Chapter 90

Chu Jiujiu had thought of ways to deal with a lot of problems, but she didn't think of the question Chu Liqiang mentioned.

There were no large animals in the capital's urban area, not even a dog walker to be seen. And since it was winter, all the bugs lay quietly on the ground. Chu Jiujiu took out her necklace and never took it off again. Everyone knew that Chu Jiujiu had a necklace that wasn't particularly attractive, but she particularly liked it. So, after a quick glance, they looked away. Chu Shao did take a few more glances, but then realized that Chu Jiujiu rarely went out anymore, and the overall environment wasn't as strict as it had been four or five years ago. Nowadays, girls even wore makeup, and as long as it wasn't too exaggerated, no one cared.

No one stopped her, but she wanted to wear it anyway, and she has been wearing it until today.

Chu Jiujiu was stunned for a moment. She lowered her head and looked at her chest. After a while, she raised her head and looked at Chu Shao behind her.

After a second of silence, Chu Jiujiu turned around and whispered to Chu Liqiang, "This is the necklace my father gave me."

Chu Liqiang didn't react to this answer. He reached out and picked up the wooden pendant on the front of the necklace, holding it in his hand. He examined it carefully for a moment, and when he saw the broken gap on the top, Chu Liqiang's expression changed slightly.

His eyes still fixed on the pendant, Chu Liqiang said without raising his head, "Chu Shao, go boil two pots of water for me. I need to take a bath before going to bed."

Knowing that Chu Liqiang was looking for an excuse to kick him out, Chu Shao was silent for a while and turned around obediently. But before leaving, he looked at Chu Jiujiu silently, trying to convey a message to her with his eyes.

——You can do it.

Chu Jiujiu: “…”

Get out of here now.

The sound of a door closing was heard, and Chu Shao went out, as if taking away all the sounds in the house, even the sound of firecrackers outside stopped. Chu Jiujiu swallowed nervously, her ears filled with the sound of her own heartbeat.

Boom, boom, boom, it’s so big and scary.

Chu Liqiang had been looking at her necklace. Even someone with an IQ as smart as Da Huang should have realized by now that something was wrong with the necklace. Chu Liqiang must have recognized this necklace, otherwise he wouldn't have reacted so strongly.

Finally, he loosened his grip, and the necklace, under the influence of gravity, clung to her body again, hitting her collarbone with a dull sound. Chu Liqiang raised his eyes and looked at Chu Jiujiu with a smile on his lips: "When did your father give you this necklace?"

He was obviously smiling, but Chu Jiujiu instinctively shrank back, as if Chu Liqiang was holding a knife behind her. She was already nervous, and now she was even more scared. Chu Shao was not around, and there was no one to give her courage. She did not dare to hesitate and told the truth directly.

"Four, four years, four months, and twenty-one days ago."

Chu Liqiang: "..."

So precise.

He then asked, "Where did your father get this necklace?"

Chu Jiujiu was stunned for a moment, "I don't know... maybe, maybe he bought it?"

Chu Liqiang twisted his fingertips. It was a special necklace, a special pendant. He could tell by touching it that it was not ordinary wood or plant. When he first saw it, he was not sure. But when he touched it, he realized that it was indeed a relic left to him by his mother.

This thing is definitely not available for purchase, but he still asked with a smile, "Where did you buy it from?"

Chu Jiujiu was almost frightened by his laughter. She had already said she didn't know, and this time she didn't dare to say these three words again. After racking her brains for a long time, she could only give a guess: "I haven't seen the receipt. Maybe... maybe it's the latest model from Tiffany."

…

Chu Liqiang had never heard of Tiffany. Just looking at Chu Jiujiu's expression, she really seemed to have no idea where the necklace came from. But when she heard him asking about the necklace, her expression began to become guilty. There must be something wrong with this necklace.

Chu Liqiang was certain that the necklace was stolen by someone, perhaps when he was in the capital, or perhaps on the way to the northwest. In short, someone took the things in the cloth bag while his father was not paying attention.

But if that were true, how could his father not notice that the cloth bag had become lighter and go to such great lengths to hide it under the bed?

Could it be that it was stolen by someone when we were in the northwest?

It's just a necklace. Although it is a family heirloom of the Meng family, outsiders basically don't know its value. Who would go to the trouble of running to a garment factory in the northwest to steal such a thing, and finally, it would end up in the hands of a little girl like this.

It's so weird.

