"You are ungrateful and profit-driven. You have harmed countless people for the sake of profit. Today, I will punish you according to the Xiao family's family rules. Do you have any objections?"
Old Mrs. Liang spoke in a stern tone, with the cane in her hand raised high.
Xiao Wanli's face looked grim. He stared at the crutch and felt a lump of air in his chest.
He closed his mouth tightly, stared at Grandma Liang, and said nothing.
"You don't accept it?" Grandma Liang sneered and pointed at Xiao Wanli: "The old man is your father, and what he handed to me personally is the family law."
"The prosperous world you live in now is due to his contribution. How could the world-respected Old Man Xiao give birth to a son like you?"
"Do you want to bear the stigma of being unfilial before you die?"
Grandma Liang's words were well-reasoned and powerful, which suddenly moved Xiao Wanli.
His head, which had been held high, finally dropped, like a defeated rooster: "I surrender."
"Then kneel down and take three blows from me. After three blows, I will fulfill my promise to the old man and we will have no further ties."
Xiao Wanli gritted his teeth and knelt down on the ground tremblingly. His body seemed a little hunched at this moment.
Grandma Liang waved the dragon-headed cane in her hand, raised it high, and then gently placed it on Xiao Wanli's back.
"This stick is for you to be punished for abandoning your family and being ungrateful."
Xiao Wanli's body trembled violently. He looked up at Grandma Liang with moist eyes.
She is six years older than him and is already seventy-six years old this year.
That year, he and she got married at their father's behest.
However, the situation is changing rapidly. Two years after the marriage, the whole of China has undergone earth-shaking changes.
At the same time, he also smelled a hint of something unusual. He felt that it was because of his father's military exploits.
He will definitely have a place in Yanjing.
So, despite the old man's opposition, he divorced his wife and rushed to Yanjing, where he used the identity of Xiao Lie's son to curry favor with the powerful.
In a flash, forty-five years have passed.
I still remember that when I parted with Grandma Liang, she was pregnant.
Even though she knew that this man was going to abandon his wife and children, she remained very calm.
She did not cry and make a fuss like ordinary village women, because she was the descendant of a loyal martyr, and her pride did not allow her to do so.
That day, outside Yumen Pass, in the desert.
Yellow sand is everywhere, and lonely smoke hangs straight up.
She only asked him one question: "Have you really decided?"
Xiao Wanli felt guilty. He didn't say anything, but just nodded slightly.
"Then go ahead." She said only one sentence and turned to leave.
Xiao Wanli watched her back until she disappeared.
He just thought that she was cold, aloof and proud.
He also thought that she had forgotten him long ago, but when the stick fell gently, Xiao Wanli realized that she had always had him in her heart.
As he was immersed in the memories of forty-five years ago, another stick landed lightly on his back.
"The second beating will be for you, who regards human life as worthless and is only interested in profit."
Xiao Wanli's body shook slightly and he looked at her.
This battle is still not serious.
In the end, she still couldn't bear to do it.
Even if he abandoned his wife and children, even if he had not seen her once in forty-five years.
Even after Xiao Gucheng grew up and brainwashed him to make his son work for him, she couldn't bear to beat him hard.
She was six years older than him, and vaguely remembered that more than forty years ago, she was dressed in red and married him in a ceremony marked by heaven and earth.
She was in her youth at that time.
But now her youth is gone, her face is covered with wrinkles, and her black hair has turned white.
Another light blow landed on his shoulder.
"The third stroke of the stick is for your hypocrisy. For your own selfish desires, you allowed your child to wander among the common people for eighteen years."
This stroke of the stick was heavier than the previous two, but only slightly heavier. After three strokes, Grandma Liang put away her crutch.
"Alright, after three blows of caning, our grudges are settled." Grandma Liang said calmly, "From now on, whether you live or die has nothing to do with my Northwest Liang family."
"Is that all?" Xiao Chen was a little stunned. The old lady was still soft-hearted. Her move was too gentle.
However, sometimes emotional torture is much more painful than being hit by a stick.
Judging from Xiao Wanli's appearance, he was afraid that he would not be able to pass this level.
Xiao Wanli's eyes were red. He knelt on the ground without getting up, his voice hoarse: "Yulan..."
The old lady's name was Liang Yulan.
Grandma Liang closed her eyes, and the sound of "Magnolia" brought her thoughts back to forty-five years ago.
But unfortunately, things have changed and she and Xiao Wanli can no longer go back to the past.
"Do you have anything else to say?"
"I was wrong." Xiao Wanli lowered his proud head and tears fell from his eyes.
"From the beginning, I was wrong."
"I shouldn't have been so obsessed with fame and fortune, and I shouldn't have left."
"What's the use of knowing you were wrong now? If you really want to repent, then reflect on your mistakes in prison." Grandma Liang murmured.
"The old man once said that you are too obsessed with profit and will lose your original intention under the pursuit of profit."
"If you had listened to his words at the time, you wouldn't have made such a huge mistake and ended up in this situation today."
"Can you... forgive me?" Xiao Wanli asked expectantly.
"Forgive?" Grandma Liang shook her head gently: "You shouldn't beg for my forgiveness, you should beg for forgiveness from those you killed."
"You killed so many people for your own selfish desires. Don't you feel a bit... sorry?"
"I've been blinded by greed and self-interest. I... have too many sins on my body. I can't wash them away, I can never wash them away."
Grandma Liang looked at Xiao Wanli with pity in her eyes. She shook her head gently and ignored Xiao Wanli.
She extended her hand to Xiao Chen: "My dear grandson, I have finished my work for today, let's go."
"Okay, grandma." Xiao Chen nodded and reached out to support his grandma.
As the grandfather and grandson turned to leave, Xiao Wanli raised his head, his eyes red and trembling, and asked, "Xiao Chen, can you... forgive me?"
"Not true." Xiao Chen shook his head: "From the day you separated me from my parents, you should have known what consequences you would face."
"Xiao Wanli, please don't die. You will spend the rest of your life carrying your sins with you."
After Xiao Chen finished speaking, he took his grandmother's hand and left.
Xiao Wanli raised his head, looked up and shouted: "Father, I was wrong, I was wrong..."
A mouthful of blood spurted out of his mouth and he fell backwards.
"Quick, call an ambulance."
The investigation team was shocked. Xiao Wanli couldn't die now.
There are still too many things about him that have not been investigated clearly.
If he were to die, the investigation would be unable to proceed.
They quickly supported Xiao Wanli and called the emergency number.
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