Chapter 2 Father and Daughter Meet
The nightscape of this modern metropolis called "Shanghai" was framed by the floor-to-ceiling windows of Wang Yi's penthouse apartment, transforming it into a flowing scroll of light. Li Shimin stood by the window, now dressed in a well-tailored, high-quality dark suit. This was prepared by Wang Yi, the size perfect. The man in the mirror was tall and handsome, his physique at the peak of his twenty-seven years accentuated by the modern attire, creating a unique charm that blended classic and modern elements. Yet, deep within his eyes remained a profound and discerning gaze befitting an emperor, a gaze beyond his years, and a lingering tension stemming from the unfamiliarity of the rules he faced.
Wang Yi acted swiftly. Within days, her friend Zhou Wei—a woman with a sharp smile and shrewd eyes, rumored to be quite adept at law and certain "gray areas"—sent a near-perfect set of identity documents. Passport, ID card… everything was complete. The photo was of him, the name was still "Li Shimin," the nationality was from a small EU country, and the year of birth had been definitively pushed forward by ten years, making him thirty-seven. Thus, the nineteen-year age difference between him and his soon-to-be eighteen-year-old eldest daughter, Li Lizhi, while still young in this era, was at least no longer shocking.
“Remember, you’ve been running the family business overseas all these years, keeping a low profile and rarely seeing me and the children.” Wang Yi handed him the documents, her tone calm as if she were explaining a routine business plan. “Due to some special reasons, your existence needs to be kept secret, which is why you can only officially reunite with the children now. I will explain anything else if the children ask.”
Li Shimin accepted the stack of thin yet heavy plastic cards and booklets, his fingertips tracing their cold, smooth texture and the familiar name that belonged to another dimension of time. A sense of absurdity surged within him once more. He, the Emperor Zhenguan of the Tang Dynasty, needed a forged identity to "legally" exist in this world, to see his own daughters. Embers of anger occasionally flickered, but they were mostly replaced by a sense of urgency and… a strange curiosity. He was about to see them, the continuation of his bloodline, three distinct flowers blooming in this unfamiliar era.
The three children were urgently recalled by Wang Yi for different reasons. Li Lizhi flew directly back from the Philadelphia concert hall, travel-worn, still clutching her beloved violin case, her face showing impatience and confusion at having her important rehearsal interrupted. Li Shuyao returned from a tranquil lakeside camp in Switzerland, still carrying the scent of grass and sunshine, her eyes behind her glasses clear yet with a slightly academic inquiry. Li Qingyun came directly from the company conference room, still wearing her sharp charcoal gray suit, her brows and eyes carrying lingering fatigue and the calm sharpness of a manager; only when looking at her mother did she reveal a subtle hint of dependence and questioning.
Wang Yi arranged the meeting in his spacious living room. There were no servants, only soothing background music and carefully prepared snacks and tea. The three girls each occupied a corner of the sofa, their temperaments quite different, yet all possessing a composure beyond their years—perhaps an inevitable result of growing up in a family where the mother was a business tycoon and the father was long "absent."
When Wang Yi led Li Shimin into the living room, the air seemed to freeze instantly.
All three girls turned their gazes toward them.
Astonishment was the first emotion that flashed across their faces.
Li Shimin looked too young. Although Wang Yi had tried his best to dress him in a suit that made him appear more mature, his face and his upright posture didn't look like the father of three teenage daughters at all, especially not like the mysterious, long-absent, and possibly weathered father they had imagined.
However, the initial shock was quickly replaced by a stronger, more intuitive feeling.
picture.
They look so alike.
Li Lizhi's slightly upturned, bright, and stubborn eyes were almost identical to Li Shimin's in the mirror, especially when she slightly raised her chin, revealing a proud demeanor. Li Shuyao's facial contours, straight nose, and slightly pursed lips when calm all clearly reflected Li Shimin's features. Li Qingyun's temperament was the most complex, but the determination between her brows, the strength in her gaze, and even the unconsciously straightened back when standing, all subtly revealed qualities shared with Li Shimin.
The imprint of blood ties, silent yet powerful, transcends the barriers of time and space and meticulously woven lies, presenting itself directly to everyone.
Wang Yi took a deep breath, a gentle yet slightly apologetic smile appearing on her face, and began her prepared speech. Her tone was calm as she recounted the background story of her earlier "unification" with Li Shimin: overseas industries, the need for secrecy, years of separation and helplessness, and the relief of finally being reunited. She emphasized her father's longing for them (although this longing was newly formed), explained that his youthful appearance was due to "family genes" and long-term healthy lifestyle habits (this wasn't entirely a lie), and earnestly hoped that the children could understand their parents' past circumstances and give their father a chance to make amends.
