Everyone stared at Great-Grandpa in astonishment, even more curious about what could have been written on that sheet of paper to make him so agitated.
It was as though time had returned to that year. Back then, Great-Grandpa had also suddenly singled out Li Xiuzhe from among his grown descendants—a person who had only come along to make up the numbers.
Li Xiuzhe had been only five years old at the time, and no one had regarded him as a rival. While everyone else was arguing fiercely, Li Xiuzhe had leaped out to hit someone because his father was being targeted. In the end, no one hit him; he suddenly fainted and was sent to the hospital instead.
And then, somehow, the position of family head had landed on his shoulders. Great-Grandpa had been delighted beyond words, yet had refused to offer any explanation. Naturally, many people had been deeply dissatisfied.
Although the facts had since proven that Great-Grandpa’s judgment had been right, they still felt that they would have done a better job if they had been chosen instead!
“Why? What does it say? How can you be sure she’s one of our Li family?”
“That’s right, Father. Let us see it too!”
The others began arguing again. The young people standing at the back were also anxious. If Li Xiuzhe really had a child of his own, then given his temperament, he certainly would not give them any chance to become family head.
A young boy of about thirteen or fourteen, relying on his age, pestered Great-Grandpa with wheedling pleas to let him see what was written on the paper.
But Great-Grandpa had already folded the report and put it into his pocket. Apparently finally fed up with the noise, he picked up the teacup beside him and hurled it forcefully onto the floor.
The teacup shattered, and everyone fell silent. Not a single person dared to speak again.
Great-Grandpa swept his displeased gaze over them. Deep disappointment flashed in his eyes as he said in a low voice, “All of you, get back home!”
“Grandpa!”
“Father!”
“Get out!”
Seeing that Great-Grandpa was truly enraged, no one dared say anything else. They could only swallow their resentment and accept the fact that Huahua was a blood descendant of the Li family.
As they left one by one, all unwilling to do so, only Li Xiuzhe’s family of four and Great-Grandpa remained in the room.
Father Li and Mother Li did not dare move recklessly while Great-Grandpa was angry, but they could not hide the joy on their faces. They looked at Huahua with smiles in their eyes.
They had a granddaughter!
Before they could even say anything, Great-Grandpa spoke. “You two should go downstairs and rest as well. Xiuzhe and I have something to discuss privately.”
The two of them were reluctant, but still hurriedly acknowledged him and went out.
Huahua had been bewildered from beginning to end. She turned her head to look at one person, then another, and then saw Great-Grandpa suddenly smiling and beckoning to her.
“Huahua, good girl, come here to Great-Grandpa.”
Dad set Huahua down on the floor, and with his encouragement, she took small steps toward Old Master.
Great-Grandpa tremulously placed a withered hand, dry as tree bark, on Huahua’s little head. His previous sternness vanished, replaced by a kindly smile.
“Huahua, you can hear the little white cat speak, can’t you?”
Huahua’s eyes widened. Her expression clearly said, How did you know? Then she covered her little mouth and guiltily said, “Huahua can’t hear it.”
Before falling asleep in the car, Dad had told her that she could not tell anyone. She anxiously turned to look at him, not wanting Dad to hate her.
Having heard her thoughts, the corners of Li Xiuzhe’s mouth lifted slightly, and warmth spread through his chest. He rose and went to her side, reassuring her, “Huahua, don’t be afraid. Dad won’t hate you. Dad and Great-Grandpa can hear those sounds too.”
“That’s right. Great-Grandpa supported the family back then, when it was on the verge of collapse, by finding treasures at antique markets.” Old Master could not resist boasting about his past.
Huahua blinked in delight. “Dad and Great-Grandpa can hear Little White Cat and Little Tortoise talking too?”
“No.” Before the little girl could pout, he added, “But Dad can hear what Huahua is thinking, and Great-Grandpa can hear the voices of ancient objects.”
“What’s that?”
Great-Grandpa chuckled. “It’s a secret of our family.”
Huahua did not understand. She gazed at the two of them with her bright black-and-white eyes, so Li Xiuzhe slowly explained, “Our family began as farmers. But the first family head gained the ability to see other people’s fortunes. When he joined the army, he relied on that ability to stand firmly beside the future Emperor, who was still weak at the time. He earned merit by aiding the Emperor’s rise, and from then on, our family’s power and status grew higher and higher. In every generation since then, someone has inherited this ability. For example, Dad and Great-Grandpa. And who else?”
Having listened to the story, Huahua cleverly raised her hand. “Huahua!”
“Heh heh heh, that’s right. Huahua inherited this ability too, so Huahua can hear little animals talking, is that it?” Great-Grandpa asked again with a delighted laugh.
