Ningzhou suburban cemetery…
The whole room suddenly fell silent, and in everyone’s mind echoed only those few words Wen Li had spoken.
What does “suburban cemetery” mean?
"Grandma?" Li Li tugged at Li Langhua beside her. "What does Wen Li mean?"
Grandma said that Dad and Mom were still alive, so why has the suburban cemetery come up?
Li Ruobing could only speak with a gentle smile, her expression soft. "Wen Li, don’t make such a joke."
According to Ruiqiu, Wen Xuqian and his wife had only moved away from the Imperial capital, and besides, she was a pharmacist.
Wen Xuqian was also a pharmacist of some renown, and within the entire industry the rumors about him were only that he had gone into seclusion—there had never been any news of his passing.
"Would I joke with you about something like this?" Wen Li looked at them and asked in return.
Li Langhua braced herself with all her strength to keep from collapsing; in her heart, her son was still alive and well.
It was only that he didn’t want to return to the Imperial capital, and only that he didn’t want to see her.
"This is…" Ruiqiu steadied her emotions and spoke. "When did this happen?"
Why do they know nothing at all?
"Fifteen years ago, before my grandfather…"
As soon as Wen Li finished speaking, the faint color still lingering in Li Langhua’s face drained away in an instant.
"Fifteen years ago." Li Langhua murmured those words.
"How could this be? Gone?" Ruiqiu stood up to support the old lady. "Miss Wen Li, you can’t say such things carelessly—how could a perfectly fine person just be gone?"
"Killed by someone."
Wen Li’s final words completely shattered the last shred of hope in Li Langhua’s heart.
Dead…
All dead…
"Grandma!!"
Li Langhua fainted, and as she was carried away, Ruiqiu still turned back to look a few times. For the old lady, this news was the most cruel of all.
Li Li lingered at the end, asking again as if to confirm: “Them? They really passed away?”
The parents she had never met had truly passed away.
Seeing Wen Li’s nod, Li Li turned away, and tears fell as she did.
Since childhood, Li Langhua had told her that her parents were already dead. For all these years, in her world, the role of “parents” simply did not exist.
But in this world, nothing is more heartbreaking than gaining something only to lose it again.
When Li Langhua said her parents were still alive, Li Li truly felt happy. On the way here, she even imagined what her father and mother might be like.
Does she look more like her father or her mother?
If they were to see her, what kind of expression would they have? Would they be joyful?
Would they like her?
But now, all hope has fallen to nothing.
The parents she had never met were truly dead—gone in a time she knew nothing about.
The room fell into silence. Wen Li sat on the sofa, raised her hand, and took the poured warm water, sipping it lightly.
Seeing Li Langhua like this, it was clear she had no idea that Wen Xuqian and his wife had already passed away.
Even though this matter was never made public, many within the industry believed that Wen Xuqian and his wife had gone into seclusion.
It was merely that they hadn’t been active in public circles for many years; but if one truly wished to investigate, it wasn’t entirely impossible to find out.
Li Langhua’s reaction was far too extreme.
The man’s fair hand reached out and took the cup from Wen Li’s hand.
Bringing up her parents again, this little one was surely feeling a sense of loss in her heart.
Fu Yuxiu sat down beside her and gently raised his hand to tap Wen Li’s head.
“Not sad.”
Those words were just like coaxing a child.
But after so many years, Wen Li had long since come to terms with it; the reason her expression was off…
It was merely a reaction to Li Langhua’s attitude.
“We’re going back to the Imperial Capital tomorrow.” Fu Yuxiu hooked her finger lightly as he spoke.
Wen Li nodded. Everything in Beicheng was finished, and all that needed to be obtained had been secured.
There’s no need to stay here any longer.
“I heard Beicheng is holding an ice sculpture festival these days. I’ll take you to see it tonight,” Fu Yuxiu coaxed her.
“Ice sculptures?”
Wen Li was indeed intrigued, and seeing her like that, the man smiled and pulled her onto his lap.
“Mm, I’ll take you out to have some fun. It’s best for little ones to be carefree.”
As Fu Yuxiu spoke, he leaned closer, his high nose bridge pressing against Wen Li’s, and his nose tip affectionately brushed her cheek.
.........
They had only gone out once, yet was carried back in, startling Li Yuanzhi and Yun Xiao as they entered.
