Chapter 140: Collective Apology (Includes bonus chapter for 5,500 diamonds)

She felt as though she were watching a very long film, witnessing herself transform from a carefree little princess whom everyone pampered and cherished into the person she was today. It was truly sigh-worthy.

She had given her all to love someone who should never have been loved, sinking deeper and deeper into a quagmire with each step, until she finally woke up, only to find it was far too late.

She did not know when Fu Xuxing had begun plotting all of this, but ultimately, she was merely a turtle in his jar.

It seemed every step she took had been guided forward according to his will.

In the end, it resulted in her utter ruin and the destruction of her family.

Lin Wanbai sat quietly on the sofa, her forehead covered in a fine sheen of sweat, her palms drenched in cold moisture. Chills surged from the depths of her heart. Past memories, combined with the years she had spent suffering from amnesia, mingled into a complex cocktail of emotions, leaving her speechless.

All her memories poured forth, and everything fell back into place. Her heart was pierced with countless thorns; even the slightest movement sent a sharp, agonizing pain through her chest.

What an absolute absurdity.

She finally understood why none of these people had wanted her to recover her past.

It was because this was the path she had chosen herself. With her own hands, she had utterly destroyed a life that should have been happy and perfect, dragging down her family and friends in the process. Anyone connected to her seemed destined for a grim fate.

Even she herself had been reduced to dust.

The most agonizing thing in the world was falling from heaven into hell, and she was living proof of it.

She also finally realized how deep and enduring her love for Fu Xuxing had been. Yet this love had never received a normal return; her love had been exploited. Perhaps Fu Xuxing had never cared for her love at all. He was sick—how could he possibly understand what love was?

She truly hated him, hated him to the very core of her being.

Her hatred had reached the point of despair, ultimately driving her to choose suicide in order to escape this madman.

Yet in the end, she had been dragged back from the gates of hell by him, imprisoned within an ivory tower, where he attempted to force another life upon her.

Those hypocritical gestures were identical to the ones he had displayed when he used to play the role of the devoted husband.

The most pathetic part was that the exact same routine had still worked on her amnesiac self.

He truly had her figured out, knowing precisely which buttons to push.

Perhaps no one in this world understood her better than he did. After all, he had invested so much effort; otherwise, how could he have manipulated her so effortlessly in the palm of his hand?

The hypnotist tidied up his equipment and said, "Who performed the hypnosis on you before? The technique is extraordinary; I almost couldn't unlock it. They actually managed to hide your memories that deep."

Lin Wanbai did not react. She sat there in a daze, trapped within the labyrinth of her own memories.

Han Chen gestured for the hypnotist to keep his voice down, then escorted him outside. After expressing his gratitude, he arranged for someone to take the hypnotist back. Just then, Lin Zhouye barged in. The moment he caught sight of the hypnotist, his temper flared, and he rushed forward, ready to throw punches.

Fortunately, Han Chen had learned a few moves from Liu Yushan; he barely managed to dodge and snapped, "Lin Zhouye, what are you losing your mind for?"

"Me losing my mind? I think you're the one who’s out of your mind! Didn't we all agree beforehand that no matter what she said, we would resolutely prevent her from remembering anything? What the hell are you doing now?! I knew I couldn't rely on you, you brat!"

Han Chen shoved him away, his brow furrowed as he retorted, "Xiaobai asked for this herself. Even if I hadn't helped her, she would have found someone else by any means necessary. Rather than letting her be exploited by strangers, I'd rather help her directly. Besides, do you really think Fu Xuxing is just going to let it go? He will definitely come looking for her again. Since that's the case, it's better to let Xiaobai remember everything and let her know what Fu Xuxing did back then."

"You can't suppress memories forever. There will always come a day when she remembers. Are you planning to hypnotize her repeatedly like Fu Xuxing did?"

Han Chen let out a breath, smoothed down his clothes, and said, "I didn't want to do this either, but I think Xiaobai is right. What we were doing before was no different from what Fu Xuxing did. Or do you think Fu Xuxing was doing it for her own good?"

Lin Zhouye couldn't be bothered to argue with him. He glanced at the ajar door and asked, "What's the situation now? Has she remembered everything?"

Han Chen looked somewhat apprehensive, shook his head, and replied, "I don't know, but she probably has remembered everything."

