Chapter 2460: Chapter 2461: Redemption
“Thank you.”
Zhang Long, with a cigarette in his mouth, leaned against the bed, silent.
At this mont, he was relieved.
The quietness in the room was extre, in Ning Che’s view, it was like two worlds apart.
Sitting on the floor, Zhang Long seed like a lengthy movie that neither he nor Tao Cheng could comprehend.
Maybe only Lin Yi could understand, perhaps only his presence could bring such calmness to Zhang Long.
If it were anyone else, it might have backfired.
But at this mont, he just quietly sat there smoking.
His soul found redemption at this mont.
“I want to tell you sothing, would you believe ?”
“I will.”
“I didn’t kill Song Guofu.”
“You didn’t kill him?”
This claim surprised Lin Yi; it was sothing he had never considered.
“I knew about your eting with him, but at that ti, I only wanted to scare Song Guofu and remind the other villagers not to talk nonsense. I also knew that he got drunk and fell into a ditch at the side of the road that night and died. So I took advantage of the situation, broke his neck, and staged it like a murder to silence the people of Jindou Village.”
“So that’s what happened.”
“This matter is quite coincidental; even I can hardly believe it, so I can’t guarantee you will believe it, but none of this matters anymore.”
“Indeed, at this ti, many things indeed do not matter.”
“There’s one more thing, I want to ask for your help.”
“Your foster parents? I will take good care of them,” Lin Yi said:
“And your family’s old house, I will arrange for soone to clean it regularly.”
Zhang Long paused for a mont, “Thank you.”
“I heard your foster parents are getting on in years. If possible, I will apply to the authorities and try to arrange for you to escort them on their way before the execution, but I can’t promise it can be done.”
After a long silence, the last response from Lin Yi was still a ‘thank you’.
Unnoticed, the sky outside had already brightened, and Lin Yi got up and stretched.
“There are no eternal banquets in the world, dawn has arrived.”
“Mm, I know,” Zhang Long said indifferently, “May I finish this cigarette first?”
“Sure, we’ll wait outside for you.”
Lin Yi gave a signal with his eyes to the two people, and they all left the room together.
“The business here should be settled; do you want to go to Yanjing for a turn?” Ning Che said:
“The international situation has been a bit abnormal lately.”
“Abnormal how?”
“iguons and Japanese have been frequently showing up in Africa; it’s not a good sign.”
“Isn’t that place always quite chaotic?”
“Chaotic, yes, but in such a critical period, any small gust of wind and blade of grass warrants our attention.”
Lin Yi nodded, “Zhong Hai has a lot of matters waiting for to deal with, I won’t go to Yanjing for now. If there’s anything, call imdiately.”
“Okay.”
“We borrowed a car from the military, do you need us to leave it for you?”
“No need, you guys take it. Taxis are quite convenient, we’ll just grab one.”
Ning Che looked toward the room door, “How do you plan to handle him? Will you be alright on your own?”
“Don’t worry about , I’ll be fine.”
“Then we’ll be taking our leave,” Ning Che said:
“Call imdiately if you need any help.”
“Okay.”
After chatting for a while, Ning Che and Tao Cheng left.
Lin Yi stood outside the room, quietly waiting.
About ten minutes later, Zhang Long erged from inside.
His deanor was calm, his face had a smile, as if he was seeing an old friend.
“Let’s go.”
The two walked out and hailed a taxi.
But as they drove, Zhang Long realized sothing was wrong.
“This isn’t the way to Jinling, is it?”
“We’re at our doorstep, naturally we should take a look ho,” Lin Yi said with a smile:
“We’re not Yu the Great controlling the floods; there’s no need to pass by our ho three tis without entering.”
Zhang Long fell silent; he didn’t know what to say and could only reply with silence.
After about fifteen minutes, the taxi arrived at the entrance of the village, and the two walked for another five or six minutes until they reached Zhang Long’s ho.
The house was a newly built red-brick building, not particularly grand, but plenty for the old couple to reside in.
The two walked into the courtyard where a middle-aged couple was bending over and busy working in a small vegetable garden.
By their age, they were almost in their seventies.
“Be more upbeat, don’t make them worry.”
Zhang Long took a deep breath, and a smile appeared on his face.
“Dad, Mom.”
Hearing soone talking, the busy old couple turned around.
On seeing Zhang Long, their faces imdiately lit up with joy.
“Son!”
Because Lin Yi was present, the old couple’s emotions were sowhat restrained.
“This is…”
“He is…”
Zhang Long faltered, unsure of what to say.
“Uncle, Auntie, I am his comrade-in-arms.”
As he spoke, Lin Yi took out his military officer ID as proof of his identity.
“A comrade-in-arms is here!”
The old couple’s faces brightened again, and they warmly invited Lin Yi into the house.
“You haven’t had dinner yet, right? We’ll go prepare so food.”
“No need, we already ate on the way here.”
“That was on the road, but now you’re at ho, you must eat sothing more.”
Not giving Lin Yi the opportunity to refuse, the old couple went to the kitchen to get busy.
It wasn’t long before four dishes were served.
“There isn’t much delicious food in the countryside, just make do with a bite, later my son can take you to eat sothing better.”
“This is quite good already.”
When in Ro, do as the Romans do; as the al was served, Lin Yi stopped refusing and even drank so wine with Zhang Long’s foster father as if they were properly hosting each other.
“Uncle, Auntie, I ca today because there is sothing I want to discuss with you.”
“What is it? Just tell us.”
“Our leadership ntioned that they’d like the captain to return to service. The country still needs him, so we ca…”
The old couple was stunned for a mont, not expecting such a turn of events.
Zhang Long also froze for a mont.
Grasping his wine glass tightly, his eyes moistened.
“That’s wonderful, my son is useful to the country, we’re both happy about that.”
Lin Yi’s lies were full of holes, but the old couple did not notice.
They were simple peasants, unfamiliar with these slightly more complicated matters.
“Our leaders feel sowhat sorry that this ans he won’t be able to co ho often.”
“No problem at all, we’re both still strong, we don’t need him to look after us,” Zhang Long’s foster father said:
“Besides, he’s been working away all these years, seldom coming ho, so it’s better to contribute to the country instead.”
“If Uncle and Auntie can think this way, then I am relieved. The leaders from above have given him three days leave, he can be at ho and spend so quality ti with you.”
“Naturally, if the country needs him, we absolutely cannot hold him back,” Zhang Long’s foster father patted his shoulder, “Son, after you return, you must train well, don’t disgrace .”
“Got it, Dad.”
“Uncle, Auntie, you go ahead and eat, I have other matters to attend to, and must leave now.”
“Leave?” This took Zhang Long by surprise.
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