In the fiery red era of the heavens, refrigerators are refreshed daily.

Chapter 183, Section 182: Brothers Reunite, Exposing the Lies, and the Complex Circumstances
Yang Guangming stood in the dimly lit corridor of the county hospital, watching his second sister, Yang Xiangmei, burst into tears that she had been holding back for so long.

The cries contained so much—days of shock, helplessness, grievances, and the vulnerability of finally shedding pretense in front of loved ones.

He strode forward and gently supported his second sister's trembling shoulders. Yang Xiangmei seemed to find support; her sobs choked, but were no longer filled with utter despair.

Her rough hands gripped her brother's sleeve tightly. Yang Guangming could feel the bony bones beneath her thin shoulders. She must have suffered a lot in the countryside over the years; her once round face now had sharp angles.

"Second sister, don't cry, I'm here, it's alright." Yang Guangming's voice wasn't loud, but it carried a strange, comforting power. "Let's go see second brother first."

His gaze swept down the corridor, noticing curious glances from the doors of other wards, but he quickly looked away. In this place, crying and sorrow were all too common; people had learned to keep their distance.

Yang Xiangmei nodded vigorously, wiping away the tear stains on her face haphazardly with the back of her hand. The rough, chapped back of her hand scraped against her skin, causing a slight stinging sensation.

She took a few deep breaths of the cold air, trying to calm herself down. Then, she bent down and picked up the enamel spittoon that had fallen to the ground. Fortunately, there wasn't much dirty water inside; it had only splashed a small patch of cement.

"Little brother, how come you got here so quickly? You must be exhausted from the journey." She looked at her brother's travel-worn and weary face and belatedly showed concern.

Yang Guangming's eyes had obvious dark circles, indicating that he had rushed here day and night as soon as he received the news.

"I got the call and immediately tried to come over," Yang Guangming said succinctly, without explaining the reason for his business trip.

"Let's go, it's more important to see Second Brother first."

Yang Xiangmei led Yang Guangming toward a ward at the end of the corridor.

Pushing open the half-closed wooden door, a stronger smell of medicine and a stuffy, stagnant atmosphere hit me.

This is a four-person hospital room, but only the bed closest to the window is occupied. The other three beds are empty, covered with sheets, making the room feel particularly deserted.

Several yellowed health posters were pasted on the wall, one corner curled up and hanging down, swaying slightly with the breeze brought in when the door opened.

Yang Guangyao was lying on his back with his left calf in a thick cast, suspended high by the hammock frame.

He had obvious abrasions and bruises on his face and arms, his complexion was sallow, and his eyes were vacant as he stared at the peeling paint on the ceiling.

Hearing the door open, he turned his head slowly. When he saw who was following his sister in, his empty eyes widened instantly and burst into a bright light.

"Mingming!" His voice was hoarse and dry, cracking with excitement. "You... how did you get here?!" He struggled to sit up, but the movement aggravated his injuries, causing him to hiss and gasp for breath, his forehead instantly breaking out in a cold sweat.

"Second Brother, don't move!" Yang Guangming strode to the bedside and pressed down on his shoulders. "Talk to me while lying down."

He carefully examined his second brother.

Compared to when I visited him last year, my second brother seemed to have lost even more weight. His cheeks were sunken, his eyes were dark, and his lips were chapped and cracked due to dehydration. He exuded an air of dejection, as if he had been tormented by pain and anxiety.

Only those eyes, fixed intently on him at that moment, burned with a scorching light.

"You...you really came...the family...the family knows?" Yang Guangyao stammered, grabbing her younger brother's arm so hard her fingers almost dug into his flesh.

Traces of dirt still clung to his fingernails, and the old and new scars on the back of his hands spoke volumes about the hardships of daily labor. The busy farming season had just ended, and it was clear that his second brother had also endured considerable hardship.

"Yes, everyone at home knows. Dad, Mom, my older brother, and my sister-in-law are all extremely worried." Yang Guangming let him hold him, his tone calm. "Mom wanted to fly over herself, but we persuaded her to stay. Don't worry, I'll take care of things at home."

"It's good that you're here...it's good that you're here..." Yang Guangyao murmured, as if grasping at a lifeline. His tense nerves seemed to relax a little, but the anxiety in his eyes did not fade. "My family...they're not blaming me, are they? I...I've caused them trouble..."

"What are you saying?" Yang Guangming frowned. "This isn't the time to talk about this. How's the injury? What exactly did the doctor say?"