This time, Huahua nodded decisively.
The viewers were both surprised and unsurprised.
【Apparently, Tosomofel tumors are hereditary in an extremely small percentage of cases. No wonder there are so many people in this house—they made their fortunes with this ability, and having more children gives them more chances.】
【It’s great that we don’t have to worry about Huahua being used.】
【Mhm, bargain Dad gets more handsome the longer you look at him.】
Great-Grandpa stroked his beard, took out his phone, and gave a few orders. Before long, Grandpa Lin, whom they had seen earlier, led a group of people carrying a gigantic tortoise into the main hall. They set it down and withdrew.
“This tortoise was raised by my father’s generation. It’s now older than I am, and it’s our family’s mascot,” Great-Grandpa explained.
Curious, Huahua circled the giant tortoise. She reached out and touched its smooth shell, murmuring to herself, “Hello, big tortoise… Oh, oh, you’re almost two hundred years old? How much is that? All right… hello, Tortoise Grandpa.”
The two men found it extraordinary as they watched Huahua nod and giggle from time to time, chatting amicably with the longevity tortoise.
Over the past three hundred years, their family had produced quite a few people with unusual abilities. One ancestor had been able to see things invisible to ordinary humans, and the family had also produced many extraordinarily gifted painters and artists. But Huahua might be the only one who could hear animals speak.
Unable to resist, Old Master asked, “Huahua, can you tell Great-Grandpa what Tortoise Grandpa said to you?”
Huahua was a good child who loved sharing. At once, she said something astonishing. “Tortoise Grandpa said Great-Grandpa is going to die soon.”
The moment she said it, the two adults and the viewers in the livestream room all froze. Li Xiuzhe quickly covered Huahua’s mouth and looked at Great-Grandpa with concern.
“Grandpa, Huahua is just talking nonsense. You’ll live for a long time yet.”
After his initial alarm passed, Old Master calmly got to his feet. With Li Xiuzhe supporting him, he walked toward the longevity tortoise and gently patted its shell as though greeting an old friend.
In an even tone, he said, “Once an animal lives for more than a hundred years, it gains a spirit. I believe what it says. I’ve lived long enough. Now that I’ve been able to see Huahua before I die, I have no regrets.”
Before Huahua appeared, their family’s generation of eighteen great-grandchildren had produced not a single inheritor of the ability. The only one who possessed it, Li Xiuzhe, was unable to have children. Now that Old Master had finally found someone to inherit the family ability, the worry weighing on his heart was completely set down. After he died, he would be able to face his ancestors with a clear conscience.
Hearing this, Li Xiuzhe could only suppress his grief and force a smile. “Grandpa, stop saying such unlucky things.”
Old Master chuckled, without a trace of gloom in his eyes despite learning that he was close to death. He turned to Huahua with a smile. “Huahua, did Tortoise Grandpa say anything else?”
Seeing that they did not seem angry, Huahua’s eyes curved again. “He said lots of things. Tortoise Grandpa said he likes talking to Huahua. No one usually talks to him, so he told Huahua all kinds of things.”
“The mountain to the west is full of spiritual energy. It’s a blessed feng shui site, and Tortoise Grandpa wants to go there to recuperate.”
“The kitchen maid and the head of security have gone into the woods together many times, but the head of security hasn’t gone into the woods with her alone.”
“The family’s Sixteenth Young Master isn’t his mother’s biological son. He was born from his father and a maid. His wife had an abortion when she was young and can no longer have children.”
“There’s money stolen by a servant buried beneath the thirteenth osmanthus tree to the east, and blah blah blah…”
The little girl spoke with great fluency, pronouncing every word clearly. She also had an excellent memory, recounting everything Tortoise Grandpa had said in full. The two men were left speechless, followed by an overwhelming sense of astonishment.
Li Xiuzhe looked at his daughter, pride swelling in his chest.
This ability was in no way inferior to his own. After all, no one would guard against the little animals that were everywhere.
And besides listening to gossip, it had more practical benefits. For example, the mountain to the west that the longevity tortoise had mentioned was a blessed feng shui site. Wasn’t that far more reliable than spending millions on a feng shui master whose abilities were still unknown?
With the help of animals, they could find out which mountains contained gold, silver, and all kinds of rare minerals. That was much easier and faster than the money Li Xiuzhe earned at the negotiating table by probing his opponents step by step to steal their thoughts.
What was more, if Huahua could command those animals, she would be able to accomplish even more.
Old Master also excitedly pulled Huahua into his arms, as though he had already seen the glorious sight of his family flourishing for another hundred years.
This child had to become the family head of the generation after next!