Volume One, Chapter 55: Since We've Come All This Way, Let's Go Meet Xiao Rui

Grandmother Xiao fell into a long silence after hearing Xiao Yue’s words. After quite some time, she finally asked, “Ah Yue, are you certain that you are indeed a descendant of the Nalan family?”

Xiao Yue replied, “I’m almost certain. Both my grandmother and my mother died on the day of their thirtieth birthday, and my dissociative episodes began on the day I turned twenty.”

Grandmother Xiao lifted her hands to cover her face, and only then did Xiao Yue realize she was crying.

Always fearless and resolute as the head of the Xiao family, she now wept like a lost child.

Xiao Yue stood, walked over, and gently embraced her. “Grandmother, at least I am still alive right now.”

Grandmother Xiao wiped away her tears. “You’re right, at least you are still alive. As long as we can break this curse, you’ll be safe.”

“That’s precisely why I’m telling you the truth. Now, Xingwan is fighting alone to break the curse. I don’t think it should be her burden alone, so I hope we can use the Xiao family’s resources to help.”

Grandmother Xiao responded quickly, “Of course. Now that I know the truth, I won’t stand idly by.”

That weekend, when Chi Xingwan came to the Xiao residence, Grandmother Xiao spoke with her privately about the matter.

Chi Xingwan was surprised. “How did you find out?”

Grandmother Xiao explained, “I told you before that Ah Yue isn’t always in a confused state. He has periods of clarity every day, and during those times, he’s been investigating his illness.”

This was the explanation Xiao Yue had given Grandmother Xiao, and it was clear she believed him.

“He discovered that both his mother and grandmother died on their thirtieth birthday. His mother, too, began suffering from sudden headaches at twenty, and no cause was ever found, even at her death.”

Thinking of Xiao Yue’s mother, Lan Yan, brought Grandmother Xiao great pain. Lan Yan had been exceptionally talented—her own protégé—and she had once considered passing the company to her.

Fate is merciless.

“In that case, there’s no need for me to hide anything. To break the Nalan family’s curse, we not only need to find the evil artifact made by the spellcaster while alive, but also need to find as many surviving Nalan descendants as possible.”

When breaking the curse, the more people present with Nalan blood, the greater the chance of success.

Grandmother Xiao said, “I may not be able to help with finding the artifact, but I can take on the task of seeking out other Nalan descendants.”

“Thank you, Grandmother,” Chi Xingwan said with heartfelt gratitude.

Grandmother Xiao held her hand. “It’s me who should thank you. In truth, you never had any obligation to get involved.”

Chi Xingwan shook her head. “No, I must. The ancestors of the Nalan family were benefactors to my own forebears.”

“No matter what, I still owe you my thanks,” Grandmother Xiao sighed. “I’m not afraid to lose face in front of you. Outsiders think I, Xiao Ruhuan, am cold and ruthless, only caring about money. I admit, most of the time I am quite unfeeling, but that doesn’t mean I can stand by and watch my own family die.”

She had buried her parents, her husband, and the heir she had most faith in. Every time, she’d appeared unmoved, but no one knew how many nights she wept in solitude.

She could not bear to see another loved one go before her—especially not Xiao Yue, her most cherished grandson.

“Grandmother, I promise I won’t let anything happen to Xiao Yue.”

As she left the small villa, Chi Xingwan happened to run into Xiao Yu and Xiao Ming. The two had just finished their midterm exams and had come to show their grades to Grandmother Xiao.

Although Grandmother Xiao seemed indifferent to her grandchildren, she was actually strict about their studies. Even the most wayward Xiao Rui had made it into a top university.

After exchanging greetings, Chi Xingwan asked offhandedly, “Has your brother gotten into any more trouble lately?”

The last time she had seen Xiao Rui, she had noticed signs of financial loss written on his face.

Xiao Yu thought for a moment and shook her head, but Xiao Ming said, “Well, if anything is strange, it’s that he’s been much better behaved lately.”

“Behaved” was never a word associated with Xiao Rui. Chi Xingwan pressed further, “What do you mean, exactly?”

Xiao Ming explained, “He used to say he wanted to be an eSports player, and since Dad didn’t approve, he’d act out and constantly pester Sister Dan with questions. But lately, he’s been much quieter—no fuss, no complaints.”

That did sound odd. Since she was already here, Chi Xingwan decided to go see Xiao Rui.

She went to the main house and knocked on Xiao Rui’s door.

He opened the door, surprised to see her. “Sis, what brings you here?”

Noticing his outfit, she asked, “Heading out?”

He nodded. “Yeah, I’m going to meet some friends. If it’s nothing urgent, can we talk later?”

Chi Xingwan replied casually, “It’s nothing major. Grandmother just thinks you’ve been spending a bit too much lately and asked me to check in.”

Xiao Rui immediately grew anxious. He poked his head out into the corridor to make sure no one else was around, then quickly pulled her into his room.

“How did Grandmother know I’ve been spending money?”

“She doesn’t usually interfere, but that doesn’t mean she’s unaware. She’s the family head—she knows everything.”

The bluff worked. Xiao Rui, flustered, asked, “What should I do?”

Chi Xingwan sat him down. “Don’t panic. Tell me why you needed to spend so much. If it’s for something legitimate, Grandmother won’t be angry.”

Confused and cowed, Xiao Rui blurted out everything.

“I wasn’t up to anything bad. I just pooled some money with friends to form an eSports team and enter competitions.”

Chi Xingwan asked, “That’s not a bad thing. But if you want to be an eSports player, why not just join an existing team? Why start your own?”

“Sis, it might seem fine to you, but Dad doesn’t see it that way. He thinks I’m wasting my life and embarrassing him.”

Now that he had started, Xiao Rui spilled everything. “Dad’s been awful. He used his influence to pressure the teams so none of them would accept me. I had no choice but to start my own.”

He had already found a team he liked. They’d played together online and were mutually satisfied, but his father’s interference had cost him the chance to join.

Chi Xingwan shifted her tone. “Are your friends trustworthy?”

Xiao Rui nodded repeatedly. “Absolutely. We’ve already submitted the paperwork. Once the league approves us, our team will be official.”

“Where did you meet these friends?”

“Online. We’ve played together and met in real life too. He’s a top graduate from an international university—very capable. He’ll run the team, so I can focus on being a player.”

Chi Xingwan smiled slyly. “Met online, have you? Have you forgotten about Su Tang?”

Xiao Rui fell silent.