Chapter 154

Li Zhuiyuan picked up the chalk and wrote down a summary of the clues on the small blackboard.

“The girl whom Run Sheng and Yin Meng rescued after she sleepwalked and almost jumped off a building visited Luoxin Island Amusement Park yesterday.

The husband, a crime suspect in the wife-killing case that Tan Wenbin brought, who insisted he had only dreamt it, is an employee of Luoxin Island Amusement Park.

The Zhou brothers work part-time performing lion dances at Luoxin Island Amusement Park on weekends.”

This was mentioned when they had dinner with the Zhou brothers last time.

The brothers’ family situation was not bad; they belonged to a household with inherited skills and traditions. However, their family’s mindset was somewhat rigid, overlooking the differences between living away from home and the cost of living in the two places.

The family thought the money provided was enough for the brothers to live lavishly in Jinling, even experiencing a touch of decadence.

In reality, as martial arts practitioners, the brothers’ appetites were much larger than average, and the living expenses from home were genuinely not enough for food. So, they often took on various performance gigs to supplement their meal expenses.

Once, a city leader took his children to Luoxin Island Amusement Park on a weekend. Amazed by the spectacular lion dance performance, he went up to inquire and communicate. Upon learning the brothers were university students, he arranged for them to participate in the upcoming city-wide university arts gala.

A leader’s word sets many people into motion.

However, it was actually a simple matter. Given their previous shared meal, Lin Shuyou only needed to go to their school, sit down and chat with the Zhou brothers, to get the complete clue.

Instead, he inexplicably got into a fight with them, then traced the source step-by-step, first finding the relevant leaders in the institute responsible for program selection, and then the event organizers. Coincidentally, the former was organizing an exchange event with a martial arts school, and the latter was preparing for related competitions of the city's Wushu Association.

Lin Shuyou, who was supposed to be conducting a discreet investigation, found himself in fights everywhere.

All three teams left the school at roughly the same time in the morning. Others had simple, sparse notes, but Lin Shuyou's experience was the most detailed and convoluted.

If Lin Shuyou were Tan Wenbin, Li Zhuiyuan would think Tan Wenbin had understood his intentions and deliberately took the circuitous route just to create more work for that "hand."

But since it was A-You, Li Zhuiyuan felt he was simply acting naturally and trying very hard.

Li Zhuiyuan drew a circle around “Luoxin Island Amusement Park” and tapped it.

“Clearly, the trap of clues that ‘hand’ set for us is in this amusement park.”

Following this, Li Zhuiyuan’s gaze fell on the three written records before him.

“The fifth wave has been accepted by me; the opponent is the physical manifestation of Bo Qi.

There’s good news and bad news.

First, the bad news: We haven’t received any ‘river water’ from Bo Qi’s physical manifestation yet.

Now, the good news: Bo Qi feeds on dreams, and its physical manifestation should have the same characteristic.

So this time,

We don’t need to change the script content, only the play’s title.”

Li Zhuiyuan wrote “Dream Ghost” and “Bo Qi” separately on the blackboard.

The young man picked up the blackboard eraser, first erased “Dream Ghost,” then drew lines from each of the three clues previously written on the blackboard, pointing to “Bo Qi.”

Tan Wenbin understood and smiled.

This time was different from the last, where they had to create causal clues themselves, because they could directly use the false clues that “hand” had prepared for them.

The truth and falsity of something can only be confirmed upon opening the “lid,” and the one who opens the “lid” is “River Water” (cause and effect).

That “hand” wanted to guide them to find the “Dream Ghost,” but they only needed to proclaim they were looking for “Bo Qi.” Under the influence of “River Water,” it no longer mattered whether it was “Dream Ghost” or “Bo Qi.”

Because that mastermind would naturally be defined as the malevolent force manipulating the dead.

Just like last time, when Xiong Shan’s team was about to fail, their team stepped in. It’s the same here; even if they failed, other teams would take over.

The “hand” that had intended to completely extricate itself would instead become the “banker” on “River Water,” forced to endure wave after wave of its impact.

Tan Wenbin thought this move was brilliant. What was borrowing a knife to kill? Little Yuan was going to use the “river” to wipe out a family this time!

Yin Meng nodded silently after pondering.

Lin Shuyou had just finished reading what Little Yuan had written, meaning he had just grasped the background summary. He hadn’t fully understood it yet, but it didn’t stop him from nodding thoughtfully and adding, “Oh.”

