Ke Han had imagined meeting a crude, uncouth country man, and even conjured up a mental image of him.
He was dark-skinned, with sunspots all over his face, and his clothes were old and dirty. You could smell a foul odor as soon as you entered the room. He spoke to her in a thick, rustic country accent.
Thinking of this, Ke Han chuckled, attracting Ke Chongshan's attention.
Ke Chongshan had a headache. His eldest daughter was always the one he doted on the most, and even though she was in her forties or fifties now, she still showed her joy on her face. His third daughter's husband was still alive, and he didn't want outsiders to laugh at him.
He glanced at Ke Han and said, "Alright, act like this. He's your sister's son."
Ke Han didn't say anything; she didn't have such a spineless relative.
Half an hour later, the sound of car exhaust could be heard outside the door.
They've arrived.
The first to appear was Old Hei, carrying a tattered, large black cloth bag.
Disgust flashed in Ke Chongshan's eyes.
That's really shabby.
Everyone was stunned when they saw the young man emerge from behind the door.
Ke Mei's lover, Chen Jinfu, asked in surprise, "Are you Li Xian?"
Li Xian's vision was already a little blurry, but he suppressed his discomfort and nodded to everyone.
Old Hei, with an air of "I knew it," answered for Li Xian: "Yes, this is the Second Miss's child."
He was good-looking and had a great presence, but he was a bit strange; he didn't say a word the whole way.
Ke Mei was the first to stand up and couldn't help but walk up to Li Xian. She looked at the familiar look in his eyes and saw that his face was pale, as if he had been ill for a long time.
A pang of sadness welled up in her heart, and she reached out to pull him, her voice trembling with emotion, "Xiao Xian, it really is Xiao Xian, I'm your aunt, Xiao Xian."
Li Xian was not used to others getting close, so he reflexively put his hands behind his back. But when he saw Ke Mei's injured expression, he awkwardly took his hands out.
Ke Mei knew he was shy and didn't mind at all. She grabbed his hand and led him to Ke Chongshan.
"Xiao Xian, this is your maternal grandfather, and this is your aunt."
Ke Chongshan stood up, his face full of affection: "Li Xian, I am your maternal grandfather."
Komei reminded him, "Xiao Xian, quickly call for help."
Li Xian's gaze was somewhat dazed, his voice cold and deep: "...Grandpa...Grandpa."
"Hey." Ke Chongshan smiled, unable to contain his desire to ask about the Liu family, but fearing he was being too hasty, he changed the subject and said, "Grandpa didn't expect you to come to Shanghai so soon. I thought we would have to wait a while longer."
Li Xian raised his eyes and looked directly at Ke Chongshan. Even though he was just looking at him with simple respect, his unfathomable eyes still made Ke Chongshan's heart tremble slightly.
This child... his demeanor is no less impressive than his father's.
Upon closer inspection, he had already lowered his eyes again.
His voice was hoarse: "I'm here to find someone."
Ke Chongshan was secretly delighted. Could it be that they came to see the man surnamed Liu?
Li Xian lowered his head and said to Ke Chongshan in a pleading manner, "Please help me find someone."
Xu Nuo did not tell Xue Ping and Xu Jin'an her address, so Li Xian naturally did not know where she was.
Ke Chongshan frowned. This didn't seem like someone looking for Liu Zhao.
Who are you looking for?
Li Xian suppressed his anxiety: "Yan Wuxu, Mi Xu Nuo, is named Xu Nuo and is a freshman at Shanghai University."
Students from Shanghai University?
Komei couldn't help but ask, "Who is she to you?"
Li Xian closed his eyes, let out a sigh of relief, and before he could utter the word "partner," he had already fallen straight down.
Komei turned pale with fright: "Xiao Xian, Xiao Xian."
Ke Chongshan was also startled and said to Lao Hei, "Quickly take him to the hospital."
Old Hei quickly picked the person up.
Ke Mei and her husband Chen Jinfu also went along, while Ke Chongshan and Ke Han sat on the sofa, showing no sign of wanting to come along.
After everyone left, Ke Han said, "So he's a sickly person. It looks like he won't live for many more days."
Ke Chongshan scoffed, "Nonsense! The Liu family has completely ignored us all these years. We finally have Li Xian, and Liu Zhao personally sent him a letter. If he dies, what reason do we have to approach the Liu family again?"
Ke Han understood this principle. Back then, the Liu and Ke families were on equal footing, with the Ke family even being more prominent. So when the two families became estranged, Ke Chongshan ignored it. Who knew that Liu Zhao would become more and more powerful and has now been transferred to the Central Military Commission.
Ke Chongshan dreamed of getting back on the Liu family's side.
But Ke Han was thinking about the houses; the two best houses she owned both belonged to Li Chengyan.
She was especially reluctant to return the large villa they were currently living in at Cloud Peak Manor.
"Dad, do you think my second sister didn't leave any property deeds or land certificates back then?"
Ke Chongshan was extremely annoyed; he and his daughter had discussed this topic at least ten times. "Have I told you yet?"