His gaze swept over the leg in a cast, mentally assessing the severity of the injury. The sling was somewhat dirty, clearly having been in use for some time.

Mentioning his injuries, Yang Guangyao's mood sombered again, tinged with resentment: "My body is covered in scrapes and bruises, it looks scary, but it'll heal with rest. The most troublesome thing is this leg!"

He pointed to his left leg, which was in a sling, "A fractured shinbone. The doctor said it was fortunate it wasn't completely broken, but it's in a cast, and I have to stay in bed completely and not move. It'll take at least three or four months to recover! It takes a hundred days to heal a broken bone... This is torture..."

His voice was full of self-pity and grievance, but his eyes unconsciously drifted to the side, avoiding his brother's overly sharp gaze.

"Was the treatment delayed? Were the medications you were taking effective?" Yang Guangming pressed.

This was one of the issues that concerned his mother the most. He knew that in remote areas, medical resources were limited, and sometimes even the most basic medicines were in short supply.

“The county hospital’s conditions are like this, how good can they be?” Yang Guangyao pursed his lips and complained habitually, “I still can’t sleep because of the pain after the painkiller injection… but I’m still using all the medications.” His tone was somewhat vague, as if he was unwilling to talk about the details of the treatment.

Yang Xiangmei, standing nearby, interjected, "Don't worry, little brother, I've been watching over all the medicine the doctor prescribed; I haven't dared to skimp on it. It's just... it's just..."

She hesitated, glancing at her second brother, her fingers unconsciously twisting the hem of her clothes.

Yang Guangming immediately understood her unspoken meaning—the medical expenses and subsequent recuperation costs would certainly not be a small amount.

"I brought money with me; it's enough for the medical expenses."

He nodded, indicating that he understood, and continued to ask Yang Guangyao, "Is there anything else that's bothering you? Are you dizzy? Nauseous?"

"No, not at all." Yang Guangyao shook his head. "It's just that when I rolled down the slope, I bumped and scraped myself all over, and now it feels like my body is falling apart if I move." He tried to move his body and immediately grimaced in pain.

After carefully inquiring about the injuries, Yang Guangming had a preliminary understanding of the situation.

As his second sister had said on the phone, the situation wasn't life-threatening, but a fracture still required serious attention and a long period of rest. He breathed a slight sigh of relief; the worst hadn't happened.

After comforting his second brother for a few moments, he took out the huge canvas satchel his mother had given him and took out the White Rabbit milk candy, canned fruit, biscuits, almonds, and other items that were wrapped in oil paper.

With each item brought out, the sunlight shone brighter. These foods, rare even in the city, were even more uncommon in this remote county.

Seeing these familiar things from his home thousands of miles away, Yang Guangyao's eyes welled up with tears again, his throat bobbed, and he couldn't speak for a long time.

Yang Xiangmei turned her back and quietly wiped her eyes. These foods not only represented nutritional supplements, but also the embodiment of her family's concern, a touch of warmth in the cold hospital.

"Your mom and dad would love to move their whole house here for you." Yang Guangming put the things on the bedside table. "So you can take good care of yourself and not be stingy."

Yang Guangyao nodded vigorously, grabbed a milk candy, peeled off the slightly sticky wrapper, stuffed it into his mouth, and chewed it hard, as if trying to draw some kind of strength from it.

The sweet, milky aroma melted in his mouth, slightly easing the bitterness and unease in his heart. He ate too quickly and almost choked, so Yang Xiangmei quickly poured him a glass of water.

After a brief moment of warmth and reassurance, the atmosphere in the ward grew heavy again. Yang Guangming pulled over a stool, sat down beside the bed, and his expression turned serious. The screeching sound of the wooden stool legs scraping against the concrete floor broke the temporary silence.

"Second brother, second sister gave me a general account on the phone. Now, tell me again what happened that day, in detail."

Don't miss any details, including why you had the conflict, what you said, who was around, how you fell, what happened after you fell, and how Li Dongliang reacted.

His gaze was calm yet sharp as he looked at Yang Guangyao. "Every detail can be important."

Yang Guangyao felt a little uncomfortable under his gaze, subconsciously averted his eyes, licked his dry lips, and began to narrate.

His account, what Yang Xiangmei relayed on the phone, and his complaints during his emotional outburst were largely consistent.

It was nothing more than a long-standing grudge between the two. They met by chance while gathering firewood on the mountain that day, but they couldn't agree on what to say. Li Dongliang, driven by greed, pushed him down the hillside when no one was around.

