Translator: Dj2203
Editor: Dj2203
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While Si Ming underwent a medical examination, Zhuang Li had already obtained the information on the Xiu and Si families. It did not involve family secrets but was just a routine background check. The photos of all the relevant people were however stored in a box, a thick stack.
Zhuang Li casually scattered the photos on the table, glanced at them, and with a flick of his finger, picked out the most important one.
7480: “…” It’s over, the chosen one is doomed!
In the photo, two boys around seven years old were standing in front of an ironwood tree, smiling brightly. Judging from their appearance, the boy on the left was Teng Xuan, and the boy on the right was Xiu Yue. It was surprising that the two knew each other so early on.
Teng Xuan held a round fruit between his fingertips, raising it high above his head like a treasure. And Xiu Yue was tiptoeing to snatch the fruit, his smile radiant.
Zhuang Li scanned the photo into his computer, magnified it several times, and used software to analyze it briefly. He then discovered that what Teng Xuan was holding was indeed a seed from a cycad tree.
According to the investigation records, Xiu Yue was taken back to Xiu Zhaotian’s side when he was fifteen years old. Si Ming suddenly fell ill, and the Xiu family was destined to lose its only heir. Xiu Zhaotian thus knelt in front of the old master Si for a day and a night before he was able to obtain the right to raise the illegitimate child.
Before this, Xiu Yue and his mother had been raised outside by Xiu Zhaotian, and they happened to be neighbors with the Teng family.
Therefore, Teng Xuan and Xiu Yue actually grew up together and had a very deep bond.
Zhuang Li picked out a few more photos, squinted at them for a while, his smile growing deeper and deeper, but his eyes becoming increasingly cold.
One of the photos was a picture of Xiu Yue and his mother, who was Xiu Zhaotian’s mistress, in their garden; another was a solo photo of Xiu Zhaotian standing at the entrance of the Xiu family home; and the last was a picture of Si Ming and his grandfather at the Si family home.
In every single photo, one plant always appeared in the background: the cycad.
“System, did you notice? Xiu Zhaotian’s mistress suddenly planted a lot of cycads in 200x. After that, Madam Si was diagnosed with ALS and became paralyzed in bed. After Madam Si passed away, the Xiu family also started to inexplicably plant cycads everywhere. Fortunately, not long after, Mr. Si took Si Ming away, and these cycads became useless.”
“However, a few years later, the Si family’s old house also started planting cycads, and more and more of them were planted. At the same time, Si Ming was also diagnosed with ALS. What do you think is the reason for this?”
Without a database, 7480 was just a blockhead; it didn’t understand anything.
“Master, could Si Ming’s illness be related to these cycads? This part wasn’t written in the script, so I don’t know either! In the script, Si Ming is just a tool to give Xiu Yue his wealth, while Xiu Yue is the backer of the chosen one, Teng Xuan. The plot revolves around Teng Xuan’s education and entrepreneurial journey, without much other description.”
“Master, this really has nothing to do with me.” 7480 said, looking aggrieved.
Zhuang Li scoffed lightly and did not respond.
Just then, Si Ming returned with a stack of medical reports. He looked at the little curly-haired boy nervously and whispered, “The doctor said I can live for a long time. During this time, I will take good care of you. I will also leave all my property to you. There are nannies and caregivers at home, so you don’t have to do anything. You just need to come and see me every day. It won’t be tiring at all, really.”
He was still just a naive young man, never having tasted the sweetness of love, and even less knowing how to please the one he loved. He could only awkwardly offer everything he had. Nothing else mattered to him; only the person before him was someone he absolutely could not lose.
Zhuang Li looked up at him, feeling both pain and warmth in his heart.
“Sit down, I have something to tell you.” Zhuang Li pointed to the seat opposite him.
Si Ming, who had been standing in place as punishment, carefully sat down, clutching the stack of medical reports tightly in his hand, hesitant to hand them over.
“Stick your head over here.” Zhuang Li beckoned with his index finger.
Si Ming immediately leaned his head toward the curly-haired boy without uttering a single question.
Zhuang Li pressed a kiss to his cold forehead and whispered tenderly, “I don’t want your wealth, I only want you. You are my most precious treasure. Don’t be afraid, I’m here, you’ll be alright.”
Si Ming’s forehead tightened instantly from the kiss, followed by a tingling sensation. A feeling of lightness, like a thread, burrowed into his heart from between his brows, drawing his soul in and giving him the first taste of ultimate happiness and joy.
After a while, he pulled his head back, and the tension and anxiety on his face had completely turned into a forced smile.
“I’m not afraid.” He covered his forehead, his voice trembling with happiness.
“That’s good. What I really want to say is that your illness is not a genetic mutation or hereditary, but rather that you were poisoned. After you go home, have your grandfather thoroughly investigate your family’s gardener, cook, and these three people. Of course, your father may also be one of the accomplices.”
Zhuang Li placed photos of Teng Xuan, Xiu Yue, and Xiu Yue’s mother on the table one by one.
The sudden bad news seemed less bothersome because of the sweet kiss that had preceded it.
Si Ming was only slightly taken aback before realizing what he meant and nodded, saying, “Okay, I will tell Grandpa.”
“When you get back, have your grandfather check your diet carefully. During World War II, a tribe called the Shamoro in Guam suffered from a form of muscular dystrophy. Due to food shortages, the people there had to consume large quantities of seeds from a certain cycad. Scientists fed these seeds to monkeys, and the monkeys also developed muscle atrophy. This is how ALS was discovered.”[1]
Zhuang Li looked at the information collected by the special agent and slowly said, “I have already looked at your mother’s genetic test report. There is no genetic material that causes ALS. Let me see your report.”
Si Ming hurriedly handed over the medical report he had been clutching tightly, without any further resistance in his heart.
Zhuang Li glanced at you briefly, then looked up and said, “You don’t have the genetic material that causes ALS. The incidence of ALS is one in 100,000, which is very rare worldwide.”
“Without the interference of genetic material, it’s abnormal that this one in ten thousand probability has happened to both you and your mother. I only investigated the basic backgrounds of the Xiu family, the Teng family, and the Si family, and did nothing else. When you get back, repeat what I said to your grandfather word for word, and he will know what to do.”
Si Ming was stunned. He looked down at his right hand, which had completely lost all feeling, his mind a jumbled mess.
Before fear could grip him, Zhuang Li stood up, cupped his face, and gave him a gentle kiss, reiterating, “Don’t be afraid, I’m here.”
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[1] This is actually true. You can check out the article on: https://alsnewstoday.com/news/young-cycad-seeds-may-be-source-of-als-cluster-on-guam-in-world-war-two-study-says/