Chapter 250 – Strikingly Similar
This was an old black-and-white photograph from over twenty years ago, making the person in the picture appear somewhat blurry. However, even so, Cookie immediately found this photo very familiar. As he saw the photo, Chen Li’s face instinctively flashed through Cookie’s mind.
The resemblance was just too uncanny!
Why did his uncle look so much like Chen Li?
“Yeah, every year before we come here, someone sends a bouquet of flowers for Ranran,” Mr. Qu placed the flowers he was holding on the tombstone, answering Cookie’s question. “I think the person sending these flowers must have been very important in Ranran’s life.”
“Look at Ranran’s photo, he’s smiling,” Mr. Qu sighed and continued, “Ranran had autism from a young age, very wary of everyone, and only slightly relaxed in front of family. In my memory, Ranran rarely smiled, but in this photo, not only is he smiling, but his eyes show no signs of vigilance; he’s completely at ease.”
“Yeah,” Cookie earnestly stared at the photo of Ranran for a while. Indeed, if not for Grandpa’s explanation, he wouldn’t have recognized that the person in the photo had autism.
However, Cookie realized a connection: his uncle had autism, Chen Li also had autism, and they looked so much alike. Was it possible that Chen Li was his uncle’s child, left behind? And the person who made his uncle so relaxed in the photo was the one who rescued and took care of him after he went missing.
Cookie speculated internally, but he didn’t voice this out. After all, Grandpa was getting older and had already suffered the pain of losing loved ones twice. Until things were completely certain, Cookie didn’t want to give Grandpa any false hope.
What if…? What if these were all coincidences? Could Grandpa bear such a huge contrast if it turned out to be so?
Moreover, there were too many unanswered questions. If Chen Li was his uncle’s child, why was he in the Chen family? How did he end up marrying Wei Chen?
Until these questions had definite answers, Cookie wouldn’t tell Grandpa about the possibility of Chen Li being his uncle’s child.
“Xiao Qi, come up and say hello to your uncle, let him get to know you,” Mr. Qu’s expression was composed, but his gaze remained fixed on the photo on the tombstone, filled with nostalgia and reluctance.
The elderly man devoted his entire life to the nation. In his forties, after the country stabilized, he got married and had a son and a daughter. However, in the end, he experienced the sorrow of losing both of his children, one after the other, which was an immense blow to the old man.
When he learned about the passing of Qu Ran, the old man couldn’t openly express his grief. During that time, he was steering the country, always on the move around the world, and he had to present the best image to the world.
Throughout his life, he sacrificed his personal life for the greater good, leaving his own family fragmented. However, he held no grievances.
Yet, standing before his son’s tombstone, tears still welled up in the old man’s eyes.
Cookie stood at the tombstone and said, “Uncle, I am Sheng Qi, your nephew. I’ve come to visit you.” Unconsciously, Cookie felt a tinge in his nose, for the uncle he had never met in his memory and, even more, for his Grandpa.
He understood why Grandpa chose to retire and settle in Shanghai; it was because his son was buried here. Here, Grandpa could be with his son in a different way, even though in Shanghai, he was alone and felt deeply lonely.
Because of this, neither Cookie nor the Sheng family ever persuaded Grandpa to return to Beijing, but they would frequently visit Shanghai to keep him company.
This time, when Cookie came down, it coincided with Qu Ran’s death anniversary, so he came with Grandpa to pay respects.
“Grandpa, shall we go back?” After paying respects to his uncle, Cookie asked.
“Let me stay a little longer,” Mr. Qu said, his gaze fixed on the picture of Qu Ran.
Cookie remained silent, standing peacefully beside Mr. Qu, sharing in the feeling of Qu Ran’s presence.
*
As night fell, a plane from Shanghai landed at the Beijing Airport. Chen Yunlan, now wearing clean clothes, disembarked from this flight.
As he exited the airport, he called Zhuge Yu.
“Zhuge Yu, I’ve arrived. I’ll be at Q University in a little over half an hour.”
“Alright, I’ll wait for you.” Zhuge Yu was indeed waiting at Q University for Chen Yunlan. He was still in a state of shock; how could Chen Li be the son of this despicable Chen Yunlan?
This world was simply too surreal!
Forty minutes later, Chen Yunlan arrived at Q University by taxi. He easily found Zhuge Yu’s office. Zhuge Yu was sitting by the bed, the ashtray on the desk already filled with several cigarette butts. It seemed that while waiting for Chen Yunlan, Zhuge Yu had smoked quite a few cigarettes, filling the room with smoke.
Chen Yunlan knocked on the door. Zhuge Yu glanced over, his expression complex. “You’re here.”
Chen Yunlan walked over to Zhuge Yu and opened the window, letting in the fresh air outside. “You still have this habit. Whenever you’re thinking, you like to smoke as much as you want.”
In theory, Chen Yunlan and Zhuge Yu had a senior-junior relationship as their masters were brothers. At the time, their relationship could be said to be the best among the senior-junior connections. However, Chen Yunlan and Master Sun severed their master-disciple relationship, breaking their friendship.
