After midnight

The news of Song Hongtian's death was everywhere, and Su Ziling hurried home. After the shock and joy, he was overwhelmed by panic. He needed to get back to An Yan and his brother as soon as possible.

"An Yan?" When Su Ziling arrived home, he saw An Yan sitting alone in the living room.

"You know?" Although An Yan didn't say the content, there was definitely only one thing they wanted to talk about.

"I see. My master told me. Besides, everyone was discussing this along the way."

"I didn't see Yin, and I didn't know what happened. I asked Yin, but Yin wrote a letter and left. The letter said that he was going to Jiudu to figure out the matter."

"Huh?" Brother Yin was going to Jiudu, which meant that he didn't know what happened.

"Didn't my brother kill Song Hongtian?"

"I don't think so, but the conflict between Xindu and Jiudu will not end just because of Song Hongtian's death. Everything depends on the elders' meeting of the Song family in three days. With a different leader, the situation will be very different."

"Then who do you think will be the new head of the Song family?"

"I can only say that I don't hope it's Song Yu."

"why?"

An Yan shook his head. "Are you tired? I'll go cook first."

"I'm so tired, hungry and exhausted. Where's Xiao Su?" Su Ziling said as he lay limply on the sofa. The training these days must have tortured him a lot.

"She was playing outside with Jiu. Didn't you see them when you came back?"

"No, is Ah Jiu back?" Su Ziling felt even more tired as he lay there. His words were mumbling and not very clear.

"He's back. My senior brother sent him back this afternoon."

"Oh, like this." Su Ziling turned over, found a comfortable position and didn't move.

An Yan found it funny to see him half asleep. He knew Su Ziling wanted to ask him more questions, but he couldn't answer them because he didn't know what the future would be like. Song Hongtian's death was in the past. Compared to the past, the future was more important. However, he had to say that the past created the future.

There was a deep depression in An Yan's eyes, a future that only he could see.

Song Xin sat up in shock from the bed, she stared with her terrified eyes and confirmed that she was in her bedroom, then she breathed a sigh of relief. She had a nightmare that her father was murdered.

When she thought of this, Song Xin was in a state of confusion. Once this thought came up, it was like a lump in her throat, and it was hard for her to swallow it. But apart from the suspicious footprints, she had no other evidence, and even this thought was just a nightmare, and the footprints might not mean anything at all.

This thought made her feel weak, and she couldn't stay in the room alone. She didn't want to go look for her brother, and it was even more impossible to go look for outsiders, including Zhao Yunqi and Zhang Dong. She went out at dawn with a nervous mood.

"Uncle." Song Xin finished telling her own thoughts and waited nervously for Song Hongda's verdict. Was she just overthinking, or was it true?

"Xin'er, don't think too much about it. This is not a trivial matter. I'll ask someone to find out. How about this, you come back tomorrow and don't let your brother know yet."

"it is good."

Song Xin's words pointed to the owner of the footprints, but Song Hongtian knew that was not the point. It was obvious that his brother had summoned his dead disciple in the middle of the night again. It would not be difficult for him to find this dead man.

What is really difficult or even horrifying is that there is another possibility. That is, his brother Song Hongtian may not have died in his bedroom.

If the first crime scene was not in the bedroom, why did everyone see Song Hongtian's body in the bedroom? Could his brother have been killed by someone else? If there was a murderer, who was it? Why did he do this?

If Song Hongtian really died of illness, did he die in the study or the bedroom? If it was the bedroom, then there would be nothing to say. But if he died in the study, then did Song Yu do this just to make his father die in a more dignified way?

No matter how you look at it, it's too strange. Song Hongtian's sudden illness, gradual recovery, and sudden death, this series of events is really too incredible. It's impossible for God to have so many coincidences.

But it doesn’t matter. The matter is not impossible to investigate, and the dead have the most say.

Song Xin came out from Song Hongda's place and bumped into Song Yu when passing through the courtyard. The sun had risen by then, and although it was still early, it was already slightly warm.

"Did you go to find your uncle?" Song Yu asked her with a cold face.

"Yeah." Song Yu was unwilling to talk nicely, so she naturally had no good temper either.

"Xin'er, tell your brother why you went to see him?" Song Yu felt that he had lost his composure and softened his tone to Song Xin.

"Brother, my father died. I can't sleep well. I want to go and see my uncle. That will make me feel at ease."

"I'm sorry, I didn't take care of you." Song Yu hugged Song Xin and patted her shoulder gently. "But Xin'er, you have to know that when father was alive, he was not on good terms with uncle and deliberately imprisoned uncle in a remote corner of the back room. So after father died, we, as children, should not overstep the boundaries, understand? Xin'er."

"I see." Song Xin said softly, "Brother, where are you going so early?"

"Go to the reception room in front. I have an appointment with Zhao Yunqi to meet there at nine o'clock."

"Don't you go to your father's study to discuss matters?"

"Not for now. Come on, go back to the house. I've asked someone to bring breakfast over."

"Okay, thank you, brother."

After saying that, Song Yu continued to walk quickly along the courtyard, while Song Xin turned from the fork in the road and took another road.

The next day, Song Xin was afraid of running into Song Yu again, so she went to see her uncle later. She left at around 10 o'clock, because her brother must be busy at this time. After lunch, he and Zhao Yunqi would set off to Xidu together.

"Uncle, how is it? Have you found out who the footprints belong to?"

"I found him. He is your father's loyal subordinate. There is no way he would murder your father."

"Really?"

