Xiao's Mother and Xiao He lived on the fourth floor. There was only one bedroom, one living room, and a tiny kitchen and bathroom that were difficult to even turn around in.
The few pieces of dinnerware were placed on the dining table in the living room.
The lack of furniture was pitiful. There were even knife marks on the door where someone had stabbed into it, leaving creepy slits embedded in the door.
The only bedroom was given to the critically ill Xiao's Mother. Xiao He slept in the living room on a shabby bed with only one pillow.
They didn't even have a desk.
Although it was run down, it was tidy.
Xiao He came back after mopping and saw Qiao Ying standing in the living room surveying their pitiful little home. She even reached out and flipped the wall calendar that had been hanging for years to the current month, even though the year was long outdated.
She was like someone who was bored and had dropped by to visit.
After Older Ming finished taking Xiao's Mother's pulse, he called Qiao Ying into the room.
Xiao's Mother's condition was very poor. In her youth, she had overworked herself and developed various illnesses. She had also suffered repeated abuse from her alcoholic husband.
Two years ago, she had developed uremia and was relying on a small government subsidy to purchase medicine to keep herself alive. Now, she was bedridden and tormented by her illness.
All the responsibilities of the family rested on Xiao He's shoulders.
There was no cure for the uremia. Every day she lived was a blessing.
Older Ming wanted to ask Qiao Ying if there was any way she could help alleviate Xiao Mother's suffering and try to prolong her life as much as possible.
Of course, Qiao Ying hadn't just randomly dropped by to visit.
When he saw her take out her acupuncture kit, Older Ming voluntarily stepped aside.
"Miss Qiao's medical skills surpass mine. Please feel assured." Older Ming said to Xiao He.
Zhang Chengyong also echoed for Xiao He not to worry.
Qiao Ying sat down by the bed and turned to address the few people in the room, "You all can go out first."
With just that one line, Zhang Chengyong went out by himself.
Qiao Ying looked towards Older Ming and Xiao He who hadn't moved.
Under Qiao Ying's gaze, Xiao He, who had wanted to help, and Older Ming, who had wanted to observe and learn, also successively left the room.
Xiao He went to the kitchen to boil medicine for his mother.
Qiao Ying undid Xiao's Mother clothes and started administering acupuncture to her.
After several needles, the anguished expression on Xiao's Mother's face started to ease. She looked at Qiao Ying in shocked gratitude.
After several more needles, Xiao's Mother spoke, "Thank you child." Her voice was infirm and sickly.
Qiao Ying glanced at her while continuously administering acupuncture, "Your son is very sensible."
She spoke like a doctor chatting with a patient in a hospital to help relieve nervousness. It didn't feel abrupt.
Xiao's Mother: "This child has led a bitter life. Following me, he hasn't had a single good day and he's suffered beatings from his father too."
Thinking of how much she owed her son, Xiao's Mother's eyes quickly grew wet.
Qiao Ying: "How many children do you have?"
When it came to this topic, Xiao's Mother, who had been tormented by illness for years, first became absent-minded. Then her eyes crawled with grief.
"Xiao He has an older brother. Not long after he was born, he was abducted. Up until now, he still hasn't been found..." Xiao's Mother's words caught in her throat.
Zhuo Chengdong hadn't investigated this.
At that time, conditions had been dire. Xiao's Mother didn't have money to give birth at the hospital. The children were either born at home or with a midwife's help.
Xiao He was also born at home so there were no records at the hospital.
Having given birth twice at home, they were lucky to have survived.
Qiao Ying: "How old would the older brother be?"
Xiao's Mother: "If he were still alive, he would be 25 this year."
Qiao Ying's administrating hand paused - Feng Ying was two years older than her, the ages matched.
Qiao Ying: "Did you give him a name?"
"Xiao Ran."
Qiao Ying murmured softly: "Xiao Ran."
Qiao Ying: "Were there any distinguishing birthmarks on him? It would be easier to find him back if there were."
Xiao's Mother: "He has a mole behind his left ear."
Feng Ying didn't have a mole behind his left ear. But they couldn't rule out the possibility that it had been removed by An Ying. She hadn't examined closely behind his left ear for surgical scars.
