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Just like the man, his hand was a bit too thin, carrying a faint coolness.

“A Xun, this is A Jiang, your sister. You two were very close when you were young. If it weren’t for what happened back then, you two wouldn’t have been separated for so many years…”

“But now you’re both here, by your mother’s side.” Granny Bo said with great relief.

Bo Yuxun quietly withdrew his hand, and the cool sensation slipped through his fingertips. Bo Yujiang looked up unexpectedly and was caught by the man’s deep, pitch-black gaze.

She was startled but quickly put on a dignified and gentle smile, “Second Brother.”

The man’s eyes carried a faint hint of scrutiny and sizing up. Bo Yujiang’s palms began to sweat anxiously, but she forced herself to remain calm and smiled, “Why are you looking at me like this, Second Brother? Is my makeup smudged?” Bo Yujiang touched her face.

Bo Yuxun looked away, stood up, and pushed Granny Bo’s wheelchair into the bedroom.

Bo Yujiang reflexively followed, only to be met with the door “slamming” shut, leaving her with a bruised nose.

Bo Yujiang clenched her teeth, and a touch of anger flashed through her eyes.

“Miss, this is tonight’s menu. Please take a look.” Madam Zhang handed over the menu.

Bo Yujiang’s face swiftly changed to a dignified smile, and she nodded slightly, “Alright.”

As the clock pointed to five in the afternoon, the guests would be arriving soon.

“Yujiang.” Xu Shuhua came in with a gift.

“Brother Shuhua.” Bo Yujiang’s eyes shimmered with a gentle light, like the brilliant sparkle of the setting sun falling into her eyes.

Xu Shuhua was stunned for a moment.

Ye Qingxing emerged from behind him, “A Jiang, happy birthday. This is my birthday gift for you.”

Bo Yujiang took it and smiled gently, “Thank you, Qingxing. I love it.”

“It’s cold outside, you guys come on in.”

Xu Shuhua covered his mouth and coughed softly before following the two women inside.

Ye Qingxing affectionately held Bo Yujiang’s arm, “A Jiang, is Mr. Liu not here? Are you two getting married soon? Congratulations!”

An enchanting fragrance of plum blossoms came with Bo Yujiang’s smiling voice: “There was something last-minute at the school, so he’ll be a bit late.”

“I heard that Mr. Liu will soon be promoted to associate professor. It’s amazing that he will be an associate professor at Huaqing University at such a young age, A Jiang, you’re so lucky…”

As their voices gradually faded, Xu Shuhua paused and looked into the flower bed under the corridor, where a pink plum bud was about to bloom.

He sighed softly.

——

“A Xun, don’t you like A Jiang? You two were so close when you were young. Now that she’s back, why are you unhappy?”

Granny Bo was blind, but her heart was not.

“Are you still blaming yourself for what happened back then? Don’t worry, A Jiang won’t blame you. Besides, you were so young, you didn’t understand anything, and it wasn’t on purpose. You two are siblings; you should support and understand each other. That way, even if I die one day, I can rest in peace when I see your father in the afterlife.”

Bo Yuxun looked at Granny Bo’s aged face, and some words that had risen to his lips were swallowed back.

He nodded, “I understand, you don’t need to worry so much. I consulted a professional ophthalmologist abroad, and there is a chance your eyesight can be restored.”

Granny Bo smiled and shook her head, “Thank you for your kindness, but I’ve already gotten used to my blindness. Now that I have both of my children by my side, I am content.”

As though making up his mind, Bo Yuxun looked up at Granny Bo, “Mom, there’s something I want to ask you.”

The smile on Granny Bo’s face gradually faded, “I know what you want to ask. It’s been twelve years, and you still haven’t let go. So be it, I’ll grant you two your wish.”Granny said, “There’s a locked iron box in the drawer by my bedside. The key is located two-thirds of the way down the third pillar under the bed. Take the key and open the iron box.”

Bo Yuxun did as instructed, and when the iron box opened, there was nothing inside but a stack of property deeds and an item wrapped in a handkerchief.

Bo Yuxun took out the handkerchief.

The old lady said, “You open it.”

As a long-concealed secret was about to be revealed, Bo Yuxun’s fingers trembled slightly, and his heartbeat suddenly accelerated.