Ke Han was still worried: "What if they took it back to Luxian Village? What if it was given to that kid Li Xian..."
Ke Chongshan interrupted her, "No, if it were them, it would have been confiscated long ago."
Back then, Ke Wei and Li Chengyan were sent to the countryside in such a tragic way that they couldn't hide anything on their bodies. If the property deed had been found, the house would have been confiscated and owned by them long ago.
How could Ke Han's family have lived peacefully together for so many years?
Ke Chongshan frowned, regretting that he hadn't asked more questions back then.
Back then, Ke Wei knew things were going badly, so before she was convicted, she went home and secretly slipped the key to Ke Chongshan.
Fearing being implicated, Ke Chongshan didn't ask any questions and only told Ke Wei to leave quickly.
Li Chengyan's grandfather was a large landowner with countless riches. Li Chengyan was also intelligent and earned a lot of money while studying abroad. However, after the right-wing movement was launched, all the property under his and Ke Wei's names was confiscated by the organization.
Several properties have been privatized, but these two have remained untouched for over a decade, as if they had been forgotten.
"Just stay here and relax. He can't possibly know about the house anyway." Ke Chongshan's eyes relaxed into a smile. "The misclassification issue is causing quite a stir right now, so the organization is providing compensation and resettlement."
Ke Han knew that Li Chengyan owned many properties, at least three of which had been confiscated.
"Li Xian was born after my second sister and Li Chengyan were deported. Now that they're all gone, will they never be returned?"
Ke Chongshan shook his head: "What's there to be afraid of? There's a record of the confiscation back then. Even if Xiaowei is gone, aren't we still here?"
Overjoyed to receive several houses for free, along with subsidies from the organization, Ke Han asked, "Should we let Li Xian know about this?"
Ke Chongshan took a sip of tea and said calmly, "Let's not talk about it for now."
"Dad, that's right. You should also tell Third Sister to keep her mouth shut and not tell Li Xian about the house. Anyway, that kid has no money or power. If he really wants to compete with me, he'll be the one who suffers."
Having received Ke Chongshan's promise, she was in a great mood and picked up the coffee on the table and took a sip: "If he knows what's good for him, I might take pity on him for my second sister's sake."
Ke Chongshan frowned: "You're a mother now. I've told you so many times, it doesn't matter what you think, just don't say it out loud."
Ke Han was in a good mood and didn't take it to heart.
...
Hospital.
The man was still unconscious, his cold, handsome features shrouded in a sickly aura.
The doctor's tone was unpleasant: "This comrade is so badly injured, he's barely hanging on, he needs to rest."
Komei's gaze, filled with pity, fell on his profile.
Only when you get close can you see clearly that there is a large patch of light-colored skin on his face, which is new flesh growing over the scab that has fallen off.
In just a few days, the wounds on his face wouldn't have healed so quickly, but Li Xian used every available herbal water on his face.
He doesn't care whether his face is beautiful or ugly.
He just couldn't go to see her with a bloodied and mangled face.
His brow furrowed slightly, and he murmured in his unconscious state, "Nuonuo."
Komei didn't hear her clearly and leaned closer: "Xiao Xian, what did you say?"
There was no sound as expected. The unconscious person was no longer speaking, his eyes and brows were closed, like a sleeping statue.
Komei didn't know what the child had been through, but the right hand that was always hidden under the sleeve was enough to bring tears to her eyes.
She wiped her eyes and whispered, "Jinfu, have someone investigate Xiaoxian's affairs in Luxian County."
Chen Jinfu nodded: "Okay, why don't you go back first and make some soup for Xiao Xian?"
Komei slapped her thigh and quickly stood up: "Yes, yes, I'll go back and get some food."
...
Xu Nuo originally disagreed with coming to the Liu family's house for dinner. Although she planned to make money from the herbal water, she only wanted to be an unknown supplier.
But Liu Meixiang wouldn't have given up, saying, "My grandpa never asked me to bring any friends back. He said that anyone who can make something like this must be an extraordinary person, and he just wants to meet you."
Xu Nuo then agreed.
The Liu family is large, and the children live their own lives after starting their own families, so Grandpa Liu and his wife live in Yunding Mountain Villa.
In Shanghai, where land is incredibly valuable, this place is full of detached villas, with the houses retaining the architectural style of the last century, and each house has a small garden in front of it.
Xu Nuo did not recall Yunding Mountain Villa, but there was a Yunhe Mountain Villa, which later became the most expensive area in Shanghai in terms of housing prices.
Xu Nuo, who originally just came to freeload a meal, has a new goal.
I want to buy a house in Yunding Mountain Villa.
Hmm... Keep trying.
This wasn't the first time Liu Meixiang had brought friends home for dinner, but it was the first time she had brought friends to her grandfather's house for dinner.
As soon as she entered the house, Liu Meixiang shouted, "Grandpa, I brought Nuonuo back!"
Grandma Liu is a typical Shanghai lady.
