Random Stuff

Chapter 28

　　Lin Jianguo and the elderly couple saw Lin Zhibai at the police station.

　　The old woman, who had already woken up, ran towards Lin Zhibai, who was sitting down, and tore at his clothes. Her face was contorted with rage as she cursed, "Lin Zhibai, you unfilial descendant, how could you call the police to arrest your uncle? Do you have any conscience at all?

　　We raised you from childhood, and this is how you repay kindness with enmity? How could you be so vicious? We should have made you and your parents die together.”

　　When facing Lin Zhibai, the old man regained the confidence that had been shattered by the police.

　　He didn't say a word, his face was stern, he raised his hand and was about to slap him.

　　Judging from his stance, he used a lot of force. If Lin Zhibai gets hit, his face will definitely swell up.

　　However, before those withered hands could fall, they were grabbed by a fair and slender hand.

　　With a gentle flick of that hand, the old man was forced to step back, almost falling over.

　　Lin Zhibai withdrew his hand and pulled away the old woman's hand that was tearing at his body.

　　“I don’t want to argue with you, and you should stay away from me. I’m just trying to get justice for my parents.” He stopped calling them grandpa and grandma, or rather, he never had grandpa and grandma at all.

　　His parents are forgotten, and no one seeks justice for them. As their son, he must get revenge for them.

　　He showed no mercy. The old lady plopped down on the ground. She was stunned for a moment, then burst into tears, throwing a tantrum on the ground, shouting that her eldest son was innocent.

　　Lin Zhibai watched coldly, unmoved.

　　Finally, the police, realizing what was happening, stopped them.

　　Lin Jianguo, who was arrested, only panicked for a moment at the beginning, and remained calm afterwards. When the police asked him if he had accidentally pushed his brother down the mountain, he denied it outright.

　　More than a decade has passed, why disturb the peaceful lives of those who are still alive with the affairs of the dead?

　　"...Officer, my younger brother and sister-in-law fell down the mountain and died in an accident. Our whole family was devastated." Lin Jianguo recalled the past, seemingly extremely saddened, his eyes reddening. "My parents, who were old, lost their son, and they also left behind a child named Zhibai, who was so young.

　　But what could I do? They were gone. As their elder brother, as Zhibai's uncle, I had the responsibility and obligation to care for my elderly and grieving parents, and my young and ignorant nephew. But…”

　　He sighed, then hesitated, "It's also my fault. I couldn't give Zhibai a better life. I didn't stop him when he was assigned to the countryside. Zhibai must have suffered a lot in the countryside. It's understandable that he resents me."

　　"It was my fault for not taking good care of him, but I did not oppose the founding of the Party, and I have a clear conscience about that."

　　Lin Jianguo sobbed uncontrollably. As he spoke, his tone became more and more resolute, perfectly portraying an image of someone who wanted to take good care of his nephew, but whose nephew did not consider others, was willful and could not endure hardship, and even falsely accused his own uncle because of his ignorance.

　　“Officer, I don’t blame Zhibai, really.” He reached out and wiped away the tears from the corner of his eyes. “Losing his parents all these years must have been very painful for him, and it’s natural for him to vent his anger.”

　　Footsteps approached, and he looked up at Lin Zhibai who was walking towards him, giving him a kind smile.

　　“Zhibai, your uncle knows you’re suffering. I won’t blame you. But after all these years, it’s time for you to let go so you can embrace a better life again.”

　　Lin Zhibai stared coldly at the so-called kind face of his uncle and the seemingly sweet words he uttered. His stomach churned, and he almost vomited. Just how black-hearted was Lin Jianguo to say such disgusting things?

　　"Lin Jianguo, aren't you afraid my parents will come looking for you in the middle of the night after saying something like that? They've been really worried about you lately," Lin Zhibai replied in a chilling tone.

　　He had only said it casually, but Lin Jianguo choked on his words, his hypocritical expression stiffened, as if he remembered something, and there was a hint of panic in his eyes.

　　Lin Zhibai seemed thoughtful. He had only made the comment casually because he was disgusted by Lin Jianguo. Judging from Lin Jianguo's appearance, could it be that his parents really did come to the door in the middle of the night? If so, that would be far too late.

　　Lin Zhibai's words did indeed cause Lin Jianguo a moment of panic. Recently, he had been having nightmares, which were filled with the dead Lin Jiandang and his wife. He even vaguely saw the two of them when he got up to go to the toilet in the middle of the night. They were wearing the clothes that had rolled down the mountain that day, and their pale faces were covered with mottled bloodstains left by tree branches. Lin Jianguo almost fainted.

　　Unbeknownst to the two, this was all thanks to Meng Xiangbei. As a Nightmare Beast, creating a dream for someone was no difficult task.