Run Sheng spoke, “Little Yuan, you don’t have to tell us these things.”

Tan Wenbin immediately nodded upon hearing this. “Yes, it’s better if you don’t tell us.”

Lin Shuyou: “Yes, hmm, indeed.”

Run Sheng’s point was that if Li Zhuiyuan hadn’t told them about “Dream Ghost” and “Bo Qi,” and had only written “Bo Qi’s physical manifestation,” then besides Little Yuan, the team would only know about “Bo Qi’s physical manifestation.”

The script title wouldn’t even need changing, as it originally had no name; they would just add one and declare that it was it.

This would also make it easier for everyone to better propel the “River Water.”

In Run Sheng’s view, being an unwitting tool wasn’t a bad thing.

Li Zhuiyuan sat down and picked up a cloth, wiping the chalk dust from his hands.

Run Sheng was right.

He shouldn’t have told them. Telling them could easily ruin things, making the progression less than perfect.

His fingertips were wiped raw by the young man.

He wiped exceptionally hard, because only then could he divert the pain that might appear on his face.

As long as he could retaliate, as long as he could overcome this wave, as long as he could achieve his goal, there was nothing wrong with using and sacrificing his companions as tools.

Everyone was waiting for Li Zhuiyuan to speak.

The young man was quickly losing control of his expression; a feeling of repulsion and disgust was rapidly rising within him.

Self-consistency, self-consistency, self-consistency…

Li Zhuiyuan threw down the cloth, clenched his hands into fists beneath the table, raised his head, scanned everyone, and said:

“We’re just getting started. Everyone has great potential. Even if I were to use you as tools, it would only be when you’re more mature and valuable later on.

Killing the goose that lays the golden eggs, or draining the pond to catch all the fish, those are things only idiots do.”

After saying these words, the discomfort in Li Zhuiyuan’s heart receded significantly, and he visibly relaxed.

Tan Wenbin, Run Sheng, and Yin Meng all smiled. Lin Shuyou also joined in the laughter.

If another leader had said such words, it might have dampened morale, but for Little Yuan to say them, and be willing to provide a reason, was truly commendable.

You couldn’t expect Little Yuan to say that letting them know was a risk he took, reducing the chance of success, but increasing their survival rate.

If he were to say that, Little Yuan would probably go mad with pain.

Li Zhuiyuan regarded his companions as the grass that fixed his sand, and these grasses were already familiar with the sand they surrounded.

“The Dream Ghost must be very powerful.

Luoxin Island Amusement Park is the ‘hand’s’ chosen home ground; there must be more arrangements there, such as powerful formations and bizarre feng shui layouts.

But we still need to voluntarily walk into the trap, and we need to do it quickly.

We are currently, so to speak, on fire. We must quickly bring this flame to them; this is currently the only way we can confidently contend with them.

I won’t be naive enough to think that once this is done, it will destroy a deeply rooted family or sect. Entities of that level are certainly not so easily destroyed.

But at the very least, we must make it hurt, make it scream, make it sever its own limb to survive!

This is the first claw that has reached out to us from the shadows.

Only by chopping it off severely,

Can we maximize the prevention of more troubles that might arise in the future.”

After saying this, Li Zhuiyuan took out a stack of Purity Charms from his pocket, and from his collar, he removed a pocket watch worn around his neck. He placed the watch, including its strap and chain, on the charms.

The pocket watch was new and not valuable, simply one he had taken from a shop earlier, manufactured by the Jiangnan Watch Factory.

Finally, Li Zhuiyuan reached out and touched the smooth, translucent bone ring on his finger, a gift from A-Li, not only meaningful but also exquisitely crafted.

“Tan Wenbin stays; everyone else go wait upstairs. After Tan Wenbin comes out, the next person can come in.”

The yellow pickup truck was parked outside early. Tan Wenbin was in the driver’s seat, and Lin Shuyou and Run Sheng were in the back under the canopy.

Li Zhuiyuan and Yin Meng walked out of the store.

Yin Meng raised her hand to shield her eyes. “The sun is so dazzling today.”

Li Zhuiyuan: “Because we’ve been in the basement for too long.”

After getting into the car, Li Zhuiyuan told Tan Wenbin, “Drive slowly, and be careful.”

“Don’t worry, got it.” Tan Wenbin started the car.

Destination: Luoxin Island Amusement Park.

