Chapter 054 Ling Jinghan

 

"Damn stinky bitch, how could they do it, woo woo..."

 

Returning home, Ling Chenglong and his wife encountered Ling Chengcai and his wife at their doorstep. Mrs. Ling Li wore a serene smile, seemingly oblivious to the turmoil within their family. Ling Wangshi simmered with rage; if not for her son's earlier warning, she would have confronted Mrs. Ling Li then and there. The audacious woman kidnapped their grandson without a hint of remorse, all while maintaining her facade of innocence. It was a deliberate ploy to torment their family.

 

"Come now, let's not cry. We'll wait quietly for news from Jingxuan and the others," Ling Chenglong consoled gently, enveloping his wife in his arms. Regret and guilt marred his features as he berated himself for not being stronger. If only he had demanded separation from the Ling family when their eldest son was expelled, they might have avoided this ordeal. If any harm befell the children, he wouldn't have the courage to face his son.

 

Sobbing uncontrollably, Ling Wangshi poured out her anguish. She loathed the Ling family and harbored an intense hatred towards that poisonous woman even more.

 

Ling Jinghan, lying in bed, observed his distraught parents as they entered. Confused at first, he eventually pieced together the situation from his mother's tearful sobs. Overcome with worry, despite his frailty, Ling Jinghan rose and approached his parents. "Father, please, tell me what happened. I need to know the details," he implored, his concern evident.

 

Seated on the bench opposite, Ling Jinghan struggled to contain his emotions. He urged himself to remain calm, knowing that the well-being of his two nephews was paramount. If anything happened to them, the devastation would extend beyond just their parents; the entire family would be shattered. With their eldest brother's newfound sobriety, their family had finally begun to heal, and Ling Jinghan was determined not to let that progress unravel.

 

"Jinghan, about Xiaowen and the others..." Ling Wangshi began, her voice heavy with worry. She recounted the details of Ling Wen and Ling Wu's disappearance, as well as Ling Jingxuan's suspicions. Ling Jinghan's expression darkened, his hands involuntarily clenching into fists on the table. His lips, tight with anger and fear, quivered slightly, while his sickly eyes blazed with intense hatred.

 

"Your brothers have gone to the town. I'm sure Xiaowen and the others are safe. Please, Jinghan, your health is fragile. Try not to get too upset," Ling Chenglong added, his concern evident as he glanced at his son.

 

After shedding tears for some time, Ling Wangshi finally noticed her son's distress. The couple exchanged worried glances, silently chastising themselves for allowing their emotions to overwhelm them. If they hadn't encountered that despicable couple at the door, perhaps they wouldn't have been so overcome with anger.

 

"I'm fine, Mom and Dad. Eldest brother's guess is probably right, but there are contingencies in everything, so we can't just do nothing. How about this: I'll go to the room to find my teacher later to divert their attention by asking questions. Meanwhile, you can sneak into uncle's room and the warehouse at home to search. No matter what, we must rescue Xiaowen and the others as soon as possible," Ling Jinghan suggested, forcibly suppressing his anger.

 

Ling Chenglong and his wife stood up, concern evident in their eyes as they looked at their son's frail form. "Is this okay? Your body?" they asked worriedly.

 

"It's okay. After drinking the medicine my elder brother gave me, the suffocation in my heart has disappeared, and my cough has improved a lot. It's just that there should be no problem if I ask the teacher," Ling Jinghan reassured them.

 

The second household, despite being neglected by the elders, held the undeniable fact that the child who resides there excels in reading. Even Ling Jinghan, a thirteen-year-old and a prodigy, had exhibited remarkable talent. Before what happened, he was treated like a treasureIf not for what happened, he would have been admitted as a scholar long time ago. . After the incident, the old man was so angry that he dragged him to Shentang.

Ling Jinghan also gradually showed his talent for reading. With his talent, as long as his physical condition permits, he can come back as a child student at any time.Whenever the old man visited or Ling Jinghan sought advice, members of the first and third households would trail him closely, fearing he might announce his intention to take the exam. Therefore, everyone, particularly the members of the first and third households, took extra precautions around him.

 

"Okay then, but drink your medicine first. It's made by your elder brother himself," Ling Wangshi instructed, returning with the medicine jar. Ling Jinghan complied, drinking the concoction without complaint.

 

"Father and mother, you should split up. Mom, you go to uncle's room, and don't overlook Brother Jinghong and Sister Xiaotong's rooms. Dad, search the warehouse or any other room where you think they could be hiding. Remember, be careful and don’t let anyone find out," Ling Jinghan instructed before leaving to find his teacher.

 

Ling Chenglong and his wife nodded in agreement, grateful for their son's efforts to buy them time. They were determined not to let his sacrifices go to waste.

 

As dinner time approached, the Ling family gathered in the main room. When Ling Jinghan entered, the lively chatter came to an abrupt halt. The presence of Ling Jinghan, coupled with Ling Chenglong and his wife ceasing their work for the day, cast a somber mood over the room. The only one seemingly content was Ling Qiyun, who occupied the main seat.

