Zhou Yi didn’t actually want to bring up legal clauses or speak so harshly on such an occasion. However, Second Aunt’s reaction when he asked if Grandfather had fallen was simply too abnormal. Giving irrelevant answers, dodging the question, and even using extreme emotional outbursts as a cover—these were all textbook signs of lying.
The current Zhou Yi couldn’t possibly miss such details. It was obvious that Second Aunt’s temper tantrum was meant to cover something up. He glanced at Second Aunt, but he knew the most important thing right now was to save a life. His purpose in interrogating her was to confirm the truth, avoiding a situation where they gave the doctors incorrect information for the emergency treatment.
"Dad, Aunt, hurry up and find a car to take Grandfather to the hospital. He can still be saved."
Hearing that there was still hope, Zhou Yi’s father’s eyes immediately lit up. "Zhang Tietou downstairs has a three-wheeler. I’ll go borrow it right now."
Working together, they quickly lifted Grandfather onto the three-wheeler. Zhou Yi and his aunt sat in the back with him, while his father drove.
"Dad, the closest one should be City Third Hospital. Let’s go there," Zhou Yi said.
"Alright!"
Twisting the throttle, the three-wheeler charged straight into the darkness.
"Yi, how did you know your grandfather had a fall today?" his aunt asked curiously.
"When elderly people fall, if they hit their head, it’s very easy to cause a brain hemorrhage.
"If someone with a brain hemorrhage also has a skull base fracture, it triggers nosebleeds.
"Because the nasal cavity is connected to the brain, blood pooling in the brain will flow into the nasal cavity through the cracks of the fracture.
"This condition is called a nasal leak.
"Fortunately, Second Uncle only wiped away Grandfather’s nosebleed and didn’t plug his nose with something like people usually do. Otherwise, it could have caused an intracranial infection, and that would be truly troublesome."
His aunt said in surprise, "Did you learn all this at the police station? Thank goodness the Zhou Family has a policeman like you..."
Holding Grandfather’s hand, Zhou Yi kept a constant eye on his condition. His heart was filled with lingering fear. Actually, in his previous life, Grandfather could have been saved. But because of Second Uncle and Second Aunt’s deliberate concealment, combined with the older generation’s rigid mindset, Grandfather was left lying there to wait for death despite having a house full of children and grandchildren. He had simply been too inexperienced back then. If he had possessed his current observation skills and awareness, perhaps he could have saved Grandfather. A wave of self-blame washed over him, and he silently vowed that he would definitely save Grandfather this time.
About ten minutes later, they arrived at City Third Hospital. Zhou Yi picked up Grandfather and ran toward the emergency room. When he handed Grandfather over to the doctor on duty, he immediately explained the condition, stating it might be a deep coma caused by intracranial bleeding.
The doctor quickly confirmed his judgment and began emergency treatment. Facing the anxious inquiries of Zhou Yi’s father and aunt, the doctor said, "The most dangerous period for an intracranial hemorrhage is within the first twenty-four hours. Fortunately, you brought him here in time. We will do absolutely everything we can to save him."
As the three of them waited anxiously outside the emergency room, Second Uncle and Zhou Yi’s mother also rushed over. As soon as he arrived, Second Uncle dropped to his knees in front of Zhou Yi’s father with a loud THUD.
"Brother, I was wrong! I’m so sorry to our dad! I never thought that foolish woman would actually hide the fact that Dad fell. If I had known, I would’ve brought him to the hospital ages ago!"
Before his father could say a word, Zhou Yi spoke up. "Second Uncle, when and where did Grandfather fall?"
"It was right before I came home from work, in the bathroom. Your Second Aunt even asked him if he wanted to go to the hospital, but he said it didn’t matter. By the time I got back, he was already asleep, so I just assumed he was tired."
Second Uncle’s words might as well have had "shirking responsibility" carved right into his forehead. But this was far too suspicious! Because in his past life, right after Grandfather had breathed his last, Second Uncle had pulled a will out of his pocket, complete with Grandfather’s thumbprint. Although the legal validity of such an unnotarized will was highly questionable, they had insisted that Grandfather had drawn it up, and ultimately, when the matter went to court, they had received the largest share of the inheritance.
