Chapter 620 - 650: I Didn’t Mean To
Chapter 620: Chapter 650: I Didn’t Mean To
Xiao Tao kept his eyes on the ground, not saying a word.
Qin Jiao and Su Yun first checked on Xiao Shi, breathing a sigh of relief only after confirming he wasn’t hurt.
Meanwhile, Qin Zhonghui gazed at his eldest nephew with a complicated expression.
He was just a teenager who should have been in school, but he had ended up like this. It was a sight that would make anyone sigh with regret.
After a good while, Qin Tao said sullenly, "Let me go. I want to leave!"
Qin Jiao asked, "Where are you going to go?"
Qin Tao fell silent again. He had nowhere to go. His parents were gone, and he was terrified the police would arrest him. Every night, the moment he closed his eyes, he saw Wang Dagang’s blood-soaked face...
Qin Tao finally broke down. He squatted on the floor, clutching his head and sobbing. "Where can I go? I have nowhere to go! None of you care about me! Nobody cares about me! Just let me starve to death!"
Old Mrs. Qin’s face was once again filled with heartache.
The other adults exchanged helpless glances. Only Qin Jiao walked up to him. Looking down at him, she said, "Since you want to die so badly, then why are you letting your dad die in your place?"
Xiao Tao froze, jerking his head up. "What did you say?"
"I said, about Wang Dagang... you’re the one who killed him, aren’t you?"
Xiao Tao’s eyes flew wide. He remembered what his mother had whispered in his ear before the police took her away: ’No matter who asks, don’t admit anything. Just say you don’t know. No matter how they question you, just say you don’t know.’
’Then, go find the Qin family. They’re all soft-hearted. They won’t let you starve to death on the street.’
’You take care of yourself, and wait for us to get out.’
"No, it wasn’t me, I don’t know anything, it wasn’t me..."
Xiao Tao scrambled backward until his back hit the wall. He kept shaking his head, muttering, "It wasn’t me, it wasn’t me."
Old Mrs. Qin had always doted on her eldest grandson; he was her favorite of all the children.
She frowned and said, "Xiao Jiao, what are you talking about? How could Xiao Tao have killed anyone? He’s just a child."
"A child who would threaten someone with a knife... is that ’just a child’?"
"But..."
"Grandma, do you believe that your son—my uncle—would kill someone?"
Old Mrs. Qin immediately shook her head. "No, no, no, Ji Qun would never. He’s a total coward. He might seem loud and boisterous, but he wouldn’t even dare kill a chicken."
As she said this, Old Mrs. Qin trailed off, looking bewildered.
’If my son didn’t do it, and my grandson didn’t do it...’ she ventured cautiously, "Could it have been... Feng Lan?"
Qin Jiao said, "Right now, Feng Lan is insisting that my uncle was the one who killed him. If my uncle doesn’t defend himself or try to clear his name, then... he’ll likely be charged with murder. It’s very possible he’ll be sentenced to... death!"
Qin Jiao had said "death penalty" on purpose. The moment she heard it, Old Mrs. Qin’s legs gave out, and she collapsed to the floor. Qin Tao, on the other hand, snapped his head up, his eyes bulging as if they were about to burst from their sockets.
His lips trembled as he asked, "What did you say? Say that again!"
Old Mrs. Qin had fainted. Qin Zhonghui and Su Yun rushed to help her onto the sofa, but Qin Jiao just watched Qin Tao quietly. She said, slowly and deliberately, "Feng Lan accused Qin Jiqun, and Qin Jiqun didn’t deny it. To be honest, I never used to think much of my uncle, but now... I kind of admire him. At least he’s willing to protect his child when it counts."
Qin Tao’s fists were clenched tight. He sat on the floor, hugging his legs, trembling uncontrollably.
After a long, long time, Xiao Tao finally lifted his head. He looked into Qin Jiao’s cold gaze and said, "I didn’t mean to."