The woman on the wall had delicate features, yet Xi Xi felt a sense of familiarity. This was because she bore a striking resemblance to his mother, sharing about five parts of her appearance.
It was his maternal grandmother, Xiao Qing.
Xi Xi opened the cabinet and found various women's items in the drawers. Each item had an expiration date and manufacturing date from many years ago.
Some were new, some were old.
Besides these, there were many clothes, neatly folded inside the cabinet. Many still had their tags attached.
He then opened the bottom drawer. Inside were soft cushions, light blue bedding, and sheets.
Though the color was a bit faded, the patterns indicated they belonged to a young girl, or rather, a woman.
The woman in the photograph looked to be at least 25 years old.
However, with her smiling eyes and captivating charm, she was breathtakingly beautiful.
But these were not the most important things. The crucial point was that the cabinet on the far right of the three walls was entirely filled with jewelry.
Necklaces, earrings, bracelets, rings, and so on.
Xi Xi had some knowledge of jewelry, as he had often researched it, hoping to find the most suitable pieces for his mother.
At a glance, he could tell that while the luster of these pieces wasn't top-tier, and they bore the marks of time, each item was incredibly precious and priceless.
Remembering that his mother had been searching for his grandmother's belongings, he had a new suspicion. If all of this belonged to his grandmother, then everything would make sense. The woman the butler had mentioned.
He now knew who she was.
However…
He desperately wanted to take the jewelry with him immediately. But taking something without permission was stealing, and he couldn't bring himself to do it. So, he opened his electronic watch and used its camera to photograph everything.
Then, he carefully rearranged everything back to its original state and tiptoed out of the room.
Early morning.
Mr. He first went to the locked room. This was something he did every morning. Only by seeing the contents once could he feel at ease for the rest of the day.
A short while later, he emerged from the room, looking much more energized. He beamingly went to call Xi Xi down for breakfast.
However, his good mood only lasted until dinner. At that time, after he had just sat down with the child on the sofa, he had asked the butler to prepare a pot of tea.
But before the tea could even reach his lips, the family doctor arrived.
Mr. He, holding his teacup, looked up at him. "I didn't call you."
He then turned his gaze to the butler.
The butler quickly said, "Neither did I. Is it time for a follow-up check-up?"
As he spoke, he mentally calculated the dates and realized the follow-up was scheduled for three days later.
Xi Xi stood up. "I asked him to come."
"I'm not feeling unwell today, so I don't need a doctor's examination." Mr. He, of course, couldn't blame the child for acting on his own initiative. His tone remained gentle.
Xi Xi, with his hands behind his back, swayed his head. "I asked the doctor to come for your follow-up check-up. I've noticed your complexion has improved a lot recently, so it's important to have a timely check-up."
Mr. He was touched by the child's concern. Naturally, he no longer resisted the check-up.
The living room was quiet while the doctor examined Mr. He. After the examination, the doctor told Mr. He, "Your body has fully recovered. You just need to rest well and consume more supplements. Replenish what your body has lost during this period."
"Thank you, Doctor."
Xi Xi thanked him politely.
Seeing him act like such a little adult, the doctor and the butler exchanged glances. The doctor chuckled, "This child's demeanor is truly like that of an adult."
The butler smiled and said, "This child is quite remarkable. Despite his young age, he handles things so maturely. He has the demeanor of our Mr. He."
The doctor paused for a moment, then smiled. "He's your relative, isn't he? If there's a blood relation, then it's not surprising that Mr. He resembles him."
Upon hearing this, the two adults and the child in the room all froze.
Mr. He's eyes twinkled with a smile. "If that's the case, then the fact that we're not related by blood only proves our fate even more."
The doctor was clearly taken aback. Seeing their intimate relationship, he had assumed they were relatives. He felt a bit awkward. "I apologize for the misunderstanding. But seeing how concerned this child is about you, it's hard to believe you're not related."
Hearing this, Mr. He exuded an even more pleasant aura. "This shows we have a good relationship, right, little one?"
Seeing his gentle smile, Xi Xi reluctantly nodded.
The doctor said a few more words and then left. Xi Xi went to the kitchen to get the nourishing soup that the maids had prepared. "You must drink this while it's hot. This soup is very potent and excellent for your health."
Mr. He took it and took a sip.
"Mmm, it tastes very good."
Xi Xi sat on the sofa, his little legs dangling. "Then you have to drink it all. It would be a waste if you left any."
"Okay."
Mr. He lowered his head and drank the soup, a smile seemingly gracing his features as he appeared to be enjoying it.
The butler beside him was astonished.
Mr. He disliked drinking soup, any nourishing soup at all. No matter how well it was made, he never liked it. Over the years, whenever Mr. He was sick and wanted him to drink some nourishing soup, it had been an incredibly difficult task.
But this time, with the child around, drinking nourishing soup had become effortless.
Xi Xi watched him closely, and only after he finished the soup did he hand the bowl over. As he was about to get off the sofa, the butler took the empty bowl.
"You sit here and chat with Mr. He. I'll take this bowl."
He turned and went to the kitchen. Only Mr. He and Xi Xi remained in the living room.
Xi Xi hesitated for a moment, then said, "Uncle He, I have something I want to tell you."
"Go ahead."
"I want to go home."
Mr. He froze. After a long pause, he gently asked, "Are you missing your mom and dad?"
"Mmm..." Xi Xi neither confirmed nor denied. He propped his chin on his hands. "My period has been too long. I always have to go back and explain clearly to my mom and dad."
Indeed, he couldn't let him be away from his parents for so long.
Mr. He said, "Then when do you plan to go back? I'll take you."
"No need." Xi Xi didn't intend for him to meet his mother just yet. "I can go back by myself. Besides, you haven't fully recovered yet. You should rest at home."
"But..."
Mr. He stopped short of finishing his sentence.
Xi Xi tilted his head. "Uncle He, are you reluctant to let me go?"
Mr. He froze, then raised his hand to rub his forehead and murmured, "Is it that obvious?"
Xi Xi nodded, smiling brightly. "It's very obvious."
Mr. He wasn't one to be shy. Since he had been discovered, he decided to be open about it. "I am indeed a little reluctant. After all, with you here, the atmosphere in the entire house is much more cheerful."
Mr. He chuckled. "Yes, so, little atmosphere-maker, would you be willing to grant me a request?"
"What request?"