 

"Jinghan, why are you out today? It's cold at night. Be careful of the wind and cold. Come to Grandpa quickly," Mr. Ling, a scholar, expressed concern for Ling Jinghan, the only descendant who showed scholarly promise.

Mr. Ling is a scholar and has always regarded himself very highly. However, none of his descendants are like him. The only one who can read is sick in bed all year round. It would be a lie to say that he is not sad, but he still holds hope. Ling Jinghan is still young, maybe one day the illness will be cured. Therefore, he has always loved Ling Jinghan the most. He never cared about family affairs, and he would remind the old woman to get him medicine and see a doctor almost every month.

 

"Grandpa, Grandma, Uncle, Aunt, all my brothers and sisters are well," Ling Jinghan replied gently, though his words seemed to breeze by unnoticed by most. Mr. Ling, however, paid him no mind and continued to express concern about Ling Jinghan's health, urging him to rest in his room to avoid catching a cold.

"Didn't I let you rest in the room? Did you run out? What if you catch the cold again? I still expect you to recover from your illness and go to the exam to be a scholar and come back."

"Hehe... Grandpa, it's okay. Yesterday, Jingpeng went to town to get two medicines for me, and they're much more effective than the ones the doctors prescribed. After just a few doses, I feel much better. I don’t cough as much anymore. Before, it felt like something was pressing on my chest, making it hard to breathe, but now I don’t feel that way anymore. So, I want to ask my teacher about some things I don’t usually understand when I'm feeling better. If the medicine continues to work well, maybe I can participate in the Tongsheng test this winter," Ling Jinghan explained optimistically.

Ling Jinghan chose not to confront their fears directly, knowing it would only provoke them further. Despite his weak body, he remained resolute in his decision to deceive them for the sake of keeping them in the dark.

 

"Really?! That's good, Jinghan, I like your love of reading, you are the most like me. Since the medicine is good, I will ask you to pay me tomorrow and ask Jingpeng to pick up some more. The deputy is back, God bless, our family needs more talents," Mr. Ling exclaimed with joy, envisioning Ling Jinghan's success in the upcoming exam.

Hearing that and seeing how happy the old man was as if he had already seen Ling Jinghan pass the exam, the others curled their lips sourly. But they all dared not make a sound,

Nonetheless, the old lady said angrily, "Jinghan, what do you mean? Are you distrusting the doctor I, an old woman, hired for you? Don’t even think about it. Can your disease be cured in a day or two? All the spare money from our family went into your stomach. You still have the nerve to complain that the doctor I hired for you is not good. If you have the ability, go and invite a good doctor to your home."

 

 

Normally, no matter how upset the old lady was, she wouldn't get angry in front of the old man, but yesterday she suffered a big loss from Ling Jingxuan. And she was almost driven back to her mother's house by the old man. After losing the work she was doing, she had already suffocated an evil fire in her heart. She was worried that she couldn't find a place to vent it!

 

"Grandma, I don't mean that, I just..." Ling Jinghan lowered his head aggrieved, and they could only imagine what they had not finished speaking, and no one noticed that those eyes that should have been sick were full of naked disgust.

"Shut up! Jinghan is Jinghan. His illness is just getting better and you are making a fuss like this. You don't want him well, do you? If you do this again, don't blame me for not being sympathetic. I will dismiss you and go back to your mother's house," Ling Qiyun shouted, asserting his authority and protecting his grandson from further harm.

 

The old lady, overwhelmed by emotion, lamented her fate and expressed her despair, feeling betrayed by her husband's favoritism towards Ling Jinghan.

"You... I'm so miserable. Back then, I married you despite my family's opposition. I thought I was at least a talented lady. I didn't expect that after decades of husband and wife, you would treat me like this for little bastard. God, you Just let the thunder strike me to death, woo woo. I don't want to live anymore--"  She didn't expect him to humiliate her in front of the family because of Ling Jinghan.

 

"Mother, don't be like that. Dad didn't mean that. It's not that Jinghan's health is getting better. Dad is happy. Why do you say those unhappy things?"

"Yes, mother, Jinghan is Jinghan. His health is good, and he was admitted to the scholar. Isn't it also our family's blessing," another family member chimed in, trying to divert attention away from the confrontation.

 

"Mother, how could father be willing to divorce you? He just said what he said. Our Jinghan is father's treasure. He can't help but speak normally for a while. Just calm down," others added, their words meant to reassure and pacify, but seemingly falling short.

 

Despite the attempts at comfort, the old lady seemed inconsolable, her distress only intensifying with each passing moment. Meanwhile, Ling Jinghan remained silent, observing the chaotic scene with a mixture of resignation and bitterness.

 

Unnoticed amidst the family drama, Ling Chenglong and his wife seized the opportunity to conduct their search, hoping to uncover any clues that might lead them to Ling Wen and Ling Wu.