Chapter 328: Flattened to the Ground

"Damn it! There's nothing of value here at all!!"

The leader's eyes were sinister. Seeing that he couldn't turn up anything, he kicked the table in a rage. The table, already rickety, fell apart instantly, and wooden boards scattered all over the floor.

"That old immortal is a confidant of the Lin family; it's impossible he didn't hide anything! Keep looking!" he ordered.

Several men turned the small room upside down, but they still didn't find what they were looking for.

"There's a box here!!" Someone digging at the base of the wall hit something hard. His greedy eyes lit up, and he shouted in excitement.

The leader walked over quickly, shoved the shoulder of the underling who had found the strange object, pushed him aside, and stood at the front to dig it up himself.

That thing really was a box.

It was buried quite deep.

No wonder they hadn't discovered it the previous few times they came.

He was in a good mood and laughed, "If we have a harvest today, I'll credit you all with the top merit. There will be no shortage of money and coupons for you!"

The crowd was invigorated and laughed wildly without restraint.

The leader had learned this morning that the old thing from the Lin family hadn't gone to sweep the streets, and he had been terrified, thinking the person was dead. The Lin family's treasure trove hadn't been scouted out yet, and Lin De, the only one who might know, couldn't die. If he died, the leader wouldn't be able to answer to his superiors.

He brought men to check, but there was no one in the room.

Upon further inquiry, he hadn't been seen since early morning.

At that moment, his heart had gone cold.

It was his underling who persuaded him that since things had reached this point, getting angry was useless; it would be better to think of a remedy.

Thus, they came to search the place where Lin De lived.

They hadn't expected there to really be something!

The leader looked at the large box buried in the ground, his eyes burning with heat.

With a box this big, there should be quite a few treasures.

Maybe there were gold bricks; if he could get just one, he wouldn't have to worry for the rest of his life!

Harboring the small thought of lying back and winning, he reached out, wanting to lift the lid of the wooden box.

Who would have thought—

Before they could even see clearly what was in the box, their bodies were blown away by a blast of air.

"Boom—" a sound rang out.

The roof flew off.

The earthen house and the surrounding fifty meters were destroyed, flattened to the ground in an instant.

The commotion was shockingly large.

This awakened the past memories of some elderly people.

Their faces turned deathly pale. Their first reaction was to grab their grandchildren and hide. The memories of their family members being brutally killed by the invaders returned, and their bodies couldn't stop trembling.

A bomb.

It was a bomb.

The bold ones followed the sound to look. From far away, they smelled the stench of blood, and walking closer, they saw some severed limbs and broken bodies.

Blood, so much blood.

For those who had never seen it, this scene was a tremendous shock.

They hurriedly fled in all directions, and those who could still walk went to report to the Gongan Bureau.

When the Gongan officers came to investigate, after confirming the identities of the dead, two of the younger, hot-blooded ones felt a sense of satisfaction.

They deserved it.

These arrogant people who caused trouble everywhere had finally met their match!

Heaven had finally opened its eyes today!

The older Gongan officer glanced at his subordinate's inappropriate expression, cleared his throat, and said, "Watch yourself; we're out in public."

Hearing this, one of the young Gongan officers asked in surprise, "Chief, you can't stand them either?"

"Stop the nonsense! Get to work!! Our duty is to find out the source of the explosion; the people around here are all panicking."

The young Gongan officer curled his lips, stopped talking, and began to investigate the case.

Of course, they found nothing; the amount of explosives was staggering, and that house had been turned into flat ground.

What was fortunate was that this place was remote, and coupled with the foul stench, no one passed by, so other than those individuals who were rummaging through boxes and cabinets, no one else was blown up.

Lin Heling and the others were sent onto the train by Lin Lin Lin Shisheng. Time was urgent, and Lin Lin Lin Shisheng hadn't been able to buy sleeper tickets, so the three of them could only return in hard seats.

Fortunately, they didn't need to transfer trains.

For Lin De, being able to shake off the sight of those people was a blessing.

Sitting on the train, listening to the familiar whistle, he finally had the real feeling of having escaped.

His old eyes looked toward the direction of the old master's grave. Lin De swore in his heart that he would definitely assist the young master well and help him teach the next generation of the Lin family.

His young master was already a grandfather; he heard they were called... Four Eggs?

Not only did he have grandsons, but he also had granddaughters, three of them!!!

How wonderful.

The Lin family descendants were flourishing; if the family head knew, he would certainly be happy too.

If it weren't for the heavy burden of the family resting on the family head, he feared he would have stayed behind too.

Before the ship sailed, he had even sent a message via his confidant, saying he was waiting for them to come over there.

Had the family head been disappointed that he hadn't waited for them all these years?

He feared not; a person like him should be searching for a way to return!

Lin De was very conflicted in his heart; he hoped to see his young master, but didn't want him to return. Given the current situation, returning wouldn't lead to anything good!

The train rattled along.

A week later, they reached their destination.

Uncle De followed Lin Heling and Song Xiwei off the train. Taking a look, this place really couldn't compare to Haicheng.

