The old man's grandson's weakness was his wife. Hearing Mu Xiang's words, his heart lurched violently, but remembering Mu Xiang's recent actions towards him, he did not dare to go out.
He found himself in a dilemma.
Mu Xiang continued, "Fine, since you won't come out, then never come out again. I want to see," she glanced carelessly at the bushes, then took a step closer, "how long you can hide."
"..."
Hiding was only a temporary solution. The old man's grandson suddenly realized that even if he didn't come out, Mu Xiang would see him when she passed by here tomorrow.
In any case, he felt this game of hide-and-seek was an unfair one.
"I'll count to three. If you don't come out, I'm going to sleep, and incidentally," Mu Xiang smirked, "I'll take all the gold and silver you've hidden under your bed, give half to your wife, and keep the other half to buy you a high-quality coffin. The rest I'll keep for my adventures in the martial world."
That's right. After the old man's grandson told Mu Xiang that the person she was to marry was a fool, Mu Xiang had changed her mind.
Because she knew that if she married that man, her future might not be any better. Rather than that, she might as well leave this place, assume a new identity, and live for herself again. It wasn't a bad idea.
"...."
That gold and silver were all things the old man's grandson had secretly hidden. His wife, including the young girl, knew nothing of it. Who would have thought Mu Xiang knew?
Helpless, he realized he could no longer hide.
So, he took a deep breath and stood up.
The next moment, Mu Xiang smiled sinisterly and picked up a pebble, flinging it rapidly at him, just as he used to bully her.
Only the person being hit could truly understand the pain of a stone striking their body.
He knew he couldn't dodge it. To avoid being hit in the face, he endured the pain, dragging his injured leg as he crossed the bushes. Unexpectedly, the toe of his back foot caught a leaf, and he fell headfirst, face-planting onto the stone path.
Seizing the opportunity, Mu Xiang picked up her jade stone and fiercely hurled it again at the back of his injured knee.
A green light flashed, and the pain in his leg yanked him back to reality. Opening his eyes, tears slid down his cheeks.
At this moment, he regretted it. He regretted why he had been so impolite to Mu Xiang. He should have been polite to her from the day she took out the jade stone. Perhaps then, this situation would not have occurred.
Lost in thought, he wept.
Grandpa's Residence.
Mu Anxiao watched Feng Qishi, who was continuously casting a spell, with a tense expression, praying fervently, "Please don't let anything happen, please don't let anything happen. If something happens, it won't be as simple as just losing money."
Thinking about it, she truly regretted using that electric shock spell just now. If she hadn't used it, perhaps this situation would not have arisen.
"If my son has any..."
The madam was cut off mid-sentence as Grandpa gently nudged her arm. "It's useless to blame her. Just tell me, is he really my son?"
To say he didn't care was a lie.
Earlier, his demeanor was merely an attempt to escape reality.
But after the old man spoke those words, and then considering the man's words, he suddenly felt a pang of sadness.
Taking advantage of this opportunity, he spoke.
Madam: "What do you mean by that?"
"You told the second son that you..."
"I really don't know."
Grandpa looked at his wife's anxious expression and then at Feng Qishi, who was sweating profusely. He said, "Let her go." He glanced at Mu Anxiao.
Mu Anxiao looked at Grandpa and Madam respectively, remaining silent.
"Why should I let her go?" the madam asked displeasurably.
Grandpa tutted and said, "Let her go, and you come with me. We need to clarify this matter."
"Our son is already like this, and you..."
"It's precisely because he's like this that I need to clarify things with you, lest he wakes up later and blames me. Then I won't be able to explain myself, wouldn't that be awkward?" Grandpa said, reaching out and pulling his wife's hand away. "Come." He then led his wife towards the stone archway.
In his youth, he had lacked companionship with his wife and son. Only in his old age did he begin to try and make amends.
All along, Grandpa had believed that his son never resented him. Who knew, all those were just his unrealistic fantasies.
Grandpa had always regarded his eldest son as his pride.
And now, his eldest son had become the one to take his and his wife's lives. This filled him with astonishment, and even more so, disbelief!
But then again, they had lived to such an age, were there some things he could no longer say?
Of course, he could understand his son's resentment towards him, but what he couldn't understand was why he would want to kill his mother, who had treated him so well.
This was something he couldn't fathom.
Mu Anxiao dared not look at the elderly couple, continuing to stare at Feng Qishi. She quietly asked, "Shen Fengzi, is it difficult?"
Feng Qishi, while casting the spell, replied, "Don't talk to me."
Hearing this, Mu Anxiao pursed her lips.
A'long glanced at Mu Anxiao, then turned to look at Grandpa and Madam, saying, "I'll go take a look." As she stepped forward, the old man blocked her path.
Seeing this, she asked, "What are you doing?" she looked up at the old man.
Old man: "It's their family matter. You'd best not get involved."
"I'm just going to take a look, not getting involved."
"If you go, they'll only get more flustered. Stand here and don't move."
"You..."
"Listen."
"...." A'long glanced at the old man's stern expression, pouted, and stopped moving.
By the Stone Archway.
Grandpa shook off his wife's hand, then peered over at Mu Anxiao's side, before turning back to his wife. "Tell me, what exactly is going on?"
"I... I don't know."
"..." Grandpa was speechless at his wife's reply, but thinking of that man, he chose to continue, "I can't say anything else. My son has become like this, and I bear responsibility. Now, tell me, is he, is he my biological son?"
"Of course, he is." The madam said excitedly.
"Really?"
"Really. After we got married, you left home. During this period, I never left the house, nor did I have any interaction with any man other than family. After you returned that time, I became pregnant, and the child in my womb was him. If you don't believe me, then there's nothing I can do. Anyway, we're both going to die, so saying more is just a waste of each other's time."
"Then what about what you said to the second son?"
"Second son..." Under Grandpa's repeated questioning, the madam fell into thought.
After a few seconds.
The madam suddenly realized, "Oh, I remember now. That night, the second son came to my room and asked me if his elder brother's father was still alive. I said he was already dead. Who knew, our eldest son was outside. Perhaps at that moment... he misunderstood."
"What?" Grandpa looked astonished.