Chapter 123
Chapter 123
The person who had just come to pay their respects was none other than my mother.
If she hadn’t covered her face, I definitely would have recognized her at first glance.
“Mom!”
I chased after her, calling out while searching for her figure.
But she seemed to have already left, or perhaps she was hiding. She still didn’t want to see me.
After a moment, Song Xiaotian and Meng Yifan ran out.
“What happened?”
“What are you shouting for?”
I told them I saw my mother.
Their eyes widened instantly.
“Are you sure you didn’t see wrong?”
“I didn’t. I really saw my mother.”
I grabbed Song Xiaotian, getting worked up. “I saw her. She came to pay her respects to my dad and my grandpa. She’s gotten old-there were wrinkles on her face-but I could still recognize her.”
Song Xiaotian quickly patted my shoulder to calm me down. “Alright. Let’s look for her. We’ll search together first. Your mom can’t have gone far.”
Then we split up and searched, combing through the entire area around the funeral home.
But I still couldn’t find her.
She was deliberately hiding from me.
When I returned to the entrance of the main hall, Song Xiaotian and Meng Yifan were back too. They both shook their heads-no sign of my mom.
“Fifteen years… it’s been fifteen years. Why won’t she still see me…”
I stood there, at a loss. “Even if she just said a few words, told me how she’s been all these years… Does she really hate me that much?”
Song Xiaotian comforted me. “Don’t think too much. People have their own beliefs and their own way of living. Respect her choice. Since she came this time, maybe she was worried you wouldn’t be able to take the blow and came to check on you.”
I nodded and went back inside, feeling hollow.
Tomorrow would be the farewell ceremony for my dad and my grandpa. After that, their bodies would be cremated.
I kept thinking-since she came today, would she come tomorrow?
If she did, I’d pretend I hadn’t seen her. I’d hold back my longing. Even if I could only look at her from afar, that would be enough.
After all, she was my only living relative left in this world.
The next day.
The farewell ceremony went on as scheduled, and a lot of people came.
This was the living seeing the dead off on their final journey.
I prayed my mom had come too. Even if we could no longer walk the same road, we were once family.
But I searched the crowd from beginning to end and never saw that masked, hat-wearing woman from last night again.
My mom still didn’t come.
I could only comfort myself the way Song Xiaotian had-my mom must have cared, which was why she came last night. We didn’t need to meet, because the moment she saw me, she’d remember that I was someone who’d been traded for seven lives.
Even though my mom didn’t come, someone else did.
Du Ruhai.
The instant he arrived, the whole place erupted.
The local richest man coming to pay his respects to my dad and grandpa-news like that was more than enough to cause a sensation.
“That’s President Du! It really is President Du!”
“So did Old Chen-the old man-know him, or was it Guowen who knew him?”
“How come we never heard about this before?”
The murmurs in the crowd made it sound like the Chen family ought to feel honored that Du Ruhai had shown up.
My dad’s friend, the factory director Old Huang, squeezed in too, all but fawning as he tried to shake Du Ruhai’s hand.
Du Ruhai was like some award-winning actor, wearing that gentle, humble expression as he shook hands with Old Huang and the others one by one.
“I had some ties with Old Mr. Chen in the past. I never expected something like this to happen so suddenly, so I came to see the old gentleman and his son off on their final journey.”
“Please, don’t make too much of a fuss over me. We are here to quietly see the deceased off on their final journey. Let’s all be mindful of the family’s feelings.”
Du Ruhai’s brief speech earned him another round of praise from the crowd.
It was a good thing I hadn’t eaten much over the past two days, or I would have vomited right then and there.
After he finished speaking, he presented two bouquets of flowers to my father and grandfather. As the family representative, I had to return the gesture of courtesy.
“Sigh, life is so fragile. People are here one moment and gone the next.”
Du Ruhai looked genuinely sorrowful as he offered his condolences. “Chen Mo, I’m so sorry for your loss.”
Song Xiaotian and Meng Yifan stood beside me, both glaring at him with icy stares.
My expression remained blank. I couldn’t say much in front of so many people, so I simply nodded. “I appreciate it, Boss Du. It was very thoughtful of you to come.”
At that moment, he leaned in, lowering his voice so only we could hear. “Before your grandfather passed, did he give you the complete version of the Seven Deaths for Life Exchange? I’m willing to pay for it.”
He finished with a small, mocking smirk.
Song Xiaotian shot him a look. “Boss Du, don’t push your luck. The cremation chamber is right next door. Believe me when I say I can send you in there first.”
Du Ruhai laughed. “I believe you. There’s nothing you wouldn’t do, Song Xiaotian. But I am a guest today; you’re being a bit impolite.”
Song Xiaotian struggled to contain his rage. “Politeness is for people, not animals. Are you even human?”
“Your words are getting a bit harsh,” Du Ruhai said. “I was asking Chen Mo a question. Why are you so worked up?”
“You son of a-”
Seeing Song Xiaotian’s fists clench, I quickly stepped in to stop him. I looked at Du Ruhai and said, “Boss Du, my grandfather’s passing was very sudden. He didn’t leave me anything. I’m afraid you’ll be disappointed.”
Du Ruhai sighed. “What a pity. He wouldn’t help me out even at the end. That’s the thing about poor people-they might be incompetent, but they certainly don’t lack for petty schemes.”
Meng Yifan cursed, “Who the hell do you think you are, calling people ‘poor’ every other sentence? Were you not poor once yourself?”
Du Ruhai grinned. “If I were poor, then there would be very few rich people left in this world. Don’t be jealous; you simply don’t have my luck.”
With that, he turned to leave.
I grabbed him, blocking his path.
“What? You want to start something in public?” he asked, looking at me.
“I want to tell you that I have nothing left now. My girlfriend was killed because of you, and my only remaining family is gone.”
I gripped Du Ruhai’s shoulder and spoke calmly. “You’d better kill me soon. Because if you don’t, I am definitely going to kill a beast like you.”
Du Ruhai glanced at me. “Are you drunk? Talking big like that… how are you going to kill me? With your mouth?”
I replied, “Keep a close eye on that person in the wheelchair. If he dies before me, you’ll be dying before me too. I can’t stand the thought of you having a quick, easy death.”
“You act so tough, but you haven’t managed to kill me yet. Right now, you’re just hiding behind the identity of Du Ruhai. Otherwise, you’d be worth less than a dog. Even the woman you raised for over a decade thought you deserved to die. You’re actually quite pathetic. Go on back and enjoy your little victory while it lasts.”
I had struck a nerve. Du Ruhai’s eyes flared with anger, and the smile vanished from his face instantly.
With a pale, livid expression, he shot me one last look and turned to walk away.