After leaving the Tianquan Hotel, Bai Ruoyi was immersed in immense joy.
She hadn't been bullied.
Her brother was back.
He had also told her that their mother's remains had been buried.
What else could bring more happiness than these things combined!!!
Those who have experienced hardship are always easily satisfied.
Bai Ruoyi was just like that.
The corners of her mouth turned up, clearly in a very good mood.
"Stop grinning like an idiot!"
Bai Zihe couldn't help but tease, "Look at you, you're crying like a little kitten. If our dad sees you like this when we get home, he'll laugh at you!"
"Oh, right."
Suddenly mentioning their father, Bai Zihe casually asked, "How has Dad been all these years?"
Bai Ruoyi's expression dimmed.
She sighed helplessly, "Ever since the family suffered such a great disaster, Dad also broke a leg, and he's become increasingly dejected and fallen into despair."
"But..."
Bai Ruoyi sniffled, forcing a smile, "Brother, Dad will be very happy if he sees you back."
Bai Zihe forced a smile.
However, his fists clenched suddenly!!!
The Zheng family, the Qin family, the Ling family!
These three great families had caused his family's ruin.
It was time to settle this score properly!
"Oh, right!"
Bai Ruoyi remembered something and added, "Brother, I haven't told you yet."
"Father has also prepared a soul-summoning ceremony for mother today."
"A soul-summoning ceremony?"
"Yes."
Bai Ruoyi nodded, saying timidly, "When I left, I told Father that I would definitely bring Mother's remains back today."
"So he prepared a soul-summoning ceremony."
"But I was afraid he would worry, so I didn't tell him the specifics, nor did I mention that I was going to find Ling Shaofeng." As she said this, Bai Ruoyi glanced at Bai Zihe cautiously.
"You, you..."
Looking at his sister's demeanor, Bai Zihe couldn't bring himself to be angry, feeling more heartache instead. "Don't be so foolish in the future."
"I'll handle everything, so don't worry!"
"Okay!"
"Brother, I'll listen to you!"
Bai Ruoyi smiled charmingly and nodded heavily.
Bai Zihe's heart, however, felt a tight clench.
These past few years...
Father and little sister have suffered too much!
Fortunately.
Now the family of three could finally reunite!
Thinking of this, Bai Zihe's gaze drifted into the distance, a hint of urgency in his eyes.
Led by Bai Ruoyi, Bai Zihe arrived at the entrance of a dilapidated courtyard.
This was an old property of the Bai family, located on the outskirts of the city. The courtyard was overgrown with weeds and very run-down.
Seeing this, Bai Zihe frowned slightly, "Dad lives here?"
"Yes."
Bai Ruoyi nodded, saying impatiently, "Brother, let's go see Dad quickly. Dad will be very happy to see you back!"
Bai Zihe nodded gently, also feeling a sense of anticipation.
Just as the siblings were about to enter the courtyard, they heard a quarrel from inside: "Bai Zhanhong, today is the final deadline."
"If you still can't pay the rent, I'll have to throw all your belongings out!"
Inside the courtyard.
A middle-aged man stood there with an arrogant demeanor.
"No!"
Bai Zhanhong pleaded, "Old Huang, we've been old friends for so many years, can't you give me a few more days of grace?"
"Don't worry, I will definitely pay up the rent!"
"Get out of the way!"
Huang Dafa shoved him away, saying with malice, "Don't give me that crap, as if I'm close to you."
"You're crippled, you have no job, no career, how can I feel at ease?"
These words were extremely harsh.
But one must bow their head when living under someone else's roof.
Bai Zhanhong could only swallow his pride, grit his teeth, and continue to beg, "How about... you wait until the soul-summoning ceremony is over and I've seen Wan Zhen off on her final journey, and then I'll move out immediately?"
Huang Dafa looked at him unmoved.
Suddenly.
A sinister smile appeared on his fleshy face, "Actually, I have a way for you to earn money, enough for you to pay rent in the future!"
Bai Zhanhong was stunned and asked, "What way?"
"Don't you have a daughter?"
Huang Dafa chuckled creepily, his eyes suddenly filled with lewdness, "You can let her go out and sell herself!"
"With your daughter's looks, she's bound to earn a lot of money!"
"Even if not, with our relationship, I can take care of her business more, can't I?"
Boom!!!
These words were like a summer thunderclap, shattering Bai Zhanhong's last shred of hope.
