The next day.
"Knock, knock, knock!" The sound of knocking echoed.
"Co in." Li ngxue lazily lied on the bed, covering her body with a blanket, her voice indistinct.
"Miss, the master is looking for you," the servant stood by the bed with utmost respect, answering reverently.
"Oh," Li ngxue replied languidly.
"Miss, you should get up now, or the master will get impatient."
"I know, I know," Li ngxue waved her hand irritably.
...
Half an hour later.
Li ngxue was dressed properly, looking like a beautiful princess.
"The master is waiting for you downstairs, please go down," the servant reminded again.
"Mmm, I know."
"I’m leaving now!"
Li ngxue waved her hand and turned around, walking downstairs in her high heels.
"Dad."
"Dad..."
Li ngxue approached her father, calling out cheerfully.
"Mhm."
Li Zhenglong sat on the sofa, his face expressionless.
"Dad, why did you suddenly want to see this early in the morning?" Li ngxue asked.
"I missed you," Li Zhenglong said flatly.
"Really?"
"Of course it’s true."
"I knew it, you love the most."
"We’re a family, always the closest, aren’t we?" Li ngxue cooed.
"Alright, I need to leave now. If there’s anything, we’ll talk when I return."
Li Zhenglong stood up and walked out.
Li ngxue asked with a puzzled face, "Dad, why are you rushing out like this?"
"Just going to see an old friend!" Li Zhenglong said and left straight away.
"Old friend? Who?" Li ngxue tilted her head and thought, but couldn’t rember, "Never mind, who cares."
Li Zhenglong arrived at a bamboo grove.
At this mont, a light rain was sprinkling from the sky, a cool breeze blew, swaying the bamboo leaves, creating beautiful curves.
Beneath such a scene, Li Zhenglong suddenly stopped, looked up, closed his eyes, and took a deep breath, "This is so comfortable!"
"I’ve never enjoyed such a refreshing sensation before," Li Zhenglong murmured to himself.
"Old Li." An aged voice reached his ears.
Li Zhenglong opened his eyes and saw an old man with white hair approaching from not far away.
The elder wore a black Tang suit, his hair neatly bundled behind his head, a kind smile on his face, looking very friendly.
"You ca," Li Zhenglong hastened to greet him.
"Mhm." The elder smiled and said, "I haven’t seen you in a long ti."
" neither."
...
The two elders, one was the old master’s father, and the other was Li Zhenglong’s father.
"Did you co to find for sothing?" Li Zhenglong asked.
"You’re here, naturally it’s about sothing important," the elder said with a smile.
"What important thing?"
"Just co with ."
"Mhm."
...
In the bamboo grove, the elder took out a piece of yellow paper and began drawing sothing on it.
After finishing, he took out a candle from his pocket, placed it inside the yellow paper, and lit it.
"Snap!" A sound was heard.
The yellow paper instantly caught fire, emitting puffs of blue smoke.
Soon, the elder’s drawing was devoured by the flas and turned to ash.
Li Zhenglong gazed at the scene in astonishnt and said, "Dad, what... what is this?"
"This is a relic left by our ancestors, also our most precious treasure. Once lit, it will burn everything to ashes."
"Originally it was only three feet long. I rely kept it on my bookshelf, too reluctant to use it. Today you’ve co, so I’ll hand it over to you."
"What?"
"No, no, it’s an unparalleled token of the Li Family, how can it be given to soone else?"
"Don’t refuse it just yet, I’ve already decided on this."
"Haven’t you always wanted to know the truth about that year? This is the answer!"
...
Li Zhenglong hesitated, unsure what to do.
"What’s wrong? Are you afraid?"
"Of course not."
"Then I’ll give it to you."
"But you must promise not to tell anyone, including your mother," Li Zhenglong warned sternly.
"Mhm, I won’t."
"That’s good."
"Now, can you give it to ?" Li Zhenglong asked.
"Yes, now you can have it."
Li Zhenglong took out a key from his chest pocket, placed it on the table, opened the safe, and retrieved an ancient-looking parchnt scroll. After opening it, a piece of yellow cloth with dense text written all over it was revealed inside.
"This is?" Li Zhenglong looked at the writing on the yellow cloth, completely baffled.
"These are the truths about that year," the elder said.
"This... all these years have passed, and I don’t rember any of it."
"This matter involves an extrely mysterious secret, so it must be you to unveil the truth."
