Chapter 91: The Truth
Originally, Wei Qiang wasn’t Old Woman Liu’s biological son, but he was Old Man Wei’s own nephew.
But just then, Huang Juan pushed her bicycle over and said to Lu Qiaoge, “We don’t know when this matter will be handled, you should get off work and go home.”
Lu Qiaoge shook her head, let Little Fly play by itself, and smiled as she said to Huang Juan, “I’m not hungry now, it doesn’t matter if I go back later.”
Huang Juan looked at Lu Qiaoge with warm eyes and said mildly, “Alright, let’s go together to see the thief who acts with perfect righteousness.”
The two rode quickly, and soon arrived at the Staff Hospital. The emergency room was on the first floor, with several doctors walking while talking. Huang Juan first asked about Zhang Quan’s situation and learned she had returned to the hospital ward, then breathed a sigh of relief.
A doctor told Huang Juan, “You’re looking for Wei Qiang, right? He’s in the duty room with his old man and old woman and Officer Li.”
When the two went to the duty room, Old Woman Liu saw Huang Juan and immediately cried out, “Deputy Director Huang, you have to stand up for me! The son I raised with shit and piss is turning against me!”
Wei Qiang stood to one side, head lowered without a word, with two red palm prints on his face, one left and one right, very symmetrical.
Clearly, this was from being hit by Old Woman Liu.
Old Man Wei lowered his head and smoked, his expression calm like an outsider.
There were quite a few people gathered in the corridor outside, all pointing and discussing, with buzzing voices.
Most didn’t know them, and Old Huang couldn’t very well drive people away. Besides, why clear the area? The one who took her son’s living expenses and then turned around to strike back wasn’t afraid—what did she, an outsider, have to fear?
Old Huang walked over with a furrowed brow. “Old Woman Liu, stop yelling. This is a hospital—speak properly.”
Old Woman Liu grabbed her arm, crying snot and tears. “I don’t care, you all have to properly discipline my unfilial son and vicious daughter-in-law, or I’ll die right here for you to see!”
Lu Qiaoge followed behind and didn’t speak right away. She glanced at Old Man Wei who wasn’t saying a word.
Before being recruited to the military factory, Old Man Wei and his younger brother lived here.
Their housing was right next to Hongxing Lake. At first, there was no dam yet, and a sudden flood destroyed the small village by the lakeside at the time.
Old Man Wei’s younger brother had just gotten married, and his wife was swept away by the water then. To save Old Man Wei’s family, he stayed in the water the whole time, pushing the doorboard with Older Brother’s family and his own son Wei Qiang, who was just over a hundred days old. Later he couldn’t hold on, and Uncle Wei, crying, handed two gold bracelets to Old Woman Liu, telling Sister-in-law to raise his son well.
Uncle Wei drowned, with no luck surviving. His body was found, and Old Man Wei buried him himself.
The grave was on that wasteland in the northwest.
When Little Fly saw this world, it suddenly gained awareness. It even named itself Xiao Cangcang, never going to dirty places, liking mountain forests, fields, and the fragrance of flowers. It also often wandered around the military compound.【
It told Lu Qiaoge: The military factory is a place with a lot of rules, and family situations are basically very stable. It’s strange, I don’t like staying in families without conflicts. I like watching the excitement, fights, and gossip. I found that Old Man Wei’s family and the department store Old Mu’s family often have some excitement every few days, so I’ve basically been at those two families this whole spring. But I’ve stayed the most at Old Man Wei’s family. Old Woman Liu likes visiting neighbors and gossiping behind people’s backs. I hear a lot of fun stuff】
【Then one time Old Man Wei woke up in the middle of the night and quarreled with Old Woman Liu, saying his younger brother cursed him for being heartless, a white-eyed wolf. Old Woman Liu didn’t dare argue with him. Then they talked about that year, and said Uncle Wei in the dream questioned Old Man Wei why he didn’t bring his son to visit him?】
Xiao Cangcang finally said: 【Old Woman Liu acted with perfect righteousness, not caring at all, and even said they aren’t allowed to pay respects now anyway—it’s not their problem.】
Thinking of this, Lu Qiaoge looked at Old Woman Liu, who was now viciously pointing at Wei Qiang, still with his head lowered. “Speak up, you useless waste! Was it your wife who told you to slander me?”
Hearing this, Lu Qiaoge wanted to hear what Wei Qiang would say.
Though not familiar with Zhang Quan, she knew it absolutely wasn’t Zhang Quan who instigated it.
Wei Qiang finally lifted his head. Since getting married, he hadn’t been hit.
He got hit the most before becoming an apprentice worker.
They say don’t hit the face when beating someone, don’t expose shortcomings when scolding. But his biological mother liked slapping him when she hit him. Once she hit him so hard his ear rang on one side. They say he remembers the food but not the beating. Wei Qiang gave a bitter smile. Why did Older Brother and Elder Sister rarely get hit? They messed around together, but in the end it was always him who got beaten, no matter what he did, it was always wrong.
He worked hard at his job and earned money desperately, just wanting to prove to his parents that he was successful and filial too.
Thinking of this, Wei Qiang said, “Dad, Mom, before I went to the police station, Zhang Quan kept advising me not to be impulsive. She said wait for her to go back and search carefully, maybe it fell in some corner.”
Wei Qiang still didn’t tell the truth. He didn’t want his mother to pick on Zhang Quan and scold her.
He regretted it very much. If only he’d listened to Zhang Quan.
Now it had blown up too ugly.
Mother seemed really angry and wouldn’t let it go. While feeling guilty, he felt even more confused. What exactly had he done wrong? Why did Mother always pick on him?
Old Woman Liu was just about to flare up and continue blaming Zhang Quan when Lu Qiaoge interrupted her. Looking at Old Woman Liu, she said bluntly, “Granny Liu, your youngest son knows he was wrong and has withdrawn the case. Why won’t you let it go?”
Old Woman Liu was stunned, then glared at her. “What does a little girl like you know? I raised him this big, and he dares to anger me, harm me, slander me— that’s unfilial!”
Lu Qiaoge watched coldly, her mouth corner slightly quirking up.
“Then what do you want to do?” Lu Qiaoge asked.
Officer Li also had a headache. This matter had blown up. Originally he wanted to let it go and withdraw the case, everyone done. No one was stupid, everyone knew what was going on, but Old Woman Liu felt she’d lost face and angrily came to settle accounts with Wei Qiang and Zhang Quan.
Old Woman Liu looked at Wei Qiang and said, “I can forgive you, but you have to promise me one thing.”
Wei Qiang hurriedly asked, “Mom, whatever the demand, just say it. As long as you’re not angry, anything goes.”
Old Woman Liu already had a plan in mind, but she wasn’t stupid—she wouldn’t say it here.
So she said to Wei Qiang, “Come home with me, and I’ll tell you what the demand is.”
Deputy Director Huang’s cold gaze drifted over. Zhang Quan was very weak now. Though she’d figured things out in her heart, she couldn’t withstand these people troubling her.
If Wei Qiang left now, who would take care of Zhang Quan?
Surely not her and Qiao Ge?
She definitely couldn’t let Qiao Ge stay here.
Though she could stay herself, this matter absolutely couldn’t be handled this way.
What demand that couldn’t see the light of day, having to go home to say?
This Old Woman Liu was getting more and more outrageous.
Wei Qiang shook his head. “Mom, whatever it is, say it here. If I go home with you, it’s over two hours round trip. Zhang Quan can’t be left without care.”
