My stunningly beautiful female boss at 29 (70-74)

70.
Another month passed quickly, and my book, *By the River*, was finally published. Uncle An bought dozens of copies, which An Xiaodong mailed to his relatives, friends, and colleagues.
An Xiaomei also bought several copies to give to her colleagues and employees. Even Mr. Wen, the big boss of the Shanghai headquarters, read my book and called to congratulate me.
An Xiaomei told me that people at the Guangzhou branch said they never expected Brother Chen to be such a talented man; they had actually worked with a writer. Even Mr. Ma, whom I had once beaten, read the book and was deeply moved. He told An Xiaomei that he had underestimated me, thinking I was just a driver, but he hadn't expected me to be so talented, experienced so much, and so emotionally rich. He admitted defeat, completely convinced.
But my heart was filled with worry because Aunt Zhuang's condition hadn't improved in the past month; in fact, it showed signs of worsening. The doctor said that if a matching bone marrow donor couldn't be found soon, the prognosis was not good.
But Aunt Zhuang absolutely refused to let Zhuang Youting and me tell anyone else about it. Zhuang Youting cried and cried, but there was nothing she could do. I could only comfort her, assuring her that I would never let Aunt Zhuang leave her.
I was conflicted, unable to decide whether to tell Uncle An and An Xiaomin about it. I decided to wait at most another two weeks; if the situation didn't improve, I would go against Aunt Zhuang's wishes and reveal her illness to her family.
Mid-September brought another weekend. Because An Xiaomei had gone to the Shanghai headquarters, I decided to go to Wanzhou. Twenty-four years had passed, and I had never been back. When I left, I was an eighteen-year-old boy; now I was a weathered middle-aged man.
Twenty-four years is but a fleeting moment in the long river of history, but for me personally, it felt like a butterfly flitting across the ocean.
I decided to go on Friday, stay for two days, wander around, and reminisce about the past. Although those memories were painful, they were an inseparable part of my life.
The night before I left, I received a call from An Xiaomin. She said she was also going to Wanzhou and asked if I could hitch a ride. I asked her how she knew I was going to Wanzhou. She said An Xiaomei told her that she was going back to attend a teacher's birthday banquet, and since she didn't have class on Friday, she wanted to travel with me.
So, the next morning, I drove to the villa where An Xiaomin lived.
After waiting for a while, she came out dragging a small suitcase and carrying a Chanel bag.
She looked particularly radiant today. She wore a beige long-sleeved silk shirt with a printed silk scarf tied around the collar like a man's tie, and navy blue slim-fit flared trousers with the shirt tucked in. She wore high-heeled shoes, and with her flowing medium-length hair, she looked graceful, tall, and elegant, with a touch of heroic spirit—breathtakingly beautiful.
"Xingyan, have you had breakfast? I brought you some milk and bread,"
An Xiaomin asked as I put her suitcase in the trunk.
"We've eaten, let's go!" I said, getting into the car with Ahn Hyo-min and driving out of the neighborhood.
We were both in good spirits the whole way, chatting and laughing, talking about my new book. Actually, everyone around me could find a reflection of themselves in this novel, and while the male and female protagonists weren't entirely based on Ahn Hyo-min and me, they were certainly modeled after us.
Ahn Hyo-min asked me why I killed off the male lead at the end. I said it was a tragic story, and it should have a tragic ending. Frankly, I hesitated during the writing process—whether to kill off the male or female lead. In the end, I decided to let the female lead live, while the male lead, carrying his endless longing for her, went to another world.
Ahn Hyo-min disagreed. She thought this ending was unfair to the female lead, because living in this world with the sorrow of losing a lover forever is more painful than death.
We stopped briefly in Dianjiang for a simple lunch. When we set off again, Ahn Hyo-min said she would drive, so I sat in the passenger seat.
As we drew closer to Wanzhou, my emotions grew increasingly complex and heavy. It was only then that I understood why An Xiaomin had driven for me; she knew I would be overwhelmed with emotion as we approached Wanzhou.
"Are you alright?" she asked, freeing her right hand to squeeze mine.
I smiled slightly, "I'm fine." "
How about we go visit Uncle Chen and Aunt Zhou's graves first?" she suggested.
I thought for a moment and nodded. Since leaving Wanzhou years ago, I had never returned, nor had I ever visited my parents' graves. For so many years, Uncle An, Uncle Yang, and An Xiaomin had been the ones to sweep my parents' graves every Qingming Festival. After
exiting the highway, the car headed straight for the cemetery where my parents were buried.
As soon as I arrived at my parents' graves, seeing their portraits and names on the tombstones, I knelt down with a thud
, tears streaming down my face. "Dad, Mom, I'm back... Your son is unfilial, wandering for twenty-four years, only coming to visit you today. Your son is unfilial!" An Xiaomin knelt beside me, also with tears streaming down her face, placing her hand on my back to comfort me.
Unbearable memories flashed through my mind. My father's tragic death, my mother's death from depression, the stigma my father bore as a thief, the experiences my mother and I endured from being ridiculed and vilified—all of this now tore at my heart, and tears streamed down my face.
