A Quagmire-like Dysfunctional Family

Fortunately, there weren't many people in the chess and card room this morning.

Otherwise, this scene would have been enough to make it impossible for Tong Guirong to show his face around here anymore.

However, the scene wasn't over yet.

Lin Mo glanced at the expressionless Tong Dong and slowly added the most crucial sentence.

"Most importantly, he will drag Tong Dong down. Just because of him, Tong Dong went from being first in the school to second in this final exam."

Tong Dong: ???

A rare trace of cracking bewilderment appeared on his calm face.

And Longhair, who was originally filled with righteous indignation, completely froze upon hearing the phrase "went from being first in the school to second."

He opened his mouth, but all words of dissuasion were stuck in his throat.

Yes, he knew better than anyone what kind of trash his brother was, and he had also seen with his own eyes how promising the child Tong Dong was.

If it weren't for their past friendship, he wouldn't have let Tong Guirong stay in his chess and card room.

But he had also watched Tong Dong grow up. With things reaching this point, he was caught in the middle and couldn't please either side.

Longhair took a deep breath, as if making a decision.

"How about this, Dongdong, you ask your friend to let go first, and we can talk things over."

Tong Dong didn't say a word. His calm eyes just stared fixedly at the man on the ground, like a young wolf driven to a dead end.

Seeing his brother howling in pain on the ground, each cry more miserable than the last, Longhair couldn't save face either. He gritted his teeth and growled, "If you don't let go, I'm going to fucking call the police!"

"Call the police?"

Lin Mo acted as if he had heard the biggest joke in the world. The strength in his hands didn't diminish; instead, he casually turned his head to look at Longhair.

"Sure, go ahead and call them. I happen to know a few people anyway. I'll give them a heads-up and ask them to drop by your place more often to check on public security and add a little sense of safety to your chess and card room. How about that?"

Lin Mo smiled amiably, but the words he spoke made a cold sweat instantly break out on Longhair's back.

What did that mean?

This was a naked threat!

What kind of place was a chess and card room? To put it nicely, it was an entertainment venue. To put it bluntly, it was a small casino.

It was just that they only provided the venue and collected a site fee.

If the police came to the door every day, how could he continue running his business?

Longhair's mind raced. It wasn't that he hadn't considered the possibility that Lin Mo was just bluffing.

But with this kid's clean moves just now, along with his fearless and composed demeanor, Longhair would believe it if someone said he was a descendant from some powerful background coming down to experience ordinary life.

The little connections he had bought with money probably wouldn't amount to a fart in front of a real princeling.

In an instant, Longhair chickened out, his attitude taking a complete 180-degree turn.

He ignored Lin Mo and instead kicked Tong Guirong in the ass, cursing angrily, "Old Tong! Why the fuck don't you speak! Who did you sell Dongdong's jade pendant to! If you want to die, don't drag me down with you!"

Tong Guirong, pinned to the ground and unable to move, felt as if his arm was about to be twisted into a pretzel. Under the intense pain, his last shred of dignity shattered completely.

"I'll talk! I'll talk! Ow! Let go! Let go quickly! My bones are going to break!"

Only then did Lin Mo release his grip, taking the opportunity to step back twice, returning to Tong Dong's side and calmly watching the man on the ground.

Tong Guirong scrambled up from the ground in a wretched state, his face flushed to the color of pig liver due to pain and anger.

Years of alcoholism had hollowed out his body, leaving only a puffy beer belly. It looked intimidating, but he was actually weak on the inside.

Although alcoholism leads to fat accumulation, forming figures like a beer belly.

Panting heavily, he subconsciously wanted to point his finger at Tong Dong's nose and start cursing to regain a bit of his fatherly authority.

But just as his hand was raised halfway, he saw Lin Mo slowly raise his hand and crack his knuckles.

Crack, crack.

A few crisp sounds of joints popping were particularly piercing in the quiet chess and card room.

Tong Guirong's newly straightened back instantly slumped down again. Like a cat whose tail had been stepped on, he scrambled backward and swallowed the curses he was about to utter.

"Speak!"

Lin Mo threw the single word over, as cold as ice.

Tong Guirong shuddered all over and didn't dare hesitate any longer, spilling everything like beans pouring from a bamboo tube: "I sold the jade pendant to the antique shop at the intersection for seven hundred yuan."

"What about those letters?" Tong Dong's voice remained calm.

"I threw them away a long time ago."

Tong Guirong turned his head away, his eyes darting as he didn't dare look into his son's eyes.

Tong Dong had actually guessed this, but he still felt a bit miserable.

Seeing that his mood was off, Lin Mo reached out and patted his shoulder heavily, saying in a deep voice, "Let's handle the main business first. Getting the jade pendant back is what's important."

Tong Dong seemed to have his soul slapped back into him by this pat. He took a deep breath and took one last look at his father on the ground. There was no anger in his eyes, only a dead silence.

He didn't say another word, turned around, and walked downstairs.

Lin Mo followed him.

Upstairs, only the awkward Longhair and the paralyzed Tong Guirong remained.

Longhair raised a finger at Tong Guirong and said with frustrated disappointment, "You... sigh."

The following words were too ugly, so he didn't continue.

Downstairs, Tong Dong looked up at the sky.

The sun fell on him, scorching and harsh, but he couldn't feel a trace of warmth. Sweat was beading on his forehead, but his heart felt as if it had plunged into an ice cellar.

A very uncomfortable feeling.

Just then, a hand pressed on his shoulder. Tong Dong looked up.

He saw Lin Mo standing there with a relaxed look on his face.

"If the letters are gone, they're gone. There's still a chance to get the jade pendant back, right? As for the letters, just have your mom write a few more."

Tong Dong sniffled and then shook his head.

"There won't be anymore. Those letters were from the past. Ever since my mom had a little brother with that man, I haven't received any more letters from her."

Parents divorced, a father who was like useless mud, and a mother who remarried and had another child.

This truly was a quagmire of an original family.

"Then why are you so attached to that jade pendant and the letters?"

Lin Mo was a bit puzzled. How could someone as smart as Tong Dong not know that his mother was gradually forgetting him.

And might even develop a dislike for him in the future.

Tong Dong shook his head, "That's why I cherish the mother from that time even more."

Understood. Because he had already lost it, he cherished the past even more.

Tong Dong-chan, let me protect your memories, although I didn't come here to be...

Lin Mo sighed.

With that, the two walked toward the intersection.

It was called an antique shop, but it actually looked more like a scrapyard.

In fact, it did have a scrap collection business on the side.

But one shouldn't underestimate the scrap collection business.

That was an industry where people could make a fortune.

There were several people inside the shop. A middle-aged man standing at the door was holding a cup of tea, watching Lin Mo walk over.

He took the initiative to speak, "Young man, looking to sell something? We collect scrap here, and we also take electronics."