Chapter 143

Chapter 143

◎A Timely Intervention◎

It was almost dinner time, and the parents of the Li Family had returned. Hearing the sound of the car, Li Xin ran out first and looked at the boxes the driver was unloading from the car. She exclaimed, "These grapes are so dark! How are we ever going to finish all these?"

Mr. Li had now mostly retired, and over the years, the company's affairs had gradually been handed over to Li Hongsheng. Mrs. Li had always been a full-time mother. Although there were many servants and nannies at home, she never trusted others with her children's matters, especially with that troublesome second son around.

Over the years, they had always kept Li Xin by their side, while also keeping an eye on the second son. They had to clean up his messes from time to time. Not to mention how mentally exhausting it was. It was physically draining and emotionally taxing.

Even though the eldest son was capable and the youngest daughter was obedient, as long as Li Hongqian was around, he always found a way to ruin everyone's mood and turn the house into chaos.

Mr. Li had considered kicking him out, but Li Hongqian seemed to use all his cunning to manipulate them, always pushing their limits without crossing the line that would make them act decisively.

Not only had Mrs. Li been repeatedly hurt and disappointed by Li Hongqian, but Mr. Li had also quietly taken several paternity tests under the guise of medical check-ups.

Unfortunately, the results always disappointed them.

They couldn't understand how, being born from the same parents, the difference could be so vast. They didn't expect all their children to be outstanding; even if Li Hongqian was a fool, the family could support him for life.

But the problem was that he was not only incompetent but also malicious, treating almost everyone in the family as a thorn in his side.

He constantly fought over the distribution of company shares. It was bad enough that he spent lavishly outside, but he also used the company's name to support young celebrities, consuming company resources to promote women.

Whenever things didn't go his way, he would accuse them of favoritism, saying they favored the eldest and the youngest, and that he was the unloved child. His twisted accusations could drive anyone to fury.

In moments of anger, they would kick him out, and he would slam the door and leave. Then he would either cause trouble that required the family to clean up or return injured.

After all, he was their own son, and once the anger subsided, they would soften. But forgiving him once led to a second time, and over time, the familial bond was completely worn away.

Not long ago, Li Hongsheng discovered that some of Li Xin's friends were clearly problematic. Not only did they lead her into extravagant spending, but they also encouraged her to start dating early.

Li Xin was only fourteen, an age when everything is new and exciting. She didn't need much encouragement to try things, especially with friends around who deliberately guided her.

Upon investigation, Li Hongsheng found that those who deliberately approached Li Xin were the children of Li Hongqian's disreputable friends. What kind of good people could be friends with Li Hongqian? They were rotten to the core.

At that moment, not only Li Hongsheng but also Mr. and Mrs. Li were utterly disappointed. A family of three siblings, unable to live in harmony and support each other, instead scheming behind each other's backs.

It was Li Hongqian's lack of ability and the family's control over his finances that kept him in check. But if they let him continue, it was hard to say when he might do something to harm the entire family.

Disappointment and heartbreak didn't accumulate in a day. Over the years, even though he was their own flesh and blood, Mrs. Li could no longer feel any softness towards him.

Just as they decided to completely abandon Li Hongqian, take Li Xin abroad for her education, and transfer all domestic assets to Li Hongsheng, Li Hongqian changed.

The night before, they had a fierce argument, and Li Hongqian even accused them of wanting to drive him to death, nearly giving Mrs. Li a heart attack.

The next day, as they steeled themselves to prepare for the move abroad, Li Hongqian was no longer Li Hongqian.

At first glance, Li Hongsheng noticed the difference. Although he tried hard to maintain Li Hongqian's demeanor, the look in his eyes was unmistakable. There was no longer the gloom and malice, no constant scheming, only a cautious curiosity about everything around him.

If the previous Li Hongqian was a devil covered in thorns, the current Li Hongqian was a rabbit with soft fur. He was gentle, pure, and as beautiful as sunlight.

At that moment, Li Hongsheng's first thought was that Li Hongqian was acting, but he quickly dismissed the idea. Li Hongqian didn't have that kind of acting skill, especially when he looked at Li Xin with a gentle smile instead of disgust. Li Hongsheng knew that his brother had likely been possessed by someone else.

