Upon hearing Liu Hai’s emotional confession, the elderly woman who had just moments ago seemed so righteous and firm was suddenly uncertain. Her earlier confidence in accusing Liu Hai stemmed from his refusal to admit he was an outsider. But now, with Liu Hai openly confessing and showing vulnerability, she began to question whether she was being too harsh.
“You... You were denying everything before. Why admit it all now? Did the man next to you put you up to this?” she asked, recalling how Zhang Nu had whispered something to him before Liu Hai’s sudden change in tone.
Liu Hai knew it was time to fully commit to his act. His face took on a look of sorrow, as if the old woman owed him a fortune.
“Granny, this has nothing to do with the man next to me,” he said, his voice filled with remorse. “I’ve realized my mistake. I never should have deceived you all. You’ve treated me like family all this time, but I repaid you by lying. I’m truly not worthy of your kindness, and I’m so sorry for what I’ve done.”
“I only hid the truth because I wanted a place to belong. I didn’t want to live a life of loneliness, without a home. You’re probably wondering why I have the clothing of a villager. That’s because, though I wasn’t originally from this village, someone from here saved me.”
“From that moment on, I admired this village deeply. I wore these clothes as a way of pretending to be one of you, hoping I could serve in place of the one who saved me. I’ve come to see this village as my home, and I beg you, Granny, please give me one more chance to prove myself.”
At this moment, Liu Hai had seamlessly woven all the facts and fabrications together. While he truly wasn’t originally from the village, the body he inhabited had belonged to a villager. He couldn’t afford for them to discover the full truth—that he had taken over this body. If they found out, the villagers would likely never forgive him.
The elderly woman, after hearing Liu Hai’s heartfelt words, couldn’t help but feel pity for him. He was, after all, an orphan saved by one of their own villagers. It made sense that he would develop a deep attachment to this village. Plus, he had already lived here for several years, and in her eyes, he couldn’t be the one the village elder had warned about—the one destined to bring ruin to the village.
"Why didn’t you tell us the truth sooner, child?" she asked, her tone much gentler now. "If you’d just been honest, none of this would have happened. I misunderstood you, and that’s my fault. I owe you an apology."
The elderly woman had decided to believe Liu Hai. In her heart, she knew that he wasn't a bad person—he had lived in the village for years and had always treated everyone with kindness and respect. He didn’t seem like the person the village chief had warned them about—the one destined to bring ruin to the village.
“You’ve had it tough all these years, haven’t you? No wonder you’ve always been so respectful and helpful to everyone. We were wrong to doubt you. I promise you, from now on, I’ll make sure you’re treated well, like the good child you’ve always been.”
At that moment, it was as if the elderly woman had accepted Liu Hai as her own grandson. Her words were sincere and filled with warmth, fully embracing him once again into the village fold.
Meanwhile, the elderly woman, now seemingly convinced of Liu Hai’s explanation, turned her suspicious gaze towards Zhang Nu. Although Liu Hai’s story had been accepted, she still had questions about Zhang Nu’s presence.
"And what about the person standing next to you?" she asked, her tone still carrying a trace of suspicion. "You grew up here, but who is he?"
Zhang Nu understood that the old woman was right to be wary. After all, he had only recently arrived in the village, making him an obvious source of suspicion. He knew he needed to shift her focus quickly.
“Granny, to tell you the truth, my situation is quite similar to Liu Hai’s,” Zhang Nu said smoothly. “That’s the only reason he took me in.”
The village elder, after hearing Zhang Nu’s explanation, surprisingly didn’t press further. Instead, she seemed to soften, her expression turning sorrowful as she regarded Zhang Nu. It appeared the harsh reality of both his and Liu Hai’s tragic circumstances had touched her deeply.