It was Xia Kaixi, Xia Kaihe, and some other female members of the Xia Family. Now, the Tianmei Group is the top group in the Imperial City and even nationwide. Xia Kaixi, Xia Kaihe, and others had to restrain their previous attitudes, largely due to being intimidated by Lin Mo. At this moment, a group of people was cautiously standing at the door.
"Meng Die..."
Xia Kaihe stood at the door with a smile, "Xiao Mo is back too. I've set up a table at the Hongbin Building. Our family hasn't gathered for a long time, let's have a meal together."
Lin Mo looked at him indifferently, devoid of much emotion. To him, besides being Xia Mengdie's biological father, Xia Kaihe was just an ordinary person.
"Meng Die."
Lin Mo turned around, looking at Xia Mengdie sitting on the villa's sofa, he called out, glancing at Su Mei with the corner of his eye.
Xia Mengdie furrowed her brows, noticing her mother's cold demeanor, and sighed helplessly in her heart. She got up and walked to Lin Mo's side. Looking at her family members with false smiles on their faces, she coldly said, "No need, I'll eat at home. You can leave."
"Meng Die, your uncle might have acted well before, but we're still family. How can we not have a family dinner during New Year's?"
Xia Kaixi spoke humbly with a cheeky tone.
"Yes, Meng Die, we all realize our mistakes."
"Cousin, we all know we were wrong; why don't you join us for dinner?"
Both Meng Die Mei and Meng Die Hu hastily chimed in.
"Alright then, I'll come over and have dinner with my mom tonight." Xia Mengdie hesitated slightly and suddenly agreed.
Xia Kaixi and the others sighed in relief, but in an instant, everyone was stunned.
"Meng Die, what did you just say?" Xia Kaihe exclaimed excitedly, "You said you're coming to dinner with your mom?"
At this moment, Xia Kaihe couldn't help but look through the gap between Lin Mo and Xia Mengdie into the villa's living room. Although Su Mei was facing sideways, her familiar appearance was something Xia Kaihe could never forget.
"Xiao Mei, is that you?" Xia Kaihe swallowed hard. There were rumors back then that Su Mei had died, but no one ever found her body over the years.
"You should leave; I don't want to see you." Su Mei moved slightly, speaking coldly.
Is it really Su Mei?
The Xia family were stunned, each showing a strange expression.
"My mom never died; she just went to live somewhere else," Xia Mengdie said flatly.
"Xiao Mei, I know I was wrong. I was a fool and awful in the past. Please, give me another chance, won't you?" Xia Kaihe said, his eyes reddened, as he kept slapping his own cheek.
Lin Mo did not intervene, knowing Xia Kaihe was at fault. If not for his incompetence and temper back then, why would Su Mei become so desperate?
Yet, these two people were Xia Mengdie's biological parents, and Lin Mo hoped that Xia Mengdie could have a complete family.
"Meng Die, let him leave." Su Mei said coldly.
Xia Mengdie felt a bit helpless, "You all can go back; I'll come for dinner tonight."
Xia Kaihe, Xia Kaixi, and others exchanged glances, understanding that Su Mei's heart was as hard as stone now, leaving only to depart the villa dejectedly.
"Xiao Mo, you should go too."
Xia Mengdie said flatly.
"Go where?"
Lin Mo looked puzzled.
"Where else could you go? It's New Year's. I think Miss Sima should be back too. Why don't you go and chat with her? You haven't seen each other in a while," Xia Mengdie generously suggested.
Lin Mo looked awkward, "You're not mad?"
"How could you think I'm that petty kind of woman? I have to go to Tianmei Company in the afternoon to check on things," Xia Mengdie said with a slight smile.
...
Imperial City.
In the southwest direction, there's a high-end villa community, where tall ginkgo trees stand in rows around it.
This kind of high-end community is highly private. Although they are in the same community, each villa is isolated, separated by hundred meters, and each has its own cement road leading to the exit.
"Um, I'm not at grandpa's house. Wait for me at the high school's gate."
Inside a villa numbered 001, a girl with a ponytail, dressed in a thin down jacket, tight pants, and canvas shoes, ended a phone call. Her flawless, egg-shaped face glowed with a clear beauty, one that would make her a national first love if she were a celebrity.
"Sis, second uncle and first uncle are coming back soon. Where are you going?"
On the sofa in the villa, a young man with a crew cut, wearing a camouflage uniform, was playing on his phone. He suddenly lifted his head, and a hint of curiosity passed across his black eyes as he asked oddly.
"I'm going out to meet a friend; I'll be right back," the fresh and pure girl turned around to say, her face with a bright smile, quickly leaving the hall. She promptly drove a Range Rover and left the community.
"What the heck, how rare! My sister's cold personality, her mood is so good today?"
The crew-cut youth blinked, thinking that an ordinary friend's meeting wouldn't bring this kind of response. Could it be she's going to meet her boyfriend?
"Is it possible she really has a boyfriend? If Mr. Qi comes, wouldn't it be a waste of effort?" The crew-cut youth pondered and decisively picked up his phone, calling second uncle to gently convey the situation.
"Alright, I understand, this girl... Let's talk when I get back." A stern voice came from the phone before the conversation ended.
...
Xiangzhang Road. The high school students were already on holiday, so it appeared quiet and empty.
A man wearing a hooded jacket stood under a camphor tree. Soon, a Range Rover drove from the left side and stopped next to him.
Lin Mo showed a faint smile at the corner of his mouth.
"Lin Mo, get in the car." As the window slid down, a pure egg-shaped face appeared, belonging to Sima Zining.
Lin Mo sat in the passenger seat.
"I thought you'd never come to see me," Sima Zining said as she started the engine, speaking with a somewhat resentful tone, yet her cheeks also revealed an uncontrollable joy.
"Why wouldn't I? I just got back from America; I came to see you right away."
Lin Mo said calmly.
"At least you have a conscience."
Sima Zining laughed, her cheeks forming small dimples.
Years ago, the two met in Shanghai. Many things happened afterwards. Lin Mo knew Sima Zining's feelings towards him, but back then he couldn't accept her. It wasn't until the last time at Lobu Lake, trapped in the Immortal City Secret Realm, that Sima Zining was heartbroken for him, crying daily like Meng Jiang, silently hoping he would emerge from the Immortal Realm.