Chapter 60

Chapter 60

"060"

Xie Jingfang's parents were both still living.

Her father had retired from his post last year and spent his days at home playing chess. Her mother, the former president of a prestigious university, had been brought back to teach in the history department.

Xie Jingfang's parents had always doted on Xiao Anfeng, especially her dad. Xiao Anfeng also adored his "grandfather"—had it not been for Xiao Jingli, he would have preferred a career in politics.

After the truth about Xiao Anfeng's background came out, the only person he went to see in secret was his grandfather, who consoled him.

"Blood doesn't matter. Here with Grandpa, you're still my own grandson."

Xie Jingfang's mother treated all three grandsons the same, and even felt some sympathy for the original Xiao Anfeng. She had once warned Xie Jingfang, "Don't drag the grudges of the previous generation onto the kids. That boy named Lan Chui—I can tell he's a good kid. If you've got a problem, take it up with Xiao Jingli. What's the point of picking on a child?"

Xie Jingfang hadn't listened, and now she regretted it.

She felt a mix of misery and relief. At fifty-something, she looked at her mother with eyes red-rimmed and full of hurt, clutched Xiao Lancui's hand, called out "Mom," and couldn't get another word out through her tears.

Xiao Lancui looked at the old woman—just as kind as in his memories.

The original Xiao Anfeng had met her once.

Xie Jingfang had never brought him back to the Xie family home. Her mother disliked Xiao Jingli and was busy with work, so she'd only visited the Xiao household once, on Xiao Anfeng's eighth birthday.

Her father had arrived early with gifts. Three generations were gathered warmly in the living room, and Xiao Anfeng even played a violin piece.

The original Xiao Anfeng was crouching in the garden, watching a small bee cutting leaves before flying off with a piece.

"This is called a leafcutter bee," a voice suddenly said from beside him.

He turned and saw a smiling woman. He recognized her—there was a family portrait in his mother's room, and this woman was his mother's mother, the one Xiao Anfeng and the others called "Grandma."

He opened his mouth to call out "Grandma," but then pressed his lips tightly together.

He didn't dare.

He nodded at her and stood up to run away, but she smiled and ruffled his hair, asking, "Do you know why it's called a leafcutter bee?"

Her hand was warm, her smile was warm, and she didn't look down on him. He clenched his little fists, not wanting to let go of this warm moment. He didn't run. In a quiet voice, he answered, "Female leafcutter bees cut leaf pieces from plants to build their nests. Their mandibles are razor-sharp, and the pieces they cut are perfectly smooth—mostly perfect ovals and circles, like they were cut with scissors. That's why they're called leafcutter bees."

He paused. Perhaps because she was so kind, he worked up the courage to ask, "But I don't understand—if the leafcutter bee's mandibles are like scissors, why isn't it called a scissor bee instead of a leafcutter bee?"

She laughed. Setting down her lesson plans, she crouched down to look him in the eye, taking his hand. Instead of answering his cute, curious question, she nodded with a smile and said, "You're right—circles and ovals are all cut out. How about you and I secretly call it a scissor bee instead? What do you think?"

He stared at her, then nodded happily a moment later. She took his hand, picked up her lesson plans, and said, "Come on, let's go cut the cake."

She smiled. "The cake knife isn't scissors, so this time we can call it cutting cake."

That time, Xiao Anfeng threw his first big tantrum and knocked the cake over. In the end, the original Xiao Anfeng never got to taste the cake.

Until his death, he never saw the "Grandma" he loved so much again.

Xiao Lancui smiled. "Grandma."

The old lady smiled too, taking Xiao Lancui's other hand, her expression kind and gentle. "Good child, you're home now."

Xie Jingfang's father looked at Xiao Lancui—not overly warm, but not unwelcoming either. He gave a simple nod. "I'm your grandpa."

Then he asked Xie Jingfang, "Why isn't Anfeng here?"

Xie Jingfang's smile faded. She glanced nervously at Xiao Lancui and said, "Dad, please don't—"

Xiao Mian hurried over and plopped down beside his grandfather, throwing an arm around him and trying to charm his way through the awkward moment.

Xiao Lancui spoke up. "I can't be around him right now."

His honesty made Xie Jingfang's father nod. "Understandable."

