Chapter 668 - 667: Found Her?

’If Wu Qihua hadn’t kept Wu Sheng for herself, if I had been the one to raise him, I would never have let him be wronged. I would have definitely switched the bride to Li Anna. Only Li Anna is worthy of Wu Sheng.’

Ye Xilan didn’t dare say her true thoughts out loud. She was filled with regret—regret that Wu Sheng wasn’t her son in name and right. Otherwise, she could have absolutely pulled off this wedding, swapping the bride without a single flaw and making it a grand affair.

The problem was that Wu Qihua was the one officiating the wedding! She couldn’t interfere!

’In ancient times, brides wore red veils. You could switch the bride, and by the time what’s done is done, it would be too late for the groom to back out.’

Whenever Ye Xilan saw this kind of plot on TV, she wanted to slam the table and cheer.

’The matchmaker’s word, the parents’ command’—she loved that saying!

A glint appeared in Ye Xilan’s eyes, and she unconsciously spoke her thoughts aloud.

Li Xian hadn’t been paying attention at first, but when he realized something was wrong, he immediately cut her off.

"What nonsense are you spouting? How can you just switch the bride on a whim? Stop talking nonsense."

Ye Xilan didn’t dare to pout.

Standing outside, Wu Sheng’s eyes narrowed dangerously, a dark light swirling within them.

He heard Li Xian speaking, followed by Ye Xilan’s astonished cry. Wu Sheng raised his hand and knocked lightly on the door.

After the sound of hurried footsteps, the door was quickly pulled open.

Li Xian stared greedily at Wu Sheng. "You’re here. Quick, come in and sit down. Come in."

Wu Sheng paused, lowered his gaze, and entered the house, stepping into this unfamiliar home for the first time.

Ye Xilan was standing in the kitchen doorway. Seeing Wu Sheng arrive, she was so astonished that the soup ladle in her hand clattered to the floor.

"This..." She rubbed her eyes. Seeing that Wu Sheng was still there, the disbelief in her eyes gave way to ecstasy.

The next second, she suddenly rushed toward Wu Sheng, her eyes filled with a crazed look.

"Wu Sheng, Wu Sheng, my son! You’re finally willing to come home!"

Just as Ye Xilan was about to rush forward and recklessly hug Wu Sheng, the madness in her eyes looked just as it had over twenty years ago.

Li Xian’s expression changed. At the last second, he grabbed Ye Xilan and held her back.

"What are you doing? Stop making a scene."

Wu Sheng restrained his twitching leg. If Li Xian hadn’t stopped her, he might not have been able to resist kicking out.

While Li Xian was still restraining Ye Xilan, Wu Sheng, having seen and heard what he came for, immediately spoke up.

"It seems I’ve come at a bad time. I’ll be leaving now."

Wu Sheng didn’t give them time to react and left, opening the door himself.

He had only taken two steps inside; he was extremely fast on his way out.

Li Xian and Ye Xilan froze. By the time they processed what had happened, Wu Sheng was already gone.

"Wu Sheng!"

"Don’t go!"

They shouted in unison, but it was too late.

"I told you not to make a scene! Look what you’ve done!" Li Xian’s face darkened, and he barely managed to stop himself from cursing aloud.

Wu Sheng had finally been so close to him, and now...

"Stay home and behave! Don’t you dare follow me!" Li Xian warned before chasing after Wu Sheng, not even bothering to put on a coat over his cotton-padded shoes.

Only Ye Xilan remained in the house. She stood there for a moment, her face a mask of disbelief.

Never mind Ye Xilan’s myriad expressions. Li Xian, who had chased after Wu Sheng, finally caught up to him after losing one of his cotton-padded shoes along the way.

"Wu Sheng, wait a second. I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I..."

Having caught up, Li Xian apologized in a low voice.