As his voice trailed off, Lin Wanbai pulled the door open and stepped out. There was no expression on her face, and she hadn't been crying; her complexion was merely paler than usual. Standing before the two men, she said, "I remember everything. Uncle, I'm fine."

"Fine my ass. You haven't looked in a mirror, have you?"

Lin Wanbai raised a hand to rub her face, twitched the corner of her mouth, and said, "I really am fine. I said I could handle it, which means I can handle it."

"Let's go home." Lin Zhouye stepped forward, grabbed her hand, and hauled her away from Xiang Sheng Mansion.

As she was leaving, Lin Wanbai looked back at Han Chen to express her thanks and invited him to dinner another day.

Before she could finish the word "dinner," Lin Zhouye dragged her out forcefully.

He used considerable strength, fueled by anger, shoving her straight into the car without an ounce of gentleness. Lin Wanbai bumped herself and let out a soft groan, but she didn't cry out.

Lin Zhouye noticed, however. Standing by the car, watching her feign indifference, a sour ache twisted through his heart. He thought back to the past—when had she ever been able to tolerate even the slightest pain? She had been like porcelain, afraid that even a touch would hurt.

"Doesn't it hurt?"

Lin Wanbai instinctively massaged her head and said, "It's alright. But you should be a bit gentler. After all, I'm your niece, and we're family. Grandpa said you should treat me better. Now that Grandpa is gone, you mustn't act like a tyrant bullying the young."

He gave a dry chuckle. "Who are you putting on an act for? If you want to cry, then cry, don't hold it in. You're just like a dog that can't stop eating shit—you never listen to anyone else and insist on crashing headfirst into a wall before you realize it hurts, before you taste the bitterness. One crash isn't enough, you have to go for a second round. I'm your uncle, we grew up together; would I ever harm you? Would I ever lie to you? Why can't you just obediently listen for once and insist on having your own way? When has your stubbornness ever been right..."

Before he could finish, Lin Wanbai suddenly stood up and threw her arms around him. His words cut off abruptly. Lin Wanbai wrapped her arms around his waist, pressing her cheek against his chest. Her gaze drifted aimlessly for a moment as she stood there quietly. After a long while, she let out a gentle sigh and said, "It's so good to see that you're okay. Back then, I was so terrified that you'd be killed by the other inmates after going to prison. Seeing that you have all your limbs intact and your brain is still working, I'm truly happy."

"I've got a hard life, I just didn't get killed, that's all."

"No matter what, being fine is enough. Stop scolding me now. I've remembered everything, and I know where I went wrong. I can bear the consequences of all of it."

"Ha, the phrase 'stop scolding me' is the main point here. Don't think that acting pitiful will stop me from lecturing you. I'm still going to scold you until you learn your lesson and start obeying." With that, he pulled her away from him. "Hugs don't work, save that trick, I'm not buying it right now."

"Fine then." Lin Wanbai pouted and said, "Then I'll just cry instead. Let me tell you, my crying scenes are top-tier now. If you say one more word, I'll burst into a wail right this second. When my eyes swell up and we get home, if Mom asks what happened, I'll tell her you beat me. Let's see how Mom disciplines you then."

Lin Wanbai pretended to brew up her emotions, fixing him with a direct, staring gaze as if making a threat.

Lin Zhouye didn't react much, though his gaze grew deeper. After a few seconds, he pulled her back into his arms, embraced her gently, and said, "Go ahead and cry."

Lin Wanbai froze. The emotions she had been struggling to suppress surged back up. The soreness in her chest rushed up toward her nose and eyes in waves, and her head grew hot. Tears threatened to spill immediately; she bit her lip, still trying to hold them back.

Lin Zhouye raised a hand to press the back of her head, his palm warm.

He said, "You don't have to hold back in front of me. I know you must be hurting inside. Actually, it's not your fault..."

The moment the words "it's not your fault" left his mouth, Lin Wanbai's tears broke through her defenses. Burying her face deep into his chest, her entire body began to tremble slightly, and muffled sobs echoed in his ear.

Lin Zhouye said no more. He merely tilted his head, resting his chin against her forehead, while one hand gently stroked the back of her head in a soothing gesture.

Lin Wanbai didn't let herself cry for long. After a moment, she reined in her emotions, wiped her tears and snot all over his clothes, and then looked up at him with a smile. "Let's go home. When we get home, I'm going to tell on you to Mom."

