In an instant, Gui Lanzhi couldn’t hold back her emotions, hugging Qiu Mingyan and sobbing loudly: "Ming Yan! Ming Yan! Don’t! What would mom do with you like this!"

Qiu Mingjun was also dumbfounded, yelling furiously: "Brother! Don’t! You’ve suffered for so many years in the big city, put in so much effort for school, you can’t just leave! Can you truly walk away from such a hard life? And what about Miss Feng, who you like? She might still be waiting for you!"

But it was of no use.

The Chen Family Village is unescapable, the debts of gratitude unpayable.

The Mai Family would never let anyone leave, Village Chief Mai has only this one daughter, and she stubbornly loves Qiu Mingyan, everyone in the village knows this.

So, even if everyone feels somewhat guilty towards Qiu Mingyan, nobody would dare to utter the words to let him go.

Did they all collectively drive Qiu Mingyan to death?

At this moment, staring at Qiu Mingyan’s tightly shut eyes...

With sobs in the air, they hazily recalled many times...

During school, even though they collectively supported him with food and tuition, when occasionally running into Qiu Mingyan in the county town, they would see him wearing the worst and thinnest winter clothes, while others played on the playground, he stayed in the classroom despite his frostbitten hands, frantically helping others write homework to earn school expenses.

In college, the high tuition was unheard of. Even with reductions, Beijing’s living expenses were astonishing. They came up with some solutions, but most of the help came from Mingxin, coupled with Qiu Mingyan’s relentless part-time work during his free time.

And then with work, someone went to Rong City to find Qiu Mingyan for a job once, a private acceptance of bribes led to Qiu Mingyan being scolded ruthlessly by the hospital leader in an empty corridor, unable to bear the dignity-crushing remarks—"Are you so poor that you don’t care about face anymore, can you accept this kind of money?" "Where is your medical ethics? Are you using your integrity for this?" "Do you know how hospital colleagues secretly refer to you? Someone who never gives any benefits!"

He was so furious that he wanted to curse.

Unexpectedly, when Qiu Mingyan returned and saw him, he casually smoked a cigarette and smiled unconcernedly, saying: "Why did you think of coming to Rong City for work? The climate is too humid here, and we don’t eat much spicy food, our people suffer here, come on, let me treat you to a meal." Then he took him away, completely ignoring the hospital leader’s rage.

At this moment... looking back, maybe Qiu Mingyan studied hard to escape this mountain, but worked desperately, and even avoided city girls, felt so inferior with Yu Yu that he didn’t dare approach, it was all for them perhaps...

Sobbing grew louder, starting with one, then two, three... a group...

Until even the most uninvolved, toothless Old Chen was touching the corner of his eye with his dry hands, wiping away redness, while anxiously leaning on his cane, saying: "Oh, Ming Yan is such a good child, why... why couldn’t he think it through, and what should we do now..."

Nobody knew...

Only knowing they hurt Qiu Mingyan.

Causing him to want to say "We owe each other nothing" before he left, fearing the debt of gratitude so much that he prepared his coffin by himself, terrified of any more demands. So afraid he invited Sister-in-law Qiao, asking an outsider to lead away the Qiu Family members after his death, no longer trusting anyone from the Chen Family Village, hoping to sever ties with death, protecting the rest of the Qiu Family from further burden...

Tears flowed relentlessly.

Faced with this method of suicide by drinking pesticide, there was not a trace of a chance to rescue, desperate and helpless.

Until suddenly, Qiu Mingxin rushed in carrying a large basin of water—