Corpse Recovery Diver-Chapter 853 - 152:

After the door opened, a tearful voice came through:

"Sister-in-law, Captain Tan is in trouble!"

...

Tan Yunlong has sacrificed himself.

Tan Wenbin stood by the bed with a vacant look in his eyes, lying there was the body of his father who was declared dead after failed resuscitation.

The fugitive, knowing they were surrounded, resorted to taking hostages in a desperate attempt to go down fighting. Tan Yunlong was shot by the fugitive while trying to save the hostage.

Tan Wenbin didn't dare to uncover the white sheet on his father, fearing to see the dreadful bullet holes.

The lingering pain on his backside made him wish that his father on the bed would get up; his skin still stung, and he wanted to continue getting spanked.

His mother, after tensing up for a moment, collapsed at the bedside, turning into a teary mess.

Tan Wenbin took a deep breath; he too wanted to cry but found he had no tears.

He could only step forward to comfort his mother, then wait for the leaders from the station and town to visit, and step forward to discuss the martyr's honor and funeral arrangements with them.

If the public agencies are involved, it shouldn't be overly traditional, but rather solemn and simple.

His grandparents from both sides also came; grandpa and maternal grandpa were slightly better, standing quietly by and holding back tears, while grandma and maternal grandma embraced his mother and sobbed bitterly.

Time passed in such a daze.

Tan Wenbin attended his father's funeral, with many of the leaders and colleagues his father worked with at the police station and city coming to pay their respects.

Tan Wenbin accompanied his mother, reciprocating their condolences one by one.

During this period, since his mother was too weak, Tan Wenbin let her focus on accompanying her husband on his final journey, taking charge of the arrangements himself.

He arranged everything in an orderly manner.

The leadership from the city bureau warmly clasped his hand, offering solace and expectations.

His grandfathers stood silently yet firmly by his side.

A father-son job transfer is often criticized by society, but there is one exception.

Many classmates also attended the funeral; Zheng Haiyang was there, and so was Zhou Yunyun.

At the end of the funeral, Tan Wenbin took Tan Yunlong to the crematorium for cremation.

He felt very surprised; how could his big dad fit into such a small box?

He held the urn, got into the car, and went home.

His father's portrait was placed at home.

Tan Wenbin cooked some noodles to eat with Zheng Fang.

Zheng Fang: "Son, did you add salt? It's bland."

Tan Wenbin: "I think it's just right, ask Dad if you don't believe me..."

Zheng Fang and Tan Wenbin instinctively looked at the empty seat at the table, as in a family of three, everyone's eating spot was often fixed.

Looking in the direction of the empty seat, there was that black and white portrait.

Zheng Fang lowered her head, eating while crying, tears falling into the bowl, making it unnecessary to add salt.

After the meal, Zheng Fang went back to the room to rest, and soon, suppressed sobs came from inside, as she hid under the quilt.

Tan Wenbin took out a cigarette box; for every cigarette he smoked, he lit one in front of the incense burner for the portrait.

He even arrogantly held the cigarette high, provocatively against the portrait of his father.

But after provoking for a while, he quickly found it boring.

After all, his dad couldn't crawl out of the portrait to knock the cigarette out of his mouth.

The sobbing in the room gradually subsided, and he knew his fatigued mother had finally fallen asleep amid her grief.

Tan Wenbin stayed in the living room, changing his sitting posture; in the stillness of the night, he wanted to take the opportunity to talk with his dad once more.

But after thinking it over, he found there wasn't much to say.

Because he felt he had been quite a failed son, with nothing to show that could make his dad proud.

Finally, the long-delayed rain began to fall.

Tan Wenbin wiped his tears while saying:

"Old Tan, all the extra points you helped me earn for the college entrance exams were useless; your son is such a nobody, can't get into college even with extra points, sigh."

He knocked his head on the edge of the table, half-sleeping and half-awake.

In a daze, he seemed to hear a "thud" from the room.

He immediately struggled up, walked to his parents' bedroom door, knocked, and called out:

"Mom, are you alright, Mom?"

