"Alright, stop thinking about it. Hurry up and get the fire burning brighter, we can eat soon." Xia Jianguo patted his daughter's shoulder helplessly when he saw her still lost in thought.
Xia Wan looked up blankly, only to realize that while she was immersed in her complicated thoughts, her father had already started stewing the pig's trotters, and a rich aroma wafted over.
Xia Wan reacted quickly, smiled at her father, and sped up her work.
She skillfully controlled the heat, making the flames burn brighter to allow the broth to reduce fully, achieving the best texture and flavor. In no time, the entire kitchen was filled with an enticing aroma, making one's mouth water.
Xia Wan was lost in her own thoughts and didn't realize that the aroma of braised pig's trotters had already filled the air.
When the strong smell entered her nostrils, she snapped back to reality and couldn't help but feel annoyed: Oh dear, I've been spacing out for so long!
"Okay!" Xia Wan quickly replied, then swiftly grabbed a handful of firewood and stuffed it into the stove, instantly making the fire burn even brighter.
Looking at the blazing flames, she turned to her father sitting beside her and said, "Dad, I've thought it over carefully. We need to find Guo Zheng first and find out the details. It would be great if we could persuade him to join us. With him going to Beijing with us, we'll feel much more at ease, especially since it will make your leg injury treatment more reassuring."
The father nodded, indicating his agreement with his daughter's idea. Indeed, making sure their own family's life was good was more important than anything else.
Xia Wan also realized that her father was absolutely right; she seemed to have lost her way during this period.
As a heart patient, I should cherish the present and enjoy the good life now that I have regained my health and become a normal person.
But for some reason, she started worrying about other unrelated things. Thinking of this, Xia Wan gently patted her forehead, silently reminding herself to return to her original intention and focus on making their warm little home a better place.
...
After dinner, as dusk fell, Xia Wan hurried into the side room in the corner and immediately spotted Wu Sangui and A Yue, who looked weak and listless from hunger.
A slight, almost imperceptible sneer appeared on her lips as she strode forward, grabbed the two of them like chicks, and headed straight for Xia Jianguo's room.
Xia Wan secretly plotted to find a way to turn these two against her. If they dared not cooperate, humph!
Then don't blame me for being ruthless and making them disappear from this world completely. Thinking of this, Xia Wan's eyes grew even colder.
Ah Yue was relatively easy to deal with, since he was originally a person with no background or status. However, Wu Sangui was a different story; it would take some effort to win him over.
After entering the room, Xia Wan unceremoniously threw Wu Sangui and A Yue to the ground.
She looked down at the two men from her elevated position, and when her gaze inadvertently fell on Wu Sangui, she was startled.
Just one day later, Wu Sangui appeared to have aged ten years in an instant. His face was haggard, covered in stubble, and his eyes were bloodshot. He looked incredibly aged, as if he had suffered inhuman torment.
"Oh ho, what's going on here?" Xia Wan slowly walked to the bench by the kang and sat down. She picked up the huge tea mug on the table next to her, gently blew away the tea leaves floating on the surface, and then sipped the water in small sips, while glancing at the two people on the ground with a mocking look.
Seeing that Wu Sangui and A Yue remained silent, Xia Wan put down her teacup, crossed her arms, and raised her voice to ask again, "Why are you all mute? Uncle Wu, what's wrong with you?"
Wu Sangui, whose name was called, slowly raised his head. His face was as pale as paper, his lips were cracked, and his eyes were dull and lifeless.
He opened his mouth and let out a hoarse, low voice: "No...nothing, I just figured some things out."
As he spoke, a self-deprecating smile appeared on his lips.
Seeing this, Xia Wan couldn't bear to continue mocking them. After all, they were already in such a miserable state, and she didn't want to push them to the brink.
"What have you figured out? Tell me!"
Wu Sangui did not respond to her immediately, but stood there quietly, as if time had frozen.
After a long silence, he finally broke the suffocating silence, but instead of speaking to the person who had asked the question, he slowly turned his head to Xia Jianguo beside him.
He parted his lips slightly, his voice low and trembling as he said, "Jianguo... I'm so sorry... It was indeed my fault for poisoning you, and I dare not hope to receive your forgiveness. Now, I'll leave everything to you, kill me or torture me, it's all up to you!"
Upon hearing this, Xia Wan raised her eyebrows slightly, her heart filled with doubt and surprise.
She quickly turned to look at her father, trying to catch a clue in his eyes, hoping to figure out what had happened through that brief eye contact.
However, Xia Jianguo was staring intently at Wu Sangui, his gaze sharp and penetrating, as if it could pierce through one's soul.
Under such sharp gaze, Wu Sangui gradually could not withstand the pressure, and his originally proud head slowly drooped down, as if he had lost all courage to even look Xia Jianguo in the eye.
Xia Jianguo, however, maintained his piercing gaze, staring intently at Wu Sangui without moving, not missing a single subtle change in his expression.
After a long while, just when everyone thought the standoff would continue, Xia Jianguo finally spoke again: "You admitted it so easily? Don't you want to think of a way to save your A-Yue? Or is it that in your heart, she is no longer worth your efforts?"
This chapter is not finished, please click the next page to continue reading!
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
