I stared blankly at my dad.
I couldn't believe those words had come from him.
To me, he had always been a man who took responsibility and shouldered his obligations.
"Dad, when Mom abandoned us and left without a word, you never said a single bad thing about her in front of me. You taught me to be someone who took responsibility."
"Fang Man died such a terrible death."
I choked up. "I can't run away from this, and I mustn't. If I don't catch the killer, I'll never have a moment's peace."
My dad stared blankly at me too, then drew a breath. "Even if you catch the killer, what can you do?"
"We live under the rule of law now. If you can't produce evidence proving his guilt, you have no way to avenge Fang Man. Are you planning to take the law into your own hands? Then you'd be committing a crime too. Have you thought about your grandfather and me?"
I steadied myself and said, "I know where to draw the line. I won't do anything reckless, but I have to find out who he is, then find a way to put him in prison. Otherwise, I'll never know peace, and Fang Man won't be able to rest in her grave."
At that point, my dad had nothing more to say.
I was an adult now. If I insisted on doing something, he couldn't stop me.
Without another word, he turned and went upstairs.
Back in the car, Meng Yifan sighed. "Parents really do worry themselves sick over their children. Your dad's just afraid something will happen to you."
I nodded. Of course I knew my dad was worried about me.
He had been in the prime of his life when my mom left, but he