Chu Liqiang couldn't figure it out. At the beginning, countless dark thoughts flashed through his mind. He even thought that Chu Jiujiu was a scheming little agent who had been lurking for many years. But now, he began to doubt his own thoughts.

Lifting his eyes slightly, Chu Liqiang asked again: "What's your father's name?"

Chu Jiujiu pursed her lips: "Chu Kenian."

Hearing this name, Chu Liqiang didn't think of anything. He nodded and continued to ask: "Where is he now?"

Chu Jiujiu moved her arms and grabbed the edge of her shirt. She whispered, "In heaven, with my mother."

Chu Liqiang paused for a second, but did not interrupt the question, "Then why did he give you this necklace?"

This time, Chu Jiujiu was silent for a long time. After a long while, she secretly raised her head and looked into Chu Liqiang's eyes. She slowly said, "Dad gave me this necklace and asked me to wear it when I come to find grandpa."

Naturally, Chu Liqiang asked the next question, "Who is your grandfather?"

Chu Jiujiu didn't answer, but she turned around and looked at the closed door.

…

Chu Shao stood by the kitchen stove, the flames on the gas stove were burning fiercely. Chu Shao put the aluminum kettle on it. He stood silently by, watching the flames licking the edge of the kettle. He looked calm, but in fact, his heart was bubbling like the water in the kettle.

Every minute, he would look up and glance towards the bedroom.

What were you talking about? How did the conversation go?

…

Ke recorded the virtues of the world and established the Qiyuan era.

This is the order of generation in the Chu family genealogy. After eight characters are cycled once, there is a pause. Therefore, every time the ninth generation comes, the name of the newborn is two characters.

Chu Shao left home early, but he still remembered the incense he would burn for his ancestors as a child, and the densely packed family tree. So, when he named his son, he still followed the family tree. But when Chu Kenian grew up, he didn't know what his family tree looked like, and he didn't care about these things that had been passed down for hundreds or even thousands of years. So he gave Chu Jiujiu a name he thought was both pleasant and meaningful.

Chu Jiujiu naturally didn't know about these things. No matter how smart she was or how good her memory was, she couldn't figure out such details. She glanced at the door and found that Chu Shao still hadn't returned, and it was very likely that he wouldn't come back before she left. She had no choice but to turn her head back and tell Chu Liqiang Chu Shao's name.

There are countless people in the world, and Chu Jiujiu can lie to everyone except Chu Liqiang. Her lies were originally based on Chu Liqiang. If she fabricated another story about Chu Liqiang, she would have to live with two sets of stories in the future, and she would have to be careful at all times to prevent people who heard these two stories from running into each other.

That would be so tiring. It would be better to tell the truth. The worst result would be that Chu Liqiang would think she was crazy.

After Chu Jiujiu said Chu Shao's name, she lowered her head and remained motionless. She knew that she had to give Chu Liqiang time to react. Three minutes should be enough.

Three minutes passed and Chu Liqiang didn't move. Five minutes passed and Chu Liqiang still didn't move. Chu Jiujiu was originally quite calm, but as the silence got longer and longer, Chu Jiujiu returned to her previous extremely nervous state.

Waiting to kill.

Chu Jiujiu couldn't wait any longer, so she raised her head and was about to open her mouth, but then she found that Chu Liqiang had been looking at her.

All of a sudden, their eyes met.

It is difficult to describe Chu Liqiang’s expression right now. It is a mixture of shock, confusion, bewilderment, and observation.

Yes, observe.

He looked at Chu Jiujiu as if he had just met her a second ago, his eyes carefully depicting her facial features, not only her face, but even her hair, he wanted to take a good look. If someone else looked at her like this, Chu Jiujiu would have run away in fear, but when she met Chu Liqiang's gaze, she moved her lips, but remained where she was.

This feeling was familiar. Many years ago, when her mother brought her back to her hometown, her bedridden grandmother looked at her just like that, wishing she could hold the tiny girl in her eyes. From head to toe, she wasn't just looked at by her grandmother, but also touched by her. Her hands, covered in age spots, felt warm and firm. When she was held in her grandmother's arms, Chu Jiujiu felt happy, a kind of happiness that was indescribable.

She didn't understand it then, but now she understands. That happiness comes from being cherished by her elders. She is a treasure in her grandmother's eyes, a priceless treasure that no amount of money can replace. She always thought that in her life, only her grandmother would look at her this way, but she didn't expect to experience it again.

