Chapter 76: The Truth

Chapter 76: The Truth

"Did they find Tao Guangxiao yet?"

Ji Duo answered the phone and immediately turned to Lin Qiao.

Lin Qiao stood up from the sofa. "When was he found?"

Ji Duo listened to the call. "This afternoon. He went home yesterday and was spotted by our people."

At least they had evidence for the lead about someone pretending to be Shao Zhen.

Lin Qiao and Ji Duo exchanged a glance. Before she could say anything, Ji Duo had already spoken to Su Zheng on the other end of the line, "Actually, I was about to call you too."

Within two hours, a car slowly pulled up to their doorstep under the cover of night. Elder Gu had come in person.

Both Ji Duo and Lin Qiao went out to greet him. "It's so late; you should've just let us know, and we would've come over," they said.

Elder Gu didn’t say anything, but his hands trembled slightly as he gently squeezed Ji Duo’s and then Lin Qiao’s.

Su Zheng, standing nearby, looked a bit embarrassed. "I couldn’t hold it in and told Elder Gu directly. It’s my fault."

After all these years, finally having a solid lead and a specific suspect, it was no surprise Elder Gu couldn’t wait and came over late at night.

The couple led the guests into the living room, served them water, and the four sat on the sofa.

After a while, Elder Gu looked up at Ji Duo. "This afternoon, when the fifth son of the Yu family came to see you, what did he say?"

Ji Duo didn’t mention the infuriating details. "He said that he, Dai Cheng from the Dai family, the second and third sons of the Tang family, and others... all participated in bullying Shao Zhen back then."

Hearing that his granddaughter had endured so much mistreatment in his absence, the old man’s face twitched, and his hands began to tremble.

It wasn’t just anger but also guilt and self-blame. "I didn’t take care of her well enough."

Without parents, the kid was an easy target for bullies. Back then, I was under so much pressure, I couldn’t keep an eye on her like I should’ve.

Worried about Elder Gu’s emotional state, Su Zheng quickly shifted the topic and asked Ji Duo, "Do you think what he said is true?"

"We’ll see if it checks out when we ask them," Ji Duo replied.

In fact, he had already discussed this with Lin Qiao. The families Yu Wu mentioned matched the ones Ji Duo suspected, and they had all been close to Yu Wu back then.

Even if they weren’t involved in Shao Ping’s case, Yu Wu’s attempt to shift the blame onto them suggested they likely had something to do with what happened to Shao Zhen.

The next day, Elder Gu went door-to-door, visiting each family on Yu Wu’s list.

After years of keeping to himself, his sudden visits left the families completely caught off guard.

When they heard why he was there, one thought dominated their minds—

What the hell is wrong with Yu Wu?!

If he wants to ruin himself, why drag our kids into it? Does he really need someone to take the fall with him?

Some immediately swore that Yu Wu was lying, claiming their kids were too good to ever do something like that.

Others, feeling ashamed, called their kids over right away and questioned them in front of Elder Gu.

At the time, those who hung out with Yu Wu were quite young—the oldest were sixteen or seventeen, and the youngest just fourteen or fifteen. Now, they were all approaching their thirties.

When they asked about Dai Cheng from the Dai family, he had just picked up his four-year-old daughter from kindergarten. The little girl sat on the child seat behind his bicycle, her dark, shiny eyes curiously observing the visitors.

Elder Gu couldn’t help but take an extra look. "Time sure flies. Before you know it, your daughter has grown so big."

Dai Cheng’s expression stiffened. After helping his daughter down from the bike and settling her inside, he returned, feeling somewhat uneasy, and asked Elder Gu, "What brings you here, sir?"

Seeing that Dai Cheng was at least aware of his unease, Elder Gu got straight to the point. "Do you have anything to say about what happened to Shaozhen back then?"

Gu Shaozhen—her name felt both distant and yet ever-present in his memory...

For a brief moment, Dai Cheng’s gaze drifted, then returned. He lowered his head. "I owe her an apology for what happened back then."