The journey wasn’t too far, but to prevent driver fatigue, Li Zhuiyuan had Yin Meng and Tan Wenbin take turns driving halfway.

The amusement park was on an island in the middle of a lake. One could buy tickets to take a boat to the island, or of course, there was a bridge allowing cars to drive directly onto it.

At the entrance to the bridge, there was a guard booth where an old, white-haired security guard sat, holding a white porcelain tea mug.

Seeing a car approach, the old guard shouted, “The park is closed; it’s not open today.”

Outside the guard booth was a bulletin board, which read: “Facilities under maintenance, temporarily closed to the public.”

This was mainly because several accidents had recently occurred consecutively at the amusement park.

Tan Wenbin leaned his head out the car window, patted the car door, and said, “Sir, can’t you tell? We’re the ones dispatched here for maintenance.”

“Oh, really?”

The yellow pickup truck looked like a construction vehicle, and the two people in the back indeed looked like skilled workers.

“Alright, go on in then.”

The old guard lifted the barrier, signaling them to pass.

Tan Wenbin pressed the accelerator and drove in.

But soon, Tan Wenbin saw in the rearview mirror that the old guard was waving and staggering after the car, shouting something. However, the wind outside the car window was too strong to hear clearly.

“Little Yuan, that old man seems a bit strange. Should I stop?”

“Go down and check.”

“Okay.”

Tan Wenbin stopped the car, opened the door, and got out.

Immediately, a wave of heat, which shouldn’t have appeared in this season, washed over him, along with blinding dust.

“Beep!!!”

A large truck sped past him, kicking up dust. The scorching sun made him feel a surge of irritation.

“Hey! Don’t run! Don’t run! School’s not over yet, Tan Kangzi!”

Tan Wenbin turned around and saw the old school security guard chasing him. In the distance was the main gate of Shigang Middle School.

He felt a bit dizzy, as if he hadn’t slept well last night, having studied late into the night.

Then, Tan Wenbin smiled.

How could he have studied late into the night? Staying up all night reading wuxia novels and comics was more like it.

Tan Wenbin scratched his head. Having just climbed over the school wall, he had almost been hit by that arrogant big truck as soon as he ran onto the road, and he had somewhat forgotten the purpose of climbing out.

Oh, he remembered.

Damn it, he had to hurry!

“Grandpa, I’m not feeling well! I’m going to the hospital for an IV!”

With that, Tan Wenbin sprinted away.

The old security guard panted, hands on his knees, watching Tan Wenbin quickly run far away, and cursed:

“Tan Kangzi is lying through his teeth; if he’s sick, how can he run so fast?”

Tan Wenbin ran all the way to the entrance of a billiard hall, where several young men in black short-sleeved shirts with tattoos were playing pool inside.

Standing in the corner was Zheng Haiyang, crying, with many clear slap marks on his face.

Zheng Haiyang’s parents were sailors with high incomes, so Zheng Haiyang had a lot of pocket money. But because his parents were often away and he lived with his grandparents, he gradually developed a timid personality.

With plenty of money and a soft nature, he naturally became the perfect easy target for thugs to extort.

This morning, Zheng Haiyang hadn’t come to school. Tan Wenbin had thought he was sick, but other classmates told him they saw Zheng Haiyang being taken away by Lin Sanhou and his gang on the way to school.

“Damn it, I told you, Zheng Haiyang is under my protection!”

What arrived before the words was Tan Wenbin’s flying kick.

It was three against one, so he definitely had to take one down first.

“Bang!”

A flying kick hit one person directly in the kidney, knocking him to the ground, unable to get up for a moment.

Next, Tan Wenbin grabbed a pool cue and swung it at another person’s face with a “swish.”

“Bang!”

That guy screamed and fell to the ground, clutching his face.

The third person, who was on the opposite side of the pool table, saw what happened and immediately jumped onto the pool table, attempting to cross it.

Tan Wenbin grabbed a billiard ball from the table and threw it directly at the guy’s groin.

“Pop!”

“Oh!!!”

The man clutched his crotch and bounced on the table, causing the pool table surface to dent.

Tan Wenbin seized the opportunity, grabbed the guy’s ankle, and pulled downward, making him fall onto the tabletop.

“Damn it, I told you not to bully people!”

Tan Wenbin grabbed the guy’s hair, lifted his head, and repeatedly slammed it against the edge of the pool table.

