At this point, sorrow welled up in Zhuang Long’s heart, and he almost lost control of his emotions.
“Mom, I was unfilial. I left you alone in prison for 28 years. I was unfilial and made you bear the injustice for 28 years…” He kowtowed heavily to Xiao Meng a few more times and said,” In this life, I have let you down. ”
Xiao Meng was already sobbing uncontrollably.
She hugged Zhuang Long and scolded non-stop, “Shut up! What nonsense are you spouting?! Mom was clearly the one who killed him. What injustice? I deserve to be jailed. Don’t ever say this again.”
Even though she had already been released from prison, and her file had been sealed at the police station, Xiao Meng still refused to let Zhuang Long say anything he shouldn’t.
In this life, she was determined to be a murderer for the rest of her life.
Zhuang Long understood Xiao Meng’s good intentions. As he understood, his heart ached even more.
Two streams of hot tears rolled down Zhuang Long’s face.
“Xiaobao, promise Mom that you’ll never say such nonsense again! If you say another word, I’ll leave this house! I’ll… I’ll die in front of you!” The only thing this ordinary woman could rely on to threaten Zhuang Long was her life.
Under Xiao Meng’s threat of death, Zhuang Long could only agree to her request.
“Alright, I won’t say such things again.”
Zhuang Qilin didn’t know what his grandmother and father were talking about. He was dumbfounded.
Apart from the two parties involved, Xiao Li and Jimmy were the only two people who knew the true situation back then. Xiao Li watched from the side and saw Zhuang Long and her mother hugging each other, both of them crying like children. At that moment, she felt extremely terrible.
She got up from the chair and walked behind Zhuang Long, hugging him and Xiao Meng at the same time.
Although he wasn’t sure what had happened, this didn’t stop Zhuang Qilin from taking advantage of the situation. He also stood up from his chair and walked over to Xiao Li and the other two. He tiptoed and tried his best to surround his father.
The family of four had yet to eat, but they were already hugging each other.
Seeing this, Gray thoughtfully dismissed all the servants and chefs. Even he made a temporary retreat.
After a moment of affection, the four people who were hugging each other finally let go. They sat back in their seats and looked at each other. In the end, they smiled in unison. After this hug, something seemed to be different. It was as if there was something that he always had but never realized.
Zhuang Qilin had thought that dinner would be difficult to swallow. He had already prepared some change and an excuse. He had planned to find an excuse to slip out and buy some pills that would help with digestion after dinner. However, when he tasted the plate of braised pork trotters in front of him, his eyes widened.
He looked at Zhuang Long in shock. He couldn’t understand why his father, who had been an idiot at cooking, had suddenly become an expert at cooking. Unable to figure it out, Zhuang Qilin simply buried his head in his food. That night, Zhuang Qilin ate his fill and went out for a walk.
Xiao Li and Zhuang Long accompanied him.
There were very few unfamiliar cars on the road outside the manor. This road had actually been privately built by Zhuang Long. Back then, when this road was built, the surrounding neighbors did not fork out any money, but they all contributed to its construction. Even so, they all remembered the favor Zhuang Long had given them.
There were three or four other residents near Zhuang Long’s house. They were all from ordinary families. They weren’t very rich, but they weren’t poor either. However, Zhuang Long was only closest to Jimmy’s family.
The three of them walked out of the manor and bumped into Jimmy and his family, who were walking with Parker. Seeing Xiao Li and Zhuang Long walking together, Rachel was shocked for a moment. Then she thought of something and suddenly smiled happily. “Looks like our handsome young man’s happy days are coming.”
The handsome young man Rachel was referring to gave a very reserved smile.
Rachel had never seen that smile before.
Rachel couldn’t help but take a second look.
After not seeing him for a few days, Zhuang Long seemed to have changed. Jimmy, who was holding Parker’s hand, kept staring at Zhuang Long, his eyes probing. Zhuang Long did not avoid Jimmy’s probing gaze. When Jimmy frowned in confusion, he smiled and nodded at him.
Jimmy froze for a moment, his eyes filling with relief and relief.
He walked over and patted Zhuang Long on the back. For the first time, he laughed heartily. “Kid, you didn’t disappoint me.”
Zhuang Long smiled at him, but his smile faded very quickly.
“Uncle Jimmy, you haven’t finished the story you wanted to tell me last time, have you?”
Jimmy did not immediately understand what Zhuang Long meant.
He thought for a moment before understanding what Zhuang Long was referring to. He said, “What’s there to say? Don’t you already know the rest of the story?”
“I do know.”
Zhuang Long took Parker’s leash and let him lead the way.
Jimmy hurried after him.
Zhuang Long quickened his pace and grabbed Parker. He squatted down and rubbed Parker’s head several times before looking up. He said abruptly, “I already know the complete story. In that case, I have a question. Can Uncle Jimmy enlighten me?”
Jimmy didn’t agree directly.
He asked cautiously, “Is your question confidential?”
“Don’t worry, it’s just a very personal question.”
Hearing this, Jimmy was relieved. “Go ahead.”
Zhuang Long stood up and grabbed Parker’s rope. He asked, “Uncle Jimmy, the police officer in the story knew that the boy was the murderer. Why did he protect the boy?”
This question was akin to smelling the essence of the story.
Jimmy had guessed that Zhuang Long would ask this.
His eyebrows rose a little, and he looked a little conflicted. Zhuang Long did not rush him. He just listened quietly, looking extremely patient.
“Because of guilt and self-blame,” Jimmy said.
Zhuang Long looked at him without blinking. His gaze seemed very calm.
Jimmy said to himself, “If he had discovered the distress signal left behind by the little boy earlier, he would have been able to catch the murderer sooner. Unfortunately, he was a few days late. Due to his lateness, the desperate little boy committed murder.”
“For that, he felt guilty and blamed himself. In the basement, the police wondered if the boy wouldn’t have been like this if he had arrived earlier. His hands wouldn’t have to be covered in blood. His mother wouldn’t have to go to jail as a substitute for a murderer, and he wouldn’t have been sent to live in an orphanage as an orphan.”
“He chose to protect the little boy because of guilt and self-blame.”
Zhuang Long suddenly smiled. He said, “Uncle Jimmy, you’re going against your professional ethics. Aren’t you afraid that the little boy will make more mistakes in the future, kill more people, and become the second Hand of God?”
Jimmy chuckled. Just from the sound of it, it was impossible to tell what he was really thinking. “That policeman believed that this child was kind. He was willing to take his chances.” Jimmy gazed at Zhuang Long, his lips curving up. He looked proud, but not self-satisfied.