He set down his chess manual and stood up. "Let's go eat."

The Xie family home was an old Western-style house with a modest dining room. Xie Jingfang had an older brother who had been transferred to another province and settled down there, only returning for the New Year. Usually it was just the two of them at home, eating simple meals. Today, Xie Jingfang's mother had specifically asked the housekeeper to prepare dishes young people liked.

"Eat more meat." Xie Jingfang's mother smiled at Xiao Lancui. "You're too thin. You need to gain some weight to be healthy."

Xiao Lancui nodded and took a piece of short rib.

The meal was warm and harmonious. Xie Jingfang's mother kept engaging Xiao Lancui in conversation, and Xie Jingfang relaxed, chiming in with a smile, "Mom, Lancui is also very interested in history." She then beamed at Xiao Lancui. "Your grandma is a history expert—ask her anything you want to know."

Xie Jingfang had asked Xiao Lancui about his favorite subjects.

He had indeed been interested in history.

Xie Jingfang's mother was pleasantly surprised. "Which period of history do you like?"

Xiao Lancui swallowed his food. "The Great Li Dynasty."

Xie Jingfang's mother set down her chopsticks, eyes sparkling with delight. "What a coincidence—your grandma, right here, participated in excavating the tomb of a prince from outside the imperial family of the Great Li Dynasty."

In modern archaeology, excavations are often rescue digs. The tomb of that non-royal prince was in a small village thousands of miles from the capital. Several tomb robbers had been killed by its traps, and a few days later, heavy rain washed several corpses out. Villagers reported it to the police, and that's how the tomb was discovered.

Xie Jingfang's mother said, "If you like the Great Li Dynasty, you must be curious about the missing 28 years of the dynasty. This prince's tomb belonged to a prince from outside the imperial family, from the reign of Emperor Yingzong of Li."

Xiao Lancui paused with his chopsticks and looked at her. "Zhou Youshan?"

She was delighted. "You actually know him!"

Zhou Youshan was Lu Ao's right-hand general. Born a peasant, he joined the army just to get a meal. Lu Ao saved his life on the battlefield, and from then on, Zhou Youshan risked his life for him. When Lu Ao ascended the throne, he naturally ennobled Zhou Youshan, making him the tenth prince of non-imperial blood in the Great Li Dynasty.

Xie Jingfang's mother felt like she'd found a kindred spirit. She abandoned her meal and launched into an animated discussion with Xiao Lancui. "No information about Zhou Youshan's tomb has been released to the public, precisely because it's too shocking."

She sighed. "The reason Lu Ao burned historical records and killed hundreds of thousands—it was all for a man surnamed Xiao!"

Xiao Lancui remained expressionless. "Oh?"

She was clearly excited. "From the correspondence left in Zhou Youshan's tomb, this man surnamed Xiao was Lu Ao's teacher—a genius born once in a thousand years, a master of music, chess, calligraphy, and painting. At sixteen!" She marveled. "He earned the highest scholar rank at sixteen. In a thousand years, there's been only one like him, yet he wasn't recorded in official history. What a pity."

The sweetness of the rice lingered on Xiao Lancui's tongue, but as he savored it, a hint of bitterness crept in.

Xie Jingfang sighed repeatedly. "It's a pity Zhou Youshan didn't dare keep more records of the man he admired. He discovered that after the Great Purge, this man had fled into the mountains with his family, fearing he'd be found by the hounds sent by Lu Ao."

Xiao Lancui's gaze sharpened. Xiao Mian cut in first. "Wait, Grandma, Zhou Youshan was a man, right? So this... Xiao genius was also a man." Xiao Mian chewed his steak, clearly disgusted. "Zhou Youshan admired him... he was gay?"

Xie Jingfang's mother scolded him, "Homosexuality and heterosexuality are just different preferences. You're a modern person—don't be more close-minded than the ancients!"

Xiao Mian grinned sheepishly. "Just saying!"

She continued, "Zhou Youshan's memoirs contain detailed records of his secret love for this man, Mr. Xiao."

Xiao Lancui said, "..." He momentarily doubted the authenticity of the tomb.