Fortunately, nearby villagers heard the cries for help and rushed to the rescue, preventing more serious consequences. Li Dongliang, however, vehemently denied the accusations and accused him of framing him.

This time, however, the account was more "detailed" than any before, with the addition of some emotional descriptions and gritted-teeth curses directed at Li Dongliang.

As he spoke passionately, he waved his arms frequently, as if he were once again in the midst of the conflict.

Yang Guangming listened quietly without interrupting. His gaze remained fixed on his second brother's face, observing every subtle change in his expression. Only when Yang Guangyao finished speaking, slightly breathless from excitement and anger, did he speak.

"Second brother, do you mean that Li Dongliang, just because of an old grudge against you and because he can't stand you, suddenly took such a ruthless action in the middle of nowhere, without any direct conflict or trigger, and tried to push you down the hillside?"
He knew perfectly well that the slope wasn't particularly steep, and even if he fell, the chances of it being fatal; in fact, it would likely immediately attract investigation and prosecution.

His tone was calm, as if he were repeating a confirmation, yet it carried a subtle, almost imperceptible scrutiny.

Yang Guangyao was taken aback, his eyes flickered, and he said with a stiff neck, "He... he's a bad seed! What wouldn't he do in a moment of anger?"

He definitely didn't expect anyone to happen to pass by and overhear! He just wanted to make me suffer! He wanted me to make a huge loss!

His voice unconsciously rose slightly, as if that would increase his persuasiveness.

“Even if it was a momentary impulse,” Yang Guangming continued calmly, “How close were you at the time? How did he push you? Which part of your body did he push? Which direction were you facing? Did he push you from the front or the side? When you fell, did you try to grab onto anything? Or did you see his expression?”

A series of extremely detailed questions were thrown out, catching Yang Guangyao off guard.

His eyes darted around, and he stammered, "At the time... the situation was so urgent, how could I remember so clearly... it seems like he pushed my shoulder from the side... and I lost my balance..."

His fingers unconsciously dug at the sheets, leaving messy creases.

"What is the slope of the hill? How far did you roll down? Did you hit any rocks or trees along the way? What was Li Dongliang's expression when he saw you roll down? Did he say anything?" Yang Guangming pressed on relentlessly, like an experienced interrogator, calm and collected yet relentlessly demanding answers.

“The slope was quite steep, and it rolled quite a distance. It seemed like it hit something. Li Dongliang was at that moment… at that moment…” Yang Guangyao’s answer became indistinct, and fine beads of sweat appeared on his forehead, whether from pain or tension, it was hard to tell.

Yang Xiangmei listened from the side. Although she felt sorry for her second brother and thought that her younger brother was asking too many questions, she couldn't help but recall her second brother's previous statements based on her younger brother's questions. It seemed that... there were some slight discrepancies in what he said each time.
This discovery made her uneasy, and her fingers unconsciously tightened around the hem of her clothes.

Seeing the fine sweat beading on his second brother's forehead and his increasingly uneasy expression, Yang Guangming's doubts deepened.

He remained silent for a moment, and the only sounds in the ward were Yang Guangyao's somewhat heavy breathing and the occasional chirping of sparrows outside the window.

Suddenly, Yang Guangming stood up and said to Yang Xiangmei, "Second Sister, could you please keep an eye on things at the door? If anyone comes over, especially people from the village or the educated youth settlement, please cough in advance."

His voice was low, but carried an undeniable determination.

Yang Xiangmei was taken aback. Although she didn't understand why, she had a natural trust in her younger brother and nodded: "Okay."

She glanced at her second brother with concern, then turned and walked out, gently closing the door behind her.

Only the two brothers remained in the ward.

Yang Guangming sat down again, his gaze calm yet extremely imposing as he looked at Yang Guangyao.

"Second Brother, there's no one else here. Tell me the truth, what exactly happened?"

Yang Guangyao's heart skipped a beat, but he forced himself to remain calm: "What...what truth? I'm telling the truth! Mingming, you...you don't believe me?"

He wore a hurt and aggrieved expression, trying to use his emotions to cover up his guilty conscience.

It's not that I don't believe you.

Yang Guangming's tone softened, but remained firm: "But I need to know the whole truth, without any concealment."

Only in this way can I assess the situation, know how to proceed, who to talk to, what to talk about, and how to maximize my chances of getting justice for you, or... prevent things from getting worse.

