209: Chapter 209 Liu Ziqiang's Triumph

From then on, the father and son completely severed their relationship.

Liu Zihao told everyone he met that he didn't have a father.

Liu Ziqiang's calls went unanswered, and his messages were ignored.

Liu Ziqiang had gone to the places where his son worked and the internet cafes where his son idled away his time, but every time, Liu Zihao would curse him and drive him away in public, showing no mercy whatsoever.

Liu Ziqiang's heart felt as if it were being cut by a knife.

He had no ambitions or skills in this life; his only wish was to have a son to care for him in his old age and give him a proper burial, to hear his son call him "Dad" one last time before he died, and for their relationship to soften.

But after he remarried, this wish became an unattainable pipe dream.

What made him even more desperate was that after marrying his current wife, his body had long since broken down due to his age and the years of staying up late and working hard as a taxi driver. The two of them had never been able to have any children.

He had no other children and no other hope. Liu Zihao was his only root, his only hope, and his only spiritual support.

As he grew older, the obsession in Liu Ziqiang's heart grew deeper.

He dreamed of Liu Zihao acknowledging him, dreamed of repairing their relationship, and dreamed of having someone to look after him when he was old.

But Liu Zihao was completely unmoved, feeling only hatred, indifference, and impatience toward him.

It wasn't until last year that Liu Zihao suddenly took the initiative to contact him.

The reason was simple.

Liu Zihao had found a girlfriend, and the two were preparing to get engaged. The woman's family demanded a bride price of 688,000 yuan, not a penny less.

Liu Zihao was just a good-for-nothing hoodlum who idled about all day and had no savings. Forget 688,000 yuan; he couldn't even produce a few tens of thousands.

Driven to his wit's end, he finally remembered the father he had abandoned for over a decade.

Liu Zihao's words were still harsh and rude, even carrying a matter-of-fact, commanding tone.

"You want me to acknowledge you? Fine. Bring the money."

"I need a bride price for my marriage. You raise the money for me. Once you've raised enough, I'll acknowledge you as my father and take care of you in your old age."

"If you can't raise enough, then give up on that idea. We'll never see each other again."

This single sentence struck all of Liu Ziqiang's weak points.

Care in old age.

Acknowledging him as father.

These were the words he had longed for for over a decade.

As long as he could get his son to acknowledge him, as long as it meant someone would give him a proper burial in his later years, he was willing to do anything—not just give money, but even give his life.

But he was just a taxi driver. Even if he worked himself to the bone, he only made a few thousand yuan a month, and he had long since been ground down to nothing by life. Where could he possibly get several hundred thousand yuan for a bride price?

To make matters worse, the impact of ride-hailing apps in the past two years had made the taxi business worse and worse. Even working over ten hours a day, he could barely cover the rental fees.

Liu Ziqiang gritted his teeth, sold the taxi he had driven for over a decade, and with the tens of thousands of yuan from the sale, he followed a fellow villager to Zhongzhou City to find work.

He thought he could earn more money in the big city to please his son.

But at his age, with no education or skills, what could he do?

He couldn't carry cement or move bricks at a construction site.

Working in a factory, he was looked down upon for being slow.

Delivering food or packages was too exhausting and felt humiliating.

Just when he was at his wit's end and so worried he couldn't sleep at night, he spotted Zhu Li.

That day, he was wandering near a shopping mall when he saw Zhu Li get out of a BMW.

Young, beautiful, and elegantly dressed, she practically radiated the word "rich" from head to toe.

Liu Ziqiang's heart skipped a beat.

He recognized the girl instantly.

Three years ago, the little girl he had raped.

He never expected to run into her again in a city as large as Zhongzhou.

Even more unexpected was that she was doing so well, driving a luxury car and looking so glamorous.

An idea immediately formed in Liu Ziqiang's mind.

Originally, he just wanted to try his luck by using the photos from back then to threaten her, seeing if he could extort a few thousand or ten thousand yuan to help with his son's bride price.

He didn't dare think too big, let alone make outrageous demands. After all, what happened back then was disgraceful, and he was afraid of pushing her too far and making her call the police.

But to his complete surprise, Zhu Li was so terrified, so weak, and so easy to manipulate.

He only briefly mentioned the photos and her boyfriend, and Zhu Li immediately panicked, transferring twenty thousand yuan to him without a word.

The money came too easily.

So easily that he could hardly believe it.

From then on, Liu Ziqiang was completely hooked.

He discovered that as long as he held onto Zhu Li's weakness—her fear of speaking out and her terror of her reputation being ruined—he could continuously obtain money.

He didn't dare ask for too much at once, fearing he might drive Zhu Li to a desperate struggle, so he squeezed her bit by bit—ten thousand, twenty thousand, thirty thousand at a time.

Every time, Zhu Li obediently gave the money, never daring to resist, refuse, or report it to the police.

In just one year, Liu Ziqiang had obtained a total of over three hundred thousand yuan from Zhu Li.

He didn't keep a single penny for himself; he transferred every bit of it to his son, Liu Zihao.

With every transfer, Liu Zihao's attitude toward him improved slightly.

From the initial indifference and cursing to later reluctantly replying to messages, then occasionally calling him "Dad," and even taking the initiative to say a few words to him.

Liu Ziqiang was so excited he couldn't sleep all night.

It had been over a decade.

The title he hadn't heard for over a decade had finally returned.

He felt everything he had done was worth it, even if it was extortion, a crime, or an immoral act; he was willing to do it.

As long as his son acknowledged him, as long as he could raise the bride price, and as long as he had someone to care for him in his old age, he was willing to do anything.

This afternoon, Liu Zihao called again, his tone much better than before, even somewhat polite.

"Dad, I'm still short by a hundred thousand yuan. The woman's family is pressing hard. If you can get me another hundred thousand, we'll set the date for the engagement. Once I'm married, I'll bring you over to live with us."

A single "Dad" and the phrase "bring you over to live with us" made Liu Ziqiang's eyes well up with tears.

Without a second thought, he thumped his chest and agreed on the spot.

"Good! Good! Don't worry, son. Within ten days, Dad will definitely raise the hundred thousand for you!"

After hanging up, Liu Ziqiang immediately sent a threatening text message to Zhu Li.

One hundred thousand.

This time, he wanted a hundred thousand.

He believed Zhu Li would definitely give it.

Just like the dozens of times before, she wouldn't dare not to give it, she couldn't afford not to give it.

At this thought, Liu Ziqiang picked up his wine bowl again and drained it in one gulp. The pungent white liquor made his whole body feel hot, and the smugness on his face became even more apparent.

He shook his groggy head and looked at the "Thanks, Dad" message Liu Zihao had sent; the smile on the corners of his mouth couldn't be contained.

Just three more days.

In just three days, once the hundred thousand yuan was in hand, he would immediately transfer it to his son.

By then, the bride price would be fully raised, his son would be engaged, the father-son relationship would be completely repaired, and there would be hope for his care in his old age.

All the regrets, all the grievances, and all the obsessions of his life would be fulfilled.

Liu Ziqiang hummed an out-of-tune ditty and filled his bowl with wine again. The more he thought about it, the more excited he became, and the more he felt he was clever.

No hard labor, no suffering—he could make money just by moving his fingers and even win back his son's affection. There was no better deal in the world.

He was completely immersed in his own beautiful dream, fantasizing about his son's wedding, the days he would hold his grandson, and a happy, stable life in his later years.

He drank and ate heartily, his face filled with greed, smugness, and satisfaction.

...