Xi Yangyang swallowed hard, then turned and bolted without looking back, ignoring everyone shouting behind him.
"So that's how it is!"
At that moment, Xi Yangyang understood everything. Tian Yuan was not the true culprit.
Their objective had never been to steal the Rainbow Pocket Watch. They had only one goal: to make Boss Zhu experience the feeling of losing his family as well.
The data displayed on the USB flash drive plugged into the computer contained much more than just Boss Zhu's criminal record.
For instance, there was a support group for victims—filled entirely with families whose lives had been destroyed by Boss Zhu through deliberate exploitation and staged accidents.
Both Xiao Bu and Tian Yuan had been approached by the same person, someone who had manipulated them both.
Their target had never been any pocket watch, but rather that photograph.
Fearing retaliation, Boss Zhu had secretly hidden his daughter away, and the only clue to her whereabouts was hidden within that photograph.
Before he knew it, Xi Yangyang had run all the way to a hospital—the exact same hospital from the nightmare he had suffered after drinking the tainted water.
Xi Yangyang took a deep breath and stepped inside. The elevators were all occupied, and he didn't have much time left.Xi Yangyang had no time to think and immediately started climbing the stairs, pushing his speed to the absolute limit as he rushed upward.
"I've reached the top!"
Finally arriving at the highest floor, Xi Yangyang pulled open the door and stepped out onto the roof.
The building was very tall, and a fierce wind blew relentlessly, whipping Xi Yangyang's fur in every direction.
Before Xi Yangyang's eyes, an old man stood quietly near the edge of the roof, holding a little girl in his hand—it was Boss Zhu's daughter.
"You're too late. Now I'm going to make Boss Zhu pay the price."
The old man before him spoke viciously, gritting his teeth as he prepared to move forward. Yet Xi Yangyang's strength was nearly spent, leaving him completely unable to sprint across before the old man could act.
"Hmph, this is only what he deserves! I want revenge!"
"Don't do this, there's still a way to turn back..."
The old man sneered coldly. Seeing this, Xi Yangyang tried to reason with him, but this plea only pushed the old man over the edge.
"Don't waste your breath trying to talk me down! I have nothing left in this world. My wife, my family, my son, my daughter—they are all gone, and it's all because of Boss Zhu!"As the old man spoke thus, Xi Yangyang stood rooted to the spot, not moving an inch, which prompted the old man to begin telling his story.
In the past, the old man had been an honest man. Lacking in talent and with little education, he had dropped out of school and started doing manual labor. Unfortunately, he had run into a dishonest employer. Having worked hard all his life, he had ended up with nothing to show for it, but fortunately, he had married a wife and had a son and a daughter, making for a somewhat happy life.
However, the malicious withholding of wages by the unscrupulous Boss Zhu changed all of that completely.
That day, the old man's wife fell gravely ill with a terminal disease, though fortunately it was treatable, provided it cost a great deal of money. From the moment she was diagnosed, the old man and his son began saving money without a single moment of rest. That was many years ago, and the old man's son was still in high school, but having no choice, he had to drop out to help raise funds. Meanwhile, the old man's daughter was only four to six years old at the time, and the old man himself began working desperately hard. Yet misfortunes never come singly.
The old man never expected that the wicked Boss Zhu would drag his feet again and again, refusing to settle his wages, which meant his wife could never undergo surgery. Finally, down to the very last day, his wife's condition reached a point where surgery could no longer be delayed, leaving the old man with no choice but to beg.
The old man knelt on the ground and begged Boss Zhu to pay him the wages he was owed, but Boss Zhu flew into a rage. Engaging in tax evasion and running a shady business, how could he possibly agree? Annoyed by the disturbance, Boss Zhu directly summoned thugs who beat the old man mercilessly for hours on end, ultimately breaking his leg and leaving him with a permanent limp.
Beaten for a whole day, the old man missed the surgery window, and his wife did not survive until the final moment, passing away from this world. But at the same time, the old man received another piece of news: his son, while running everywhere to borrow money and gather funds, had been tragically killed in a traffic accident. To make matters worse, because there was no one to look after her, the old man's daughter had been snatched away by human traffickers.
At that moment, the old man plunged into despair. Such absolute despair—why had he lived an honest life all his days, only to be oppressed and bullied like this? In that instant, the old man truly longed to end his own life, but instead, he encountered an unexpected twist.
"Grandpa!"
Just then, the elevator chimed as its doors opened, and the others walked up the stairs. The moment Meng Xiaoyang reached the rooftop and saw the old man before him, she could not help crying out in a voice calling him grandpa.Did Meng Xiaoyang mistake him? No, the person before her was indeed her grandfather.
Back then, the old man had encountered a family being tyrannized by Boss Zhu, just like he had been, but this time Boss Zhu went even further and beat that family half to death.
