Chapter 1646 — An Extra Cousin
The Blossom Guardian · Page 1 of 2
"How could that possibly work? Our cultivation methods are completely different—you would freeze him to death! Let me think about it a while first... Never mind that for now..." Bingtang shook her head with a helpless air. She understood well enough that Wei Zhao had run into trouble, but pride kept him from saying so; her junior sister Feng Xiaoxiao, though, had cooperated nicely and spoken up for him.
"Oh, right—let us go inside before we say anything more!" Feng Xiaoxiao suddenly remembered the main purpose of this visit: to have Aunt Xiaoming and Bingtang acknowledge their kinship. She said so at once.
When Bingtang appeared, Tang Zhi had stood at a distance watching her, and felt a strange familiarity, as if they had met somewhere before—though she was quite certain they never had. If this woman was Feng Xiaoxiao's senior sister, then she must be the Palace Master of the Ice Palace; how could Tang Zhi possibly know such a lofty, untouchable figure?
But the instant Xiaoming and Xiaoqing stepped out of the car not far away, Tang Zhi's gaze froze and fixed upon Xiaoming. The feeling in that moment nearly stopped her breath. If Bingtang had merely seemed familiar, like someone half-remembered, then this Xiaoming who came after stirred in Tang Zhi a closeness of shared blood—a kinship rising from her very bones, from the depths of her heart—so that for a time she stood rooted there, staring at Xiaoming, utterly at a loss.
From first to last, Xiaoming's gaze had never left Tang Zhi. No one needed to introduce them, no confirmation was required—she was already certain that this girl was her daughter, Tang Zhi. The sense of closeness was even stronger than what she had felt upon first seeing Bingtang.
Had she not been held back by caution, Xiaoming would have rushed forward then and there to throw her arms around Tang Zhi and weep. Nearly twenty years—and this was the first time Xiaoming had seen her own flesh and blood. Her child was alive, and like Bingtang, so beautiful. Xiaoming was so overcome that she could scarcely walk steadily.
Xiaoqing, quick of eye and hand, caught and steadied Xiaoming, then led her toward where Wei Zhao stood.
Even as Tang Zhi marveled inwardly, she was more astonished still that Xiaoming seemed to be watching her as well—she looked at Xiaoming, and Xiaoming's eyes were fixed on her.
"Yaoyao... look at that woman..." Tang Zhi, a little uneasy, took Gu Mengyao's hand and gestured with her eyes toward Xiaoming.
At first Gu Mengyao had noticed nothing, but now, prompted by Tang Zhi, she followed her gaze to Xiaoming in some surprise, then turned to look at Tang Zhi—and at once a strange expression came over her face.
"She... and you..." Gu Mengyao did not know how to put it. The two of them, at a casual glance, were remarkably alike...
Wei Zhao had noticed Tang Zhi's oddness too, and followed her gaze to Xiaoming. His brows knit at once, and he turned to Feng Xiaoxiao beside him. "Xiaoxiao, what is going on? That person..."
"Husband Wei Zhao, let us go inside first and talk there!" Feng Xiaoxiao did not know how to begin either. This was a matter better discussed once they were indoors and seated.
Wei Zhao nodded. By intuition, he felt that Bingtang's sudden arrival this time was no simple matter... Visiting relatives—visiting what relatives? Thinking of Xiaoming and Tang Zhi, Wei Zhao was struck by a sudden shock. Could Bingtang's so-called visit be directed at Tang Zhi?
Ever since Tang Zhi had become entangled with the Hidden Tang family, Wei Zhao had grown wary and suspicious of everything. Ordinarily he would not have dared to make such a bold conjecture—after all, the gulf between Tang Zhi's station and Bingtang's was a hundred thousand li wide. How could there possibly be any connection between them?
But now—if Tang Zhi could have ties to the Hidden Tang family, then ties to Bingtang were by no means impossible!