Chu Yan stood up, his voice choked with emotion as he called out.
It was then that Chu Hanxu mustered her courage and walked toward him.
Mother and son embraced each other.
Originally, Chu Hanxu’s soul was weak and unable to touch mortals, but Qin Zhao had enhanced her soul power and given her a small magical artifact for soul protection.
Chu Yan said softly, "I didn’t mean to run away, I just..."
"It’s okay," Chu Hanxu said softly, "I frightened you."
"No, you didn’t scare me."
Chu Yan’s chin rested on her shoulder, the back of his hand against his eyes, holding back the tears.
"Earlier in the illusion, you were trying to save me, right? That you in the illusion was fake."
"Yes, that was a Dream Demon from the mountains. Recently, it appeared here, always beguiling the mortals who come to the mountains, trying to create a body for itself."
Chu Hanxu had drifted in the mountains for many years, and before being injured by Chu Yan, her soul was quite powerful.
Every time the Dream Demon tried to harm someone, she would appear to warn them.
This time, when the Dream Demon harmed her son, she wanted to severely injure the Dream Demon.
The Dream Demon was indeed heavily wounded, but she was also injured by Chu Yan; fortunately, Qin Zhao healed her.
Chu Yan looked up at her, his eyes uncertain.
Tears unstoppably fell silently.
Chu Hanxu stretched out her arms, inviting him to take a close look at her.
"See, I look much prettier than before, thanks to your wife."
Chu Yan pressed his lips together, not speaking. He vividly remembered injuring her.
After a long silence, Chu Yan finally asked, "Earlier, why did you look like that?"
As he spoke, his voice trembled slightly.
"You saw it wrong, that was a false image created by the Dream Demon. She wanted to impersonate me, to gain your trust, so she transformed me into that ugly form. Qin Zhao turned me back; I’m completely fine."
Chu Yan looked toward Qin Zhao, silently seeking confirmation.
Qin Zhao glanced at Chu Hanxu, then back at Chu Yan.
"That’s right, it was indeed transformed by Illusion Technique."
Without saying a word, Chu Yan turned and left the grocery.
He went to the kitchen to cook.
Qin Zhao checked the time, it was almost dinner time.
Later she could use a talisman to let Chu Hanxu taste human food, so that their family could enjoy a reunion meal together.
"Mom, do you want to be reincarnated?"
Hearing Qin Zhao’s query, Chu Hanxu shook her head.
"Not for now, I want to spend more time with Chu Yan."
After speaking, worried that Qin Zhao might object, she asked, "Is that okay?"
"Of course, but your soul can’t appear during the day, as sunlight damages you. I can keep you in a soul-nourishing charm and take you to Imperial City for a trip."
Chu Hanxu smiled gently, "Good."
"Then sit here for a while, I’ll put on a TV drama for you to watch."
Qin Zhao set up the TV drama for Chu Hanxu, then went to the kitchen to help Chu Yan cook.
After all, this was her mother-in-law, she couldn’t just do nothing and appear lazy.
In the kitchen, Chu Yan was chopping vegetables.
"Shall I help you with something?"
Just as Qin Zhao asked, he muttered, "Little liar."
"???" Qin Zhao hit him lightly, "Why are you cursing at me?"
"You were always a little liar."
"How did I lie to you?"
"When you answered just now, you didn’t dare look me in the eyes."
Chu Yan meant the incident with Chu Hanxu.
Such a clever person he was, how could he not know that the excuse was just a pretext?
"You tell me everything."
Chu Yan put down the kitchen knife and looked at her seriously.
"I need to know, and I have the right to know."
While saying this, he still felt an inexplicable pain in his heart, and his breathing slowed.
Chu Yan understood in his heart that the truth might be unbearable, but he had to know.
Because he was the only family member of his mother, and the only one who could decide for her. He had to make those who had hurt her pay a thousandfold, a hundredfold!
"But mom didn’t want you to know, she wouldn’t let me tell you."
In fact, Qin Zhao also didn’t really want him to know.
She felt that Chu Yan’s life had been miserable enough, and she didn’t want him to experience such pain again.
"Zhaozhao, you tell me."
He stepped forward and embraced her slender waist.
"If you don’t tell me, I will not be able to sleep at night. Tell me, I can handle it."
Chu Yan persisted, and Qin Zhao could only say gently, "Mom didn’t die of a heart attack, she was murdered. As for who the murderer is, you probably can guess."
"He burned my mom to death?"
Chu Yan’s face darkened, and a fierce hostility surged in his icy eyes.
Without needing Qin Zhao to reveal the full truth, just by seeing Chu Hanxu’s state for the first time, Chu Yan could guess what she had experienced before her death.
Qin Zhao sighed, "Pretty much. If you want revenge, just tell me, I will do my utmost to help you."
No matter who in the Lu Family was protecting him, she must help Chu Yan get revenge.
Lu Tingming, this guy, not only was utterly heartless, but he was also monstrously cruel, and he simply didn’t deserve to live.
Chu Yan said nothing, just held Qin Zhao tightly.
He embraced her so tightly, as if he wanted to merge her into his body.
Qin Zhao could hear his heartbeat fast, his chest seemed to contain a surge of anger, and his breathing by her ear was heavy.
"Why? Why did he do this to my mom? How did she ever wrong him? Not only did she support him through college, but she also waited so many years for him. Why would he do this to her?"
Beyond the anger, there was a profound feeling of injustice.
Chu Yan truly couldn’t understand.
Even he, a callous person, would not betray someone who had once helped him; the blood on his hands belonged mostly to those who deserved death.
His voice was very low, like the roar of a trapped beast.
His eyes were bloodshot, and a strange, horrifying power was slowly brewing in him.
Qin Zhao quickly kissed him, "People like him only care for profit, he doesn’t deserve to be your father. We’ve met mom now, from now on, let’s treat her well, let her have good days, okay?"
Qin Zhao’s voice had a calming effect on Chu Yan.
His aura settled, and he held her tightly without speaking.
Chu Hanxu’s voice came from the living room.
Chu Yan then wiped the tears from the corner of his eyes and pretended nothing was wrong, responding, "What’s wrong?"
Chu Hanxu had been watching TV, and because the volume was loud, she hadn’t heard the noise from the kitchen.
"I’ll go fix it for her."
Qin Zhao pinched his face, "Don’t be sad, I will always be with you."
"Don’t play the little liar." Chu Yan pulled her back and kissed her fiercely.
This meant, she shouldn’t deceive him like she had just now.
His eyes were red, staring intently at her, looking both aggrieved and stubborn.