“You still remember,” Zhuge Yu sneered at Chen Yunlan with a sour tone.
Chen Yunlan didn’t engage in anything else with Zhuge Yu and directly cut to the chase, “I came here today to talk to you about Chen Li.”
“What’s this about?” Zhuge Yu raised an eyebrow, giving a mocking smile. “For over twenty years, no care or concern, and now, why this sudden change, Chen Yunlan?” He opened his mouth and seemed at a loss for words. The light in his eyes suddenly dimmed.
Indeed, for over twenty years, he hadn’t inquired about this son. What qualification did he now have to learn about his son’s past?
Seeing the change in Chen Yunlan’s expression, Zhuge Yu was somewhat surprised. He had thought Chen Yunlan would argue with him, but Chen Yunlan didn’t. Instead, Chen Yunlan seemed like a person who had finally glimpsed hope, only for it to be shattered by a few words, causing their heart to die again.
Suddenly, Zhuge Yu softened a bit. After mumbling for a while, he then bellowed, “I know you must have your reasons, but don’t act pitiful. Just because you act pitiful doesn’t mean I’ll tell you what I know!”
“In that case, I’ll go.” Chen Yunlan stood up, preparing to leave.
Zhuge Yu panicked and quickly pulled Chen Yunlan back. “Why are you in such a hurry! Someone else hasn’t arrived yet. When that person comes, I’ll let them tell you about Chen Li’s past. I think nobody else is more qualified than him to tell you about Chen Li’s matters.”
As Zhuge Yu finished speaking, another knock sounded at the door. Both Zhuge Yu and Chen Yunlan turned their heads, and there stood Wei Chen.
“Wei Chen, you’re here,” Zhuge Yu said, motioning for Wei Chen to come in.
Instantly, in Chen Yunlan’s mind surfaced the memories from the day at the hotel. The person who was with Chen Li that day at the hotel was this cold, reserved young man. Thoughts about Wei Chen’s identity began to take shape in Chen Yunlan’s mind.
Wei Chen received a call from Zhuge Yu half an hour earlier, asking him to come to Q University in half an hour, emphasizing not to bring Chen Li along.
Baffled but recognizing the seriousness in Zhuge Yu’s tone, Wei Chen agreed. He brought Chen Li to Q University, but before coming to Zhuge Yu’s office, he took Chen Li to Lan Xiping’s dorm.
“Wei Chen, let me introduce you to someone,” Zhuge Yu pulled Wei Chen over and said, “This is Chen Yunlan.”
Wei Chen nodded at Chen Yunlan, guessing Zhuge Yu’s purpose in bringing him to meet Chen Yunlan.
“Hello,” Chen Yunlan looked Wei Chen up and down for a while before reaching out his hand, “I am Chen Yunlan.”
“Wei Chen,” Wei Chen said indifferently, lightly shaking Chen Yunlan’s hand.
“Wei Chen, let me tell you something, please don’t be shocked,” Zhuge Yu gestured for everyone to sit, carefully choosing his words before finally saying, “This Mr. Chen Yunlan claims to be Chen Li’s father.”
Wei Chen didn’t show a shocked expression, just gave Chen Yunlan a cold look, “So what?”
“I want to know what happened to Chen Li in the past,” Chen Yunlan didn’t let Zhuge Yu speak, he said eagerly, locking eyes with Wei Chen.
“Why should I believe you? Hasn’t the Chen family already caused enough harm to Li Li?” Wei Chen looked coldly at Chen Yunlan.
Chen Yunlan looked at Wei Chen in astonishment and then rose from the table excitedly, “Harm? What happened to Li Li in the Chen family?” His angry expression seemed genuine.
Wei Chen, however, ignored Chen Yunlan’s excitement and anger, standing up and leaving.
At this critical juncture, Wei Chen wouldn’t trust any member of the Chen family. Who knows if the Chen family found another way to get close to Chen Li?
He couldn’t leave any chance for the Chen family to harm Chen Li.
Chen Yunlan watched Wei Chen leave with a sense of loss but suddenly felt a surge of anger. What had the Chen family done to his son?
Zhuge Yu, seeing Chen Yunlan lost and distraught, ultimately softened. He got up and followed after Wei Chen.
“Wei Chen, please wait,” Zhuge Yu called out to Wei Chen downstairs in the office.
Wei Chen stopped and looked at Zhuge Yu.
“Wei Chen, what has the Chen family done to Xiao Li this time?” Zhuge Yu asked.
Wei Chen hadn’t mentioned to Zhuge Yu the current situation surrounding Chen Li. Zhuge Yu knew that things had happened to Chen Li recently but was unaware that these events were caused by the Chen family.
Wei Chen had no intention of answering, but upon seeing Chen Yunlan in the corner, after a moment of silence, he said, “Chen Yunsheng’s daughter has a heart condition. They want Li Li’s heart.”
Thanks for the update!!