Unlike his grandmother, Chu Liqiang didn't look at her for too long. Perhaps because Chu Jiujiu raised her head, he realized his loss of composure. He quickly retracted his gaze and asked Chu Jiujiu again, "What did you say your father's name was?"

…

This time, Chu Liqiang's questions weren't as pointed. He asked slowly, and Chu Jiujiu answered slowly. Unlike Chu Shao, Chu Liqiang never asked her sensitive questions, like when she was born or what the future held. He only asked for details, like what kind of person her father was, how her mother met him, what he liked to eat, and so on.

His last question was when Chu Jiujiu's parents died. After being asked so many questions by him, Chu Jiujiu's vigilance had long been swept away. She stood on the ground and answered obediently, "It was six years ago."

Her parents died six years ago, and her father gave her this necklace four years ago. Such sensational words, when spoken by Chu Jiujiu, did not sound scary at all. Instead, it made people feel a little melancholy.

Chu Liqiang felt that tonight was the most fantastic night he had ever experienced in his life. From an outsider's perspective, he thought what Chu Jiujiu said was unbelievable and that this girl might have mental problems. But if he looked at it from his own perspective, he couldn't control his heart beating wildly and always felt that what she said was true.

Otherwise, how to explain her strange origin, and how to explain that this necklace that has been in their family for decades is now hanging around her neck.

Chu Shao's pot of boiling water was almost boiled dry, but there was still no movement in the room upstairs. Han Shengyi came out to use the bathroom and saw Chu Shao, who had been standing in the kitchen half an hour ago, still standing there stupidly. He couldn't help but frown, "Your water hasn't finished boiling yet?"

Chu Shao heard this, paused, raised his head, and said to Han Shengyi: "What do you know? When boiling water on New Year's Eve, you have to boil it for a longer time, so that there will be fewer impurities in the water."

Han Shengyi walked in, lifted the lid of the pot and took a look. "Well, the impurities are indeed less. There is only the bottom of the pot left with the water."

Chu Shao: "...Go to your toilet, why are you minding your own business?"

Han Shengyi looked at his expression and felt that he was a little absent-minded. After a moment of silence, he walked out of the kitchen. When he passed the stairs, he looked up. After two seconds, he retracted his gaze and continued walking forward.

Han Shengyi left. Chu Shao looked at the kettle that was about to evaporate and clenched his fists. He turned off the gas valve, picked up the handle of the kettle, turned on the faucet, and poured a lot of cold water into it. Then, he walked out of the kitchen quickly and went upstairs carrying the kettle.

After knocking twice, Chu Shao didn't wait for the person inside to speak. He pushed the door open directly. After entering, he found that the two people were in the same posture as half an hour ago. Because of his sudden intrusion, they turned around at the same time and looked at him quietly.

Chu Shao breathed a sigh of relief when he realized the atmosphere hadn't changed much. He pursed his lips and picked up the kettle, trying to hide his mistake. "I'm done, you guys continue."

After saying that, he put down the kettle, stood aside, lowered his head and said nothing.

Chu Liqiang was interrupted. He paused for a few seconds, then looked at Chu Jiujiu again, "From today on, you are my daughter."

Chu Jiujiu was stunned for a moment, and Chu Shao next to her also looked surprised.

He didn't know what they were talking about and why they suddenly jumped to this topic.

Chu Liqiang stood up. When they were sitting, he and Chu Jiujiu were eye-level. When he stood up, he was looking down at Chu Jiujiu. He reached out his hand and gently touched Chu Jiujiu's head. He whispered, "Your name is Chu Jiujiu. You are the daughter of Chu Liqiang and Zhang Fengjuan. You were born in 1960. In the years before you returned to the capital, you always depended on your biological brother, Chu Shao."

At this point, Chu Liqiang raised his head and looked at Chu Shao who was standing by the wall. "After Chu Jiujiu was born, due to poor health and the lack of financial resources at home, the army couldn't properly support her. So, I sent her to the countryside, to your mother's family. Later, Feng Juan brought you back to Qingzhu Village, not only for refuge, but also to go back and take care of her daughter."

He looked at Chu Shao steadily, as if telling him with his eyes to remember these words deeply. "These are the past experiences of our entire family. When there are people around, you should say this, and when there is no one around, you should also think this way."

Chu Shao's eyes moved, he wanted to say something, but seeing Chu Liqiang's extremely persistent expression, in the end, he still didn't open his mouth.

Knowing that Chu Shao agreed, Chu Liqiang looked at Chu Jiujiu again.