Wu Sheng’s gaze fell on the cotton-padded shoe in the distance, the one Li Xian had lost and hadn’t had time to put back on. After a moment, a glint flashed in his eyes, and his hands unconsciously clenched into fists.

Li Xian didn’t notice Wu Sheng’s gaze. He bit his lip. "That was my fault just now. I shouldn’t have asked you to come to the house. Shall we go to my office instead?"

His tone held an uncharacteristic carefulness.

Wu Sheng pulled his gaze back, his eyes landing on the foot Li Xian had planted on the ground.

Li Xian was wearing a pair of cotton socks, and there was a small hole by his big toe. His foot was pressed against the damp ground where the snow had been shoveled away.

This damp ground would turn to ice at night; one could only imagine how frigidly cold it was.

The sock was already soaked through, but Li Xian didn’t seem to notice.

Just as he didn’t seem to notice that he was only wearing thin clothes and should have been shivering from the cold long ago.

"Wu Sheng?" Li Xian’s tentative call finally made Wu Sheng raise his eyes.

His gaze slowly settled on Li Xian’s eyes, meeting his. Wu Sheng’s Adam’s apple bobbed before he finally answered.

"I’m not going. I have to find Su Li," he said, his voice hoarse.

Li Xian looked like he wanted to say something but stopped himself. In the end, he didn’t insist on Wu Sheng going to the office. Instead, he said in a low voice,

"I have some contacts. I can talk to them, and you can have them help you."

Wu Sheng paused for a moment. Finally, looking into Li Xian’s eyes, he gave an almost imperceptible nod.

"Thanks."

Wu Sheng said quietly, gave him one last deep look, and after a "goodbye," turned and walked away.

Wu Sheng’s every step was heavy with force.

There was something else he wanted to say to Li Xian, but facing the man with only one shoe on, he couldn’t bring himself to say it.

Fire burned in Wu Sheng’s eyes and in his heart. The feeling was both familiar and strange.

Ever since he learned the truth about his birth, this feeling was no stranger to Wu Sheng, but this time, it was incredibly intense.

For the first time, a sliver of anticipation grew in his heart.

’I hope you don’t disappoint me...’

Wu Sheng thought silently as he quickened his pace, disappearing from Li Xian’s sight.

Li Xian stared blankly at Wu Sheng’s back, not even blinking until he was out of sight. He only snapped out of it when he was interrupted.

"Grandpa Li, what are you doing?"

Two young boys returning from outside saw Li Xian, and their curious question brought him back to his senses.

He pulled back his gaze and smiled at the two children, only to see them bringing his cotton-padded shoe over.

Li Xian thanked the two boys and only then realized how cold his foot was. His whole body felt chilled, and when the wind blew, it felt like it cut right through to his bones.

Li Xian shivered violently, filled with an indescribable sense of melancholy.

He walked slowly back home with his hands behind his back. He ignored Ye Xilan’s chirping questions and simply gave her a warning.

"Don’t do anything rash, and don’t you dare spout any more nonsense."

A glint flickered in Ye Xilan’s eyes as she lowered her head and agreed.

That night, both Li Xian and Ye Xilan tossed and turned, unable to sleep.

The next day, just as dawn was breaking, Li Xian got up, and Ye Xilan scrambled out of bed after him.

She helped Li Xian get dressed, made him breakfast, and by the time she saw him off, the sky was dimly lit.

Ye Xilan saw Li Xian off, watching his departing figure. Her eyes, sleepless from the night before, were surprisingly bright.

She murmured under her breath, "Just two more days. Just have to get through tomorrow and the day after..."

Ye Xilan took a deep breath and was about to go back inside when she suddenly overheard two people talking nearby.

"I heard they found Su Li."

"Yeah, I heard they found her last night."

Ye Xilan whipped around and, without a second thought, stated unequivocally, "Impossible!"

Her voice wasn’t loud, but it wasn’t soft either, and the people over there heard her. They turned and gave her a strange look.

"Ma’am, what are you talking about?"