“Dad, you’re not a thief, I don’t believe it, how could you be a thief? Mom, if it weren’t for Dad, you wouldn’t have died so young…”
I couldn’t continue, I collapsed to the ground, my forehead pressed against the earth, pounding the ground with my fists as I sobbed uncontrollably, “Dad, Mom, I miss you so much, your son misses you so much!”
An Xiaomin, already a sobbing mess, bent down and hugged me, whimpering, “Xingyan, don’t be like this, Uncle Chen and Aunt Zhou wouldn’t want to see you like this either!”
She struggled to lift my body, holding my head in her arms, comforting me while crying. I wept uncontrollably in her arms…
We cried for a long time, then sat for a long time at the grave before leaving.
After leaving the cemetery, we drove to the factory’s former residential area. Now, it’s completely unrecognizable; all the old bungalows and dilapidated buildings have been demolished, replaced by rows of residential buildings.
An Xiaomin led me around, pointing out the old An family home and the old Yang family home, until we finally arrived at the place where my parents and I used to live in that small bungalow.
Facing the high-rises that now stood there, we stood for a long time, each of us recalling that night twenty-four years ago. That night, An Xiaomin and I tasted the forbidden fruit here, and before dawn the next day, I left her. That separation has lasted twenty-three years.
Tears streamed down my face again, and An Xiaomin wept uncontrollably.
"Do you know, Xingyan-gege…" she looked at me through her tears, "In the days after you left, I came here almost every day to see if you had returned, and I cried so hard every time…"
She sobbed, then continued, "In the years that followed, even though this place has been demolished, I still come here once a year, hoping to see you appear before me…"
Listening to her words, scenes seemed to flash before my eyes.
The young An Xiaomin, standing outside that small bungalow, silently weeping.
In her youth, she stood here facing a construction site, silently shedding tears.
Now, she still stands here, tears streaming down her face.
Thinking about all this, tears streamed down my face. After a long while, An Xiaomin wiped away her tears and said, "Xingyan, let's go?"
Once in the car, I asked her where we were going. She said to her parents' house; we'd stay there tonight.
I said somewhat awkwardly, "There's no one else at home. It's inconvenient for both of us to stay there, isn't it?"
She looked at me, rather helplessly, "We're siblings, family. What's inconvenient about that?"
"Let's not be too formal. I'll stay at a hotel," I said, starting the car and driving off.
She had no choice but to pick up her phone, "Okay, I'll book a hotel for you."
I had originally told An Xiaomin to book a regular hotel, but she booked a five-star hotel not far from Uncle An's house.
I said, "It's just for a nap, why spend so much?" She said she wanted me to be comfortable. I wanted to give her the money back, but she firmly refused.

71.
We sat at Uncle An's house for a while, and as the streetlights came on, we found a Wanzhou grilled fish restaurant outside the neighborhood for dinner.
An Xiaomin asked me what my plans were for tomorrow. I suggested we wander around.
"Why don't you come with me to our teacher's birthday banquet?"
I chuckled. "I don't know any of these people, never mind..."
"What do you mean you don't know them? Principal Mao taught you and Yifan too!"
"Principal Mao?" I couldn't immediately recall who she was.
"She's the chemistry teacher, Ms. Mao. Not long after our graduating class, she became a leader at the affiliated middle school until she retired as principal."
"Oh, I remember now, Ms. Mao taught your class too?" I asked.
For three years of high school, my chemistry teacher was indeed a woman surnamed Mao, and I remember her classes were excellent.
An Xiaomin said, "Originally, she wouldn't have taught me. After sending your class to graduation, she came back to teach the first-year high school students. Didn't I take a year off after finishing my first year? I repeated a grade and became her student in my second year. She was our homeroom teacher then. So, shouldn't you go and offer your congratulations on your former teacher's 60th birthday?"
She encouraged me further, "At worst, you can leave after lunch and go wherever you want. I'll stay there with the teacher."
I still didn't really want to go. "Maybe Teacher Mao doesn't even remember me."
"How could she not remember? Dad sent her a copy of 'By the River' too!"
"Dad knows Teacher Mao?"
"Of course!" An Xiaomin showed a proud look. "I'm Teacher Mao's favorite student. Dad and she are quite familiar."
The next day, I went with An Xiaomin to the restaurant where Teacher Mao was holding her birthday banquet. The middle school we attended back then was later transferred to local administration. Teacher Mao taught at that school for over thirty years, nurturing countless students and leaving behind a legacy of outstanding achievements.
As soon as I entered the hall, I saw Teacher Mao sitting at a large round table near the stage, surrounded by a group of people, mostly her students, chatting and laughing.
"Xiaomin, come here!" Teacher Mao stood up and greeted An Xiaomin with a beaming smile as soon as she saw her.
"Teacher!" An Xiaomin called out, walking gracefully over. I followed behind her.
"Oh! Xiaomin! I've missed you so much!"