Chu Jiujiu looked up at him, her eyes were clear and her look was so innocent. She understood why Chu Liqiang did this and she also realized what the consequences would be. She was a little scared and reluctant, but she did not refuse because she knew it was the right thing to do.

The tall man in sight suddenly squatted down, lowering himself to a lower position. Chu Liqiang spoke to Chu Jiujiu in the gentlest voice he had ever spoken, "I know this is unfair to you, and you'll feel sad and wronged. The first nine years of your life are very important to you. However, the next nine years are just as important to you. I don't ask my children to be rich and powerful, I just ask that they live in peace and safety."

Looking at Chu Jiujiu, his eyes were even filled with a bit of pleading, "Jiujiu, please be an ordinary person here, okay?"

Be an ordinary person, with ordinary experiences and background.

Throw away all those things that are mysterious, inexplicable, and that make it hard to tell whether they are real or fake. Don't give them the chance to influence you, let alone the chance to hurt you.

For some reason, Chu Jiujiu suddenly felt her nose a little sour and her eyes gradually turned red. She didn't understand why she wanted to cry. Was it because she wanted to break away from her past self, or because of Chu Liqiang's current humility and earnestness? She slowly lowered her head, blinked a few times quickly, and blinked back the tears that were coming up. Chu Jiujiu nodded gently.

"good."

Hearing her agreement, Chu Liqiang felt a sense of guilt, but also a sense of relief as if a heavy stone in his heart had finally been lifted. Reaching out, he lifted the necklace from Chu Jiujiu's neck and took it off her.

Holding the necklace, he took another look at the gap on it, then handed it to Chu Jiujiu and said, "Keep it, hide it, and don't wear it again."

Chu Jiujiu asked: "Why?"

Chu Liqiang frowned, unable to explain. "This necklace is worthless in the eyes of some, but in the eyes of others, it's priceless. My mother brought it from her parents' home and never showed it to anyone. She has her reasons for doing so. Don't ask so many questions, just keep it well. If you like the necklace, I'll buy you a more beautiful one later."

Unexpectedly, this thing could be related to Chu Liqiang's mother. Chu Jiujiu was stunned for a moment, and finally understood why Chu Liqiang's expression changed when he saw her necklace. She asked Chu Liqiang if he knew more about the necklace's function, but unfortunately, Chu Liqiang knew nothing.

She held the necklace in her hand thoughtfully, and was silent for a moment. Finally, she decided not to wear it anymore. Well, this necklace was not the kind that could be worn outside. If she really wore it every day, it would be quite eye-catching.

After saying everything she wanted to say, Chu Jiujiu looked absent-minded. It was obvious that she needed to go back and think for a long time before she could digest everything that happened tonight. She was about to go out with the necklace. Chu Liqiang watched her leave. When she reached the door and was about to open it the next second, Chu Liqiang suddenly called her and said something to her.

"Jiujiu, good night."

Chu Jiujiu turned around and saw Chu Shao standing next to her. She looked at Chu Shao, who was looking at her quietly, with encouragement and expectation in his eyes.

Chu Jiujiu blinked lightly and curved her eyebrows, "Good night, Dad."

…

Chu Jiujiu left, but Chu Shao stayed. He looked at Chu Liqiang and said, "Dad, do you want her to call you that in private too? There's no need to be so strict."

Chu Liqiang unbuttoned his coat, walked over, and picked up the kettle beside Chu Shao. "If you don't change your words in private, then it's the same as not changing them at all. She won't always be this age. When she grows up, has a husband, and has children, will you still let her call you one name to her face and another behind her back? For you, it won't be a problem. But for her, it will be very troublesome. It will confuse her mind, and in the long run, she may not be so close to you anymore."

Chu Liqiang poured the water into the basin he brought with him and said slowly, "If you want to hide a secret, you must first forget it yourself. You are still young. When you grow up, you will understand what I mean."

After saying that, Chu Liqiang smiled at Chu Shao, then he reached out to test the temperature in the basin.

The water in the basin was very cold, probably only about three or four degrees Celsius above zero. It was obvious that it came directly from the water pipe. Chu Liqiang was stunned for a moment. With a splash, he raised his hand and was about to ask what was going on. Chu Shao, who was at the door, saw this scene and quickly opened the door. Holding the door handle, he turned around and laughed at Chu Liqiang. After laughing, he imitated Chu Jiujiu's words and said, "Dad, good night."

Before he finished speaking, he flashed out, so fast that he even left an afterimage.

Chu Liqiang faced a basin of cold water: "..."

Brat.