He was the only one among all the households Elder Gu visited who admitted his mistake without being prompted.

Elder Gu remained silent, while Dai Cheng glanced again in the direction of his house.

In the kitchen, his wife was cooking. The window was open, and they could faintly hear the innocent voice of the little girl.

Dai Cheng lowered his head. "When we went to the Southern Province, we suddenly had to endure such a hard life. None of us were used to it. The locals either gave us dirty looks or yelled at us. I was scared and afraid of being bullied, so I found people to stick with. Whatever they did, I followed along."

"So, when they bullied Shaozhen, you joined in?"

Elder Gu’s words left Dai Cheng speechless.

People tend to bully the weak and fear the strong. They didn’t dare provoke the locals, and people like Ji Duo and Su Zheng were tough nuts to crack.

Only Gu Shaozhen, without parents and only an older brother, whose grandfather was in an even worse situation than anyone—even if she was bullied, she didn’t dare tell her family. They would threaten her, saying if she wasn’t obedient, they’d beat her brother. Every time, she would look at them with tearful eyes, calling them 'brother,' hoping they would relent.

But back then, in order to fit in with the group, he had still pushed her despite her pleading.

Now that he was a father with a daughter of his own, Gu Shaozhen’s image, which should have faded from memory, had become increasingly clear these past two years.

Every time he saw his daughter’s innocent eyes, he couldn’t help but think of Shaozhen, worrying that in places he couldn’t see, his daughter might be suffering the same kind of bullying without him knowing. That’s why he always picked her up from kindergarten himself, and he always asked his wife to check for any bruises when bathing her...

Now that Elder Gu had come, for him, this visit felt like both a punishment and a relief. He closed his eyes. "I’m sorry."

Elder Gu remained silent, taking a long time to calm his agitated emotions. "So, do you know how Shaozhen went missing?"

"She might have been chased up the mountain."

Dai Cheng wasn’t entirely sure, but this time he looked into Elder Gu’s eyes. "That day, they said they were going to play a prank on her, make her run up the mountain. If she could outrun them, they wouldn’t hit her. I had diarrhea that day, couldn’t run, so I didn’t go with them."

A group of half-grown teenagers chasing a little girl, finding amusement in her desperate escape—I can’t believe they actually did that.

Elder Gu’s hands shook with anger, but he kept his cool. "And what about Shao Ping? Did he know about this?"

Dai Cheng was silent for a long time before taking a step forward, his voice lowered to a whisper. "The day Gu Shao Ping went missing, he actually came to see me."

"Shao Ping went to see Dai Cheng before he disappeared?"

After returning, Elder Gu shared the information he gathered with Su Zheng and Ji Duo, who then told Lin Qiao.

At that moment, Lin Qiao had just finished work and was munching on some watermelon. Hearing this, she paused. "You’re saying that Shao Ping knew about the bullying of Shaozhen, and his disappearance might be related to this?"

"Yes," Ji Duo nodded, seeing juice on her lips, and handed her a handkerchief.

Lin Qiao took it and he pulled his hand back, speaking in a low, grave tone, "Dai Cheng is cowardly. When he heard that Shao Zhen was missing, he didn’t dare go out. Shao Ping probably discovered something and went to find him. He confronted Dai Cheng, demanding to know if they were responsible for Shao Zhen’s disappearance and even punched him."

"He told Shao Ping everything?"

"Yes, including the bullying and chasing her up the mountain. After Shao Ping left him, he went to find Yu Wu."

"And he never came back?"

"No."

Only Shao Ping and Dai Cheng knew about this. If Yu Wu had known, he wouldn’t have mentioned Dai Cheng’s name. But even now that it’s been said, what can be done? Shao Zhen is still missing, and Shao Ping is gone—a young life taken by these scumbags.

Over the years, Elder Gu had been living in pain and self-reproach, while they enjoyed their lives, looking like decent people on the outside.

"He told Elder Gu that he also thought Shao Ping had committed suicide. He was sick at the time and didn’t say anything until Elder Gu came to him."