Lin Zhouye didn't smile. He looked at her with utmost seriousness and asked, "You'll listen to me from now on, understood?"

Lin Wanbai didn't answer directly; she just smiled, neither agreeing nor refusing.

Lin Zhouye didn't push the matter, knowing he wouldn't let her run wild anyway. "Alright, get in the car first."

Before bending down to get into the car, Lin Wanbai glanced back at the small building and caught a glimpse of a figure quickly darting away from the second-floor French window—it was presumably Han Chen spying on them from upstairs.

The car drove out of Xiang Sheng Mansion.

Lin Wanbai's stomach let out a loud rumble, particularly resonant in the quiet interior of the car. Lin Zhouye heard it too. "You haven't had dinner yet?"

"Not yet." Lin Wanbai rubbed her stomach. "I'm starting to feel hungry now."

"Do you want to eat at home or outside?"

"Let's eat at home. Mom is waiting."

"Mm."

After another stretch of silence, the car stopped at a red light. Lin Zhouye glanced at her through the rearview mirror and, after a moment of thought, asked, "What are your plans now?"

Lin Wanbai was looking out the window, slightly distracted, and thus missed what he had said.

Lin Zhouye didn't press further, simply gazing at her in a momentary trance.

It wasn't until a car horn blared outside that both of them snapped back to attention. Lin Wanbai looked over, and he immediately withdrew his gaze, staring straight ahead as he prepared to step on the gas. But the green light had already turned red, forcing him to slam on the brakes again.

The driver in the car behind them laid on the horn for a prolonged blast, seemingly venting their curses through the noise.

Lin Wanbai leaned over and asked, "What are you daydreaming about? How did you miss the green light?"

Lin Zhouye turned his head. Her face was inches away; he paused for a fraction of a second, forced a weak smile, and said, "Thinking about company matters, just spaced out for a second."

"Well, thank goodness you didn't run a red light."

"Yeah."

Lin Wanbai leaned back in her seat and laughed. "The cars behind you are probably swearing up a storm."

"Let them."

"Were you talking to me just now? I thought I heard you say something."

Lin Zhouye stared at the traffic light and said, "Yeah, I asked what your plans are for the future."

Lin Wanbai pondered for a moment. "Let's see how things go first. What about you? What's your plan?"

"First, I need to get Xiaobai back. Once Xiaobai is back with you, you and elder sister are going to emigrate abroad; I'll make the arrangements. After that, you won't need to worry about domestic affairs. Once everything here is completely settled, I'll bring you back."

Lin Wanbai nodded lightly, offering neither agreement nor dissent.

Lin Zhouye continued, "You don't need to overthink things either. Just do as I say. Learn from this mistake and don't act recklessly anymore, doing whatever you please. Listen more to the advice of those around you; we would never harm you."

Lin Wanbai smiled and remained silent.

After a brief pause, as if recalling something, she said, "Call Mom and tell her I haven't eaten yet so she can start preparing. I can eat as soon as I get home."

"I already sent her a text when we got in the car. I haven't eaten either."

"Oh."

The rest of the journey was smooth, and they soon arrived home.

Lin Jingyu was standing at the door waiting, looking rather anxious. Seeing Lin Wanbai step out of the car, she relaxed visibly and walked over with a smile.

Before Lin Jingyu could speak, Lin Wanbai wrapped her in a tight hug.

During her amnesia, she hadn't realized how precious this was; now, the emotional impact was overwhelming. Back then, the doctor had said Lin Jingyu's chances of waking up were minimal, practically a sliver of hope—barring any other accidents, she would remain a vegetable.

Before jumping to her death, she had received the grim news from the hospital and had believed her mother was dead.

She held her tightly, feeling her body heat and listening to her breathing. A hundred emotions surged within her, and her eyes grew hot once more. At this moment, she didn't want to think about anything else; she just wanted to hold her like this. "Mom, I missed you."

Lin Jingyu was stunned, her own eyes growing warm. She said nothing, only returning the embrace fiercely, her voice choking as she murmured, "As long as you're back... as long as you're back."

Lin Zhouye watched from the side, suddenly feeling that Lin Wanbai's decision had been the right one.

The mother and daughter embraced for a long while before finally calming their emotions and heading inside.

