Chapter 69: Love And Hate Intertwined
The moment the man appeared, the old woman’s expression on her face became even kinder. She raised her hand and clapped, then made a hugging gesture toward him: “Aiya, one day without seeing our cub, come to Mama for a hug.”
The man’s gaze was vacant, his eyeballs gently turning, and he very obediently leaned into the old woman’s arms, nestling in her embrace.
Some color returned to the old woman’s pale and aged face. She lifted her hand, covered in deep wrinkles and slightly protruding veins, and gently stroked the back of the man’s head with a face full of happiness: “So obedient, so obedient.”
The old woman sighed softly: “Cub, why can’t you be as obedient as you were when you were little? You were so obedient, so cute, and listened to Mama so well back then!”
“Not only did you listen to Mama, you also helped Mama with so much work, afraid that Mama would get tired from doing chores. Mama still remembers when you accidentally dropped and broke a bowl while helping Mama carry it out—that scared little look was so pitiful.”
“Why…” The old woman’s hand trembled lightly as it fell onto the man’s hair, then suddenly grabbed hard and yanked outward forcefully.
The man let out a muffled grunt, his brows furrowing tightly, his figure fading even more, looking like it could dissipate at any moment.
As if unable to see it, the old woman’s kind and benevolent expression vanished from her face, her eyes staring at him with a sinister gaze: “Why… after growing up, did you stop listening?”
“Mama just wanted you to help out a bit with your maternal grandmother’s side, pretend to marry your distant cousin—why were you unwilling? Why…”
“Why did you help your father bully Mama?”
“Why did you call that woman ‘auntie’? You also think Mama is old and faded, not worthy of your father anymore, right?! Ah! Speak!!”
The man was yanked back, tilting his head up, his gaze dull and vacant, without answering her words.
“It’s okay, it’s okay, you’re mad at Mama, it’s fine if you don’t speak.” The old woman’s eyes were bloodshot, her breathing rapid from agitation. Her hands trembled as she gently stroked his hair, softly apologizing to him.
“Mama couldn’t control her emotions, Mama hurt you again just now, didn’t she? Sorry, it’s Mama’s fault. You’ll forgive Mama, right?”
“Cub, now you’re with Mama and Father, without that woman causing trouble, we’re a family again…”
The old woman’s thoughts were disordered, muttering nonsense in a low voice, turning the bead around her neck, drawing the man’s soul body back into the bead.
At the instant the man’s soul body was about to enter the bead, a golden light spot drifted in unsteadily from outside, silently merging into the man’s extremely faint soul body.
The moment the golden light fused with the soul body, the man, whose expression had been wooden, slowly blinked, his vacant gaze gradually brightening.
As if a statue had been injected with a soul, coming back to life.
The bead around the old woman’s neck also emitted a faint cracking sound, splitting open a seam…
–
On the other side, inside Wanhe Hospital in S City.
Feng Langqing, who had called the sanatorium to inquire about that woman’s news, had an extremely gloomy expression. He raised his eyes to look at Feng Yuli:
“The sanatorium said that woman was picked up in the name of the Feng family three years ago. They thought Old Dad’s anger had subsided, and since she was Old Dad’s biological mom, they didn’t dare to hold her and let her go…”
“As expected. Did you find out who picked her up?” Feng Yuli asked calmly.
“I asked Second Brother to investigate. He’s better at it than us and more convenient.”
Feng Langqing said, taking a deep breath, looking at the man lying on the hospital bed, growing thinner day by day, and said indignantly: “Bro, do you think that woman is crazy?”
“Our Old Dad is also her son, right? Also a piece of flesh that fell from her, right? How could she be so ruthless to him?”
“Clearly… Uncle’s death had nothing to do with Old Dad. The investigation results were shown to her too—why does she stubbornly believe it was Old Dad who did it?”
Feng Yuli rubbed his brow, his voice cold: “…Who knows? Father and son have shallow bonds, I guess.”
Feng Langqing snorted with a laugh—indeed quite shallow. He had heard that when Old Dad was young in the Feng family, he was neither loved by his father nor his mother, and Grandpa always used him as a shield for his affairs.
Because of that, he was constantly blamed and punished by his mother, with injuries on his body being commonplace.
The physical whippings weren’t even the worst torment. The worst was that their unreliable grandpa and grandma particularly doted on Father’s eldest brother.
The two were clearly both their children, yet the treatment was worlds apart.
Fortunately, Father’s eldest brother was reasonable and treated him mildly. Otherwise, the Feng family would have been a hellhole for Father.
Unfortunately, good people don’t live long. Father’s eldest brother and his wife were shot and killed while attending an international conference, leaving behind three children who needed feeding.
Grandpa was so stimulated that he passed away, and Grandma blamed his death on Father, treating Father even worse, her control growing stronger day by day.
Fortunately, Father had already taken control of the Feng family, with enough power to send her to the sanatorium to recuperate.
Sadly, these peaceful days hadn’t lasted two days before he inexplicably fell into a coma…
Feng Langqing smacked his lips. Looking at it this way, his Old Dad’s life was even more bumpy than the three brothers adopted by Old Mom.
The hospital room was quiet for a few minutes when Feng Langqing’s mobile phone buzzed.
He took out his mobile phone and saw a video call invitation from Second Brother pop up on the screen.
He clicked to answer, and a slender man appeared on the phone screen, wearing black silk pajamas, with disheveled black hair, pale skin, a black earring in his left ear, and a clear, handsome, pretty face.
“Third Child.” He yawned, rubbing his eyes: “I looked into what you asked. The last place that woman appeared was in a small village, and that village’s name seems to be Daba Village.”
“There are probably three hundred sixty Daba Villages across the country. I narrowed down her traces and locked it to two Daba Villages near S City. If you want to find her, you can check those two.”
“But…” he asked curiously: “Didn’t you hate her the most before? Why do you suddenly want to find her?”
Ever since Father didn’t marry the girl she had chosen as per Grandma’s demands, she looked at them with disdain—nose not nose, eyes not eyes. She had even cursed Third Child for being useless, acting like a sycophantic performer, shaming the Feng family.
Third Child was thus particularly disgusted with her, merely tolerating her as an elder. He had even secretly set off firecrackers when Father sent her to the sanatorium—why want to find her now?
“We need her for something.” Feng Yuli’s voice came from the side. He stared at the man on the screen, brows slightly furrowed: “Feng Xingchi, did you stay up all night again?”
Feng Xingchi blinked, his previously lazy posture instantly straightening: “Big Brother, there was just a friendly match at the team, so…”
“We’re about to have a younger sister. In the future, stay up less, don’t set a bad example for your sister.” Feng Yuli lectured him a bit, then added: “If you have time after the match, come to S City. We’re in S City waiting for you all. There’s something important.”
He paused, then continued: “Bring Zi Ning, Yan Xiu, and Jing Cheng too.”
With that, Feng Yuli hung up directly, not giving Feng Xingchi a chance to ask questions.
Feng Xingchi on the other end of the phone: “???”
Feng Xingchi’s eyes slowly widened. Did he hear wrong just now? They’re about to have what?