The idea of possession was bizarre, but it had truly happened.

In that instant, many thoughts flashed through Li Hongsheng's mind. He even considered directly confronting the possessor, exposing the disguise, and then giving him some money to send him away.

As for their real brother, they had already given up on him, and this situation actually simplified things.

His parents, even including Li Xin, could immediately tell that Li Hongqian was different. Even though he stayed quiet during breakfast that day to avoid mistakes, he clearly savored every bite, something the original Li Hongqian would never have done.

The plan to go abroad was temporarily put on hold as they observed this new Li Hongqian, who was also observing them in return.

They weren’t sure if this Li Hongqian, who had been possessed, retained the memories of the original Li Hongqian, but it seemed unlikely. Li Hongsheng tested him several times with verbal traps, and although the other responded quickly, he kept falling into them without noticing.

At first, Li Hongsheng wanted to get rid of the problem, but he gradually found the situation intriguing. Until he took the sick Li Xin to see a doctor, cooked porridge and noodles for her, massaged his father’s shoulders, listened with admiration to his father’s business stories and success history, defended his mother during tense moments, accompanied her shopping, and looked at her with an affectionate gaze.

And towards him, perhaps due to an instinctive fear, or maybe because he had initially treated him coldly, this Li Hongqian was most afraid of him. But as soon as he showed a little kindness, the other would eagerly come closer.

That kind of younger brother’s admiration for his elder brother, which even Li Xin had never shown, made Li Hongsheng feel a different kind of brotherly bond.

After the Li parents were led into the house by Li Xin, holding both their arms, ‘Li Hongqian’ also walked over with a smile, called out “Mom and Dad,” and then helped the driver carry the brought-back grapes to the kitchen.

Li Xin bounced around, saying, “There’s too much, we can’t finish it all!”

‘Li Hongqian’ smiled and said, “Don’t you like jam? I’ll see how to make grape jam. We can’t let such good food go to waste.”

Mr. Li sat on the sofa and said, “I heard from Hongsheng that you’ve almost prepared the funds for starting the school?”

‘Li Hongqian’ handed the proposal to Mr. Li and then sat obediently beside him: “We have enough funds for now, but in that kind of place, girls are mostly the labor force of the family. Convincing them to send their kids to school is tricky.”

‘Li Hongqian’ also pointed to the back: “This is the suggestion from my brother. I think it’s very useful. What do you think, Dad?”

Mr. Li slowly flipped through the proposal. This wasn’t just about donating money but about doing it personally, which naturally meant more work. But Mr. Li could also see Li Hongqian’s dedication to this matter. Compared to the money spent on cleaning up the messes from his wild past, the cost of building a school was almost negligible.

So Mr. Li was very supportive of the school project and even shared some tips on team leadership.

Mrs. Li went upstairs to change into more comfortable clothes. When she came down, she saw the father and two sons sitting on the sofa discussing a proposal, while the little daughter sat on the other sofa eating grapes and scrolling through her phone.

This made her tear up. Such a scene of a loving father and filial sons had never happened in the family before, something she had never even dared to dream of.

Even though she knew this son was no longer her son, the family dynamics had improved.

No one was constantly eyeing the eldest son’s control over the company, and no one was jealous of the little daughter’s shares. The harmony and peace in the family over the past two months made the old fights feel like a distant memory.

Although sometimes she wondered where the real Hongqian had gone and why he had been possessed, every time she was looked at by this child with those dependent and cherished eyes, it broke her heart.

What mother would willingly lose her child? It was only because her heart had been completely chilled.

Seeing her mother standing on the stairs, Li Xin waved with a smile: “Mom, come down quickly! These grapes are so sweet, but unfortunately, they’re not cold.”

Mrs. Li slowly walked downstairs, smiling: “You should cut back on cold foods.”

The maid called them for dinner. Mr. Li put down the proposal, placing his hands on the shoulders of his two sons: “Let’s eat first. We’ll keep working on it after dinner.”

‘Li Hongqian’ smiled and said, “Thank you, Dad, and thank you, big brother, for helping me.”