Dinner was already prepared. Because Lin Wanbai's phone had been unreachable and there had been no news of her, they had delayed dinner, waiting entirely for her.

When she couldn't be reached, both Lin Jingyu and Lin Zhouye had panicked, terrified that Fu Xuxing might have dragged her back.

Sitting down to eat now, the three of them felt warmer than at any previous moment.

It was as if Lin Wanbai had only truly returned just now. Lin Jingyu's gentle gaze carried a multitude of emotions; her eyes periodically reddened, rising and falling on a tide of complex feelings. It had been too long—their family hadn't sat down together for a meal in ages.

The Lin family had always been sparsely populated, and now only the three of them remained. With things and people having changed beyond recognition, thinking of the old master passing away without a single person by his side to send him off made the ache in their chests grow even heavier.

A heavy, bitter taste filled their mouths.

The dining room was excessively quiet. Everyone ate slowly, each suppressing their own turbulent emotions.

Lin Wanbai quickly finished her first bowl of rice and said, "I'll have another bowl. Mom, your cooking skills have improved by leaps and bounds. I remember your cooking wasn't this good before."

"Mothers can improve too, you know. I don't do anything else now, and with nothing to do every day, cooking is my only hobby. Practice makes perfect; cook enough and your skills are bound to improve. Your mother here isn't an idiot, you know."

Lin Wanbai nodded. "Mm, Mom is very smart."

After sleeping for all those years, coupled with the craniotomy she had undergone, it was impossible for her to have zero lingering side effects.

Intricate tasks were beyond her because her limbs lacked complete coordination, and her mind and memory were indeed not as sharp as they used to be—that much was true.

She had to take a lot of medication every day, return to the hospital for regular check-ups, and perform rehabilitation exercises without missing a single one. At the very least, cooking was something she could still manage independently. If she couldn't charge at the front lines, she would handle logistics. Lin Jingyu refused to let herself become useless.

After dinner, Lin Wanbai sat with Lin Jingyu in the living room to watch TV for a while, while Lin Zhouye went to the study to handle matters that had been put on hold.

Lin Wanbai dismissed the domestic staff to rest and turned off the main overhead lights, leaving only a few wall lamps on. The lighting was soft and gentle on the eyes.

The television was playing a Korean family drama that Lin Jingyu had been hooked on—an old melodrama over a hundred episodes long, *Temptation of a Wife*, which had reached the point where the female protagonist staged a grand return for revenge.

Lin Wanbai smiled. "Mom, since when do you like watching these kinds of shows?"

"Just watching casually. It's not even that good; the beginning is too infuriating, it makes me angry just looking at it."

"Then you should have skipped the frustrating parts and jumped straight to her glamorous revenge."

"That wouldn't do either, then it wouldn't feel satisfying."

Lin Wanbai giggled. "You even demand a sense of satisfaction."

"Of course, otherwise why bother watching TV?"

Lin Wanbai leaned over, resting her head on Lin Jingyu's shoulder. "Dad had it pretty miserable."

"What?"

"Chen Songyuan is living a pretty miserable life right now. But compared to you, I still think he doesn't have it miserable enough; it needs to be much worse. What do you say? Should I bring him back here? Good idea or bad idea?"

Lin Jingyu paused, giving her a gentle shove. "What are you planning to do?"

"Take revenge, of course," she said, lifting her head with a mix of seriousness and joking levity.

"You..."

"He did so many things, turning our Lin family into this state, yet he's still living in a big villa, being supported by a wife and daughter, eating and drinking well, and even dreaming of making a comeback. Well, let him come then. Since he still hasn't repented and doesn't realize his wrongs, we need to teach him a lesson all over again and let him see just how wrong he was."

Lin Jingyu's heart was stirred by her words, but recalling the old master's usual teachings, she hesitated and said, "Forget it. I heard Fu Xuxing made things pretty miserable for him and forced him to spit out all the assets he got from the Lin family. Since that's the case, you could say he's gotten his retribution."

"The money was returned, but what about the emotional debt? I don't want anything else; I just want him to genuinely kneel before you and say he's sorry."

"Xiaobai..."