No response came from inside.

Continue knocking, continue calling, still no response inside.

Tan Wenbin tried to open the door, found it was locked from the inside.

"Mom! Mom! Mom!"

Realizing that something was wrong, Tan Wenbin began to ram the door.

"Bang!"

The door was crashed open.

Tan Wenbin turned on the light and saw his mother lying on the floor, mouth foaming, with an empty pesticide bottle nearby.

"Mom!"

Tan Wenbin bent down to pick up his mother; he had to hurry her to the hospital now, as long as he got her there in time, it could still be saved, it surely could.

While moving, his foot kicked the empty bottle; the bottle hit the bed's foot and then rolled back.

Tan Wenbin's gaze fell on the label of the pesticide bottle, and his eyes widened instantly.

He knew that having ingested it, even stomach pumping may let the person regain normalcy for a few days, but ultimately, couldn't save them.

It gives time for regret, but not for survival.

Tan Wenbin's body trembled, his face began to contort, yet he still struggled to hold his mother, waking up the neighbor with a motorcycle, begging them to drive him and his mother to the hospital.

Late at night outside the surgery room of the hospital, Tan Wenbin sat there.

The doctor had just come out, hesitant to explain the situation to him.

He told the doctor that he knew the outcome in his heart.

The doctor nodded, sighing helplessly as he departed.

Tan Wenbin knew by the dawn, his mother would wake up; she would eat, smile, hold him, and caress his face and head.

Might even say she regrets it; she wouldn't attempt anything again, would accompany him properly to adulthood, to work, to marriage, and even eventually to look after grandchildren.

These conceivable gentle words and expressions would soon turn into the sharpest pain stabbing him.

Tan Wenbin held his head in his hands, looking down, his mouth wide open without emitting a sound, with snot and tears pouring continuously.

In the corridor, a figure approached, it was Zheng Haiyang.

He sat down beside Tan Wenbin, stretching out his hand to lightly pat Tan Wenbin's back:

"The doctor said the rescue was very successful, Auntie will be fine."

Tan Wenbin turned to look at Zheng Haiyang.

Zheng Haiyang looked into his eyes, saying, "Brother Bin, don't worry, no matter what happens, I'll always be by your side."

Tan Wenbin shook his head, saying, "I just figured something out."

Zheng Haiyang smiled faintly, "Good you've figured it out, it's good you have; everything shall pass, really."

"My mom is very strong, she would never commit suicide, after my dad's passing, she would take up the responsibility of accompanying me; having been a police wife for so long, she has this mental capacity."

Zheng Haiyang: "Even the strongest people might reach a breaking point, Brother Bin, it's not Auntie's fault."

Tan Wenbin: "Who put that pesticide in her room?"

Zheng Haiyang was surprised, "Brother Bin, are you suspecting someone deliberately…"

Tan Wenbin pressed his face closer, very close, scrutinizing Zheng Haiyang's eyes as he asked:

"Except for the neighbor whom I asked to drive us, I haven't told anyone about my mom's incident, not even my grandparents; so why did you appear here so promptly?"

Zheng Haiyang was initially stunned, then countered, "Brother Bin, are you suspecting me?"

"Why not? Shouldn't I?"

Zheng Haiyang exclaimed angrily, "Brother Bin, how can you think of me like that!"

The next moment,

The wronged and angered expression on Zheng Haiyang's face smoothly morphed into a deep, mischievous taunt:

"Yes, I personally placed that pesticide, and even wrote a suicide note to Auntie as if it were from Uncle, ha ha ha ha!"

Tan Wenbin grabbed Zheng Haiyang's arm, shaking it vigorously: "Why did you do it?!"

As he shook, Zheng Haiyang's head began to bob back and forth, and a tiny turtle somehow climbed onto Zheng Haiyang's head.

"The turtle's mouth and Zheng Haiyang's head opened and said with a laugh:

"Because I feel unbalanced inside, why should you have both a dad and mom by your side, and I have none?"