The old man still remembered it vividly. Ever since his wife died, he had spent many years wandering around in a daze.
Later, the old man met others who had suffered the same oppression by Boss Zhu. That was the first time the old man felt the urge for revenge.
To investigate the situation, the old man followed Boss Zhu to a certain place and happened to see Boss Zhu bringing people to beat Meng Xiaoyang's parents half to death, after which they left.
Afterward, the old man walked out and looked at the pitiful family before him. In the end, he stepped forward.
"Please, help us take care of our daughter."
At that moment, Meng Xiaoyang's parents saw the old man and used their last ounce of strength to beg.
Young Meng Xiaoyang was lying on the ground, crying bitterly at the time. The old man stepped forward, looked at Meng Xiaoyang before him, and ultimately managed to suppress his rage for revenge for the time being.
He decided that it wouldn't be too late to take revenge in a few years—at least until Meng Xiaoyang grew up a little.
Thus, the old man took care of Meng Xiaoyang while plotting his revenge, searching for others who harbored the same intense fury toward Boss Zhu to join forces with.
The old man's so-called death was merely a cicada shedding its shell; he didn't want Meng Xiaoyang to see his cruel side, yet things ended up like this anyway.
"I'm sorry, Grandfather has to do this. I must have my revenge!"
Looking at Xi Yangyang, Meng Xiaoyang, Mumu, Hui Tailang, and the others, the old man's gaze never wavered. He would have his revenge!
"Damn this old bastard! I never expected you to be the mastermind behind everything. Let go of my daughter right now, or else!"
Boss Zhu rushed over at that moment, glared at the old man before him, and started hurling insults.
"Shut your mouth!"
"I haven't even settled accounts with you yet! When this is all over, I will definitely make the Detective Association hold you accountable!"
How could Boss Zhu still fail to read the situation at a time like this? Clenching his fists, Mumu turned around and cursed at Boss Zhu behind him.
"Calm down, don't be impulsive."
Xi Yangyang tried to persuade the old man, but he remained completely unmoved. How could he be easily persuaded? He had to get his revenge; he wanted to make Boss Zhu experience the feeling of losing a loved one.
"Calm down, there has to be another way!"
Xi Yangyang pleaded, but the old man just let out a cold laugh. Hadn't they tried? They had tried.
They had exhausted every possible method, even posting about the matter online, but Boss Zhu's financial backing was too powerful. In less than ten seconds, all the dark history regarding Boss Zhu completely vanished.
This was reality. Boss Zhu's wealth and influence were simply too formidable; playing by the rules, they stood no chance at all!
"Grandfather."
Looking at her grandfather standing before her, with a fierce expression, bloodshot eyes, and a terrifying aura, Meng Xiaoyang was at a loss, not knowing what to feel.
"Meng Xiaoyang!"
The old man stared blankly at Meng Xiaoyang, a trace of confusion entering her eyes.
"Is it going to end like this? What will happen to Meng Xiaoyang? Aren't you her grandfather? Do you really want to watch Meng Xiaoyang live on all alone?"
Seizing the breakthrough, Xi Yangyang tried to reason with him. Hearing Xi Yangyang's words, the old man looked at Meng Xiaoyang, the fierce glint in his eyes fading slightly to reveal a touch of tenderness.
"I'm sorry, child!"
In the end, he let go. However, he no longer wished to live on; he knew that with his mind clouded by hatred, he could no longer properly take care of Meng Xiaoyang.
"Lan Yangyang, I've been watching you these past few days. I hope you can take my place in taking care of Meng Xiaoyang. Thank you."
After pondering for a long moment, the old man looked toward Lan Yangyang, as if bidding a final farewell.
"Stop! What are you doing?"
Sensing something wrong from the old man's tone, Xi Yangyang hurriedly stepped forward, reaching out to grab him, but it was already too late.
"We were living for revenge in the first place..."
With those words, the old man took a leap and jumped down from the high-rise building.
"No!"
Shocked, Xi Yangyang dropped to his knees, stretching out his hand. He was completely at a loss—why had things turned out like this?
With a gloomy expression on his face, Xi Yangyang wondered if they were truly wrong. Were the old man, Tian Yuan, Xiao Bu, and the others wrong?Xi Yangyang did not know that the old grandfather had passed away. After the old grandfather's departure, Xi Yangyang and the others received news that Tian Yuan had reportedly taken her own life when the staff weren't paying attention.
A few days later, everything was finally settled. Mumu used the power of the Detective Association to directly expose Boss Zhu's various crimes, resulting in Boss Zhu being sentenced to life imprisonment.
A large portion of Boss Zhu's assets was confiscated, though a small sum of remaining property, after deductions, was eventually transferred into the name of Boss Zhu's daughter. This leftover money was enough for her to get through university and find a job.