Zhou Yi’s heart suddenly skipped a beat. In criminal cases, the one who benefited the most was often the main culprit. Looking at the circumstances surrounding Grandfather’s death back then, Second Uncle’s family had undoubtedly reaped the most benefits. He already had a basic judgment of the truth, but he still needed to verify it. He didn’t press the issue further. Instead, he helped Second Uncle up and then pulled him to the other end of the hallway under the pretext of asking about the cause of the injury.
"Zhou Yi, I’ve already told you everything I know."
"I know, Second Uncle. I wanted to ask about something else."
"Something else?"
"I want to ask, did Grandfather ever leave a will?"
Second Uncle’s expression changed instantly, and his right hand involuntarily covered his pocket. "Ah... why are you asking this?" he asked, becoming visibly nervous.
"Just asking casually. It’s fine if Grandfather recovers this time, but if something does happen, only you would know if there’s a will or not."
"Actually..."
"A couple of weeks ago, our station investigated a case where the children tricked an elderly person into putting their thumbprint on a will without their knowledge. In the end, they were found out, and our chief said they were suspected of fraud and would have to go to prison."
Zhou Yi spoke casually, but Second Uncle violently shuddered.
"N-No, your grandfather didn’t leave a will," Second Uncle chuckled awkwardly, his expression as forced as could be.
Zhou Yi nodded lightly. "It’s nothing, I was just asking."
"Zhou Yi, um... tell your dad that I’m going to head back first. When I came over, your Second Aunt kept complaining about being dizzy. I’m afraid she might be sick again..." Second Uncle asked cautiously.
Zhou Yi smiled and reached out to pat the coarse blue cotton jacket Second Uncle was wearing. "It’s dark and the roads are slippery, so be careful on your way back. Look, this jacket is covered in dirt. If you go back this dirty, Second Aunt will scold you again."
"I-It’s fine. I’ll get going now." Second Uncle turned and fled as if granted a general pardon, already drenched in cold sweat.
Second Uncle wondered, "It’s really strange today. Why is my eldest nephew so intimidating? I’ve never felt this way before."
What he didn’t know was that Zhou Yi was standing motionless where he was, staring blankly at his retreating back. Zhou Yi didn’t turn around until Second Uncle disappeared around the corner at the end of the hallway. He opened his right hand, revealing a piece of paper he had swiped from Second Uncle’s pocket while patting off the dirt.
Zhou Yi unfolded the paper and glanced at it, his eyes growing increasingly cold. He was no stranger to the contents on the paper. The paper had been in Second Uncle’s pocket, the handwriting was Second Uncle’s, and the thumbprint was Grandfather’s. The forgery of the will was already a proven fact with irrefutable evidence, and it had been premeditated.
Now, the only question was whether Grandfather’s fall was truly an accident or done on purpose. Zhou Yi couldn’t help but feel a chill run down his spine. If it was deliberate, that meant this was a premeditated and motivated murder. Before his rebirth, he had never even considered this possibility. After all, they were close blood relatives. But now, a cruel reality was laid bare before him.
The answer depended on whether Grandfather could wake up.
"Are you a family member of Zhou the Fourth?" a young woman’s voice suddenly asked from behind.
Zhou Yi looked back and saw a young nurse with large eyes, holding a few IV bags in her hands. Zhou the Fourth was his grandfather’s name. Zhou Yi quickly nodded. "Yes, I’m his family."
The young nurse frowned in displeasure. "What’s going on with you people? Why hasn’t the emergency fee been paid yet? He’ll need more medication later. If this delays the patient’s treatment, will you take responsibility for it?"
"Pay the fee?" Zhou Yi immediately understood, and anger flared up in his heart.
Grandfather’s pension had been taken by Second Aunt long ago under the guise of subsidizing household expenses. She only gave the old man fifty yuan a month for pocket money. Even that fifty yuan was only reluctantly handed over by Second Aunt after his aunt had gone to their house to make a scene. Second Uncle had run off without even paying Grandfather’s hospital bills. What a complete scumbag.
"I’m sorry, I’m so sorry. I’ll go pay it right now." Zhou Yi apologized repeatedly and patted his trouser pocket. Fortunately, his wallet was still there.
"After you pay, go to the emergency pharmacy window to pick up the medicine, and then bring it to the nurse’s station." With that, the young nurse turned and walked away.
Zhou Yi turned and headed toward the payment window. He felt that the young nurse looked a bit familiar, but he couldn’t remember where he had seen her before.