Lin Wanbai smiled, gripping her hand. "You always said it wasn't good that I take after you, but I've decided: from now on, I'm going to inherit my father's fine tradition. Not a single one of the people who once hurt us will I let off the hook. Tolerance and concession—we've tried all of that, but those people didn't become kinder because of it; instead, they grew worse, to the point where even today they don't think they did anything wrong. Since that's the case, do we deserve to be the ones who suffer?

"Are kind people destined to be bullied?"

Lin Jingyu asked, "What do you want to do?"

Lin Wanbai remained gentle, reaching out to wrap her arm around Lin Jingyu's shoulder. "I don't want to do anything. I'm just talking. It's probably because I only just remembered everything that happened in the past and can't adjust right away. I'll probably be fine in a couple of days. Don't worry about me."

With that, she leaned down to kiss Lin Jingyu's cheek, looking at her with a resolute gaze. "I'll protect you from now on."

***

Fu Xuxing returned on the night Fu Changjun was drawing his last breath.

As his car entered Sibei, he felt a surreal sense of detachment. Ever since he gained control of the Fu Corporation, he had never set foot here again. After all, this place was where the nightmares of his life had begun.

The residence was regularly tended to; Fu Xuxing disliked overgrown plants, so he had altered the layout slightly, clearing out half of the shrubs and greenery, which made the place feel rather vacant and hollow.

Walking down the corridor, he could see people standing inside and outside the main residence, seemingly discussing matters.

Someone noticed him and immediately passed the word inside.

Fu Xuxing recognized these people, though he wasn't close to them. They were distant collateral relatives of the Fu family. Once the Fu family fell into Fu Xuxing's hands, all ties with them had been severed, along with their business connections.

There were also a few relatives from Jiang Shuzhi's maternal family.

Their gazes all turned toward him, instinctively parting to the sides to clear a path.

Fu Xuxing walked inside, and the room instantly fell silent.

At a glance, he saw Fu Yanchuan seated in a prominent position, with the others divided on either side, as if consulting with him.

By his side stood Fu Yongyi on one hand and Fu Yonghui on the other.

Dressed in well-tailored suits, they didn't react immediately upon seeing Fu Xuxing; they appeared very calm, perhaps having grown more steady after weathering the storms of life.

Fu Dianyi was also there, accompanied by her children. Dressed in plain mourning clothes with a bare face, she bore no resemblance to the glamorous official's wife she used to be.

Everyone had changed; they no longer wore the arrogant, high-spirited expressions of the past.

Fu Xuxing walked slowly forward, stopping three paces away from Fu Yanchuan. He rested a hand on his waist and offered a faint smile. "Long time no see, Big Brother."

Fu Yanchuan looked up slightly. "It's been a long time since I heard you call me Big Brother. Xuxing, did you grow taller? Looking up at you like this actually makes my neck a bit tired. Sorry, it's not that Big Brother is disrespecting you, it's just that my neck isn't in great shape. Out of my whole body, this neck is all I've got left to rely on."

A portion of the people in the courtyard belonged to him; a servant promptly brought over a chair and placed it behind Fu Xuxing. At a subtle cue from Leisen, Fu Xuxing bent down and sat, bringing himself level with Fu Yanchuan's line of sight.

The two of them sat face to face, staring at each other. The atmosphere instantly grew tense.

Fu Yongyi and Fu Yonghui instinctively straightened their backs, their gazes locked onto Fu Xuxing. After all these years, the conflicts and misunderstandings between the brothers had dissolved.

Only through hardship did one realize how crucial unity among brothers was.

If the two brothers had been of one mind back then, they wouldn't have been reduced to this state. It was just that their realization had come far too late; the sensation of ruining a winning hand was utterly wretched.

Fu Xuxing asked, "How is the old man right now?"

Fu Yanchuan replied, "The doctors are keeping him hanging on by a thread, just waiting for you to come and see him for the last time. He's been calling your name these past few days; Grandpa always favored you the most. Go on and see him, he's waiting for you."

Fu Xuxing didn't reply immediately, merely studying him quietly for a moment before standing up and heading to the old man's bedroom with Leisen.

Two doctors stood at the door of Fu Changjun's room—one was unfamiliar to Fu Xuxing, while the other was the physician who had long tended to the old man's health, a doctor whom Fu Xuxing himself had arranged.

"Mr. Fu."

Fu Xuxing nodded. "What's the old man's condition?"

"He's relatively stable for now, but he doesn't have much time left—a matter of these next two days at most. Heart failure; at his age, there's nothing more to be done."

