Chapter 177: Agent 19’s Arrival
Sun Weilong approached Li Xinjie, scrutinizing him for a moment before warmly expressing, "Nice meeting you, Li Xinjie. I am your uncle, Sun Weilong. Come and sit down." Li Xinjie took a seat, feeling a mix of nerves and curiosity in this unfamiliar familial setting.
Grandpa Sun, ever the joker, remarked, "When are we ever going to have daughters, always sons. Can’t someone here give me a princess I will spoil rotten?" Laughter filled the room, and Sun Lixia chimed in with a playful retort, "But Dad, I am here." Grandpa Sun, with a twinkle in his eye, responded, "Of course, but I never got the chance to see you grow up. I never spoiled you. I want a great granddaughter."
Turning his attention to Li Xinjie, Grandpa Sun, in a whimsical tone, declared, "Listen, boy, you better get married soon and give me one." Li Chen, with a wry smile, intervened, "Grandpa." Unfazed, Grandpa Sun continued, "What, maybe Li Xinjie will care about my feelings because all of you don’t care." Li Xinjie, a bit overwhelmed, admitted, "I haven’t thought about that yet."
Grandpa Sun, with a dramatic sigh, remarked, "Of course, what did I expect? You two are twins, after all." Sun Weilong, playing the peacekeeper, advised, "Dad, don’t scare him away, okay?" Grandpa Sun, always the strategist, proposed, "I have an idea... Tomorrow at the banquet, there will be many beautiful girls from good families. Not that I am choosing for you, but you have to find yourselves wives." Laughter resonated once more, and Li Xinjie, despite his initial apprehensions, started to feel a warmth he had never experienced before in this newfound family.
They continued chatting until it was dinner time, relishing the warmth of family. Even though Li Xinjie remained mostly silent, his presence alone brought joy to Sun Lixia’s heart. The fact that both her sons were there filled the room with a sense of completeness.
However, the familial atmosphere was interrupted when Li Xinjie’s phone rang during dinner. Checking the caller ID, he noted, "I have to take this." Li Chen and Sun Lixia exchanged glances as Li Xinjie excused himself from the table to answer the call.
"Hello," Li Xinjie greeted. The voice on the other end informed him, "Agent 19 has arrived. You have to take a flight back tomorrow." Li Xinjie replied, "Okay." The caller expressed disappointment, adding, "I am really disappointed in you, 17. Make sure you see me when you arrive." Li Xinjie responded with a curt "Sure" before hanging up.
His eyes flickered with anger, a sentiment he quickly concealed upon returning to the table. Li Chen and Sun Lixia noticed the subtle shift in his expression, but neither commented on it, choosing to respect his privacy in that moment. The unspoken tension lingered in the air as they continued with their meal, aware that the impending challenges were far from over.
The dinner proceeded peacefully, and as the night drew to a close, Li Chen, Sun Lixia, and Li Xinjie exchanged heartfelt goodbyes. Li Xinjie walked towards his car, and Li Chen, sensing something amiss, followed him. With a concerned tone, Li Chen asked, "Is everything okay?"
Li Xinjie, contemplating his words carefully, inquired, "Does your offer still stand?" A bit confused, Li Chen responded, "What offer?" Li Xinjie clarified, "The room." Li Chen reassured him, saying, "Of course." Sun Lixia, who had been a bit behind, chatting with Sun Weilong, came close and added, "The offer will always stand for you, son."
Li Xinjie suggested, "Let’s drive home then; we have to talk." Both Li Chen and Sun Lixia were aware that the call Li Xinjie had received was likely from someone associated with the organization. They rode in the car they had arrived in, while Li Xinjie drove his own vehicle. Upon reaching Li Chen’s villa, Sun Lixia quickly arranged a room for Li Xinjie.
