Chapter 332: Mutual Understanding (II)
Li Yuanjiao fell silent for several breaths, his gaze fixed on Xiao Guiluan. She looked down silently, as though trying to draw answers from the stone table itself.
Finally, after a long pause, Li Yuanjiao sighed and said, "If you already knew the answer, why did you need me to spell it out for you?"
Xiao Guiluan then looked up, taking his hand in hers. "Because I only wished you would treat me like family. Abandoned by my father in the mountains as a child, I endured cold eyes and indifference… There's nothing left for me in the Xiao Family. The only things I hold dear in this life are you and Xizhi… Why would you keep such a significant secret from me?" she asked, her voice soft and gentle.
Li Yuanjiao was deeply moved. He held her hand affectionately and said warmly, "I know you've always been sharp and perceptive, sometimes even surprising me. To think that you were even able to deduce this through the Clan Affairs Courtyard's silence and inactivity…"
Instead of pride in her deduction, her face betrayed a touch of sorrow as she continued glumly, "The Ancestor has always been discreet and reserved… The only time he would make such a move is to intimidate. However, what could be more intimidating than the Ancestor himself?"
"We've been married for eight years, and Xizhi is already seven. Did you think you could hide this from me?" she chided.
"Of course not!" Li Yuanjiao said as he shook his head, feeling somewhat awkward. He composed himself and replied earnestly, "This matter is incredibly sensitive. The fewer people know about it, the safer we all are."
Xiao Guiluan nodded in understanding, her expression serious as she asked softly, "How bad is his condition?"
Li Yuanjiao hesitated for a moment, before transmitting his answer through mana.