It's him... He's here?
Li Zheng stopped in his tracks, his hands clenching into fists. He stared blankly, his eyes filled with endless coldness and intense hatred.
He Lin's gaze carefully scrutinized the man in front of him.
He is now dressed in simple clothes, a typical farmer's attire.
He had lost his former imposing manner, but his charisma remained.
He became thinner, but remained robust.
He Lin felt guilty and forgot to react.
After overcoming numerous difficulties, he finally found Li Zheng's residence.
This is all thanks to Xuanming and Xuanying.
If he hadn't been wise enough to have Xuanming and Xuanying keep a close eye on things, he probably would never have been able to find Li Zheng in his lifetime.
Zhan Yue was also stunned for a moment. Although they hadn't seen each other for several years, he recognized the man in front of him at a single glance.
These relentless years, however, did not diminish General Li's appearance by much;
His back was still straight, and he was as dashing as ever.
Yes, his eyes changed.
He clasped his hands in a respectful gesture and said, "General Li!"
A flash of hatred crossed Li Zheng's eyes; the person before him brought back painful memories.
"This poor mountain village has no General Li."
Yes, but they are all rural men over forty years old.
"Father-in-law." He Lin finally regained his composure.
He bowed, clasped his hands in a fist salute, and spoke in a steady voice, tinged with the vicissitudes of life.
At this moment, he was not a king, but just an ordinary person.
"Think about it carefully, am I still your father-in-law?" Li Zheng said angrily, his mind filled with his daughter's stubborn profile and the tragic scene before her death.
Because of Li Zheng's indifferent attitude, He Lin's weathered face showed embarrassment.
He and Li Zheng locked eyes, a thousand words swirling in his heart, yet he didn't know how to express them. In the end, it all boiled down to one sentence:
"How have you been all these years?"
Li Zheng remained silent, turned around, and stood with his back to him.
He was afraid that he would lose control and hurt someone.
He Lin murmured, "I know you must be having a hard time. This village is poor, and you and your mother-in-law must have suffered a lot."
Li Zheng shook his head. "You're wrong. I've never felt so relaxed and at ease in all these years."
He had long since fallen deeply in love with rural life.
Most of the villagers are simple and honest, unlike the deceitful and treacherous officials in the imperial court.
Seeing Li Zheng's indifferent tone and lack of interest in inviting them into his home, Zhan Yue stepped forward to smooth things over.
"General Li, our young master has been searching for you for many years. Could you please invite him to have a meal?"
"General Li is not here!" Li Zheng corrected again.
Having said that, he strode away from his own courtyard.
He Lin's expression was deep and regretful.
He followed closely behind Li Zheng.
Near the mountain, Li Zheng stopped and then turned around:
"Where's my daughter? Why did you come alone?"
Li Zheng was afraid that Qiu Yun and Xiao Ran would be hurt because of this.
"I..." He Lin paused slightly.
Who told him that General Li had taken Shu'er away that day?
"I've come to check on the elders for Shu'er..."
"Ever since she went with you, my daughter and I have never been able to see each other again!"
Li Zheng spoke with a deep and sorrowful tone.
"It's my fault." He Lin felt flustered and stepped back.
"Of course it's your fault!" Li Zheng said, turning to leave, but He Lin blocked his way.
He exclaimed urgently, "Father-in-law!"
"Don't call me father-in-law!" Li Zheng's voice was icy, sending chills down He Lin's spine.
He paused for a moment, then continued:
“I can’t find Shu’er. She got angry because of my mistake and left. Father-in-law, do you know where she went?” he asked in a trembling voice.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
