After dinner, Lü Zhigang took Third Grandpa and Little Zhu to watch the performance. He couldn't understand why Zhou Huai'an and Lin Xiaoxiao had refused to go—after all, Li Yinping was attractive and sang beautifully.

Besides, the song and dance troupe always put on a good show. Their absence was their own loss.

Lin Xiaoxiao walked behind Zhou Huai'an with her hands clasped behind her back, watching his firm, confident stride and broad shoulders with a gleam in her eyes. She was already imagining various ways to "tackle" him.

She even pictured Zhou Huai'an looking shy and embarrassed, which made her giggle out loud.

The thought of such a strong, stern man acting bashful was somehow both amusing and slightly terrifying.

Hearing her laugh, Zhou Huai'an glanced back. Having commanded troops for years, he could usually read people easily.

But Lin Xiaoxiao was the one person he simply couldn't figure out....Back at the guesthouse, Zhou Xiaoling returned to her room after saying goodbye to Lin Xiaoxiao. She kept turning things over in her mind and eventually decided to tell her mother about Zhou Huai'an's resemblance to her second brother.

Her reasoning was simple: if her mother saw Zhou Huai'an, perhaps some of her grief for her second son could be redirected, and she might finally begin to emerge from the deep sorrow that had consumed her daily life.

A woman of action, Zhou Xiaoling hurried down to the front desk to borrow the phone and call home.

At first, the staff hesitated to lend her the phone, but when they heard she was calling Beijing, they immediately handed over the key.

Anyone with a home phone in Beijing had to be from an important family.

The call sent the Zhou household into a stir. For the past three years, Zhou Xiaocheng's name had been a forbidden subject. Now, a thousand miles away, someone who looked just like him had appeared.

They knew it couldn't actually be him, but the chance to see someone similar felt irresistible.

Li Yunlan had been living in a daze since her son's death. After receiving her youngest daughter's call, she stared at her husband Zhou Zhennan in disbelief. "Is it true? Someone who looks exactly like our Xiaocheng? I have to see him."

Zhou Zhennan remained more cautious. "No matter how similar, it won't be him. There are plenty of people who look alike in this world."

But Li Yunlan was insistent. "I want to go. I miss Xiaocheng so much, Zhennan. I really do. If I had known this would happen, I would never have let him join the army."

"Xiaocheng was such a bright boy—reciting poems at three, bringing me water when I wasn't feeling well, always hugging me before he left."

"For three years, I've tried every day to forget, but the memories only grow clearer. Zhennan, I need to go. I know it's not him, but I just want to see. Even if he only resembles Xiaocheng a little, I need to see it."

She grew more agitated. "Zhennan, I'm not sick, I just... I miss Xiaocheng too much..."

Zhou Zhennan's eyes reddened as well. He held her arm. "Please, don't get worked up. Let's wait until Xiaoming returns so we can discuss this, alright?"

Li Yunlan shook her head. "No. I'm going tomorrow. Pull some strings and get me a plane ticket, please? I want to fly."

Zhou Zhennan frowned. "But you've always been afraid of flying."

Li Yunlan was growing impatient, her emotions nearing a breaking point. "I'm not afraid. I need to go."

Zhou Zhennan still felt it was too rash. Their youngest daughter, Zhou Xiaoling, had always been impulsive. They couldn't just drop everything because of one phone call and travel so far to see a stranger.

With their eldest son Zhou Xiaoming away, there was no one to discuss it with.

But if he refused, Li Yunlan would make life unbearable. Reluctantly, he called their elder daughter, Zhou Xiaohong, to come home.

Zhou Xiaohong was equally surprised. "Xiaoling really said he looks like Second Brother?"

Li Yunlan wiped her tears. "Yes. She said except for the demeanor, his eyes and brows are exactly the same."

Zhou Xiaohong, gentle and calm by nature, was as level-headed as her father. "Mom, even if he looks like him, he isn't Second Brother. Wouldn't we be intruding if we just showed up?"

Li Yunlan stood firm. "I'm going! I just want one look. You all have no heart."

Zhou Xiaohong sighed and glanced at her father. If they didn't let her mother go, they would be labeled heartless. "Dad, maybe I can take time off and go with Mom."

Zhou Zhennan frowned. "Can't we wait? Your brother will be back in a few days."

Li Yunlan suddenly lost her temper. "Zhou Zhennan, if you won't get me a plane ticket, I'll walk there. I'll leave right now."

Zhou Zhennan had no choice. Although retired, he had been rehired as an instructor at a military academy and couldn't leave easily. He finally agreed to let Zhou Xiaohong accompany her. "If you can get leave, go with your mother. You can look, but remember—do not disturb their lives."

Zhou Xiaohong nodded. "Don't worry, Dad. I'll take good care of Mom."

Seeing that Zhou Zhennan had agreed, Li Yunlan quickly went to her room to pack.............Back in their guestroom, Lin Xiaoxiao suddenly thought of Zhou Xiaoling again. She looked at Zhou Huai'an, who acted as though nothing had happened, and couldn't resist asking, "Aren't you even a little curious?"

Zhou Huai'an shook his head. "No. I'm used to how things are."

But Lin Xiaoxiao felt differently. "If it's true, then that Zhou Xiaoming stole the life that should have been yours and now wants to destroy you. How can we let a shameless, scheming person like that succeed?"

If it were her, she would expose Zhou Xiaoming's vicious nature and make sure he paid.

Zhou Huai'an frowned. "Do you think the Zhou family would believe you, or would they believe Zhou Xiaoming?"

Lin Xiaoxiao paused. He had a point. Zhou Xiaoming had been raised by them for thirty years—those feelings were real. Even if Zhou Huai'an was their biological son, they had never raised him. Where would the bond be?

In a reasonable family, it might be different. But in a confused one, it would only bring more heartache.

The more she thought about it, the more she felt sorry for Zhou Huai'an. She patted his arm sympathetically. "It's okay. If Zhou Xiaoming ever falls into our hands, we'll make sure he pays."

Zhou Huai'an pressed his lips together and felt compelled to remind her: "Killing is illegal. No matter the reason."

Lin Xiaoxiao felt the conversation had dead-ended. She was trying to comfort him—why was he giving her a lesson on law?

She went over and sat on the edge of the bed, watching Zhou Huai'an tidy up. After her shower that afternoon, she had left her basin and soap dish on the floor.

Now, Zhou Huai'an was draining the water from the soap dish, placing it in the basin, putting the basin into a string bag, and neatly storing it on the wooden stand by the door.

Everything he did was orderly and precise.

Lin Xiaoxiao watched with a smile, then suddenly had a mischievous idea. "Oww!" she exclaimed, squeezing her right eye shut. "Zhou Huai'an, quick, quick—I think something got in my eye!"

Zhou Huai'an fell for it. He leaned in close to check.

He never expected Lin Xiaoxiao to suddenly rise up and plant a firm kiss squarely on his lips...