A young boy from the 1970s, separated from his family, fled famine and led his younger brother into

"No! Absolutely not!"

Lu Nianci's heart jumped into her throat!

Without a second thought, she took off after him!

This painting is like a time bomb; once it's publicly exhibited, no one knows what kind of wolves and tigers it will attract!

"Teacher Wang! Teacher Wang! Please wait a moment!" Lu Nianci shouted anxiously as she ran.

However, Mr. Wang was so engrossed in the joy of discovering a "genius" that he didn't hear her shouts at all, and his figure quickly disappeared at the end of the corridor.

Lu Nianci's heart sank little by little.

She knew she was in trouble.

She returned to the classroom and saw her younger brother, Lu Xiaoshi, still sitting there with a blank expression, unaware of the ripples her casual drawing had caused.

The boy with glasses had already lowered his head, pretending to be reading a book, as if the sinister gaze he had just received was merely Lu Nianci's imagination.

But Lu Nianci knew that it wasn't an illusion.

She silently memorized the boy's appearance and his name—Zhang Qiang—and made it firmly in her mind.

After school, Lu Nianci took her younger brother home with a worried expression.

Instead of going to the library to find Professor Chen Mo, she went straight home, which was unusual for her.

She had to tell Lu Zhenguo about this!

However, as soon as she entered the house, she noticed that the atmosphere was a bit off.

In the living room, besides Lu Zhenguo and Zhou Yayun, there was also an old general who looked to be in his fifties, wearing a crisp military uniform, but with two gold stars on his shoulder insignia!

His imposing aura was even stronger than Lu Zhenguo's!

"Hey, our little hero is back!" Lu Zhenguo's face immediately lit up with a proud smile as soon as he saw her.

Clearly, news of what happened at school had reached his ears.

"Come, come, Nianci, Xiaoshi, come here quickly!" Lu Zhenguo waved to them with a smile. "Let me introduce you. This is Uncle He, a brother my father fought alongside on the battlefield!"

"Hello, Uncle He." Lu Nianci suppressed her worries and obediently pulled her younger brother forward to greet him.

General He was a large-faced man with an imposing presence. But when he saw Lu Nianci and Lu Xiaoshi, a kind smile appeared on his stern face.

"Good! Good! Good!" He looked the two children up and down, nodding repeatedly. "Zhenguo, you're so lucky! You've found such a pair of exquisitely beautiful children for free!"

"Especially this little girl," General He's gaze fell on Lu Nianci, his eyes filled with admiration, "I've heard all about it. She started third grade at five and got perfect scores on her exams! If my good-for-nothing grandsons were half as smart as you, I'd be laughing in my sleep!"

"Uncle He, you flatter me," Lu Nianci said modestly.

"That's no flattery!" General He laughed heartily. "I just made a bet with your father! I said, you're destined to be either a general or a scientist!"

The family chatted happily together.

Zhou Yayun brought the two children freshly washed apples.

Lu Xiaoshi, holding an apple, happily ran around the living room.

Because he was running so fast, the dragon-shaped jade pendant that Lu Nianci had re-strung with a red string around his neck slipped out from his small collar and swayed back and forth in front of his chest.

At first, no one paid any attention.

However, when Lu Xiaoshi ran up to General He and showed off the apple in his hand, General He's gaze inadvertently swept over the jade pendant.

moment!

His smile froze!

His sharp eyes, which had weathered countless storms, were fixed on the jade pendant!

It was as if I had seen the most incredible thing in the world!

"Clatter!"

A crisp sound!

The white porcelain teacup filled with boiling hot tea slipped from General He's hand and crashed hard onto the hard terrazzo floor!

Tea was spilled all over the floor.

The teacup shattered into countless pieces.

The joyful and peaceful atmosphere in the living room vanished in an instant!

Everyone was stunned by this sudden turn of events!

"Old He! What's wrong with you?" Lu Zhenguo quickly stood up and asked with concern.

However, General He seemed not to have heard him at all.

His body was trembling violently!

His face turned deathly pale in an instant!

His lips trembled, but he couldn't utter a single word!

He simply stretched out his hand, which was trembling like a leaf due to excitement, and pointed shakily at the jade pendant on Lu Xiaoshi's chest!

"This...this...this jade pendant..."

His voice was hoarse and dry, filled with endless shock and horror!

"This...isn't this something from the Gu family in the capital?!"

boom!!!!

They were both completely stunned!

Family-oriented?!

Which one is family-oriented?!

Could it be...?

They dared not think any further!

When Lu Nianci heard the words "Gu Jia", her heart skipped a beat!

She recalled that when Zhou Yayun saw this jade pendant, she had also blurted out the words "Beijing", "Xishan Courtyard" and "Gu Family".

At the time, she thought that Zhou's mother had misremembered.

But now it seems...

"Old He, you... did you see clearly?" Lu Zhenguo's voice also began to tremble.

"How could I be wrong!" General He squeezed out these words through gritted teeth, as if he had used all his strength.

"The craftsmanship of this five-clawed golden dragon! The texture of this Kunlun warm jade! And... and the character '宸' engraved in small seal script on the back!"

Chen?!

Not "Lu"?!

Lu Nianci's heart was pounding wildly! She had always thought it was the character "Lu"!

"That...that's what I saw Brother Gu personally put on his precious eldest grandson!"

"This is a heirloom passed down through generations of the Gu family! It's unique! There can never be another one like it!"

General He practically roared as he finished speaking!

His emotions were completely out of control!

He suddenly stood up, grabbed Lu Zhenguo's arm with such force that he almost crushed Lu Zhenguo's bones!

His pale face was covered in cold sweat, and his eyes were filled with endless fear and... a hint of wild joy that even he himself could not believe!

"Zhenguo!"

"You...you better tell me the truth!"

"This child...where...where did he come from?!"

"You...you don't know! You might...you might be involved in something absolutely huge!"