsciously, he nodded repeatedly. "Yes..."
"Heard you think you're tougher than everyone in the South Side?" Blackie asked with a sneer.
Lip did think so, but he wasn't stupid enough to admit it at a time like this. He immediately shook his head. "No, absolutely not..."
"Heh," Blackie sneered. This was pure improvisation. "Not too stupid yet. Now, listen to me carefully. From today on, put away your arrogance. Don't mess around anymore, otherwise..."
The words stopped.
Blackie suddenly pulled the trigger.
A bullet flew into the ground not too far from Lip's head.
The fact was, the sound of a pistol was very loud.
Therefore.
With absolutely nothing wrong with the logic, Lip was thoroughly terrified. In the end, he couldn't hold it back and wet himself. He couldn't stop; the urine flowed freely.
Blackie's friends noticed first and pointed at Lip's crotch in unison, laughing silently.
Karen then realized what was happening and shook her head, laughing.
Blackie naturally laughed too, although he could understand... after all, for a normal person to be scared into wetting their pants in this situation was actually quite reasonable.
After laughing, Blackie spoke again. "Otherwise, next time I find you, the bullet will hit your head."
"Do you understand?"
Growing up, Lip had never been this terrified before. His soul was trembling with fear. Hearing this, purely instinctively, he hurriedly nodded. "Understood..."
"Very good," Blackie sneered. "Don't make me come find you again. Also, you are not allowed to tell anyone about today's matter. Otherwise, I will come again."
"Okay..." Lip was scared silly; how could he dare resist?
"Very good," Blackie smiled. "Kneel for ten minutes, then leave."
After speaking, Blackie looked at Karen.
This matter was over. Karen couldn't delay. She immediately paid the balance, then lifted her feet and left nimbly.
Wait until Karen disappeared, only then did Blackie wave his hand, signaling his friends to get in the car and leave.
Not long after.
The van drove away.
Lip was still out of it. Even hearing the sound of the car leaving, he still didn't dare get up, didn't dare move... In fact, he couldn't move either, because his body had gone soft.
God knows how much time passed before Lip recovered a bit of strength. Mustering his courage, he raised his hands tied in front of him and took off the hood bit by bit.
The sunlight was very bright, very dazzling.
Lip blinked several times before adapting a bit. Then, he hurriedly turned his head to look around. confirming he didn't see anyone, he finally relaxed and let out a long sigh of relief.
Done with that, Lip opened his mouth, slowly bit open the hemp rope tying his wrists, and then slowly stood up.
Hate...?
Interestingly enough, after this ordeal, having stepped one foot into hell in a sense, Lip really didn't dare to hate anymore.
At this moment, even knowing clearly that Dexter hired someone to do it, Lip just wanted to hurry home, have a good sleep, let this nightmare end, and then study desperately, get into college, leave this hellhole forever, and stay far away from Dexter...
Revenge on Dexter?
Non-existent.
Lip didn't want to die; he wanted to live.
Just like that, Lip walked very fast. After walking dozens of steps, he simply started running, running toward the Gallagher house with a face full of fear.
In mid-air.
Little Wu saw the entire process completely.
---
Dex Restaurant.
Dexter received the feedback from Little Wu and shook his head gently.
What would Lip do next?
Having experienced such a thing, there should be some changes; he should have grown up a bit, right?
In the original show, Carl, who originally enjoyed the gangster life very much, almost immediately turned over a new leaf after seeing his good brother Nick kill someone, daring not to have any more involvement with the underworld...
Lip was a smart person; he shouldn't be worse than Carl.
Dexter thought silently for a while.
On the other side.
Lip was still running wildly.
At this time, Karen, who actually hadn't gone far, deliberately circled around. Seeing Lip from afar, she immediately accelerated, speeding the car to Lip's side. "Lip! Lip!! Are you okay? I've been looking for you!! Did anything happen to you?"
Seeing Karen, hearing these concerned words.
Instantly.
Lip felt like a drowning man seeing a life-saving straw. His heart warmed incredibly. He hurriedly went around to the passenger side, pulled open the door, and got in.
"Take me home quickly, fast!" As soon as he sat down, Lip said impatiently.
Karen smiled in her heart, didn't ask anything verbally, stomped on the gas, and drove Lip toward the Gallagher house.
Ten-plus minutes later.
Arriving at the Gallagher house entrance, seeing that familiar dilapidated house, Lip instantly felt an unprecedented sense of peace, as if that dilapidated house had suddenly become a haven from the wind.
"Thanks, I'll call you later," looking at the Gallagher house, Lip smiled, pulling the door open while saying to Karen.
"Okay," Karen responded briefly.
Lip didn't say more, got out of the car, and walked quickly home.
Rushing into the house in one breath, Lip looked straight ahead, ignoring Frank, Samantha, and Chuckie in the living room, and ran straight upstairs, rushing into the bathroom to start showering.
