228 Memory

As night fell, all the households started to cook. The fragrance of food floated out of Pear Blossom Lane.

Su Xiaoxiao sent the Old Marquis and the others to the entrance.

“You… is there anything else you want to know? You can ask everything,” Su Yuan said.

Su Xiaoxiao looked back at Su Cheng’s closed door and asked calmly, “Have you found the murderer?”

Su Yuan nodded. “I found them. They were a group of bandits nearby.”

Su Xiaoxiao said, “Is that so?”

Su Yuan sighed. “There’s indeed something suspicious about this. We’ll investigate secretly.”

“Actually, back then… after Cousin disappeared, Qin Su never gave up on searching. We were looking for a child with the surname Qin, but we didn’t know that he had long changed his name to Su Cheng. He doesn’t remember… Perhaps he was too shocked back then…”

Su Xiaoxiao said, “My father is also very agitated now.”

If she had known that the truth was so cruel, she might have thought about it more.

Su Xiaoxiao said calmly, “I’m not interested in knowing about your family’s struggles, but no one can hurt my father. Not in the past, and not in the future!”

Su Yuan saw an incomparable determination in Su Xiaoxiao’s eyes.

At this moment, she did not look like a sixteen-year-old girl.

Her indomitable iron bones seemed to want to forge the hardest armor for Su Cheng.

Su Yuan could not tell how long it had been since he had been so shocked.

This was his aunt’s bloodline.

He said firmly, “The Marquis of Zhenbei will also protect you.”

They would not let anyone bully them again, nor would they lose them.

Su Xiaoxiao’s expression was very calm. “I’ll protect my own father.”

With that, she turned around and entered the courtyard.

The Old Marquis had yet to recover from his serious illness and could not withstand any torture. After receiving Su Cheng’s punch, he immediately returned to his room to rest.

Physician Fu took care of him from the side.

Su Yuan and Su Mo went to the study next door.

The first time he saw Su Cheng in Apricot Flower Village, Su Yuan vaguely felt that something big was about to happen. After that, big news exploded one after another. Su Yuan repeatedly jumped to the question of whether Su Cheng was his cousin.

After confirming the truth today, he finally felt relieved.

“Actually, Father… guessed it long ago, right?” Su Mo said.

Su Yuan did not deny it. “The first time I saw him… I did feel familiar and close… However, the matter is too big. I was afraid of making a mistake…”

Su Mo asked suspiciously, “If Su Cheng is Grandaunt’s flesh and blood, what’s going on with the Duke Protector? Father, do you still remember how he returned to the Qin family back then?”

Back then, before Su Mo was born, he had learned about Qin Che acknowledging his ancestors.

However, as a junior, he could not question and investigate established facts like a case.

Therefore, he did not know much about the relevant details.

Su Yuan recalled what happened 20 years ago. “I wasn’t in the capital at that time. I heard from your grandfather later that he found the Qin family first and said that he was the son of the Duke. At first, the servants didn’t believe him and chased him out as a beggar. He didn’t give up and came every day. Finally, he met an old steward.”

Su Mo said thoughtfully, “I thought he met the Duke Protector directly.”

Su Yuan smiled faintly. “How is that possible? The Duke’s status is precious. If he gets someone unknown to cause trouble in front of him, those servants won’t have to work in the residence.”

Su Mo nodded. “That’s true.”

Su Yuan continued, “That old steward once took care of the little High Duke. After ten years, his appearance inevitably changed, but there were still some outlines of the past between that person’s eyebrows. Coupled with that jade pendant, the old steward brought him to the Duke Protector.”

Su Mo frowned. “Then the father and son reunited? I heard from Grandpa today that there’s a birthmark?”

“That child also has…” Su Yuan paused for a moment. “They also did a blood test.”

Su Mo said, “A blood test… is not accurate.”

Su Yuan nodded in confusion. “Who did you hear that from?”

Su Mo said, “Physician Fu. He said it was possible to add something to the water fuse the blood of two people”

This was the first time Su Yuan had heard of this, but with Physician Fu’s medical skills, it should be true.

Su Mo said, “Father.”

Su Yuan said, “I understand what you want to say. It’s very important. He has already inherited the title of Duke. If he really angers the Emperor, both families might be implicated.”

Su Mo wanted to say that that was not what he meant.

Even if he was cold by nature, he would not let others occupy the magpie’s nest without stirring up trouble.

Su Yuan’s eyes were slightly red as he said, “Mo’er, do you know how I felt when I saw Su Cheng sitting in the courtyard weaving bamboo baskets? If not for that accident back then, he would be the one living in luxury now… The young master of the Duke’s Estate, wandering among the commoners, being a cowherd and growing up with hundreds of families…”

Su Yuan closed his eyes and said, “Even I feel so uncomfortable… Your grandfather probably… feels like his heart is being cut by a knife…”

The Old Marquis only did not show it on his face, but if he was not extremely sad, why would he lock himself in his room the moment he returned to the residence?

