Chapter 68: He Has Already Passed Away?!

Damn!
This was no longer just a matter of imprisonment—this was nothing short of abuse!
He had thought Chu Lingshuang was already crazy enough, but he never expected she’d have such a twisted penchant for torment.
Taking advantage of the fact that no one was around, he tried wrapping the pillowcase around two bars of the iron cage, twisting with all his might.
But without any leverage or anything solid, he couldn’t budge them at all!
After struggling for ages, his hands were nearly scraped raw, but the iron bars didn’t move an inch!
Was he really going to starve to death in here?!
At that moment, Lin Feng felt a sliver of relief that he had eaten something before coming—at least there was still food in his stomach, enough to last two days at best. But what about the remaining five days?!
He didn’t even have a phone—how could he possibly call for help?
That woman was ruthless beyond belief!
He simply lay down on the bed, trying to conserve his strength. Seven days... he’d endure as long as he could, and if he couldn’t, he’d leave it to fate.
...
The Xia Family.
When Xia Qingqing’s grandparents, Xia Ziqiang and Zhao Hong, returned home and saw the brand-new refrigerator and the lavish table laden with dishes, both were taken aback with disbelief.
“Qingqing, keep your money for yourself! You’ve only just started working, and already you’re buying such an expensive fridge? Are you just looking for ways to spend your money?”
Zhao Hong, seeing the price tag of over forty thousand on the refrigerator, immediately began to scold her.
But Xia Ziqiang smiled and said, “Come now, Qingqing meant well. Don’t spoil the mood, old lady!”
“That’s not the point—even if she’s being filial, she shouldn’t spend like this. Cailian is still ill, who knows how much more we’ll need for her medical bills in the future!” Zhao Hong sighed, her tone softening.
Xia Qingqing scratched behind her ear awkwardly. “Grandpa, grandma, I didn’t buy it...”
“What?!”
“Then who did?!”

The two elders were stunned, exclaiming in surprise.
“It was a colleague of mine—a very kind young man,” Xia Qingqing hastily explained. “He came to see me today, and even borrowed a car to help bring Mom back from the hospital. Everything in the fridge was bought by him...”
“Then why didn’t you ask him to stay for dinner?!”
“Exactly! You’re always so thoughtful—if you had asked him to stay, we could have thanked him properly!”
“It’s not that, Grandpa, Grandma. He was supposed to stay for dinner, but suddenly something came up, and I didn’t feel right insisting...” Xia Qingqing quickly clarified.
She didn’t notice the knowing glance her grandparents exchanged at her words.
The two elders sat down at the table, picking up their chopsticks. Zhao Hong looked at Xia Qingqing with a smile, “Qingqing, tell Grandma honestly, what’s this young man like? What’s his family situation?”
“Grandma!”
Xia Qingqing called out, instantly understanding her grandmother’s meaning, her face flushing red.
Xia Ziqiang chimed in, “There’s nothing to be shy about. You’re not so young anymore—it’s time you considered finding someone. Tell us honestly; your grandma and I are quite open-minded!”
A little embarrassed, Xia Qingqing scooped a mouthful of rice and chewed slowly.
Seeing her granddaughter’s silence, Zhao Hong grew worried. “Qingqing, is it your mother’s situation that’s affecting you...?”
She nudged Xia Ziqiang with her elbow, and he immediately caught on. “Actually, your mother didn’t really choose poorly. Your biological father treated her very well—though he died young...”
He didn’t finish the sentence before Zhao Hong jabbed him sharply in the arm!
But it was too late—Xia Qingqing had already heard.
She immediately put down her chopsticks, exclaiming in disbelief, “He’s passed away?!”
Zhao Hong glanced at Xia Ziqiang, who was now covering his mouth, and sighed. “Enough. She’s grown up now—there are things she has a right to know.”
With that, she looked at Xia Qingqing. “Your biological father’s name was Lin Zhenyong. He was a special forces captain posted elsewhere in his early years. He and your mother were schoolmates who fell in love, but could rarely be together. Later, during a mission...”
She trailed off, as if lamenting fate’s cruelty and pitying her daughter’s tragic lot. As she spoke, Zhao Hong’s eyes grew red.
Xia Qingqing could hardly believe her ears!
She shot to her feet and shouted, “Then—what about what you told me before, that he sent money for my living expenses every year? Was it actually you...”

“No.” Xia Ziqiang shook his head with a sigh. “Your mother came from our village, and the Lin family looked down on her background. But your parents loved each other deeply and secretly got married. After your father died, they only then learned of your existence. To keep your mother quiet, the Lin family sent money every year...”
“We did take the money, but we never spent a cent of it—it’s all been saved for you,” Zhao Hong explained, and then added, “Qingqing, don’t feel you shouldn’t use that money. You’re Lin Zhenyong’s flesh and blood. Their family’s money is yours by right!”
Xia Ziqiang sighed deeply. “If you want to acknowledge your relatives, we won’t stop you. You’re old enough now to make your own decisions.”
Listening to her grandparents’ account, Xia Qingqing felt as if her mind had gone utterly blank.
The Lin family—a name she had never even heard before...
She’d always thought that, though she’d never met her biological father, with her grandparents by her side, life, though hard, had finally begun to improve.
But now, with so many things she’d never heard before suddenly coming to light, and her grandfather even mentioning “acknowledging her kin,” a wave of panic surged up from the depths of her heart!
“Grandpa, Grandma...”
Xia Qingqing stood there dumbfounded, her nose stinging, eyes reddened as she looked at them, her voice thick with tears. “Are you going to abandon me?”
She was afraid—afraid that after everything they’d said, her grandparents would tell her they’d done their duty raising her all these years.
She didn’t want to acknowledge those relatives—she didn’t want to leave. They’d given birth to her but never raised her; why should she return to a family so heartless?
“How could we?!” Zhao Hong exclaimed, immediately standing and pulling Xia Qingqing into a tight embrace. “My precious granddaughter, your grandpa and I never meant that...”
The sudden embrace made Xia Qingqing, whose emotions were already at the breaking point, burst into tears.
She clung to her grandmother, sobbing so hard she could barely catch her breath, murmuring, “I don’t want to leave you. You worked so hard to raise me. Now it’s my turn to take care of you. I don’t want to leave. I don’t want to acknowledge any other family...”
No one expected Xia Qingqing would react this way.
Even Xia Ziqiang, normally stern, was moved, his eyes red as he said, “Don’t worry, my dear granddaughter. As long as your grandma and I can still work, we’ll never let you or your mother suffer!”
After the storm of tears, Xia Qingqing gradually calmed down. She picked up some food for her grandparents, wiping away her tears, when suddenly her grandmother spoke up again.
“Qingqing, now that we’ve said all this, when are you going to bring that young man home for us to meet?”