Return of the Celestial King

Chapter 199: Chapter 199: An Old Affair

After everyone had left, Xu Zhigang gave a wry smile and said earnestly,

"Mr. Qin, please don’t hold what happened earlier against us. On behalf of Xu Chao, I offer you my sincerest apologies. Can we please just let this matter drop?"

Seeing how sincere Xu Zhigang was, and that he, the top official in Ming City, could be so humble, Qin Tuo decided not to press the issue.

He nodded and said gently,

"Don’t worry, Prefect Xu. I didn’t take it to heart at all. But you’d better keep a tighter leash on him in the future, lest he gets into even bigger trouble."

Xu Zhigang nodded repeatedly.

"Yes, Mr. Qin. That little brat has certainly caused his fair share of trouble. Starting tomorrow, I’ll ground him and not let him wander around aimlessly."

Qin Tuo was indifferent. He truly hadn’t given Xu Chao a second thought.

As long as that kid, Xu Chao, didn’t try to provoke him again, it was all fine!

If Xu Chao was truly reckless enough to try and get revenge, then Qin Tuo wouldn’t spare him just for Xu Zhigang’s sake.

It wouldn’t matter if he was the top official in Ming City; even if someone more powerful showed up, Qin Tuo would do what he had to do.

"By the way, Mr. Qin, where on earth did you learn all these skills?"

A look of curiosity suddenly appeared in Xu Zhigang’s eyes.

He had never believed in ghosts or gods before, but after meeting Qin Tuo, he had immediately changed his mind.

And now, Xu Zhigang found himself incredibly interested in these mysterious, esoteric arts of the martial world.

Qin Tuo smiled faintly and said with an air of immense mystery,

"Prefect Xu, these things belong to a different world from that of ordinary people. If you don’t intend to enter this walk of life, it’s best not to inquire about it. Otherwise, it might affect your good fortune."

Hearing Qin Tuo’s frightening words, the color drained slightly from Xu Zhigang’s face, and as expected, he didn’t dare ask any more questions.

Then, Xu Zhigang thumped his chest and made a promise on the spot.

"Mr. Qin, thank you again for saving my life. If you ever run into any trouble in the future, as long as it’s something I can help with, I absolutely will!"

Qin Tuo was very satisfied to hear this from Xu Zhigang.

After all, he was the top official in Ming City, and his help could be invaluable in many situations.

"Then I thank you in advance, Prefect Xu!"

After that, a satisfied Xu Zhigang took his leave, and Qin Tuo also prepared to leave Hong Lou.

Just as he stepped out of Hong Lou, he saw Qin Hongguo and Luo Xianglan hurrying toward him.

Qin Tuo immediately walked over to meet them and asked,

"Dad, Mom, what are you doing?"

He saw that Qin Hongguo was holding a woven plastic sack, while his mother, Luo Xianglan, was pulling out handfuls of loose cash from it—a mix of old and new bills.

Seeing the money, Qin Tuo felt a sting in his nose.

He knew his parents had emptied their entire life savings, gathered over all these years, just to pay for this one meal.

Qin Hongguo said worriedly,

"Son, your mother and I were worried they’d give you a hard time if you stayed here, so we went to old relatives and neighbors. We managed to borrow a few tens of thousands. Quick, take this money and go pay the bill before they come looking for trouble."

Hearing Qin Hongguo’s deeply concerned words, a pang of sorrow struck Qin Tuo’s heart.

He suddenly had an epiphany!

’Maybe there are some things I don’t need to understand so clearly.’

’Regarding my origins... so what if I’m not their biological son?’

’Does the fact that they painstakingly raised me for over twenty years, that all their endless care and concern... does that all count for nothing?’

Seeing Qin Tuo spacing out, Qin Hongguo immediately asked,

"Son, what are you standing there for? Go pay the bill!"

Fighting back the tears in his eyes, Qin Tuo forced a smile and said,

"Don’t worry, Mom and Dad. Uncle already paid for the meal. We don’t need to."

Luo Xianglan’s face filled with suspicion. She muttered to herself,

"How strange. Would a man like your uncle really offer to pay for the meal?"

Clearly, Qin Tuo’s parents knew Qin Hongjian’s character all too well. Hearing this news, they were immediately suspicious.

However, Qin Hongguo was getting flustered. He waved his hand dismissively and said,

"Whatever, as long as it’s settled, it’s fine. Let’s not worry about it. Let’s just go home. This place is too dangerous; we should stay away from now on."

And so, the family of three returned home.

After they got home, Qin Tuo was unusually silent.

His face heavy with thought, he went back to his room and shut the door.

Seeing this, Luo Xianglan said with a pained expression,

"Hongguo, our son has definitely figured something out. Can we really not hide the secret anymore?"

Qin Hongguo’s face was grim. He sat on the sofa and lit a cigarette.

Finally, he couldn’t stop a deep sigh from escaping.

"Sigh... what’s meant to happen will happen. It’s been so many years, I’d almost forgotten that I found our son."

Luo Xianglan nodded and gave a bitter smile.

"Yes, I’d almost forgotten, too. But we’ve always treated him as our own flesh and blood. Our consciences are clear on that."

At that moment, Qin Hongguo suddenly snatched the cigarette from his lips and slammed it onto the ground, saying angrily,

"That Qin Hongjian has gone too far! To think he’d bring something like that up just to spout nonsense... And after I’ve always looked up to him as my big brother. He truly disappointed me today!"

And how could Luo Xianglan not be just as angry?

They had an agreement with Qin Hongjian. They were supposed to take this secret to their graves.

But who would have thought that because of one small argument, Qin Hongjian would actually spill the secret.

Well, now the situation was completely out of control!

The more Luo Xianglan thought about it, the more her heart ached, and her eyes grew red.

She said, her voice hoarse,

"Hongguo, it looks like we have to tell him the truth. I’m just so worried... once our son finds out he’s not our biological child, will he leave us to find his birth parents?"

At this, her voice grew so hoarse she couldn’t continue speaking, her face a mask of sorrow.

Qin Hongguo’s heart was also a tangled mess.

After thinking for a moment, he said seriously,

"Let’s do this: we’ll let our son decide for himself. He has that right."

Though his words were firm, a trace of fear and apprehension still betrayed itself in his eyes.

He, too, was afraid that the son he had raised for so long would one day leave them.

After discussing for a long while, the two of them decided to lay their cards on the table with Qin Tuo.

As for what Qin Tuo would choose, they couldn’t interfere.

Then, Qin Hongguo went to Qin Tuo’s room and knocked on the door.

KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK!

There was a knock, but no response from Qin Tuo.

Clearly, Qin Tuo was in a terrible mood.

Qin Hongguo knocked several more times.

"Son, come on out. Your mother and I need to talk to you about something."

A moment later, the door opened slowly, and Qin Tuo walked out, his face devoid of expression.