Chapter 23: Blood-Stained Moonlight
"I am not Guan Tuoren!"
"I am Daizuke Nishimura!"
"I am only living under his identity…"
The spineless middle-aged man revealed his origin with just a few words.
Even though Bai Wei had not done anything yet, he was already scared to the point of collapsing on the ground.
The middle-aged man, who had been drained of his spirit by alcohol and gambling, is like a puddle of mud, a nest of maggots in his life.
Bai Wei frowned, "Since you are not Guan Tuoren, how come you can use his identity? And what's the relationship between Guan Caizi and Guan Ling?"
Daizuke Nishimura shakes his head repeatedly, stating "They have absolutely no relation to me!"
"They are not your blood relatives?"
"I don't even know them!" said Daizuke Nishimura. "I just woke up one day and realized I had become Guan Tuoren! Suddenly there were two women with me, and I was also bothered by it!"
"Woke up from a nap?" Bai Wei raised his eyebrows, "Do you think I'll believe that?"
Daizuke Nishimura pleaded for mercy, "I assure you that everything I've said is true! Please spare me. I promise not to come near them again. In the past, I have only asked for some money and have never done anything to harm them."
He said this with some sincerity, thinking that he was just gambling, drinking, living a drunken and dreamy life, but still retaining a little conscience, otherwise he could have sold his wife and daughter to the red-light district.
But how much is this little conscience worth?
Bai Wei inquired, "Although you indulge in alcoholism, gambling and hedonism, you are still a good person… Is that what you mean to say?"
Daizuke Nishimura thought he was going to get beaten up, so he quickly curled up his body and closed his eyes. He was truly afraid that if he took any more beatings, he would die.
But the pain was slow to come.
He noticed Bai Wei turn around and his gaze, fixed upon the rotten mud, also moved away, as if giving up, reluctant to waste any more time on garbage. He walked out of the garage like that.
Daizuke Nishimura, without surprise, had been looked at this way before. In the past, he felt a bit angry, then became numb, and eventually even felt somewhat fortunate. Thanks to his irredeemable rot, normal people didn't even want to come near him.
His life was irretrievably ruined, he was well aware of this fact. He had no intention of dragging himself out of this mess. He was in deep difficulties, having sold his ancestral home and leaving his family homeless. He was helpless when his mother desperately needed medical help but he was broke. He was also the culprit who stole the money meant for the relative's funeral, which led to an improper hasty cremation of the departed.
He is such a person, he was like this during the time of Daizuke Nishimura, and remained the same even after becoming Guan Tuoren.
He has no remorse till this day, he has not turned malicious to the bone, but his existence is despised by all.
As he walked out of the garage, he began to struggle immediately, thinking of escaping as soon as possible.
But within a few seconds, another person walked in.
At first, Daizuke Nishimura thought it was Bai Wei and stopped struggling, but as he looked at the approaching person, he immediately showed a delighted expression.
"It's you, hurry up, help me loosen it!"
Guan Ling stood at the position of the doorway, lowered her head, and stayed motionless.
Daizuke Nishimura apparently didn't notice anything unusual about Guan Ling's appearance at the moment and instead loudly scolded her when she didn't react.
"What are you standing there for!"
"Come and help me loosen this damn rope!"
Daizuke Nishimura exclaimed, "Are you such an unfilial daughter that you want to watch me die here?"
Guan Ling's shoulders trembled and then slowly relaxed.
She lifted her gaze, her eyes somewhat vacant.
"I can help you untie it," she said quietly, "but you have to answer my question."
"What are you saying? You have grown wings and become tough, hum? You…"
Daizuke Nishimura attempted to portray a fierce fatherly image, but faltered in his speech midway.
He saw a knife.
Guan Ling held a sharp kitchen knife in her hand.
She immediately exclaimed.
"You ask, my obedient daughter, you ask. Daddy is just a little too nervous and his mind is not clear." He revealed a flattering smile.
Guan Ling stared at the middle-aged man in front of her, feeling increasingly unfamiliar. Her father didn't seem like the kind of person who would show such a flattering smile to his daughter.