He leaned forward slightly, lowered his voice, and his gaze was sharp as a knife: "If you are still hiding something from me, and I don't have all the information I need, my judgment may be wrong."

"At that point, not only might it not solve the problem, but it could also give the other side leverage, making things worse. Second brother, do you want to see that happen?"

Yang Guangyao's expression changed several times, his lips trembled, he wanted to refute, but couldn't utter any powerful words.

My younger brother's analysis was like a mirror, reflecting his deepest unease.

He was genuinely afraid that things would escalate and get out of control.

His fingers nervously twisted the corner of the blanket, almost tearing the rough fabric.

“Li Dongliang…” Yang Guangming observed his expression and slowly voiced his guess, “Did he catch you doing something wrong? Did he force you to strike first and retaliate in this way? Even… at the cost of hurting yourself?”

With a "boom," Yang Guangyao felt as if something had exploded in his mind.

He suddenly looked up, staring at his underling in shock, his eyes filled with disbelief and a hint of panic at being seen through.

He didn't expect that his younger brother would almost touch the core of the truth with just a few questions and speculations.

His lips trembled, but he couldn't make a sound. He could only stare at his brother's eyes, which seemed to see right through him.

Seeing his second brother's reaction, Yang Guangming understood completely.

He stopped urging him, simply watching him quietly, waiting for him to make his own choice. The clock in the ward ticked away, each second feeling exceptionally long.

Yang Guangyao was struggling intensely inside.

Admit it? That would be too shameful, and what I did wasn't exactly honorable either.

Denying it? My younger brother is clearly suspicious, and what he says makes sense; if we don't know the whole truth, what if we don't handle it well...?

Ultimately, the fear of the consequences overwhelmed his desire to save face. He slumped his shoulders, his spine seemingly ripped out, and collapsed onto the hospital bed, covering his face with his hands. "...You're right," his voice escaped through his fingers, heavy with frustration and shame, "I...I wasn't telling the truth."

Yang Guangming didn't speak, but listened quietly. The distant roar of a tractor came from outside the window and then gradually faded away.

“That bastard Li Dongliang… he really didn’t push me…” Yang Guangyao’s voice was choked with painful sobs, “It was me… I deliberately lost my balance and slipped…”

After saying that, he seemed to have all his strength drained away, his arms hanging limply at his sides, revealing a flushed face streaked with tears.

Although he had expected it, hearing his second brother admit it still made Yang Guangming's heart sink.

it is as expected.

His fingers tapped unconsciously on his knees as his mind raced, considering the possible consequences of this truth.

"but!"

Yang Guangyao abruptly lowered his hand, his eyes bloodshot, and he became agitated. "I was forced to do this by him! He wanted to destroy me! I had no choice but to strike first!"

His voice was hoarse, carrying a desperate explanation, as if he were trying to prove his helplessness by raising his voice.

"What did he catch you doing?" Yang Guangming asked calmly, his voice as steady as if nothing had happened.

Yang Guangyao's eyes became evasive, and his voice lowered: "No...it's not a handle...it's...it's that he's going to report me to the higher-ups!"

His fingers were clenched tightly together, and his face contorted with resentment.

"Sue you? Sue you for what?"

"Sue me...sue me for being corrupt, decadent, and pursuing pleasure!"

Yang Guangyao practically gritted his teeth as he said, "They said I often go to restaurants in town, buy fancy snacks and cigarettes... they said my money is ill-gotten..."

They'll disqualify me from competing for a position as a private school teacher! They might even send me to an even worse place because of it!

His voice was filled with resentment and fear, the kind of resentment and fear that comes from having something about to be obtained forcibly taken away.

Private school teacher? Yang Guangming caught this unfamiliar term.

His mind raced, and he pressed on, "Competing for private school teaching positions? What's going on? Explain it to me in detail." He adjusted his posture, showing that he was listening attentively.

Now that things had come to this, Yang Guangyao no longer concealed anything and revealed the whole story in fits and starts.

It turned out that a privately-run teacher at Kaoshantun Brigade Primary School had left the village after getting married, leaving a vacancy.

For the educated youth who toiled in the fields all day long, this was undoubtedly an excellent opportunity to escape the heavy physical labor and obtain a relatively easy and stable job, making the competition extremely fierce.

Since learning this news, Yang Guangyao has had a plan.

He knew that farm work was hard and that he was not physically strong enough to keep up for long, so this teaching position was the only way out he could see at the moment.

He knew that his academic foundation was decent, but relying solely on the possible exams wouldn't guarantee success, especially since the decision-making power regarding these quotas largely rested with the brigade cadres.