After showering, Lip returned to his room, lay on the bed, feeling that this bed was so comforting, this place so reassuring.
Only at this moment did Lip roughly settle down.
Unknowingly, Lip closed his eyes and fell asleep, hoping to completely forget that nightmare from not long ago through this.
Interestingly, in Debbie's room not far from Lip.
Debbie was doing pretty much the same thing.
The difference was, Debbie just had her eyes closed; she wasn't sleeping, nor did she want to sleep.
Debbie's brain was running at high speed, thinking about things...
Debbie had been thinking for quite a while and realized a very important thing.
That was, after coming back, because of the pile of shitty things happening one after another in the Gallagher house, unknowingly, or rather, mysteriously, she had returned to the state she was in before entering juvenile detention...
This house, this family, seemed to possess an invisible, very powerful magic that could influence the people in it unknowingly.
Thinking back now...
Debbie truly shuddered, not understanding what was wrong with herself.
Clearly, she had received so much psychological therapy in juvenile detention...
Clearly, she should have figured it out, looked past it. Why did she become like this again as soon as she came back?
Where exactly was the problem?
Debbie was still too young, her thinking childish, and her education very limited. She didn't yet understand the difference between theory and practice... Before, it was always theory, but once theory met practice...
Who could guarantee what it would become?
Debbie didn't want to change back, didn't want to be dragged into the abyss by the Gallagher family. The more she thought, the more afraid she became...
Being afraid, being afraid...
Whoosh.
Debbie opened her eyes abruptly, then sat up hurriedly. Immediately, she got out of bed, nimbly found the psychologist's business card, and called.
Luckily, the psychologist wasn't busy for the moment, and the call connected quickly.
"Dr. Miller, this is Debra Gallagher. I have a problem," Debbie was really scared, her voice already carrying sobs, anxious.
Hearing this, Dr. Miller said with a calm voice, "Debbie, don't panic, don't rush. Tell me, what's wrong?"
Debbie didn't delay and immediately rambled on about what happened at home after she came back, and how she inexplicably changed back, telling the whole story once.
After listening, Dr. Miller was a bit surprised, to be honest, but indeed not too surprised.
Why?
The reason was simple.
Psychology is different from medicine. When a doctor treats an illness, cured means cured. But a psychologist treats an illness that can't be seen or touched...
After this kind of treatment ends, when the patient returns to the original environment, a rapid relapse is really not rare.
Dr. Miller had seen this many times over the years.
This is also why most psychologists, after dealing with similar situations, would advise patients to stay away from the original environment and even the original circle as much as possible.
Otherwise, an unknowing relapse is really not strange.
"Debbie, don't panic. This isn't mainly your fault," Dr. Miller comforted. "Do you have time to come over? I'm free at 3 PM. If possible, come over, and we can talk in person."
Debbie naturally had time and agreed very crisply. "Okay, I'll be there on time. Thank you, Dr. Miller."
"You're welcome, this is what I should do. See you this afternoon," Dr. Miller replied.
"Okay, see you this afternoon."
The call ended.
After listening to Dr. Miller's words, Debbie let out a long sigh of relief, feeling much more at ease.
In a sense, Dr. Miller was indeed Debbie's benefactor.
Feeling at ease, Debbie lay back on the bed, thought for a long time, and decided to apologize to Fiona. So she sent a text message. "I'm sorry."
---
Inside Jimmy's newly rented house.
Fiona was busy doing housework. Hearing her phone ring, she took it out to look. Seeing the text from Debbie, her brow twitched slightly. She was silent for a moment, but ultimately deleted it smoothly without replying, stuffed the phone back into her pocket, and then continued working.
Finished with housework.
Jimmy just happened to finish making lunch too.
The two sat down to eat lunch, even though it was only 11 AM.
But on one hand, neither had eaten breakfast. On the other hand, Fiona had to go eat dinner with Jimmy's family tonight...
So, eating lunch early wasn't bad.
"Where are we eating tonight?" While eating, Fiona asked.
"Morton's. My dad has a wine locker there," Jimmy replied with a smile.
"Rich people," Fiona smiled. Subsequently, she asked with a deliberately casual tone, "How long is the lease you signed for this house?"
Jimmy was stunned, feeling Fiona jumped topics too fast. "One year."
"Then if we move to Michigan, what happens to this house?" Fiona asked again with a casual tone.
The words entered his ears.
Jimmy was stunned again. Immediately after, his heart went wild with joy. He understood Fiona's meaning and couldn't help smiling very brilliantly. "We can sublet it, or leave it empty, or cancel it. Whatever you say, we do."
Hearing this, Fiona licked her fork and looked at Jimmy. "Will it always be like this? Whatever I say, we do?"
"Of course," Jimmy agreed incomparably crisply.
Fiona grinned, liking these words very much.