Seated in the living room, Li Xinjie and Li Chen were deep in conversation when Zhang Mei walked in. Observing the exchange, she greeted, "Good evening." Li Chen introduced, "Meet my twin brother, Li Xinjie." Zhang Mei, without probing further, smiled at Li Xinjie and said, "Nice to meet you, Li Xinjie." Li Xinjie nodded in acknowledgment. Zhang Mei then inquired about Sun Lixia’s whereabouts and mentioned that her mother wanted to see her. After receiving the information, she left the two brothers in the living room, surrounded by an unspoken silence.
In the midst of the living room, Li Xinjie revealed, "Agent 19 has arrived in Shanghai... they want me to go back." Li Chen, concerned, asked, "And do you want to go back?" Li Xinjie, contemplating the implications, responded, "Who will protect you from that maniac if I go back?" Li Chen, with a determined look, inquired, "Brother, are you ready?"
Li Xinjie’s eyes flashed with resolution as he declared, "I was born ready." Li Chen, appreciating the shared resolve, affirmed, "Good. Let’s annihilate this organization together." In that crucial moment, Li Xinjie and Li Chen, despite having spent only a short time together, felt a deep understanding and a strengthening of their twin bond. The prospect of facing the organization together forged an unbreakable connection between them.
Sun Lixia stood by the stairway, silently observing her two sons deep in conversation. She sensed that they were on the verge of confronting challenges that stretched beyond their imagination, but there was an unspoken understanding between them—they would face it together. Approaching them, she said, "Li Xinjie, your room is ready. I hope you like it. If there are any changes you want, please let me know."
"Thanks, Mom," Li Xinjie responded, catching Sun Lixia off guard. Excitement and joy welled up within her, and tears threatened to escape. Li Chen interjected, "Mom, you need to sit down; we have to talk." Sun Lixia composed herself and took a seat, ready to listen to her sons.
Li Xinjie shared the urgent news, "The organization called. Agent 19 has landed in Shanghai. He might take only two or three days to understand all your movements before he strikes, and we have to be ready." Sun Lixia reassured, "Three days are enough for us to prepare."
Li Xinjie, however, emphasized the threat, "19 is the most unpredictable among all agents. He will go to any lengths to complete his mission." Li Chen and Li Xinjie exchanged a knowing look, and Li Chen declared, "I know you’re thinking what I’m thinking." Li Xinjie concurred, "We bring him to us."
The trio sat together, united by a shared determination to face the impending danger head-on.
The family of three gathered in the living room, meticulously planning for the imminent threat. As they exchanged ideas and strategies, a sense of unity and determination pervaded the room. The late-night discussions were a testament to their commitment to face the danger together.
After hours of planning, they eventually dispersed to their respective rooms. Stepping into his newly assigned room, Li Xinjie couldn’t help but feel a surge of emotions. The unfamiliar warmth and acceptance from his newfound family began to chip away at the walls around his heart. He was ready to confront the impending conflict head-on.
However, amid the preparations and newfound bonds, a lingering mystery cast a shadow over Li Xinjie’s thoughts. The organization’s sinister practices, involving the injection of infants with the NeuroNex drug to mold them into assassins, left him questioning their motives. The targeted attacks on his parents, particularly the murder of his father, puzzled him deeply. There seemed to be a hidden layer to Sun Lixia’s past that had not yet been unveiled. Li Xinjie was determined to uncover the truth and face the challenges that lay ahead.
Li Chen sat alone in his room, immersed in profound contemplation. The weight of the impending challenges bore down on him as he questioned what lay ahead on their tumultuous journey. The looming banquet, a seemingly innocuous event, harbored the potential to unfurl a cascade of adversaries.
In the quiet solitude of his room, Li Chen grappled with the responsibility of safeguarding his loved ones. His thoughts were particularly entangled with the well-being of his friends, aware that the shadows of impending danger could cast a dark pall over their lives. The uncertainty of the road ahead weighed heavily on his mind, and he wondered if his determination and strength would be enough to shield those closest to him from the storm that threatened to engulf them.
As he gazed into the abyss of the unknown, Li Chen steeled himself for the challenges that awaited, unsure of the extent of sacrifices and hardships that would accompany their pursuit of truth and justice.
