Li Feng visibly panicked upon hearing my words.
"Tang Nan, what nonsense are you spouting? Get out, get out right now."
...
Facing his roar, my heart remained calm. I continued speaking placidly, "Gao Ziyan didn't commit murder, but she didn't kill Bo Ren, yet Bo Ren died because of her. So, faced with the same choice again, Gao Ziyan might have become the murderer consumed by her emotions. My elder brother, years ago, made sacrifices for a friend. Therefore, if he were to face the choice again, he would still sacrifice himself for a friend."
"What does that have to do with me?"
"Gao Ziyan's future mistake stems from love, my elder brother's from righteousness. Regardless of how the world categorizes them, they are both people of emotion and righteousness. But you are not. Everything you've done is for the benefits you stand to gain in the future. You are devoid of both emotion and righteousness."
"Nonsense."
"When Aunt Qin liked you back then, you were probably struggling to get by in the village. At that time, no one knew about your illustrious background, so your options were limited. Aunt Qin was likely the only one. Although you didn't act directly, it was through your machinations that Aunt Qin successfully escaped the control of those three men, and they died without a sound."
By this point, Li Feng no longer attempted to stop me. His eyes became sharp, radiating a cold glint. He was likely contemplating how to eliminate me swiftly. As a natural Schemer, he must have had numerous ways to kill me, but I was unafraid because he no longer had the chance.
...
"So what if you know? Tang Nan, do you have any proof of what I've done?"
"No!" I replied truthfully.
"Then what are you being so arrogant about? Why are you provoking me? I could kill Cao Qian, and I'll find a suitable reason to kill you too. You think you're so great, but I'm telling you, you're nothing more than a canary living in a cage. In terms of resilience, you're not even fit to be compared to me."
"Is that so?"
"Tang Nan, I'm telling you, I will find a way to get rid of you this month."
Perhaps I had touched a nerve, and Li Feng's emotions began to spiral out of control.
"You're welcome to try. I'll be waiting. But, Li Feng, I still have a question for you. Would Wang Ren trust someone like you?"
"What does that matter? Wang Ren will definitely use me to get rid of you, that thorn in his side."
"How pathetic you are!"
"What the hell are you talking about!"
"Abandoned by your father your entire life, only to cling to his coattails in the end. The pillar you thought you could rely on will ultimately treat you as a mere tool. You, truly, have lived a worthless life. I even felt sorry for you once, but you don't deserve it. To be frank, although you are Wang Ren's informant, you've never met him. All your dealings were handled by Ke Yingying, that black informant."
"So what? Isn't it legal?"
"It was legal until I arrived. But now, Ke Yingying has been exposed as the real villain, possibly even the devil of the 'Southern Faction'. Of course, you might think this is all speculation and nonsense. But unfortunately, the Criminal Investigation Bureau has gathered evidence. Mr. Ke from 'Divine Immortal Guest,' Ke Yingying, is now nationally wanted for this matter."
Li Feng stared at me with wide eyes. He was sharp and understood everything!
I smiled, "If Ke Yingying is a criminal, then doesn't your killing of Cao Qian become less justifiable?"
"Does Wang Ren know about this?"
"What does it matter if he knows? Let's switch places. If I were you, would I abandon you!"
With that, I stood up. Li Feng also stood.
"Li Feng, do you want to fight me?"
"No."
"I truly hope you try to kill me. I'm quite confident in my combat skills now. I believe I can kill you with a justifiable reason."
"Tang Nan, don't rush. One day, I will get my revenge."
"There won't be a day like that."
Saying this, I walked out and closed the door.
...
That night, I returned to Wende Xiaoyuan and didn't leave thereafter. I made no further plans, letting things unfold naturally, waiting for the blossoms to fall.
Luo Bo offered an apologetic smile, "I'd love to help, but I don't know how to cook!"
"I shouldn't have been so polite. Go watch the child!" I said, throwing the words out in exasperation. He chuckled.
"Haha, by the way, Tang Nan, I have something to tell you. Yesterday, we found a body. It's been confirmed to be the escaped informant, Li Feng."
I stopped what I was doing and looked at Luo Bo intently.
Luo Bo sighed, "We've been pursuing Ke Yingying, but he stayed in Beijing and killed Li Feng. Theoretically, Li Feng and him covered up the evidence of their crimes, and by killing Li Feng, it would become untraceable. But the logic isn't quite like that. Ke Yingying's identity is already compromised; he had no real reason to kill Li Feng. Unless..."
"Unless Li Feng brought it upon himself!"