Blood immediately flowed from the guy’s nose, and his consciousness became somewhat blurry.

By now, the two who had been kicked down had also gotten up and rushed towards Tan Wenbin.

Tan Wenbin let go of the one he was holding, took a swift step forward, slammed his shoulder into the other person’s chest while grabbing his arm with his right hand, swung him backward, then pulled down into a reverse lock, simultaneously adding a kick to his knee, causing this thug to fall to his knees, completely locked by Tan Wenbin.

“You like bullying people, huh? I’m telling you, I’ll teach you not to bully people!”

Tan Wenbin pressed his knee against the guy’s neck, pushing him against the side wall.

“Bang!” “Bang!” “Bang!”

Blood splattered on the wall.

The third thug, seeing this, began to tremble in fear.

As Tan Wenbin looked up and glared at him, he was so terrified that he didn’t dare to approach, and instead just ran away.

Those who bully the weak and fear the strong are often the quickest to back down when facing a truly ruthless opponent.

Tan Wenbin let go, and the guy beneath him immediately fell forward, unconscious.

He reached out, picked up a pack of cigarettes from the pool table, pulled one out, lit it with a nearby match, and took a drag.

“Inhale… exhale…”

In the corner, Zheng Haiyang asked in astonishment, “Brother Bin, when did you become so strong?”

Previously, Brother Bin was also brave and dared to step in to protect classmates, but more often it was just brawls. Not like today, where he resolved the situation with these guys in no time.

“Strong?” Tan Wenbin looked at the two unconscious thugs on and under the table with some confusion. “Yeah, I guess I really have gotten stronger, or have they become useless, so easily beaten?”

Tan Wenbin took another drag from his cigarette, and as he exhaled smoke rings, he looked at the cigarette between his fingers: Huh, when did I start inhaling cigarette smoke into my lungs?

Before, he would often stand in front of the mirror at home, trying to comb his hair like an adult.

He had also bought cigarettes, pretending to light them coolly, but inhaling would make him cough and gag. So, he would only ever draw the smoke into his mouth and then exhale it, making it thicker and easier to blow into shapes.

“Are you okay?” Tan Wenbin asked Zheng Haiyang.

“I’m fine, Brother Bin, hehe.”

Tan Wenbin reached out and touched Zheng Haiyang’s face.

Zheng Haiyang’s face had been severely slapped. Now, upon being touched, he gasped, but didn’t pull away.

Tan Wenbin stroked his face again and again, making Zheng Haiyang wince in pain and tears well up.

“Brother Bin…”

“Oh, good that you’re okay. Let’s go back to school.”

“Don’t you dare leave! My pool table! Pay for it! Pay for it!”

The billiard hall lady came downstairs and shrieked.

She tried to stop Tan Wenbin from leaving, reaching out to grab his collar.

Tan Wenbin glared at her, and deliberately took a step forward. The lady, for some reason, was startled and kept backing away.

“Go make those two punks pay for it! I didn’t break the table!”

Then, Tan Wenbin left with Zheng Haiyang.

Leaving school required climbing over the wall, but entering school was just through the main gate; the security guard wouldn’t stop students in school uniforms from going in to attend class.

However, just as they reached the classroom door, they saw the class monitor, Zhou Yunyun, walking out with homework.

Tan Wenbin raised an eyebrow at Zhou Yunyun, complimenting, “Class monitor, you have an inexplicable sweetness about you today.”

Zhou Yunyun’s previously stern face flushed. She then lowered her head, rearranged herself, glared at Tan Wenbin, and cursed, “Pah, nothing good ever comes out of your dog’s mouth!”

“You really look good today. Youth is great, sigh.”

Tan Wenbin sighed. He didn’t even know why he was sighing.

“Tan Wenbin, if you keep flirting, do you believe I’ll report you to the teacher?”

Tan Wenbin frowned. What was wrong with him? He used to just enjoy bickering with the stern class monitor, being a troublemaker to annoy her. Why was he saying these things today?

He himself felt that what he had said earlier was a bit too frivolous. If he got into a fight, his dad would just use a belt. But if he harassed a female classmate, his dad would probably hit him with a police car.

Thinking of his own father, Tan Wenbin couldn’t help but shiver.

Walking around Zhou Yunyun, Tan Wenbin returned to the classroom.

Zheng Haiyang, who had returned earlier, had already told everyone about Tan Wenbin’s heroic feat. The boys in the class cheered when he entered.