He had never imagined that this former friend, not only defrauded him of his house, but also harbored such malicious intentions.
"You..."
"You are worse than an animal!" Bai Zhanhong was so enraged that he staggered, nearly falling to the ground, as he had already broken a leg.
"Damn it!"
Huang Dafa cursed, his face flashing with ferocity.
He picked up an iron bar nearby and swung it towards Bai Zhanhong, "I was kindly offering you advice, and if you don't appreciate it, you dare to curse me?"
"You cripple..."
"Bang!!!"
Before he could finish speaking, he was punched flying, landing in a nearby cesspool, his head submerged in the stench, almost making him pass out from the fumes.
Bai Zihe!!!
The sudden appearance of a figure startled Bai Zhanhong.
But upon clearly seeing who it was, his eyes instantly reddened. Trembling, he pointed at Bai Zihe, and after a long while, he managed to speak, "You..."
"Are you... Zihe?"
"Am I hallucinating?"
"Dad, it's me!"
Looking at his father, whose hair had turned gray, his face thin, and vastly different from his younger days, Bai Zihe was overwhelmed with emotion.
His nose pricked, and he stepped forward to support Bai Zhanhong, "Your son is back!"
"It's you!"
"It's really you!"
Bai Zihe's appearance hadn't changed much in these four years, but his demeanor was worlds apart. Yet, Bai Zhanhong recognized him at a glance.
He threw his cane aside and hugged Bai Zihe.
"Dad!"
"Brother!"
Bai Ruoyi also burst into tears and rushed over, hugging her father and brother.
The family of three.
After four years.
Met and embraced like this!
How many days and nights!
How many times they longed!
How many times they fantasized!!!
Finally...
Today, they had it!
A man doesn't shed tears easily, unless he's truly heartbroken!
Bai Zihe and Bai Zhanhong, both men, were moved to tears...
They choked up...
Bai Ruoyi savored the long-lost familial affection and looked at them with anticipation, "Dad, Brother, we will never be separated again, and our family will be happy together!"
Bai Zihe raised his head and smiled faintly.
Just as he was about to speak, a sarcastic voice rang out, "Oh! What touching family affection!"
"It's just a pity..."
"If you don't pay the rent, you'll be sleeping on the streets tonight!"
"When that time comes, the three of you can go under a bridge and talk about your damn family affection!"
The speaker was none other than Huang Dafa!!!
He had already climbed out of the cesspool, glaring at Bai Zihe with immense fury.
"Pay the rent?"
Bai Zihe looked at his father in confusion.
He remembered that this house belonged to them!
Bai Zhanhong's face was full of dejection, "Back then, to retrieve your mother's remains, I planned to rent out the house and raise some money to find connections."
"I never expected that this wicked Huang Dafa would exploit my trust and have the house transferred to his name!"
"I was so foolish..."
As he said this, Bai Zhanhong shook his head in regret and pain.
So that's what happened.
Bai Zihe's gaze turned particularly cold.
This Huang Dafa was his father's good friend back then, always hovering around his father when the Bai family was prosperous.
Who would have thought that after the Bai family's decline, it was he who had harmed his father the most.
This kind of person...
Bai Zihe hated him the most in his life!
Bai Zihe instructed, "Little sister, take Dad and leave first. I'll talk to him alone."
Bai Ruoyi nodded and helped Bai Zhanhong to leave.
"Leave?"
"You haven't paid the rent, how can you leave?" Huang Dafa immediately rushed forward, trying to stop Bai Zhanhong, but was blocked by Bai Zihe.
"Damn it, get out of my way!"
Huang Dafa had already calculated everything.
Today, he would either get the money or get Bai Ruoyi!
Just as he was about to succeed, Bai Zihe disrupted his plans, and he immediately came forward to shove him.
"Looking for death!"
A cold murderous intent flashed in Bai Zihe's eyes.
The next moment.
Huang Dafa once again fell in a parabolic trajectory into the nearby cesspool.
However.
This time, his luck wasn't as good.
During the fall, his head hit the roadside curb, not only bruising his face but also knocking out his teeth, which scattered on the ground!
"Damn you, I'll remember you!"
After a long while, Huang Dafa struggled to get up, staring at Bai Zihe with extreme venom, "You dare to hit me, I'll find someone to kill you sooner or later!"
"If you want to find someone, hurry up!"
Bai Zihe said coldly, "Make the most of your limited time, because you'll soon have no opportunity."