All these years, Li Langhua had paid attention to her own upkeep, but more importantly, her health had always been tended by Li Ruobing. She remained in good condition and rarely caught a cold.
It’s just that with age, her chest aches from time to time.
Yet after so many years of storms and turmoil, Li Langhua—who had witnessed blood and strife—how could she suddenly faint?
“What’s going on, what happened?” Li Yuanzhi hurried forward.
Panting heavily, Ruiqiu hurried in with the servants, anxiously laying the old lady down on the bed.
Just a couple of days ago, the one lying in this bed was Li Li; today it has become Li Langhua, brought back from the northern trip.
It was hard to say whether she had come to ease her mind or to seek suffering.
“Grandmother.” On Li Ruobing’s side, she hurriedly pulled out a needle.
Li Langhua was overwhelmed by a sudden surge of anger and anxiety, which caused her to faint so quickly.
“The old lady has learned of Mr. Xu Qian’s passing,” Ruiqiu explained to Li Yuanzhi.
Standing by the bedside, Li Yuanzhi felt as if thunder had struck—she had found out so soon.
Back then, after Li Langhua and Wen Yanxing divorced, Wen Yanxing took their eldest son, Wen Xuqian, and moved out of the Li family home.
Li Langhua also issued an order to the Li family: from then on, any news concerning Wen Yanxing and Wen Xuqian was never to be discussed in the household.
That marriage was a lifelong wound for Li Langhua, and to help her heal, the Li family upheld the rule faithfully.
Two years after the divorce, Li Langhua had managed to move past the pain. She became an independent, strong woman, and with her son, she ran the Li household very well.
But ever since that incident, Li Langhua seemed to have been struck back to her original state.
At that time, Wen Xuqian was only ten years old, yet he often came to the Li household to visit his mother. But Wen Xuqian resembled Wen Yanxing far too much.
Devoted entirely to scholarship, with no interest in business whatsoever, Li Langhua could only respect her son’s wishes.
Later, Wen Xuqian married the woman Li Langhua disliked, and gradually Li Langhua no longer wished to see her son.
The final turning point was the birth of Li Li; it was this granddaughter’s arrival that rekindled hope in Li Langhua.
After Li Langhua brought Li Li back to the Li household, Li Li became the hope in her life. Wen Jiaye kept his promise, never disturbing the child or Li Langhua’s way of living.
All these years, Li Langhua never heard any news about the Wen family. Even Wen Yanxing’s death was something she only learned of because it was overwhelming news at the time—impossible to conceal.
“Did you go to find Wen Li?” Li Yuanzhi asked, looking at the group.
If they hadn’t gone to find Wen Li, the news of Wen Xuqian and his wife’s death would never have been told to Li Langhua.
“Yes, Miss Wen Li said that Mr. Xuqian passed away fifteen years ago. The old lady couldn’t bear it for a moment and collapsed.”
The turn of events happened so quickly that it caught them completely off guard.
Li Yuanzhi gazed at the old lady lying on the bed, thoughtful, his expression calm.
So many years have passed; her silence and lack of inquiry did not mean she had completely given up on her son.
Blood ties are something that can never be severed in this world.
“Second Master, when the old lady first asked you to investigate Wen Li some time ago, did you uncover anything else?” Ruiqiu suddenly turned her gaze to Li Yuanzhi.
This matter, Li Yuanzhi surely already knew.
He nodded, with no intention of hiding anything. “Fifteen years ago, the Wen family was wiped out. Wen Li’s parents both died—murdered. And less than a month later, Dr. Wen also passed away.”
Standing to the side, Li Li listened to these words, her eyes brimming with tears.
“So, does that mean Wen Li is an orphan?”
This was also their doubt back then—why Wen Li had become a child of the Mu family, carrying the Mu surname.
Soon after, news broke claiming that Mu Kun was the one who killed Wen Yanxing.
“Back then, the Mu family took Wen Li into their home, publicly claiming she was their youngest daughter. Yet less than a month after arriving, Wen Li went missing—and that disappearance lasted fifteen years.”
This is all the information that can be found publicly.
Ruiqiu lowered her head. So it turned out Wen Li had not, as they had believed, been raised all these years by Mr. Xuqian.
She wandered for fifteen years.
“This child… why didn’t she say anything?” Ruiqiu's eyes reddened with tears.
Back then, she had also seen Wen Li—a four‑year‑old child, delicate as if carved from jade, with a look that was utterly endearing.