"Teacher, I've missed you too."
The teacher and student embraced warmly. It was clear that Teacher Mao adored her student. She put her arm around An Xiaomin and smiled, "Xiaomin! I'm so glad you could come."
An Xiaomin smiled and said, "Teacher, look at you! It's your 60th birthday, how could I not come?"
"That's right, that's right..." Teacher Mao was very happy, patting An Xiaomin's back, "You are one of my most outstanding students in my life... hehe..."
"Oh! Teacher Mao..." a student nearby said, "Everyone knows that Xiaomin is your favorite. She's your self-proclaimed most outstanding student, why add 'one of' just to consider our feelings?"
Everyone else laughed. The speaker was Li Ping, An Xiaomin's classmate who had attended my wedding.
"Well, I won't deny that..." Teacher Mao put her arm around An Xiaomin's shoulder and smiled, "Xiaomin is indeed my most outstanding student. Perhaps among all the students I've taught, she's not the most successful, but considering everything, she is definitely my most proud student."
"Teacher, please don't say that," An Xiaomin said somewhat embarrassedly.
She took Teacher Mao's arm with both hands. "Teacher, I brought someone with me. He's also your student. Do you remember him?"
she said, looking at me. Teacher Mao and the others also looked at me.
Teacher Mao studied me for a long time, clearly unable to recall me. An Xiaomin reminded her in her ear, "My dad sent you a book he wrote."
"Oh! Chen Xingyan, our great writer has arrived..." Teacher Mao chuckled, extending her hand to me.
I shook her hand and smiled, "Hello, Teacher Mao!" Teacher Mao
smiled and said, "I remember, you and Yang Yifan were in the same class, right?"
"Yes, Teacher Mao, you have a good memory." I smiled, thinking to myself, you remember Yang Yifan very clearly. But it's no wonder, Yang Yifan's grades were better than mine back then, although not as good as An Xiaomin's, but he was still a good student in the teachers' eyes.
Teacher Mao held my hand with her right and patted the back of my hand with her left, saying, "I read the book your father-in-law sent me. It's so well-written, it even made me cry..."
She sighed again, "Our school has produced famous scholars, successful businessmen, and high-ranking government officials. I never expected to produce such an excellent writer as you, haha."
I quickly replied, "Teacher Mao, you flatter me. I can't call myself a writer, let alone an excellent one."
"Xingyan, don't be so modest. Xiaomin's father also sent my father a copy of your book. It's really well-written. By the way, if I had known you were coming, I would have brought the book and asked you to sign it," Li Ping said.
I smiled and shook my head. An Xiaomin kept holding Teacher Mao's arm, looking at me with a beaming smile, as if to say, "I brought you, didn't I?"
After the banquet began, An Xiaomin and I sat at a table with Teacher Mao.
There were many guests, and people kept coming to toast Teacher Mao. Teacher Mao didn't drink alcohol, so she returned the toasts with water instead.
Many people, having heard I was a writer, came over to drink with me, and before long, I had drunk quite a bit. An Xiaomin, worried I'd get drunk, wouldn't let me drink anymore, and repeatedly told others that I had a low alcohol tolerance and couldn't drink any more. When there were people who were eager to drink, she would drink for me.
A female classmate teased, "Xiaomin, you've taken such good care of your brother-in-law."
An Xiaomin smiled calmly, "I brought him here. How could I explain to my sister if I didn't take good care of him?"
During the meal, Li Ping, sitting next to An Xiaomin, quietly asked, "You and Yang Yifan have been divorced for over half a year now. What are your plans?"
An Xiaomin smiled slightly, "No plans."
Li Ping scoffed, "I heard there's a super rich, eligible bachelor pursuing you..."
"Who told you that?"
"Never mind who told me. I have connections. Just tell me, is it true or not?"
"No." "Don't
pretend with me. It's boring. Anyway, I advise you to seize the opportunity. Don't think you're young and pretty just because you're only forty. Women age quickly. Wait a few years, then look in the mirror..."
"Alright, stop rambling on, like you're going through menopause."
"Who are you calling menopausal?"
"You!"
"You're the one going through menopause!"
The two women giggled quietly. A man in his sixties came to our table, raised his glass to Teacher Mao, and said, "Principal Mao, I toast you, wishing you a happy birthday and good health."
The moment his words reached my ears, I was struck by a jolt. Wasn't that the voice I'd overheard in the bathroom on my wedding day, the voice talking about my father?
Since that day, that voice had haunted me, refusing to leave. I'd always longed to hear that voice again, and now I was hearing it here.
My heart pounded.
"Dad, drink less," Li Ping said to the old man after he finished toasting Teacher Mao.
I was startled again; this man was Li Ping's father.
Li Ping's father said to his daughter, "Look at what you're saying, how can I not drink the toast offered to Principal Mao?"
Li Ping said, "I mean, you should drink less after this."
"I know, I know..." Li Ping's father said, then saw An Xiaomin and smiled at her, "Oh! Minmin, you're at this table!"