Dai Cheng was indeed sick, running a high fever. With the medical conditions there, he almost didn’t make it.

But whether he was truly sick, sick from regret, or sick from fear, no one knew. In any case, he had never been very brave, and after that illness, his spirit was broken. He cut off contact with all those people after returning from the Southern Province.

Ji Duo’s cold tone carried a hint of sarcasm. "He also gave Elder Gu a list of those people, two fewer than what Yu Wu mentioned. When Elder Gu asked if he was willing to testify in court if there was other evidence, he agreed."

Agreeing to testify in court meant there was still doubt about Shao Ping’s death. He didn’t say anything when Shao Zhen went missing, nor when Shao Ping died. Now that he’s a father himself, he’s afraid and remembers everything.

As for those who still show no remorse, how do they sleep at night?

Lin Qiao wiped her fingers with a handkerchief, each swipe a little too hard, fueled by the anger simmering inside her.

"Karma will catch up with them," a large hand reached over and held hers.

The man’s hand was broad, with distinct knuckles, and when he held her, there was a determined strength. He repeated in a low voice, "Karma will catch up with them."

And the long-overdue retribution first targeted the Yu family.

The Yu family patriarch never expected that his son would be not only foolish but also loose-lipped. He hadn’t watched him closely, and he blurted out so much.

As soon as they brought him back, they gave him a severe beating with a belt, and the next day, people came to settle scores with their family.

"If you’re going to be stupid, be stupid, but why drag these people into it? Are you trying to make sure we don’t have enough enemies? Or that no one steps on us enough?"

Having just lost a grandson, and now his son causing more trouble, the Yu family patriarch felt several years older.

"I thought that with so many involved, they wouldn’t dare to do anything."

Yu Wu still wanted to defend himself, but the Yu family patriarch threw a water cup at his head. "If you’re stupid, you’re really stupid. Gu Chengye has only one grandson and granddaughter. Do you think he wouldn’t dare to bring all of you down?"

A lump instantly formed on his forehead, but Yu Wu didn’t dare touch it. He stood there, head lowered, listening to the scolding.

Finally, his older brother stepped in to calm the patriarch. "Father, please calm down. Don’t let this harm your health."

The old man sat down, calmed his emotions, and looked at the son he had once doted on. "Go lie low in Hong Kong."

"Me? Why me?" Yu Wu was incredulous.

He had heard that in Hong Kong, the Brits called the shots, and they had no status there, having to play by their rules. Here, it was different—everyone had to answer to him.

The Old Master was furious, "You have the gall to ask why?"

"Didn't you say there was no evidence? That day, Yu Wu saw his father reduce Ji Duo to silence."

"What if Gu Chengye snaps and decides to take you down, no matter the cost?"

The Yu family patriarch no longer wanted to talk to him and turned to his eldest son, "Send him off tomorrow—no, make it today!"

The Yu family's eldest son had just agreed when someone knocked on the door outside, "Is Yu Zhenzhong here?"

He frowned, about to scold the nanny for letting people in so casually, but when he opened the door, he saw two police officers.

His heart sank. Inside, the Old Master didn’t look pleased, but he kept his composure, smiling kindly as he asked, "Comrades, what is it?"

The officers showed their credentials, "Yu Zhenzhong is involved in an inter-provincial fraud case. We need to take him for investigation."

"Fraud?" Yu Wu clearly hadn't reacted.

The Yu family patriarch, however, had an idea. Seeing that they couldn't be stopped, he first calmed his younger son and then sent his eldest son to inquire about the situation.

Sure enough, the younger son had taken the initiative to find Tao Guangxiao. The old man from the Gu family had used this as a starting point to accuse them of gang fraud, aiming to seize their family fortune.

Once someone was detained, with his son's intelligence, it wouldn't be difficult to pry information out of him.

"You go again and try to contact the fifth son, make sure he keeps his mouth shut, don't let him confess everything. I'll keep looking for other options..."