"Are you certain it's just that? No other contributing factors? I recall you always telling me the old man's health was holding up decently."

"It's a matter of age, a natural phenomenon, nothing can be done. It was indeed decent before, but given his advanced age, one cannot force it."

Fu Xuxing fell silent, then turned his gaze to the unfamiliar doctor. "And your assessment?" p
The other doctor lowered his gaze slightly at the sound and said, "My opinion is the same as Dr. Fang's."

"So, it's not due to an accident, just normal aging?"

"Yes."

Fu Xuxing nodded. "Is he conscious?"

"He's awake."

"I'll go in and take a look."

Dr. Fang pushed the door open, and Fu Xuxing walked in slowly. Inside stood two nurses and two caregivers—respectively assigned by him and Fu Yanchuan.

Seeing him enter, the group stood up almost simultaneously and consciously retreated to the side. On the bed, Fu Changjun was at death's door, wearing an oxygen mask, with an electrocardiograph and other medical equipment moved right into the room.

Fu Xuxing walked to the bedside, pulled over a nearby chair, and sat down.

Fu Changjun seemed to sense something. He kept his eyes closed, his lips moving weakly before a faint sound slipped out: "Who is it? Who's there?"

Fu Xuxing leaned in close. "Grandpa, it's me."

He seemed unable to open his eyes fully, his brow furrowing. "Xuxing? Is that Xuxing?"

"Yes."

After a moment, he forced his eyes open with great difficulty. Those once-shrewd eyes were now clouded and turbid; it was impossible to tell if he could even see clearly.

He seemed excited upon seeing him, his entire body beginning to tremble, his lips quivering. "You... you've finally come, you..."

Just as Fu Xuxing leaned his ear closer to listen, the old man suddenly spat out a mouthful of blood, followed by violent convulsions, and the electrocardiograph began to flatline and sound abnormal.

The nurses immediately called the doctors in from outside. The two physicians rushed forward, beginning cardiopulmonary resuscitation while administering adrenaline.

Yet Fu Changjun continued to cough up mouthfuls of blackish blood from time to time, looking thoroughly wretched. It bore no resemblance whatsoever to normal aging.

Fu Xuxing stood by, watching the entire resuscitation process from start to finish.

Ultimately, the old man did not pull through. His eyes remained wide open in death, as if he refused to close them in peace.

Fu Xuxing swept his gaze over the medical staff present, saying nothing more. He simply instructed someone to notify the people in the hall.

Shortly after, Fu Yanchuan and the others arrived. The close family members entered the room, crowding around the bed, all appearing deeply grief-stricken.

The blood on the old man's lips had not yet been wiped away, making his death look truly gruesome.

As his daughter, Fu Dianyi took the initiative to step forward and wipe the blood from his mouth, saying, "Dad, you can go in peace now. Your hands and feet can move again, you're all better! Remember that!"

Once the initial wave of grief subsided, Fu Yonghui spoke up first. "Didn't they say it was heart failure? Why did he spit blood? What is going on here? We've never seen symptoms like this before."

Playing the part of the dutiful son now, he glanced sideways at Fu Xuxing out of the corner of his eye and pointed the spear at the doctors. "I suspect something fishy is going on here. Did you administer the wrong medicine, or is there something else you failed to tell us?! I've never seen anyone spit blood from a natural death! And this blood looks so dark."

Prompted by his words, the others inspected the color of the blood and noticed it did indeed look darker than normal.

Moreover, this final bout of bloody vomiting was undeniably bizarre.

Fu Yongyi chimed in as well, "Exactly, I find it strange too. When Mom was sick to that extent, she passed away cleanly. How is it that with the old man, he's spitting blood too?! This is way too weird. Yesterday they said he could hold on for another week, how is it that the moment Fu Xuxing arrives, the man kicks the bucket? I seriously suspect you people misdiagnosed him!"

Accusations flew back and forth in a volley of voices.

Dr. Fang's expression began to crack under the pressure. His gaze darted repeatedly toward Fu Xuxing, as if pleading for help, but Fu Xuxing remained entirely unresponsive, standing quietly to the side and watching the spectacle unfold.

Finally, amid the chorus of cross-examinations, Dr. Fang suffered a psychological breakdown. He walked straight up to Fu Xuxing and cried out, "Mr. Fu, Mr. Fu, you have to protect me! I only did what I was told to do!"

