Zhang Weimin shouted impatiently, suppressing his anger as he walked over and opened the courtyard gate.
The moment the door opened, Zhang Weimin gasped, his pupils shrinking sharply!
A blood-soaked, bruised and purple face suddenly appeared before him!
The man's eyes were sunken, his expression was numb, and his empty sleeves fluttered in the wind.
If it weren't for the familiar silhouette, he would have thought he had encountered a ghost!
"Weiguo?!"
Zhang Weimin exclaimed in shock, "You...you've been beaten up?!"
"It's okay, brother."
Zhang Weiguo twitched the corner of his mouth: "I was careless and tripped."
He glanced into the yard and asked, "Where's your sister-in-law? Did she go to work?"
"Ah...yes, I'm off to work."
Zhang Weimin was still in shock and answered subconsciously. Then he realized what was happening and grabbed him, saying, "Come in first! Your face is all bruised and you say you're fine?! Wait here, I'll get you the first-aid kit and treat you first!"
"No need, brother."
Zhang Weiguo pulled his hand away, not with great force, but with a firm attitude: "I'll handle it myself when I get back."
He looked at his brother, at this haggard man burdened by his family, and a faint emotion finally flickered in his eyes.
"Brother...I'm sorry..."
He said in a low voice.
"It's been so long, and I've made you worry about your useless younger brother."
This sudden apology left Zhang Weimin completely stunned.
Looking at his brother's face, which was a bloody mess but with unusually calm eyes, the heavy weight that had been hanging over his heart miraculously eased a little.
Has my younger brother... figured it out? Has he come to his senses?
A mix of bittersweet emotions welled up inside Zhang Weimin. His eyes reddened, he bit his lip, and punched Zhang Weiguo's shoulder hard.
"You brat! What nonsense are you spouting!"
His voice was choked with emotion: "We're brothers, blood is thicker than water! What's with all this talk of being a burden!"
Zhang Weimin thought that Zhang Weiguo had finally come to his senses and was ready to cheer up again, so he quickly encouraged him.
"Weiguo, listen to me, as long as you're alive, that's more important than anything else! No matter how big the hurdle, we brothers will face it together! No matter how bitter or difficult life gets, we'll grit our teeth and get through it!"
He thought these words would give his younger brother hope.
However, upon hearing this, Zhang Weiguo's face revealed a calm, even relaxed, smile.
The smile that appeared on his ferocious face looked incredibly eerie.
"Brother, you're right."
"I will bear all the consequences myself."
He paused, looked into his brother's bewildered eyes, and added, word by word, in an almost relieved tone:
"I will... free everyone."
Zhang Weimin found his younger brother very strange.
His calm gaze contrasted horribly with the gruesome wounds on his face.
"Wei Guo, what's wrong with you?"
Zhang Weimin couldn't help but ask, "Don't scare me."
"I'm fine."
Zhang Weiguo shook his head: "Brother, I've figured it out."
He glanced in the direction of home: "I've been out for too long, I'm afraid Dad might have soiled himself again, and Qingqing... she also needs someone to watch over her, to prevent her from running away again. I have to hurry back."
This reason sounded reasonable, which made Zhang Weimin relax.
He sighed heavily and patted his younger brother on the shoulder: "Okay, go back and take care of your wound first. I'll come help you in a bit!"
"Um."
Zhang Weiguo nodded, said nothing more, and turned to leave.
Looking at his lonely figure, Zhang Weimin felt that something was wrong, but he couldn't quite put his finger on it.
When Zhang Weiguo returned to that dilapidated home, a stench assaulted his nostrils.
From the inner room, the father, Zhang Yaozu, was making meaningless humming noises intermittently through the crack in the door.
Zhang Qingqing, who had gone mad, suddenly appeared from some corner, ran up to Zhang Weiguo, waved her little hand in front of her nose, and shouted with a look of disgust, "Stinky! So stinky!"
Looking at his sister's innocent yet foolish face, Zhang Weiguo felt a taut string in his heart snap.
He suddenly stretched out his only arm and hugged Zhang Qingqing tightly.
He buried his face in his sister's dry hair, and hot tears silently streamed down his face.
"I'm sorry... Qingqing... It's my fault..."
His voice choked with emotion, and his body trembled violently.
Zhang Qingqing felt uncomfortable being held by him and struggled, mumbling incoherently, "Candy...I want candy..."
Zhang Weiguo let go of her, wiped away his tears, and his face returned to calm.
He closed the courtyard gate.
"good."
He said softly, "I'll give you candy, come inside with me."
"Yay!"
Zhang Qingqing was overjoyed.
After Zhang Weiguo led Zhang Qingqing back to the room.
"Where's the sugar? Where is the sugar?"
Zhang Qingqing asked innocently, looking around.
Zhang Weiguo stood behind her.
With his intact hand, he tightly gripped Zhang Qingqing's neck.
Zhang Qingqing's eyes widened suddenly, and she began to kick her arms and legs wildly, but she couldn't make a sound.
"I'm sorry... Qingqing... you're free now... you're free now..."
He kept apologizing while tears streamed down his face, but the pressure on his hands kept increasing.
Until Zhang Qingqing's body went completely limp.
Looking at his deceased younger sister, Zhang Weiguo leaned against the wall, exhausted, and gasped for breath for a while.
Then he came to his senses, and his eyes became even more vacant.
He then went to Zhang Yaozu's room.
The old man, paralyzed in bed, saw him come in, his cloudy eyes flickered, as if he wanted to say something.
Zhang Weiguo did not give him a chance.
He grabbed a quilt from the side and suddenly shoved it over Zhang Yaozu's face.
The old man struggled weakly for a few moments, then quickly fell silent.
The room was deathly silent.
"We're all free...we're all free..."
He spoke with a smile while tears streamed down his face.
"Now, it's my turn."
"It's my turn to take responsibility and bear everything I should."
Zhang Weiguo took one last look at his home, then walked out with heavy steps, heading towards the police station.
...
At the entrance of the Public Security Bureau.
Jiang Tiancai was leading a team of people, preparing to go out on an errand.
He had just stepped out the door when he bumped into someone.
The man was covered in blood and had a numb expression.
Jiang Tiancai frowned as he recognized the person who had arrived.
"Zhang Weiguo? What happened to you?"
Zhang Weiguo looked at him, his empty eyes devoid of any light.
"I'm turning myself in."
His voice was flat, as if he were talking about something that had nothing to do with him.
"I killed someone."
Jiang Tiancai's heart sank: "Who did you kill?"
“My father, Zhang Yaozu.”
Zhang Weiguo replied, "And my sister, Zhang Qingqing."
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