Thinking that his young master had lived here for many years, his heart was filled with bitterness and heartache.

His young master, who had lived a life of luxury since childhood, when had he ever suffered?

Lin Heling noticed Uncle De's gaze and guessed what he was thinking, so he spoke to comfort him, "In such a chaotic environment, being able to keep one's life is already not bad."

He accepted the elder's heartache and concern well; his heart felt warm. No matter how old he was, in Uncle De's eyes, he was still that young boy.

"Xiwei saved my life and helped me find a physician. If it weren't for her, I wouldn't have been able to hold on until the day I recovered my memory."

Uncle De sighed with emotion, "You are blessed and have a great life; you are destined to have this good fortune. You and the young lady are also a match made in heaven."

Along the way, he had learned quite a bit about the past between the young master and the young lady, and he was very respectful of such a remarkable woman as Song Xiwei.

She had strength and courage, a woman who didn't lose to men, and most importantly, she had saved his young master.

Immeasurable merit.

It was enough for him to look at her with new eyes.

He thought that if the old master were here, he would also like this granddaughter-in-law.

Not to mention the family head—the eldest son had to be steady, wise, have a big-picture view, and be tactful and flexible... the youngest son just needed to be happy. Not to mention he married a good girl; even if he wanted to marry the daughter of a beggar, the family head probably wouldn't have any objections.

"Didn't you say Zhaozhao works at the supply and marketing cooperative? I want to stop by and see her," Uncle De suggested.

Lin Heling and Song Xiwei were also thinking of their daughter and agreed immediately.

After the three of them ate, they walked toward the supply and marketing cooperative.

At the cooperative, Lin Zhao was daydreaming. The heat-defying door curtain had long been taken down, and sitting in front of the counter, she could see the pedestrians passing by.

Suddenly, two familiar faces appeared before her. The bright and beautiful girl in front of the counter's eyes lit up. She rubbed her eyes and looked closely; the two were still there. She stood up abruptly, walked out of the counter, and trotted toward the couple with outstanding temperament.

"Dad! Mom!!!"

Lin Zhao hugged Song Xiwei's arm, rubbed her head against her shoulder a few times, and complained in her tone, "You finally remembered you have a poor daughter. I said Dad and Mom would be so happy they'd forget to return, and it's really like that. I missed you, but you didn't miss me. I'm so pitiful..."

The chattering complaints rang in his ears. Lin Heling's mouth curled slightly, his eyes filled with doting warmth.

Song Xiwei's eyes stayed on her daughter's face. Seeing her complexion was rosy and she clearly lived well, she felt relieved and said, "Blah blah blah, why is your mouth so talkative! My ears are almost echoing!"

Lin Zhao looked at Lin Heling, her eyes aggrieved, "Dad, Mom is looking down on your daughter. You should do something."

Lin Heling pretended to be helpless, "I can't do anything about it."

Lin Zhao: "..." She forgot her dad listened to her mom!

Feeling a gaze fall on her, she looked back along the line of sight.

She met a pair of complex eyes filled with nostalgia, sorrow, and sighing.

"Dad?" A thought popped into Lin Zhao's mind, "Is this the person you went to Haicheng to pick up? How should I address him?"

Lin Heling said, "This is an elder who watched me grow up. You should call him Grandpa De."

Lin Zhao obediently called out, "Grandpa De."

"Hey!" Uncle De was so happy he wanted to wipe away tears. He wanted to take out a meeting gift, but realized that the things he carried with him weren't suitable for others to see, so he said, "It's not convenient today. I'll give you a meeting gift next time we meet."

Little Miss Zhaozhao looked like his little aunt, and also like the late old lady. She looked so intimate, and her personality was good too—generous and open, with clear eyes. She was a good girl.

Lin Zhao waved her hand and said considerately, "It's fine if there's no meeting gift. It's enough that my dad got his wish."

Lin Heling felt warm in his heart and rubbed her hair with his large, warm palm, "We're going back first. If you're resting, bring Yubao and the others home."

"Okay!" Lin Zhao agreed happily. Her mouth pouted, and she added, "I wasn't used to not seeing Dad and Mom the last few times I went home, so I didn't stay long and left."

Song Xiwei's eyes softened, and she coaxed with a smile, "Aren't we back now? You're already married, why are you still acting like a child? I think Zhengzheng is steadier than you."

Lin Zhao pouted, "Children with parents are treasures; I don't want to be steady."

Song Xiwei thought to herself that it was true; children without parents' love were forced to be steady. Zhaozhao being like this was quite good.

"We've been on the train for several days, and my whole body hurts, so we'll go back first. Come home when you have time; let your dad make you what you love to eat."

Lin Heling also said, "I won't delay your work. Go ahead."

Lin Zhao: "What delay? I'm bored to death!"

Knowing her parents were tired from the train, she waved at them, "Dad, Mom, Grandpa De, go back and rest."

Turning around to return to the cooperative, she remembered Chu Ning was at home, so she hurriedly came back to inform her parents of the person's identity.

