Chapter 119
Chapter 119
Some say the death of a loved one isn’t a sudden rainstorm, but a lifelong dampness.
I didn’t even get to see my father and grandfather one last time. When I finally saw them, it wasn’t their familiar smiles or voices that greeted me, but their horrific, mangled remains.
That wasn’t a lifelong dampness; it was a lifelong storm.
That image, like a monstrous beast lurking in the abyss, constantly gnawed at my heart and occupied my mind.
My heart was dead.
I don’t know how I left our building. I had completely lost my mind at the time. Song Xiaotian and Meng Yifan could barely hold me down, and they were forced to call emergency services to have a doctor bring sedatives.
But before they could pull out their phones, Old Zhao Seven, out of desperation, knocked me unconscious on the spot.
When I woke up, I was surrounded by funeral music.
I was at the funeral parlor. The funeral arrangements for my father and grandfather were already underway, handled by Song Xiaotian, Meng Yifan, and some of my relatives.
I was lying in a lounge. When I opened my eyes, only Old Zhao Seven was there watching over me.
Seeing that I was awake, he brought over a bowl of porridge.
I sat there in a daze, as if I were completely cut off from the world.
“That’s just how life is-partings, deaths, aging, and sickness.”
Old Zhao Seven placed the porridge in front of me and said, “Hospitals see these departures every single day. You will die one day, I will die, everyone will die.”
“Actually… this is already the best possible outcome. Your father and grandfather would likely have been sentenced to death. At least they left this world with their reputations intact. Try to look on the bright side; this too shall pass.”
I was so consumed by guilt that I could hardly breathe. I began slapping myself across the face, one blow after another.
“I drove my father to his death!”
“I drove my grandfather to his death!”
Old Zhao Seven quickly covered my mouth. “Calm down. Your family and friends are all outside. They don’t know the truth; we’ve kept it hidden for you. Besides, they’re gone now. Song Xiaotian doesn’t plan on telling Fang Man’s parents how she really died, either.”
“Just let it be. Focus on finishing the funeral services in peace.”
I walked out of the lounge. The hall was crowded.
There were relatives, my grandfather’s and father’s friends and colleagues, and even the staff from our real estate agency.
Even those who had already resigned came to pay their respects after hearing about the tragedy.
Everyone was trying to comfort me.
In their eyes, I had suffered an unimaginable blow-losing two family members at once. To them, my misfortune was beyond measure.
I saw the bodies of my father and grandfather. The mortician had preserved the final appearance of my two closest relatives perfectly; they looked as if they were merely sleeping.
I stood between the two coffins, tears streaming down my face, though I had no strength left to sob.
Song Xiaotian and Meng Yifan stayed close by my side. They were afraid I would become emotional or lose control and say something I shouldn’t in front of so many people.
To my surprise, Fang Man’s parents arrived as well. They didn’t know the truth about Fang Man’s death; they had simply heard about my family’s tragedy from Song Xiaotian’s father and came to offer their condolences out of the goodness of their hearts.
They were two kind-hearted elders, which explained how they could raise a girl as wonderful as Fang Man.
Their eyes even reddened during the service as they comforted me.
“Child, everyone has to face this day eventually, but it shouldn’t have come so soon. Our Manman just left us, and before your heart could even begin to heal, you had to face this…”
“You have to stay strong. Don’t do anything foolish, or your father and grandfather won’t be able to rest in peace.”
The two elders began to choke up as they spoke.
Seeing them like this, I felt a deep sense of guilt. Keeping them in the dark felt like a cruel irony.
“Uncle, Auntie, actually…”
“Godfather, Godmother.”
Just as I started to speak, Song Xiaotian suddenly walked over and took Fang Man’s parents by the arms. “You should go back and get some rest. It’s getting late. Look after your health; we’ll handle the vigil here.”
He sent Fang Man’s parents away, then pulled me aside and asked in a low voice, “What were you trying to say? Were you going to tell them the truth?”
I lowered my head. “They have a right to know. It’s not fair to them.”
Song Xiaotian nodded. “Yes, I know they have a right to know. But rather than letting them know their daughter was deliberately murdered-that Du Ruhai treated her death like a game, a mere amusement-it’s better to let them believe it was just an accident.”
“They’re old. Sometimes the truth is too cruel, and not everyone can handle it. It’s better to let the lie keep them in the dark.”
I nodded slowly. “I understand…”
Song Xiaotian patted my shoulder. “Just focus on handling the funeral arrangements. Don’t worry about anything else for now.”
That night, I kept watch over the caskets of my father and grandfather. Song Xiaotian and Meng Yifan stayed by my side the whole time.
Old Zhao Seven was there as well.
Perhaps because the atmosphere was too heavy, Song Xiaotian suddenly turned to Old Zhao Seven. “Seventh Master, since you’ve already broken ties with Du Ruhai, and we aren’t exactly enemies-at most, you just messed with us a couple of times-tell us the truth. Why are you so invested in this ‘Seven Deaths for Life Exchange’ business? You even took the risk of lurking by Du Ruhai’s side. What is your ultimate goal?”
Old Zhao Seven arched an eyebrow. “Didn’t I already tell you?”
Meng Yifan chimed in, “With the way you talk, half of it is hot air. How are we supposed to know which words are true and which are lies?”
Song Xiaotian added meaningfully, “I re-investigated the Seven Deaths for Life Exchange case that happened in Lanjiang City fifteen years ago. There was indeed a victim surnamed Zhao, but his name wasn’t Zhao Zimu.”
“However, I did find a Zhao Zimu. He was your son, and he died thirty years ago…”
Hearing Song Xiaotian’s words, Meng Yifan was visibly shocked.
Even I couldn’t help but look up at Old Zhao Seven.
We had always thought Old Zhao Seven was a lifelong bachelor; there had only ever been traces of one person living in his home…
“That’s right. Zhao Zimu was indeed my son. He died thirty years ago,” Old Zhao Seven admitted without denial.
Song Xiaotian cleared his throat. “If it’s convenient for you to speak, we’re all ears. If not, then forget it.”
Old Zhao Seven smiled faintly, staring into the fire basin as his thoughts began to drift. “It’s been thirty years. There’s nothing inconvenient about it. When we were in that basement, I told Du Ruhai that I had seen the complete version of the Seven Deaths for Life Exchange thirty years ago. I wasn’t lying to him. I really did see it back then.”
“My partner and my son… they were the victims of the Seven Deaths for Life Exchange thirty years ago.”