"Dad, please spare ."
"I don’t have the heart to do this either!"
"But this is an order, not up for discussion."
"Don’t refuse anymore."
"Alright then."
...
Li Zhenglong looked over the characters on the yellow cloth, his brows hinting at gravity.
"I’ll put it in the safe for now; when there’s a suitable opportunity, I’ll tell you about this."
Li Zhenglong nodded.
Li Zhenglong took the sheepskin scroll and put it away.
"By the way, how co you have ti to visit today?"
"I ca to see you."
"Heh, that’s hardly believable. I know you’ve co because you’ve heard about my recent issues and want to persuade to return ho, take over the family business properly, right?" said Li Zhenglong with a sly smile.
"Alas, in all my life I have only one son, such a pity!" the old man sighed.
"Don’t worry, I have my own plan for this."
"Oh? Do you?"
"Don’t you know how smart your son is?"
"Haha, I’ll wait and see then."
"You should co inside first."
"Alright then."
Li Zhenglong nodded and followed the elder back ho.
...
At night, Li ngyao and Su Chen lay on the bed, chatting.
"ngyao, what do you think of Li Zhenglong?" Su Chen asked.
"Him? He’s just a playboy."
"Does he like you?"
"No, he doesn’t," Li ngyao hastily explained.
"Then why did you agree to marry him?" Su Chen continued asking.
"Because... because he’s powerful, I feel secure with him," whispered Li ngyao.
"Oh? Is that so?"
"Mhm."
Li ngyao lightly nodded.
"I see."
"So, what are you planning to do?" Li ngyao asked again.
"What do you hope I’d do?" Su Chen replied.
"I... I hope you’ll marry her."
Su Chen laughed, shaking his head, "You know, I’m already married."
"This..."
"I won’t let her misunderstand our relationship."
"Alright then."
...
"Mr. Li, is that girl your newly recognized sister?"
"Yes."
"She’s really cute."
"Mhm."
"Mr. Li, why don’t you stay at my place tonight?" the girl said. "You don’t need to bother with that other woman."
"I should still go ho," Li Zhenglong replied.
"But she was obviously doing that on purpose just now," the girl persisted.
Li Zhenglong smiled and said, "Don’t I know you? You’re just worried I’ll abandon her."
"Mr. Li... I really like you," the girl confessed, her cheeks reddening.
Li Zhenglong waved his hand and said, "I already have a girlfriend."
"But I really like you, don’t you care about my feelings at all?" the girl said in tears.
"I don’t want to know about your feelings; there’s no possibility for us."
"Why?" the girl asked, crying. "What’s wrong with ?"
"You’re not right for ."
"But you like her, and I like you."
Li Zhenglong shook his head and walked away, unwilling to get further entangled with the girl.
"Mr. Li!" the girl called out.
Li Zhenglong stopped in his tracks but didn’t turn back.
"Don’t you realize you’re breaking my heart?"
"The only thing I can tell you is, I won’t accept you," Li Zhenglong stated firmly.
"Mr. Li! You’re being a hoodlum."
"I’m simply stating the facts."
"You’re really a bastard, a scumbag!" The girl cursed before running out the door.
Li Zhenglong stood outside, giving a bitter smile.
He didn’t know what he’d done wrong to make the girl hate him so.
Li Zhenglong returned ho and saw Lin Xuewei sitting in the living room watching TV. He went over and asked, "Sis, what brings you here?"
"I missed you, that’s all!" Lin Xuewei said. "Why, am I not welco?"
"Of course not," Li Zhenglong replied sheepishly.
"Hmph."
"But... shouldn’t you be with your boyfriend? How co you have ti to co over here?"
"You still have the nerve to ntion that little slut? I’ve already made it clear to her not to cling to you. Who would have thought she’d be so oblivious and even co knocking? She’s shaless."
"How can you talk about her like that?" Li Zhenglong disagreed.
"Am I wrong? She’s married and still flirts with you all day long. That kind of woman is just shaless."
"We’ve already ended things, I don’t want anything more to do with her," Li Zhenglong said.
"What?" Lin Xuewei’s eyes widened.
Li Zhenglong ignored her and went back to his room to rest.
"Hey, you little brat, what’s the matter with you?" Lin Xuewei followed, huffing and puffing, and grabbed Li Zhenglong by the collar.
"You’re hurting ."
"Let go!"
"I won’t!"
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