Mr. Li patted his shoulder: “You still have a lot to learn from your brother, but there’s no rush. There’s still time to take it slow.”

‘Li Hongqian’ nodded, glanced at Li Hongsheng, and seeing that he was looking at her, quickly flashed an even brighter smile. She hadn’t had many learning opportunities before, only secretly listening to some private tutor’s lessons, and hadn’t met many people, especially someone as capable and accomplished as Li Hongsheng.

Starting a school was just a wish she had, a fleeting thought. At first, she didn’t think she had the ability to do it.

It was Li Hongsheng who helped her perfect it step by step, teaching her how to do it. If it weren’t for Li Hongsheng guiding her almost hand in hand, even if she absorbed the knowledge of this new era like a sponge, she probably wouldn’t have been able to integrate into the new life so quickly and find a direction and goal.

Thinking of this, she looked at Li Hongsheng with even more gratitude for his guidance, even forgetting for a moment that she was now a man, and showed a bit of a little girl’s shyness: “Big brother is amazing. If I can learn even a fraction of what you know, I feel it will benefit me for a lifetime.”

But Li Hongsheng said, “Don’t underestimate yourself. You’re doing great.”

This was not flattery. He didn’t know who Li Hongqian was before, but from the way he was curious about everything when he first arrived, he could roughly guess that his previous living environment was close to modern times, yet completely different.

Adapting so quickly, even he had to admire Li Hongqian’s learning ability. If given a bit more time, Li Hongqian’s achievements would definitely go far beyond the present.

Mrs. Li helped the maid set the table, smiling, "Alright, stop complimenting each other, you’re both great. Come and eat!"

Li Xin peeked and cried out, "Ah, why is there bitter gourd again?"

Li Hongqian whispered comfortingly, "I just tasted it, it’s not bitter at all. Just eat a few bites, close your eyes, and swallow quickly."

Li Xin also whispered to him, "But bitter gourd doesn’t taste good."

Li Hongqian glanced at their parents sitting at the head of the table and said, "If you eat it without fuss, I’ll sneak you some dessert tonight."

Li Xin’s eyes lit up, and she smiled, "Promise?"

Their little secret couldn’t stay hidden. Seeing how well their children got along, Father Li gently held his wife’s hand.

He knew his wife still sometimes missed the past. Not just his wife, even he occasionally thought of that wayward son. But he cherished the present more; this life was truly peaceful and happy with their children by their side.

After over two decades of family strife, the current harmony was all the more precious.

Unfortunately, while they wished for such days to continue peacefully, someone else had other plans.

That weekend, on their way to the venue, Li Hongqian, afraid that Li Xin would be nervous, kept soothing her, "Reaching the finals is already a big achievement. Just do your best today; the experience is what matters, don’t worry too much about winning or losing."

Knowing her second brother didn’t want her to feel the pressure, Li Xin deliberately said, "How can that be? The debate is all about winning or losing."

Li Hongqian said seriously, "Isn’t the important part the process of engaging with your opponent? Regardless of the outcome, I have a small gift for you."

Li Xin leaned against him, laughing, "I know, I’m just teasing you. I’m not too concerned about winning or losing, but if you say there’s a small gift, then I’ll have to be a bit more serious."

Li Hongqian gently pinched her cheek, "You little rascal."

She used to have a sister, who was just as lively as Li Xin is now, but unfortunately, her sister didn’t live past fourteen.

She never saw her sister grow up, so she hoped Li Xin could grow up well and always be this happy.

As they neared the venue, Li Hongqian suddenly felt a pang in her heart. The protective charm her eldest brother gave her a few days ago seemed to be heating up. In that moment of dizziness, she even felt as if her soul was being pulled.

Li Hongqian had a gut feeling something was wrong. She turned her head slightly to look at Li Xin, who was chattering about where to eat after the competition. Li Hongqian struggled to stay awake, gripping her palm tightly.

Finally arriving at the venue, Li Hongqian said to Li Xin, "You go in and prepare, I’ll be there soon."

Li Xin was puzzled, "You’re not coming in with me?"

Li Hongqian shook her head, "It’s my first time here, I want to look around. The debate isn’t starting right away, you go in and prepare."