The Yu family patriarch spoke urgently and quickly, then clutched his chest and collapsed.

Su Zheng received the news and immediately called Ji Duo, "Isn't it just a coincidence? He also has a heart condition. And he's in the same ward where Elder Gu stayed."

Yu Wu's antics were meant to anger Elder Gu to death, but instead, it was his own father who fell ill.

It was actually Ji Duo's idea. Since there was no evidence from back then, they had to find another way. The incident where Yu Wu had someone pretend to be Shao Zhen to trick Elder Gu must have left some evidence, right?

Once Tao Guangxiao was found, they showed him the photos, confirming Yu Wu's identity long ago. While Elder Gu was visiting those families, they used the distraction to dig into Yu Wu’s movements and handed both the evidence and the person over to the police.

Ji Duo didn't care about the Yu family patriarch and only asked, "Has Yu Wu confessed?"

"Not yet, but his psychological defenses are about to collapse," Su Zheng said, "He really doesn't have much of a brain, just a good father."

Without the Yu family patriarch covering for him, with his intelligence, he would have exposed himself long ago.

"I remember that harboring a murderer is also a crime," Ji Duo's voice was cold and devoid of warmth.

Su Zheng's tone was equally cold, "I know. Since they dared to do it back then, we won’t stop until we dig up the truth and expose every last one of them."

Ji Duo didn't say anything else, "I’ve got to go; I’ve got something to handle."

"Something?" Su Zheng was stunned, but before he could ask, Ji Duo had already hung up.

On the other side, at the school, the day before the college entrance exams, Lin Qiao entered the classroom without taking anything, ready to give the students their last lesson.

In 1981, not all students had the qualification to take the exams. Those who didn’t do well in the practice exams would graduate and start working right away.

But despite the impending farewell, everyone showed up, including Li Xiaoqiu, who didn’t need to take the exams.

As Lin Qiao entered, everyone stopped what they were doing, their eyes turning to her.

Lin Qiao tapped her fingers on the lectern, "Why isn't anyone whistling or booing?"

The students laughed, then grew a little sentimental.

Li Xiaoqiu was the most emotional of them all. As soon as Lin Qiao started speaking, her eyes welled up with tears.

Lin Qiao scanned their familiar faces, "Since you're not saying anything, I'll say a few more words. I made you do a ton of practice papers this year, and I'm sure many of you have started to dislike me, waiting for the moment when you can say goodbye to me after the college entrance exams. Am I wrong?"

The students laughed again.

Lin Qiao softened her expression, "Actually, life has many paths, even if you don't study, but the difficulties you'll face will be more than the years you've spent in school. I never expected all of you to get into Tsinghua or Peking, but I hope you'll have more choices in life."

"I know, Teacher Lin, you're just trying to help us," Li Xiaoqiu said, already covering her mouth and starting to cry.

Junzi at the back sensed the mood and couldn't help but try to lighten the atmosphere, "So if I don't do well in the exams, Teacher Lin won't blame me?"

"Hmm," Lin Qiao smiled, "But I can't promise your dad won't give you a hard time."

Junzi was left speechless, which made everyone around him laugh.

But he was always carefree, scratching his head, "I don't think I'll do that well."

He paused, then looked up with more seriousness, "But I've already improved a lot. With another year of studying, I'll try my best to get in next time."

"Aiming for the military academy?" Lin Qiao asked him.

Junzi nodded, "I always remember what Shiniang said, about joining the military academy."

Lin Qiao handed him a piece of chalk, "Come up and write it on the blackboard."

Junzi ran up and scribbled a few messy characters.

Lin Qiao then asked the others, "Is there anyone else who has plans for their future? You can come up and write too."

This time, it was Li Xiaoqiu, who had always been introverted and avoided the spotlight, who raised her hand.

"I want to be a physics scientist," the girl wrote her goal on the blackboard with care.

After she went back to her seat, another student stood up and raised a hand, "I want to be a teacher like Teacher Lin."

