On the couch, Zhao Qingxue gradually woke up.
She opened her eyes and was surprised when she saw the two people. “Why are you here, Big Bro?”
Then, she furrowed her brows and pressed her head with her hands. Her head ached.
“Are you OK, Qingxue?” Zhao Wuyang said urgently. “Did this bastard do anything to you?”
“Bastard?” Zhao Qingxue was confused. “What are you saying, Big Bro? I was drunk earlier, and he brought me back home. What happened to your face, Big Bro? Did you fall and hit something?”
Zhao Wuyang immediately blushed. “Y… Yes! I accidentally tripped while I was outside!” He stammered.
Then, he looked at Tang Hao and said incredulously, “Do you know him, Qingxue?”
“Of course I do!”
Zhao Wuyang was stunned. Then, his face turned bright red.
It was a misunderstanding!
He felt ashamed of himself as he rubbed the bruise on his face.
He did not expect that the kid was Zhao Qingxue’s friend, and he was not a mere acquaintance.
Zhao Qingxue would not have allowed him to bring her home if they were only acquaintances.
“Hey, Tang kid, did you take advantage of my younger sister?” Zhao Wuyang glared sternly at Tang Hao.
“What are you saying, Big Bro?” Zhao Qingxue said angrily with a red face. “By the way, why are you here?”
“Hmph! It’s all thanks to this guy! I’ve been suspended from my job. I got bored and that’s why I came to visit you!” Zhao Wuyang said angrily.
Zhao Qingxue was shocked as she looked at the two people.
Then, she immediately understood. The bruises on her brother’s face were not caused by him tripping and falling, but he was beaten by Tang Hao.
She could not hold back her laughter.
“You’re laughing at me?” Zhao Wuyang said indignantly.
“You never change, Big Bro! Why did you have to cross him? He’s very strong!” Zhao Qingxue said, still laughing.
“You’re speaking up for him?” Zhao Wuyang was confused. “I’m your elder brother!”
“You ought to keep your fiery temper in check!” Zhao Qingxue said.
“How are you feeling now, Officer Zhao? Does your head still hurt?” Tang Hao said.
Zhao Qingxue was surprised. She finally noticed that there was something weird about her condition.
She remembered that she drank a lot of alcohol at lunch and had lost consciousness, but now she felt incredibly sober, as though she had not drunk any alcohol.
“I feel good! What did you give me earlier, Tang Hao?” She vaguely recalled Tang Hao feeding something into her mouth.
“I’ve given you a sobriety potion. Remember, don’t drink too much next time! I’ll be going off. Enjoy catching up with each other!”
After he spoke, Tang Hao turned around and exited the door.
He drove out of the residential area and went toward Tang Village.
That morning, Liu Dajun’s property company had sent their personnel to Tang Village to discuss setting up a plantation there.
Tang Hao was going there to keep up with the latest developments.
Tang Village was his hometown. He was eager to see the place thrive.
The meeting went smoothly. All that was left was for the construction crew to move in and start laying the foundations.
The villagers were ecstatic with the rapid development of the village. They enthusiastically held Tang Hao back for dinner.
Three uneventful days passed in the blink of an eye.
That morning, Tang Hao went to his secret plantation in Dragonrock Village. When he came out of the mountains, he noticed a car driving past the village entrance.
That car was a BMW. It was considered an extravagant car in the eyes of the villagers.
It attracted many people’s gazes as it drove across the bridge.
Many women who were doing their laundry next to the stream lifted their heads to look at the car.
“Oh, I wonder who that is. That’s a nice car!” They talked among themselves.
The car parked on some vacant land after it drove past the bridge. Four people came out of the car. It was Shi Xuebin and his family.
The women’s faces immediately became unfriendly when they saw who they were.
Shi Xuebin’s family was unpopular in Dragonrock Village.
“Oh! What rare guests!”
“I’m surprised that this family still remembers their roots! I thought I’d never see them again in my life!”
“Old Man Jianyun is unlucky to have such an unfilial son!”
They talked loudly among themselves with no attempt to hide their mockery.
Shi Xuebin and his family members lowered their heads in shame.
Then, they walked into the village.
As Shi Xuebin looked around the place, he became more and more surprised.
He had not returned to the village for many years, and it was different from how he remembered it.
Back then, all the houses were shabby and run-down. It was a great contrast to what it was now. The road leading into the village was newly paved, and many new houses were under construction.
‘Everything has changed!
‘I can’t recognize this place!’
Wang Guifen was also quietly shocked by how the village had changed.
She could not imagine the village changing by so much in a few years.
As they walked along the road, some villagers came out of their houses and pointed at them with unfriendly expressions on their faces.
Shi Xuebin walked past his elder brother’s house and saw First Uncle and his wife standing by the door. He felt guiltier than ever.
“Brother! Sister-in-law!” He greeted them with a red face.
“Hmph!” First Uncle grunted angrily. “Have you finally remembered to come back? Where have you been in the past few years? Don’t you know that Dad and Mom miss you?”
“I…” Shi Xuebin was at a loss for a reply.
“I was wrong, Brother! I’m here to apologize to you all!” Shi Xuebin said regretfully.
First Uncle grunted again, but his expression was a lot gentler.
“Come with me. Let’s visit Dad and Mom!” He said while he started walking.
“Brother! How have Dad and Mom been lately?” Shi Xuebin asked timidly.
“Dad and Mom are healthy, all thanks to Lil Hao,” First Uncle replied.
Shi Xuebin was shocked. “Brother, so Lil Hao is now…?”
“Lil Hao has been doing incredibly well. Have you seen the changes in the village? It’s all thanks to Lil Hao. He’s also the one who built the road,” First Uncle said.
“It’s all thanks to Lil Hao that the village is developed now. Even though he struck a fortune, he did not forget his roots, unlike some people who don’t even return to visit their parents!”
Shi Xuebin and Wang Guifen felt more ashamed of themselves than ever.
Meanwhile, they were also fearful of what they had done to Tang Hao back at the wedding banquet.
At the wedding banquet, they found out that Tang Hao was connected to Vice Governor He’s son. Now that they found out that Tang Hao had brought development to Dragonrock Village, their admiration toward him grew.
“Sigh! Looks like Lil Hao has grown to be a fine young man!” Shi Xuebin lamented.
Wang Guifen was not too happy when she heard that.
At the elders’ house, Grandpa and Grandma were already waiting at the door. They had heard the commotion earlier.
They had a complicated mix of feelings when they saw their second son.
“Dad! Mom! I’m sorry that I’ve neglected you!” Shi Xuebin walked ahead and kneeled on the ground.
The elders immediately felt sorry for him. “You don’t have to do that. Stand up!”
The elders were willing to forgive their son if he truly repented.
“Dad, Mom, look, she’s your granddaughter-in-law,” Shi Xuebin stood up, then introduced Shi Zelei’s wife to them.
The two elders smiled happily.
Tang Hao saw all that from afar and smiled.
Then, he quietly left.
He went back to his company and dealt with some matters. In the afternoon, he received a call from Old Master Luo.