　　Lin Jianguo's expression changed drastically again when he saw Zhang Lixing enter as a witness.

　　“You…” His pupils suddenly dilated, filled with terror.

　　Zhang Lixing dragged his legs, his clothes and hair, which were originally in a mess, were now neatly arranged. He gave Lin Jianguo a cold smile: "Lin Jianguo, are you surprised to see that I am not dead? I have come to speak on the behalf of Jian Dang and his wife."

　　"Lin Jianguo, Zhang Lixing has accused you of pushing Lin Jiandang and his wife off a mountain during an argument 16 years ago, causing their deaths. Do you admit it or not?" After summoning the witness, the police interrogated him again.

　　"I..." Seeing Zhang Lixing's panic subside, Lin Jianguo naturally wouldn't admit it anymore. He was just a witness, not enough to convict him unless he confessed himself.

　　"I admit it, it really was me..." The words that slipped out completely panicked Lin Jianguo.

　　No, that's not what he wanted to say. He doesn't admit it, absolutely not.

　　But his mouth and body seemed out of control, as if they were being controlled by someone else.

　　He recounted in detail how he had been jealous of his younger brother's job at a state-owned enterprise, how he had argued with him and pushed him off a mountain, causing his death, and how he had made his parents hide the truth.

　　He tried to cover his mouth with his hand, but he couldn't move his hand.

　　How could this happen? What exactly is going on?

　　Suddenly, he remembered Lin Zhibai's words and the dead Lin Jiandang and his wife. Were they here for revenge?

　　Lin Zhibai was taken aback, looking at Lin Jianguo in the interrogation room, whose condition was clearly not right.

　　He just accepted it like that?

　　Next, the elderly couple, as if they had seen a ghost, completely changed their attitude and admitted to concealing the truth.

　　Lin Zhibai was still in a daze when he came out of the police station.

　　"You're out." Meng Xiangbei didn't go in to keep him company. Lin Zhibai said that he, as a son, wanted to handle the matter of exposing the truth of what happened back then and putting Lin Jianguo in jail personally.

　　Lin Zhibai stared at him blankly, still somewhat incredulous: "Brother Meng, Lin Jianguo and the others have admitted it, admitted that they killed Mom and Dad."

　　Meng Xiangbei ruffled his hair: "Isn't this good? Evil people will eventually get their just desserts."

　　Lin Zhibai paused for a moment, then looked up at the bright sun overhead, which illuminated the entire earth. The sunlight fell on him, bright and warm.

　　Suddenly, he smiled and said to Meng Xiangbei, "Brother Meng, you are right, good and evil will be rewarded in the end."

Chapter 27

　　Lin Jianguo closed his eyes, relaxed and enjoying himself, with both hands around Qin Qin's waist.

　　After a long while, Lin Jianguo opened his eyes, the weariness between his brows lessening. He took Qin Qin's hand and kissed it, saying, "Alright, stop now. Thank you for your hard work."

　　His affection and gentle tone were unlike anything he had ever shown to Sun Xuezhen.

　　After all, he married Sun Xuezhen only because of her family background, and he didn't have much affection for her. He only treated her with respect because of their two children.

　　Thinking of Sun Xuezhen, he seemed to remember something and asked, "Qinqin, do you love me?"

　　Qin Qin, who was casually nestled in his arms, was stunned for a moment. They had been together for several years. Their identities were sensitive and they were not young. They had not talked about love and affection. Even though she stayed by Lin Jianguo's side only for love, he did not ask. Qin Qin was also sensible and did not use it. As long as she could feel his heartache, that was enough.

　　Qin Qin looked up and met the eyes of the person next to her. The latter, who was over half his life, had developed eyes that could almost see right through people.

　　Qin Qin was not afraid. Instead, she kissed him on the corner of his mouth, chuckled, and her beautiful face was as lovely as the most beautiful flower in spring.

　　"Do you want me to tell the truth or a lie?"

　　Lin Jianguo squinted at him, his expression neither pleased nor angry: "What is the truth, and what is the lie?"

　　Qin Qin breathed softly: "The lie is that when someone is lonely, they look for someone to keep them company; the truth is..."

　　She paused for a moment, then leaned close to Lin Jianguo's ear and whispered, "I love you."

　　She spoke casually, as if it were just a casual remark, with a smile still on her face, making it difficult to tell whether she was telling the truth or not.

　　Lin Jianguo gazed intently at her, then lowered his head and kissed her rosy lips.

　　It was half an hour later when she came out of Lin Jianguo's office.

