城市猎人：系统升级之王

Chapter 7: Yin Yang Apart（Life and Death Apart ）

"Yuxi!" At that moment, Yuechang, who had been gentle and soft-spoken, suddenly changed. Her face turned cold as ice, and her voice followed suit. "Stop fooling around! Stand up and apologize to Big Brother!"
Yuxi, upon being reprimanded by Yuechang, trembled slightly and nervously stood up. Lowering her head, she dared not look at Yuechang and deeply bowed to Li Nianlong. "Big Brother, I'm sorry, I shouldn't have made that kind of joke with you."
"..."
Li Nianlong and the people around them gaped, this scene surpassing everyone's expectations.
To the onlookers, they felt deceived but laughed it off and dispersed. Li Nianlong, however, stared at Yuechang in astonishment. This girl, cold and authoritative, was Yuechang? Where was the soft, gentle, and cuddly girl from before?
"Big Brother..." Seeing Li Nianlong not responding, Yuxi looked up pitifully. "Please forgive me, okay?"
"Huh? Oh, um, I forgive you."
"Thank you, Big Brother." Yuxi cheered and turned to Yuechang. "See,Changchang, Big Brother forgave me. Don't be angry anymore."
Yuechang's icy expression gradually thawed, returning to her soft and sweet demeanor. She sighed, "Really, don't joke like that again. Saying a girl is pregnant as an excuse isn't nice."
"I know!" Relieved by Yuechang's forgiveness, Yuxi's mood brightened, humming a happy tune as her ponytail bounced.
Yuechang sighed helplessly and turned to Li Nianlong with a hint of apology in her eyes. "I'm sorry, Big Brother. Yuxi is too mischievous. I'll discipline her strictly from now on."
"It's alright." Li Nianlong waved it off, looking at Yuechang's sweet and gentle face, he chuckled. "I didn't expect you to have such an imposing side. You startled me."
"Sorry for showing you that side of me," Yuechang scratched her cheek shyly, her demeanor particularly adorable.
Unbeknownst to them, they had already walked out of the station. A taxi driver approached, asking where they were headed.
"How much to Jiangyang Hotel?" Yuxi inquired.
Hearing Yuxi's authentic Longcheng accent, the driver inwardly rejoiced but outwardly acted casual. "I won't overcharge, how about 80?"
"80, huh..." Yuxi, unfamiliar with the prices and the area, wasn't sure if this was a fair deal.
"Come on!" Li Nianlong grabbed Yuxi's hand and walked forward, saying, "Jiangyang Hotel is only two kilometers from here, ten yuan will do. If you don't mind walking, you can reach there in half an hour."
Li Nianlong spoke in a native Tianfu accent, causing the driver to grin wryly internally—'Mate, you should've said that earlier!'
Pulling Yuxi a dozen meters away, Nalan Ruyue and Yuechang followed closely. Another driver drove up, "Where to?"
Li Nianlong glanced at him—a man in his thirties with a faint yellowish-white aura, indicating he was generally a good person.
"Jiangyang Hotel, no meter, ten yuan, deal?"
Recognizing Li Nianlong's local tone, the driver chuckled, "Sure, hop in."
Li Nianlong smiled faintly, released Yuxi's hand, and said, "Alright, get in!"
Yuxi seemed a bit odd, dazed, with a tinge of blush on her cheeks. Hearing Li Nianlong, she muttered "Ah oh" and hurriedly threw her luggage in the backseat, climbing in with Yuechang.
In the car, Yuechang and Yuxi waved goodbye to Li Nianlong and Nalan Ruyue. "Big Brother, Sister Ruyue, I'll call you later. Let's hang out sometime!"
Nalan Ruyue waved back with a smile, and Li Nianlong said, "Sure, come to my place sometime. Safe travels."
After seeing off the Yue sisters, Li Nianlong and Nalan Ruyue took another cab home.
