novelraw Chapter 467 - 384 Maybe This Is Destiny
Chapter 467 - 384 Maybe This Is Destiny
"Old man! What is this good stuff? Why is it wrapped in red cloth?" It’s not like there’s no box, but he was quite curious! The old man wouldn’t be keeping some second-rate trinket in here, would he?
Jin Jiachao began lecturing at length, his expression complex as he looked at the piece of red cloth his son had opened, revealing a circular jade pendant with a vibrant green hue.
Jin Yichen picked it up curiously and held it up to the light. The jade didn’t seem like anything extraordinary, did it?
Wow, was that a word hidden in the design?
He turned to see his dad’s anxious expression, as though terrified he’d break it if his hand slipped.
Hastily, he handed it back to his dad. No way was he going to risk breaking this thing in his hands!
"Dad! What is this?" he asked in confusion, nervously swallowing his spit.
Jin Yichen couldn’t handle his dad’s nostalgic expression. He started to wonder—could this be a token of love between his parents?
But it was so ordinary! How come he’d never seen it before? Then it hit him. Maybe the old man had hidden it away to avoid being reminded of painful memories—out of sight, out of mind.
Jin Jiachao took the jade pendant and gently caressed it, his eyes soft with a smile. "Son! This jade pendant was specially commissioned by your grandfather from an old craftsman. There were four pieces in total, one for each of us siblings.
The quality of the jade isn’t the greatest, but it holds immense significance for me! The one belonging to your late eldest uncle had the character ’Kang’ hidden in its design, and your third uncle’s had the character ’Yuan.’
Mine has the character ’Chao,’ and your aunt’s had the character ’Mei,’ symbolizing our names and the wish for a lifetime of peace and safety!"
"Oh! No wonder! Then what about my aunt’s pendant?" Jin Yichen asked, instantly regretting it. He knew a bit about this—his dad hadn’t originally gone by this name. The siblings’ names had all been changed later by their grandfather, with the characters forming the phrase "Resist America, aid Korea."
His dad, Jin Jiachao, was the youngest of the four, with two older brothers and one older sister.
His eldest uncle, Jin Jiakang, had been in his twenties during that politically charged era. Due to the family’s background, he was persecuted and tortured to death.
His aunt, Jin Jiamei, hadn’t recovered properly after childbirth. Coupled with the loss of her child and the fearful, depressing experiences of that political wave, she passed away before reaching thirty.
His third uncle, Jin Jiayan, had died in his teens due to illness.
Jin Jiachao sighed. "Your aunt put her pendant around that child’s neck. We don’t know whether it was discarded and picked up by someone or if it’s still with that child.
But it’s been so many years. If that child is still alive, they’d be in their forties now. When your grandparents passed away, they carried the regret of not finding that child with them.
Before I went abroad years ago, I poured countless resources and effort into searching, but nothing came of it. Later, I grew disheartened and gave up. Maybe it’s just fate!"
Jin Yichen remembered how, as a kid, his dad often took him to various places, especially to Taian County in Shandong, where he even attended elementary school for two years.
But unfortunately, not a single clue ever turned up.
Back then, communication and transportation weren’t advanced. Even if someone had known something, they might not have realized someone was searching.
Now, though, it was the age of the internet. The thought brightened his eyes. "Old man! I’ve got an idea. Let’s take a photo of this jade pendant and post it online. Maybe netizens can help us find clues!"
For some reason, Li Si’s face flashed through his mind. He chuckled and shook his head. No way—it couldn’t be!
Jin Jiachao, quick to adapt to trends, had no problem typing and navigating the internet. When he heard his son’s suggestion, he felt like a light bulb went off—it was a fantastic idea.
Father and son excitedly found a camera to take pictures of the jade pendant. Shortly after, Jin Yichen posted about it on a social media website.
Today was the day Leng Ning’s boyfriend was visiting for the first time. Li Si had arrived at the Leng Family’s old residence early with Buding and Sister Ding, while Leng Mochen planned to come directly from the office later.
Mrs. Leng was thrilled, holding Buding and refusing to let go, repeatedly praising him. "Oh, my dear grandson! Grandma missed you so much!"
It had only been a couple of days since she last visited Li Si’s house to see the child, and she was already longing for him badly.
Buding, obligingly, grinned at his grandmother. When he opened his mouth, you could spot two tiny white dots of teeth just poking through his pink gums. Li Si busily wiped his drool with a gauze handkerchief on the side.
Mrs. Leng proudly brought Buding over to Mr. Leng Sr., saying, "Dad! Look at this little rascal, his eyes are so sharp and clever!"
The typically stern-faced Mr. Leng Sr. rarely softened, but his face lit up with a gentle smile, and he couldn’t stop nodding as he played with Buding.
Leng Ning entered from outside, having made an effort to dress up today. Beijing’s weather was already scorching in May.
She wore a white lace patchwork chiffon dress with a doll collar and ruffled sleeves, exuding an elegant, girlish vibe.
Too bad she ruined it the moment she opened her mouth. Standing beside Li Si with an awkward expression, she spun around and smiled, asking, "Sister-in-law, how does this look? Mom insisted I wear this! But why does it feel so wrong to me?"
This morning, Mrs. Leng had gone into Leng Ning’s room, picked out this dress, and said she had bought it specifically for her during an earlier shopping trip, only to forget about it later.
When rummaging through clothes, she suddenly rediscovered it and insisted that Leng Ning would look great in it—after all, young girls should wear something floral!
Since today was Jin Yichen’s first visit, Leng Ning figured she’d better go along with her mom. It was just a dress, after all.
But after putting it on and looking in the mirror, she couldn’t shake her discomfort.
Li Si bit her lip, unsure of what to say. The dress was fine—beautiful, even—but it just didn’t fit Leng Ning’s personality. It felt like she was wearing someone else’s clothes.
Catching a moment when Mrs. Leng and Mr. Leng Sr. weren’t paying attention, Li Si quietly laughed and reassured her, "You’re just not used to it! Just wear it this once—you’ll make your mom happy for today!"
Leng Ning held back her laughter and playfully winked. "That’s what I was thinking!"
Li Si noticed that Leng Ning had come alone and curiously asked, "Didn’t Dad come with you?"
She knew Mr. Leng was at home. Earlier, Mrs. Leng had even mentioned he’d be coming with Xiao Ning later.
Leng Ning waved it off nonchalantly. "Dad stayed in the studio all night yesterday. He only went back to his room to catch up on sleep this morning. We don’t need to worry about him—when Yichen gets here, we can call him then!"
Ever since she was a kid, she’d been used to going to her mom for family matters. Asking her dad? Not even worth considering!
She still remembered how, back in school, whenever parent signatures were needed and her mom wasn’t around, her brother would forge their dad’s or mom’s handwriting.
Not long after, Jin Yichen called, saying he was about to arrive at the old house.
Li Si teased her to hurry and pick him up! With a smile plastered across her face, Leng Ning went out to greet him. Mrs. Leng, meanwhile, rushed to call Mr. Leng, grumbling about how improper it was for the prospective father-in-law to still be in bed when the son-in-law was already here.
Even Mr. Leng Sr. instinctively adjusted his collar. He hadn’t met Leng Ning’s previous boyfriend, but this one was, reportedly, a talented young man. He was curious to see if his character and conduct were good enough to match Xiao Ning.