　　The fiery red fitted dress accentuated her hot figure, making her look like a delicate red rose. Many male colleagues would glance at her out of the corner of their eye from time to time, and occasionally female colleagues would whisper with disdain, but Qin Qin ignored them.

　　"They locked the door as soon as they went in, and stayed for more than half an hour. I don't believe that there wasn't something going on between this woman and Section Chief Lin."

　　"That's right. Dressed like that every day, she doesn't do anything productive. All she does is flirt with this and that. She's a vixen."

　　"Section Chief Lin has a wife and children. Isn't this destroying someone's family? Shameless! This kind of person should be kicked out."

　　Qin Qin stopped at a secluded corner, her slender back pressed against the wall. She heard what the people were saying, her beautiful face expressionless. She took out a cigarette from her bag, lit it, and leaned against the window, holding the cigarette between her hands, exhaling smoke as she gazed at the scenery outside the window with a complex expression.

　　Suddenly, she heard something, and the cigarette in her hand fell to the ground.

　　She quickly extinguished the sparks with the tip of her shoe and hurried outside, where she saw Lin Jianguo being arrested by the police.

　　Her pupils contracted, and her steps quickened involuntarily. She was about to rush forward to say something, but was stopped by a look from Lin Jianguo.

　　Qin Qin opened her mouth, wanting to say something, but didn't know what to say.

　　Until Lin Jianguo was taken away.

　　"I never expected that Section Chief Lin would be involved in a murder case."

　　"I heard that the person he killed was his own younger brother. Could that be true?"

　　"If it's true, that's terrifying. We've been colleagues with a murderer for so many years."

　　"Or perhaps there was a mistake; the police just said that he is only a suspect."

　　At this moment, someone saw Qin Qin, gestured with their lips, and indicated to the person next to them to ask.

　　A female colleague who wasn't particularly close to Qin Qin asked in a low voice, "Qin Qin, are you clear about Section Chief Lin's matter? He really is..."

　　"He's not a murderer," Qin Qin denied before she could finish speaking, her eyes sweeping over them as if she would tear them apart if they uttered those three words.

　　Qin Qin was flustered and didn't stay to talk to them any further.

　　A group of people watched her retreating figure and scoffed, "Look at how lost she looks. She said she had nothing to do with Lin Jianguo, but now she's like this because she's afraid that if Lin Jianguo is arrested, she'll lose her backer."

　　"I think so too. But don't you think Qin Qin's taste is too extreme? Lin Jianguo is a section chief, but he's old and not very good-looking. How did she fall for him?"

　　"Who knows?"

　　After Lin Jianguo was arrested, the elderly couple who were at home saw the police who came to their door. After hearing them talk about their youngest son's death and suspecting that Lin Jianguo was the murderer, the old lady immediately fainted.

　　The old man held his unconscious wife, his body trembling as if he had thought of something terrible.

　　Where was the rigidity and seriousness he usually displayed when facing others?

　　He grabbed the policeman's hand and said, "Policeman, Jianguo didn't kill anyone, he didn't kill anyone! Jiandang died by himself, we saw it with our own eyes, you can't wrong an innocent person!"

　　"We'll discuss everything once we get to the bureau."

　　When the police came to question them, the elderly couple were taken away, and the news quickly spread throughout the neighborhood.

　　After they left, Lin Wen, who had been hiding, poked his head out, his face filled with terror.

　　How did his father become the murderer who killed his uncle?

　　How is that possible?

　　As soon as Sun Xuezhen entered the office after class, she noticed that several of her colleagues were glancing at her from time to time, whispering among themselves, their eyes seemingly filled with sympathy.

　　She didn't want to make a fool of herself by asking.

　　Sun Xuezhen has good teaching skills, but she is too arrogant and doesn't get along well with her colleagues.

　　However, when she was grading homework, the gazes felt like needles falling on her, making her very uncomfortable.

　　"Teacher Sun, the principal needs you to come over."

　　Sun Xuezhen responded and went out.

　　"I bet the principal is going to talk about her husband."

　　When Sun Xuezhen learned from the principal that her husband had been arrested for allegedly killing her younger brother more than a decade ago, she felt like the sky was falling.

　　“Impossible. Lin Jiandang died by accident. How could Jianguo have killed him?” Sun Xuezhen denied immediately, her voice sharp and shrill.

　　"Teacher Sun, why don't you go back and take a look?" The principal didn't say much; he just gave a brief notification.

　　When Sun Xuezhen returned home and learned that the elderly couple had also been taken away, she was stunned. It was at this moment that Lin Ya, who had also learned of this news, returned home.

　　Sun Xuezhen hugged her daughter tightly, as if seeking solace, and murmured to herself, "Ya Ya, your father couldn't have killed anyone, absolutely not."

