As the rainy season arrived after the start of summer, the originally star-studded, brilliant night sky was suddenly covered by dark clouds, and the air became unusually hot.
Just as Xiao Yunlong and Liu Ruyan parked their car by the roadside and found a spot at a street food stall for barbecue, the heavy rain began to pour.
Fortunately, the owner had already put up a rain canopy, so the heavy rain did not get in and was not an obstruction. Instead, it washed away the previous sultriness.
Liu Ruyan seemed much more relaxed than she had been at the party, and her mood had improved considerably. She particularly enjoyed watching the rain. Sitting under the canopy, eating barbecue and watching the heavy rain on the street outside, she felt incredibly content.
Xiao Yunlong was also leisurely drinking wine and eating barbecue. To be honest, such comfortable and leisurely days were rare for him. In the past, as the King of Zhenbei, he was overwhelmed with work and almost always occupied, especially during wartime. Not to mention being extremely busy, the most important thing was the immense pressure he had to bear.
Everyone knew how glorious and powerful the King of Zhenbei of Long Country was, but who knew the responsibility and pressure that the title "King of Zhenbei" carried?
Looking at Liu Ruyan, whose face was blooming with a smile, Xiao Yunlong couldn't help but think that if it weren't for the deep-seated hatred he held, he would gladly retire with the woman he loved and live an ordinary life.
Of course, Xiao Yunlong knew this was absolutely impossible. Even if he could let go of this immense hatred, his enemies would never let him go!
Just as Xiao Yunlong was lost in thought, a fat, bald man in his late twenties, with a thick gold chain around his neck, walked towards him with two subordinates.
"Little Yunzi? Are you... Yunzi?" the bald man with the gold chain exclaimed, staring at Xiao Yunlong with wide eyes.
Xiao Yunlong snapped out of his daze and looked closely. A look of pleasant surprise appeared on his face: "Are you... Sixth Uncle?"
Saying this, Xiao Yunlong excitedly stood up.
"Haha, it really is you, Little Yunzi. I thought I saw wrong just now. It's a good thing you resemble your mother when she was young, otherwise, I wouldn't have dared to recognize you!"
The bald man with the gold chain chuckled and came over, giving Xiao Yunlong a heavy punch on the chest.
Liu Ruyan, on the other hand, looked bewildered. When she saw this bald man with the gold chain carrying a briefcase and walking over with two subordinates, she initially thought he was there to cause trouble.
After all, with a thick gold chain around his neck, a leather bag in his hand, a bald head, tattoos, and casual shoes, he looked like a member of society, especially with two subordinates following him.
"Yunlong, is this really your Sixth Uncle?" Liu Ruyan still found it hard to believe. Honestly, in school, she disliked this type of person the most.
Xiao Yunlong nodded: "He's really my Sixth Uncle, my mother's youngest brother, and her biological brother!"
The "big brother" Sixth Uncle turned his gaze to Liu Ruyan and asked, "Yunzi, who is this?"
"This is my girlfriend!" Xiao Yunlong said with a smile.
"Not bad, Yunzi, finding such a beautiful girlfriend!"
Sixth Uncle, the "social figure," reached out his hand. Perhaps feeling that his hand had barbecue grease on it, he quickly wiped it on his clothes before extending it and saying, "Hello, I'm Yunlong's Sixth Uncle, his biological Sixth Uncle. My name is Tang Shanbao!"
Liu Ruyan had been somewhat resistant, but seeing his action of wiping his hand, her impression improved slightly. She shook his hand symbolically: "Hello, Sixth Uncle, my name is Liu Ruyan."
Tang Shanbao pulled over a chair and sat down, then turned to ask, "By the way, Yunzi, why are you in Sucheng?"
After a moment of thought, Xiao Yunlong replied, "I came to Sucheng three months ago. I was in the north before, and since Ruyan is here, I came over."
Liu Ruyan knew he was lying but naturally didn't expose him.