Hearing this, Luo Bo snorted, "This has nothing to do with me. I won't ask further. Oh, and one more thing. The special task force is being set up in Xi'an, and I'll be there for a while. So I won't be participating in your final battle."
"What final battle? A duel between Ye Gucheng and Ximen Chuixue on a midsummer night?"
"Wang Ren won't admit defeat that easily."
"This battle isn't about Wang Ren losing; she simply faces a choice. And I believe, with her intelligence, she will make the right decision. By the way, what's the codename for your mission this time?"
"Exorcism!"
"That's good. So, Ke Yingying established a criminal organization called 'Demons'?"
"I'm sorry, I can't even tell you, my own sister."
I smiled~
...
After Luo Bo left, I took a glass of wine and walked out of the south wing. I then poured the wine by the wall of the west wing. Looking up at the sky, I said, "Senior Sister, rest in peace. I've avenged you. Huang Huang will grow up with me. I promise he won't live as lonely as you did. He has siblings, and he has me as his father. The woman you disliked is his new mother. All of this might not be what you wished for, but in the end, the child will be happy. Goodbye, and never see you again. I won't come to pay respects anymore. When Huang Huang grows up, it will be his choice to come or not. We part ways now. If there is an afterlife, may you be born into a good family, live a simple life, and find a man to live foolishly with for a lifetime."
With that, I turned and left. A breeze swept through the courtyard, feeling quite warm. I watched the wind rustle the pear tree in the courtyard, as if someone was waving goodbye. Finally, the courtyard fell into silence.
I stood there blankly. The door to the side room opened, and Tang Huang and Tang Yi ran out, laughing. They circled the pear tree. Suddenly, Tang Huang seemed to sense something and looked up.
Tang Yi seized the opportunity to grab Tang Huang, laughing joyfully.
"You lost! You have to play house with me!"
...
That day, we ate and drank happily.
The next morning, many people arrived at our home!
Chang Dachun and An Xiaoyue were here!
Da Huang and Fatty both brought their wives!
I asked Lin Han to find my wedding suit. Compared to back then, I had even lost some weight.
When I walked out of the room, everyone looked at me because they all knew I was going to see Wang Ren today.
"Tang Nan..."
Da Huang wanted to speak but was pulled back by Fatty.
Lin Han tidied my suit and asked with a smile, "Do you want me to tie a tie for you?"
"No need, this is formal enough."
"Then we'll wait for you to come back for lunch?" Lin Han asked earnestly.
"Dinner."
"Alright, if you don't come back, I'll drink."
"Just based on that sentence, I have to come back."
"Let's go!"
As I reached the door, Da Huang finally couldn't hold back and shouted, "Tang Nan, go for it!"
Looking at their concerned eyes, I nodded and resolutely walked out of the house.
...
I've made all the arrangements, at least from my perspective. If I'm right, today will be a great victory. If I'm wrong, I'll have no chance to recover.
Now, I have no fallback. I'm simply going to Teacher Wang Ren's house to reveal the answer.
...
Teacher Wang Ren was not at work today. She was waiting for me at home, brewing a pot of her favorite Sun Moon Lake black tea.
Sitting opposite Teacher Wang Ren, she poured me a cup of tea. I accepted it with both hands. In fact, since I'd known Wang Ren, I never felt overly estranged from her, nor did I feel the same reverence as my Senior Sister.
But this time, I was truly nervous, my hands trembling slightly.
"When did you determine you could win?"
"When your daughter, Jiang Kexin, made her choice, I felt I would win."
"Is that so? Why did you think that?"
"The first time you met me, you said that those who commit high-IQ crimes often fail because they lack real-life experience. But you, with your high intelligence and real-life experience, are invincible."
"If I am invincible, how can you defeat me?" Teacher Wang Ren asked with a faint smile, posing a crucial question.
"All things in heaven and earth do not belong to me; all things in heaven and earth can be used by me. If you add causality to this theory, then you know better than I that it is not I who defeats you, but the 'sky' above our heads."
"What if I say no?"
"Then you would have to strip away all the real-life experiences you've had over the years. When I saw through the 'Three Immortals Offering a Ding' formation, I knew that there shouldn't have been a duel between my Senior Uncle and me. Ultimately, you were merely faced with a choice. You could let go of everything and continue to be the supreme and invincible one; or you could let go of everything and protect the real-life experiences you once possessed."
Hearing my words, Wang Ren's sharp gaze fixed on me. I met her gaze without hesitation. Wang Ren smiled calmly, "Tell me the whole story, and I'll tell you my final decision."