Tan Wenbin raised his left hand and covered his chest with his right, signaling everyone to keep it down.

Then, he climbed over a desk and sat in the first row by the window.

He turned his head and saw a classmate sitting at the desk next to him. Tan Wenbin asked curiously:

“Why are you sitting here?”

The student was confused by the question and replied, “This is my seat.”

“Your seat?”

Just then, a short female student who had gone to the restroom during break came over and timidly said, “Why are you sitting in my seat?”

“Your seat?”

Tan Wenbin looked at the familiar desk on the left side of the podium, the familiar arrangement of books, and the familiar tin soldier army placed in the drawer.

He had indeed sat in the wrong spot.

Tan Wenbin got up and left, returning to his “throne.”

Zhou Yunyun came back after delivering the homework. As she passed Tan Wenbin, she sneered, “The homeroom teacher has already called your dad.”

“Oh.”

Tan Wenbin nodded, propped his chin on his hand, and began to fiddle with an eraser.

He barely listened to the rest of that class, just continuing to space out.

The teacher on the podium knew he was daydreaming, but in any class, there was always a small group of people whom teachers wouldn’t bother, as long as they didn’t disrupt the teaching order.

The bell rang for class to end, and Tan Yunlong’s figure appeared at the classroom door.

Tan Wenbin looked at Tan Yunlong, walked up to him, took out a pack of cigarettes from his pocket, pulled one out, and offered it.

“Dad, open your mouth.”

Tan Yunlong’s mouth twitched, then he laughed in exasperation.

Others behind them gasped in surprise at the sight.

“Come home with me.”

“Okay.”

His dad’s motorcycle always drove very fast.

Today’s speed was even faster than usual, betraying an urgent desire for home.

Opening the door, Zheng Fang, wearing an apron, came out of the kitchen. Seeing the father and son return, she asked, “What happened to our son?”

Tan Yunlong said nothing, simply unbuckled his belt in silence.

Zheng Fang recoiled.

They, as parents, had actually given up much hope on their son’s studies, unless the top scorer in the college entrance exam could tutor him all day, but how was that possible?

Therefore, their son’s character was what the couple valued most now. It was okay to not study well, but a person couldn’t go astray or disregard rules.

Tan Wenbin was led into the room by Tan Yunlong.

Zheng Fang returned to the kitchen and pushed aside the green peppers she had planned to chop on the cutting board. She had intended to make stir-fried shredded pork with green peppers, but then thought there was no need to cook two identical dishes for one meal at home.

The dishes were cooked, and as the soup was boiling, there was a knock at the door.

Zheng Fang opened the door; it was Zheng Haiyang.

“Haiyang.”

“Auntie.”

“Wait a moment, Binbin is busy right now.”

“Auntie, I’m here to tell Uncle about today. Brother Bin was helping me.”

“Today isn’t about that, it seems.” Zheng Fang looked at her husband’s expression when he came home; it seemed her precious son had added some new trick to his usual mischief.

However, out of motherly instinct, Zheng Fang still called out, “Binbin, Haiyang came to play with you!”

“Ah! Ah! Ah!”

Her response was a series of screams.

But mixed in were affectionate greetings to his good friend:

“Ah! Haiyang, there are apples in the living room! Ah! You eat them first, I’ll play with you after I’m done, ah!”

The father-son bonding activity ended.

Zheng Fang kept Haiyang for dinner.

Tan Wenbin habitually squatted in a horse stance, holding his bowl and chopsticks.

His backside absolutely could not sit down right now.

“Beep! Beep! Beep!”

Tan Yunlong’s pager at his waist rang. He glanced down and said, “Something at the station.”

Scooping a little soup into his rice bowl, Tan Yunlong quickly finished his meal and left the house.

Tan Wenbin spoke, “Mom, look at Dad, he’s never home. What do you see in him?”

Zheng Fang: “What do you mean?”

Tan Wenbin: “I support you pursuing your own happiness.”

Zheng Fang: “Want another beating, do you? Your dad is busy with work.”

Tan Wenbin: “No matter how busy, he shouldn’t neglect his wife. I definitely won’t be like that in the future.”

Zheng Fang glared at her son, annoyed. “I hope you keep your word to your future partner.”

After dinner, Zheng Haiyang stayed with Tan Wenbin for a while, then he went back to school for class.