As those words fell, the room plunged into a dead silence, devoid of the slightest sound. The medical staff supposedly arranged by Fu Xuxing all lowered their heads, looking guilty and panicked, like wrongdoers caught in the act.

Several gazes converged on the scene, each carrying a different meaning.

Fu Yonghui stared at Fu Xuxing in utter disbelief. "What does this mean? What is the meaning of this? Fu Xuxing, are you even human?!"

Only then did Fu Xuxing lift his eyelids to look at Dr. Fang. "Didn't you just tell me to my face that Grandpa suffered normal aging? I asked you twice, and that was your answer. And you." He pointed at the other doctor. "Since you were treating him alongside Dr. Fang, you didn't notice anything unusual about the old man?"

"I never examined him personally at all! Dr. Fang told me everything. I wanted to examine him myself, but Dr. Fang wouldn't let me and even threatened me—what could I do? Better to mind my own business than invite trouble. The old man looked fine to me, so I didn't say anything more. Who could have foreseen this? If I had known, I certainly wouldn't have stood by and watched."

He turned to Dr. Fang with utter confidence. "Am I right, Dr. Fang?!"

Dr. Fang remained silent, his brows furrowed, staring at the floor without uttering a word.

Fu Yanchuan wheeled himself over to Dr. Fang and asked, "So what exactly did you give the old man?"

Just then, another arrival entered.

Liang Yusheng, having learned that the old man's condition was critical and taking advantage of his free time today, had come to take a look. He hadn't expected the courtyard to be packed with so many people.

"What's going on? What happened here?"

His entrance drew everyone's attention. He scanned the room, finally letting his gaze land on Fu Xuxing. He walked over, glanced at Dr. Fang, sensed that the situation might be ominous, and looked toward the bed. By this time, Fu Changjun's skin had begun to change—his lips were blackened and his complexion darkened, bearing the distinct appearance of poisoning.

Suddenly, Yuan Lu, who had been keeping watch by Fu Changjun's side, let out a piercing shriek, drawing everyone's eyes back. Turning around, they saw blood leaking from the old man's seven orifices.

Everyone was horrified.

Instantly, Fu Yonghui stepped forward with the authority of the eldest son, pointing at Fu Xuxing. "You—what kind of monster are you! We treated you badly, so fine, take your revenge on us if you must. But didn't the old man treat you well? You actually poisoned him to death! You, you are worse than an animal!"

He raised his hand as if to strike, but under the chill of Fu Xuxing's gaze, he didn't dare let it fall. Gritting his teeth, he threw his hand down in a harsh gesture. "Well, the old man had it coming anyway! Back then he insisted on taking a mistress and going against Mom—this ending is just desserts for him! He never imagined he'd end up dying at the hands of his most beloved grandson! Serves him right, truly serves him right!"

He paced over to the window, striking a pose of heartbroken indignation.

Liang Yusheng frowned, listening to his tirade and managing to read between the lines. "What kind of nonsense are you spouting?! What does the old man's death have to do with Xuxing?"

"Hmph, you don't need to put on a hypocritical act here either. I bet you had a hand in this too," Fu Yonghui snapped, pointing at him.

"Ha, you people have some nerve. Whose arrival is it that causes the old man's health to deteriorate every single time? Didn't you bunch of children cut ties with him long ago? Back when Jiang Shuzhi was lording it over everyone, when did you ever treat him like a father? Now you come running back to put on a show, acting like devoted filial children? You claim Xuxing poisoned the old man, but I say you poisoned him yourselves to frame him!"

Liang Yusheng felt a stabbing pain in his kidneys just looking at this bunch. He should have cut ties completely back then. Now that they were gathered together, were they planning a comeback?

Before Fu Yonghui could retort, Fu Yanchuan said calmly, "We didn't say those words, Uncle. At first, we were just puzzled as to why Grandpa spat so much blood. We wanted to ask the doctor about the specifics, whether there was a misdiagnosis that caused him to lose his life needlessly. Who would have thought that upon asking, Dr. Fang here would crack first and say strange, suggestive things? That's why Father spoke up."

