"What wrong have I done to make you brothers turn out like this?" Yu Xiaohua sobbed, her voice choked with tears.
"Third son, your father implores you, please don't..." Zhang Wenxue couldn't finish his sentence. His throat felt as if it were blocked, rendering him unable to speak despite his efforts.
Zhang Liunian understood his father's unspoken plea. "I won't spill my brother's blood unless absolutely necessary," he said calmly.
After all, death wasn't the only option. There was prison, or perhaps African mines. Many places could accommodate Zhang Liuxing, ensuring he'd never return.
Why must he personally kill his own brother? Zhang Liunian was not a bloodthirsty person.
"Good, good, I knew you were loyal and righteous. However, if he continues to attack you, you... you don't have to hold back. Just make sure he goes and never comes back."
As long as his son was alive, even behind bars, Zhang Wenxue could accept it.
Yu Xiaohua, however, felt differently. As a mother, she couldn't bear to see her sons turn on each other. She quickly interjected, "Third son, Mom will bring second son here. He'll apologize to you. Can you be merciful and not strike him? I promise, your second brother won't oppose you anymore. If he does this again, Mom will disown him, alright?"
Zhang Liunian chuckled wryly. "If he truly listened to you, this wouldn't have happened today. I don't believe you haven't told him to let go of his hatred for me."
Yu Xiaohua heard this and immediately covered her face, weeping. Hadn't they tried? They had pleaded until their lips were raw yesterday, only to have their younger son's factory smashed in return. Why did their second son insist on going against their third? They were blood brothers.
Zhang Wenxue sighed with reddened eyes, "Ah, forget it. Let's not interfere anymore. Third son, you must be careful in the future. Take good care of yourself when you're out, and don't let second son scheme against you."
"I know. Don't worry too much. Go back and rest. We have to visit Grandma's house tomorrow." Zhang Liunian, afraid they would cry in front of him, quickly reminded them of their plans for the next day.
Yu Xiaohua wiped her tears and, together with Zhang Wenxue, headed home.
Closing the heavy door, Zhang Liunian washed up and went into the bedroom. As soon as he lay down, he felt his wife snuggle into his embrace. She held him and said, "Our savings have already surpassed fifty million, right? This loss is nothing, is it?"
Zhang Liunian was momentarily stunned, then reached out to hold her. "That's right, it's nothing. So, you don't feel a little heartbroken?"
Jiang Qingqing shook her head and fell silent.
"You still feel a bit of heartache, don't you?" Zhang Liunian lowered his gaze, kissed her forehead, and chuckled softly.
Jiang Qingqing squirmed slightly. "Just a little bit. Only a tiny bit." That was hundreds of thousands, not just a few dozen yuan. How could she not feel a pang of regret? Besides, she would feel upset even if it were just a few dozen yuan lost.
"Heh heh, it's okay to feel a bit heartbroken. I'll earn more money for you later, so don't be sad about this small amount." Zhang Liunian truly didn't dwell on the loss. As a businessman, who hadn't experienced losses? Incidents like this were considered minor. In his past life, losing hundreds of thousands or even millions was a common occurrence.
"I don't want money, I just want you to be well," Jiang Qingqing murmured into his chest upon hearing her husband assure her he could earn more.
"Don't worry, I will be alright," Zhang Liunian said, his voice filled with emotion, holding his wife tightly.
Jiang Qingqing blushed, nuzzling into his arms, and uttered a muffled "Mmm."
Meanwhile, Wang Xiao'e, seizing the opportunity while everyone else had retired for the night, crept out of the house alone. Approaching a haystack, she called out softly, "Liuxing, are you still there?"
Zhang Liuxing, resting inside the haystack, heard her and immediately parted the hay. "Come in," he whispered.
Wang Xiao'e glanced around, ensuring no one was watching, before entering. The inside of the haystack was surprisingly warm. As soon as Wang Xiao'e stepped in, she saw a good amount of food stored within. Swallowing hard, she blurted out, "Guangtou is in trouble."
"How could it be so fast? Didn't he make his move only yesterday?" Zhang Liuxing exclaimed, finding it hard to believe Guangtou had been exposed so quickly. It was far beyond his expectations.
"Zhang Liunian is too formidable. He found Guangtou's house just by following footprints. Guangtou initially denied it, but faced with the shoes Zhang Liunian wore and the extra two thousand yuan, he couldn't refute it. That's when he was taken away by the police for questioning." Wang Xiao'e's connection with Zhang Liuxing had begun yesterday evening. They had sought out Guangtou together, with Zhang Liuxing responsible for smashing the factory and Wang Xiao'e tasked with relaying messages. This was why Wang Xiao'e was now seeking out Zhang Liuxing.
"I really underestimated my third brother. To find Guangtou relying solely on footprints... has he been taken to the station?" Zhang Liuxing had always looked down on Zhang Liunian, believing him less intelligent. However, Zhang Liunian's ability to track down Guangtou with just footprints had genuinely surprised him.
"He was taken this afternoon. You should leave quickly. Guangtou isn't tight-lipped; he'll definitely give you up." Wang Xiao'e seemed very anxious and worried, as if she and Zhang Liuxing had some sort of relationship. In reality, she feared being discovered harboring Zhang Liuxing in her family's haystack. If this were known, her family would be ostracized in the village. They could face public denunciation, condemnation, or even expulsion. After all, she had clearly witnessed Guangtou's fate today. She had no desire to leave Zhangjiacun Village. With Zhang Liunian's preserved vegetable factory, the villagers' lives had improved immeasurably compared to before. Leaving Zhangjiacun now would be foolish.
Zhang Liuxing perceived Wang Xiao'e's anxiety and guessed some of her thoughts, letting out a cold snort. However, he had no intention of lingering. "I'll be leaving early tomorrow morning. You don't need to worry about being discovered." Although he had instructed Guangtou not to expose him, he knew that Guangtou, having acted for money, might not be able to keep his mouth shut. Fortunately, he was already set on a path of no return with Zhang Liunian and didn't care much about being exposed this time. As others said, the more debts one owes, the less burdensome they become. Similarly, the more sins one commits, the less they mind adding another. But he certainly couldn't stay here any longer; he needed to leave as soon as possible. With that, he pulled out a few hundred yuan from his pocket and handed it to Wang Xiao'e. "This is for bringing me this news. You can go now!" Zhang Liuxing had enlisted Wang Xiao'e to keep an eye on Guangtou precisely so he could receive timely information and prepare. Now that she had brought him the news, it was only right to compensate her.
Upon seeing the money, Wang Xiao'e eagerly accepted it with excitement and then happily departed.
After she left, Zhang Liuxing's expression turned grim. He muttered under his breath, "Useless. Can't even handle such a small matter, and he still cost me two thousand yuan. Stupid and greedy..."