Chapter 176: Foreign Familial Warmth
The next day, Li Chen woke up, determined to set aside the unsettling events of the previous night. In the living room, Sun Lixia, Zhang Mei, and Mu Lingling were already downstairs. Sun Lixia informed Li Chen, "Li Chen, your uncle said we should come to his house for fittings today."
Li Chen expressed his reservations, commenting, "I still think Uncle Weilong is overdoing things." Zhang Mei added, "The whole city is talking about this banquet." Li Chen, wary of the attention, remarked, "It’s the attention that comes with it that I don’t like." Sun Lixia, with a hint of humor, suggested, "Tell that to your uncle and grandfather." Laughter echoed through the room, and Zhang Mei’s joy was evident, grateful that her mother appeared to be in better spirits. They enjoyed a pleasant breakfast together, savoring the camaraderie.
Soon, Sun Lixia and Li Chen left for Sun Weilong’s house, ready to navigate the preparations for the upcoming banquet.
Sun Weilong stood waiting for them outside as they arrived at his house. Sun Lixia greeted him casually, "You know you don’t have to welcome us, brother." Sun Weilong insisted with a warm smile, "Of course I do." Li Chen, practical as ever, suggested, "But, Uncle, we can always just walk in." Sun Weilong explained, "Dad also wanted to wait here for you, but he is not feeling well."
As they entered the villa, Sun Lixia walked straight to Grandpa Sun, expressing concern, "Dad, how are you?" Grandpa Sun scoffed and remarked, "I haven’t seen you for days, of course, I am not well." Sun Lixia chuckled and said, "I have been busy, Dad." Grandpa Sun, playfully, complained, "You won’t even send my grandson to see me?" Li Chen, joining in, apologized, "I am also busy, Grandpa. I am sorry." Grandpa Sun, with a twinkle in his eye, quipped, "I am not young; I can follow my lovely wife anytime."
Sun Weilong intervened, teasingly saying, "Dad, don’t blackmail them." Grandpa Sun, with a grin, insisted, "But it’s the truth. I might die anytime; I need to spend time with my family." Sun Lixia assured, "I will make time, Dad." Grandpa Sun smiled, pleased with the promise.
Grandpa Sun, always one to bring up family matters, quipped, "When will you get married, Li Chen? I need to hold my great-grandchild before I die." Li Chen responded with a smile, "I am still thinking about it, Grandpa, but I can’t make any promises." Grandpa Sun sighed and remarked, "What is wrong with these boys? Sun Fang and Sun Gang said the same. I guess I will have to die without great-grandchildren."
Sun Lixia, not a fan of such discussions, interjected, "Dad, stop talking about death like that." Grandpa Sun, relenting a bit, conceded, "Fine, but I want these boys to get married soon." Li Chen, ever diplomatic, assured, "I will think about it, Grandpa." Grandpa Sun, satisfied, said, "Good," hopeful for the continuation of the family line.
The fitters arrived with an array of elegant dresses and suits for Li Chen and Sun Lixia to choose from. Sun Lixia couldn’t help but express her admiration, saying, "All these gowns are so beautiful." Sun Weilong, proud of his choices, replied, "I told them to bring their best for our princess." Sun Lixia chuckled, "Brother, can you stop calling me that?" Grandpa Sun chimed in, "What’s wrong with being called a princess?" Sun Lixia, feeling a bit embarrassed, responded, "I am too old for that, Dad." Grandpa Sun, ever affectionate, insisted, "You will never be too old in my eyes."
Li Chen and Sun Lixia went through the outfits, making their selections and changing into the chosen attire. The family enjoyed the process, and after the designers left, they gathered for lunch. Sun Weilong shared details about the upcoming banquet, leaving both Li Chen and Sun Lixia in awe of his organizational skills.
After lunch, they returned to the living room, and Sun Lixia took out her phone to send a quick text. She then announced, "Dad, brother, I have something important to share with you." Sun Weilong and Grandpa Sun exchanged intrigued glances, both curious about what Sun Lixia had to reveal.
She continued with a serious tone, "Li Chen has a twin brother."
Sun Weilong reacted with genuine surprise, "What?" Grandpa Sun added, "But you never mentioned anything about him." Li Chen calmly explained, "We only recently found out about him." Sun Weilong, perplexed, asked, "I don’t understand." Li Chen responded, "It’s a complicated story, uncle, but we’ve conducted DNA tests to confirm the relationship." Grandpa Sun, growing impatient, urged, "Lixia, please tell me, what is going on?"
Sun Lixia then began narrating the story of how they discovered Li Xinjie, delicately omitting the details about him being stolen and raised by an assassin organization, focusing instead on the emotional reunion and the newfound connection between the brothers.
Grandpa Sun, still trying to wrap his head around the revelation, commented, "So when you gave birth, someone stole one of the babies?" Sun Lixia nodded solemnly and replied, "Yes, Dad, that’s why I never knew about his existence." Sun Weilong, growing increasingly concerned, asked, "Where is he now?" Li Chen turned to his mother, and Sun Lixia answered, "He is on his way here to meet you."
Grandpa Sun, puzzled, mused, "Why would they steal your baby? I don’t understand." Sun Lixia, concealing the truth to protect her family, lied, "I don’t know either, Dad. I guess they are just bad people." Grandpa Sun, determined to get to the bottom of it, asserted, "We need to investigate this." Li Chen, fearing for their safety, quickly interjected, "We are on it, Grandpa. We will find the truth. Don’t worry." Sun Weilong, focusing on the positive, exclaimed, "But this is great news! That means more family." Sun Lixia smiled and added, "Yes, brother, more family." Grandpa Sun, finding solace in the unity of his family, remarked, "This year has really been blessed. All my family is together."
The housekeeper announced, "Master Sun, there is a young man here who says his name is Li Xinjie." Sun Weilong nodded, instructing her to let him in. The housekeeper left and returned shortly, guiding Li Xinjie into the room. Sun Lixia graciously stood up to welcome him, saying, "Li Xinjie, come and meet your grandfather and uncle, my brother."
Li Xinjie, feeling a bit tense and out of his element, assured himself that he would gradually get accustomed to the warmth of having a family. Such kindness was foreign to him, and he grappled with how to respond. His emotions were a mix of uncertainty and a subtle longing for the connection he never knew he needed.