An Xiaomin greeted him, "Hello, Uncle Li!"
"How's your dad's been lately? Is he doing well?"
Uncle Li exchanged a few pleasantries with An Xiaomin before returning to his table.
I quietly asked An Xiaomin, "Does Li Ping's father also know Teacher Mao?"
An Xiaomin said, "Yes! Uncle Li is also a teacher at our school, and he even served as vice principal for a few years. Don't you know him? "
I shook my head and said, "I don't remember him."
After that, I would occasionally steal glances at Uncle Li, waiting for an opportunity to speak with him alone.
I felt that he must know the inside story of my father's true cause of death, even if he didn't know everything, he at least knew a little bit. Even the slightest clue, I couldn't let it go.
More than thirty years have passed, and as I feel I am getting closer to the truth of that incident, I am so excited that I can hardly contain myself, struggling to suppress the turbulent emotions surging within me.

72.
As the banquet was drawing to a close, Uncle Li came over to say goodbye to Teacher Mao. After he left, I said to An Xiaomin, "I'm leaving now."
She was a little surprised and asked, "So soon? Where are you going?"
"I'll tell you later. I've had a drink; you can keep the car." I took out my car keys and handed them to An Xiaomin.
She then asked if I was coming back for dinner. I said I'd think about it later, said goodbye to Teacher Mao again, and hurriedly left the restaurant.
"Uncle Li, please wait," I said, catching up with Uncle Li.
He turned and looked at me with surprise. "You are...? Oh, I remember now, you're the son-in-law of the An family, Chen... Chen Xingyan. I even attended your wedding!"
"Yes, Uncle Li..." I said, "I want to ask you something. Can we talk in private?"
Uncle Li glanced at his watch, as if he was in a hurry, and said, "What is it? Just say it."
"Okay, then I won't waste any more time..." I looked around and went straight to the point, "How exactly did my father die?"
He seemed very surprised, hesitated for a moment, and said, "Xingyan! More than thirty years have passed. Why are you asking about this now?"
“No matter how many years have passed, this matter has always weighed on my heart…” I pointed to my chest and said, “If you know the inside story, please tell me.”
A hint of panic appeared on Uncle Li’s face. He chuckled awkwardly, “How would I know anything about the inside story? Didn’t the factory security department say back then that your dad… well, he fell to his death in the factory’s scrap metal storage yard during… that’s all common knowledge! That’s all I know.”
I stared at him and said in a deep voice, “Do you remember the day I got married? You were in the bathroom talking to someone about my dad, and I heard it all.”
Uncle Li became even more flustered and pretended to be serious, “The day you got married? What did I say?”
“You said that my dad didn’t steal anything from the factory, that he was framed.”
Uncle Li chuckled again, “I said that? I don’t remember. Xingyan, are you sure you heard me right?”
I stared at him, “I heard it clearly.”
At this moment, his phone rang. I vaguely heard a woman calling, asking him where he was. Uncle Li said, "We'll be there soon. Wait there."
He hung up the phone and smiled at me, "Xingyan, look, I have something urgent to attend to. I have to go right now. We'll talk later."
He hurried to his car, opened the door, and said to me again, "Xingyan, I read the book your father-in-law sent me. It's well-written."
He then got into the car, started the engine, and drove out of the parking space. I was even more certain that he knew the inside story of my father's death, but I couldn't get him to talk.
Just as I was at my wit's end, a taxi pulled up beside me to drop off a passenger.
I had a sudden idea. I got into my car and pointed to Uncle Li's car, which was scanning and paying at the parking lot exit, saying, "Driver, follow that car."
The taxi followed Uncle Li's car closely. He picked up a woman in her fifties, heavily made-up, and continued driving towards the river.
We followed him until we reached a secluded spot on the Yangtze River, where Uncle Li's car stopped. I also told the driver to stop, paid the fare, and got out, hiding in the distance to observe.
A short while later, Uncle Li's car began to sway gently. Without even guessing, I knew what he and that old woman were doing in the car. I thought to myself, "A man in his sixties with grandchildren, still having sex in a car, wow!"
I took out my phone, switched to video mode, and crouched down, quietly crept towards the car. I filmed from the front while peeking inside.
In the passenger seat, Uncle Li was on top of the old woman, thrusting hard. The old woman had her eyes closed, her arms around his neck, looking completely ecstatic, moaning and groaning.
"Baby, is it good?" Uncle Li panted.
The old woman groaned, "It feels so good, I've already orgasmed!"
Uncle Li asked again, "Is it better when your husband fucks you, or when I fuck you?"
The old woman groaned again, "Of course it's better when you fuck me! Even that deadbeat can't get hard..."
I couldn't help but chuckle to myself. Suddenly, the old woman opened her eyes, and screamed when she saw me. Uncle Li turned around, startled, and quickly got up to pull up his pants.
He got out of the car and lunged at me, still filming with his phone. "Chen Xingyan, what are you doing?"
I dodged his attack, stuffed my phone into my pocket, and laughed, "Uncle Li, you're still got it!"
