"So, it turns out he really did et with an accident," Su Nuanyue murmured, her expression a fragile mix of tears and a bittersweet smile. "At least our forty years of waiting weren’t in vain."
Forty years?
Wang Yue wanted to tell her that his grandfather had only been missing for three years or so, but in the end, he kept his mouth shut. This was a beautiful misunderstanding. Even if he couldn’t keep it hidden forever, comforting her for now was better; it would at least make the truth easier to swallow later.
Then, without even being asked, Su Nuanyue began to tell the story of her past.
It wasn’t particularly legendary. About forty years ago, her mother and Su Yixuan t right here and beca a couple. Not long after, he told her he was going off with so martial arts friends to explore a ruin, and he never ca back.
He had no idea that Su Nuanyue’s mother had already conceived. She eventually gave birth to a daughter and nad her Su Nuanyue.
In Su Nuanyue’s mories, her mother was never truly happy. Being an unwed mother ant she was looked down upon by many, but she never once regretted her choices. Even on her deathbed, she was still waiting for that man to return.
A devoted woman and a heartless man, Wang Yue sighed inwardly.
He thought to himself that his grandfather was even worse than his uncle. At least his uncle looked after his won and children on the outside, giving them a ho, even if it wasn’t a complete one. But his grandfather? That was straight-up "hit it and quit it" heartlessness.
And looking at Su Nuanyue’s age, Su Yixuan already had a wife and family back in Jinling at the ti. This was a textbook extramarital affair; he’d done wrong by two won at once.
Wang Yue had plenty of won himself, but he was sincere with every single one of them and would never abandon them. Because of that, he felt he had every right to look down on such an irresponsible man.
"And who are you to him, exactly?" Su Nuanyue felt comforted knowing her mother hadn’t waited for nothing, but Yang Cancan wasn’t so easily convinced.
"The sa as you—I’m his grandchild," Wang Yue said with a smile. "That’s why I said your mom is my aunt."
"So, when that guy t my grandma, he already had a family, didn’t he?" Yang Cancan pressed.
"That... yeah, most likely," Wang Yue said, feeling a bit awkward.
"You don’t need to feel ashad. We’re in the sa boat; we’re both victims here," Yang Cancan said, waving him off. "If anyone should be ashad, it’s that man."
"Cancan, don’t talk about your grandfather like that," Su Nuanyue scolded gently. "He must have had his reasons. Besides, for a powerful martial artist, having multiple wives is common. I’m sure if he hadn’t t with that accident, he would have co back to take your grandmother ho."
"Fine, fine." Seeing her mother insisted on seeing the best in people, Yang Cancan didn’t have the heart to crush her illusions. She turned back to Wang Yue. "You say you’re my mom’s nephew, but how do you prove it?"
"That’s easy. We just do a DNA test," Wang Yue laughed.
These days, everyone’s DNA was registered in a database, and individuals could access their records anyti. Technology had advanced to the point where a quick comparison at a specialized agency wouldn’t just tell you if you were related, but exactly how you were related.
Wang Yue and Su Nuanyue imdiately pulled up their DNA data and sent it to the agency via their communicators. After paying a hefty testing fee, the results ca back almost instantly.
They were indeed aunt and nephew. Su Nuanyue’s father and Wang Yue’s grandfather were the sa person.
With the results in hand, the two won had no more doubts. Su Nuanyue, who had spent her life feeling like she and her mother were abandoned, was overjoyed to learn the truth and to finally have a relative like Wang Yue.
Yang Cancan, however, asked curiously, "It’s been so many years. Why did you suddenly decide to co looking for us?"
"Oh, it’s like this: recently, while going through my grandfather’s things, we found a diary he kept years ago. That’s how we found out we had relatives in Kaifeng." Since he’d already started the lie, Wang Yue had to keep it going. "I originally ca to find your grandmother, but I didn’t expect her to have passed away. I’m just glad I found Aunt Nuanyue and you, cousin."
"You’re calling ’Cousin’? How old are you?" Yang Cancan asked suspiciously. In his current disguise, Wang Yue looked to be in his early twenties, while she was only twenty.
"Just a figure of speech. Maybe I’m the older one, maybe you are," Wang Yue chuckled, quickly changing the subject. "By the way, Aunt Nuanyue, you look a bit frail. Are you feeling unwell?"
"It’s nothing, just an old ailnt," Su Nuanyue said with a smile. Hearing that her father had specifically written about her mother in a diary made her feel even better.
Yang Cancan spoke up. "My mom had a cultivation failure. She tried to force a breakthrough into the Martial Artist Realm and damaged her foundation. That’s why she’s always been weak."
Wang Yue’s brow furrowed. Ordinary illnesses were easy to fix with modern dicine, but a damaged martial foundation was sothing even a divine doctor like Miao Qingluan struggled with.
If Su Nuanyue had a high level of cultivation, a damaged foundation would just an her progress stopped. But she failed at the very start. This ant she was essentially a regular human, but with a physical constitution far weaker than a normal person’s.
He had just found his aunt; he didn’t want to lose her so soon. Unless...
Su Nuanyue herself was quite at peace with it. She smiled and said, "Don’t worry, I’ve gotten used to it over the years. Cancan, go to the market and get so groceries. Your cousin is here; we’re going to have a nice al tonight."
Now that his identity was confird, Yang Cancan had zero hostility toward him. Having lived as just a duo for so long, she was actually quite happy to have a cousin. She headed out imdiately.
Wang Yue didn’t refuse their hospitality. He stayed behind to chat with Su Nuanyue, mostly asking about her life.
Su Nuanyue didn’t have a shred of Yang Cancan’s toughness. Her personality was just like her body: incredibly gentle. She took an instant liking to her newfound nephew. Without Wang Yue even having to pry, she poured out the story of her and her daughter’s lives.
Her life had been incredibly hard. Born without a father, she grew up being whispered about. Her mother had to move constantly to escape the gossip and the harassnt of local creeps.
When she reached her teens, she started practicing a manual her father had left behind, only to fail her breakthrough and destroy her foundation. Not long after, her mother passed away from a broken heart and constant worry. It was truly a case of "when it rains, it pours."
Luckily, she eventually t Yang Cancan’s father.
He was a hardworking, kind man who treated her wonderfully. They weren’t rich, but he was steady and opened a hardware store that provided a decent life. However, five years ago, he died in an accident, leaving the mother and daughter to fend for themselves.
Su Nuanyue’s health ant she couldn’t do heavy labor, so fifteen-year-old Yang Cancan had to drop out of school to take over her father’s shop. As she grew up and beca more beautiful, she attracted too much unwanted attention.
In desperation, they moved here—where no one knew them—and opened a new shop. Cancan had been intentionally dressing down and hiding her looks ever since.
After hearing the story, Wang Yue couldn’t help but feel a deep sense of pity, both for his aunt and his cousin.
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