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An hour later, Cunning Li burst into Li Xiaonan's hospital room, looking at his head wrapped up like a cantaloupe, and couldn't help but laugh heartily.
Li Xiaonan shot him a glare and grabbed the pillow behind him, throwing it at Cunning Li in frustration. "Damn it! Have you laughed enough? I didn't call you here to be the butt of your jokes!"
"Alright, alright! I've had my fill! I just saw your Principal Dad and Editor Mom outside! Come on, tell me how this melodramatic story unfolded. I've been trying to figure out how you suddenly ended up with a Principal Dad!"
"Don't say you haven't figured it out; I still feel like I'm dreaming..."
Scheming nodded, a playful look on his face as he leaned back on the sofa, crossing his arms.
Naturally, Li Xiaonan's pillow became his cushion.
"Go on! I'm all ears."
"Flower Rubbing, are you here just to hear stories?"
"Not just for stories; I'm also here to see your cantaloupe head. You look too ridiculous right now. I have to take a picture and send it to Chen Mo!"
Li Xiaonan rolled his eyes and leaned against the headboard. "Back then, my mom broke up with Principal Dad under my grandfather's design. Feeling down, she went to a remote area to teach. Not long after, she fainted and found out she was pregnant with me."
"At that time, she didn't know what to do alone. Thankfully, my current dad took care of her in every way possible, and eventually, they got together. Principal Dad never knew about my existence. My dad loved my mom so much that even knowing I wasn't his child, he still raised me."
Cunning Li nodded. "Your dad is such a good person! Helping someone else raise their kid. So what happened next? How did your mom end up back with the principal?"
"My dad is a good man but not particularly successful. Plus, at that time, My Grandma suddenly fell ill. My mom left me—just learning to walk—behind and went back to City for work. As a result, she ended up pregnant again, this time with my Good Guy Dad's child."
"Wow! It can't be that Fang Jun, can it?" Cunning Li exclaimed in surprise.
"Smart one, I didn't even realize it was that wasteful kid when I first heard about it."
"Wait a minute, that wasteful kid is also a freshman, right? So he's about the same age as you? How did he become the principal's son?"
Li Xiaonan sighed and continued, "My mom found out she was pregnant, but her job was just getting on track. She didn't want to give up the opportunity or terminate the pregnancy, so she worked while raising the child alone until he was over two years old."
Cunning Li pulled out a bag of melon seeds from his backpack and started cracking them. "Your mom had it tough."
Li Xiaonan nodded, suddenly glaring. "You really think this is just a story? Give me some of those seeds."
Cunning Li pouted and handed a handful to Li Xiaonan. "Go on."
"Fang Jun grew up without a household registration, so he couldn't even attend kindergarten. Interestingly enough, my mom ran into Principal Dad again because of work. They hadn't seen each other for years but still cared for one another. To get back into the principal's good graces, she falsely reported Fang Jun's age. And Principal Dad believed her and took them both back home."
Cunning Li gave a thumbs up. "Your mom is amazing! No wonder she hasn't contacted you all these years; she must have been afraid this lie would be uncovered. But doesn't she feel guilty at all for doing this?"
"That's for her to answer. But after she revealed the truth, Fang Ye surprisingly wasn't angry at all; instead, he felt even more indebted to me and her," Li Xiaonan said, spitting out a seed shell dismissively.
"Your mom definitely doesn't tell stories like that! Otherwise, no man would forgive a woman for separating him from his own flesh and blood for twenty years. But it also shows that your Principal Dad is a good person in some way. Hmm, I'll make a call later to help clear his name."
Now it was Li Xiaonan's turn to give him a thumbs up. "You're impressive!"
"Heh, it's my brother who's impressive! Alright, I've heard your story; now it's your turn to listen to mine."
Li Xiaonan suddenly remembered that Cunning Li seemed to have something to say to him during their earlier phone call.
He threw away the sunflower seed shell in his hand and clapped his hands, saying, "Go on, what's the story?"
Cunning Li took a deep breath and said, "Your wives came looking for you! Six of them! And they mistook me for you, so they're temporarily staying at my place."
"What did you say!" Li Xiaonan exclaimed, feeling as if the sky had fallen.
He jumped off the bed and grabbed Cunning Li by the collar, demanding, "Have you met them? No! Take me to see them!"
Scheming smirked slightly and firmly grasped Li Xiaonan's wrist. With a little force, he pushed him back onto the sofa.
"Calm down a bit; be careful or your blood might rush to your head and make your melon-shaped head explode. I haven't met them, but I also didn't deny it. Using your old tricks, let's just pretend I have amnesia."
Hearing that Cunning Li hadn't recognized the Wives, Li Xiaonan couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief. He leaned back on the sofa and said, "Take me to see them."
"What's so difficult about meeting? But the problem is, what will you do after you meet them? Are you planning to recognize them looking like this melon? Aren't you afraid you'll scare them away? Should I find a mirror for you so you can see the difference between us now?"
Cunning Li playfully lifted Li Xiaonan's chin.
Li Xiaonan frowned and swatted his hand away. "I don't need you to remind me of how I look now! I believe they love my soul, not this body."