So he used the money sent from his family and the national grain coupons, saved up some money by living frugally, bought some valuable gifts, and gave gifts to the brigade secretary and team leader in private on many occasions, saying all sorts of nice things.

The village secretary and team leader accepted his gifts, their attitude ambiguous. Although they didn't make any explicit promises, they implied that they would give him priority consideration. This made Yang Guangyao feel that his chances were very good.

However, secrets can be kept forever.

Li Dongliang, who shared a dormitory with Yang Guangyao, was also eyeing the spot. His family was of modest means and he couldn't take the "upper-class route" like Yang Guangyao, so he paid extra attention to Yang Guangyao's actions.

He vaguely sensed Yang Guangyao's private interactions with village officials, and combined with Yang Guangyao's occasional trips to town to improve his meals and buy "luxury goods," he guessed about 70-80% of the truth.

Li Dongliang was both anxious and jealous, so he rallied Wang Wei, another educated youth from Harbin who also disliked Yang Guangyao, to discuss countermeasures.

Li Dongliang's solution was to write anonymous whistleblower letters, exposing Yang Guangyao's corrupt lifestyle, backward thinking, and attempts to corrupt officials through petty favors and unfair competition.

Wang Wei felt this method was too insidious and hesitated, advising him to think of another way. But Li Dongliang seemed determined.

Their conversation was overheard by Yang Guangyao, who was resting behind a pile of stones nearby.

He was both shocked and furious, and broke out in a cold sweat.

He knew very well that if he actually submitted the letter of accusation, regardless of the final investigation results, his reputation would be ruined, he could forget about getting a position as a private school teacher, and he might even face more severe punishment.

He racked his brains for days, so anxious that he couldn't eat or sleep.

He knew he had to stop Li Dongliang, but he had no direct evidence that the other party was trying to frame him.

In the end, he racked his brains and came up with a vicious plan that combined self-inflicted injury with a counter-framing.

That day, when he went up the mountain to collect firewood, he deliberately searched for the area where Li Dongliang was.

After arranging the "chance encounter," he deliberately provoked Li Dongliang with his words, and the two got into an argument.

During the argument and shoving, he spotted a place with a gentle slope and dense bushes at the bottom to cushion his fall. He pretended to be pushed by Li Dongliang, rolled down the slope, and immediately shouted for help.

He had already scouted the area beforehand and knew that villagers were gathering firewood nearby and would definitely come when they heard the cries for help.

He had calculated that he wouldn't be seriously injured if he rolled down, but it would be enough to make a big fuss.

His goal was simple: to preemptively label himself as the "victim."

As a result, Li Dongliang became a suspect in "intentional injury," and the credibility of his words naturally decreased significantly.

Even if he writes another letter of denunciation later, it is easy for people to think it is an act of revenge, and it will be difficult to gain people's trust.

Although this move was risky, he believed it was the only way to break the deadlock and turn defeat into victory.

"That's just the way it is."

After Yang Guangyao finished speaking, he let out a long breath, as if a huge burden had been lifted off his shoulders. But then he looked at his younger brother nervously, "Mingming, I... I was forced into this situation! You don't know, when I heard he was going to write a letter to sue me, I was so scared that I couldn't sleep for several nights! I can't let him succeed! I have to act first!"

His voice was choked with sobs, a mixture of grievance, lingering fear, and above all, a longing for understanding.

After hearing the convoluted truth, Yang Guangming was at a loss for words.

He looked at his second brother, whose face was pale from excitement and pain from his wounds, on the hospital bed, and his feelings were extremely complicated.

There is sympathy for the second brother's situation—being forced to resort to self-harm to retaliate, he truly had no other way out.

He was also astonished by his second brother's boldness and decisiveness—that he could be so ruthless to himself was beyond his expectations and refreshed his understanding of his second brother.

There is also a deep sense of helplessness and thorniness – this matter is not simply a question of who pushed whom, but rather stems from a struggle for a job, behind which lies the distortion and scheming of human nature in extreme circumstances.

The truth is far more complex and dark than the second sister's tearful account on the phone and the second brother's initial performance.

Yang Guangming remained silent for a long time.

Yang Guangyao looked at him anxiously, afraid of seeing contempt and blame on his younger brother's face.

Only the heavy breathing of the two people and the occasional noise from outside the window remained in the ward.

Yang Guangming's gaze swept over his second brother's leg, which was in a cast, over his clenched fists, over his sweat-drenched forehead, and finally settled on his eyes, which were filled with pleading and fear.