During those years in the Imperial Capital, whenever festivals or holidays came, Mr. Xuqian would always bring little Wen Li to the Li family.
Although he could not enter through the main gate, Wen Xuqian still placed the gifts he brought at the door each time.
At that time, the little girl, just learning to speak, would solemnly bow to the iron gate and bid farewell.
In a crisp, tender voice, she said, “Goodbye, Grandma.”
Yet each time, Li Langhua steeled her heart—through all those years, she never once saw them.
The last meeting was two days before the Wen family planned to leave the Imperial Capital. Wen Xuqian and his wife brought five‑year‑old Wen Li, and in front of the iron gate, they solemnly bowed three times to the ground.
That was the farewell.
But even at that final farewell, Li Langhua never saw them.
After Li Ruobing inserted those few needles, Li Langhua slowly regained consciousness.
“I think you should step outside first. I’ll stay here with the old lady,” Ruiqiu said.
At present, Li Langhua does not want anyone to see her vulnerability.
Li Yuanzhi cast a deep look, then led the reluctant Li Li out the door, while Li Ruobing handed the potent heart‑saving pill to Ruiqiu.
As they were about to leave, the few of them cast worried glances at the person lying on the bed.
This incident has dealt an overwhelming blow to Li Langhua.
“Are you feeling any better?” Ruiqiu leaned closer and helped the old lady sit up.
As her consciousness slowly returned, Li Langhua recalled what she had heard before fainting; her pale face remained utterly bloodless.
“Ruiqiu, Wen Li said Xuqian is dead—did you hear it too?”
Ruiqiu nodded. “Please accept this loss with peace—he has already passed. You should try to let go.”
“I thought he was living well, somewhere unknown to me, living well for fifteen years—fifteen whole years! My child died, and as his mother, I didn’t know a single thing…”
Li Langhua lowered her head, tears falling in heavy drops onto the quilt.
“Please don’t be like this. Disasters and misfortunes happen—it’s not as you imagine.”
Suddenly struck by a thought, Li Langhua hurriedly got out of bed, but the quilt tangled her feet and sent her tumbling to the floor.
“Madam, what are you trying to do?” Ruiqiu hurried over to support her.
Lying on the floor, Li Langhua pulled open the bedside drawer and took out a black lacquered wooden box.
Ruiqiu recognized the box; the old lady had kept it by her side for many years, carrying it wherever she went.
“Open it, Ruiqiu.” Li Langhua’s fingers clutched urgently at the lock. “Open it… hurry, open it…”
The key to the lock on this box had been lost many years ago.
Ruiqiu hurried downstairs to fetch the toolbox, while Li Langhua’s fingernails had already been scraped until they bled. The woman, once always so refined, now knelt on the floor in utter disarray.
The expensive manicure was ruined by this frantic attempt.
“Get up, I’ll open it for you.”
Unable to wait for Ruiqiu to act, Li Langhua seized the hammer from the toolbox and brought it down.
As the wood splinters flew, the contents inside were revealed.
They were letters, each neatly cut open, stacked thick in a pile.
All the letters beneath had already been torn open; only the very top one remained unopened.
On the neat, pristine envelope lay the signatures of Wen Xuqian and Hua Yan.
Rachel suddenly remembered—before leaving, Wen Xuqian had come to the Li household to bid farewell to Li Langhua.
Apart from the three of them bowing their heads before the iron gate, they also wrote a letter to the old lady.
That letter was locked inside the box and never opened again.
Li Langhua never opened that letter, and fifteen years have already passed.
In her haste, Li Langhua’s palm was cut by the splintered wood, and blood flowed, staining the floor.
That letter, left unopened for many years, now lay fully spread out before her.
To Mother:
Your son is unfilial, unable to inherit the Li family’s legacy. I have failed to honor you above, failed to care for my younger brother below, and instead have only brought you worry.
Now we have decided to move the whole family away from the Imperial capital. In the years to come, perhaps there will be no day of reunion. With this, I bid farewell to you, Mother, and hope that my daughter Li Li may remain by your side to fulfill my filial duty in my stead.
May you be safe and at peace all your life, with joy and without sorrow.
Unfilial son: Wen Xuqian.
This was Wen Xuqian’s final letter to Li Langhua, and the one she had never opened.
Between the words, there was never any resentment—only profound self‑reproach.
