Li Xiuqin paused to gather her thoughts before continuing, "Alright then. Even though your aunt only has a high school education, back in those days, high school graduates were as rare as university graduates are now, wouldn't you say?"
A-Lai nodded respectfully, agreeing, "Yes, that's true."
"Even though you stood up for Li Fang, I need to remind you: repaying a favor doesn't mean you get to ask for anything in return. Do you understand what I'm saying?"
"Yes, I understand. What's done is done, and I won't take advantage of her or use any underhanded tactics. You have my word."
Li Xiuqin deepened her tone, warning, "Good. I trust you, A-Lai. You're not the kind of person who harbors ill intentions."
*This blockhead is finally getting it,* she thought with satisfaction, nodding approvingly. She raised her thumb in approval, but her expression quickly turned serious again as she delivered another warning: "Remember, filial piety comes first. As your neighbor and someone who watched you grow up, I consider myself a senior in your life. I expect your respect and your adherence to your promises. You must let go of any thoughts about Li Fang. I want to see this through your actions, A-Lai. Don't make me lose faith in you."
As she finished, she lifted her phone triumphantly, with a sinister grin, and added, "I've recorded everything you just said."
A-Lai, holding back his anger, had been boiling with frustration. *Li Xiuqin has been focused solely on my relationship with Li Fang, never mentioning the incident at the villa,* he thought. *Why didn't she say anything about the assassination attempt? When I was struck by lightning and brought to the hospital, she acted as if nothing had happened. Not a single word of concern. This is too much.*
Watching her prepare to leave, A-Lai's fury erupted. He couldn't hold it in any longer.
"Senior?"
"Do you even deserve that title?"
"Filial piety? To you?"
A-Lai's anger surged as he unleashed a torrent of words.
Li Xiuqin stopped in her tracks, shocked by his outburst.
She looked at him with a mixture of hurt and disbelief. "I nursed you as a baby, and you don't acknowledge me as your elder? You ungrateful wretch! How could you repay kindness with hostility?"
"Let me ask you this," A-Lai said coldly, "Even if I overheard you... doing things with your lover, I didn't see anything, nor did I interrupt. What exactly did I do to offend you?"
Li Xiuqin's face turned red. She hadn't expected him to bring up the awkward incident at the villa. Her pride and dignity vanished in an instant, but she decided to confront the situation head-on. "What did you do to offend me? So what if you saw or heard something? How do you think I survive? On your meager income? Don't make me laugh!"
"My reputation in Lei Family Village has been dragged through the mud for years. So what? That's how Li Fang came into the world. And that's why you were nursed by me."
A-Lai's fury reached its peak. "You don't care about your reputation. Fine. But why did you try to have me killed?"
"Spreading your dirty secrets would disgrace me as well, wouldn't it? I'm no gossip. Why would you try to kill me?"
"Is it because I overheard something I shouldn't have? Did you and your lover conspire to kill me to cover it up?"
Li Xiuqin was initially taken aback, then dazed by his accusations. She stared at A-Lai, bewildered. "You think I would have you killed? Have you lost your mind?"
"Stop pretending!" A-Lai snapped. "There's no smoke without fire. I didn't report it to the police because I respected you for being my wet nurse and because I understand the importance of filial piety. Otherwise, I would have—"
"Stop! Please, let's talk this through," Li Xiuqin interrupted, trying to calm him down. "Why would I kill you? I need to understand what's going on. Tell me everything."
A-Lai, still seething, recounted the assassination attempt and his narrow escape from death.
"What exactly did you overhear? What did you see?" Li Xiuqin pressed.
"I'm not telling you. I have my own reasons," A-Lai replied coldly, refusing to give in.
Li Xiuqin's face turned ashen. She had initially dismissed the incident as trivial, but now realized it was far more serious than she had thought. She understood that A-Lai's temper wouldn't allow him to let this go easily. To regain control of the situation, she quickly moved to the balcony and made a long-distance call for help.
…
After a while, she ended the call and returned to A-Lai's side.
She began to explain her side of the story:
At the time, she had been in an argument with her lover in her villa. In a fit of anger, she had stormed out of the bedroom and ran into A-Lai, who was there for repairs.
She went downstairs, passing by the security room, where she saw Hu San, the scar-faced man. She suspected he had been harboring resentment after she refused to lend him money, despite his financial troubles. Knowing A-Lai's identity, Hu San might have intentionally summoned him under the pretext of repairs to humiliate her. Enraged, she had cursed him out and slapped him several times, even threatening to fire him if he didn't handle the situation properly.
Afterward, she had gone out to play mahjong to cool off and didn't return home until late that night...
She had assumed Hu San would use his intimidating appearance to scare A-Lai into silence. She never imagined that Hu San would take it a step further and attempt to kill him.
Li Xiuqin insisted she knew nothing about the assassination plot.
A-Lai listened closely to her account. While she took responsibility for some of the events, he could tell she was avoiding the full truth. He felt she might know more than she was letting on, so he demanded, "Who owns the villa? Who was the man in the room with you? If you don't tell me, I'll report this to the police and have them investigate."
"Ungrateful brat! I fed you my milk, and this is how you repay me? You don't believe me and still want to dig into this?"
Li Xiuqin cursed under her breath, but the mention of involving the police made her tremble. *No way can I reveal his identity, not even under threat,* she thought.
Carefully, she explained that the man was someone of considerable status and influence, someone who wouldn't resort to murder over a minor incident. She assured A-Lai that the man was just as shocked as she was when he heard about the situation, and he swore he had nothing to do with the assassination attempt.
A-Lai considered what she was saying. It was clear that Li Xiuqin had lived comfortably, with wealthy and powerful men in her life. But could it really be that simple? Could Hu San have acted alone, spurred on by anger? It didn't make sense. *Does she think I'm a fool?* he wondered, refusing to let the matter drop. He pressed on, demanding to know the identity of the mastermind.
"Who was the man in the room? If you won't tell me, I'll report this to the police and let them investigate!"
Li Xiuqin's face turned pale as she realized she was cornered. She finally broke down, crying out, "A-Lai, I swear I'm telling the truth! Please, for the sake of the fact that I nursed you, let this go."
She grabbed A-Lai's hand, pleading desperately, "A-Lai, please, I'm begging you. Don't pursue this any further!"