"Really, your father must not have fully recovered yet, so he worked until late at night. You also know that it was windy and rainy that night. He must have caught a cold on the way back to the bedroom from the study, and his illness relapsed." Song Hongda took out the words he had prepared long ago.

"Really?"

"Really. That man took the poison specially made by your father. If he can't get the antidote, he will die."

After being surprised, Song Xin fell silent. She slowly sat down on the black chair, making her simple white dress particularly eye-catching.

"Uncle, my father has been gone for three days. It's time for me to accept it. What about you, uncle? What are your plans?"

"What else can I plan? I've been here for so many years, so I'm going to stay here until I die."

"Really? Uncle, have you ever thought about taking this opportunity to leave? What about your children?"

Song Xin calmly accepted the sharp gaze that shot at her like a knife. "Uncle, don't worry, I actually don't know anything and I haven't told anyone. It's just that I like to rummage around when I'm bored. I've searched all the empty rooms in this house more than once before I found some clues. I only know that I have a cousin."

"Father has passed away. I don't want to get involved in the disputes of your previous generation. Because no matter what, you are the only relative my brother and I have. In my heart, nothing can compare to family love. Uncle, can you help my brother? Isn't it better to let the past be the past forever?"

"Xin'er, you are too innocent and kind. Some things are not that simple. As for your brother, don't worry, he won't let himself suffer any loss."

"Uncle!"

"Xin'er, you've been putting too much pressure on yourself these days. Go out and relax."

"I understand. Uncle, you should rest more too." Seeing that she couldn't persuade Song Hongda, Song Xin didn't force him and left.

Who can I go out to relax? I don't know what happened to Yun Shuang recently. She hasn't seen her once. Forget it, go find her. After Song Xin came up with an idea, she quickly disappeared in front of Song Hongda's door.

Not long after Zhao Yunshuang sent Zhao Yunqi away, there was another knock on the door. Zhao Yunshuang went to open the door in confusion. "Brother? Did you forget to bring something?"

But the person standing outside the door was none other than Song Xin. Song Xin's eyes were dull and her face was yellow. She had no energy to notice Zhao Yunshuang's unusual behavior.

"Xin...Xin'er." Zhao Yunshuang called her.

"Yun Shuang." Song Xin responded weakly.

"Come in, it's hot outside." Zhao Yunshuang didn't dare to look at her, and looked up at the sun. After inviting Song Xin in, Zhao Yunshuang went to the kitchen to cut fruit. The fruit was bought by her brother early in the morning, and she almost cut her hand while cutting the watermelon.

Zhao Yunshuang placed the fruit in front of Song Xin and brought a glass of water. She looked at the lifeless Song Xin and hesitated before speaking. "Xin'er, I'm sorry."

"what?"

"…I heard about uncle's matter. I'm sorry."

"Why are you saying sorry to me? Life and death are determined by fate." Song Xin quickly forced out an ugly smile.

The smile faded in the blink of an eye. Song Xin didn't want to appear too pitiful in front of Zhao Yunshuang, so she picked up a piece of watermelon and stuffed it into her mouth, "This watermelon is really sweet."

"Well, then you eat more."

"Okay, Yun Shuang. I came here to ask you to talk to me, not to ask you to sympathize with me."

"Sorry, I, I haven't done anything recently." Zhao Yunshuang thought for a moment and continued, "I packed my luggage for you this morning. I guess you and Song Yu have already met up and are heading to Xidu."

Song Xin nodded. After meeting Yun Shuang, her eager anticipation disappeared. She wanted to see Yun Shuang very much. For some reason, Song Xin felt that she was sick because she thought everyone was weird.

"Xin'er, do you want to take a break? Come to my room and sleep for a while?"

"Okay." Song Xin nodded again and walked over to the door with ease. She lay on the bed with her eyes open. Although it was as quiet as when she was alone at home, she didn't feel too lonely when there was someone next to her. She closed her eyes and fell asleep quickly.

At about six in the evening, Song Xin declined Zhao Yunshuang's invitation to dinner and returned home. At this time, the sun was still hanging in the sky, refusing to set. When she went in and out through the side door, she saw Zhang Dong waiting there from a distance.

What is he doing here? Song Xin walked up to him and called him. "Zhang Dong."

"You're back."

"Well, what's up? My brother went to Xidu."

"I came to see you. How are you? Are you okay?"

"It's okay. What do you want to talk to me about?" Song Xin said and waited patiently for Zhang Dong to speak.

"I came here to tell you...can I take care of you? I think you're great."

"What did you say?" Song Xin suspected that she had heard it wrongly. Was the man in front of her joking? Why did he say these words to her at this time?

"I said, I like you." Zhang Dong smiled stiffly and shyly.

"sorry, I……"

"You can think about it first. I know that what I did was too abrupt and inappropriate. But I am serious. I want you to know that there is still me in this world who loves you."

Song Xin looked at Zhang Dong's eager eyes and sincere face, and nodded involuntarily. A wooden man couldn't wait to offer you a passionate and brave heart, and Song Xin couldn't refuse.

"Thank you." Zhang Dong smiled at her awkwardly and ran away.

"Fool." Song Xin whispered after Zhang Dong ran away and disappeared. She pushed the door open and went back, feeling unsure.

Night fell again. Song Xin couldn't sleep, so she put on her coat and went to the garden. The night wind was a little chilly, and the flowers in the garden were slowly coming back to life. She squatted down, but still felt that the yard was a little empty.

She stared at him for a long time, and when she was about to get up and go back to the house, a figure suddenly passed by. It seemed that he was going to his uncle's residence. When he walked a little further away, Song Xin held her breath and followed him quietly.