Li Xin looked at her seriously, then said, "Oh, alright. I’ll go in first, make sure you keep the admission ticket, it has the seat number on it."

Li Hongqian nodded, watching Li Xin go in before frowning in discomfort.

She hadn’t walked two steps before she had to lean against the wall, her head spinning more and more, her strength seemingly being drained away bit by bit. She didn’t know what was happening, even suspecting if the charm her brother gave her was meant to exorcise spirits.

But when she pulled the charm off to throw it away, she hesitated. She remembered the way her brother looked at her when he gave them the charm.

His gaze was gentle, with a smile, instructing her and Li Xin to carry the charm with them at all times.

In her daze, as she walked out, Li Hongqian put the charm back in her pocket.

This was never her body to begin with, and she was not their real family member. If the Li Family discovered something and wanted to drive her away, it would be justified.

These past two months of life were a gift she had stolen. She had experienced a life free from war, tasted so many delicious foods, and witnessed true national prosperity and people's safety. She should be content; being too greedy would come with a price.

She wondered if the school would still be built after she was gone. She hadn’t yet had the chance to bring the girls from the mountains out.

Li Hongqian stumbled as she made her way out, wanting to find a secluded place. When she stepped out of the building, a bell-like sound, as if calling souls, rang in her ears. When she came to, she was standing in a pile of pink grass.

As the bell stopped, she collapsed to the ground, as if her strength had been drained.

The one ringing the bell was a middle-aged man. Looking at her lying on the ground, too weak to stand, the man said with a stern expression, "Humans have their way, and ghosts have theirs. You’ve forcibly taken someone else’s body, and it’s time to return what belongs to others."

Li Hongqian felt the world spinning, too dizzy to even speak, but she wanted to say she hadn’t forcibly taken anyone’s body.

It was that man who said he didn’t want to live anymore. He had even swallowed a lot of pills. She saw his soul leave his body, and at that moment, she felt a pull, an intuition that she could enter this body. So she asked him, "Do you really not want to live anymore? Can I enter your body and live for you?"

The man said he didn’t want to live anymore and told her to do as she pleased.

She floated over and was then entirely sucked in. When she opened her eyes again, she had become Li Hongqian. She frantically made herself vomit in the bathroom, managing to expel all the pills she had swallowed.

She carefully observed the Li Family, testing their interactions, and gradually integrated into this new life.

She had done so well that no one noticed anything was off. It was the real Li Hongqian who didn’t want to live anymore; she hadn’t stolen it.

But she couldn’t speak; she couldn’t defend herself.

She lay on the grass, a sea of pink around her, which looked somewhat dreamy when the wind blew.

She thought dying here might not be so bad. She just didn’t know if she would continue to be a ghost or be utterly destroyed after being driven out of this body.

Just as she was ready to give up, a familiar voice screamed and ran over, "Don’t you dare lay a hand on my brother!"

Li Xin pushed the middle-aged man aside and threw herself on the ground, patting Li Hongqian, "Brother, wake up! Are you okay? You’re scaring me!"

The middle-aged man looked at the little girl and said, "He’s not your brother. He’s just a wicked ghost possessing your brother’s body!"

Li Xin stood in front of Li Hongqian, even taking off her own talisman and placing it on Li Hongqian. Her talisman also contained a soul-suppressing charm. She didn’t know if it would work but thought maybe one more would add a bit more suppression.

Then she turned and glared fiercely at the middle-aged man, "Stay out of our family’s business! He is my brother!"

Seeing that she wouldn’t listen, the man waved his hand, and a cloud of powder scattered in the wind. Li Xin instinctively closed her eyes, and when she opened them, she saw Li Hongqian standing beside the middle-aged man.

Li Xin recoiled in fear, instinctively spreading her arms to shield the Li Hongqian behind her.

The middle-aged man said, "Little girl, do you see? This is your real brother. Your brother’s body has been taken over by a wild ghost. If you don’t move, your real brother can’t come back."

Hearing this, Li Xin’s eyes lit up. If he couldn’t return, did that mean this body would forever belong to the person behind her?

