“So that’s how it is.” Ling Shuang said, taking out her phone and showing Xing Zhaozhao photos of her parents. “It was all a lie. He said he hid them well and protected them tightly, but I don’t think he treated my dad like a human being at all. He used him whenever he needed him, and when he didn’t, he treated him like he didn’t exist. He could have beaten and cursed my dad to death to make him realize reality, but no, he just kept manipulating him, slowly wearing down his will with a soft knife.”
Ling Shuang's voice choked with sobs: "Otherwise, my dad wouldn't have ended his life so early because of depression..." Her mother was also a gentle person and couldn't bear the reality of her father's departure. Not long after, she also passed away, leaving her all alone and dependent on others.
Hearing Ling Shuang mention the past, Gao Han felt sad and upset. He walked over and put his arm around her shoulder, saying, "It's all in the past, don't think about it anymore." After saying that, he glared at Xing Zhaozhao reproachfully, blaming his wife for reminding him of her painful past.
Xing Zhaozhao had just taken Ling Shuang's phone when she noticed Gao Han's gaze. She smiled apologetically at Ling Shuang and said, "Sorry."
Ling Shuang lightly punched Gao Han, then shook her head dismissively at Xing Zhaozhao: "It's nothing, it's all in the past."
"What's your dad's name?" Xing Zhaozhao asked casually, glancing down at the photo on Ling Shuang's phone. The photo was a copy of an old picture, looking a bit worn but still quite clear. It was a family photo of the three of them: a young man with a bright smile on his face but an unyielding melancholy in his eyes; a young woman with an innocent and sweet appearance, clinging tightly to the man; and their chubby, innocent-looking daughter in their arms.
“My dad’s name is Ling Xiao,” Ling Shuang said.
Xing Zhaozhao looked at the familiar face of the young man in the photo, her pupils contracted, and she shook her head: "No, that's not right, his name should be Ling Ze."
Gao Lianzhou happened to walk over, overheard the conversation, and curiously leaned closer to look: "Isn't Ling Ze Ling Xiao's son, who was killed by that old bastard? How did he become my maternal grandfather?"
Ling Shuang was completely stunned, as if something had exploded in her head with a "boom".
She rushed over and grabbed Xing Zhaozhao, stammering, "You...you just said...what should he be called?"
“Ling Ze,” Xing Zhaozhao said firmly, her fingers gently tracing the face of the young man in the photo. He looked almost exactly the same as when she was a child. It was him, no doubt about it.
Thinking of the little girl who had just left her home yesterday, a bit arrogant, unwilling to admit defeat, and always full of energy, who ended up suffering from depression, Xing Zhaozhao felt a pang of pain in her heart.
"This...this is impossible..." Ling Shuang realized something, but still couldn't believe it. She turned sharply to look at Ling Yongde, "What she said is all..."
Before she could finish speaking, Ling Shuang suddenly stopped, looking at Ling Yongde with his mouth wide open, staring at Xing Zhaozhao in disbelief, looking terrified as if the truth he had been hiding for so long had finally been exposed. Without even asking, she knew what had happened.
"That's impossible," Ling Yongde roared in a low voice. "How could you possibly know what Ling Ze looks like?" He had been hiding for so many years without anyone noticing anything. How could she possibly recognize someone at a glance?
Xing Zhaozhao's face darkened, and she took a few steps to Ling Yongde's side, raising her hand to slap him hard across the face.
"Pfft," something flew out of Ling Yongde's mouth and fell to the ground.
Everyone was startled. Looking down, they realized it was dentures.
Xing Zhaozhao: "..."
Xing Zhaozhao, expressionless, grabbed Ling Yongde by the collar and lifted him up: "Isn't Ling Ze already dead? What did you do to make him willing to bow down and acknowledge you, this beast, as his father?"
Ling Shuang thought of something: "My dad said that when he was a child, he fell into the water once and almost died. He also had a high fever and his mind became confused. He couldn't remember anything before he was seven or eight years old."
"No wonder." Xing Zhaozhao realized. She knew it. With Ling Ze's short temper, how could he have tolerated being Ling Yongde's son for so many years?
