Chapter 684: Reunion (Part 2)

"No!" Yun Che shook his head emphatically. Looking into Xiao Lie's cloudy eyes, he urgently asked, "Grandpa, do you remember the 'Illusory Demon Realm' I mentioned to you after rescuing you and Little Aunt from the Burning Heaven Clan?"

"I remember," Xiao Lie said, gently closing his eyes. "That's a very distant... an incredibly distant place."

"I told you back then that my birth parents were from the Illusory Demon Realm. They weren't caught by those villains and eventually returned safely to the Illusory Demon Realm. Your biological grandson must have gone there safely with them too. And I also promised you that one day I would find a way to go to the Illusory Demon Realm so you could reunite with your biological grandson. Grandpa, do you know where I was taken by the Primordial Profound Ark during the three years I was missing?"

Xiao Lie remained silent.

"It was the Illusory Demon Realm!" Yun Che declared loudly. "This must be heaven's will. Not long after I arrived there, I found my birth parents!"

Yun Che's words caused Xiao Lie's frail body to tremble violently, and a strange light flickered in his cloudy, dull eyes. "Che'er... what you're saying... what you're saying... is it true!!"

Back then, his grandson had gone with Yun Che's birth parents! If Yun Che had found his birth parents, then the child who was with them, his biological grandson...

"Ah!" Xiao Lingxi gasped, immediately covering her mouth with both hands.

"Absolutely true! Even if I were to suffer a thousand cuts, I would never deceive you, Grandpa!" Yun Che said with unwavering determination. "Not only did I find my parents, but also..."

Xiao Lie's body trembled violently again at this moment. His hands began to shake uncontrollably, and his legs, which had struggled to stand, slowly and shakily rose amidst his body's trembling... Yun Che looked up in surprise, seeing Xiao Lie's gaze fixed directly behind him.

At the courtyard entrance stood Xiao Yun, who had just arrived with Seventh Sister and was nervously hesitating whether to enter.

"Father!" Xiao Lingxi quickly stepped forward to support Xiao Lie, who had suddenly stood up. Yun Che also quickly rose and helped him from his other side. He hadn't yet mentioned finding Xiao Yun in the Illusory Demon Realm, nor that he had brought him back, but Xiao Lie's gaze towards Xiao Yun, and his sudden rush of emotion... Could there truly be such a thing as "bloodline connection" in this world?

"Child..." Xiao Lie slowly raised his arm in Xiao Yun's direction, his voice trembling, his eyes misty with tears. "What... what is your name?"

"I..." Xiao Yun, still stunned, pointed to himself. "I... My name is Xiao Yun."

"Xiao Yun... Xiao... Yun..." Xiao Lie repeated the name, his voice trembling, nodding slowly and heavily. "Good... good... Born of the Xiao family, raised by the Yun family, a good name..."

"Father, what are you saying?" Xiao Lingxi's beautiful eyes widened as she looked at Xiao Yun, and a growing tremor of understanding began in her gaze. "Could he... could he be..."

Xiao Lie, trembling, took a difficult step forward, his hoarse voice filled with profound sorrow and emotion. "You and your father... when they were young... looked almost exactly alike..."

"Ah!" Xiao Lingxi let out a soft cry, stunned. Yun Che immediately understood. No wonder Grandpa became so agitated upon seeing Xiao Yun, even before he was introduced. And no wonder Father had said that Grandpa would definitely recognize Xiao Yun. It turned out Xiao Yun looked exactly like his father when he was young... After all, Xiao Ying and Xiao Yun were biological father and son.

"You are... my grandpa?" Xiao Yun looked at the old man before him, whose face was streaked with tears. A bitter ache gathered uncontrollably in his nose and heart.

The scene from years ago reappeared in Xiao Lie's mind, making his voice filled with sorrow. "Back then, before your father entrusted you to your adoptive father, your mother, hoping to find you again someday, carved the character 'An' on your left arm... After your birth, your mother named you Xiao An. That character 'An' marked on your left arm was not only your name but also your parents' hope that you would safely escape the calamity with your adoptive parents and that there would be a day for reunion."

Xiao Yun stared blankly for a long time. Then, slowly, he pulled up the sleeve of his left arm. Just above his forearm, the small, elegant character 'An' was clearly etched.

The exact resemblance to Xiao Ying when he was young, combined with the character 'An' on his arm... Everything was proven without need for Yun Che's explanation.

"Grandpa," Yun Che said with a smile, "I didn't lie to you back then, did I? I knew you two, grandfather and grandson, would have a day of reunion. Xiao Yun... he is your grandson."

Xiao Yun tried to suppress the uncontrollable stirrings in his heart. He quickly stepped forward and knelt heavily before Xiao Lie. "Your grandson, Xiao Yun, greets Grandpa... Your grandson is unfilial; for over twenty years since my birth, I haven't been able to show you any filial piety, and I've let you bear so much worry alone."

Xiao Yun's words caused the tears Xiao Lie had been holding back to finally stream down... He had fantasized countless times about the scene of reuniting with his grandson. But back then, he had been personally sent from a place of peace into misfortune. Even if he were alive, Xiao Lie hadn't fulfilled any parental responsibility towards him over the years. Even if they truly reunited... if Xiao Yun knew what happened, it would be understandable for him to hate, blame, or ignore him.

But Xiao Yun showed no hatred or resentment; instead, he knelt before him, calling himself "unfilial." This was all so beautiful, like the most extravagant gift from heaven. Xiao Lie reached out, using all his strength to support Xiao Yun's arms, touching the blood relative he had thought lost forever, whom he had only dared to wish for in dreams. "My good child... How could you be unfilial... Your safe existence is filial piety, your willingness to return is filial piety. I have wronged you your entire life, yet you are still willing to call me Grandpa—this is the greatest filial piety! It has always been Grandpa who wronged you!"

