C12 Helpless

I nodded my head as if I was pounding garlic. I said firmly, "Yes."

Poison Elder did not immediately tell me why. He took two puffs of smoke and threw the butt of the cigarette on the ground. He extinguished the cigarette with his foot and then looked at me and said, "You have always been thinking about things since you were young. You guessed it right. When your father died, your grandfather chased your second uncle away. He forced your second uncle to leave and never come back. Your second uncle had no choice but to leave and live a hundred miles away from here. He didn't dare to come back. Your grandfather knew where your second uncle was, but he pretended not to know. For the past twenty years, he had no news of him. When he was about to die, he was really anxious and worried about you and your mother. That was why he asked me to call your second uncle back and tell him to take care of you two."

"Grandfather is worried about me and my mother? Didn't he tell my second uncle not to mess around?" I asked Poison Elder.

Poison Elder shook his head and said, "Your second uncle is a filial son. He listened to your grandfather's words and left for twenty years. If your grandfather had died, your second uncle would not have known. He would have listened to your grandfather's words and would not have come back. If he didn't come back, he wouldn't be able to mess around. Your grandfather didn't need to do so much. Why did he specially call him back to tell him not to mess around? Your grandfather was worried about you and your mother, and he was afraid that your second uncle would mess around. Because he knew that after his death, your second uncle would have no scruples in his heart. He would most likely continue to investigate what happened that year. So, before your grandfather died, he was especially conflicted about whether he should call your second uncle back to take care of you. This conflict lasted for half a month. In the end, he still decided to let me find your second uncle, but he repeatedly told me to try to persuade your second uncle to let go of what happened that year. He told me not to let you get involved in that matter."

I quietly listened to Poison Elder finish his words, but a doubt arose in my heart. Grandfather chased Second Uncle away, endured the separation of father and son for twenty years, and did not let him return home. His goal was very clear. He did not want Second Uncle to return to the village.

Although I did not know why Grandfather did that, he definitely had a reason for doing so. But in the end, he called Second Uncle back. If he did that, wouldn't Second Uncle have wasted his twenty years of waiting outside? Grandfather called Second Uncle back because he was worried about me and my mother. Did he want him to take care of us? That shouldn't be the case. I'm no longer a child. Taking care of my mother alone and managing the house is not something that I can't do. Why would I call Second Uncle back? Is Grandfather too old to know, or does he have other intentions for calling Second Uncle back? Poison Elder didn't tell me.

"Grandfather said all this before he left?" I stared at Poison Elder suspiciously, wanting to see if he was hiding anything from me.

Poison Elder nodded and looked at me with a frank gaze.

"Then you haven't told me why Grandfather doesn't want us to investigate what happened back then?"

Poison Elder said, "Why don't I know? Your grandfather didn't tell me about it. What I'm about to say is what I inferred from what I know these past few years. Listen to what I have to say."

After saying that, Poison Elder changed the topic and asked me, "When you are a parent, who can bear to see your children and grandchildren die for no reason one after another and choose to swallow their anger?"

I stared at Poison Elder and did not speak. I did not understand what he meant.

Poison Elder said, "When a child is deeply in love with his parents, he will not be able to endure such a thing. However, when your grandfather faced the death of your four brothers and your father's father, he chose to swallow his anger. There is only one reason for him to do so, and that is that he is powerless."

When Poison Elder said that, he let out a long sigh.

I frowned tightly. Combining what Poison Elder said, I heard some clues.

"Could it be that grandfather knows who the murderer is? However, that murderer is too powerful, or because of other reasons, grandfather is helpless against him. He is also afraid that he will harm Second Uncle, who is investigating this matter. So, he chased Second Uncle away. Am I right?" I asked Poison Elder.

There was no affirmation or denial. Poison Elder said faintly, "Perhaps."

I did not continue to ask. My mind was in a mess as I thought about everything I heard that night.

I slowly sorted it out bit by bit, and I felt that Poison Elder's deduction was reasonable.

I understood my grandfather. Although his grandfather looked depressed, he had a strong will in his bones. If grandfather did not know who the murderer was, with his temper, he would definitely not give up on the investigation. However, grandfather chose to give up. It was likely that he could not do anything to the murderer. Not only could he not do anything to the murderer, but he also had to be careful of him and cause trouble for our family. That was why he chased Second Uncle away and endured for half his life.

When Poison Elder saw that I did not speak anymore, he said to himself, "The power of a father is unimaginably powerful. When a father is powerless to help his own child die, no one else will be able to find the truth. Your grandfather didn't let you guys be entangled in the incident twenty years ago because he was afraid that you guys would be in danger. After all, you guys only have you and your second uncle left. Your second uncle is old, so it's fine if he doesn't listen to advice. Don't mess around with him and take good care of your mother. It's what your grandfather wants to see the most. As for hatred, the result of letting it go is that you might even put yourself in danger."

Poison Elder advised me earnestly. I was silent for a long time and did not speak for a long time.

I did not give up on pursuing the truth because of Poison Elder's words. Instead, the flames of revenge burned crazily in my heart. There was a voice in the depths of my heart shouting, "I want revenge!"

I want revenge not only for my father and brother, but also for my grandfather. At that moment, a strong pain rose in my heart. My heart ached for my grandfather more than any time before. My heart ached for him. He clearly knew some things, but he could not do anything? What kind of unwillingness and despair would that be?

"Brat, I have said what I should say and what I shouldn't say. You should know the reason why I said all this. I want you to know the importance of that matter. It's not something a brat like you can handle. Don't think about this matter again in the future. Alright, it's getting late. I should rest. You should go back early." Poison Elder yawned and gave the order to leave.

I said, "I am not leaving. What else do you want to tell me? What else do you know? Do you know who the murderer is? And what is in the box that grandpa gave you?"