He had indeed met Zhou Youshan twice—once when Zhou Youshan returned to the capital to receive rewards for his merits, accompanying Lu Ao, and once when he personally drafted the edict conferring upon Zhou Youshan the title of a non-imperial prince.

Only those two times—where did this fondness come from?

During his lifetime, he had never heard of any man harboring feelings for him before. In his youth, before his legs were broken, there had been a man who proposed to him, but that was a misunderstanding—he had been mistaken for a woman back then.

It wasn't that he was opposed to same-sex relationships, but learning centuries later that Zhou Youshan had once admired him was unexpected, and Xiao Lancui lost his appetite.

He took a sip of water to wash down the discomfort.

Mother Xie continued, "According to the records Zhou Youshan left behind, Lu Ao went mad after his teacher's death. He slaughtered all the guards and servants of the Xiao estate, along with several court officials connected to him. He even had ten feet of the capital's earth dug up to find whoever had poisoned his teacher. The ground was stained red, and even seven days of rain couldn't wash it away."

Xiao Lancui paused mid-sip. So Lu Ao had killed him, then put on a show of avenging his teacher—truly a master of imperial machinations.

If it had been him, he would have used the opportunity to eliminate those Lu Ao considered his so-called faction, cutting the weeds and pulling up the roots to leave no chance of resurgence.

He set down his cup, having no interest whatsoever in Zhou Youshan's story. He asked, "Did he leave behind any records of Lu Ao's death?"

"Unfortunately, no." Mother Xie shook her head. "When Lu Ao died, he left behind a group of loyal death warriors who wiped out all traces of Emperor Yingzong of Li's 28-year reign across the country. Zhou Youshan had been away for years and only mentioned vaguely that Lu Ao seemed to have died suddenly."

Xiao Lancui fell silent. Lu Ao was a man of iron—he bathed in cold water even in winter, ate moldy, stale food without any ill effects, and would still charge into battle the next day, slaughtering hundreds of enemies. What hidden ailment could possibly have caused his sudden death?

As he was pondering, the nanny's surprised voice came from the entrance hall, "Young Master, Second Young Master, you've arrived!"

The nanny was still unaware of Xiao Anfeng's true background.

The dining room suddenly fell silent as everyone's eyes converged on Xiao Lancui. Father Xie opened his mouth to speak, but Xiao Lancui spoke first, "He shares 21 years of connection with the Xie family as well. You two don't need to hold back on my account—I understand."

Mother Xie patted his hand approvingly. "Good child."

Father Xie also warmed to Xiao Lancui, smiling. "Rest assured, you being my biological grandson is something that will never change."

The words echoed what had once been said to another, but now they were directed at Xiao Lancui. He smiled and said no more.

Meanwhile, Xiao Anfeng was forcibly dragged into the dining room by Xiao Liqin.

The light fell upon Xiao Anfeng's swollen, red-rimmed eyes.

Xiao Anfeng spotted Xiao Lancui immediately—seated beside Mother Xie, a spot that had once been his alone.

Xiao Anfeng lowered his head, muttering quietly, "I said I didn't want to come, but you insisted..."

Xiao Liqin stared at Xiao Lancui, his words seemingly directed at everyone, "Grandfather, Anfeng is a part of our family, and that will never change. That's why I brought him."

Father Xie looked at the cowering Xiao Anfeng, then at Xiao Lancui, his emotions complicated.

He was somewhat disappointed in Xiao Anfeng's demeanor. "Sit down," he said.

Xiao Liqin pulled Xiao Anfeng to sit down. Xie Jingfang, seeing Xiao Anfeng again, suddenly felt a wave of aversion and stopped smiling.

Mother Xie patted Xie Jingfang again and had the nanny bring two more sets of chopsticks.

Xiao Liqin spoke again, "Second brother." This time he addressed Xiao Lancui. "You don't mind, do you?"

He was deliberately trying to restore Xiao Anfeng's standing. Xiao Anfeng instinctively tugged at his hand, and he squeezed back reassuringly.

Their hands remained clasped. Xiao Lancui glanced at them and smiled faintly. "I do mind. But for my mother, and for Grandma and Grandpa, I'm willing to finish this meal."

He countered unhurriedly.

"As for you, my dear elder brother—you've treated me as an enemy ever since the paternity test came out. So why are you here for this meal?"