Heh, bad people always find excuses for their actions.
Now Qiao Huali was blaming Hu Shilong for telling him about the treasure's location.
To this, Lu Qingqing could only express her contempt with endless eye-rolls.
Qiao Huali said that Hu Shilong had left four sentences, and he had told him one of them. "He said that if he died, we would have to rely on these four sentences to avenge him."
"But you didn't expect that those four sentences would ultimately point to that gun?" Ouyang Wen said.
"Yes, I didn't expect that after investigating these four sentences for 10 years, the result would be a gun," Qiao Huali said. To get his hands on the treasure, he had finally made a move on Hu Shilong.
"So, it was you who came to my house that noon?" Hu Jia already had a premonition of the answer, but he still wanted to hear the other party admit it personally.
"It was me. I brought someone with me that day, pretending he was an eyewitness who could provide clues to the police. Shilong let his guard down, and he opened the door."
Qiao Huali said that he had intended to use this fabricated person to extort the whereabouts of the treasure, but Hu Shilong still wouldn't budge. Instead, he even said he would deliberately release news of the treasure to attract the attention of the Dao Ren.
But how could Qiao Huali dare to let Hu Shilong release the news of the treasure?
What if it truly attracted the covetous gaze of greater powers, wouldn't that be a huge loss?
"So, I decided to kill him," Qiao Huali said. He was indeed impulsive at the time, and the moment he pulled the trigger, he regretted it. Unfortunately, the mistake had been made, and there was no turning back.
"Xiao Jia, Ouyang, Uncle Qiao has treated you well all these years, hasn't he? I truly saw you as my own children. I know you cannot forgive me, and I don't expect your forgiveness. I was wrong in what I did back then. I only hope that when you go to Shilong's grave, you will pour him a cup of wine for me and say that I, Qiao Huali, have offered my apologies to him." Qiao Huali had lost his usual spirit, his eyes filled with exhaustion, and a hint of regret and apology could be heard between his words.
"You don't deserve it!" Hu Jia glanced coldly at Qiao Huali, You truly don't deserve it!
The case was considered closed. Qiao Huali's sentencing had not yet been handed down, but the death penalty was inevitable.
During this time, Hu Jia took a long vacation.
He first accompanied Mou Chun'ya to Mou Jixuan's grave. Although he could no longer recall what the person buried there looked like, a strong emotion surged within him as he stood on the grave.
Passing the tombstone, he seemed to see a raging fire. "Brother, I've come to see you. I'm sorry I'm so many years late. But thankfully, our efforts back then were not in vain. The Dao Ren are gone, and Master Dao Liu is also gone. I couldn't save you back then. If you don't mind, come to my dreams and talk to me. Let me see what you looked like back then."
Hearing Hu Jia's words, Mou Chun'ya also burst into tears. "Sister, from now on, I will be your brother." Hu Jia said respectfully to Mou Chun'ya.
Mou Chun'ya wiped the tears from the corners of her eyes, "Didn't you become my brother years ago?"
After leaving Mou Jixuan's grave, Hu Jia took Lu Qingqing and Ouyang Wen back to Zhong County.
Hu Jia had wanted to bring his fiancée to pay respects to his father during the Chinese New Year. However, due to various reasons, it had not been possible.
This time, kneeling before Hu Shilong's tombstone, Hu Jia formally introduced Lu Qingqing to his father.
"Dad, your son is here to see you."
"Dad, her name is Lu Qingqing, and she is your future daughter-in-law. She is also a police officer. She made significant contributions to solving the shooting case and finding your killer."
Then, Hu Jia recounted the entire story of Qiao Huali and the Dao Ren organization. He placed a wine glass filled with wine in front of Hu Shilong's tombstone.
However, he said nothing. He merely placed the wine glass there and did not even spill the wine onto the ground.
Perhaps, a wine glass is just a vessel, and whether to drink from it is up to the drinker.
He remembered that Qiao Huali had requested to see him one last time before being imprisoned.
"Back then, standing by the bathroom window, my gun was already aimed at your back, but I lowered it. I know you wouldn't believe my explanation, and I no longer have the right to ask you to believe me now. I probably won't have the chance to apologize to Shirong personally. If possible, I still hope you can offer a toast on my behalf."
Hu Jia had not given a clear answer at the time, but now he had decided to place a cup of wine.
He didn't know why he was doing this. Perhaps it wasn't for Qiao Huali.
"Uncle Hu, hello, my name is Lu Qingqing. Although we've never met, I've heard your name countless times." Lu Qingqing also knelt and lit incense. As the smoke rose, she clasped her hands together and whispered.
After she stood up, Hu Jia curiously asked her a few questions. He didn't know what private words she had spoken.
Lu Qingqing rolled her eyes at him, "Stop asking."
Seeing Hu Jia's discomfiture, Ouyang Wen smiled knowingly. Perhaps he knew what Lu Qingqing had wished for, most likely, like him, she hoped Hu Jia's amnesia would disappear soon.
"Uncle Hu, it's Xiao Wen. I've come to see you alone all these years. Today, I finally brought Xiao Jia here." As he said this, Ouyang Wen seemed to have shed all the burdens on his heart, revealing a smile only he understood.
Every year, standing before Hu Shilong's grave, he felt extremely lonely, guilty, and uneasy.
But this year, he finally felt no longer alone. "Later, Xiao Jia and I will be going to Star House. I'm very sorry that we only learned of such a place now. But please rest assured, Xiao Jia and I will continue to pay attention to it, just as you cared for me back then."
Star House.
Everyone had always thought it was Gorilla House.
It wasn't until Li Yongqiang returned that they learned it was actually called Star House.
Li Yongqiang had specifically returned to witness Qiao Huali's trial. When he heard about Star House, he showed a surprised expression.
"I know that place."
Li Yongqiang said that before he fell out with his father, he had always known that his father was preparing something. That was building an orphanage near Zhongliang Mountain.
"Many homeless children live there, all children who lost their parents during the years of war and warlord rule," Li Yongqiang said. He had always wondered where his father got the money to build such an orphanage. Now he understood, all that money came from Hu Shilong.
And the money Hu Shilong gave must have been that treasure.
"It's an orphanage, why have we never heard of Star House?" Lu Qingqing asked.
"Because during the initial preparation, it was named Star House, but after it was actually built, he changed it to Welfare Institute," Li Yongqiang finally understood why Hu Shilong, after being dead for so many years, was still determined to investigate the shooting case.
Because he had no choice but to investigate. He only had to create the illusion that he was still searching for the wealth to divert the Dao Ren's attention.
Finally, at that moment, Li Yongqiang let go of his resentment towards his father.
Before, he always felt that his father had broken ties with him to investigate this case, leading to the ruin of their family. In the beginning, he thought his father was seeking honor, or avenging Hu Shilong for the sake of brotherhood.
Now he understood. His father was fighting for the future of a large group of people.
Five days later, Hu Jia, Lu Qingqing, Ouyang Wen, Li Yongqiang, and everyone else arrived at the entrance of a welfare institute in Zhongliang Mountain. Even before entering, they could hear the sounds of laughter from inside. Watching the children chase each other in the sunlight, they all smiled at each other. This was the goal they had strived for.
Beautiful and real!