Could Feng Ying really be the Xiao family's child? A critically ill mother on her deathbed, an alcoholic and abusive gambling addict of a father, and a bullied brother who had suffered endless hardships since young.
It was such a destitute and wretched family.
Xiao's Mother: "I don't dare to hope that he could come back. I only hope that he is still alive somewhere and that someone is treating him well."
It was a long time before Qiao Ying responded: "He will be."
After another half an hour, Qiao Ying removed the needles.
"Young lady, are you Xiao He's classmate?" Xiao's Mother asked.
"Yes."
"Since young, this child has been abused by his father. I didn't protect him well. When he grew older, he was bullied by other children. After a long time, he spoke less and less, and never had any friends. He just transferred to a new school recently, could you chat more with him?" Xiao's Mother implored.
At this time, Xiao He was standing in the doorway.
Qiao Ying: "I can."
When Qiao Ying returned to the villa, she turned on the computer.
After some operations, she hacked into An Ying's database and successfully retrieved Feng Ying's DNA test report.
An Ying's database didn't record the background and original identities of the assassins, especially those with the "Ying" designation. All of them had been taken in by An Ying since they were still infants. No one knew the reprehensible ways they came to be in An Ying's hands.
Including her.
The database only stored partial records of each assassin after arriving at An Ying, as well as a DNA test report.
Even when they died, their records would not be casually deleted.
Qiao Ying didn't leave any traces behind.
Of course, she also wasn't afraid of An Ying finding out.
Before the sky even darkened, Qiao Ying obtained the DNA kinship analysis report between Feng Ying and Xiao's Mother.
The report showed that Xiao's Mother was Feng Ying's biological mother.
Qiao Ying held onto the report for a long time before finding a lighter. She burned the report to ashes and flushed it down the toilet.
She relaxed her entire body and leaned back against the sofa.
Her mind was filled with memories of training together with Feng Ying from young till they grew up, and the promise to escape An Ying together and live under assumed names.
Yet in the end, she was the one who buried him with her own hands.
Xiao's Mother had said that she didn't dare to hope he could come back, she only hoped he was still alive somewhere and that someone was treating him well.
Even that little wish of Xiao's Mother's was dashed.
If Feng Ying hadn't accompanied her on that mission, he wouldn't have died.
If Feng Ying were still alive, if they had successfully escaped from An Ying, would he have tried to find his birth parents?
Then Xiao's Mother wouldn't be like now - unable to even afford medicine and fated to die without closure.
Even if Feng Ying didn't have much feelings for this family, he would definitely have given his mother a dignified end. He would have protected his younger brother Xiao He and given Xiao He a whole new life. He would have fought for justice on behalf of his pitiful mother and brother against their abusive alcoholic father.
She would also have treated Xiao He like her own brother.
But none of that was possible now.
Feng Ying had died.
As if sensing Qiao Ying's low mood, Fourth Master walked over and rested his head on her lap looking at her, whimpering.
Qiao Ying started her car and drove out of the estate.
At an auto repair shop, Qiao Ying saw Xiao He hard at work. He wore work overalls stained all over with gasoline while his hands, meant for holding books and taking notes, were covered in gasoline as well.
Even after he was off work, the gasoline wouldn't wash off completely.
"Damn it, do you even know how to repair or not? You've made it even more broken than before you tried to fix it. If you can't do it then don't!" The car owner swore as he got back into his car, slamming the door forcefully, preparing to leave.
Xiao He blocked the front of the car. "You haven't paid yet."
The car owner stuck his head out the window. "You want money after fixing my car into this state? Hurry up and get the hell out of my way!"
Xiao He didn't budge. "I've already fixed your car. I tested it just now and there were no issues."
The owner said, "This is my car. Don't think I wouldn't know if there were any problems or not! I'll say it one last time, get the hell out of my way!"
Xiao He still didn't move. "Pay up first."
The owner yelled, "Do you believe that I'll step on the accelerator and run you over to death?!"
Seeing that Xiao He was still blocking the front of his car, the owner cursed and started the ignition. The roar of the engine sounded.
Yet Xiao He wasn't frightened away.
"Where's your boss? Get your damn boss out here for me!"
"If you don't get the hell out of the way soon, I'm really going to step on it!"
Qiao Ying slammed her foot down on the accelerator!