Finally, Yang Guangming spoke slowly, his voice devoid of much emotion: "In other words, Li Dongliang didn't push you. You deliberately fell down and then falsely accused him of pushing you."

The goal was to prevent him from writing a letter of denunciation and, in turn, to smear him, ensuring that you yourself could secure the position of a private school teacher. Is that right?

His words were clear and calm, dissecting the essence of the event with the precision of a scalpel.

Yang Guangyao nodded with difficulty and added, "I...I didn't expect my leg to be fractured...I was just thinking that if I fell, scraped my skin, bled a little, and looked a bit bad, that would be fine..."

His tone was tinged with lingering fear and a hint of regret, his fingers unconsciously stroking the rough surface of the plaster.

Yang Guangming rubbed his temples, feeling a headache coming on.

"Second brother, you handled this matter... terribly! More importantly, you were far too careless!"

There were clearly better ways to resolve this, but you ended up in the hospital instead.

He couldn't help but sigh, his voice unusually stern, "You're fabricating lies and framing others! If you're exposed, the consequences could be even more severe than if Li Dongliang wrote the letter of denunciation!"

If there are eyewitnesses, all the suffering you've endured will have been for nothing, and you'll also be branded as malicious and guilty of slander!

Yang Guangyao's face turned deathly pale in an instant: "I...I didn't think that much at the time...I was just thinking that I couldn't let him hurt me...I..."

His voice was weak, almost as if he were talking to himself, and his eyes darted around in a panic, not daring to meet his brother's gaze.

"How's the investigation going in the brigade? What's the attitude of the cadres?" Yang Guangming asked the most crucial question, trying to sort out the current chaotic situation.

“The Party Secretary and the brigade leader came to see me once and asked about the situation.”

Yang Guangyao's voice was low and dry, "I insisted that it was Li Dongliang who pushed me. They didn't say much, just that they would investigate and told me to focus on recovering."

He paused, swallowed, and continued, "I heard that Li Dongliang was also called in for questioning several times. He refused to admit it and even said that I fell down and was trying to extort money from him."

Now both sides have their own version of events, and the villagers are talking about it, saying all sorts of things…

His voice grew softer and softer until it was almost inaudible, clearly indicating his anxiety about the stalemate.

Yang Guangming pondered, realizing the situation was indeed quite complicated.

The village officials clearly didn't want to escalate the situation and affect the evaluation for advanced status, so they preferred internal mediation. However, both sides were sticking to their positions, and there were no third-party eyewitnesses, making it difficult to make a judgment.

Most of the villagers watched the spectacle and speculated among themselves.

Although Li Dongliang was outmaneuvered, he was certainly unwilling to accept it and was probably still thinking about how to retaliate.

His second brother, on the other hand, was the one who told a colossal lie, and could collapse completely at any moment due to some oversight in a detail.

This is practically a powder keg that could explode at any moment!
"Who else could possibly know the truth about this matter besides you?" Yang Guangming asked seriously, leaning forward slightly, his gaze piercing.

"No...nothing!" Yang Guangyao hurriedly assured him, almost jumping out of bed. "I didn't tell anyone! Even Xiangmei doesn't know! I only told you!"

He now completely clings to his younger brother as his only lifeline, his eyes filled with a mixture of dependence, fear, and a glimmer of hope.

Yang Guangming nodded. Thankfully, the news hadn't spread.

He stood up and paced a few steps in the small ward.

The cement floor was cold and hard, and the footsteps were light yet clear.

Outside the window, the sky gradually darkened, and the outlines of the distant mountains became blurred.

He needs to think carefully about what to do next. How should he clean up this mess?
His gaze fell on his second brother again, the man lying on the hospital bed, his face pale with pain and fear, who was both the perpetrator and the victim.

This realization makes the situation exceptionally complicated.

"Second brother."

He finally spoke, his voice calm yet undeniable: "From now on, everything will be as I say."

Don't say anything more about this to anyone—including my second sister. Leave everything to me; I'll handle it.

Just focus on getting better now. After all, you can't move around or do anything right now. If I need your cooperation, I'll let you know in advance.

Yang Guangming's gaze was firm, giving people a strange sense of security.

Yang Guangyao nodded with a sigh of relief, tears of gratitude welling up in his eyes.

At this moment, he was no longer the self-righteous older brother, but a vulnerable patient who needed his younger brother's protection.

(End of this chapter)