Half an hour later, Li Yuan's study.
Li Zishen held the phone tightly, hesitant, wondering whether he should make this call.
Finally, he fought.
So what if Leng Lingxiao is by his side? Who was he, Li Zishen, afraid of? What's more, nothing is as important as Tang Xiaowan's safety.
"Xiaowan, it's me, Zishen."
A familiar voice came from the other end of the phone.
"Yeah, I know. Is something wrong?"
However, Li Zishen didn't know that at this moment, Tang Xiaowan was sitting on the roof answering the phone.
Ever since she was a child, whenever she encountered something she couldn't figure out, she liked to climb high and look far away. She always felt that by looking at it, she would understand the truth.
"You applied for self-study. How do you feel about it? Are you used to it?" Li Zishen said softly.
It spread so quickly, everyone already knew it.
Tang Xiaowan bit her lip lightly and replied with a smile: "Well, it's good. Is there something wrong when you call me so late?"
This means getting to the point directly, not wanting to talk about personal issues, let alone reminiscing about the past.
Li Zishen naturally understood, so after taking a look at the little pig wood carving, he said seriously: "I just got the news that Du Jiahao is a member of Shishi, which has members all over the world..."
"I know, I was the one who let him go."
"Xiao Wan, what did you say? Did you release Du Jiahao? When did you release it? Yesterday?"
"Well, it's about eleven o'clock at night."
Only then did Li Zishen realize that he had been deceived by electronic music and that Du Jiahao was not dead at all.
"Why?"
"Sorry, it's inconvenient to say. Is there nothing else? Then hang up first."
"Wait a minute, Xiaowan, are you unwilling to go to school... to avoid me? Do you know that I am worried about you, how..."
"Sorry, it's late, bye."
Tang Xiaowan knew nothing about what happened in the Li family these days, so she couldn't understand how worried Li Zishen was about her at the moment.
She is a person with a strong sense of boundaries.
If Li Zishen didn't have any admiration for her, he might still be able to become friends, but unfortunately he couldn't. He had always cared beyond the bounds.
So, she had no choice but to stay away.
…
Just when Li Zishen was still wondering whether Tang Xiaowan was worried or unhappy, there was a sudden knock on the study door.
It was Mother Chen, looking very panicked.
"Master, there seems to be something wrong with Madam. Please go and take a look."
"Is it time to take medicine, where is Mother Wu?"
"I don't know, I haven't seen anyone."
When Li Zishen heard this, he quickly quickened his pace and finally started running.
On the third floor, in the master bedroom, Mrs. Li was seen holding a wooden box and mumbling to herself. There were beads of sweat on her forehead, and her eyes were dull, as if she was fascinated by something.
"Mom, what's wrong with you?" Li Zishen stepped forward and asked with concern.
"Son, you're here." Mrs. Li smiled slightly and hugged the wooden box tighter.
Li Zishen noticed the pattern on the wooden box and found it very familiar. He pondered for a moment and suddenly remembered that the pattern was exactly the same as a painting his father Li Zhenshan had painted before his death.
Lotus leaves, carps, and lotus flowers.
"Mom, are you having nightmares again?" Li Zishen asked softly.
Mrs. Li nodded, her eyes flickering: "I...I dreamed of your father. He was very angry, very angry."
"It's okay, it's just a dream."
"I remember this box, I remember it." Mrs. Li's voice became choked. "She said that she made it herself during the holidays. It is very important."
"Mom, I know that box is not lost. It is in my study." Li Zishen comforted, "Don't worry, I will take good care of it."
"No, it's not that one, it's this one." Mrs. Li pointed to the wooden box in her arms, "This is the box I've seen before. This one is, that one is not, that one is fake."
Li Zi looked at her mother in deep confusion, not knowing how to answer.
Is the one in the study a fake?
At this moment, Mother Chen hurried in, holding a glass in her hand.
"Master, would you like to give your wife some medicine?"
Li Zishen nodded, looked at Chen's mother and asked, "What's going on with this box? Why is it in my mother's hands? Who gave it to her?"
"I don't know. Madam suddenly said she wanted to go back to Bieyuan and no longer live in Liyuan."
"Where's Mother Wu? She hasn't been found yet?"
"No."
Just when Li Zishen was about to open the medicine bottle, Mrs. Li suddenly burst into tears.
"Xiao Dan, Xiao Dan, where are you?"
In panic, she opened the wooden box and saw two small wooden dolls lying inside.
A boy and a girl.
The little boy's base is engraved with the word Zi Shen, while the little girl's bottom is engraved with Zi Han.
"It's me, Zi Shen, why is there Zi Han?"
"Is this a relic left by Yi Xiaodan? When I was a kid... I always heard my dad say that he lost two little dolls. So that's what he was referring to, right?"
"She also gave my brother's name?"
Perhaps because Li Zishen's voice was too loud, Mrs. Li seemed to be frightened and became very quiet.
At this moment, Wu Ma suddenly appeared.
"The jewelry box is mine, mine!"
As Wu Ma said that, she forcibly took the wooden box from Mrs. Li's arms.
This operation immediately stunned Chen Ma.
How brave are you to rob?
Immediately, Li Zishen winked at Chen's mother, and then sat on the sofa.
"Wu Ma, where did you go just now?"
"Someone called and said... there was a burglar in my room, so I went back to take a look."
Li Zi raised his eyebrows and said, "Bie Yuan?"
"Yes, but I haven't lost anything."
After saying this, Wu Ma suddenly lowered her head, not daring to look directly into Li Zishen's eyes.
He just glanced at Mrs. Li secretly.
Seeing Mrs. Li's dazed state, Wu Ma felt particularly guilty and remorseful, even though she had been helped to rest on the big bed by Chen Ma.
At this moment, I am preparing to take tranquilizer.
"Is this box... yours?" Li Zishen's eyes were blazing, with a bit of doubt.
"Yes, yes...it's mine."
"Wu Ma, you have been coming to the Li family for many years? You came here when my grandfather was not married and had children, right?"
"I'm sorry, young master, I...actually, I, this, actually this wooden box was picked up by me, yes, I picked it up, not stolen."
"You didn't say hello and rushed back to the garden just to find it, right?"
Upon hearing this, Wu Ma immediately panicked.
When she received the call, she was so anxious that she forgot to tell others.
But she didn't understand why the wooden box appeared in Liyuan when it was clearly locked in her closet and at the old house.
Why did it end up in Madam's hands?
Could it be that Madam has known for a long time that I have secretly hidden Miss Yi's belongings?
Did Madam ask someone to bring it over?
"Wu Ma? Tell me quickly, is that true?"
"Yes, no, no."
"Then you brought it here, from Bieyuan?"
"No, no, there's no way I could have brought it here, no way, not me."
Obviously, Wu Ma’s first words don’t match the last words.
Li Zi saw her gray hair on the temples and didn't want to embarrass her too much. After all, she has done her best in taking care of her mother, Mrs. Li, and her brother, Li Zihan, over the past few decades.
"Wu Ma, can you give it to me? Other things... you can think about it carefully."
So, Wu Ma carefully handed the wooden box into Li Zishen's hands. Her eyes were red and tears were shining, as if she was a little reluctant to let go.
(End of chapter)