　　“Yes, Dad couldn’t have killed anyone. He’ll be fine, he’ll be released. The police must have arrested the wrong person.” Lin Ya agreed. Even though she secretly leaned towards the other possibility, she had to believe that her father, Lin Jianguo, was innocent. She, Lin Ya, couldn’t have a father who went to jail for murder.

Chapter 26

　　Zhang Lixing covered his face with his hands, and hot tears fell.

　　"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have, I shouldn't have betrayed my conscience for money. This is retribution, retribution!" He laughed through his tears at the end.

　　Having accidentally caused the death of his younger brother, Lin Jianguo didn't have the courage to silence him, so he planned to bribe him to keep quiet.

　　Zhang Lixing struggled and hesitated, but in the end he agreed.

　　At that time, his son was about to go to jail for stealing and fighting. A settlement would require a large sum of money, but he simply couldn't afford it.

　　His wife cried to him, saying that he was their only son, and if he went to jail at such a young age, his future would be ruined.

　　Zhang Lixing, against his conscience, accepted the money and prepared to leave G City and return to his hometown that very day. However, Lin Jianguo came to his senses and hired someone to try to silence him. Zhang Lixing barely escaped back to his hometown after nearly losing his life.

　　He was relieved that Lin Jianguo didn't know where his hometown was.

　　After paying the money, the son was released.

　　But his son was already rotten to the core.

　　He skipped classes, didn't study, got into fights, and idled away his time. Eventually, he got into gambling and lost all the family's money. When he couldn't come up with any more money, his tall, strong, and hot-tempered son thought he was hiding the money, so he beat and threatened his father, and that's how his own son broke his leg. Because he didn't have much money for treatment, he became severely lame.

　　After losing a large sum of money in his last gamble, his son ran away and never returned home. Zhang Lixing sold the land where the house was located to barely pay off the debt. His wife couldn't stand this kind of life and ran away as well.

　　The whole family is completely shattered.

　　Zhang Lixing thought, this is retribution.

　　Lin Jiandang treated him as a friend, providing him with food, clothing, and work when he was at his lowest point and homeless. Yet, for money, he helped a murderer. He is guilty.

　　Later, Zhang Lixing remembered that Lin Jiandang had a son, so he traveled all the way to G City to tell him the truth. By then, twelve years had passed since the incident.

　　Lin Zhibai had already gone to the countryside, and he couldn't find him.

　　Not long after, Lin Jianguo and his family also moved away from G City and disappeared without a trace.

　　In the years that followed, Zhang Lixing never gave up searching for Lin Zhibai, all for the sake of the truth.

　　Fortunately, finally he had been found.

　　The shop closed early today. Meng Xiangbei stayed by Lin Zhibai's side the whole time, afraid that his emotions would fluctuate too much.

　　Lin Zhibai sat on the table, flipping through a notebook. Beside him was a pen. His expression was serious and focused. The light from the oil lamp shone down, and his lips were tightly pursed. He exuded a cold and aloof aura.

　　He's been here for over an hour.

　　"Have a cup of hot water." Meng Xiangbei put down the hot water, took Lin Zhibai's hand, and sure enough, his hand was as cold as ice.

　　The temperature is low at night, and Lin Zhibai is prone to feeling cold. If he doesn't move around, his hands and feet will easily get cold.

　　Lifting the corner of his shirt, Meng Xiangbei placed his hand on his abdomen. The sudden warmth brought Lin Zhibai back to his senses. He turned his head and tried to pull his hand away, but Meng Xiangbei held it down, preventing him from breaking free.

　　"Brother Meng, you'll get cold."

　　"It's okay, it'll be fine in a bit."

　　Lin Zhibai stopped moving, his depressed mood from the day vanished, and his heart felt warm.

　　After warming his hands, Meng Xiangbei told him to drink water.

　　Lin Zhibai held the enamel cup in both hands, the warmth of the hot water transferring to his hands. He lowered his head, took a few small sips, and felt his body warm up, looking quite content.

　　"Brother Meng, I'm going to call the police." Putting down his enamel mug, Lin Zhibai looked up and told the person in front of him his decision. He clenched his fist, his eyes filled with determination. "Lin Jianguo must pay the price for the mistakes he made."

　　Meng Xiangbei pulled him into his arms: "Okay, Brother Meng will help you too." Lin Zhibai has a rather weak personality, and he has always hoped that Lin Zhibai could be more resilient. Now it seems that the boy has grown up without anyone noticing.

　　However, to frame Lin Jianguo, Zhang Lixing alone as a witness is not enough; he needs to help his young wife.

　　Lin Jianguo has been having a terrible time lately. It seems that everything has gone wrong since he learned about Lin Zhibai's existence from Lin Ya.

