Zuko scratched his nose, hesitating, before taking Lina's hand and heading to the store. The emotions he was experiencing at the moment were beyond words. It felt as if all the spices had been spilled and mixed together, something he thought only happened in literature.Zuko had always believed that he was a person capable of controlling his emotions. However, at that very moment, he was overjoyed yet overwhelmed by an indescribable sadness and pain.As they walked, memories flooded Zuko's mind. He recalled holding Pammy's hand when they were young, guiding her as she took her first steps. They had lost each other for 20 years, and he never imagined that she would come back to him in this way.These thoughts echoed in his head as he recalled others' comments about Lina."Bro, I realized that Lina looks like Aunt Linda from certain angles!""Look at them, they've just met, but they act like sisters!""Zeke, I'm telling you, Jesse and Melissa raised an outstanding daughter like Lin
Zuko felt his throat tighten, and he licked his dry lips. After a moment of silence, he finally spoke up."I... I have a question I'd like to ask you," he said, his voice faltering."Mm-hmm, go ahead and ask," Lina replied."Lina, are you... happy in this home?" Zuko asked, his expression filled with uncertainty.Lina was taken aback. She sensed that something was off about Zuko today, but she couldn't quite put her finger on it. His eyes seemed more mysterious, and he sometimes appeared hesitant to meet her gaze.Could it be that there were more secrets to his identity?"What do you mean by that, Zuko?" she inquired, her tone cautious.Zuko gently held her shoulders and pleaded, "Please answer my question honestly.""Why would you need to ask that? Of course I'm happy!" Lina replied, her eyes searching his face for any signs of concern."But how would you feel if you had to leave them one day?" Zuko pressed on, his gaze intense.Lina's eyes widened with alertness. "What are
Zuko reminisced about Lina's fearlessness in the face of Violet's bullying and her resilience when betrayed by Gia. He attributed her courage and determination to her family's unwavering support.With the backing of their parents, the children could soar like eagles in the sky, unafraid and uninhibited.Zuko gently caressed Lina's face with his thumb, smiling warmly."Hey, were you testing me with all those words?" he asked."What? No!" She pouted. "Hmph, I thought you were trying to convince me to move to Centrolis and never return to Jangasas after marrying you!"Zuko forced a smile. "Why would I do that..."Lina looked at him seriously. "Zuko, I'm setting this rule with you! After I marry you, you can't stop me from going home!""Of course," he reassured her, holding her hand. "You won't have to go back and forth... By then, let's move your parents to Centrolis. If Dave works hard, he can get into the University of Centrolis. I promise that you and your family will be togethe
"B-Because..." Jesse stuttered, struggling to find the words.The truth would be revealed once they discovered Lina's blood type.Lina was not their biological daughter.A deep voice suddenly interjected, breaking the tense silence. Jesse lifted his head and saw Zuko's dark eyes, causing his heart to tighten."Lina, that's medical knowledge," Zuko said, his voice tinged with amusement. "There's a higher risk of graft-versus-host disease in blood transfusions between immediate family members."So not only can't you donate blood to your mother, but you can't do the same for Dave either."Panic gripped Lina. "What do we do then?"Zuko offered reassurance. "We can use mine," he said, giving her a comforting look. "I have Type B blood as well.""He's right," the nurse confirmed. "Please come with me for a blood test. If it's a match, we can proceed with the transfusion immediately.""Okay," Lina agreed.Jesse was taken aback. "Zeke, how can we do that to you? Let me do it. My bloo
Mary let out a scream, collapsing against the wall. Startled, Zuko wanted to go and help her, but she kept avoiding him, trembling in fear."I-I'm sorry!" she stuttered, apologizing, "I didn't mean to! I promise I won't say it again, never again!"Zuko furrowed his brows, sensing that Mary knew something more. He slowly crouched down, his gaze turning icy, and spoke each word deliberately. "Mrs. Nash, are you hiding something from me?""Huh?""Did you and my mother-in-law have another argument about Lina's birth?" Zuko asked, his intuition guiding him.Mary's face turned pale as she lowered her head, unable to meet his gaze.Zuko continued, his eyes narrowing. "If I'm not mistaken, you met my mother-in-law and mocked the fact that Lina was adopted, which led to the fight between you two."After a moment, Mary timidly nodded.Zuko's expression grew stern. "Why did you say that?""Z-Zeke..." Mary instantly gave in. "I had a selfish motive. I wanted to introduce my daughter to yo
Zuko coughed twice and said through gritted teeth, "You talk too much."Toph smiled and asked, "Zuko, are you worried that Pammy won't be able to accept this reality? After all, her new family is treating her well."Zuko paused for a moment and reluctantly admitted, "I do have that concern."I'm also worried that if Lina doesn't want to return to the Thompsons, it'll be a significant blow to Uncle Nicholas and Aunt Linda.""Yeah, that's true." Toph nodded. "So we need to take this slow."…Meanwhile, Melvin paced back and forth in the villa. He noticed a trinket on the windowsill that displeased him and angrily threw it against the wall."That b*tch!"The housekeepers and servants stood still, afraid to approach him, unsure of whom he was referring to.Melvin panted heavily.He couldn't blame anyone else for this matter. He had underestimated his own daughter!He didn't expect Renee to be just like her mother—appearing harmless on the surface but more scheming than anyone el
Lina froze as she recognized the license plate—it belonged to Gia's car. She bit her lips, ready to confront her, but the car quickly drove away, turning a corner and disappearing.Zuko heard the noise and rushed outside. When he saw Lina drenched, he felt both distressed and guilty. "I should have picked you up from the hospital!""It's alright." Lina chuckled lightly. "Who would have expected a car to appear out of nowhere in broad daylight?""Did you see the license plate?"Lina's gaze dimmed, and she whispered, "It was Gia's car."Zuko was startled, finding it strange. Was Gia trying to target Lina? Was splashing water on her worth making such a fuss about? There must be another reason behind it!"Zuko, I really don't understand... Why would she treat me like this?" Although Lina was not as heartbroken as before, this incident still cast a shadow on her and left her unable to let go. She had treated Gia sincerely as a friend, but it all seemed to be wasted."Don't think too
Toph took Renee back to Centrolis and escorted her all the way home. He only bid her farewell at the entrance of the Thompson residence. He would have liked to stay a bit longer at the Thompsons if he had not needed to attend a dinner with his parents.Toph instructed her before leaving, "Renee, don't disclose anything about Pammy to Uncle Nicholas and Aunt Linda yet. My brother said we need to handle this matter carefully.""Okay, I understand." Renee lightly bit her lip. She knew this feeling. When Melvin suddenly appeared and claimed to be her father, it felt like lightning struck her from above. If just the appearance of a biological father was so shocking, she could only imagine how painful it would be for Pammy to find out that her home for the past 20 years was not truly her own."Alright, hurry back!" Toph smiled, his gaze filled with reluctance. Renee waved to him several times before slowly entering through the mansion gates.However, as soon as she stepped into the court