Ai Sihai looked at Emily as she walked in, and for a moment he didn't know how to explain. "Mili'er, he... Dad just wants to figure out what kind of person he really is. Don't be sad. I've decided that I'll go find him tomorrow and apologize to him in person. Don't cry, baby!"

Emily's eyes were red, and when Ai Sihai said those words, Emily could no longer hold back her tears and let them flow. "Dad, he said he's my older brother, is that true?"

Emily also saw the jade gourd pendant on the table, and once again she remembered what Li Jia had said to her: "I am your older brother who was separated from you when you were young!" At that time, Li Jia's tone and eyes were full of sincerity, and there was absolutely no pretense. It was a completely heartfelt statement.

"This... Dad doesn't know either, but if you want to know some things, Dad can tell you." Ai Sihai reached out and hugged Emily, gently patting her head as he spoke slowly.

"Am I really adopted by you?" Emily took a moment to calm herself down, then looked at the man in front of her who had been calling her "Dad" for over a decade. She couldn't help but ask the question she wanted to know in a low voice.

“Yes… you were adopted by your father when he was in China, but I’ve always treated you like my own daughter. You were only one year old then, just born, and you hadn’t even opened your eyes yet.” Ai Sihai pondered for a moment and decided to tell Emily the truth that he had kept hidden for more than ten years. After all, Emily was about to turn sixteen and was already an adult.

"Daddy! No wonder I've never seen Mommy before, so that's why. But it's okay. Daddy, I'm so happy you told Milier all this, Milier is so happy, so happy! I love you, Daddy!" Emily didn't react hysterically to Ai Sihai's words, nor did she leave him in anguish as Ai Sihai had imagined. Instead, a beautiful smile bloomed on her tear-streaked face. When Emily said, "I love you, Daddy!" Ai Sihai's mind was instantly filled with joy and happiness. He hugged Emily's shoulders, tears streaming down his face.

"Child, don't you blame your father?" Ai Sihai finally calmed down after a long while, then carefully asked, holding Emily's arm.

Emily shook her head. "No, without a father, I might really become an orphan, or even die young. So, no matter what, my father is still my father. That will never change, never will." With that, Emily smiled and left, leaving Ai Sihai and the four elders sitting silently in the room, lost in thought.

“I’m going to see Li Jia tomorrow. Perhaps having a good talk with him would be a good option. Alright, my four uncles, you don’t need to go tomorrow. I’ll go and talk to him myself.” Ai Sihai finished speaking, got up, and went into the study. He picked up a thread-bound book of the Thirty-Six Stratagems from the table and began to read. The four elders exchanged glances. Then they got up and left the room.

"Big brother, who exactly is this Li Jia? He's managed to rescue the young lady from that fat old pig Kaman time and time again. He must have some real skills!" The Third Elder, Ma Bin, who was in a circle, asked loudly as soon as he stepped out.

"I don't know. This young man has an aura that's hard to fathom. In any case, he's no ordinary person!" Elder Yu Xianming answered decisively. The Fourth Elder, Long Chuanjiang, gave the Third Elder a strange smile before gracefully walking downstairs.

Yang Qinghai, on the other hand, remained silent, his cloudy eyes occasionally flashing with a glint of light as he stared at the backs of the group.

Li Jia was strolling leisurely through the streets of the city, looking around at Florence, a city nestled among green hills and trees. She crossed the Arno River across a bridge and wandered aimlessly, taking various modes of transportation. Li Jia was confident that no matter where she went, she would be found by Ai Sihai's people, because this was Florence, the territory of the Dragon Dance Party.

After wandering around, they arrived at Piazza della Signoria, Florence's most famous square. This square, surrounded by statues, was filled with tourists who came to visit. Li Jia also decided to be a tourist and looked around the square with great interest.

On one side of the square, there was a medieval-style carriage for tourists to take photos. Watching the tourists taking pictures there with great enthusiasm, Li Jia couldn't help but smile faintly. This was a city with a strong artistic atmosphere. Everywhere you could see all kinds of art displays, such as a woman singing opera under the bridge in the distance, or painting stalls lined up one after another on both sides of the narrow road by the river.

After leaving the square, Li Jia found a hotel nearby and stayed there. That very evening, someone came to visit her!

Ai Sihai and Emily, father and daughter, arrived at the hotel by car. In Li Jia's room, Ai Sihai returned the jade gourd pendant that Li Jia had left behind to Li Jia, saying, "Here, take this back. I think we can have a good talk."

"Hehe, okay, but I have something to do before that." Li Jia took the jade gourd pendant and walked up to Emily. "Xiaoyue, take out your pendant and let me use it."

“Okay.” Emily smiled and nodded, then reached around her neck and took off the pendant she had worn for over ten years, handing it to Li Jia. She then watched intently as Li Jia prepared to do something.

Li Jia took Emily's pendant, removed the string from it, and also removed the string from his pendant. He then placed one pendant in his palm, gently pinched the other pendant, and placed it on top of the first one. He put his hands together, pressed it down lightly, and twisted it a few times. When Li Jia opened his hands, a round jade gourd appeared in his palm!

My dear reader, there's more to this chapter! Please click the next page to continue reading—even more exciting content awaits!