"Grandpa, please don't say that," Xiao Yun said, his eyes blurry with tears. "Big Brother has already told me everything about what happened back then. Father and Grandpa are both incredibly righteous and great people. It's my good fortune and pride to have such a father and grandfather, and I've never blamed either of you in the slightest. Moreover, during my twenty-plus years in the Illusory Demon Realm, my parents treated me as their own. I've lived very well, better than anyone, and haven't suffered any grievances. On the contrary, it is you, Grandpa, who has suffered so much."

"To see you grow up safely and become such a kind and sensible person, even if I had to suffer a hundred or a thousand times more, I would have no complaints. Good child... Get up, quickly get up." Xiao Lie, his arms trembling, tried to help Xiao Yun to his feet, his entire face drenched with tears of excitement.

Yun Che's eyes were slightly moist. He had finally fulfilled one of Grandpa's deepest wishes. He gently said, "Grandpa, Xiao Yun didn't come back alone this time. Before returning, he had already started a family and career. Not only was he crowned king over tens of thousands of people in the Illusory Demon Realm, but he also married a princess from a top clan."

Before Yun Che's voice faded, Seventh Sister knelt beside Xiao Yun, shoulder to shoulder. "Your granddaughter-in-law, Little Seven, greets Grandpa."

"Good... good..." Everything was too good to be true, and the surprises came one after another, leaving him somewhat overwhelmed. At this moment, his face and eyes held only excitement, joy, endless satisfaction, and overflowing tears, with no trace of gloom or desolation remaining.

"Xiao Yun, Seventh Sister, quickly come and help Grandpa." Yun Che said with a smile, "You reunited as a family and must have countless things to say. Grandpa is frail now and can't stand for long. Help him to the inner room."

"Okay!" Xiao Yun quickly wiped away his tears. He and Seventh Sister, one on each side, took Xiao Lie's arms and slowly helped him walk towards the inner room. Xiao Lie's steps were careful and slow, his face smiling through his tears... That deep sense of contentment and happiness emanated from his soul.

Yun Che and Xiao Lingxi did not follow them inside. Xiao Lingxi tightly clutched Yun Che's lapel, her eyes misty with excitement. She whispered, "This is wonderful... I've never seen Father so excited, so joyful. This is wonderful... truly wonderful..."

"He's Big Brother's biological son, and my own nephew... Our family actually had a day of reunion." Xiao Lingxi murmured as if in a dream. "Everything feels just like a dream."

"That's right, Xiao Yun is the one who should properly call you Little Aunt," Yun Che said, looking at Xiao Lingxi's flushed cheeks with a serious expression. "As for me, we have no blood relation whatsoever. You're even a year younger than me. Normally, I should call you Sister Lingxi, but I've been calling you Little Aunt all these years for nothing. What a loss!"

"Lingxi... Sister!?" Xiao Lingxi pinched Yun Che's arm instantly, scolding him playfully, "Is 'Sister Lingxi' what you call me?! I'm your Little Aunt... always will be! How dare you be so disrespectful in front of your Little Aunt!"

"Ow, ow, ow..." Yun Che exaggeratedly cried out in pain, his face full of grievance. "You clearly know we have no blood relation at all... not even a tiny bit."

"My father is your Grandpa, so I'm still your elder! You even said Xiao Yun is your sworn brother, but I'm Xiao Yun's Little Aunt, so of course you should still call me Little Aunt!" Stating her perfectly valid reasons, Xiao Lingxi's face broke into a triumphant grin. "So, don't think that just because my biological nephew is back, you can be disrespectful in front of Little Aunt from now on. And calling me Sister Lingxi, hmph."

"Well..." Yun Che gazed intently at Xiao Lingxi's every expression, a hint of mischievousness in his smile. "Has Little Aunt forgotten? In front of Little Aunt, my specialty is being disrespectful!"

Xiao Lingxi's slender body was suddenly embraced by Yun Che, both forcefully and gently. Before she could react, Yun Che heavily kissed her soft lips, and her nascent cry of surprise was completely swallowed by his breath.

"Mmm..." Xiao Lingxi's beautiful eyes widened, a muffled sound escaping her. Her hands pushed against Yun Che's chest as she instinctively struggled. In the past, when Yun Che had stolen a kiss, he would immediately flee far away after succeeding. But this time, he didn't escape; instead, he forcefully prevented her from escaping, passionately and freely seizing the fragrant sweetness from her lips amidst her struggles.

Slowly, Xiao Lingxi's struggles grew weaker. Her arms, which had been pressing against his chest, lost their strength and gently fell, then subtly rose again to timidly embrace him. Her delicate neck also tilted slightly back, and in a hazy daze, she began to respond actively, seemingly having forgotten that Xiao Lie and Xiao Yun were in the room just a few meters away, potentially seeing them at any moment. A blush quietly spread across her fair face, making her body gradually warm, melting the maiden's shyness and timidity.

After a long time, their lips finally parted. Xiao Lingxi lay lightly panting in Yun Che's embrace, her eyelashes trembling slightly, her pretty face flushed like a cherry blossom, her eyes hazy and mist-like, as if she hadn't fully awakened from the moment. Yun Che lowered his gaze and softly called, "Little Aunt..."

"Don't speak..." Xiao Lingxi pressed her head more firmly against his chest, her arms holding him closer. "Just... hold me for a little while..."

"Mm..." Yun Che said nothing more. They held each other in silence, feeling each other's breath and presence, wishing that time could stand still at this moment forever.