Sorry, the number you have dialed does not exist!
"!?"
Old Wang froze, his eyes widening as he looked at his phone, then at the equally bewildered Old Nie. He muttered in a low voice:
"Why is it an invalid number? Have you been dialing the wrong one all along?"
The first time he called that adopted son, he definitely wouldn't have been blocked. Besides, even if he had been blocked, it shouldn't have said the number didn't exist.
If one person called and got an invalid number, and two people called and got the same result...
Then the number really was invalid!
"No, definitely not!"
Old Nie froze and hurriedly looked down at the number. It clearly listed that unfilial son's name and contact information.
Contact: Nie Xing
Phone number: 158********
There was even a call record from half a month ago!
How had it become an invalid number now?
Old Wang refused to believe it and called again. Only then did he accept it: it really was an invalid number!
So Nie Xing had changed his phone number just to get away from Old Nie?
He really was an outsider. How ruthless!
He could make his number invalid the instant he decided not to keep in touch!
It was truly heartless.
At that thought, Old Wang was both angry and somewhat heartbroken for Old Nie.
"What's the point of raising a son like that? A few years ago, you were so happy that he got into a Dragon Country research institute. Now it seems it doesn't matter what unit he joined. Look at my son, who only graduated from a junior college. He didn't get into any great unit, but he's my own flesh and blood. If I tell him to go east, he wouldn't dare go west! I've beaten and scolded him for decades. I didn't raise him as preciously as you raised Nie Yun, but his filial devotion is genuine. Every day, he treats me with utmost respect. Now look at you."
As he spoke, Old Wang accidentally slipped into his old habit of making comparisons again.
Seeing that Old Nie said nothing, he could only stop halfway through and let out a sigh.
As for the chessboard on the table, neither of them had the mood to continue.
Old Wang's gaze gradually darkened, as if he had made a decision. His tone turned grave.
"Old Nie, can your illness still be treated? What did the doctor say?"
His expression was serious.
Old Nie said heavily,
"A terminal illness. There's no way out."
The topic seemed unbearably heavy, suffocating even.
Seeing this,
Old Wang's voice grew hoarse.
"After all these years, you're my only old brother. If you're sick, we'll treat it. Don't be afraid to spend money! I still have some savings. It's not much, but take it for emergencies first!"
As he spoke, he tremblingly reached into his jacket and pulled a crumpled bankbook from an inner pocket.
He placed it on the coffee table and handed it to Old Nie.
Old Nie was somewhat surprised. The moment he saw the bankbook, tears immediately flowed uncontrollably from his eyes.
"You stingy bastard, why are you pretending to be some rich shot in front of me!? This is the money for your kid's house. You can't give it, and I can't take it!"
"Take it back, now!"
This was the money Old Wang had saved to buy his son a new house.
This miser was usually so frugal that he never lent money to anyone. He was practically famous throughout the entire neighborhood for it.
Recently, he had been preparing to buy a house, bragging about it around the neighborhood for days. Word was that he had even picked one out yesterday and was ready to buy it!
It was a big place, with four bedrooms and a living room, facing north and south. Beautiful as could be!
Once the house was bought, it would count as the family property his son was preparing for his grandson. With current housing prices, real estate would only become more profitable.
Wait another year, and prices would reach another high.
Old Nie had never expected this miser everyone in the neighborhood talked about to take out all that money.
It was something Old Nie had never anticipated,
And it brought tears to both their eyes.
"People have hearts of flesh. Am I really supposed to watch you leave alone like this?"
Old Wang wiped the tears from his face with one rough old hand, his voice trembling.
They had been friends for a lifetime. Now that Old Nie had cancer, Old Wang felt even worse than he did!
"You graduated middle school, didn't you? Can't you understand what terminal illness means? I already told you it's terminal. If money could cure it, why would it be called terminal? Take it back already. Don't think I don't know this money was saved by your son. Don't go losing it on him!"
Old Nie said through tear-filled eyes.
He forcefully pushed the bankbook back. No matter what, he could not accept the money. It would be useless even if he did.
Before Old Wang could say anything else, Old Nie hurriedly continued.
"How many years have we old brothers known each other? In this life, I guess I'll finally be free. The only thing I can't stop worrying about..."
"Is that boy Nie Xing!"
Hearing Old Nie's words,
Old Wang was just about to curse that unfilial brat when Old Nie choked up and raised a hand to stop him again.
"Let me finish!"
"My will, property deed, and all my savings are hidden behind that wall clock! If I go suddenly and don't get to see Xing, remember to put them away for me! When he comes back, give them to him!"
His voice trembled, carrying endless desolation and loneliness.
Old Wang turned his head away, crying as he stubbornly said,
"Give them to him yourself. That unfilial bastard—if I were you, I wouldn't have taken him in back then!"
"You're saying that again!"
Tears streamed down Old Nie's face as he complained.
Then he suddenly began coughing violently, coughing up streaks of blood!
Cough, cough, cough!
Old Wang's expression changed. He hurriedly stepped forward on trembling legs and patted his back anxiously.
Seeing Old Nie's trembling hand point at a bottle of medicine on the table, Old Wang quickly grabbed it, poured out two pills, and handed them to Old Nie.
"Take them, quickly!"
He found a glass of water and brought it over as well.
After taking the medicine, Old Nie looked even worse. His face was pale and weak, and he could only lie down on the living room sofa, gasping for breath.
Boom!!
At that moment,
A powerful explosion suddenly erupted across the Gobi Desert of Dragon Country!!
A visible shockwave instantly spread for over a thousand miles, and its terrifying force shook heaven and earth without cease!!
Thousands of miles away, a group of researchers in protective suits held various pieces of equipment as they watched the explosion in the distance with delighted expressions!
"The power of the secondary shockwave far exceeded our expectations. It seems Super Yuan Double Wave Ballistics really is feasible!"
"On the 1,250th experiment, we finally achieved the successive-launch effect of the second wave projectile! Notify the higher-ups immediately and report the experimental results!"
"Yes!"
As their words fell, the group hurriedly dispersed.
Half an hour later.
Inside a secret research conference room.
All the researchers had arrived. Holding the latest research data and equipment, they waited for someone to arrive.
The doors to the conference room slowly opened, and a stern-faced old man walked in.
Several soldiers armed to the teeth with live weapons followed behind him.
His status was clearly both lofty and special!
He walked to the seat of honor and solemnly gave all the researchers present a military salute!
"You've all worked hard!"
"Elder Liu!"
The others straightened up as well, looked at the old man in unison, and returned the salute!
The old man known as Elder Liu turned his deep gaze directly toward the leading man among the researchers, his tone grave.
"Director Nie, I heard the research succeeded?"
If Su Chen had been present, he would have recognized this old man as Elder Liu, Liu Hongfei, who had attended Chu Guozhong's funeral!
Happy National Day, everyone!
I still owe Boss Truly Fragrant Duck one chapter. I'll add two more after it goes premium! I still owe Boss Limited Edition one chapter too! I'll add one after it goes premium!
I owe Boss Stupid one chapter!
I owe Boss The End of All Songs one chapter!
Thank you all for your support!
The second round of PK begins tomorrow,
And I'll start paying off my debts!
Three updates a day during that time, to repay them. Here you go!
Before you continue