“Ruiqiu, until his death he never once blamed me as his mother. It was I who took his child. I thought they would live well… but why did they all die? Why did they all die?”
“Yanxing, Xuqian, and… and…”
Li Langhua clutched the letter and wept aloud, while Ruiqiu turned her face aside to wipe away her tears.
It had been so long since the old lady had felt such sorrow. In these years her wounds had only just begun to heal, yet now they were torn open once more.
“I thought he no longer wished to see me, his mother—that he left the capital and would never return to this place of sorrow. But why did they all die? One by one they abandoned me. I hated him for so many years, believing he was unwilling, unfilial, that for fifteen years he never came to see me, this old woman, even once…”
“But after all these years… they died…”
Li Langhua sat on the ground clutching the letter, her wounded hand smeared with blood all over her body, and her once‑delicate makeup had fallen away in a frightening ruin.
Ruiqiu knelt before the old lady, trying to comfort her.
“Mr. Xuqian was so gentle, so filial. He never once looked at you with anger. He would not blame you—please don’t be sad.”
In the old lady’s heart, that small measure of hatred toward Wen Xuqian was also a hatred for the son she herself had borne.
Every word and action is so similar to Wen Yanxing—preferring to spend a lifetime buried in the laboratory rather than inherit the Li family.
It was for this reason that Li Langhua completely broke with the grown Wen Xuqian, refusing ever to see him again.
Yet even after countless rejections, he would still come unfailingly to see Li Langhua, leaving gifts behind the heavy iron gate.
“Ruiqiu, Xuqian is dead… he has been gone fifteen years, and I, his mother, never knew. Fifteen whole years I resented him for not appearing, blamed him for not staying to accompany me. But that child has already turned to bones. Did he die still blaming me for never letting him see Li Li, even once…?”
“He is gone, just like Yuanzhi, no longer wanting me as his mother…”
Li Langhua’s cries, each tinged with sobs, sounded like accusations against herself, carrying incomparable remorse.
Ruiqiu held the old lady’s hand, trying in every way to bring her back to her senses.
The greatest pain in this world is when the white‑haired must bury the black‑haired, and she was forced to endure it once again.
“You mustn’t collapse like this. Just now I spoke with Second Master—back then, Mr. Xuqian was murdered…”
Perhaps only in this way could Li Langhua be roused to strength again.
As expected, upon hearing these words, Li Langhua lifted her head to look at her.
“What did you say?”
“Mr. Xuqian died before Dr. Wen. The couple had barely moved out of the capital when they were murdered, and soon after Dr. Wen was also killed. There are many questions here that deserve our deep investigation.”
For example, why did Wen Xuqian suddenly leave the capital back then, so swiftly that no one could react?
So soon after leaving the capital, he was killed.
“Xuqian was murdered.” Li Langhua sat upright, clutching the letter to her chest.
“But why? Back then, hardly anyone knew of my marriage to Wen Yanxing. Even after the divorce, the Li family’s enemies should never have targeted them.”
Moreover, even among those living in the capital, few knew that Wen Yanxing’s wife was none other than the illustrious eldest daughter of the Li family.
No one knew that the young, celebrated pharmacist Wen Xuqian was Li Langhua’s son.
So then, who was it that did this?
“So you must pull yourself together.” Ruiqiu clasped Li Langhua’s hand. “Besides, Miss Wen Li has returned. She wandered outside for fifteen years, and under no circumstances can we let anyone find her. This child endured so much hardship just to reach here—and Mr. Xuqian is watching over you from the heavens.”
That was Wen Xuqian’s child—Li Langhua’s own granddaughter.
They had always believed that Wen Li was such an outstanding pharmacist, and surely Wen Xuqian’s guidance played no small part in that.
But things turned out contrary to her wishes.
Parental upbringing, children raised in happiness—these were nothing more than their conjectures.
Like brilliant, colorful bubbles—once burst, they leave nothing but a mess scattered on the ground.
“Miss Wen Li must be brought back. Her appearance in the capital surely means she intends to investigate the tragedy of those years.”
Ruiqiu's words brought Li Langhua back to herself. Yes—Wen Li’s presence in the Li household surely means she intends to investigate what happened in those years.
What's more, that's her granddaughter and also of Xu Qian's blood.
🐇♡🐇♡🐇♡🐇
Hello Erudites!
Gonna be gone for a few days, I'll return on monday again. Thank you! Love you all!
-Runa
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