"It's over!"
"Goodbye, Xi Yangyang, Hui Tailang."
"Goodbye, Mumu."
"Goodbye, Mumu!"
In front of the bus station, Xi Yangyang, Hui Tailang, and the others boarded the bus back, bidding their final farewells to Mumu.
"Meng Xiaoyang, would you like to come with me to Pleasant Goat Prairie?"
Lan Yangyang crouched down beside her and asked, looking at Meng Xiaoyang before him.
"Mm, Meng Xiaoyang wants to go! Meng Xiaoyang has a big brother now!"
Meng Xiaoyang clapped her hands happily, and Lan Yangyang smiled along with her.
"It's getting late, let's go!"
He glanced at the time; the bus departure was fast approaching.
"Drop by and play whenever you have free time!"
"Mm, definitely!"
"Mm, goodbye."
Mumu bid farewell to Xi Yangyang and Hui Tailang. However, compared to Xi Yangyang's enthusiasm, Hui Tailang felt somewhat helpless—after all, he had been just a hair's breadth away from becoming a great detective himself.
Oh well, never mind. Being able to live a happy life with family and friends was more than enough.
"We're heading out!"
Accompanied by the final farewells, everyone boarded the bus together. As the bus slowly pulled away, they returned to Pleasant Goat Prairie.
Life went on just as before, but with one difference: they had a new member among them, and her name was Meng Xiaoyang.
From that day on, Lan Yangyang officially took Meng Xiaoyang in, recognizing her as his younger sister, while Meng Xiaoyang regarded Lan Yangyang as her big brother.
They lived together, growing up happily on the prairie, playing joyfully, beating back the Wolf Tribe together, and sharing cheerful laughter.
"Xi Yangyang, pass the ball over here!"
*Ding-ding-ding*, the after-class bell rang. Fei Yangyang hugged a football and headed to the pitch with Xi Yangyang, Lan Yangyang, Mei Yangyang, Nuan Yangyang, and Meng Xiaoyang to start a football match.
"Big brother, cheer up!" Meng Xiaoyang cheered for Lan Yangyang from the sidelines.
"Watch this!"
Lan Yangyang's gaze sharpened as he suddenly dashed forward, lashing out with a fierce kick—only to miss the ball entirely and take a clumsy tumble.
"Hahahaha!"
With a snort of laughter, Xi Yangyang and Fei Yangyang burst out laughing.
"What's so funny? I just tripped, is that any reason to laugh?"
Lan Yangyang pouted, looking thoroughly displeased.
"Alright, alright, we won't laugh at you, okay? Mei Yangyang, Nuan Yangyang, Meng Xiaoyang, come over and join the game too!"
Xi Yangyang stepped forward and pulled Lan Yangyang to his feet, then turned to call out to Mei Yangyang and the others waiting on the sidelines.
"Okay!"
Mei Yangyang and the others responded, stepping onto the field one after another. The six of them played happily on the prairie football field.
Kites always have a day when they fall, but the little sheep need no final destination...
"The End"
Xi Yangyang, Mei Yangyang, Lan Yangyang, Fei Yangyang, Principal Slow Goat, Soft Cotton, Red Wolf, Hui Tailang
Don't look at me and just think I'm a sheep
The green grass grows sweeter because of me
The sky turns bluer because of me
The white clouds grow soft
Don't look at me and just think I'm a sheep
The sheep's cleverness is hard to imagine
No matter how high the sky is, my spirits soar just as free
Chasing the sun every day
No difficult problems to tie me down, my heart will never ache
No dangers before me will ever make me panic
Even if a wolf pack gives chase
I'll treat it just like a game
Happy no matter what the time may be
Smiles taking flight
Even if I fall, I can stand right back up
Never feeling discouraged
Possessing the power to make everyone roar with laughter in any weather
Though I'm just a sheep
Xi Yangyang, Mei Yangyang, Lan Yangyang, Fei Yangyang, Principal Slow Goat, Soft Cotton, Red Wolf, Hui Tailang
Don't look at me and just think I'm a sheep
The green grass grows sweeter because of me
The sky turns bluer because of me
The white clouds grow soft
No difficult problems to tie me down, my heart will never ache
No dangers before me will ever make me panic
Even if a wolf pack gives chase
I'll treat it just like a game
Happy no matter what the time may be
Smiles taking flight
Even if I fall, I can stand right back up
Never feeling discouraged
Possessing the power to make everyone roar with laughter in any weather
Though I'm just a sheep
Though I'm just a sheep
Xi Yangyang, Mei Yangyang, Lan Yangyang, Fei Yangyang, Principal Slow Goat, Soft Cotton, Red Wolf, Hui Tailang
Sheep Daily Life 1: Fitting In Is So Hard
"Mmm, where is this?"
