The He family's old house is in Nanshi, and very few people know about it.

In the 1960s and 70s, the domestic environment was complex, so the He family moved abroad to develop their careers. It wasn't until the 1990s that the older generation, believing in returning to their roots, returned to China. Given the circumstances at the time, He Liyu's parents stayed in Taipei to do investment business.

He Liyu stayed in Nanshi to be cared for by his two elderly parents while he studied. Unfortunately, this happy time did not last long, as He Liyu's parents died in a car accident.

The two elderly people were devastated and almost lost their lives. It was only when their aunt, who was abroad managing the He family business, returned to China that the situation was stabilized. He Liyu continued his studies, and although his parents passed away, they left him a considerable inheritance.

His family situation was simple, and there weren't many strange relatives trying to divide his inheritance. After university, he continued his parents' investment business in Taipei and saved up a considerable amount of money. However, after graduating from university, his aunt wanted him to return abroad to inherit his parents' business, which he refused.

After that, everything went smoothly: he got married and had children. His grandparents passed away two years after his marriage. From the time of his grandparents' funeral until now, his aunt has not returned to China for more than ten years.

He Liyu's emergency business trip was because his aunt returned to China without giving him any notice. She didn't even go to Beishi to look for him, but went straight back to the old house in Nanshi.

He rested briefly at the hotel that night, and the next day he rushed to the He family's old residence.

The He family's old house is maintained at great expense every year and is cared for by dedicated personnel, so it doesn't look dilapidated at all.

You can check back anytime you want.

In the large courtyard, a rocking chair is placed under the grape trellis, and a stove emitting scalding heat is placed on a stone table next to it.

The 70-year-old lady happened to be lying in the rocking chair at that moment. Although her hair was completely white, she was in good spirits. Her simple Chinese-style brocade robe could not hide her elegant and noble demeanor.

After those cloudy eyes saw him clearly, they weren't surprised at all, and instead calmly started joking.

"Wow, you're quick on your feet! I've barely returned to the country and you've already got the news. Is your nose as sharp as a dog's?"

He Liyu arrived quickly, without a trace of travel fatigue. He even breathed a sigh of relief upon seeing the old lady, his once dark and deep eyes now filled with a helpless yet clear smile.

He didn't take her jokes to heart at all.

"Aunt, why didn't you tell me you were coming back to China? Were you afraid I'd make you stay in Taipei and not let you come back?" He Liyu stepped forward, his coat draped over his arm. He was tall and straight, with broad shoulders and a narrow waist, exuding maturity and composure.

The old lady looked him up and down, her eyes showing satisfaction. She responded to his words with a light snort.

"I just wanted some peace and quiet. I only rested for half a day, and you came. Did I need to tell you?"

He Liyu smiled helplessly. When the old lady was about to pour tea, he took the teapot and poured two cups. He handed one cup to the old lady and drank the other himself.

"The tea my aunt brought back still smells the best." He sat down on the stone bench at the other end and sighed.

The old lady rolled her eyes at his flattery.

"Oh, so the tea I send back every year is being fed to the dogs?"

He Liyu: "..." Although he knew his aunt was a free spirit and a feisty person, he realized that his aunt's return to China was not just a simple matter after being attacked by her in just a few minutes.

"Did Yu Zhi accompany you back this time?" He changed the subject and gently put down his teacup.

The old lady was about to roll her eyes when a clear, bright young voice suddenly came from the eaves.

"Uncle."

He Liyu looked up and saw a black-haired, blue-eyed boy in his eyes. Despite his young age, he had an extraordinary demeanor and was as gentle and refined as jade.

"Wen Qing has grown so tall." He Liyu's eyes revealed undisguised admiration.

Pei Wenqing smiled politely, glanced at the gate with some regret, and asked, "He Xiao didn't come this time?"

Pei Wenqing and He Xiao are two years apart; Pei Wenqing is 16 this year. In the past, He Liyu would occasionally take He Xiao to his aunt's house, and Pei Wenqing liked to follow behind He Xiao and play.

He Liyu shook his head: "He hasn't started his vacation yet."

He glanced at the time again, thought for a moment, and said, "They're coming to Nanshi today. I'll have someone take you to see them."

Upon hearing this, Pei Wenqing's green eyes lit up slightly, her joy even more evident than He Xiao's.

"Wenqing, go play somewhere else. Your uncle and I still have things to talk about," the old lady said lazily.

Pei Wenqing nodded slightly in the direction of He Liyu, then left the corridor and headed out the door.

Only the aunt and niece remained in the courtyard. He Liyu touched her nose and asked her aunt, "You only brought Wen Qing back this time? How long are you planning to stay? Do you want to go to Beishi? Don't you want to see A-Xiao?"

"You're asking so many questions, which one do you want me to answer?" the aunt asked.

He Liyu choked for a moment, then said helplessly, "Aunt, just ask me whatever you want to know, and I'll answer everything I know."

"Hmph!" The aunt snorted coldly, no longer speaking sarcastically, "What's wrong with your adopted daughter? I heard she looks a lot like your ex-wife?"

He Liyu: "..." As expected, this was the problem.

“A-Yue is my wife,” He Liyu said in a slightly hoarse voice, looking at the old lady, “Do you believe in the dead coming back to life?”

This time, it was the old lady's turn to fall silent. She looked at him with her cloudy eyes as if he were mentally challenged. She raised her withered hand and placed it on his forehead. "You don't even have a fever in broad daylight, and you're already dreaming."

“I know that A-Yue’s death has been a huge blow to you. But after all these years, you should try to move on. You still have A-Xiao to take care of.” The old lady sighed. She had said this countless times over the years, but the child just wouldn’t listen to her and was now talking nonsense.

She was very worried about his mental state.

It's not necessarily a good thing that the He family is full of romantics.

He Liyu smiled nonchalantly, "You'll know whether I'm talking nonsense or not when you see her."

The old lady took a sip of tea and asked, "Is that adopted daughter really not A-Yue's illegitimate daughter?"

"No." He Liyu replied calmly.

"Never mind, you're getting on in years. You can figure things out for yourself," the old lady sighed.

He Liyu: "..." There's no need to bring up age.

"There's another thing, I checked the family genealogy and asked a lot of relatives to confirm it." The old lady fell into recollection, "Our family has a long-standing feud, I don't know if you've heard your grandparents mention it?"

He Liyu paused, his hand holding the teacup still, a moment of confusion in his eyes: "Does our family have a blood feud?"

The old lady nodded: "Of course, which family doesn't have a few enemies when it prospers?"

He Liyu: "...Go ahead, I'm listening."

"I heard this a long time ago, when I was very young. The He family's rise to power wasn't exactly glorious. They swallowed up many smaller families. Your grandparents' generation went back a bit. There was a young master from a family who seduced your great-aunt in order to get revenge..."