A family meet (Part-2)

Tianzhu didn't say a word for a moment. His eyes stayed locked on the man sitting between his children, the smile now long gone from his face.

"Vera. Theo," he said in almost a quiet force.

They looked at him.

"Go inside."

Vera blinked. "But…"

"I need to talk with this man," Tianzhu said, jaw tight.

Theo stood up, glancing between the two. "Dad… We…"

"Now," Tianzhu's tone cut through the room like a blade. "Will you get inside and give your father some privacy… or do you want to force your father to go outside to have some privacy?"

Theo stopped.

Zhao Mingze stepped in, placing a hand on the boy's shoulder. "Come on," he said quickly. "I'll take care of it." Then, looking at Vera, "You too. Let's go."

Vera hesitated.

"I said, come." Zhao Mingze didn't wait. He started walking toward the hallway, tugging Theo along gently.

Vera followed, casting one last glance over her shoulder.

When the door to the hallway clicked shut, only three people remained in the room.

Tianzhu looked at the elderly figure and said. "Why are you here?"

Qin Dongzhi didn't answer immediately.

Tianzhu turned to Xueli. "Did you call him?"

"I didn't invite him for breakfast," she said softly. "He came on his own."

Tianzhu's eyes snapped back to the old man. "Then what do you want, Qin Dongzhi? Heard that you are going to die very soon. Suddenly remembered affections for your children or something?"

Dongzhi stood instantly, frustration creeping into his voice. "Is this how you speak to your father? And you dare call me by name?"

Tianzhi scoffed in response. "Or what? Do you plan on hitting me or something? I'm not a kid that you can exert your control over, Qin Dongzhi. And whatever relation we had ended a long time ago. I no longer have a father, Qin Dongzhi."

The old man flinched like he'd been struck.

Meanwhile, down the hallway, in the guest room…

Theo pressed his ear against the door.

"What's going on?" he whispered.

Zhao Mingze was sitting on the bed, flipping a small coaster in his hand. "You shouldn't be listening."

"I want to know," Theo insisted. "What problem does Grandpa have with Dad?"

Vera sat on the floor, hugging her knees. "Dad never talks about it."

"Exactly," Theo said. "He always changes the topic. Even back home."

He stared at the door, listening again.

"Grandpa seems like such a good guy," he said after a moment. "He's calm. Polite. In just half an hour we met, we could easily connect. Unlike Dad, who is always about protecting self-interest, he talks about putting society above one's happiness. He's a model citizen and a good officer. You could rarely find one who rose to such status and retired without a single corruption allegation. But why does Dad hate him so much?"

Zhao Mingze didn't say anything.

Vera glanced up at him.

Theo frowned. "Is it because Dad's… not like him?"

"What do you mean?" Vera asked.

"C'mon. You know. Dad chose money," Theo said, almost like he was working it out in real time. "He could've become a prosecutor. Or a judge. But he became a lawyer to protect the biggest blood-sucking corporate company in Siberia."

Zhao Mingze finally spoke. "Don't speak ill of your father."

Theo, however, shrugged. "Well, does only Dad have the license to speak that way to his father, and I can't criticize him even in a polite manner? Kinda hypocritical, don't you think, Uncle Zhao?"

"You don't know their history, Theo."

"Well, neither Uncle Zhao knows the history between me and my father, yet lecturing me, ain't you?

Vera stayed silent. And so was Zhao Mingze.

Outside, muffled voices rose again.

Dongzhi's voice cracked like a whip. "Yes, I made mistakes," he barked. "I know I wasn't there for you, son. I know I hurt you. And yes, I understand you're furious. But have you ever been a good son? Have you ever compromised with me? And does that give you the right to treat your own father like this?"

Tianzhu looked at him without blinking.

"I don't want to repeat myself," he said quietly. "But if you couldn't understand it, let me rephrase it for you with a little bit of lengthy explanation. During my time in Moscow, I lost an eye in an accident. Lost my wife at her childbirth and was left with twins. Didn't even have a dime to buy milk. No support from anyone. Yet, I stayed back in St. Petersburg. Alone. Raising my two children. And yet, I didn't call you or return. I maintained the status of missing. Isn't it obvious how much I hated to return? Do you think I returned now, after learning you have six months to live or whatever? Do you think I developed a sudden affection for you or something, like jiejie? Don't misunderstand."

Dongzhi jerked back a bit in shock, hitting the backrest. His breath trembled. A thin sheen of sweat appeared across his brow.

"Enough!" Xueli snapped suddenly, deciding to intervene. "Tianzhu, please watch what you are saying."

He turned toward her.

"I know you're upset, but there is no way to talk to Dad like that… especially about his death like that…" Xueli went full-on scolding her brother. "And what are you? 13? You are not a teenager to burst out like that. Is it the right way to talk to your elders? And what about Theo and Vera?"

Tianzhu stayed silent for a few seconds before turning his head toward his father. "Superintendent Qin, I don't feel sorry for my words. If you need a formal apology, yes, I will give you one, but it won't be a heartfelt one. You still need it?"

"Forget it…" Dongzhi waved his hand, and his facial expression looked ugly.

And with that, Tianzhu turned, picked up his coat, and walked to the door. "I need some air."

The door closed behind him.

Inside, Dongzhi sat down slowly. His hand wiped at his forehead.

He looked at Xueli and asked in a shaky voice. "What happened to Tianzhu, daughter?"

"You know it's been 15 years, Dad. Such a time can easily change a person. And you know how he was," replied Xueli.

Dongzhi, however, shook his head, "No, you don't understand. Those eyes… that gaze. I've seen those eyes before in a lot of people. And all those people are criminals."

As Xueli's brow furrowed, Dongzhi asked. "Tell me, daughter. What did your brother really do in St. Petersburg during the past 15 years?"

"What…?"

"Is he really just a lawyer at Royal Gold Group?" His voice wavered. "Or is he involved in something else? Something shady?"

Xueli stayed silent.

Two days later;

At the hotel, the morning sunlight filtered through the blinds, casting pale yellow light across the room.

Tianzhu sat at the small desk, sipping his coffee and watching the news. Vera is still sleeping and Theo isn't nowhere to be seen.

"Hmm… Starlight Guild gained much fame for achieving such a high survival rate." Tianzhu took another sip. "Of course, since they couldn't get a hold of Storm after the incident, they will try their best to use it to their advantage. But since they can't claim the dungeon as their own, they will create vague rumors that this mysterious man in the suit is their elite member, and voila…"

*Ting*

The doorbell interrupted his thoughts. Tianzhu set his coffee cup down and glanced at the door, raising an eyebrow. "Hmm?" He wasn't expecting any visitors.

"Mr. Qin?" a deep voice called from the other side, before he got up from his seat.

He stood up and opened the door to find two officers in plain clothing, their expressions unreadable but sharp.

The taller of the two, a man with short black hair, stepped forward, showing his badge. "Hangzhou's Awakened Crimes Division, Captain Yang Se-Cheong. May I confirm your identity: Alexander Qin?"