"Young Master Cheng, thank you for everything and for accepting the request of taking care of my younger sister while I'm away. I promise to become stronger and develop my power in the river and lakes so when my strength is needed I'll be able to become useful to you."

Before the sun has come out for another day, Shao Cheng stood before the kneeling Li Shi that fully showed the acceptance of being his subordinate before his eyes flickered toward the dead body of the older man carefully wrapped in white clothes while Mu stood in the side.

Obviously, they already decided to take the older man back to the place where he genuinely belonged despite disappearing for many years and secretly having a family.

"Ok."

Shao Cheng's attention quickly returned to the humble Li Shi who calmly stood up with a steady posture along with his straight back while displaying a certain mature light on his charming green eyes, which has completely lost the remaining childish and naive light after his father has died.

Sometimes, a single situation can completely change a person and Shao Cheng can easily detect that the Li Shi standing before him has really changed, at least, the remaining innocent and slight hesitance he can perceive before was completely wiped out.

Fortunately, Shao Cheng realizes that it wasn't the same type of transformation that Li Shi has in the previous life while inwardly sighing that certain circumstances can still happen despite obviously becoming involved in the events.

"We will be going now, Young Master Cheng, please take care and be well."

Shao Cheng has calmly nodded his head without showing the complicated emotions he felt after considering the future events that might remain the same no matter how much he tried to change it before quietly watching as the brother and sister expressed their farewell that might take a long time for them to see each other again.

"Mingzhu, be obedient and always listen to Young Master Cheng alright? Don't give him any trouble, we already owe him a lot."

"I will Big Brother, please take care and stay safe. I will be waiting for you to come back home."

"Hm… wait for me."

After Li Shi gave one last hug and a gentle pat to Li Mingzhu's head, he silently turned his head to glance at the calm young man that has always remain indifferent and cold no matter what kind of situation occurred, only changing his expression when it comes to a certain person.

Taking a deep breath, Li Shi has given one last nod to the person that has somehow become special in his heart before turning around and leaving with Mu while inwardly vowing to become useful and helpful so that he can raise his head high up when they meet again.

I'll be back, swearing to become one of your strengths.

And, while I don't dare to desire an unimaginable condition from you, but I hope that I can become a person you can completely place your trust with…

After stepping on top of a residence wall and jumping to another building, Li Shi couldn't help but inwardly chuckle because despite knowing how hopeless the unexpected emotion he suddenly figured out, he just couldn't stop it, especially after fully knowing well that it was a simply impossible dream.

He is the kind of person that can clearly see the entire situation and was able to accept the miserable reality that his growing feeling was simply unattainable.

Particularly, when Li Shi has already witnessed with his own eyes how much the young man carefully treats the other man with utmost importance while showing the sole appearance that no other person can enter his eyes anymore.

So, after witnessing and observing such interaction, Li Shi couldn't even raise the idea of wanting to fight over a single chance to have the young man's heart, especially when he doesn't want to become an ungrateful person, causing great trouble to the person that has helped him in their moment of need.

But… I'm still a bit greedy… knowing that I don't stand a chance… but still having the tiny hope to seek a little bit of space in your heart even if it wasn't the desire that I really wanted.

Soon, when the sun has risen up while the large gates in the Chang Capital have finally opened wide, Li Shi and his cousin followed by the dead body of his father has walked over, bypassing the countless people that was already prepared to enter or waiting to leave the Chang Capital.

And after standing upon a tall hill that completely overlooks the magnificent and enormous Capital of the Chang Empire, Li Shi has given one last glance at the place that has changed the course of his life before completely disappearing and only appearing in the following years, causing chaos and turmoil at the already turbulent time in the Chang Capital.

"Starting today, use the name Lihua."

After Li Shi and Mu have completely disappeared, Shao Cheng has turned his attention to the sad 'Lihua' who has lost her father while her older brother needed to go for their own safety, which is only thirteen years old.

Basically a teenager in his modern time, before quickly taking her to where Little Xiaolin and Xiaodan Mother have been staying and staring today, letting the two of them live together.

And for the sake of hiding their actual identities, Shao Cheng has decided to let Suyin and Lihua become mother and daughter status, which wouldn't give trouble to Suyin's genuine family.

Because despite the fact that Xiaolin, Xiaodan, and Suyin manage to survive together but, the price they have to pay in order to live a new and better life was the fact that they can't be known as a family in other people eyes.

In other words, the three of them can only conceal their actual relationship with Suyin being a widow along with having a daughter 'which is now Lihua' while Xiaolin and Xiaodan are orphans.

Sometimes, sacrifice needs to be made no matter how much a person loathe it, and Shao Cheng didn't hesitate to let the sons and mother accept his arrangement.

Was Shao Cheng extremely heartless to break a family apart? In his own opinion, It doesn't matter one bit, because a person in his situation has to be cold, ruthless, and decisive when choosing a decision, especially when it can lead to dangerous circumstances.

It is already a certain fact that Shao Cheng can only become cruel and determined than anyone in the world or else he will be the one ending up in a miserable situation because his experience has already told him that in the world he transmigrated, he couldn't remain wholeheartedly kind and compassionate to other people.

Suddenly, Shao Cheng couldn't help but feel extreme nostalgia while remembering how he has lived his life so far in the ancient world along with feeling the certain heaviness his already tired soul carried before a certain thought flash on his mind.

When everything is over... would I finally obtain the genuine tranquil state I have been desiring after my death?

Immediately noticing how he was being a bit self-destructive once more in his mind, he finally decided to leave the place and quickly get back in the Shao Residence in order to eat breakfast with his family.

"I'm already extremely old in my mental state…"

Two lifetimes is already good enough… hopefully, this third life would be the end, although he is grateful for the chance he was given to correct his mistake in the previous life but a mortal really isn't meant to live an extremely long life.

Shao Cheng has already perceived that living three lifetimes' worth of memories is already his limit, the fourth time would definitely cause his already cracked pieces of remaining sanity to completely disappear.

In a literal sense, Shao Cheng doesn't want to become a genuine monster that he could no longer recognize if he continues to retain his memories in every lifetime of his new life.

Swiftly bypassing the already bustling streets of the magnificent Chang Capital, Shao Cheng has speedily arrived back home before quickly taking a quick bath and changing his clothes.

And when Shao Cheng has arrived in the dining hall of the main residence, he quickly received the warm greeting of his family while being carefully and gently taken care of causing his somehow low and depressing mood to become lighter.

This already showed the great change of his atttiude to the family that he has once ruthlessly ignored and heartlessly thrown away.

Ah, I'm really so blind before... how did I ignored and disregard such a loving and sincere family in my previous life?

Shao Cheng's mood is really complicated while at the same time, he also already notices how much this warm and sincere family has slowly started to enter his narrowed and cold heart.

"Third Brother, would you like more meat in your porridge?"

"Our son, eat more food so that you can grow up healthy and strong."

"Yes, also eat more vegetables. It's good for your health."

"My Third son, would you like to drink milk? I heard it's good for your skin."

"..."

Well, disregarding his father's suddenly abnormal concern regarding his beautiful appearance, Shao Cheng has calmly nodded his head, completely showing that they got his attention while also revealing that he has already changed enough as he answers his family one by one.

However, during the afternoon, Shao Cheng's good mood has completely disappeared and certain ruthlessness emerges in his heart when the old housekeeper Nianzu has appeared in a respectful manner and informing everyone that their father brothers along with their family have finally arrived.

It was the Shao Family's close attitude of letting Shao Yin's younger brothers visiting yearly to celebrate the coming New Year.

So those people finally came…he should begin removing all the harmful people to his family.