Cunning Li stood up and laughed. "You’re being foolish again, aren't you? You actually believe those lines from TV dramas! Without this body, are you still really you?"
Li Xiaonan slowly sat up, his expression serious. "That's my business. Take me to see them!"
"Fine! Yesterday you said I was kind-hearted, so today I'll be a good person and remind you. Right now, you have a principal dad, an Editor Mom, and a childhood sweetheart who's devotedly following you."
Li Xiaonan frowned slightly and replied coldly, "So what?"
"How? Heh heh, Li Xiaonan, how many people wish to have all of this? You've wanted it too, dreamed of it for twenty years. How many mere mortals have twenty years?"
"You are not me; you cannot make decisions for me!"
Cunning Li smirked disdainfully, spreading his hands. "True! I am not you, but since arriving in this time and space, my mind has gradually filled with many memories—your memories!"
He swayed slightly, leaning against the bed. "I know how you've spent these twenty years. I know how you fell and picked yourself up. I know how you fought back against those who mocked you for not having a mother!"
"Enough! Even if you empathize, so what? You are not me! I admit I wanted all of this before, but everything is different now!"
"Yes, I know. It's because of the Starry Illusion Continent! You could always go back and engage in those power struggles with the Immortal Emperors, constantly worrying about whether losing your sister means losing others you love!"
Cunning Li's words struck heavily at Li Xiaonan's heart. He slumped back onto the sofa, unable to retort.
"Li Xiaonan, there are many possibilities for the future of life, but ultimately there is only one possibility. The direction of your future is controlled by fate, and right now that elusive fate is in your hands. What kind of future do you truly desire? Is it to struggle in the Cultivation realm or to live happily here? You can decide!"
Li Xiaonan remained silent, curled up on the sofa with his head buried in his knees.
Cunning Li sighed and crouched down in front of him. "You've suffered for twenty years, endured for twenty years. Ask yourself what kind of life you want. Li Xiaonan, it's time to live for yourself. It's okay to be a little selfish; take care of yourself, alright?"
Li Xiaonan's eyes turned red as tears welled up. He choked out, "What do you want from me? Are you taking revenge for me taking over your body back then? I didn't want this! If I had known it would turn out like this, I would have never gone to the Starry Illusion Continent!"
Cunning Li shook his head. "I just want what's best for you. Come on, tell me your choice: stay or leave?"
As time ticked by, Li Xiaonan ultimately did not respond.
Cunning Li chuckled lightly. "You're hesitating..."
"Yes! I hesitated! You made me think it over! You set this trap for me!"
"But you knew it was a trap, yet you jumped in without hesitation."
Li Xiaonan wiped the tears from the corners of his eyes and said, "You let me choose, but no matter how I choose, someone will get hurt, right? If I stay, what will happen to Ling'er and the others? If I leave, what about my parents... and Chen Mo?"
Cunning Li smiled and sat beside him. "You're foolish! I'm here too! Being selfish can hurt people, but I can promise you that this time, no one will get hurt. If you stay, I'll go with Ling Kui and the others. If you leave, I'll take care of the people here."
Li Xiaonan still didn't respond; he couldn't let go of either side.
You can't have both fish and bear's paw.
Cunning Li looked at his troubled expression and sighed. "I know it's hard to choose. How about I help you with another idea?"
"What terrible idea do you have now?"
"Hehe, let's give the choice to your wife! One month’s time: if any one of the six can recognize you during this month, you'll go back with them. If they can't recognize you, then you'll stay. Fair enough?"
Li Xiaonan furrowed his brows, feeling that this idea seemed somewhat familiar. Yes, the dispute over body ownership back then was also decided through a similar wager.
Cunning Li added, "Don't worry, I won't cheat. I'll arrange for you to meet; as long as you don't reveal the truth, you can do whatever you want."
Li Xiaonan knew in his heart that this method was clearly an evasion, but he still didn't refuse.
He was truly exhausted; he didn't know how to choose and didn't want to choose.
Maybe just like Scheming said, I can be selfish once. Let me cowardly do nothing at all!
Ling Er, Mo Yu... I'm sorry, forgive me for not being able to meet you right away. I don't want to hurt you, but here... I also don't want to cause any harm.
He slumped down on the sofa and said, "Then let's leave it at that..."
Li Xiaonan suddenly thought of something, her expression turning cold. "You don't have any ill intentions, do you? What benefit do you gain from all this?"
"Sigh... I'm so sad. I just want to be the good person you mentioned. If you don't appreciate it, that's fine, but why insult me... Don't worry, I won't betray you. You rest well; I'll arrange for you to meet with the Wives. Also, I've informed Chen Mo about your situation; she should be coming to see you soon."
"Wait..." Li Xiaonan called out to Scheming, who was about to leave.
"What is it? Still want some sunflower seeds? We're out. If you want some, you can ask Chen Mo to bring them; she might even shell them for you."
"No... I just wanted to say thank you... for telling me that Ling Kui and the others have arrived."
"You're welcome. I should be the one apologizing."
Scheming slowly turned around, a handsome face adorned with a smile full of regret.
Li Xiaonan's already confused mind fell into deep contemplation once more, unable to fathom or understand the reason behind that apology.
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