Ling Ruonan arrived at the old residence with Ling Haijun when Huang Chen came out to greet them.

"The chief is inside, go on in," Huang Chen said, approaching Ling Ruonan with a businesslike tone and added in a low voice, "The chief is not in the best mood these past couple of days, be careful with your words."

"I understand, thank you, Secretary Huang," Ling Ruonan smiled and thanked him.

Huang Chen didn't say much more and led Ling Ruonan and Ling Haijun into the courtyard.

Ling Jinhua was practicing Tai Chi.

This was a set of health exercises taught by Luo Liansheng, not formal Tai Chi, but incorporating many other elements.

Ling Jinhua practiced it every day as instructed by Luo Liansheng.

Seeing Ling Ruonan arrive with Ling Haijun, Ling Jinhua didn't stop but continued his exercises until he finished.

"Sit down," Ling Jinhua said after wiping his sweat, sitting at the table and gesturing for Ling Ruonan to sit.

"Grandpa, you look better than you did a while ago," Ling Ruonan started with some small talk, "I heard you're planning to take a trip with Ziling's grandpa to the South, any idea when you'll be going?"

"I haven't been to the South in many years, I really want to go," Ling Jinhua said with a slight sigh, "I just don't know if I can manage it, with age comes so many things, often I'm not free to do as I wish."

At this point, Ling Jinhua changed the subject and asked directly, "Did you come to see me early today for something important?"

"Let Haijun speak first," Ling Ruonan indicated for Ling Haijun, who was very nervous, to come over.

When Ling Haijun came in, Ling Jinhua didn't even glance at him. Only when Ling Haijun approached after Ling Ruonan's beckon, did he give a slight look, but then promptly resumed drinking his tea.

"Great-grandfather," Ling Haijun bowed his head, walked up to Ling Jinhua, then hesitated before kneeling down with a thud, tears on his face as he said, "We have done wrong, please punish us."

"Speak," Ling Jinhua demanded expressionlessly, not letting Ling Haijun rise.

So Ling Haijun dared not cry anymore and began to confess.

After confessing many things, Ling Haijun fearfully lifted his head and said to Ling Jinhua, "Great-grandfather, all of this was planned by Uncle Zhengping, we were just following orders."

"What do you want to say?" Ling Jinhua ignored Ling Haijun and turned to ask Ling Ruonan.

"I just wanted Grandpa to know how they are treating us," Ling Ruonan said softly, "I don't have any demands, I'm just heartbroken that my own family would treat me like this. And it's happened again and again, without any restraint."

"What do you want to do?" Ling Jinhua asked again.

"If they continue like this, I won't be polite," Ling Ruonan still spoke softly, "Right now, I can only rely on my husband and son; yet, my many family members want to destroy us. Whatever happens, I can't agree. I can't repay evil with kindness, I must fight back to survive."

"I understand," Ling Jinhua closed his eyes slightly wearily, waving a hand, "You may leave now."

"Yes, Grandpa!" Ling Ruonan got up to leave but didn't take Ling Haijun with her.

Ling Haijun, still kneeling on the ground, was completely at a loss.

But without hearing Ling Jinhua's instruction, he dared not stand up and continued kneeling.

Ling Jinhua ignored him, stood up, and walked away, leaving Ling Haijun alone in the courtyard.

Ling Haijun felt somewhat desperate; he didn't know what to do, so he did not dare to stand up and continued to kneel.

After kneeling for more than ten minutes, he finally got up and quietly left the courtyard.

Ling Jinhua had already gone inside, and Secretary Huang Chen was also inside, with several other staff members coming in and out, busy.

However, those staff members also ignored Ling Haijun as if he were air, focusing on their tasks.

Ling Haijun felt awkward, but finally mustered the courage to enter the house, ready to ask Ling Jinhua about his disposition.

But when he reached the sitting room, Huang Chen stopped him.

"Go, don't disturb the chief's rest," Huang Chen said bluntly, dismissing him.

"Chief... well, I, uh, wanted to say goodbye to your chief," seeing Huang Chen's unfriendly expression, Ling Haijun still bravely requested, "I wanted to explain a few things to Grandpa."

"The chief told you to leave!" Huang Chen said expressionlessly, "Come back with your father when you get a chance!"

"Alright," Ling Haijun finally relented and left the courtyard dejectedly.

After leaving the courtyard, he stood at the entrance of the old residence for quite a while, but ultimately left with his head hanging low.

Without a phone, wallet, or ID card, but the guard did not trouble him and let him out.

However, Ling Haijun, once leaving this mysterious area, was unsure where to go.

In the past, every time he came to the old residence, it was by car.

Upon reaching outside, he couldn't figure out where he was.

Without a phone, he couldn't make a call, and without money in his pockets, he couldn't take transport or buy anything.

At this moment, Ling Haijun felt a bit at his wit's end.

Ultimately, he braced himself to go back to the last checkpoint to borrow a phone from the guard, but he was mercilessly rejected.

So, he slunk to the main street.

Fortunately, he finally encountered an auntie willing to lend him her phone.

With tears in his eyes, Ling Haijun used the old-style phone to call his father, Ling Zhenghui.

The call connected quickly, and upon hearing Ling Zhenghui's voice through the receiver, Ling Haijun couldn't help but start crying.

"Haijun?" Ling Zhenghui jumped up as soon as he heard it was Ling Haijun calling, "Where did you go?"

Ling Haijun dared not hide anything and told the truth.

Upon hearing that Haijun had just come back from the old residence with nothing on him, Ling Zhenghui immediately said, "Stay where you are; I'll come to get you."

Half an hour later, Ling Haijun finally saw Ling Zhenghui appear in front of him.

Upon seeing his father, Ling Haijun could not help but burst into tears.

But Ling Zhenghui did not comfort him; instead, he harshly told him not to cry and to explain the situation clearly.

Once in the car, Ling Haijun pitifully said to Ling Zhenghui, "Dad, I haven't had breakfast yet, I'm starving."

Ling Zhenghui didn't have any food, so he ordered the driver to go buy some.

While waiting for the driver to buy food, Ling Zhenghui again ordered Ling Haijun to detail the events.

Ling Haijun did not hide anything and explained everything.

He spoke for half an hour in total, later eating the bread bought by the driver, crying as he spoke.

After hearing what Ling Haijun said, Ling Zhenghui's expression became worse and worse, until finally, his face was ashen.

"It's over, the old man has given up on us," was the wail in Ling Zhenghui's heart.

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