Uncle Li lunged at me again, "Give me the phone..."
I quickly subdued him, twisting his wrist with one hand and gripping the back of his neck with the other, saying, "Don't bother, even if you were thirty years younger, you wouldn't be a match for me."
"Ouch, ouch, Xingyan, be gentle..." Uncle Li begged for mercy.
I saw the old woman get out of the car, looking at us in horror. I released Uncle Li and said, "Tell your lover to leave, let's talk alone."
Uncle Li had no choice but to send the old woman away. I then said to her, "Sister, don't worry, I won't hurt him. But if you dare call the police, this video will be uploaded online and seen by your acquaintances, even your husband and children, which wouldn't be good."
"No, no..." The old woman was terrified, running away while glancing back at us a few times.
I waved my phone in front of Uncle Li again and smiled, "Now you can tell me what you know, right?"
Uncle Li said with a mournful face, "Xingyan, what do you want me to say? I don't know anything!"
I stared at him for a while and said, "Okay, I won't force you. I'll send this video to Li Ping's phone right now."
"No, no, no..." Uncle Li grabbed my hand and pleaded.
Then he sighed and said, "Alright! I'll tell you everything I heard, but I can't guarantee it's true."
I said coldly, "You don't need to guarantee it. Just tell me everything you know, but absolutely no holding back, or you know the consequences."
Uncle Li sighed again and said, "About ten years ago, I was drinking with Zhang the Hunchback from the factory. After he got drunk, he told me a story from the past..."
Under my gaze, Uncle Li continued, "He said that more than twenty years ago, on the night your father had the accident, he was also at the factory's scrap metal yard, trying to steal something to sell. He saw three people arguing on a high point in the scrap yard. Because it was dark, he couldn't see their faces clearly, but he could tell who they were by their voices. They were all from the factory, and one of them was your father..."
"Your dad was arguing fiercely with those two men, it seemed like he was trying to stop them from stealing from the factory. One of them threatened your dad, saying, 'I'll fucking kill you.' Suddenly, your dad fell from a height, landing on a pile of steel bars, and didn't move. The two men were terrified, calling your dad's name and running down from above, shaking him, but your dad still didn't respond."
"One of them said, 'He's dead, let's run!' The other hesitated for a moment, then sighed and ran after the other man."
I asked, "How did my dad fall? Did Zhang the Hunchback mention it?"
Uncle Li nodded, "He did, saying that one of those two men pushed him down."
I suppressed my excitement and asked, "Did Zhang the Hunchback say who those two men were?"
Uncle Li shook his head and said, "He didn't say."
I nodded and said, "Okay, I'll send the video to Li Ping."
He quickly stopped me, saying, "Xingyan, "I advise you to stop here! It's better that you don't know, otherwise it won't do you or them any good."
I had already guessed seven or eight parts of it, my heart was pounding, and I prayed to God that I wasn't right. "This has nothing to do with you, speak!"
Uncle Li sighed heavily and said, "Those two were your former adoptive fathers, one is your current father-in-law An Weiguo, and the other is An Weiguo's in-law Yang Lie."
Although I had already guessed it before, when these words entered my ears, I was still as if struck by lightning, stunned and dumbfounded.

73.
After a long while, I fought back my tears and asked, "Why didn't Zhang the Hunchback call the police back then?"
Uncle Li said, "I asked Zhang the Hunchback the same question. He said there were two reasons. First, he was afraid. He couldn't explain why he was at the scrap metal yard in the middle of the night. Second, because he was ugly, he was often ridiculed and even bullied at the factory. Your father-in-law often stood up for him, and he was always grateful to him, so he didn't want to report him..."
"Later, as time went on, he became even more afraid to report it, fearing the charge of withholding information. That day, when he was drinking with me, he said that this matter had been weighing on his mind for over twenty years, and he had never told anyone about it. It was making him very uncomfortable..."
I still held onto a sliver of hope and asked, "Uncle Li, could it be that Zhang the Hunchback was drunk and just made things up?"
Uncle Li shook his head. "That's what I thought too. The next day, after Zhang the Hunchback sobered up, I went to find him and asked him if what he told me last night was true. He said it was true because he had been keeping this matter to himself for over twenty years, and last night he simply told me."
“I told Zhang Tuobei back then that this matter happened more than 20 years ago, which is beyond the statute of limitations. Lao An and Lao Yang will not be punished. Lao An has always treated you well, and we have a good relationship. For the sake of his and Lao Yang's reputation, neither of us should say anything about this. Let it rot in our hearts…”
I said indignantly, “For their reputation? Their reputation is important, but isn't my father's reputation important? For their reputation, my father has to bear the stigma of being a thief for more than 30 years even after he dies?”
Uncle Li quickly said, “Xingyan, don’t get agitated. After all, your father is long gone, but your father-in-law and your Uncle Yang are still alive!”
“Yes! My dad is dead, but they’re still alive…” I was on the verge of tears, clenching my fists, and asked Uncle Li again, “There’s another question. Did Zhang the Hunchback see clearly who pushed my dad down?”
