Gan Tang supported him, feeling his hands were cold and trembling, and advised, "Dad, it's cold outside, let's go back inside!"
"Okay, let's go see your mother!" Lu Zhengqian took Gan Tang's hand and walked back.
The east wing was built with special airtight materials, and it was very cold inside, like an icy cellar from a martial arts novel. Jian Suhuai's coffin was placed on the top floor.
This time, they didn't use the ladder; instead, they entered directly through the main entrance of the east building and climbed the steps one by one. By the time they reached the top floor, Lu Zhengqian was already panting heavily.
"I'm old and useless!" Lu Zhengqian laughed self-deprecatingly.
Gan Tang felt a pang of heartache looking at him, and thinking about leaving him forever, she couldn't help but say, "Dad, you need to take care of your health from now on, and don't stay up late anymore. Eat less spicy and cold food. Also, never get angry, it's bad for your heart. You must take good care of yourself."
Lu Zhengqian was somewhat moved upon hearing this, "What's wrong?"
"It's nothing!" Gan Tang said, trying to cover up her feelings. "I'm just a little sad because I'll be leaving you for ten or fifteen days tonight."
"Then I won't leave!" Having come this far, Lu Zhengqian dared not test the waters any further. As long as she stopped, he could pretend that nothing had happened.
However, Gan Tang shook her head, "It's a promise, I can't go back on my word."
"So what!" Lu Zhengqian suddenly raised his voice: "It's your birthday today, I'll throw you a party tonight, let's have a good time."
"No need! We'll stay with Mom."
“…Alright!” Lu Zhengqian didn’t insist any further and looked helplessly at the coffin.
Su Huai, what am I going to do with our child?
The day passed quickly. Lu Zhengqian sat on the futon and talked to his beloved woman all day long, while Gan Tang sat beside him, listening silently.
Listen to their past, listen to their love. Although Gan Tang felt nothing for this nominal mother, she couldn't help but be moved by their affection.
Gan Tang couldn't understand why he would sell drugs, harming himself and others, when it would be better to spend his life with the woman he loved.
But she dared not ask any of these questions.
That evening, in front of the cold coffin, the two sat on the ground, lit birthday candles together, made a wish, and ate cake.
While eating the cake, Lu Zhengqian suddenly felt a pain in his chest.
Gan Tang hurriedly ran towards the cloud ladder to call for help.
Ali ran in first, followed by Dr. Mu Zi pushing her wheelchair.
"It must be because it's too cold here, and his heart condition has flared up again. Quickly take the chairman back to his room." Dr. Mu instructed Ali to help Lu Zhengqian into his wheelchair.
Before leaving, Lu Zhengqian weakly reminded his daughter, "Put out all the candles and don't disturb your mother."
"Good!" This is exactly what Gantang wanted.
The wheelchair creaked, and Lu Zhengqian turned to look at his daughter, saying his last words: "Don't touch anything inside, it's dangerous."
Twenty-eight years ago today, the four brothers, under the pretext of avenging their sister-in-law, tracked down their eldest brother, Fu Yuanshan, who was living in hiding. Eighteen years ago, the five brothers had each developed their own networks of connections. For the sake of the Green Dragon Gang's unity and to cope with unforeseen circumstances, the five brothers decided to combine their respective networks.
Because they had reunited under the pretext of avenging their sister-in-law, the second brother suggested placing the items beside her to comfort her spirit in heaven. The third, fourth, and fifth brothers all agreed, and Fu Yuanshan, as the eldest brother, accepted their suggestion.
At that time, Yuanhuai Manor had just been completed, and Fu Yuanshan specially built a building for his deceased wife. The network of relationships that were vital to the Qinglong Gang was placed in front of her coffin, covered by a small, bottomless box made of Phoebe zhennan wood.
Underneath the golden nanmu box was a small combination lock box. Only Lu Zhengqian knew the combination, but all five of them had to be present each time it needed to be opened.
To ensure this, the group devised a plan: to embed the steel combination lock box firmly into the ground. The box would only open by pushing the groove and entering the password. A sensor was placed inside the groove; whenever the box moved, all five brothers' phones would receive a notification.
Fu Cheng and Ali, who were just children at the time, witnessed this scene firsthand.
The second, third, and fifth brothers are now dead, but this rule hasn't been abolished. Except for Mo Huaixing, who only possesses a piece of jade, He Zhong and Fu Cheng's phones will alarm whenever the combination lock is moved.
According to the rules of the Green Dragon Gang, anyone who dares to covet the lifeline of the Green Dragon Gang will be executed by slow slicing.
If the young lady touches the combination lock, it will be incredibly difficult for Mr. Fu to protect her, unless he offers Fu Cheng and He Zhong substantial benefits.
Fu Cheng is alright, but He Zhong...
Ali really didn't dare to think about what might happen. He glanced at the young lady with pity and pushed her away from the wheelchair.
Gan Tang's gaze shifted from the empty cloud ladder to the tombstone.
Gan Tang was a stranger to this biological mother, but after hearing so much about her, she couldn't help but feel melancholy.
Gan Tang knelt before the coffin, silently bowed three times, and then walked to the golden nanmu box and opened it with his own hands.
The combination lock box appeared before them.
Gan Tang had prepared a similar combination lock box and a claw hammer well in advance. When preparing it that day, she had calculated that the groove where the combination lock box was embedded was not very deep. As long as she slowly straightened the groove, she could take out the combination lock box, switch it out, and by the time she was discovered, she would already be far away.
Gan Tang sat down in front of the combination lock with her legs spread apart, swinging the hammer to find the weak spot in the groove. The gleaming hammer flashed a blinding light into her eyes.
A face appeared before my eyes, a bloody mess.
Gan Tang gripped the claw hammer tightly, which trembled uncontrollably. She couldn't help but wonder: With such an important item stolen, would Mo Huaixing, who had helped her cover it up, be hacked to death like Fatty Lü?
...
Lu Zhengqian's heart condition gradually subsided, but he remained in a coma. Dr. Mu Zi said he would need five or six hours to wake up.
Five or six hours later, the plane was already in the air. Things couldn't have gone more smoothly.
Gan Tang looked at Lu Zhengqian lying on the hospital bed and choked up.
"Dad, I'm sorry, but I really don't want to marry Chu Jiahe."
"Dad, you're not feeling well, please don't get angry."
"From now on, work less and sleep more, understand?"
"..."
Gan Tang rambled on and on, then tucked him in one last time, closed the door, and left. The snow-covered road was as bright as day in the night.
Yuan Biao drove Gan Tang to the airport.
Passing by a shopping mall, Gan Tang made an excuse that she had forgotten her toiletries and got out of the car to buy some. Cao Yunbo was waiting in the mall's fire escape. When he saw Gan Tang coming, he excitedly pulled her to the corner of the stairs.
"Tangtang, did you get the things?"
"Got it!" Gan Tang handed the briefcase from the backpack to Cao Yunbo and instructed him, "Yunbo, you must keep it safe and don't give it to anyone."
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