Chapter 318: 314. Calling Your Third Brother (Please subscribe, monthly tickets!)

Principal Su did not know why she wanted to say that; perhaps she simply wanted to let Zhang Ran harbor a glimmer of hope once more?

Principal Su was the one among the parents and teachers who understood the situation the best; she knew some things about Zhang Ran and Tianjia Mountain Village.

Therefore, she had also seen that fleeting look of envy in Zhang Ran's eyes, so the words just now had slipped out of her mouth.

The older woman and her son looked toward Zhang Ran almost subconsciously, though their expressions began to grow wary.

It was not that they were overthinking it, but rather that a group of people had suddenly arrived today, and then someone said they knew their Lao San, and even claimed one of the young men was named Zhang Ran and was over fifty—how could they not be suspicious?

They might be a bit simple and honest, but they were not stupid.

"You are also named Zhang Ran?" Zhang Ran understood what she meant from the older woman's words.

Zhang Ran smiled with a complex expression and said, "It is just a coincidence of names, don't mind it, elder sister."

After saying this, he stopped speaking and just silently lowered his head to eat.

The older woman had originally been full of suspicion, but Zhang Ran's manner made her hesitate a little, and besides, did they have anything in their village worth swindling?

"You all eat first, I am going out for a moment," the older woman said, and then she walked out herself.

Huo Zhiyuan looked at Zhang Ran, then looked at He Yong, and whispered, "Do you know this Zhu San?"

He Yong nodded and said, "If nothing goes wrong, it should be Lao San."

After saying this, he glanced at Zhang Ran, then whispered, "You know about the events of that year; Zhu San was also one of Brother Zhang's bodyguards, back then..."

As he spoke, He Yong told Huo Zhiyuan about the past in a low voice; he also knew that sometimes Huo Zhiyuan was much better at persuading Zhang Ran than he was, and he felt that he was clumsy with words and did not know how to say it.

When he learned that the third brother was Zhu San, He Yong was actually very happy deep down.

If one were to say Zhang Ran treated everyone except He Yong as friends, then He Yong actually treated these people as brothers.

Now that Zhu San was able to do this, it made him feel very happy.

Just as they were eating, the older woman returned, and this time the village chief came back with her.

After chatting for a few moments, the village chief asked with an expectant look, "This elder brother, I heard that you know the third brother?"

He Yong nodded and said, "If I haven't recognized him wrongly, I should know him."

"Then do you know what happened to the third brother recently? Two years ago, he sent word saying he wasn't feeling well, but for two years, there hasn't been a single bit of news; we are very worried about the third brother," the village chief said.

This was also the reason the older woman had gone to find him; they were truly worried about Zhu San!

He Yong was actually feeling a bit anxious inside as well, but he did not know Zhu San's current situation either. "I don't know about this either; Lao San and I haven't seen each other for nearly thirty years."

Hearing him say this, disappointment immediately appeared on the faces of the village chief and the older woman, but the suspicion in their hearts faded a little.

If He Yong had said he was very close to Zhu San or something like that, they would have still harbored some suspicions.

But now that He Yong said they hadn't seen each other for nearly thirty years, it was clear they were not particularly close.

Just at this moment, Zhang Ran suddenly spoke up: "When Zhu San had you set up this Longevity Tablet, did he say anything?"

The village chief and the older woman looked at each other, and the older woman shook her head, saying, "No, he just had us set up this Longevity Tablet."

"No, the third brother seemed to have said something before; let me think about how he put it at the time," the village chief said instead.

The village chief thought for a good while before hesitatingly saying, "Back then, the third brother seemed to have said some things we couldn't understand, but the general meaning seemed to be asking us to pray that his benefactor would be safe and sound; it seemed the third brother's benefactor had run into some trouble at the time."

As he thought about it, the village chief slowly recalled it, and suddenly slapped his thigh, saying, "I remember now, the third brother seemed to have said it like this."

As he spoke, the village chief wore a reminiscent expression and said, "The third brother said at the time, 'Mr. Zhang has disappeared, you all think he is dead, but I don't believe it; Mr. Zhang will definitely be fine.' It seems that was the exact sentence."

However, there was one thing the village chief did not say, which was that Zhu San had also added, "I'm sorry, Mr. Zhang."

Zhang Ran listened in silence and did not ask anything more, just eating his meal.

However, He Yong asked, "Elder brother, I heard that many villages nearby have enshrined this Longevity Tablet?"

"That's right, we are all people who have received much kindness from the third brother; it can be said that many of our lives were saved by the third brother. This was the third brother's only request for us, and over these many years, it has become a habit," the village chief said with emotion.

"Then do you know where Zhu San went? I heard you say they have been around here for nearly twenty years, so how could he suddenly disappear? Don't you all know where he lives?" He Yong asked.

However, while speaking, he secretly looked at Zhang Ran and, discovering that Zhang Ran showed no reaction, he secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

The village chief smiled bitterly: "I really don't know about that. At the beginning, the third brother basically lived near us, but that was only for two or three years. I heard his daughter was born, and then he moved out. However, he would come back to stay for a period of time every year, and as long as there was something wrong, as long as we called him, he would come to help us."

"What about the phone number? Didn't you ask where he lives?" He Yong asked again.

"We asked, especially after hearing the third brother was in poor health. Although we don't have much money, we scraped some together to prepare for the third brother, but every time we asked where he lived, he wouldn't say.

We gave him money and he wouldn't take it; he even stopped answering our calls if we mentioned it too much. In the last year, he basically hasn't answered our calls; he just has us send messages if there is something," the village chief said helplessly.

"Can you give me the phone number?" He Yong asked.

"This...?" The village chief immediately hesitated; he still did not know whether these people were good or bad.

The reason he had said so much was because He Yong said he knew Zhu San, and if they were Zhu San's enemies, he was saying all this to ask them not to pursue anything further.

This could be considered some of the small wisdom of mountain people!

He Yong saw his hesitation, thought for a moment, and said, "How about this, you call him and say... say..." As he spoke, He Yong looked at Zhang Ran.

However, Zhang Ran remained silent, eating his meal with peace of mind.

He Yong gritted his teeth and said, "Just say Brother Zhang is back and wants to see him, and ask where he is."

After saying this, he looked at Zhang Ran and, discovering that Zhang Ran showed no reaction, he immediately let out a long sigh of relief.

If the village chief and the others didn't understand now, then they really were fools; after all, as long as the call went through and they heard the voice, they would know the truth from the lie.