Uncle Li slapped his thigh and sighed, “Sigh! I might as well tell you everything! His neck’s already in there, what’s there to be afraid of with his head?”
Under my gaze, he said, “Although it was dark, Zhang the Hunchback couldn’t see clearly, but he could tell from the voice that it was your father-in-law who pushed your dad down from the height, and he was also the one who shouted your dad’s name and ran down from the height first…”
Listening to Uncle Li’s words, my heart was in turmoil. Before this, I had never imagined that when I learned the truth about my father’s death, two enemies would surface who had killed my father and made him bear the stigma of theft for over thirty years, and these two enemies were actually my adoptive father who had been so kind to me.
I wiped away the tears welling in my eyes and said, "Where's Zhang the Hunchback? Can you take me to see him?"
Uncle Li sighed, "I can't see him! He's dead, he's been dead for several years."
I asked how he died. Uncle Li said he died from drinking too much. Zhang the Hunchback was a lonely man, without a wife or children. He died at home three days before being discovered.
I remembered the afternoon of my wedding and asked, "Uncle Li, since you told Zhang the Hunchback to keep this a secret between you two, why did you tell others on my wedding day?"
Uncle Li said, "I drank quite a bit that day, and I almost blurted out something. But I didn't continue, I just said I heard your father was wronged, but I didn't know the specifics."
I raised my phone and said to him, "If I find out later that everything you said today was a lie, that you deliberately stirred up trouble because of a conflict with my father-in-law, do you know the consequences?"
Uncle Li said with a bitter face, "Xingyan, what conflict do I have with your father-in-law? Not only do we not have any, but our relationship has always been very good. Back when we were young..." "He even fought for me, otherwise he wouldn't have sent me the book you wrote."
He paused, then cautiously pointed to my phone, saying, "Xingyan, this... can we delete it?"
I sneered, saying, "Wait a little longer. Who knows, maybe one day I'll need you to testify for me? What if you refuse then?"
Uncle Li said urgently, "Xingyan, what else do you want? You were raised by them, and more than thirty years have passed. The law can't punish them anymore."
I stared coldly at Uncle Li, "The law can't punish them, but what about their conscience? Shouldn't they suffer the torment of their conscience? Shouldn't they face moral judgment and bear the punishment for their reputation?"
"How do you know they weren't tormented by their conscience?" Uncle Li retorted. "Back when you lived in the Yang family's house, your Uncle Yang would grab that kid Yifan and beat him, drag him over and yell at him. Why? Even now, Yifan is over forty years old and still has a problem with his father because of that."
"And also, ever since you disappeared that year, your father-in-law, who used to be so outgoing and lively, has become taciturn. And because of you, his wife ran off with another man, becoming the laughingstock of the entire factory..."
Uncle Li sighed deeply at this point, "Alas! They haven't had it easy either!"
I stared at Uncle Li and questioned, "They had it hard, but did my dad have it easy? Did my mom and I have it easy those years? My dad not only lost his life but also his reputation. Don't you know how my mom died?"
I paused, then said coldly, "They only paid a small price for the crimes they committed. And that price is nothing compared to the loss of our family."
Uncle Li looked at me for a long time and said, "Child, listen to my advice, let it go. They were so good to you those years, and now you're married to Meimei. Even if you don't think about them or your wife?"
"Although you've suffered a lot in the past, you're doing so well now, a famous writer, and married to a wife as beautiful as an angel. They're both getting old, in their sixties... For Mei Mei's sake, please don't pursue this anymore, okay? I beg you."
I couldn't help but feel conflicted. Yes! An Xiaomei loves me so much, and An Xiaomin is also deeply devoted to me. The two sisters are arguably the best women in the world to me. Do I really want to take revenge on their father?
“Xingyan, Xingyan…”
Uncle Li’s words interrupted my thoughts. I said, “Uncle Li, please stop talking. I know what I’m doing.”
He sighed and said, “Then, could you delete this video first?”
I smiled. “No rush. I need you to promise me two things. First, you absolutely cannot tell anyone what you said to me today without my permission. Second, if I ever need you to speak to me, you cannot remain silent. As long as you do as I say, I guarantee this video will never see the light of day again, understand?”
Uncle Li pleaded helplessly, “What did I do to deserve this? I just overheard this nonsense. Why are you threatening me like this?”
I patted his shoulder and said, “Uncle Li, you have no choice now.”
That night, I got drunk alone. An Xiaomin called me several times, but I didn’t answer or reply to her WeChat messages. Later, I simply turned off my phone.
Uncle Li’s words kept echoing in my ears. Only today did I fully understand why Uncle An and Uncle Yang insisted on adopting me and treated me so well. It was all out of a guilty conscience.
And the two elders I loved and respected most in my life were actually the enemies who caused my father's death and made him suffer an unjust accusation.
Fate is truly cruel. They were the ones who cared for and protected me like their own son. They were also the ones who pushed my father off a height, causing his death, and then abandoned him alone on a pile of cold steel bars that rainy night before fleeing the scene.