　　He sat in his office and pinched the bridge of his nose, his brows furrowed with weariness.

　　It seems that Qiao Chuchu is truly head over heels in love with Lin Wen. Despite the uproar between the two families, she still insists on marrying Lin Wen.

　　As for Lin Wen, according to him, marrying Qiao Chuchu would be worse than letting him die. If he didn't only have this one son, he would have strangled this good-for-nothing long ago. He does nothing and spends all his time looking for his so-called true love, Yang Hui. Apart from being pretty, she has no family background whatsoever.

　　Lin Jianguo is now in his fifties. Compared to Lin Wen, who is in his twenties, he has more experience and knowledge. He has only met Yang Hui once, but with his sharp eyes, how could he not see that the woman clearly does not love Lin Wen and is only after his money?

　　He scraped together so much money from his family and spent it all on that woman.

　　Lin Jianguo thought of Lin Zhibai again, his eyes gradually turning sinister. After not seeing him for so many years, he had actually been tricked by a mere young upstart, and his scheme had failed.

　　Just then, there was a knock on the door, and Lin Jianguo concealed the sinister look in his eyes.

　　The woman was about thirty years old, wearing a red dress that revealed her long, fair legs. She had exquisite makeup, long, wavy hair, and a curvaceous figure, exuding a mature charm.

　　"Section Chief Lin." The woman came in, casually closed and locked the door behind her, her movements practiced as if she had done it many times before.

　　Lin Jianguo was used to it; apart from his eyes brightening slightly, his expression didn't change much.

　　As the woman approached, he casually pulled her into his arms. The woman gasped in surprise and nestled softly against Lin Jianguo's chest.

　　She glanced at Lin Jianguo and noticed the heavy dark circles under his eyes and his tiredness, and paused for a moment.

　　"What's wrong with you lately? Is something bothering you? Look at those dark circles under your eyes. You're already getting old, and if you don't rest properly, you'll only age faster." The woman's voice was sweet and gentle, seemingly mocking, but upon closer listening, it revealed concern. She even reached out to massage Lin Jianguo's temples.

　　The woman massaged him very well, and Lin Jianguo gradually relaxed. He hummed in agreement and said, "I have been very busy lately. Once I'm done with this busy period, I'll come to see you and Xiaobao."

　　The woman, named Qin Qin, was divorced at the age of thirty. She met Lin Jianguo in G City. Later, when the Lin family moved, she followed them to the capital. With Lin Jianguo's help, she got a job in this unit, which was neither too big nor too small. The woman also gave birth to a son for Lin Jianguo, whose nickname was Xiao Bao.

　　Qin Qin was beautiful, and even though she was divorced, she could still remarry a good man. But she chose to be with Lin Jianguo, a man in his fifties who was about to enter old age, and she even willingly gave birth to a son for him.

　　Lin Jianguo could tell that Qin Qin was with him not for money, but for him as a person. Even though he didn't know why Qin Qin was so blind to fall for him, it didn't stop him from doting on Qin Qin and Xiao Bao.

　　He even proposed to divorce Sun Xuezhen, but Qin Qin did not agree.

Chapter 27

Chapter 25

　　Most people are easily swayed, and conformity is a common occurrence.

　　After the rumors were clarified, many students apologized to Lin Zhibai, saying they shouldn't have believed what they heard and hoped to get his forgiveness.

　　Lin Zhibai remained calm. He couldn't forget their ambush, the book that had hit him on the forehead, or their insults.

　　Lin Zhibai neither blamed nor forgave them.

　　After this incident, the Lin family seemed to calm down, and Lin Zhibai also enjoyed a period of peaceful life.

　　At the end of the semester, Lin Zhibai excelled academically, ranking first in his major and receiving a scholarship of one hundred yuan. He used the money to buy a watch and gave it to Meng Xiangbei.

　　After six months of hard work, Meng Xiangbei has bought the building he was originally renting and renovated it.

　　With his two apprentices having learned their skills to a near-complete degree, Meng Xiangbei was now considering opening a branch store.

　　After the holiday started, Lin Zhibai not only helped out at the store, but also began investigating the deaths of his parents.

　　Those were his loving parents; Lin Zhibai couldn't let them die without knowing why.

　　However, that happened more than a decade ago. The incident occurred in the mountains, where communication was underdeveloped and the population was not dense, making the investigation extremely difficult.

　　Recently, Lin Zhibai has been visiting friends who were close to his parents back then, hoping to get some information from them. However, none of the people he was able to contact could provide any useful information.

　　That evening, after Meng Xiangbei finished washing up, he saw Lin Zhibai under the oil lamp, writing something in a notebook. Lin Zhibai explained that he was organizing the information he had recently collected.