She wore a well-fitting cheongsam dress, and her half-white hair was neatly combed and pinned up at the back of her head.
Although youth has faded, the years have left their mark on her face and brows, and her smile makes her feel incredibly warm and approachable.
"Isn't it Xiao Nuo? What a beautiful child."
A beautiful woman has both bone structure and skin appearance; this child has both.
It exudes a captivating aura.
Xu Nu smiled sweetly: "Hello, Grandma Liu, hello, Grandpa Liu."
…
The hospital corridors were noisy and chaotic.
A patient with acute gastritis vomited all over the floor, blocking the way. Two students who looked like students came to get fever-reducing injections, and not wanting to get their shoes dirty, they stood there waiting for the cleaning staff to come and clean up.
One of them said, "Shanghai University is holding such a big anniversary celebration this year, our choir might actually get a subsidy."
"We're rehearsing ahead of schedule this time, so we've missed our holidays. We should get some compensation, right?"
"Who knows? After the IV drip, I still have to go to school for rehearsals. I don't know how late it will be."
The two of them were standing right at the entrance of ward 302.
The man opened his eyes, his brow twitching slightly.
Why did Nuonuo arrive in Shanghai early for some event? Could it be the event they were talking about?
At 5:10, the female doctor on rounds walked to the door of room 302, straightened her slightly wrinkled collar, and went inside.
Upon seeing the scene inside the room, she frowned.
The hospital bed was empty.
"This person... was so badly injured, yet he still managed to run away."
…
Today's choir rehearsal went awry, and Xu Meiyang looked displeased: "Zhou Yan, can't you pay a little more attention? You're the conductor; if you make a mistake, everyone will be in chaos."
Zhou Yan has been unusually sensitive these past few days, feeling that everyone has been targeting her since Xu Nuo arrived. She said aggrievedly, "Xu Meiyang, are you targeting me?"
Xu Meiyang was furious: "I'm not targeting you. You're the one who keeps making mistakes. When Xu Nuo came before, everyone cooperated very well, but when you gave the orders, everyone was in chaos."
Zhou Yan broke down: "You're targeting me! Do you want Xu Nuo to replace me? To replace me?"
A passerby stopped and pricked up his ears in confusion as he walked past the rehearsal room.
Liu Meixiang asked her, "What's wrong?"
"I think I heard someone calling me."
Xu Meiyang said loudly, "Yes, I want Xu Nuo to be our commander. At least her abilities are obvious to all."
Xu Nuo, who was innocently shot, was stunned. She pulled Liu Meixiang and was about to leave this hellish scene when a melodious voice called out to her.
"Comrade Xu Nuo!"
Lu Minghui stood up from the piano bench and said to the door, "Stop arguing, Comrade Xu Nuo is at the door. This will put her in a difficult position."
Xu Nuo, standing outside the door: "..."
She was forced to join the choir's mediation session, which lasted until sunset.
Liu Meixiang had English drama rehearsals, so Su Zhao accompanied Xu Nuo out of the school gate.
Su Zhao looked at her: "What did you think about what Xiao Lan said?"
Xu Nuo shrugged, her cute face showing a hint of helplessness: "I think I'd better not get involved in this mess."
A gust of wind ruffled her hair, obscuring her right eyebrow. Xu Nuo reached out to lift it, but a few pages of the paper she was holding slipped away, so she quickly tightened her arms to hold them back.
Su Zhao reached out and took it, his smile gentle: "Zhou Yan lost her composure today, perhaps because the rehearsals haven't gone smoothly these past few days, and the choir members have also had some complaints. If you don't think it's too much trouble, you can give it a try."
Xu Nuo puffed out her cheeks and said softly, "Zhou Yan was crying so hard just now, with snot running down her face. I don't want to have anything to do with her."
Su Zhao couldn't help but chuckle: "She did cry quite a lot."
Not far away, a tall man stood on the street, his gaze fixed on the pretty figure across the street.
Because of the excessive force used, a patch of blood oozed from the back of my hand after the needle was removed.
Someone accidentally bumped into it and said apologetically, "Sorry, I..."
Looking up and seeing the face clearly, the other person froze.
He only bumped into him lightly, so why did this man's eyes turn red?
Seeing his pale face, the other person asked, "Comrade, are you alright? Are you...?"
Li Xian seemed not to hear and walked away.
Xu Nuo and Su Zhao ate at the People's Canteen. When they got home, it was already past seven o'clock. She read a book for a while, then got up to tidy up the house and put the trash bags at the door.
Out of the corner of my eye, I caught a glimpse of a figure hidden in the shadows.
She looked over in confusion, and when she saw the person clearly, her expression froze.
He turned to go inside.
The man quickly caught up and pressed his fingertips against the crack in the door.
His gaze lingered greedily on her face, his voice trembling as he said, "Nuonuo."
Xu Nuo was surprised to see Li Xian here and frowned, "What are you doing here?"
The distant and impatient tone made Li Xian feel a pang in his heart.
The blood in my body felt like tearing hooks, pulling and ripping, tearing my skin and flesh.
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