"Then you'll need to aim for Tsinghua, just like Teacher Lin," someone shouted from the back.

The student paused, turned to glare at the other, but still wrote it on the blackboard.

There were those who wanted to join the army, become teachers, and become doctors... The blackboard was soon filled with words.

Because Teacher Lin had taken them for several social practice classes this year, some even specified a particular job position.

Lin Qiao finally looked at Qi Huaiwen.

The boy with charming peach blossom eyes met her gaze for a moment, stood up to take the chalk, and left elegant characters on the blackboard — "From now on, live for yourself."

Lin Qiao, standing close, heard him whisper very softly, "I still won't forgive him."

But who would blame him? After all, it was his life now.

Lin Qiao took back the chalk, looked at the different handwriting on the blackboard, and was about to say something when the boy suddenly turned back and hugged her.

Then it was Li Xiaoqiu, sitting in the front row, "Teacher Lin, I'm going to miss you so much."

Several of them came up to hug Teacher Lin, crying. They were even more reluctant than at this time last year. They probably wouldn't meet another teacher as admirable and caring as her again.

When Ji Duo arrived at the Class 4 classroom, this was the scene that greeted him.

His young wife, whom he still saw as barely twenty, was now surrounded by students, having become a guiding light for so many.

In the future, she would soar to greater heights, stand on bigger stages, and shine even brighter.

Ji Duo watched silently, saying nothing, until Junzi, who was sitting near the back door, noticed him and whispered, "Shiniang?"

Only then did he turn, go out to the corridor, and bring back a foam box. "Take it and share it. I'm here to escort your Teacher Lin off duty."

Junzi opened the box and quickly called out to the class, "Stop crying, everyone. Shiniang has come to visit Teacher Lin and is treating us to ice creams!"

The students cheered. Teacher Lin looked up and met the tall figure of the man at the back of the classroom.

Later, Ji Duo took the foam box to Teacher Lin's office, where it was filled with the various items she had accumulated over the past year of work.

As they left the school grounds, Teacher Lin glanced back, unsure whether she was bidding farewell to the place or the people.

Ji Duo stood silently beside her the whole time, saying nothing, just silently carrying the box and walking with her.

On the morning of July 7th, Teacher Lin accompanied over thirty of her students to take the college entrance exams.

On the same day, Dai Cheng's testimony dealt the final blow to Yu Wu, who finally broke down and confessed.

He admitted to being involved in Gu Shaozhen's disappearance, though it wasn't intentional.

They had chased her to the mountains that day. The young girl was probably scared and hid herself. They couldn't find her and gave up, dispersing as it got dark. They never expected Gu Shaozhen to go missing.

They were just teenagers, and no matter how bad they were, they couldn't help but feel fear. They did help search the mountains for her, but as time passed, their desire to avoid trouble overshadowed their guilt and fear.

They couldn't help but think that they were just playing, chasing her into the mountains without telling her to hide or run away.

It was when this mindset took over that Gu Shaoping found him.

"I didn’t mean to kill him. He came at me like a madman, demanding to know where his sister was."

After days of interrogation, Yu Wu broke down in the room, sobbing uncontrollably. "I only fought back a little. I didn’t expect him to be so fragile that he stopped moving."

"He hadn’t slept for two days looking for Shaozhen. How could he have the strength to fight you?" Su Zheng's eyes were bloodshot, and he almost rushed forward.

Several officers rushed to restrain him, but they couldn’t stop the fury that was boiling over.

Ji Duo was also holding back, unable to accept that someone as good as Shaoping had lost his life at the hands of such scum.

But he still had some rationality left. "Ask him carefully who helped cover this up."

He returned to the military base in silence and, upon reaching the door of his home, instructed Xiao Fang to change course to the market to buy a net of shrimp.

Only after finishing did he notice oil splattered on his clothes. He went upstairs to his wardrobe and found a clean shirt. As he was changing, he heard Liu Cuiying's panicked voice from downstairs.

"Something's wrong! The exam bus has had an accident!"