　　As soon as he walked over, he saw Lin Zhibai looked up, then open his arms to hug his waist, burying his face on his chest, and rub against him.

　　"What's wrong?" Meng Xiangbei gently ruffled his soft hair.

　　"Brother Meng, am I really useless?" Lin Zhibai's voice was muffled, and his tone was filled with unconcealed dejection.

　　Meng Xiangbei's gaze fell on the notebook, and he understood what he meant.

　　"Xiaobai, you've done your best."

　　Feeling a damp patch on his clothes, Lin Zhibai sniffed and choked up, saying, "I always thought that after more than ten years, I could let go, but recently I've been dreaming about my parents frequently. I realized that I haven't let go; I've just kept them hidden in my heart."

　　Brother Meng, before you came into my life, my parents loved me the most, but they died mysteriously. I was young and ignorant before, so I could pretend I didn't know anything. Now that I'm grown up, I must find out the truth.

　　Brother Meng, do you know? Three days ago was the anniversary of their deaths, but I didn't dare go to pay my respects. I was afraid they would resent me, resent me for being such a useless son, not even knowing whether they died accidentally or were murdered. Brother Meng, I'm so heartbroken, so heartbroken I can hardly breathe.''

　　The person in his arms, who had been sobbing softly, began to cry louder and then burst into tears.

　　Even while crying, he didn't forget to hold Meng Xiangbei tightly, as if afraid he would leave.

　　People who lack love are always particularly insecure and sensitive.

　　Meng Xiangbei did not stop him from crying. Lin Zhibai's emotions had been clearly off these past few days, but he hadn't said anything. Now he finally managed to vent.

　　But as he cried, he started hiccuping.

　　His delicate, fair face was streaked with tears, his eyes were red-rimmed, and he shivered like a rabbit, occasionally hiccuping.

　　He seemed surprised that he would hiccup, and blushed with embarrassment.

　　After that night, Lin Zhibai continued to actively investigate the truth behind his parents' deaths, but he was no longer so depressed and keeping everything bottled up inside.

　　Perhaps it was because his parents were watching from heaven, or perhaps it was because good deeds are rewarded, that morning, a beggar came to the shop door to beg, and Lin Zhibai, who was always gentle, gave the beggar a bowl of porridge.

　　The beggar was stunned when he saw him.

　　"What's your name?" Lin Zhibai was suddenly grabbed by the beggar. He was too strong, and his wrist was gripped painfully. The beggar stared at him intently, as if recalling something, his expression excited.

　　"Is your father named Lin Jiandang?" the beggar asked in a rough, affirmative tone.

　　He seems to have confirmed that Lin Zhibai is Lin Jiandang's son.

　　Lin Zhibai slowly withdrew his hand, but did not leave, looking at him with a puzzled expression.

　　"Child, you mustn't befriend your uncle, you mustn't."

　　Lin Zhibai's pupils suddenly contracted, and a storm raged in his heart, with a vague guess forming in his mind.

　　"Xiaobai, what's wrong?" Meng Xiangbei called from behind.

　　Lin Zhibai's gaze fell on the middle-aged male beggar, and he said, "Come in with me."

　　Meng Xiangbei and Lin Zhibai left with the beggar under the watchful eye of their employees and led him upstairs to the second floor.

　　Only then did they realize that the beggar had a severe limp in one leg, and had to drag himself when he walked. His clothes were tattered, and his hair, which he had pulled back, was long and messy.

　　He looked to be around fifty years old, with dark skin.

　　The ground was clean, without a speck of dust. The beggar hesitated for a long time before dragging his legs up.

　　He was restless and didn't touch the sugar water that Meng Xiangbei poured for him.

　　"My name is Lin Zhibai. Lin Jiandang is my father. Do you know my father? Why do you say I can't be on good terms with Lin Jianguo?" Lin Zhibai asked impatiently as he sat opposite him.

　　The beggar stared at him, as if remembering something, his emotions surged again, and tears streamed from his cloudy eyes.

　　“My child, it was Lin Jianguo who pushed your father. It was my fault. I shouldn’t have taken the money. I shouldn’t have gone against my conscience. My family, this leg is my retribution, my retribution.”

　　He was probably speaking too hastily, and his words were somewhat incoherent, but that did not prevent Lin Zhibai and Meng Xiangbei from understanding.

　　"You mean, my father was killed by Lin Jianguo, right?" Lin Zhibai suddenly stood up, seeking confirmation with great emotion.

　　"Yes," the beggar nodded.

