Back at the Lin family residence, Lin Wei and Long Xiao never discussed anything related to metaphysics. Lin Wei went straight upstairs to his room. Long Xiao saw Lin Shijie sitting dejectedly on the sofa alone and sat down opposite him.
"Dad, what's wrong?" Long Xiao asked.
Seeing that Lin Shijie seemed troubled, Xiao Ming quietly returned to his room without saying goodbye to Lin Shijie.
Lin Shijie looked at Long Xiao, sighed, and said, "Long Xiao, what do you think about your mother now? Why don't we bring her back?"
"Heh, Dad, so you miss Mom," Long Xiao said with a smile.
Lin Shijie nodded. "Since I married your mother, we've never been apart. She's been gone for over a month this time, and I do miss her a bit."
"Dad, I'll take you to Long Nian's manor tomorrow to see Mom. If she wants to come back with you, we'll bring her back."
"Long Xiao, maybe I should go by myself tomorrow. If she gets angry and fights with you, I'm afraid you might hurt her."
"Don't worry, Dad, I know my limits when I act. I won't hurt her."
Long Xiao knew that going to Long Nian's manor to find Nangong Yue might lead to a confrontation. Nangong Yue had become a completely different person, no longer the housewife she used to be.
Long Xiao and Lin Shijie chatted late into the night before resting. They agreed to go to Long Nian's manor the next morning.
Xiao Ming drove again, and they arrived at Long Nian's manor. When Long Nian heard that Long Xiao was coming, he thought he was there to cause trouble and immediately brought a large group of people to the manor entrance.
Seeing Long Nian's grand mobilization, Long Xiao burst into laughter. "Long Nian, I'm here to see my mother-in-law. Why did you bring so many people?"
"You're not here to cause trouble?" Long Nian asked in surprise.
Long Xiao shook his head. "Of course not. We don't have any conflicts. It was always you who bothered me in the past; I never bothered you."
Long Nian thought about it and realized it was true. He had always been the one to instigate things with Long Xiao.
Due to the significant changes in the East Sea situation, Long Nian no longer had the capacity to scheme against the various factions there. His father hadn't contacted him for a long time, so he stopped making any moves and stayed in his manor to conserve his strength.
"In that case, you can go in. But I'm saying this upfront: if Sister Nangong beats you, don't blame me or seek revenge."
"How could we? We are reasonable people. We won't make trouble unreasonably," Long Xiao said with a smile.
Long Nian thought to himself, if you're a reasonable person, then there are no unreasonable people in the world.
Xiao Ming parked the car at the manor entrance, and the three of them walked into the manor. Long Nian had someone lead them, and soon they arrived at Nangong Yue's residence within the manor.
It was a two-story building with a small garden in front. Two gardeners were trimming the flowers and plants.
The person leading them pointed to the two-story building and said, "Sister Nangong is inside. She's been in a bad mood lately, so I won't escort you in."
After the guide left, Long Xiao and the other two entered the building.
The ground floor was a spacious living room with a sofa and coffee table in the center. The walls were adorned with calligraphy and paintings, and antique furniture was displayed on shelves. A weapon rack stood against the wall, displaying a Longquan sword.
Lin Shijie felt a sense of unfamiliarity looking at the blend of Eastern and Western décor. Nangong Yue used to only play mahjong, go shopping, and get her hair done; she knew nothing about appreciating antiques or weapons.
"Long Xiao, I feel like a stranger is living inside your mother," Lin Shijie said.
Long Xiao nodded. "It's possible. If the Japanese can transplant human intelligence and memory into a snake's head, they can certainly transplant a person's memory into another person's head."
"Long Xiao, if your mother is no longer your mother, would you still take her back?" Lin Shijie asked again.
This was a cruel reality. If Nangong Yue's mind contained someone else's memories, it meant Nangong Yue was dead. Someone else was alive, using Nangong Yue's body.
While the two were observing the living room, Xiao Ming plopped down on the sofa, opened his small bag, and started eating snacks.
Long Xiao and Lin Shijie discussed for a while but couldn't come to any conclusions. They decided to wait and see Nangong Yue.
Nangong Yue was not on the first floor. They went upstairs. As soon as they reached the top of the stairs, they heard Nangong Yue say, "Did I tell you to come up?"
Lin Shijie quickly said, "Nangong Yue, I am Lin Shijie. I've come to take you home."
A room door creaked open, and Nangong Yue, wearing pajamas, emerged.
"Long Xiao, Lin Shijie, what are you two useless people doing here?" Nangong Yue said.
Seeing that Nangong Yue still recognized him, Lin Shijie was pleased. "Long Xiao, your mother hasn't changed. She's still Nangong Yue."
"Lin Shijie, you useless fool, what are you so happy about? The environment here is so good, full of spiritual energy. I'm not going back with you," Nangong Yue said.
It was Long Xiao's first time at Long Nian's manor, and he could feel that the spiritual energy here was stronger than in other parts of the East Sea. However, this intensity of spiritual energy had little effect on him now.
"Come back with me. No one is taking care of you here alone," Lin Shijie said.
Nangong Yue waved her hand. "If there's nothing else, you can both leave. Don't disturb my cultivation."
With that, Nangong Yue turned and went back into her room, slamming the door shut.
Long Xiao and Lin Shijie exchanged glances. Lin Shijie sighed. "Long Xiao, let's go."
The two walked downstairs dejectedly. When they reached the manor entrance, Long Nian was still there, smiling broadly at them. "So Sister Nangong scolded you, huh? Come visit again sometime."
"Long Nian, what are you so happy about? If you gloat any more, I'll tear down your manor."
With Nangong Yue present, Long Nian became a bit bolder. He smiled and said, "Go ahead and tear it down. If you anger Sister Nangong, she'll tear down your house too."
Lin Shijie knew that Nangong Yue was capable of anything when angered. He quickly tugged at Long Xiao. "Long Xiao, let's go."
The two got into the car and left Long Nian's manor. Not long after, a Toyota drove towards them. Long Xiao saw that Kamedachi Kuji was in the car.
After the Toyota passed, Long Xiao looked back and saw the Toyota stop at the entrance of Long Nian's manor. It seemed Kamedachi Kuji was going to see Long Nian.
Recently, the Japanese people in the East Sea had been quiet, without any major actions, so Long Xiao couldn't be bothered with them.
Long Xiao and the others returned to Villa No. 1, Mangshan. Just as they were about to have lunch, a Rolls-Royce stopped in front of the villa.
A middle-aged man and two young men got out of the car. The young men carried gift boxes.
The doorbell rang. Long Xiao saw from the surveillance footage that a middle-aged man and two young men were there, whom he didn't recognize.
"Dad, see if these three are here to see you?" Long Xiao asked.
Lin Shijie looked at the screen. "It's Mr. Hailan. Hurry and open the door for them."
Long Xiao opened the door, and the middle-aged man, along with the two young men, entered Villa No. 1, Mangshan. Lin Shijie said, "Mr. Hailan is our herbal medicine supplier. The quality of the medicinal herbs he supplies is excellent."
From the way these three walked, Long Xiao felt they resembled Japanese people.
"Dad, are they Japanese?" Long Xiao asked.
Lin Shijie nodded. "Yes, they are from Osaka."