"Cheng Yun, take us to see Dapeng." Ning Xingchen's eyes carried a hint of coldness and murkiness, unclear about what Cheng Yun had experienced.
The three of them walked a bit further and arrived at the ancestral home of the Xu family in the eastern part of the village. Xu Jinping had lived here since childhood.
"Dapeng!" Pushing open the door, Ning Xingchen immediately saw a tall, sturdy figure. Without seeing his face, he knew it was Xu Jinping.
"Xingchen, Lin Hao!" Xu Jinping turned around with joy upon hearing the familiar voice, looking at Ning Xingchen and Lin Hao.
Xu Jinping's appearance had changed dramatically. Ning Xingchen couldn't help but feel as if it were a lifetime ago. Xu Jinping's skin had turned very dark, and there was a clearly visible scar on his face, making him look somewhat fierce and terrifying.
"It's so good that you guys could come!" Xu Jinping didn't know how to express himself, stepping forward to tightly embrace Ning Xingchen, his excitement palpable.
"Dapeng, you're covered in dust; don't dirty Ning Shao's clothes." Cheng Yun whispered from the side.
"Sorry." Xu Jinping instinctively released Ning Xingchen and scratched his head awkwardly, realizing he had hugged Ning Xingchen too tightly.
"Dapeng, take us to pay our respects to Uncle." Ning Xingchen sighed lightly, glancing around the Xu family's small courtyard, which had already been set up as a mourning hall.
Xu Jinping nodded with a forlorn expression and led Ning Xingchen and Lin Hao inside.
Entering the mourning hall, Ning Xingchen saw a young girl dressed in mourning clothes, kneeling on the ground and sobbing softly, her pretty face already streaked with tears.
Ning Xingchen remembered that Xu Jinping had mentioned he had a younger sister named Xu Yiwei, who must be the girl in front of him.
Walking over, Ning Xingchen patted Xu Yiwei's shoulder and then squatted down to burn paper money with her.
"Thank you." Xu Yiwei said softly.
Although Xu Yiwei didn't know who Ning Xingchen was, she considered anyone who came to pay respects to her father a good person. In the days following her father's death, relatives and friends had avoided them, and those who came were mostly there to collect debts.
"You're welcome. I'm a good friend of your brother's. I'm also very saddened by Uncle Xu's passing." Ning Xingchen comforted Xu Yiwei. Looking closer, he realized that Xu Jinping's sister was a cute and pure-looking girl. However, due to her grief, her small face appeared somewhat cold, and her big eyes were brimming with tears.
Hearing this, the young girl suddenly burst into louder sobs, as if she wanted to pour out her sorrows.
For a moment, Ning Xingchen didn't know how to comfort Xu Yiwei, so he stood up.
Then, Ning Xingchen took out several stacks of money from his bag and said softly, "Dapeng, I am deeply saddened by Uncle Xu's early departure."
"Xingchen, this..." Xu Jinping looked at the amount of money, roughly 100,000 yuan. The gift was indeed very generous.
"Dapeng, this is nothing. If you consider me your brother, take it!" Ning Xingchen pushed the money into Xu Jinping's hands.
The word 'brother' nearly brought tears to Xu Jinping's eyes. All his hardships and grievances over the years had been buried in his heart. Ning Xingchen's arrival was like a beacon in the dark night!
"Xingchen, you'll always be my best brother!" Xu Jinping nodded heavily, his tone extremely serious.
"By the way, I heard from Lin Hao that there's still no money for Uncle Xu's burial. I'll cover it!" Ning Xingchen continued, not thinking much of the money. What he valued more was loyalty.
...
"No, no, Xingchen, I can't take your money for nothing!" Xu Jinping hurriedly refused, feeling unworthy of the help.
"Who says it's for nothing? Consider it a loan." Ning Xingchen knew Xu Jinping's stubborn nature. To make him feel at ease, he said this. If Xu Jinping wanted to repay it in the future, Ning Xingchen wouldn't take a penny.
"Alright, Xingchen, I'll pay you back." Xu Jinping felt a warmth in his heart, deeply moved by Ning Xingchen's generosity.
Kneeling on the ground, Xu Yiwei looked up at Ning Xingchen with her beautiful eyes fixed on him. She didn't expect this handsome young man to be so kind-hearted. The Buddha says good people will be rewarded!
"Xingchen, Lin Hao, let's go to the bedroom. You've been here so long, and I haven't even made tea for you!" Xu Jinping felt a bit embarrassed.
"No need to trouble yourself; plain water is fine for me." Ning Xingchen said.
"No, no, Cheng Yun, go make tea. I'll chat with Xingchen and Lin Hao."
The three of them went into the bedroom. With no outsiders present, Ning Xingchen no longer held back his curiosity. "Dapeng, tell me the truth, how did Uncle Xu die?"
"The police said he jumped to his death, but I have my doubts. By the time I arrived at the hospital, my dad had already been taken to the morgue." Xu Jinping sighed.
"Did you go to the scene?" Ning Xingchen frowned, sensing something was amiss.
"I did, which made me even more suspicious that my dad was pushed off the building!" Xu Jinping said slowly.
"Could it be? Then Uncle Xu was murdered!" Lin Hao was shocked.
"My dad owed a large debt to a casino. Those heartless bastards wanted to kill him because he couldn't pay back the money." Xu Jinping analyzed.
"Dapeng, it could also be that the casino's thugs accidentally killed him!" Ning Xingchen believed that Uncle Xu's death was definitely not simple.
"Whether it was intentional or not, I will make them pay in blood and avenge my father!" Xu Jinping's cold tone and the murderous aura he exuded made the room feel like an icehouse.
"Dapeng, don't act rashly. We need to think this through!" Ning Xingchen advised. He knew that those who could run a casino in Donghai usually had strong connections, possibly even ties to powerful figures in the underworld.
If Xu Jinping acted recklessly and sought revenge, it could lead to a greater tragedy.
"Xingchen, I'm not being impulsive. I've thought it over these past few days. They gave my dad high-interest loans, accumulating interest upon interest. They're nothing but devils who consume people without spitting out their bones. At worst, I'll go back to prison. I've already been there once!" Xu Jinping's calm expression made it seem like he was talking about something trivial.
Ning Xingchen and Lin Hao exchanged glances, shocked to learn that Xu Jinping had been in prison.
"Xu Jinping, if money can solve the problem, don't risk your life!" Ning Xingchen said sternly, advising Xu Jinping.
"Brother Chen is right. There are many paths to success. Fighting them to the death isn't worth it!" Lin Hao added, fearing Xu Jinping would do something reckless and regret it for the rest of his life.