Lin Heling didn't like having outsiders in the house, but upon learning that the Chu family had done a favor for the second son, he wasn't as repulsed.

"Alright, we know."

Afterward, they headed toward the Dongfeng Brigade. The three of them were lucky; they ran into an ox cart, rode it for a stretch, and then walked another section before reaching the entrance of the village.

The people of the Dongfeng Brigade were very surprised to see the Lin couple, whom they hadn't seen for a long time.

"Zhaozhao's mom, you two are back."

"I think you've gained a bit of weight; you must have eaten well in the army, right?"

The villagers didn't know they had gone to Haicheng, thinking they had gone to visit relatives.

"Why are you bringing a strange old man? Who is this?"

Along the way, everyone was full of curiosity.

Song Xiwei picked and chose a few questions to answer and finally arrived home.

Seeing her parents-in-law return, Chen Yu expressed her joy.

"Dad and Mom are back," she said, "The bedding was just aired, and the bed sheets are also newly spread."

"What do you want to eat? I'll go make it."

Seeing the stranger, she added, "The empty room has also been cleaned, and the bed sheets are clean, so someone can sleep there directly."

Song Xiwei nodded, "... Make two home-cooked dishes to pad our stomachs first. Also, boil some hot water; we all need to wash up."

After all, they were older, and after being tossed about for several days, their bodies were extremely tired.

"Okay." Chen Yu agreed and hurriedly got busy.

Chu Ning, who was watching the children, felt very uncomfortable, but still politely greeted them.

Song Xiwei said, "We know about your situation. Relax and just stay at home; it won't be too late to go back after things are resolved."

What fault did this girl have? She was just unlucky to have been targeted by a piece of human scum.

Chu Ning's heart returned to its place, her eyes grateful, "Thank you, Auntie."

Her lips were slightly pale, and her face carried a sense of illness. Just by taking one look, Song Xiwei could see her body wasn't well.

What was strange was that this sense of illness didn't affect her beauty; it even made people unable to help but feel pity.

Song Xiwei didn't pay it any mind and went to talk to her grandchildren.

During the days she was away from home, she worried most about Xuanxuan and Zhengzheng.

The big eggs had their own mother, and the eldest daughter-in-law would take care of them, but these two sisters' own father wasn't home, and their own mother had fallen off a cliff and survived by a hair's breadth; no one would know if they were bullied.

Xuanxuan and Zhengzheng snuggled in their grandmother's arms, feeling very secure, whispering about their lives and studies; everything was good, and there wasn't a single thing that was unsatisfactory.

"Has anyone bullied you two at school? If so, tell me, and I'll go find them!" Song Xiwei said.

"No, no," Xuanxuan said first.

Song Xiwei stared at her for a few seconds and said, "I don't believe you."

Turning to look at Zhengzheng, "Zhengzheng, you tell me."

Xuanxuan was full of question marks.

"No one bullied us. Whatever we do, Big Egg Brother and Second Egg Brother are with us. Classmates know we have powerful brothers, so they don't dare provoke us," Zhengzheng said.

Previously, there was a male classmate who pulled her braids, but her brother blocked him, and after a "friendly" conversation, that person never provoked her again, and would hide far away whenever he saw her.

Other than that, there was nothing else.

The matter had been resolved, and the little girl hesitated repeatedly in her heart and didn't say it.

Song Xiwei nodded with satisfaction, "The two eggs still have a bit of a brotherly look."

"It's good that you weren't bullied. If anyone bullies you two, you must tell the family, you know?"

"Mm-hmm." The sisters nodded in unison.

Sunday.

Lin Zhao brought the four cubs back to her parents' home.

When they arrived, Big Egg and Second Egg were practicing martial arts on the spot, and her newly met Grandpa De was basking in the sun.

"???" The delicate guest was full of confusion, "What are they doing?"

Just as Lin Zhao asked, Yubao and Hengbao trotted to the front of the two eggs, their pitch-black, bright eyes shining like lamps.

They said one after another:

"Big Egg Brother, are you practicing kung fu?"

"The kung fu you're practicing is different from what we practice!"

"Taking Big Egg and Second Egg to strengthen their bodies." Uncle De answered Lin Zhao's question first, then stood up, looking at Yubao and Hengbao with a smile, "Do you practice kung fu too? What do you practice?"

Hengbao proudly raised his head, his voice clear, "Military boxing!"

Uncle De used the tone of coaxing a child, "The boxing you practice isn't as powerful as mine. Do you want to learn from me?"

Yubao puffed out his cheeks, "Military boxing was taught to us by our dad! It's super powerful!! Don't try to trick children!!"

At this time, Big Egg, who hadn't stopped practicing, couldn't help but say, "Yubao, Hengbao, what Great-Grandpa De teaches... seems to be even more powerful."

The young boy's eyes were filled with worship, his words carrying a trace of admiration.

These past few days, the two eggs had been learning from Uncle De, not limited to martial arts, but also talking about many subjects they hadn't touched before. In just a few days, they had benefited greatly.

Yubao and Hengbao looked at each other, "..." ===== CHAPTER 329 =====