Tang Shanbao, without suspicion, asked, "So you've been in the north all this time? Did you know about what happened to your family a year ago?"
"I've heard some things," Xiao Yunlong nodded slightly, his expression darkening.
"Your parents..."
Tang Shanbao suddenly stopped himself and shook his head, sighing, "Forget it, it's all in the past. You haven't been back during this time, have you?"
"No, I haven't had the chance to go back yet," Xiao Yunlong said.
Tang Shanbao nodded: "That's good, it's better not to go back. Anyway, there's nothing worth your lingering on there anymore. At most, you'd go back to pay respects to your mother, but it's best not to go back, or your life might be in danger!"
Tang Shanbao sighed sadly, "Fortunately, you escaped back then, or your Xiao family would have no remaining bloodline left. It's tragic, truly tragic. Who would have thought that the once renowned prominent family of Chuancheng in Southern Xinjiang would be almost wiped out!"
Xiao Yunlong could only smile wryly and didn't know how to respond for a moment.
Liu Ruyan was very curious, as this was the first time she had heard about Xiao Yunlong's background.
"Yunlong, so you're from Chuancheng in Southern Xinjiang?" Liu Ruyan couldn't help but ask.
Xiao Yunlong didn't speak. Tang Shanbao interjected, "Yunzi is from Chuancheng, and he's from a famous prominent family there. However, eighteen years ago, something happened, and Yunzi was forced to leave the Xiao family. Fortunately, he left at that time, otherwise, he might not be alive now."
He paused and sighed deeply, "A year ago, to be precise, ten months ago, the Xiao family in Chuancheng was wiped out overnight!"
"Ah? This... how could such a thing happen?" Liu Ruyan's eyes widened, her face full of shock.
"This matter is related to Yunzi being forced to leave Chuancheng five years ago, but I don't know the specifics. It's said to be very complicated, involving too many forces in Southern Xinjiang."
Tang Shanbao patted Xiao Yunlong's shoulder and said with a smile, "It's fortunate that you've been in the north all these years and not in Southern Xinjiang, otherwise, those major forces might not have let you go easily. Listen carefully, Yunzi, even if you want to go back to pay respects to your mother in the future, don't go back rashly. Remember to tell me, and I'll take you back secretly!"
"I understand, Sixth Uncle. I'll let you know when I go back!" Xiao Yunlong forced a smile and then tilted his head back to drink.
In fact, after the incident five years ago, he was forced to flee Chuancheng. If he hadn't met that mysterious old man by chance at the time, he would have died long ago.
Over the years, Xiao Yunlong had been in the north. Thanks to the martial arts techniques taught by the mysterious old man, he had gained military merits and was appreciated by the Old King of the North, who adopted him as a godson, eventually becoming the King of Zhenbei in the northern region of Long Country.
Regarding the massacre of the Xiao family a year ago, Xiao Yunlong had actually known about it immediately. However, at that time, the allied forces of the six nations were invading, and the border of Long Country was in a critical situation. He had to temporarily put aside his family vendetta, planning to return to Chuancheng after defeating the invaders from the six nations.
Who knew that after defeating the allied forces of the six nations, when returning to the capital, they would encounter an ambush outside the capital...
Over the years, Xiao Yunlong had rarely mentioned his family background. Only a few people like the Old King of the North knew about it, largely because he was forcibly driven out of the family and even hunted down and fled.
Therefore, he didn't have much sense of belonging to the Xiao family, except for one person, and that was his mother!
"By the way, Yunzi, what are you doing in Sucheng now?" Tang Shanbao asked again.
"I'm not doing anything in particular. I'm currently unemployed, considered a vagrant. However, I've become a live-in son-in-law in the Liu family," Xiao Yunlong said with a self-deprecating smile.
"You actually became a live-in son-in-law?"
Tang Shanbao's eyes widened as he looked at him, then turned to Liu Ruyan beside him and nodded slightly, "That's good. Given your current situation, being a live-in son-in-law is fine. At least you can make a living. After all, the Liu family in Sucheng is considered a commercial prominent family."