　　The beggar, named Zhang Lixing, was a friend of Lin Jiandang. More than ten years ago, he came to G City from his hometown, a small mountain village, to work. Because he was unfamiliar with the place, he was cheated out of all the money he brought. When he was destitute on the streets, Lin Jiandang extended a helping hand.

　　Later, Lin Jiandang not only found him a place to live, but also introduced him to a job. Over time, the two became friends.

　　"...It's my fault for being heartless, I deserve to die. Back then, Jian Dang got the opportunity to work in a state-owned enterprise, and he was very happy. I still remember his smile. He said he could finally give his wife and children a better life."

　　That day, he rushed home to tell you the good news. But Lin Jianguo was very emotional. They both went for the interview, so why did his younger brother get selected while he didn't? He even had a fight with his parents over it.''

　　The two elderly people had always favored their eldest son. Under Lin Jianguo's nagging, they demanded that their younger son give his job to their eldest son.

　　Lin Jiandang used to always defer to his elder brother, but now, in order to provide a better life for his wife and children, he is no longer willing to yield.

　　So he refused.

　　The elderly couple cursed him, calling him heartless and unfilial.

　　At that time, Lin Zhibai was at his maternal grandmother's house. Lin Jiandang did not want to argue with them, so he took his wife and left to go to his wife's house. However, the old couple and Lin Jianguo were unwilling to let it go.

　　Finally, when they reached a remote mountain road, a fierce argument broke out.

　　Lin Jiandang was pushed down the mountain by the enraged Lin Jianguo, and Lin Zhibai's mother, who instinctively went to save her husband, also fell down.

　　When the two were found again, they were already dead.

　　Lin Jianguo's actions constitute murder and he will go to jail.

　　Lin Jianguo pleaded with the elderly couple, who thought to themselves, "Our youngest son is already gone. Do we really want our eldest son to go to prison too?"

　　So they kept it a secret.

　　At that time, the elderly couple were not the only ones who witnessed Lin Jianguo pushing people; Zhang Lixing, who happened to be passing by, also saw it.

Chapter 24

　　At first, some people questioned what Zhang Lu and his son said, since few people would voluntarily admit their mistakes in public.

　　At this moment, the principal who had gone to H City for an exchange program returned.

　　Lin Ya, who was in class feeling restless, was notified to go to the principal's office.

　　Inside, stood two familiar faces: Lin Zhibai and Zhang Lu.

　　Lin Ya guessed what was going on and forced her panicked heart to calm down.

　　Lin Zhibai glanced at her, then looked away, showing little emotion.

　　When she entered, Zhang Lu stared intently at her, his face grim, like a snarling beast baring its teeth, as if he wanted to devour her.

　　Lin Ya pursed her lips tightly and didn't look at him.

　　The principal's gaze swept over them and landed on Zhang Lu: "Zhang Lu, repeat what you just said."

　　This time, Zhang Lu, who was usually unruly, did not challenge her. He glared at Lin Ya and told her in detail how Lin Ya had asked him to slander Lin Zhibai at school, which had aroused public anger.

　　"...Principal, this was all Lin Ya's idea. I was just doing what she said," Zhang Lu emphasized again.

　　Lin Ya lowered her head, her eyes dim and unreadable.

　　"Lin Ya, is there anything you want to say?"

　　Lin Ya raised her head, her eyes reddening, her expression aggrieved: "Principal, I have never had any contact with Zhang Lu. Zhi Bai is my cousin, how could I do something like this to slander him? Zhang Lu has always wanted to date me, but I only wanted to study and didn't agree. Is Zhang Lu saying this to get back at me?"

　　"Lin Ya, you're a fucking slut."

　　She had barely finished speaking when a furious growl came from beside her. Zhang Lu's face was fierce, his fists clenched, as if he was about to punch her.

　　Lin Ya seemed terrified, screamed, and hid behind the principal.

　　"Zhang Lu," the principal snapped.

　　Zhang Lu's chest heaved violently as he stared intently at Lin Ya behind the principal. Suddenly, he laughed and said, "Lin Ya, I must have been blind to have fallen for a woman like you."

　　Lin Ya refused to acknowledge Zhang Lu's words.

　　Without evidence, the principal couldn't do anything to Lin Ya and could only let her leave.

　　As Lin Ya left the office, a sinister gaze remained fixed on her from behind; she knew it was Zhang Lu's.

　　"Lin Ya, I won't let you get away with this."

　　Lin Ya paused, a chill running down her spine. A few seconds later, she quickly left. This time, she had thoroughly angered Zhang Lu. But it didn't matter; exchanging an unimportant Zhang Lu for her reputation at school was a fair trade.

　　The school broadcast came on again, and the principal personally clarified the rumors about Lin Zhibai, and Zhang Lu and his son were expelled.