What should I do? Should I seek justice from them and ruin their reputations? Or should I bury all of this deep in my heart, continue to treat them as family, and pretend that what happened more than thirty years ago never happened?
For a moment, the debt of gratitude for their upbringing and the hatred for my father's murder left me at a loss.
I stumbled back to the hotel, drunk. As I passed the lobby, An Xiaomin stood up from the sofa and called out, "Xingyan..."
Looking at this woman who had been so devoted and caring towards me, I sighed inwardly. Why was the woman I loved most, the woman I had loved since childhood, the daughter of the enemy who killed my father?
"Xingyan, where have you been? Why didn't you answer my calls?" she asked as she walked up to me.
I glanced at her and said coldly, "None of your business."
I continued walking inside. An Xiaomin caught up with me. "Xingyan, what's wrong with you? Why did you drink so much?"
I suddenly stopped, staring at her fiercely. "Go away, I don't want to see you."
She stared at me with surprise and resentment. "What's wrong with you? What happened?"
I didn't speak and turned to leave. She called after me, "Xingyan..."
Just then, I felt dizzy and collapsed to the ground, convulsing.
"Xingyan!" An Xiaomin exclaimed, running to my side and crouching down to hug me tightly.
A commotion erupted in the lobby. A man who appeared to be the lobby manager and a waiter stepped aside to help. "What's wrong with him?"
An Xiaomin asked, rummaging through my pocket for medicine. "He's having an attack. Could you give me some water?"
The waiter quickly brought a bottle of mineral water, and with the lobby manager's assistance, An Xiaomin fed me the medicine.
"Ma'am, should we take your husband to the hospital? He seems quite seriously ill," the lobby manager said.
"No need, he'll be fine after a rest. Could you help me get him upstairs?" An Xiaomin said.

74.
Lying on the bed in the room, I heard the lobby manager say, "Should we take your husband to the hospital? It would put everyone's minds at ease."
An Xiaomin said, "He's having a Meniere's syndrome attack. It's not life-threatening. If you're really worried, I can assure you that if anything happens to him, it has nothing to do with your hotel."
The lobby manager quickly smiled and said, "That's not what I meant... Okay, I won't bother you any longer. Please contact us anytime if you need anything."
"Okay, thank you."
I drifted off to sleep, dreaming of scenes from my childhood with my parents. They suddenly disappeared. I searched everywhere for them, hearing them call my name, but I couldn't find them anywhere.
Suddenly, I saw them in the distance, smiling at me and waving. I called out "Dad! Mom!" and ran towards them, but a gust of wind blew, and they disappeared again.
This is a dream I've had for over twenty years, and every time I wake up, tears stream down my face.
"Dad, Mom!" I cried out, sitting up and waking from the dream.
An Xiaomin sat on the edge of the bed, holding me tightly, and said, "Xingyan, what's wrong? Did you dream about Uncle Chen and Aunt Zhou again?"
I ignored her, the dream I had just had replaying in my mind, the words Uncle Li had said to me today echoing in my ears, and tears streamed down my face.
I seemed to see my father lying alone on a pile of steel bars on that rainy night, a steel bar piercing through his head. I seemed to see my mother saying to me on her deathbed, "Xingyan, your father isn't a thief, he isn't..."
"Dad, Mom!" I cried out, sobbing uncontrollably, overwhelmed by immense grief.
An Xiaomin held my head in her arms, tears streaming down her face. "Xingyan, please don't do this, please, don't..."
Finally, she wiped away my tears, and I suddenly embraced her, kissing her lips.
"Xingyan, no, don't do this..." She tried to avoid me, struggling, trying to push me away, but I pressed her down onto the bed.
Gradually, she stopped resisting, wrapping her arms around my neck and kissing me.
Between passionate kisses, An Xiaomin asked me where I had been that afternoon, what had happened. I didn't answer, undressing her and then myself, and then entered her deeply.
As I thrust inside her, tears streamed down her face, and she moaned in my ear, "I love you, I really love you so much!"
I kissed her lips again, thrusting harder until I brought her to orgasm. Before I ejaculated, she told me not to go inside, so I pulled out and ejaculated on her stomach.
Afterwards, I left her body, said "I'm sorry," and got out of bed to go to the bathroom.
Standing under the shower, letting the warm water pour over my head, I leaned against the wall, asking myself over and over, what should I do?
An Xiaomin came in and hugged me from behind, her beautiful breasts pressed against my back. She murmured, "Xingyan, where did you go today? How did you end up like this after only being gone for half a day?"
She started crying, "Please tell me? I was so worried about you..."
Her pitiful state made my heart ache. I pried her hands away, turned around, and wiped away her tears. "It's nothing. I went for a walk by the river and it reminded me of many things from my childhood. I felt a little sad and drank a lot by myself."
She looked at me with tears streaming down her face and asked, "Really? Is that all?"
I smiled and nodded. She smiled back, wrapped her arms around my waist, and nestled in my arms.