He unwrapped the handkerchief, revealing a delicate and exquisitely crafted silver lock. The silver lock seemed to have some age to it, perhaps its owner held it often many years ago, the silver worn and even more shiny. Hanging below the lock were five small bells. With a gentle shake, they emitted a crisp, tinkling sound like silver bells.

Bo Yuxun stared deeply at the silver lock: “This… this is Xia Xue’s.”

On the back of the silver lock, the words “Xia Xue” were engraved, with the characters of her birth date engraved below.

“How did Xia Xue’s silver lock end up here?” The usually mature and steady man’s eyes were filled with anxiety, and all his pretense crumbled in an instant.

Granny Bo sighed, “Do you think I wanted to break you two up back then, just because I had nothing better to do? I was born into a scholarly family, and I learned the Four Books and the Five Classics from an early age. Although I had some talent, I wasn’t so pedantic. It was Xia Xue’s background…”

Granny Bo was hesitant to continue, “I didn’t want to tell you this dirty secret. I thought the two of you were young and impulsive, and if you separated for some time, your feelings would gradually fade. But I didn’t expect that you would be so passionate…”

Bo Yuxun urgently asked, “What’s wrong with Xia Xue’s background?”

What had he missed back then?

“Do you remember Su Jinping?”

Bo Yuxun was taken aback. “Of course I remember, but what does this have to do with Xia Xue’s background?”

The name Su Jinping was well-known among the upper-class society of Jingzhou more than forty years ago. He was a famous actor, highly sought after by many socialite ladies. Su was extremely handsome, but in that era, an actor was still just an actor and had no social standing. Su Jinping had no power nor influence, and was unable to protect himself.

At that time, the Jiang family had two daughters. The eldest daughter, Jiang Siji, was a domineering and arrogant woman. She set her sights on Su Jinping and coerced him into marrying her. The event caused a great uproar at the time, with countless ladies and socialites bitterly resenting Jiang Siji for her forcible acquisition of such a beautiful man. However, due to the Jiang family’s power, no one dared to come forward and help Su Jinping.

“After marrying Su Jinping, Jiang Siji kept him under strict control. She even put a chain around his neck and kept him locked up in the house. Not long after, Su Jinping went mad. Later, Jiang Siji gave birth to a daughter, but by that time, Su Jinping was neither a man nor a ghost. It was a real tragedy.”

As she spoke, Granny Bo’s expression seemed somewhat pained.

“Siji and I were close friends, and she often boasted to me about her control over Su Jinping, insisting she would rather die than let him go.”

What a perverse form of love.

“One day, their daughter accidentally wandered into the basement and discovered Su Jinping, who was chained up like a mad dog. She released him, and Su Jinping escaped from the Jiang family. Siji went mad searching for him, unleashing all her hatred and love on their daughter. That poor child suffered greatly.”

Bo Yuxun listened quietly, his fingers caressing the silver lock in his hand.

From the outside, Jiang Siji and Su Jinping appeared to be a loving couple, their affection touching and enviable.

But underneath the facade of happiness hid such a filthy, sick, twisted, and ugly relationship.

“Siji searched for a long time, turning the whole country upside down, but she couldn’t find a trace of Su Jinping… until Xia Xue appeared.”

Bo Yuxun was stunned, incredulous. “You mean Xia Xue… she’s Su Jinping’s daughter?”

“She looks too much like Su Jinping… and that silver lock is the ironclad proof. There are only two silver locks, and Su Jinping never left his side. How could Siji let her go?”

Bo Yuxun suddenly stood up, “Was Xia Xue captured by Jiang Siji back then? So you just stood by and watched? I’ll go find Jiang Siji now.”

Twelve years… with Jiang Siji’s cruel temperament, how could she have mistreated Xia Xue? He couldn’t bear to think about it.

Why had he just walked away back then? If he had investigated a little more, things wouldn’t have come to this point today.

“Stop right there,” Granny stopped him.

“Siji has been dead for twelve years. Who are you going to find?”

Bo Yuxun clenched his fists, the storm brewing in his dark eyes, and said word by word, “I’m going to find Jiang Chunlan.”