Su Mo asked, “Father, what are Grandpa’s plans?”

Su Yuan pondered for a moment and sighed. “With your grandfather’s personality, he naturally plans to tell the old Protector Duke directly.”

Su Mo sized up Su Yuan’s expression. “Father seems to have a different opinion.”

Su Yuan didn’t deny it. “It’s not a different opinion. I just feel that we’ve already gone wrong once and can’t go wrong a second time. If… I mean if…”

Su Mo continued on behalf of his father, “If the accident back then is related to the Protector Duke’s Estate, Uncle and the others will be in danger.”

Su Yuan said, “That’s right.”

Su Mo said seriously, “Father, since Uncle is in the capital, this matter will have to be put on the table sooner or later. It’s better to do it sooner than later.”

Su Yuan looked at his son. “So you agree with your grandfather’s actions?”

Su Mo nodded. “I agree. However, Father’s concerns are not unreasonable. Why don’t we do this? Grandpa won’t be able to leave for the next few days. I’ll hurry up and find out the truth. If I really find out anything, it won’t be too late to tell Grandpa to change the plan.”

Su Yuan pondered for a moment. “Alright.”

…

When Su Cheng woke up, he realized that he was lying in Su Ergou’s room. He sat up strangely. “Why did I sleep here?”

Three furry heads squeezed over and blinked at him. “Grandpa.”

“Oh.” Su Cheng rubbed their heads.

Su Xiaoxiao walked in with a basin of hot water. “Grandpa is awake. It’s fine. Go play.”

The three of them left the house.

Su Cheng scratched his head. “I’m…”

Su Xiaoxiao paused. “Dad, don’t you remember?”

“I…” Su Cheng frowned and racked his brains to recall. “Is there a guest at our house?”

Su Xiaoxiao glanced at him and quietly placed the hot water on the table. “Yes, Su Yuan was here. Do you still remember him?”

Su Cheng said, “I remember. I was the one who tied him up… ahem, saved him. Daughter, you even treated his illness. Eh? Has he also returned to the capital? Why did he come to our house? No, he… did he come with his son and father?”

Su Xiaoxiao said, “Yes.”

Su Cheng admitted that he remembered. “Then did I beat up his father?”

Su Xiaoxiao nodded. “Yes.”

“Why did I beat him up? He… he…” Father Su couldn’t think anymore. He scratched his head. “Why don’t I seem to remember?”

Su Xiaoxiao said calmly, “You were sleepy and were dozing off. He woke you up, so you beat him up.”

Su Cheng nodded thoughtfully. It was like something he would do.

Moreover, why did he have a vague impression? It was because he was sleepy!

He coughed lightly. “I didn’t beat him up badly, right?”

That was the Marquis.

“No.”

“He’s not angry?”

“No.”

She muttered under her breath, “He was very happy. He treasures you and can’t wait to take two more punches.”

“What happened next?”

“When you fell asleep, the Old Marquis borrowed your room, so Ergou brought you to his.”

Su Cheng was enlightened. “I see.”

Of course, Father Su was not asleep. He had fainted. Before he fainted, his face showed great struggle and pain.

Su Xiaoxiao guessed that he had remembered something bad when he was young.

When a person suffered a huge stimulation, and this stimulation was unacceptable, the brain would automatically activate the defense mechanism and forcefully erase that memory.

In other words, Su Cheng had selective amnesia.

However, this was not true amnesia. Instead, it sealed the painful memory fragments in his subconscious.

Once he was stimulated, the painful memories would return. In serious cases, there might be memory resistance, causing his consciousness to be confused and he would fall into a coma, just like what happened just now.

When he woke up again, there would be two outcomes—to completely accept that memory or forget the memories related to it.

Looking at Father Su’s reaction, it should be the second possibility.

In her previous life, she specialized in surgery. She had not come into contact with many such cases. She had to slowly figure out how to treat them.

“What are they doing at our house?” Su Cheng asked. “Ah, are they here for you?”

Su Xiaoxiao said, “Yes, they came to look for me to get the medicine. It was not convenient for Physician Fu to prepare the medicine in the residence, so I went to the pharmacy to buy herbs. They passed by and came to get it.”

“Oh.” Father Su did not doubt his daughter’s words.

Gulp…

His stomach growled.

He looked at Su Xiaoxiao eagerly, like a big white cat waiting to be fed. “Daughter, I’m hungry.”

Su Xiaoxiao smiled. “I’ll cook.”

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