Chapter 115: They’re Just Paying the Price for Their Greed

Gu Jianing figured the outcome of Lu Ping’s case must have come through.

“Sister Gu~” As soon as Qin Tian saw Gu Jianing, his face lit up with a big smile.

Gu Jianing also noticed that the boy’s spirits were clearly much better than before.

“Come on, let’s go inside,” Gu Jianing called. It was still too cold outside, and the doorway wasn’t a good place to talk.

“Ah, can I really go in?”

“Of course, just sign in and it’s fine.”

“Okay.”

After registering, Gu Jianing brought Qin Tian home.

It was Qin Tian’s first time visiting Sister Gu’s house, and he was full of curiosity, though he only dared to sneak glances around.

When he was invited to sit on the heated kang in the living room, a wave of warmth washed over him, making him feel much better after the cold outside.

“Here, have some egg cake.”

Qin Tian looked at the egg cake Gu Jianing handed him and quickly waved his hands, “No, no, I can’t take it.”

This was egg cake, after all—something precious.

“Nonsense. I’m giving it to you, so just eat it. Your Sister Gu doesn’t lack things like this.”

In the end, unable to refuse her kindness, Qin Tian could only eat the delicious egg cake while telling her what had happened over the past couple of days.

The police had quickly investigated Qin De and Lu Ping. Since Qin Tian’s parents were important national researchers, they and their families were supposed to be protected. Yet Qin De and Lu Ping had embezzled eight years’ worth of their wages.

And the amount involved was huge.

“…The police said both of them will get the death penalty.” Qin Tian’s voice dropped as he said this, clearly feeling down.

“What’s wrong? Do you think the death penalty is too harsh for them?” Gu Jianing asked.

Qin Tian looked up, confusion in his eyes, even pausing mid-bite. “I… I don’t know.”

Honestly, Gu Jianing could understand how he felt. After all, it was two lives, and Qin De had once acted like a benefactor in the Qin family’s life. Plus, Qin Tian was still just a child.

But…

Gu Jianing said seriously, “Xiao Tian, think about it—if this hadn’t been uncovered, what would have happened to your family?”

Qin Tian looked up, listening intently.

“Do you remember what I told you before, about Qin De trying to trick you into going to the woodworking factory? He was going to sell you to human traffickers. Do you know what would have happened to you then?”

“And if you were gone, what would have happened to your elderly grandma and to Qin Qing?”

“Imagine—your parents are serving the country. I believe they do it not just out of love for science or a sense of duty, but also because they want to give you all a good life.”

“But they endured being separated from their mother and children, only for others to profit, while their own parents and children suffered. How do you think they’d feel if they knew?”

“If your parents came back and saw three graves instead of their family, how much pain would that be?”

In fact, thanks to glimpses of the future, what Gu Jianing described was exactly what Qin Tian and the others had experienced in their previous life.

Gu Jianing tried to put herself in Qin Tian’s parents’ shoes. If it were her, she didn’t think she could bear such an outcome.

“So, Qin Tian, don’t go soft on them. They’re just paying the price for their own greed.”

As Gu Jianing spoke, it was as if those scenes appeared in Qin Tian’s mind.

Gradually, he seemed to understand what she meant.

The conflict in his expression faded. Qin Tian looked up and said, “Sister Gu, thank you. I understand now.”

“I’m glad you do.”

After that, Qin Tian talked about other things.

For example, the human trafficker in Min City that Qin De had contacted to sell him still hadn’t been found—the police were still searching.

He also said that after investigating, the police told him that because his parents were important national researchers, even though they were urgently called away, someone had been assigned to look after the Qin family.

After all, only when the families at home were safe could researchers focus on their work for the country.

“…It was a retired soldier uncle who lived in the county.”

Unfortunately, not long after Qin Zhihong and his wife left, the retired soldier entrusted to look after Qin Tian died unexpectedly just half a month later.

If he’d still been around, Qin De probably wouldn’t have gotten away with the embezzlement—it would have been exposed much earlier.

“The police uncle also gave us 5,045 yuan…”

Qin Tian’s eyes sparkled at the mention of money. Over 5,000 yuan was a huge sum for him.

Of course, it was still 3,000 less than the total wages his parents had sent home over eight years.

That 5,000 was what the police recovered from Qin De and Lu Ping’s families. Since they’d embezzled the Qin family’s money, it had to be returned.

As for the missing 3,000, it had already been spent.

Still, the police took other things from their homes to make up for it—bicycles, sewing machines, radios, watches, some furniture, and so on.

Basically, they emptied out both households to try to make up the 3,000 yuan.

Both families were nearly cleaned out, but it still wasn’t quite enough, even after adding a lot of grain. Some of the money had been spent on food or other things and was gone for good.

There was nothing more to be done about the rest.

Even so, Qin Tian was already very satisfied.

“Sister Gu, now we have plenty of food at home—enough for at least half a year. The house that used to be empty is now full.”

“I even play the radio for Grandma. She loves listening to it.”

After taking Gu Jianing’s medicine for three days, Grandma Qin had stopped coughing and was much better.

Qin De’s case had caused a huge stir in Kaoshan Village. After all, it was rare for anyone in the village to get taken away by the police—let alone face the death penalty.

Because of this, everyone realized that even though the Qin family’s adults weren’t home, and the family was just an old woman and two children, they weren’t people to be bullied.

Even knowing Qin Tian now had over 5,000 yuan and the house was full of things, no one dared to try anything—no tricks, no stealing, nothing.

Anyone who tried might end up like Qin De.

Money is nice, but staying alive is more important. Who wants to eat “peanuts”*?

[*Note: “Eat peanuts” is slang for being shot.]

So now, the Qin family was very safe. In fact, the whole village was afraid something might happen to the three of them.

“Sister Gu, thank you, and thank you to Brother Hao Sheng. If it weren’t for you two, our family wouldn’t be like this now.”

Finally, Qin Tian stood up and bowed deeply to Gu Jianing, expressing his gratitude.

He truly felt that Sister Gu had indirectly saved all three of their lives.

He didn’t know if he’d ever see his parents again, but if he did, he’d be sure to tell them everything that had happened."