Chapter 555: Fainted
Wang Nian, grappling with inner conflict, expressed his predicament to Chen Lin’er. "You know I’ve severed ties with my wife’s brother. I’ve committed to turning over a new leaf and being a better person."
"My wife’s brother has made it clear that he doesn’t want to see me again. He even threatened to kill me if I lingered. Now, when I need his help, I’m uncertain if he’ll receive me. Even if he does, I don’t know if he’ll resort to violence."
Observing Wang Nian’s dilemma, Chen Lin’er, tearfully kneeling before him, pleaded, "Brother Wang Nian, please help me for the sake of the child’s father!"
Wang Nian hesitated, but his wife, Ms. Zhang, intervened with a tearful plea, kicking him and saying, "Saving a life is more crucial than building a seven-story pagoda! You must help, even if you’re reluctant!"
Ms. Zhang further entreated Wang Nian, offering him another earring. "Take this earring with you. My brother won’t harm you if you have this."
Reluctantly, Wang Nian agreed to Chen Lin’er’s request. "I’ll try my best to persuade them to reduce the ransom. If that’s not possible, I’ll plead for a few more days."
Despite warnings about Wang Nian’s unreliability, Chen Lin’er had no alternative. He was the sole person capable of communicating with the mountain bandits.
Wang Nian returned the next day with devastating news—both children were already dead. The abductors had rendered them unconscious with a palm strike, subsequently placing them in cloth bags for transport to the mountain. Upon reaching their destination, the assailants discovered the children unresponsive, possibly succumbing to suffocation or an excessively forceful strike.
Chen Lin’er lost consciousness on the spot.