"Why?" Ling Shuang looked at Ling Yongde with a pained expression. "Even if there are grudges between adults, why do you have to involve a child? What did he do wrong? Why are you tormenting him like this?"
Ling Yongde chuckled, his expression somewhat crazed. He probably knew his power was waning, so he no longer tried to hide it: "Why? We're all human, so why is Ling Xiao always high and mighty, while I can only be his dog? I refuse to accept this. As for Ling Ze, who told him to be so unlucky as to be reincarnated as Ling Xiao's son? Or he could have died in the Qingxi River long ago and nothing would have happened. Since he insists on living, of course I'll keep him alive so he can pay off his father's debts."
Ling Shuang was so angry that she trembled all over. She couldn't help but step forward and slap Ling Yongde hard across the face: "You're just making excuses." However, after this slap, the habitual fear she had always had of this old man finally disappeared completely.
The police arrived quickly, learned what had happened, and took it very seriously, especially after hearing that Ling Yongde was connected to the sensational human trafficking case that their department had been investigating recently, which might even involve a murder case from decades ago.
Xing Zhaozhao estimated that the other members of the Ling family were alright; some would be imprisoned for a few years, while others might only be imprisoned for a few days before being released. Only Ling Yongde probably didn't have many days left to live. However, he was already over eighty years old, so he didn't have many days left to live anyway. They had let him live a carefree life for several decades before, which was considered a good deal for him.
Some staff members who still needed to investigate the scene were left behind. The police handcuffed the Ling family members and went back to the station first. Xing Zhaozhao and Gao Mingcheng also went with them to the police station to give a statement before they could leave.
As they were taking the elevator downstairs together, Ling Shuang suddenly said, "I want to stay in Qingxi Town for a couple more days and not go back to Lanyuan Town yet."
People around looked over in surprise.
"What's wrong?" Gao Han asked, puzzled.
“I want my parents’ graves moved. I don’t want them to stay with the Ling family anymore. I want to bury them next to my grandfather, so that they can be reunited after death.” Ling Shuang said, her voice choked, and her eyes reddened.
Gao Han gripped Ling Shuang's hand tightly: "I'll go with you."
“I want to go too,” Gao Lianzhou added.
Ling Shuang finally smiled and nodded vigorously: "Okay, let's go together."
"Where is your father buried?" Xing Zhaozhao asked.
"It's on the mountain next to Lingjiazhuang," Ling Shuang said.
"Where is your grandfather?" Xing Zhaozhao asked again.
“It’s there too, but it’s a bit far away. There’s also my dad’s cenotaph next to it,” Ling Shuang said. She had occasionally heard people mention her grandfather, Ling Xiao, when she went back to sweep his grave during Qingming Festival. At the time, she just thought it was someone else’s business and only listened casually. Her Ling family was originally a large family, but by her branch, there were no more members left. There were still some collateral branches, but they had moved away from Lingjia Village a few years ago and never came back. Fortunately, there were still people in the village who remembered her grandfather and would go to pay their respects during Qingming Festival.
"After we finish giving our statements at the police station, I'll go with you to Lingjiazhuang to pay our respects to the father and son," Xing Zhaozhao said.
Ling Shuang looked at Xing Zhaozhao, hesitated for a moment, and asked, "I was just about to ask, you seem to know my dad and my grandfather very well, what is your relationship with them?"
Xing Zhaozhao smiled meaningfully and said, "It's just that we have some connection."
Seeing that Xing Zhaozhao was unwilling to say more, Ling Shuang felt embarrassed to ask further: "I see."
Gao Hongfei couldn't help but lean close to Xing Zhaozhao's ear and whisper, "When did our family have any connection with the Ling family? How come I didn't know?"
Xing Zhaozhao replied softly, "When I went to Qingxi Town last time, didn't I save that little guy? A few days ago, he had a fight with his dad, ran away from home, and came to our house, saying he wanted to come and be our little Hongling's child husband."
"What?" Gao Hongfei exclaimed in surprise.
Gao Mingcheng, who was standing nearby, overheard this and his face darkened.
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