As she spoke, she held Li Shimin's hand firmly, her gaze sweeping sincerely over her three daughters. She didn't speak ill of her father, never had. At this moment, she was simply presenting her children with a "white lie" and a "father who has finally returned home."
The living room was quiet, save for Wang Yi's voice and the soft melody of background music. The three girls listened, their expressions shifting from initial shock and doubt to a complex mix. Li Lizhi's fingers tightened around the violin case, her lips pressed together, her eyes filled with resentment and wavering—she had a burning passion for music and could better understand certain forms of "unavoidable" sacrifice. Li Shuyao adjusted her glasses, seemingly analyzing the logic of her mother's words, searching for loopholes, but her eyes, so similar to her father's, also revealed a hidden longing for a "complete family." Li Qingyun sat the straightest, looking at her mother, then at the strange yet familiar man. Her business negotiation skills instinctively told her things weren't so simple, but the rare, almost pleading look in her mother's eyes, and the strangely reassuring yet powerful aura emanating from the man, temporarily suppressed her doubts.
After Wang Yi finished speaking, he looked at Li Shimin and gently squeezed his hand.
Li Shimin felt the urging and expectation in that force. He stepped forward, his gaze slowly sweeping over the young faces of his three daughters. Emotions surged within him: a natural sense of responsibility towards his "subjects" (even though they were his daughters), discomfort with this awkward situation, an urge to make amends, and even more so… a strange, blood-related palpitation. This feeling was similar to, yet different from, his feelings when facing Chengqian, Qingque, and Zhinu. Perhaps it was because they were his daughters, or perhaps it was because the way they were reunited was so extraordinary.
He cleared his throat, his voice not loud, but carrying a natural clarity and strength befitting a superior, only deliberately softened: "Beautiful, graceful, and elegant."
He called out their names. In another time and space, he had named his two younger daughters and grieved deeply for his eldest daughter's miscarriage. Now, these three names, uttered from his lips, carried the weight of a thousand years and a barely perceptible tremor.
"For many years... I have not been able to be by your side, it is my fault." He chose a relatively neutral way of speaking that fit the "setting," without using "I" or an overly intimate or modern tone. "From now on..." He paused, as if considering his words. Finally, his gaze fell on Li Qingyun's slightly tired but strong face, then swept over the precious zither case in Li Lizhi's arms and Li Shuyao's scholarly figure, and slowly said, "All matters at home, your father is here."
The words were plain and unremarkable, even somewhat old-fashioned. But when he uttered them, coupled with his unwavering tone and steady demeanor, they inexplicably carried a weighty significance. This was not an empty promise, but rather a declaration, an acceptance of responsibility.
Li Lizhi blinked, her stubborn expression softening slightly. She muttered something under her breath and stopped looking directly at Li Shimin, but she loosened her grip on the zither case a little.
Li Shuyao gave a soft "hmm" in response, but her gaze was more focused on Li Shimin, with an air of academic curiosity.
Li Qingyun looked at Li Shimin quietly for a few seconds, then nodded very slightly. It wasn't a daughter's nod of coquetry or dependence on her father, but more like a collaborator's initial, cautious approval.
Wang Yi secretly breathed a sigh of relief. She knew that she had barely passed the most difficult hurdle. The resentment remained, and the estrangement hadn't disappeared, but at least, a superficial acceptance had been achieved. The bond of blood and that "white lie" had opened a crack in their future interactions.
“Alright,” Wang Yi’s tone brightened, trying to ease the tension. “Don’t stand up, everyone. Lizhi, you must be tired from the long flight. Shuyao, try this pastry, it’s one of your favorites. Qingyun, how did the meeting go? Tell your father about it?”
She naturally steered the conversation, leading Li Shimin into the mundane yet modern exchanges within the family. Li Shimin sat somewhat stiffly on the designated sofa, listening to his daughters discuss concerts, mathematical conjectures, and the challenging situations at the board meeting in fluent Chinese mixed with English words… He remained silent most of the time, simply listening, occasionally offering an affirming glance when their eyes met, or asking a simple question at Wang Yi's prompting.
His learning ability was exceptional, and his imperial insight allowed him to quickly grasp the fragments of rules in this new world, concerning family and these individuals who were both strange and familiar to him, connected by blood.
Outside the window, the city's neon lights still flickered. Inside, the lights were warm, and the aroma of tea wafted through the air. A new "family," based on lies yet firmly bound by blood ties, officially began its chapter filled with unknowns and challenges on this fantastical night. And for Li Shimin, the father who had traveled through time, his new journey had only just begun.
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