"I know we're being so unfair to Meimei..." she murmured in my arms, "But I can't control myself. Every time I see you, I want to be with you. I keep telling myself that he's your sister's man, that you can't love him, you can't be with him, but I still..."
She cried again. I cupped her face, gazed into her tearful eyes, and said softly, "It's not your fault..."
Yes! It wasn't her fault. Even though I was her brother-in-law, she still loved me and slept with me. It still wasn't her fault. Even though I knew she was the daughter of my enemy, I still loved her and wanted to be with her. It wasn't my fault either. It was all fate's cruel joke.
I lowered my head and kissed her lips. We kissed passionately for a long time. When we parted, An Xiaomin said through tears, "Brother Xingyan, I only want this one night
. Let this night belong to just the two of us, okay? When dawn breaks, I'll give you back to Meimei. You'll still be my brother, my brother-in-law, and Meimei's husband, okay?" I thought to myself, yes, just this one night. Perhaps when tomorrow comes, everything will be over.
"Okay," I nodded.
She smiled sweetly and squeezed some shower gel into her hand. "I'll help you wash..."
"Should I do it myself?" I said.
"Don't move, I'll help you." She gave me a charming look and began to apply shower gel to my body.
She applied it carefully, scrubbing and washing me as she did so, not missing a single part, every inch of skin, like a mother bathing her young son. In her hands, I became erect again.
She took the showerhead, rinsed the shower gel off that area, then knelt down and took it into her mouth, swallowing and spitting it out repeatedly.
She did it meticulously and patiently, repeatedly taking deep throats. After a while, she stood up and wrapped her arms around my neck, whispering breathlessly in my ear, "I want you..."
I picked her up and sat her on the sink, kneeling between her spread legs, kissing her there for a long time.
She moaned, one hand on the sink, the other stroking the back of my head, watching me work between her legs, her sweet moans echoing in the bathroom.
I stood up, kissing her as I entered her overflowing depths.
"Minmin, the day after tomorrow is your birthday, happy birthday!" I said, gazing at her intently as I pulled away from her lips. In two days, she would turn forty.
She wrapped her arms around my neck, lost in passion. "You still remember my birthday?"
"Of course, I've never forgotten..." I smiled slightly, slowly thrusting in and out, saying, "That year, when I left, you weren't even sixteen yet. I spent your sixteenth birthday in Wuhan. I bought a cake, lit candles on it, and said to the flames, 'Minmin, happy sixteenth birthday.' But I know, how could you be happy then?"
Tears streamed down her face. I continued, "From then on, every year I celebrated your birthday alone in this way. Minmin, happy seventeenth birthday. Minmin, happy eighteenth birthday... until last year, Minmin, happy thirty-ninth birthday."
Tears also streamed down my face. She gazed at me through her tears, "Xingyan, in the next life? In the next life, let me love you properly. In this life, I can't love you, I will never love any man, and I will never be with any man."
We made love while crying. After making love in the bathroom for a while, we dried ourselves off and went to bed. I put on the condom provided by the hotel and continued making love with her until she had another orgasm and ejaculated into the condom.
As the clouds dispersed and the rain stopped, An Xiaomin nestled in my arms, murmuring to me how, on my wedding day, she wished she were the one wearing the wedding dress, the bride, and the one marrying me.
Tears streamed down her face. "Do you remember that day I helped Meimei try on wedding dresses? I was wearing one, looking at myself in the mirror, and I thought, 'If only I were trying on my own dress instead of my sister!'"
She choked back sobs. "Qishan said I was the most beautiful bride in the world. Hearing her words, I really wanted to cry..."
Her beauty and sorrow broke my heart; I could only hold her close and silently comfort her.
That night, we made love again, a passionate and intense lovemaking, until I ejaculated in her mouth and on her face...
Just as dawn broke, An Xiaomin sat naked on the edge of the bed, gazing at me as I slept, tears streaming down her face.
After a long while, she wiped away her tears, put on her clothes, and left the room with a heavy heart.
When I woke up in the morning, I saw a note An Xiaomin had left for me: "I'm going to take the high-speed train. We absolutely can't do this again."
I crumpled the note into a ball and threw it in the trash, my mind in turmoil.
I drove to the cemetery and stood before my parents' graves once more, tears streaming down my face, desperately asking them in my heart, "Dad, Mom, what should I do? Tell me, what should I do?"
The ever-flowing Yangtze River flows through this small town day after day. I strolled along the riverbank; a light drizzle was falling.
The sound of a ship's horn drifted from the river, seemingly from afar, yet so close. I saw a young woman running towards me from a distance along the riverbank. She was wearing faded blue work clothes, running and crying.
She was running towards a scrap metal yard downstream, where her husband lay. She had just received the devastating news while working the night shift at the upstream dock warehouse.
She fell, got up, and continued running, still crying, until she passed me.
I called out to her retreating figure, "Mom, Mom..."
Tears streamed down my rain-soaked face, as if tracing back more than thirty years...

(To be continued)

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