　　As for Lin Ya, the principal did not mention her.

　　"Huanhuan, you've really misunderstood me. Zhibai is my cousin. How could I possibly harm him like this?"

　　When the broadcast revealed that she hadn't been implicated, Lin Ya breathed a sigh of relief and returned to her dorm. She immediately explained the situation to Bai Huanhuan.

　　Bai Huanhuan remained expressionless and only said, "Lin Zhibai is your cousin, right? But I remember you only said that you grew up in the same compound." This was undoubtedly another lie.

　　Things didn't pass as quickly as Lin Ya had imagined.

　　Zhang Lu was fired and was leaving, but his revenge against Lin Ya was not just talk.

　　Soon, everyone at the school knew that Lin Ya was a restless and promiscuous woman.

　　Because of her beauty, she had many admirers at school. She didn't date any of them, but she always received gifts from male classmates, such as skirts, scarves, and hair clips. The most valuable gift was a watch from Zhang Lu.

　　Before leaving the school, Zhang Lu intercepted Lin Ya downstairs at the dormitory and, in full view of everyone, roughly ripped the watch off her wrist.

　　Lin Ya blushed. She wanted to say that the watch was hers, but Zhang Lu pulled out the receipt.

　　Afterwards, the male classmates who had been hanging from her came out one after another, criticizing Lin Ya and demanding that she return the things they had given her.

　　The strange looks from those around her made Lin Ya feel completely lost. It was as if her face and dignity had been thrown to the ground and trampled on by everyone.

　　She clenched her fists tightly and left the school as quickly as possible.

　　Before she even got home, she could see a large crowd gathered in front of her house.

　　Lin Ya felt uneasy and didn't dare to approach. She secretly hid and looked over.

　　It turned out that the Qiao family had come to visit.

　　The group that arrived were Qiao Chuchu's older brothers, all tall and burly. One of them grabbed her brother's collar and started cursing.

　　It turned out that they knew that Lin Wen was unwilling to marry Qiao Chuchu and had even framed his cousin Lin Zhibai, trying to force Lin Zhibai to marry their sister.

　　Lin Wen's face was covered in bruises, and he was too weak to struggle.

　　The mother, Sun Xuezhen, was crying. She wanted to step forward to stop them, but seemed to be frightened by the men. The two elderly people supported each other, kept a distance, dared not approach, and did not speak, like quails.

　　Only Lin Jianguo seemed to be negotiating something with them.

　　After a long while, the man finally threw Lin Wen to the ground and left with his men.

　　Seeing that they were about to pass by where she was, Lin Ya quickly hid.

　　Lin Wen was like a dead dog, unable to get up, and it was Lin Jianguo and Sun Xuezhen who helped him up.

　　Lin Ya stopped in her tracks on her way home. What was the point of going back in this situation?

　　If she goes back, she will definitely face insults.

　　Even so, a few days later, on the weekend, Lin Ya still had to go home.

　　Lin Ya has had a bad time at school these past few days.

　　Bai Huanhuan completely broke off her friendship with her, and the classmates around her looked at her with strange eyes and whispered among themselves from time to time.

　　The Lin family seems to have been waiting for her to return.

　　As soon as she stepped into the house, she was met with their accusations, especially from Sun Xuezhen, who always doted on her son. She pointed her finger at her and cursed, and Lin Wen even slapped her, cursing, "Useless thing, it's all your fault."

　　Lin Ya covered her burning face and gritted her teeth.

　　The two elderly people sighed and told Lin Ya not to blame her brother, saying that Lin Wen was just in a bad mood and that Lin Ya should be understanding of her brother. They also hoped that she could apologize to Lin Wen, since Lin Ya did not help make things better.

　　Lin Ya remained silent, not saying a word. She went back to her room, locked the door, and threw herself onto the bed, tears streaming down her face.

　　Why do they only have eyes for Lin Wen? Apart from not being a boy, in what way is she inferior to him?

　　Just because she's not a boy, is she destined to always give in to Lin Wen?

　　She was unwilling to accept it, truly unwilling to accept it.

　　But what could she do even if she was unwilling? Everything was already destined when she was born a girl.

　　Even if Lin Wen is a failure and has a bad personality, he is still better than her.

　　In the office, Su Song, who was grading papers and had been waiting for Lin Zhibai to come and plead with him, heard the announcement and the nib of his pen ripped through the paper, leaving a hole.

　　His face was somber, and it was unclear what he was thinking.

　　"Zhibai, Zhibai, is this why you won't agree to my request?" But how exactly did you manage to get Zhang Lu and his son to personally come forward and clarify things?

　　Zhibai, senior brother will not give up. You will definitely be mine.