Wei Zilin stared blankly upwards, his eyes lifeless. He knew he was beyond saving; everyone in his family who could help had fallen. His only fate was to be a peanut.
Xiao Dingyu sneered at the stunned Wei Zilin, then turned and walked out without lingering. There was no need for him to waste time with the man about to be executed; he still needed to see the three members of the Wei family he hadn't seen in over twenty years.
Xiao Dingyu stood at the current gate of the Wei family home. The Wei family had moved out of the compound and into the house where Wei Zilin had been beaten. Old Master Wei also lived there, but a doctor would come to check on him regularly. He received a monthly pension and various subsidies from the government for retired military personnel.
There was a knock on the Wei family's door. Aunt Zhang, who had moved in with them, came out to open it. She had never met Xiao Dingyu before and didn't recognize him. She asked Xiao Dingyu, "Who are you looking for?"
Xiao Dingyu looked at the unfamiliar woman and said, "I've come to see Old Master Wei and his son Wei Xiongjie. Go and tell them I'm Xiao Baiyu's son."
Aunt Zhang was somewhat stunned. Although she had only been with the Wei family for a few years, there were some older servants like her in the compound. During their conversation, some of them mentioned that Wei Xiongjie's current wife was his second wife; his first wife was Xiao Baiyu, the daughter of General Xiao.
Wei Xiongjie and Xiao Baiyu had a son, but this son disappeared in Beijing after Xiao Baiyu's death. For over twenty years, there has been no news of him, and no one knows if he is still alive.
Aunt Zhang snapped out of her daze and ran back into the house. She reached the living room, panting, and looked at Wei Xiongjie. Aunt Zhang pointed towards the door; she wanted to speak, but a breath caught in her throat.
Wei Xiongjie frowned when he saw Aunt Zhang's expression. "Aunt Zhang, weren't you going to open the door? Why did you come back looking like this? Who was at the door that made you react so strongly?"
“It’s me,” Xiao Dingyu said without waiting for Aunt Zhang to turn around and tell him he could come in. He followed Aunt Zhang in himself.
Wei Xiongjie stared at the man who walked in, then abruptly stood up. His face was filled with shock and disbelief. Wei Xiongjie pointed a trembling finger at Xiao Dingyu. "You...you...you're Ziming, you...where have you been all these years?"
Xiao Dingyu looked calmly at Wei Xiongjie. He thought he would be emotionally unstable upon seeing this man again. But his emotions remained completely calm; this man was now as unfamiliar to him as a stranger.
Xiao Dingyu opened his mouth and said clearly, word by word, "Comrade Wei Xiongjie, my name is Xiao Dingyu, and I take my mother's surname."
Wei Xiongjie stared wide-eyed at Xiao Dingyu in disbelief. The man before him was clearly his Wei Ziming. Yet he claimed his surname was Xiao, taking his mother's name, Xiao Dingyu.
"You... how did you change your name? Your surname is Wei and your name is Wei Ziming. You are a descendant of the Wei family," Wei Xiongjie said angrily.
Xiao Dingyu smiled sarcastically and said, "Comrade Wei Xiongjie, I used to have a disgusting name, Wei Ziming. Comrade Wei Xiongjie, have you forgotten that when I left, I severed all ties with the Wei family? What I call myself is my own business. I am not a descendant of your Wei family; I am merely the son of Xiao Baiyu."
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