"Even if Father's relationship with Grandpa was ordinary, they were still father and son by blood. He could have died of old age, yet he died so miserably; it's normal for his children to feel upset at the end. Uncle, I know you love Xuxing. After going through so much, we all know we were wrong. We know Xuxing was just a child back then, and we shouldn't have been so cold to a child or failed to stop Grandmother's extreme behavior. Don't we feel heartache for Xuxing too? But this matter truly isn't something we pointed fingers at; you have to ask Dr. Fang. Everything said came from Dr. Fang's own mouth. If there's a misunderstanding, Dr. Fang is the one who led us to misunderstand. This time, my father really has been wronged."

Playing the role of the good gentleman, Fu Yanchuan turned to Fu Xuxing and said, "Second Brother, if I sincerely say I'm sorry to you now, can you forgive me? Forgive me for standing by with cold eyes back then and not stepping in to help you."

"We aren't back here to continue fighting with you. We don't even harbor thoughts of revenge. As the saying goes, when will the cycle of wrongs ever end? We just want to make peace with you." His posture looked remarkably sincere.

With those words, Fu Yonghui came over as well, squatting down beside Fu Yanchuan's wheelchair. "That's right, we came simply for reconciliation. Now that the old man and the old lady are both gone, all those old grudges should be buried with them. In the past, we were influenced by the old lady. To be honest, the old man wasn't much better; back when he was with your biological grandmother, he truly ignored the family's life or death—adults and children alike, he didn't care to look at a single one of them. His heart was entirely set on your biological grandmother."

Fu Yonghui took a slight breath and continued, "Now you tell me, if you were in our shoes, what mindset would you have? Of course, even so, none of this is your fault; you shouldn't have been treated that way. It was the old lady whose mindset was twisted and whose thinking went astray, but she's received the retribution she deserved. They've all met their retribution, and we've suffered our hardships too—doesn't that mean we're even now?"

"In terms of seniority within the Fu family, I am the eldest elder now. I hope that from now on, our Fu family can start over. This time, it will be mutual respect and love, a complete and harmonious family, helping one another as we start afresh. I'm saying sorry to you too, apologizing on behalf of my mother. I am truly, truly sorry."

One by one, these people stepped forward to offer their sincere apologies.

They all looked like they had learned the error of their ways.

Fu Xuxing wore a calm expression, locking eyes with Fu Yanchuan.

They were mimicking his playbook.

Liang Yusheng frowned, watching this group put on their hypocritical act. His anger flared, but he couldn't unleash it. If he lost his temper, it would only make him look petty and narrow-minded.

He pressed his lips together, swallowing his rage, and looked at Fu Xuxing.

The corners of Fu Xuxing's lips curved upward. Shifting his gaze back to the old man lying on the bed, he said, "It's better to sort out Grandpa's affairs first. Since he died of poisoning, shouldn't we call the police?"

Liang Yusheng said, "Call the police. Let the authorities handle it and find the real culprit."

Fu Yanchuan said, "Since you're still the head of the household in the Fu family, we'll naturally handle it according to your wishes."

Since he could remain so composed, he must have made preparations.

Therefore, if the police were called, whoever ended up being implicated was an unknown variable.

If it wasn't Fu Yanchuan, then it would be someone close to him.

Aside from him, the person under the heaviest suspicion was Liang Yusheng.

Moreover, during the days he was away, Liang Yusheng had been the one tending to the old man most of the time.

Fu Yonghui said, "I think calling the police is best. It's for everyone's peace of mind, let the forensic pathologist perform an autopsy to see what actually happened. That way we avoid falsely accusing each other. Our family can't withstand even the slightest misunderstanding anymore."

Fu Xuxing remained silent, as if deep in thought. A moment later, he stood up, walked to the bedside, picked up a tissue, and slowly wiped the blood from the old man's face bit by bit. "Actually, Grandpa would want to see our family live in harmony. What he wanted most was to have his children send him off to the grave, and today, that wish has been fulfilled. There's no need to call the police; let's give Grandpa a grand and honorable funeral. Dragging him off for an autopsy—he probably wouldn't want that himself."

"What do you think?"

No one raised an objection.

In the end, it was settled. Fu Xuxing gave instructions to arrange the subsequent procedures.

Once he finished giving orders, Liang Yusheng pulled him aside. "Why did you just drop it like that? Stopping it now makes me worried they'll use this matter to stir up trouble later."

"I have everything under control, don't worry."