Tan Wenbin lay face down on the bed. At first, he was flipping through a novel, then he threw it aside and opened a comic book, but after just a few pages, he found it boring. Finally, he simply pulled out the yellow magazine hidden under the bed. Things that used to excite him now suddenly felt bland.

He continued like this, restless, for the entire afternoon until evening when urgent knocking came from the door.

Zheng Fang had no shift this afternoon and had stayed home, so she went to open the door.

When the door opened, a crying voice came through:

“Sister-in-law, Team Leader Tan is in trouble!”

Tan Yunlong had sacrificed his life.

Tan Wenbin stood numbly by the bed. Lying on the bed was the body of his father, declared dead after resuscitation efforts failed.

After the fugitive realized he was surrounded, he took a hostage, attempting a desperate all-or-nothing move. Tan Yunlong, to save the hostage, was shot by the fugitive.

Tan Wenbin dared not lift the white sheet covering his father, afraid to see the terrifying bullet hole.

The lingering pain in his backside made him wish his father on the bed could get up; his skin still itched, and he wanted to be beaten again.

His mother tensed for a moment, then collapsed by the bed, weeping uncontrollably.

Tan Wenbin took a deep breath. He also wanted to cry, but found no tears.

He could only go forward to comfort his mother, and then, when leaders from the police station and town came to visit, he stepped forward to inquire about matters related to his father’s martyr status and funeral.

If the public sector was involved, it wasn’t suitable to hold a funeral too heavily influenced by folk customs; solemnity and simplicity should be prioritized.

His paternal grandparents and maternal grandparents also arrived. His paternal grandfather and maternal grandfather were somewhat better, just silently standing on the side, holding back tears with effort. His paternal grandmother and maternal grandmother, however, embraced his mother and wept bitterly.

Time flowed by in a daze.

Tan Wenbin attended his father’s funeral. Many leaders and colleagues of his father from the police station and the city came to pay their respects.

Tan Wenbin accompanied his mother, returning their bows one by one.

During this time, his mother was too weak. Tan Wenbin told her to focus on accompanying her husband for his final journey; he would handle the formalities.

He arranged everything meticulously.

The city bureau’s leader warmly shook his hand, offering comfort and expectations.

His paternal grandfather and maternal grandfather stood beside him, silently but powerfully present.

A son taking over his father’s profession often draws public criticism, but there was one exception.

Many classmates also attended the funeral. Zheng Haiyang came, and Zhou Yunyun also came.

At the end of the funeral, Tan Wenbin took Tan Yunlong to the crematorium for cremation.

He felt very surprised; how did such a large person as his father fit into such a small box?

He held the urn, got into the car, and went home.

His father’s portrait was placed at home.

Tan Wenbin cooked some instant noodles and ate with Zheng Fang.

Zheng Fang: “Son, did you put salt in? It’s tasteless.”

Tan Wenbin: “I think it’s just right. If you don’t believe me, ask Dad…”

Zheng Fang and Tan Wenbin instinctively looked together at the empty seat at the table. In a family of three, everyone’s dining spot was usually fixed.

Looking in the direction of the empty seat, they saw the black-and-white portrait.

Zheng Fang lowered her head, eating and crying simultaneously, her tears falling into her bowl. Now she didn’t need to add salt.

After dinner, Zheng Fang returned to her room to rest. Suppressed sobs soon came from within; she was hiding under the covers.

Tan Wenbin took out a pack of cigarettes. Every time he smoked one, he lit an incense stick in the censer in front of the portrait.

He even, with a bit of arrogance, deliberately held the cigarette high in his mouth, challenging his father in the portrait.

But after challenging for a while, he quickly found it boring.

After all, his dad couldn’t just pop out of the portrait to knock the cigarette from his mouth.

The sobbing from the room gradually subsided. He knew his exhausted mother had finally fallen asleep amidst her grief.

Tan Wenbin remained in the living room, changing his sitting posture. He really wanted to take advantage of the late-night quiet to talk to his father a bit more.

But after thinking it over, he found he had nothing to say.

Because he felt he had been a complete failure as a son, with nothing to show that could make his old man proud.

Finally, the rain, which had been delayed, at last began to fall.

Tan Wenbin said, wiping away tears:

“Old Tan, your efforts to earn me college entrance exam bonus points were wasted. Your son is a good-for-nothing. Even with the bonus points, I can’t get into university, sigh.”

Leaning his head against the edge of the table, Tan Wenbin seemed to be half-asleep.

