I spent the entire night sitting in the corner of the old house, pondering relentlessly. Finally, at dawn, I thought of the best way to find out the truth.
After making up my mind, I solemnly put the things into my pocket and then walked to the homes of several elders at the front of the village with firm steps.
In less than 15 minutes, word quickly spread throughout the entire village that I intended to offer one million dollars to each of my father and his siblings in exchange for the old house.
The villagers looked at my elders with envious expressions.
Amidst the praises and admiration from everyone, I subtly displayed a barely perceptible sly smile.
In the afternoon, I invited the two esteemed village leaders, Zach and Harry, to join me in the dilapidated old house's main hall as witnesses to the upcoming event.
After a while, my family sat joyfully and neatly around the dark square table in the main hall.
My grandfather had three sons and one daughter, with my father being the second eldest among them.
The eldest son, Ryan, became mute due to illness at a young age. While he retained his ability to hear, he was unable to speak. His reserved and dull character left him single throughout his years. Now, he was old, and when I visited his house to invite him, I found him chopping wood. However, his agility and skill were not as sharp as they once were.
Ryan was the first to arrive. With a shy smile in his modest demeanor, he quietly settled himself in the corner of the main room, smoking as he remained silent.
The youngest son, Jacob, entered alongside his wife, Debra. Despite the smiles on their faces, there was a hint of estrangement in their relationship.
In contrast, the daughter, Regina, and her husband, Donny, who came in last, seemed to get along well. Not only were they holding hands, but their faces also radiated with sheer joy and happiness.
The final person to enter was my alcoholic father. He was already drunk by the afternoon, and his expression carried a mixture of emotions. He seemed torn between protesting my indifference towards him for over a decade and desiring closeness with me, now that I had returned home with success. Fortunately, I didn't allow him much time to hesitate. Upon entering the room, I offered a brief nod, addressed him as "Dad" in a low voice, and then never looked at him again.