Li Nianlong's house was in the suburbs, a three-story European-style villa exceeding 200 square meters. A fountain adorned the garden, trees providing ample shade, creating a serene environment perfect for a peaceful life.
It was evident that Long Qingyun had treated Li Ying well, providing ample material comforts to Li Ying and Li Nianlong despite their years apart. This was partly why Li Nianlong went to Longcheng to acknowledge his father, assuming that even if estranged, his father would accept him. He never anticipated his father having a legitimate son.
Initially, the existence of a legitimate son wouldn't have bothered Li Nianlong, but he didn't anticipate the eldest son's ruthlessness. The saying 'the imperial family is the coldest' rang true. Li Nianlong hadn't fully believed it before, but now, he did.
Stepping into the house, dust had accumulated after days of neglect.
"There are rooms on the first and second floors, choose whichever you like," Li Nianlong told the curious Nalan Ruyue. "Though I don't know why you're following me, I don't want a freeloader. From now on, you'll be responsible for all the housework while I provide for us."
Hearing this, Nalan Ruyue gazed at the serious Li Nianlong, blinked, and nodded, signing "Okay".
"Mm." Li Nianlong headed upstairs, "There's some food left in the fridge, cook lunch. In the afternoon, I'll show you around the neighborhood."
Leaving Nalan Ruyue behind, Li Nianlong went straight to the third floor. The entire floor comprised one bedroom and a spacious, bright living room. The entire east wall was covered by a large mirror, enhancing the lighting and doubling as a dance studio.
Li Ying loved dancing, and the mirror was designed for her performances. Only Li Nianlong... and perhaps Long Qingyun, had the privilege to witness her dances. Uncle Guan always respectfully excused himself when Li Ying danced.
Li Nianlong wasn't knowledgeable about dance but found Li Ying stunning when she danced, more beautiful than famous dancers on TV. Her graceful and enchanting moves resembled those of celestial beings.
He entered the bedroom, which measured 5x5 meters. In the center of the west wall was a circular double bed, 2.5 meters in diameter, quite romantic. The north side featured a double-door wardrobe adorned with exquisite floral and bird motifs.
Southward led to the balcony, separated by a pale yellow curtain. On the south side of the bed was a bedside table with a photo frame. Inside was a woman in her late twenties, delicate and beautiful, wearing a pale yellow dress with her waist-length hair casually tied to the front. She exuded elegance and charm.
This woman was Li Nianlong's mother, Li Ying. The picture was taken two years ago when she was 39 but looked like a woman in her twenties. When they went out together, people often mistook them for a couple.
Indeed, their relationship resembled a loving couple. After Long Qingyun left, Li Ying poured all her love onto Li Nianlong, never scolding or punishing him. Li Nianlong's every wish was fulfilled, even sharing the same bed until he went to university.
Li Nianlong had numerous girlfriends during his university years, but he always compared them to Li Ying. These comparisons meant his longest relationship lasted only two weeks, the shortest less than a day. In four years, he dated over ninety girls, breaking up with all of them, setting a school record that even Hanamichi Sakuragi from Slam Dunk would envy.
Li Nianlong remained single, partly because he hadn't found a woman as remarkable as Li Ying, let alone anyone close. Like a spoiled child, though his values might be skewed, he knew right from wrong and wasn't a wastrel.
Picking up the photo frame, Li Nianlong traced his finger over Li Ying's face, his eyes moistening. "Mom, you didn't misjudge him, but you forgot he had a son... Uncle Guan is dead, killed by his son. This enmity cannot be shared. I will avenge Uncle Guan by killing his son.
But don't worry, I won't take my revenge on the entire Long family. Even if his son dies, at his age, having another child isn't an issue, better than raising a heartless beast.
Mom, so much has happened lately, and I have so much to tell you. How I wish you were still here. I don't care about the Long family name or wealth. As long as I had you and Uncle Guan, I would be content and happy. But why did you leave?
Mom, do you know how hard it is for me now..."