CHAPTER 391: CHAPTER 391: THE REAL CULPRIT

The man had actually noticed the two people nearby. Judging by their attire, they really didn’t look like they belonged on a construction site.

Their gazes had been fixed on him the whole time, leaving the man unsure of what they intended to do.

When he was worn out from carrying things, he sat down to rest, took a gulp of water, and noticed the site supervisor approaching him to say, "Mr. Cheng wants you to come over."

Mr. Cheng?

The surname made the man feel uneasy, though he feared he might have misheard.

Nevertheless, he stood up and walked forward.

At that moment, Cheng Lie looked at him. "Do you remember me?"

The man shook his head.

"Thirteen years ago, when you were still with the Cheng Family, you were instructed by Zhao Haishuang to contact a truck driver."

The man instantly reacted, realizing that the person before him could very well be...

From the age he would have been thirteen years ago, he truly should look this grown up now.

He hurriedly responded, "I don’t know what you’re talking about."

People who’ve been caught in their wrongdoings always believe they are the innocent ones.

Cheng Lie, however, was already a bit exhausted.

In a cold tone, he said, "It doesn’t matter. I just want you to experience what it feels like to have nowhere left to turn."

As soon as he finished speaking, the foreman stepped up and told the man to go settle his wages, saying they wouldn’t be needing him anymore.

The man froze for a moment, then immediately began begging, "Brother, you can’t do this to me! I didn’t do anything wrong!"

"You made one mistake. You shouldn’t have crossed someone you shouldn’t have crossed."

The man instantly understood who he was dealing with.

He turned to look at Cheng Lie, whose dark eyes were cold and indifferent, as though he were watching a boring play.

"Mr. Cheng, my mom is sick. Without money for treatment, she’ll die. I’m begging you, please don’t take my job away."

Cheng Lie gave a chilling laugh. "You still have a mom? Then how could you bear to go after another child’s mother back then?"

The man froze in shock upon hearing this.

Cheng Lie turned and walked away.

He wouldn’t physically harm them, but he would make them feel the most excruciating pain the world could offer.

Physical wounds? They heal after a while.

But wounds caused by financial ruin—they’re like an itch that burrows into your skin and drives you mad, yet you find no relief no matter how hard you scratch.

In this world, there’s nothing that can replace the significance of money.

The nanny—the man in front of him—they were all middle-aged or nearing old age, with families to support above and below. It was the most burden-laden period of their lives.

Losing their source of income all of a sudden was nothing short of a calamity for the entire family.

Strike directly at their weakest point and let them taste the agony of constant pain.

But really, so what? Cheng Lie thought. Even this didn’t make him feel satisfied enough.

Cheng Lie lifted his eyes to the sky. The blue heavens and white clouds were beautiful, like a painting—so much clearer and purer than any paintings he had ever made.

As he stared upward, Cheng Lie thought of Yun Shifei.

He must have grown even darker than before, right? If she knew, how would she react?

Zhao Pan looked at Cheng Lie worriedly. Mr. Cheng’s recent state was genuinely concerning.

Still, he hadn’t crossed too many limits, so Zhao Pan couldn’t report him to Fourth Master.

However, if things went on like this, there was no guarantee Cheng Lie wouldn’t make catastrophic decisions. Zhao Pan had tried warning him several times, but Cheng Lie remained unmoved, choosing instead to persist.

Perhaps it was simply because the wounds he had suffered back then had cut far too deep.

Zhao Pan understood this well.

After a long pause, Cheng Lie said, "Let’s go. Let’s pay a visit to that driver."

The driver who had run over his mother was convicted back then, but without evidence proving intentional murder, he was solely charged with vehicular manslaughter. These past years, he had already been released.

Zhao Pan looked at Cheng Lie’s expressionless face, with eyes utterly void of light, and felt genuinely worried.

Peng Xingzhi, the former driver, had received a generous payment back then. After getting out of prison, he never worked again, and spent his days playing cards and drinking—living a life of debauchery.

Today, he lay on his bed after finishing his drink.

Dazed, he felt someone enter the room. Before he could see who it was, he was yanked up violently. The person’s movements were swift, ruthless, and precise; before he could react, both of his arms were dislocated.

Peng Xingzhi tried to scream, but a towel was stuffed into his mouth, leaving him able to produce only weak muffled groans.

He had no idea what was happening, his eyes darting around in confusion.

The pain from his dislocated arms radiated intensely, sending sweat streaming down his face, as his complexion turned red.

He looked at the group of strangers who had suddenly appeared before him, sensing their hostility.

Especially the one in the center—his gloomy expression fixed on Peng Xingzhi, the epitome of menace.

Peng Xingzhi thought, if this man wanted to kill him, it would likely take little effort.

The man was utterly terrified.

Having lived over half a lifetime without harboring enmity against anyone, he wondered if they might have the wrong person.

Surely it must be Wang Erma from next door. Rumor had it he was always getting into trouble outside—this must be an issue caused by him, right?

Just as Peng Xingzhi was about to hint at their mistake, the man in front of him spoke: "Peng Xingzhi, is that you?"

Peng Xingzhi blinked his eyes for a long while before nodding.

The man held up a photo and waved it in front of Peng Xingzhi. "Do you recognize her?"

Peng Xingzhi’s eyes narrowed sharply as he looked at the woman in the photo.

Even after more than ten years, he had not forgotten this woman.

She was stunningly beautiful—the kind of woman a man couldn’t forget after seeing once.

Over a decade ago, Mrs. Cheng handed him this photo and asked him to help deal with the woman in it.

At the time, he hesitated, but the payment Mrs. Cheng offered was enough to sway him.

The phrase "Death and mayhem bring wealth and power" summed it up perfectly.

And in all the years since, he had never forgotten that moment.

That rainy night, the woman was walking with a young boy. He drove his car swiftly and hit the woman head-on.

She died.

Like a butterfly too fragile to withstand the storm, she disappeared into the rainy night.

Peng Xingzhi had thought this secret would die with him, buried in his heart and hidden forever.

But today, someone had found him.

Peng Xingzhi looked at the photo, then at the man in front of him. The two faces had undeniable similarities.

His eyes involuntarily narrowed, and he seemed to begin piecing things together.

Cheng Lie curved his lips into a dark, bloodthirsty smile. "You guessed correctly—I’m the boy from back then."

He had witnessed his mother being thrown into the air, her broken body spilling red blood everywhere, washed away by the rain.

Even after all these years, Cheng Lie could clearly recall every detail of that scene. Those moments were etched into his memory forever.

And he would never forget that hatred.

Cheng Lie took a step forward and kicked the man to the ground.

The man groaned in pain, trying to scream or struggle, but even simple movements were impossible with his mouth covered and his body held down.

He could only endure as Cheng Lie unleashed a frenzied assault, punching and kicking him.

Eventually, the man coughed up a mouthful of blood.