Upon hearing Ren Changqing's words, Wu Tian's heart was stirred with indescribable ripples. The heaviness and sorrow seemed to foreshadow a subtle turning point in his relationship with the Ren family.
Just as he was struggling with how to deal with this sudden turn of events, Ren Gang's joyful cry broke the silence: "Dad, you've finally woken up!"
Although he chose to unconditionally believe in Wu Tian, his heart was like a stormy sea, turbulent and difficult to calm.
He knew all too well that Ren Changqing's condition was difficult to cure.
However, this trust in Wu Tian made him willing to gamble with his life to defend his brother's entrustment to the death.
In this spiritual purgatory, he suffered greatly, and the mental shackles almost suffocated him.
In this moment of chaos and confusion, a familiar and warm voice faintly sounded, gently touching his heartstrings.
That was Ren Changqing's voice, so clear and unmistakable.
After confirming that everything was correct, he breathed a sigh of relief, dropped the scalpel in his hand, and rushed into the intensive care unit like an arrow released from a bow.
However, to his surprise, as soon as he finished speaking, Ren Changqing commanded in an unquestionable manner: "Xiao Gang, kneel down before Xiao Tian!"
Upon hearing this, the air seemed to freeze. Wu Tian and Ren Gang looked at each other, their eyes filled with doubt and confusion.
Wu Tian quickly reassured him, "Uncle Ren, we are like brothers, why such a grand ceremony?"
Ren Changqing sighed deeply, his eyes filled with vicissitudes and regret: "I know you are deeply devoted to each other, but making him kneel down is him apologizing to you on my behalf. It is I who have let your family down."
After speaking, tears streamed down his face, each drop carrying the weight and bitterness of the past.
These words echoed in the intensive care unit, each syllable like a heavy hammer, striking the brothers' souls, leaving them no escape but to confront the long-hidden truth.
Wu Tian's eyes were filled with complex and unreadable emotions. He took a deep breath, finally mustered his courage, and slowly asked, "Uncle Ren, what exactly happened back then?"
Admittedly, reopening old wounds may be excruciating, but only by facing them bravely can we heal those unseen scars.
Upon hearing this, Ren Changqing lowered his gaze slightly, as if recalling a past event that had been buried by time.
In the intensive care unit, only the faint hum of the machines and the occasional sound of wind from outside the window added a touch of loneliness to this heavy conversation.
“That was two days before your wedding.” Ren Changqing’s voice was low and slow, carrying an indescribable heaviness. “That year, your father unintentionally obtained a martial arts treasure that was enough to change the fate of the family.”
At this point, Ren Changqing paused, looked up at Wu Tian, and his once sharp eyes were now filled with deep regret and weariness.
"Your father shared this good news with me immediately. That night, we drank and talked happily, dreaming of a glorious future together. But... but little did he know that my vanity would bring utter disaster to your family."
Wu Tian's expression became extremely complex at this moment, as if his heart was filled with countless emotions.
He never imagined that the root cause of the Wu family's destruction was the martial arts treasure they had obtained by chance, rather than just the grudges and feuds between families.
This sudden truth made him feel as if he had been transported to another world, and he lamented that the ancient saying "A common man is innocent, but possessing a treasure is a crime" was so real and cruel.
He slowly reached out and gently touched Ren Changqing's trembling hands, his voice low and full of understanding: "What happened next?"
Ren Changqing sighed heavily, his eyes brimming with regret: "That night on my way home, I ran into my nemesis, Zhang Tingbin. During our verbal exchange, I inadvertently revealed the secret of your father obtaining the treasure, hoping to gain his respect. Little did I expect that Zhang Tingbin would sell the information for ill-gotten gains, not only taking away Xiaogang's mother but also plunging your Wu family into an abyss of no return..."
His eyes glistened with tears, and his voice trembled with a resolute tone: "Xiao Tian, what I owe you cannot be summed up by the words 'I'm sorry'. Over the years, I have seen your father's angry and disappointed eyes countless times in my dreams. I know that I can never repay the mistakes I have made in this lifetime."
This long-suppressed repentance finally found its release today, and Ren Changqing felt as if a heavy burden had been lifted from his heart. Though painful, he felt relieved.
Upon hearing this, Wu Tian lowered his eyes slightly, as if he had a thousand words to say but hesitated to speak.
He took a deep breath, turning his complex emotions into a wisp of smoke. "Uncle Ren, the calamity that wiped out the Wu family did not lie with you, but with that martial arts treasure. Even if you hadn't revealed the secret, someone would have tried to seize that treasure sooner or later."
Although the Wu family once held considerable power, they were ultimately just an ordinary merchant family. If my father had truly obtained that martial arts treasure, it would surely have attracted the covetous eyes of countless martial arts families.
Given the Wu family's former strength, facing those powerful martial arts families was like a mayfly trying to shake a giant tree.
When Wu Tian's words gently touched Ren Changqing's heart like a spring breeze and rain, his guilt not only did not diminish, but surged like a tidal wave.
He whispered painfully, "Though unintentional, I have made a grave mistake, and my conscience is troubled."
Wu Tian gently patted Ren Changqing's hand, his words full of comfort: "Uncle Ren, you don't need to take the past to heart. Focus on getting better. I will take care of the revenge. As for Zhang Tingbin, he has committed many evil deeds, and I will make him suffer the consequences."
After he finished speaking, his expression turned icy, as if the surrounding air had frozen in his chill. In the intensive care unit, there was a moment of silence so profound that only the echo of his heartbeat could be heard.
Sensing the chilling rage emanating from Wu Tian, Ren Changqing looked worried and said earnestly, "Xiao Tian, the family behind that martial arts treasure must be extremely powerful. If you insist on revenge, the road ahead will be very difficult..."
Before he could finish speaking, Ren Gang said with a smile and a hint of pride, "Dad, don't worry, he's a completely different person now. He just came back yesterday and wiped out the Qin family. Today, he's made the Sun family follow in the Qin family's footsteps."
"This..." Ren Changqing was stunned, his eyes wide with disbelief, and he asked in a trembling voice, "Is this true?"
Not to mention that the Sun family is one of the four major families in Linhai City, with a strength that is terrifying, the Qin family alone is an unshakeable force in his eyes.
Ren Gang, however, said that Wu Tian had successively destroyed both families, which he could not believe no matter what.
Wu Tian's tone was calm, yet it revealed an undeniable firmness: "That's right. The Qin family acted as henchmen back then, their hands stained with my family's blood; the Sun family, the mastermind behind it all, is even more unforgivable. Their destruction was destined long ago."
In a short while, Ren Changqing slowly recovered from his astonishment, nodded repeatedly, tears glistening in his eyes, his voice filled with indescribable excitement: "Good! Good! Good! Xiaotian, you are so capable, there is hope for avenging our family. Your father's spirit in heaven will surely smile in his grave."
Wu Tian took a deep breath, his eyes blazing, and solemnly declared, word by word: "Therefore, I will take care of the revenge, and I will also deal with Zhang Tingbin."
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