In a daze, he seemed to hear a “thump” from the room.

He immediately struggled to stand up, walked to his parents’ bedroom door, knocked, and asked:

“Mom, are you okay, Mom?”

There was no response from inside.

He kept knocking and calling, but still no response.

Tan Wenbin tried to open the door and found it locked from the inside.

“Mom! Mom! Mom!”

Tan Wenbin realized something was wrong and began to ram the door.

“Bang!”

The door burst open.

Tan Wenbin turned on the light and saw his mother lying on the floor, foam at her mouth, and an empty pesticide bottle nearby.

“Mom!”

Tan Wenbin bent down and picked up his mother. He had to rush her to the hospital now. As long as she got to the hospital in time, it wouldn’t be too late, absolutely not too late.

As he moved, his foot kicked over the empty bottle. The empty bottle hit the bed leg and then rolled back.

Tan Wenbin’s gaze fell on the pesticide bottle’s label, and his eyes immediately widened.

He knew that if this particular pesticide was ingested, even if stomach pumping and treatment were performed promptly, the person could temporarily recover for a few days, but ultimately, they could not be saved.

It would give you time to regret, but not a chance to live.

Tan Wenbin’s body trembled, and his face began to contort, but he still forced himself to hold his mother, woke up the neighbor who had a motorcycle, and begged them to drive him and his mother to the hospital.

In front of the hospital operating room late at night, Tan Wenbin sat there.

The doctor had just come out, hesitant to speak, wanting to explain the situation to him.

He told the doctor he already knew the outcome in his heart.

The doctor nodded, sighed helplessly, and left.

Tan Wenbin knew that when dawn broke, his mother would wake up. She would be able to eat and laugh, and even hug him, stroking his face and head.

She might say she regretted it, that she wouldn’t try to end her life again, that she would stay with him, accompany him until he was fully grown, accompany him through work, accompany him through marriage, and then help raise his children in the future.

These foreseeable tender words and expressions would soon turn into the sharpest pain that would pierce him.

Tan Wenbin held his head, lowered it, his mouth wide open without making a sound, tears and snot continuously dripping down.

A figure walked down the hallway; it was Zheng Haiyang.

He sat down next to Tan Wenbin and gently patted Tan Wenbin’s back:

“The doctor said the rescue was very successful, Auntie will be fine.”

Tan Wenbin turned his head to look at Zheng Haiyang.

Zheng Haiyang looked into his eyes and said to him, “Brother Bin, don’t worry. No matter what happens, I’ll be by your side.”

Tan Wenbin shook his head and said, “I just figured something out.”

Zheng Haiyang smiled, “It’s good that you figured it out, it’s good. Everything will pass, really.”

“My mom is very strong. She wouldn’t commit suicide. Dad is gone, but she would shoulder the responsibility of accompanying me. She’s been a police wife for so many years; she has that mental resilience.”

Zheng Haiyang: “Even the strongest person might have moments when they can’t hold on, Brother Bin. This isn’t Auntie’s fault.”

Tan Wenbin: “Who put that bottle of pesticide in her room?”

Zheng Haiyang was surprised. “Brother Bin, are you suspecting someone deliberately…”

Tan Wenbin pressed his face very, very close to Zheng Haiyang’s. He looked carefully into Zheng Haiyang’s eyes and asked:

“Besides calling the neighbor to take me, I haven’t told anyone about my mom’s accident, not even my grandparents. Why are you here so promptly?”

Zheng Haiyang was momentarily stunned, then retorted, “Brother Bin, are you suspecting me?”

“Otherwise? Shouldn’t I?”

Zheng Haiyang said angrily, “Brother Bin, how could you think that about me!”

The next moment,

Zheng Haiyang’s expression of aggrieved anger smoothly transformed into mocking derision:

“Yes, I put the pesticide there myself, and I even wrote a suicide note for Auntie in Uncle’s tone, hahahaha!”

Tan Wenbin grabbed Zheng Haiyang’s arm and shook him desperately: “Why did you do this, why!”

Under the violent shaking, Zheng Haiyang’s head began to sway back and forth. A small turtle, unnoticed until now, climbed onto Zheng Haiyang’s head.

The turtle’s mouth and Zheng Haiyang’s mouth opened simultaneously,

and it laughed:

“Because I’m unbalanced. Why do you have both a father and mother by your side, but I don’t?”