Even though she felt guilty at times, she really hoped he could stay. She didn’t want the family to fall into chaos again, nor did she want to see her parents suffer, or be forced to go abroad to avoid Li Hongqian.

Ever since she was little, her brother had despised her, always looking at her with disgust. Many times she even felt he wanted to push her down the stairs.

Gradually, she became too afraid to get close. Just seeing his figure or hearing his voice would make her hide in fear.

But the brother who came later was different. He always gazed at her with kindness, played with her, braided her hair, patiently helped her pick out clothes, and spoke softly to her, almost always granting her wishes.

Her eldest brother was much older and always busy with work. She was very attached to him, but he didn’t have much time to spend with her. It was only after he came that Li Xin felt what it was like to have a close brother.

Call her selfish, call her cruel, she didn’t want him to leave, and she didn’t want the real brother to return.

Li Hongqian shot Li Xin a venomous glare: "Li Xin, I am your second brother! You traitor, have you forgotten who your real family is after being sweet-talked by someone?"

The imposter 'Li Hongqian' on the ground struggled to raise his hand and gently placed it on the person shielding him, mustering all his strength to barely utter an apology.

He had deceived them, he had taken over someone else’s identity, and he had even tried to hide it forever. Unfortunately, it had been exposed now, so he was sorry.

Li Xin shook her head, crying: "I know, I know, I’ve always known it! You have no idea how different you are from Li Hongqian. I knew you weren’t my second brother from the day you came to our family, but I wanted you to be my second brother. Please don’t leave, okay? You even said you’d help me choose a wedding dress in the future!"

The screech of a car braking suddenly came from nearby, and Li Hongsheng rushed over to see the standoff. Upon seeing him, Li Xin cried out: "Big brother! They’re trying to kick him out!"

Li Hongsheng stood in front of the middle-aged man: "What the hell are you doing to my family?"

Before the middle-aged man could respond, Li Hongsheng continued: "If you’re going to say he’s not my brother, I already knew that. This is a family matter, please don’t interfere."

Li Hongqian wanted to pounce on Li Hongsheng and tear him apart: "I knew you’ve always wished I were dead! If I die, everything in the Li Family will be yours! You call me evil, but I think you’re the most evil one! You’re just after the family fortune, even to the point of acknowledging a wandering ghost!"

Li Hongsheng couldn’t see Li Hongqian, so naturally, he couldn’t hear his accusations. The middle-aged man shook his bell again: "As a Taoist, it’s my duty to exorcise demons and capture ghosts. Right now, there’s a ghost disrupting the balance of yin and yang. I’m sorry, but this is no longer just your family’s matter."

Li Xin frantically tried to lift 'Li Hongqian' up, wanting to run away with him while her big brother shielded them.

But she was too young and frail, unable to even lift him off the ground, let alone carry him.

As the bell in the middle-aged man’s hand rang louder, 'Li Hongqian' on the ground grew paler, drenched in sweat and writhing in pain.

Li Xin had never felt this helpless before, crying uncontrollably, not knowing what to do.

Li Hongsheng knew the bell was no ordinary object and reached out to stop it.

But the middle-aged man anticipated this, slapping a talisman on him, and Li Hongsheng immediately felt as if he were bound, unable to move.

His expression changed drastically, shocked by the supernatural method, but even more desperate to intervene.

Just then, another voice rang out, laced with mockery: "Wow, what a crowd, so lively."

Everyone turned toward the voice, and in that instant, a stone flew over and struck the middle-aged man’s hand, interrupting the bell’s ringing.

Xiao Ye proudly turned to Ji Nanxing: "Not bad aim, right?"

Ji Nanxing ignored him and instead looked at the Li Family and the middle-aged Taoist: "Yin and yang follow their own rules, but trying to reclaim something you’ve already thrown away—that’s not how it works."

The middle-aged man frowned: "And who are you?"

Ji Nanxing gently twirled the beads on his wrist: "A Taoist who captures ghosts."

The middle-aged man pointed at 'Li Hongqian' on the ground: "A rogue ghost has taken over his body, and instead of capturing him, you’re interrupting me."

Ji Nanxing smiled, his gaze falling on Li Hongqian standing beside him: "Sorry, I don’t see any other ghosts—just this one here."