Before Mrs. Cheng could finish what she was trying to say, Cheng Biyuan knew what she meant. He said in a very decisively manner, "Yuqin, don't think too much. It's no use to keep hiding. Why would we want to continue to hide if we can guard what we have? Besides, do you think our hiding had really done us any good?"
"Ye, I understand that. I just don't want to see any other misfortunes in this house!" Mrs. Cheng looked concerned, and her voice lowered.
Cheng Xiao Xiao didn't understand what she was saying, but Cheng Biyuan did. Sternly, he said, "Accident? What accident? Is it really an accident? That's us being weak and couldn't guard what's ours. We had no choice but to cower and survive. Why do we have to keep hiding? We have the ability now? Not only are we not hiding, I want to tell everything that I, Cheng Biyuan, is no pushover. I will get back from them what was ours!"
"...." After the words full of anger and oppression, Mrs. Cheng nodded and didn't say anything else.
Cheng Xiao Xiao did not take this opportunity to ask her parents any questions. What her father said was enough. Now was not the time to find out why everything happened. When they are strong enough, they would go take back what was rightfully theirs.
Inside a room in Lai Yue Inn.
"SMACK!"
A clear sound of a slap resounded from the living room, a hand print appeared on Innkeeper Zhu's cheek. Deacon Lin had the cold look of ice, he stared at the person who dared not say a word in front of him with a piercing look. Coldly, he said, "We have given you three days. You want to go and confess your own crime or you want me to do it for you?"
"I..." said Innkeeper Zhu with a deep face, embarrassed and angry, and also deeply worried. He turned to the other person for help, "Deacon Bai, I really had no leads to their whereabouts."
"Then you brought this upon yourself!" Shouted Deacon Lin angrily.
Deacon Bai, who hadn't spoken a word yet, didn't look any happier. After all, they have been here for a few days and had nothing to show for it. It'd be lying to say he wasn't angry. They would need to report back to their master one way or another.
Of course, he was also aware that now was not the time to dole out the innkeeper's punishment. Begrudgingly, he said, "Deacon Lin, chill out. We still need him to figure something out. We won't be able to locate the mother and daughter otherwise.
"Hmm..." Deacon Lin turned his head sideway. He understood what he said was the truth, so he didn't say anything else.
Deacon Bai looked at the man who's rubbing his face and said in a solemn voice, "Innkeeper Zhu, you have been living here for tens of years, had you really no leads at all? I urge you to try harder to locate them. Otherwise, we aren't the only ones who are going to get into trouble. I am afraid our families will be dragged into this as well. Please try to think of something else."
"Deacon Bai, Deacon Lin, I have tried every means I could think of. Words had it that the doctor down at the Huichun Clinic had been to been to a couple of house calls. If only he'd tell me where they are, I will be able to locate the Cheng's."
"Bastard!" Shouted Deacon Lin right after Innkeeper Zhu finished his sentence. "If you knew this all along, why didn't you go and ask him? Why did you waste so much time? You want to die, huh? If you want to die, don't drag us down with you!"
"It's wasn't that I didn't go to him!" With a dismal look, Innkeeper Zhu recounted the story of how he was booted out of the clinic by Dr. Xu.
"Hrm. That bastard didn't know any better. We will just pay him a visit tonight. We can handle an old thing like him!"
***