In the past, she didn't feel that way because she thought he was her father no matter what. But now, she only feels very fake, too fake, and riddled with loopholes.
Her father, who used to be an elite in the workplace, was a project leader and respected in the company. He handled neighborhood relationships well and had a great relationship with her mother since childhood.
But things changed from a certain period, and everything changed. He changed, became addicted to alcohol, greedy, irritable, didn't take his work seriously, didn't say hello to his neighbors and friends, and had no patience for his family.
It was like becoming a different person.
Maybe it was really becoming a different person.
"Who are you, exactly?"
Guan Ling finally voiced the question that had been troubling her for six years.
The middle-aged man looked puzzled and said, "Me? What nonsense are you talking about? I am your father, I am Guan Tuoren."
Guan Ling took a step closer with the knife in her hand, saying, "I heard what you said just now."
Her eyes were empty, her voice low, and her breath peaceful as she asked again, "Who are you, really?"
Daizuke Nishimura sensed something suspicious and spoke urgently, "I, I was too scared just now and had to agree to that person. I don't know who Daizuke Nishimura is at all. If I didn't say that, he wouldn't let me go. How could I suddenly become a different person overnight? Daughter, you're not taking this seriously, are you? I know you hate me, your mother does too, but- but I'm your father, our blood ties run deep…"
His voice grew sharp with panic.
At least Guan Ling was persuaded and stopped in her tracks.
She stood still and slowly spoke, "I believe in you."
"Good, good…" breathed Daizuke Nishimura a sigh of relief.
"When I was ten years old, what was my birthday present?" Guan Ling suddenly asked.
"What?"
"Birthday present. If you really are my father, you cannot forget such a thing, can you? It was the last birthday present I received, and you personally prepared it." Guan Ling looked coldly at him.
Daizuke Nishimura's forehead broke out in a cold sweat. He would never remember such trivial matters like birthday gifts.
He stared at the kitchen knife in the girl's hand, his breathing becoming increasingly erratic as he tried to recall what happened six years ago.
Suddenly, a flash of inspiration struck him and he shouted, "I remember now! It's a teddy bear, a Teddy Bear!"
He remembered that there was a very large teddy bear in Guan Ling's room.
Guan Ling chuckled.
Daizuke Nishimura also revealed a pleasing smile.
The next moment, the girl suddenly swung down the knife and viciously stabbed it into the middle-aged man's thigh, piercing through the flesh and skin.
"Ah!!" Daizuke Nishimura screamed in agony, "You're insane…You crazy woman!"
Guan Ling lowered her head and softly said, "It's an empty box…"
Daizuke Nishimura suffered from tinnitus due to severe pain and mental stress, and exclaimed fearfully, "What, what are you going to do!"
"Mother said that the 10th birthday gift was a jade pendant brought back from the Ming Country, which has great collection value and is very valuable. Father hoped it would keep me healthy and live to a ripe old age. However, when I opened it, I found an empty box."
The girl raised her head, her neck seemingly effortless, her head tilted, staring down at the middle-aged man with a twisted expression.
"Because you went and exchanged the jade pendant for money…so I only received a beautifully packaged box."
"Isn't it strange? There was still plenty of money at home, lots of cash. Why bother selling the birthday gift that was prepared with so much effort?"
"Why?"
Daizuke Nishimura was moaning in pain, tears flowing down his face.
"Sorry, I'm sorry, I… "
"No need to apologize," she said. "I have no intention of forgiving you!"
The kitchen knife was pulled out and thrust into the other leg, presumably piercing the artery. The blood rushed out, even splashing onto her body.
She glared at the trembling man, unable to contain her hatred any longer.
"You are not my father… I should have realized it earlier!"
"You are nothing but a despicable worm… because of you, my life, my family, everything was ruined, everything!"
She gripped the knife, grinding her teeth and clenching her hand. Blood red trickled from the corner of her mouth, casting eerie shadows on her face illuminated by the moonlight, resembling that of a ferocious demon.
"I am going to kill you!"
She raised the bloody knife, its reflection painting her eyes red.
Roaring.
"I will kill you!!"