Lan Yangyang blinked his sleepy eyes, reached out to pick up the alarm clock sitting on the table beside him, and glanced at it.
"This is... wait a second. Oh no, I'm late!"
Lan Yangyang froze for a second before reality hit him. Having overslept, he scrambled to get up, slipped on his shoes—oh wait, he didn't wear shoes.
"Meng Xiaoyang is gone."
With no time to overthink, Lan Yangyang scooped up Meng Xiaoyang and sprinted all the way to Great Fat Sheep School.
"Crap, crap! Principal Slow Goat is going to yell at me again in a minute!"
Lan Yangyang could already picture the scene of Principal Slow Goat chewing him out from head to toe. He ran wildly, clutching Meng Xiaoyang, but in the end, he was still late.
Lan Yangyang crouched down beside the wall, tilting his head to take a peek. Principal Slow Goat was standing right at the entrance, ready to catch him.
"No choice, I'll just have to climb the wall!"
A cunning gleam flashed in Lan Yangyang's eyes as he pulled out a piece of bread, shoved it into his mouth, and immediately hurried to the other side with Meng Xiaoyang, preparing to scale the wall directly.
"Heave-ho!"
Lan Yangyang tossed his schoolbag over the wall first, spat into his palms, took a deep breath, and steadied his stance.
He reached up to grab the top of the wall, scrambled against the surface with his feet, and with a sudden surge of strength, hoisted himself straight up onto the wall.
"Alright, now I just need to jump across. Meng Xiaoyang, grab my hand."
Lan Yangyang clung to the wall with one hand while extending the other toward Meng Xiaoyang, signaling her to reach out.
"Okay, big brother!"
Meng Xiaoyang nodded, clutching her cute little pink sheep shoulder bag tightly to her chest.
She stepped forward, raised her foot with effort, stretched out her arm, and offered her tiny hand to Lan Yangyang.
"Great!"
Lan Yangyang grabbed Meng Xiaoyang's hand and pulled her up with a yank, then took a deep breath and leaped down with a sharp plunge.
"Perfect."
Quite perfect indeed—Lan Yangyang had hopped straight into the school grounds, but it wasn't time to relax just yet.
Lan Yangyang still needed to get to the other side of the classroom and enter through the window.
"Big brother! Big brother!"
Meng Xiaoyang called out while tugging on Lan Yangyang's hand.
"Meng Xiaoyang, stop fussing, we're about to climb in—wait, what if Principal Slow Goat finds out? Principal Slow Goat, I'm sorry."
Lan Yangyang muttered irritably for Meng Xiaoyang to cut it out. Just as he turned his head to scold her, he suddenly found himself staring right into the furious, glaring eyes of Principal Slow Goat.
"Uh... um... good morning, Principal Slow Goat! Have you eaten yet?"
Lan Yangyang offered an awkward smile, especially since he was still maintaining the posture of grabbing the window frame with both hands and feet, all set to climb inside.
"Lan Yangyang, being late is one thing, but how could you lead Meng Xiaoyang astray? How dare you climb the wall! Report to detention after class and copy the study material 100 times!"
Seeing Lan Yangyang, who was late and had resorted to wall-climbing, Principal Slow Goat was furious.
At the same time, he was deeply worried that Lan Yangyang would corrupt Meng Xiaoyang. Lan Yangyang curled his lip—what was that supposed to mean? He was just doing it by himself.
"What do you mean by that, Lan Yangyang?"
Forty minutes later, class was over, but Lan Yangyang was still standing outside the classroom holding two buckets of water. How annoying.
"Sigh, seriously, when did I ever lead Meng Xiaoyang astray?"
"So annoying! And I still have to copy things 100 times when I get back!"
Lan Yangyang was utterly speechless. When on earth had he corrupted Meng Xiaoyang?
"Don't you think so, Meng Xiaoyang?"
With that, Lan Yangyang turned to look at Meng Xiaoyang, only to freeze. Meng Xiaoyang, right after the end of class, had unconsciously started practicing wall-climbing?
Okay, fine, this might actually be his fault!
"It's really nice here, but the way of going to school is a bit peculiar. Fitting in is so hard! But cheer up, Meng Xiaoyang, you must learn to climb walls!"
Compared to Lan Yangyang's shock, Meng Xiaoyang looked rather silly and clueless.
Mostly because she had been living with Lan Yangyang all this time, and going to school meant climbing walls right alongside him.
Meng Xiaoyang had never lived on the prairie before, so she genuinely thought that going to school required scaling walls. Well, alright, perhaps Lan Yangyang really had led her astray.
Sheep Daily Life 1: Be a Good Child
"Ah, cozy!"
It was the familiar scene once again: Lan Yangyang had strung up a hammock between two trees near the inner gates of Sheep Village and climbed in, ready for a nice, sound nap.
"Big brother! Let's go play."