The iron gate was pushed open.
Su Mingqiang, dressed in prison clothes, walked in under the escort of prison guards.
His hair was shaved into a buzz cut, his cheeks were sunken, and he had heavy dark circles under his eyes, but his eyes were much clearer than before he went to prison.
"dad..."
Su Mingqiang stood at the door, his voice choked with sobs, his legs feeling incredibly heavy.
Su Jianguo looked at Su Mingqiang in front of him.
He could tell that Su Mingqiang had lost a lot of weight.
"Sit down and talk."
Su Jianguo suppressed his surging emotions and made Su Mingqiang sit down at the visiting table.
Su Mingqiang lowered his head, his hands pacing nervously back and forth.
"Dad, what brings you here? How's Mom?"
"Your mother doesn't know I'm here."
Su Jianguo took out a pack of cigarettes from his pocket, handed one to the prison guard, and after receiving his tacit approval, also handed one to Su Mingqiang.
Su Jianguo lit a cigarette and took a deep drag.
"I'm here to tell you that Zhang Haiyang has been sentenced."
Su Mingqiang suddenly looked up, a glint of light flashing in his eyes.
"How many years was he sentenced to?"
"death penalty."
When Su Jianguo uttered those two words, his voice was eerily calm.
"Multiple offenses will be punished concurrently, and the sentence will be carried out immediately."
Su Mingqiang's expression froze.
He opened his mouth, but no sound came out; tears rolled silently down his cheeks.
The beast who stole his wife and made him raise someone else's child finally got his comeuppance.
"dad..."
Su Mingqiang suddenly slid off the chair, his knees slamming heavily onto the concrete floor.
His forehead was pressed against the cold ground, and his shoulders were trembling violently.
"Dad, I was wrong... I was really wrong..."
Su Jianguo quickly squatted down, trying to help his son up, but Su Mingqiang held onto his legs tightly.
"I shouldn't have disobeyed you... I shouldn't have fallen out with my family over a woman... and I especially shouldn't have caused you so much worry at your age..."
Su Mingqiang burst into tears.
"I...I'm so sorry to you and Mom..."
Su Jianguo felt a tightness in his throat.
He stroked his eldest son's prickly short hair and said softly.
"Arise, for a man's knees are worth more than gold."
"No, Dad, make me kneel."
Su Mingqiang stubbornly shook his head.
"Dad, you not only saved my life, but you also avenged me..."
Su Jianguo sighed and forcefully pulled his son up.
"Let's not dwell on the past. After all, you're the one I raised. If I don't help you, who will I help?"
Su Mingqiang sat back down in his chair and wiped his face haphazardly with his sleeve.
"Dad, is Zhang Haiyang really... dead?"
"The execution was carried out by firing squad yesterday."
Su Jianguo took a newspaper out of his briefcase. The front page featured a photo of Zhang Haiyang being escorted to the execution ground.
"His crimes are far more serious than you imagine. Embezzlement, bribery, organizing prostitution... he's guilty of multiple offenses."
Su Mingqiang stared at the distorted face on the newspaper, his heart filled with mixed emotions.
This beast ruined his family.
But now, he felt no pleasure whatsoever, only endless emptiness.
"it serves him right."
Su Jianguo put away the newspaper, his voice low.
"But this isn't over yet."
Su Mingqiang looked at his father with a puzzled expression.
"What's the meaning?"
"The Zhang family has been entrenched in Beijing for many years, with a complex network of relationships."
Su Jianguo squinted.
"Although Zhang Haiyang's older brother, Zhang Haishan, was also arrested, their patriarch is still alive, and I heard he's a ruthless character."
Su Mingqiang's hands trembled involuntarily.
"Dad, please be careful..."
"Don't worry, I know what I'm doing."
Su Jianguo patted his son on the shoulder.
"How are you doing inside? Is anyone giving you trouble?"
Su Mingqiang shook his head.
"At first, some people caused trouble, but later... it seems like someone gave me a heads-up, and then no one dared to mess with me anymore."
He paused, a hint of gratitude flashing in his eyes.
"You arranged this, didn't you?"
Su Jianguo smiled noncommittally.
"Behave well and try to get a reduced sentence. Don't worry about things at home, I'll take care of it."
"Jin Hua...and the child?"
After hesitating for a moment, Su Mingqiang finally asked the question that had kept him up at night.
Su Jianguo's expression became complicated.
"The divorce proceedings are complete. The children... are innocent after all, so I'll have someone send them money and gifts regularly."
Su Mingqiang closed his eyes in pain.
The child he once treated like his own son has now become a thorn stuck in his heart, one that he can neither pull out nor get over.
"Dad, wait for me to go out..."
Su Mingqiang opened his eyes, his gaze resolute.
"I will definitely turn over a new leaf and take good care of you and Mom."
Su Jianguo nodded and took a watch out of his pocket.
"This is your favorite Shanghai brand watch. Take good care of yourself inside."
As the bell rang signaling the end of visiting hours, Su Mingqiang gripped his watch tightly, tears blurring his vision once more.
"Dad, take care..."
...
at the same time.
At Su Mingqiang's home.
Li Jinhua curled up on the sofa in the small living room, mechanically patting the baby in her arms.
Since the news of Zhang Haiyang's death sentence came, she hasn't had a single good night's sleep.
The child seemed to sense the mother's unease and cried incessantly throughout the night.
"Don't cry, sweetie..."
Li Jinhua gently comforted him, but her own tears kept falling.
She hated Zhang Haiyang for deceiving and manipulating her, and she hated her own weakness and vanity even more.
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