Chapter 5 First Encounter

A cloth bag approximately 25 centimeters long and 15 centimeters wide was retrieved.

It was entirely white, very simple in design.

However, the ornament sewn on it was quite peculiar, a peony flower half white and half green, made of jade material, about 3 centimeters in diameter.

"What is this?"

"What you've been looking for."

Tang Xiaowan: "..."

She had come to the study indeed to search for something, and her claim of wanting to have crucian carp soup was indeed just a pretense, otherwise, it would have been difficult to distract Li Zishen.

But how did he know?

Was she already exposed before she could even take action?

Tang Xiaowan blushed, biting her lip as she accepted it.

She feigned composure as she untied the cotton strip used to cinch the bag.

"Strange, this isn't right!"

Li Zishen was startled, his eyebrows tightly furrowed as he asked, "Is something missing?"

"Oh, no, nothing's the matter."

All of the contents spilled out onto the table.

They were, respectively, an identification card, a passport, a driver's license, and 24 photos of a man and woman at different places and in all four seasons.

Tang Xiaowan flipped through the documents thoroughly.

So I'm not 18, I'm already 20!

But what's with these photos, could it be that we are truly lovers?

Well, at least there's none with hugging or holding!

Tang Xiaowan coughed lightly and lifted her head high: "How come these documents are with you? And these messy photos, did I agree to take them?"

"You mailed them to me a while ago, and Chen Xin took the photos. Since we met, we took one every fortnight, and I have a similar set."

"I mailed them to you?"

"Yes, and you specifically asked to keep it confidential."

"Confidential? Why?"

"I'm not sure, you didn't say."

The man's gaze was steadfast, his tone sincere; he surely didn't seem like he was lying.

Tang Xiaowan chose to believe and put the items back into the cloth bag, then clutched it tightly in her arms as if she feared they would be taken away again.

Li Zishen's lips curved slightly as he picked up the bucket.

Tang Xiaowan glanced at the small crucian carp and tentatively asked, "Since you say we're boyfriend and girlfriend, you should know me quite well. So tell me, am I really an orphan?"

Hearing this, Li Zishen put the bucket back, then looked at Tang Xiaowan with an extremely gentle gaze: "Having me is enough for you."

"You? Stop joking. I'm talking about blood relatives! At best, you're... a lifesaver. Now tell me, where's my family? Didn't you have someone check? Where are they?"

Li Zishen's eyes shifted, his inscrutable expression driving Tang Xiaowan crazy.

She had a very bad premonition.

"Come on, tell me, is it true?"

"Xiao Wan, you... you are indeed an orphan, adopted by Grandma Tang."

"I still have a grandma? Where is she?"

"She passed away a month ago."

His words struck her like a bolt from the blue.

While Li Zishen had given her hope, he also thrust her into an endless abyss.

Quickly, her eyes filled with tears.

"So what she said... it was all true, she didn't deceive me, it was all real."

"Who? What did they say?"

Tang Xiaowan shook her head, not answering.

Her mind was consumed with the problem of her grandmother's death.

"Was grandma assassinated?"

Li Zishen stared at Tang Xiaowan steadily, cautiously responding, "No, it was a car accident."

"A car accident? What happened?"

"Last month on the 15th, your grandma was driving back to Mei Garden. As she was passing Qingshui Bridge, the brakes suddenly failed, the water was too rapid, and by the time rescue services found her..."

"The 15th, do you remember the time so clearly?"

"Because I was also in Qingcheng that day, I was on my way to Nanshan when I suddenly received a message... saying your grandma had an accident."

"You were in Qingcheng too, what a coincidence?"

Tang Xiaowan kept talking as she stepped back, unable to stop shivering, tears filling her frightened eyes.

The events of the past few days suddenly flooded into her mind.

Li Zishen pulled her into his arms, soothing her, "Xiao Wan, it's not what you think."

"Let go of me, don't touch me! You're terrifying, not only keeping me captive but also forbidding people here from talking to me. You're afraid your conspiracy will be exposed, aren't you? What exactly are you plotting?"

"It's not like that, Xiao Wan! Listen to me, I went to Qingcheng that day because I couldn't stand seeing you only twice a month, I wanted to have a good talk with grandma, to ask her why she was restricting your freedom, and also to tell her, I love you, I want to marry you."

"Nonsense, you're clearly the one restricting my freedom, not allowing me to go out, not letting me leave."

"I am protecting you."

"Liar, you're nothing but a big liar, deceiving me from start to finish."

At this point, Tang Xiaowan had completely lost her reason, not listening to any persuasion, hitting and kicking at Li Zishen as if she'd gone mad.

Suddenly, she was struck hard.

Li Zishen immediately picked her up and walked out of the study, thinking that he must quickly uncover the truth, what had caused her memory loss.

"Brother Shen, Lady Tang is..."

"Contact William right away."

"Mr. Li's secretary has already called, arriving at Golden City Airport at twelve noon."

"Head there early, don't miss the time."

"It's already arranged."

"Immediately notify Fang Yun to bring..."

He stopped mid-sentence, looked at Tang Xiaowan in his arms, her complexion rosy, seemingly without any serious problems.

"Forget it, there's no need, send Xiao Wan's fish to the kitchen, leave it there untouched."

Chen Xin nodded, "Understood."

...

Two hours later, in the main bedroom on the second floor.

Tang Xiaowan slept soundly.

Li Zishen watched over her quietly, his thoughts drifting to the scene of their first meeting.

Last June, Li Zishen went to Qingcheng on business. While he was on the phone, three thugs approached him, each with a grim face and a knife in hand.

"Bad luck running into us, eh!"

The knife blades flickered as they spoke arrogantly, and the leader had a murderous look in his eyes.

Li Zishen: "?"

It seems uncle still refuses to see sense!

Well, alright, since Chen Xin isn't around, it's time for some exercise.

Li Zishen had just loosened his tie, preparing to teach those three a lesson, when Tang Xiaowan suddenly rushed over, delivering several kicks.

"Scram! Don't let me see you again. If I do, I'll beat you every time."

Tang Xiaowan's movements were quick and decisive, her words ringing with force. The thugs didn't even bother to pick up their knives, fleeing in haste.

One of them even lost a tooth.

She can fight in a dress?

Li Zishen couldn't help but be surprised; he'd never seen such a cute and brave girl before. Her smile was so bright, like the sun.

"Hello, beauty, how may I address you?"

"Just lifting a finger, not worth mentioning."

Li Zishen's thin lips curled slightly, "Pleased to meet you. Let me introduce myself, I'm Li..."

"No introduction needed, not necessary."

"Oh, then may I... come to visit?"

Upon hearing this, Tang Xiaowan's brows furrowed slightly.

"No need, it was a mere trifle. I have to go now, no plans for a future meeting."

Li Zishen panicked, shouting loudly, "My name is Li Zishen, I live in East Suburb Li Garden, 'Zi' as in midnight, 'Shen' as in depth of shallow."

Following that, he pressed the camera button.

Unfortunately, Tang Xiaowan ran too fast, and all he captured was a distant figure from behind.