Tang Shanbao then shook his head and sighed, "However, being a live-in son-in-law isn't that easy. If you encounter any grievances or troubles in the future, Yunzi, just tell Sixth Uncle. Sixth Uncle will support you and stand up for you!"
Hearing this, Liu Ruyan secretly rolled her eyes at Xiao Yunlong, thinking, "This guy is really something. His background is terrifyingly great, yet he always refers to himself as a live-in son-in-law of the Liu family."
Moreover, in the Liu family, even his own grandfather had to treat him with respect. Where would he encounter any grievances!
Xiao Yunlong just smiled slightly and asked, "By the way, Sixth Uncle, why are you in Sucheng too?"
"I'm here in Sucheng to investigate and prepare to do business." Tang Shanbao said.
"Coming to Sucheng to do business? Shouldn't you be in Southern Xinjiang?" Xiao Yunlong was surprised.
"Still in Southern Xinjiang? I couldn't stay in Southern Xinjiang long ago. It seems you don't know, but after what happened to your Xiao family, our Tang family was also implicated due to your mother's relationship. Although we weren't wiped out, our businesses and industries were suppressed from multiple sides. In the end, we had no choice but to sell our assets at a low price and move our entire family away from Southern Xinjiang to Jiangdong to seek refuge with your maternal aunt."
Tang Shanbao shook his head as he spoke, then continued, "You know I like to have fun. I was lazy to study when I was young and didn't have much education. In Southern Xinjiang, relying on the family and your Xiao family's connections and background, I could still manage engineering projects. Now, in Jiangdong, I'm unfamiliar with the place and can only engage in small businesses. I've been surveying the market in Sucheng these past few days, thinking about whether I can open one or two bars or nightclubs. I didn't expect to run into you here."
Xiao Yunlong asked, "Your whole family moved to Jiangdong, so does that mean my maternal grandparents also came to Jiangdong?"
"Your maternal grandmother passed away six months ago because she couldn't accept the news of your mother's death and the family's upheaval. Your maternal grandfather is still alive, but his health is not as good as before. Now in Jiangdong, by the way, Yunzi, if you have time, go to Jiangdong and see him. He doted on you the most when you were little, and you were the most cultured among them back then."
Tang Shanbao said with deep sadness.
Xiao Yunlong nodded heavily: "Okay, I will. I'll go see him in a few days."
When he was young, Xiao Yunlong's academic performance was the best among his cousins, and he was the most intelligent. However, because he was introverted, taciturn, and even timid, he was forced to flee Chuancheng in Southern Xinjiang more than five years ago.
"Alright, then it's settled. Call me when you go to Jiangdong, and I'll pick you up. Jot down my phone number."
Tang Shanbao stood up and said, "I have to meet a client later, so I won't talk to you anymore. Remember, Yunzi, although we've fallen on hard times, even if Sixth Uncle doesn't have much ability, he can still say a few words in Jiangdong. If you encounter any difficulties in the future, come to Sixth Uncle, and Sixth Uncle will cover for you!"
Tang Shanbao then gave Xiao Yunlong another small punch on the chest.
"I remember, Sixth Uncle. I will!" Xiao Yunlong nodded, then stood up.
"I'm leaving, no need to see me off. It's raining heavily. You two lovebirds, enjoy your meal. Remember to bring your girlfriend to see your maternal grandfather and make him happy. Remember, being a live-in son-in-law isn't easy. If you're ever wronged, be sure to tell Sixth Uncle. If anyone dares to bully you, Sixth Uncle will deal with them!"
Tang Shanbao waved to his two subordinates, then walked with a swagger towards the Toyota Prado parked by the roadside, and then drove away.
Liu Ruyan watched and remarked, "Your Sixth Uncle, although his appearance and attire are very 'social,' he's quite endearing upon interaction."
Xiao Yunlong smiled wryly and shook his head: "He's not much older than me. When I was little, besides my mother, he treated me the best. Most of my toys were bought by him."