Lin He saw her father’s stance was so firm that she said no more. She had intended for her father to handle the matter himself anyway, so they would just see what that Zeng Weiliang had to say tomorrow.

The next morning, after breakfast, Lin He and Dabao accompanied Er Niu to Yin Ruo Xuan. They arrived at just the right time; the place wasn't crowded, and the waiter recognized Lin He and the others. Upon learning they were looking for the manager, he immediately went to fetch him. Er Niu grew visibly excited upon seeing the manager descend, shouting, "Third Brother!" as he walked toward the manager. The man named Zeng Weiliang, however, showed little reaction. He seemed quite surprised when Er Niu called him 'Third Brother' but didn't say much.

It was Lin He who felt it was inappropriate to discuss such matters inside someone else's establishment, so she said, "Manager, we need a word with you about something. Might we speak in private?"

Zeng Weiliang recognized Lin He and had some impression of her. Hearing her request, he nodded and led them toward a side room in the back courtyard.

Once in the rear chamber, Zeng Weiliang inquired, "Miss, may I ask the purpose of your visit? Is there perhaps some lapse in our service that has caused you concern?"

"No, Boss Zeng, please don't misunderstand. The thing is, you bear a strong resemblance to a long-lost relative of ours, and we hoped to confirm if you might be the person we are searching for," Dabao stated very politely.

"Your relative? When did they go missing, and where? Could the young master elaborate?" Zeng Weiliang asked.

Dabao then gave Zeng Weiliang a general overview of his third uncle's circumstances. On the surface, Zeng Weiliang showed no change, but Lin He observed a flicker of emotion in his eyes. Moreover, Lin He noticed that Zeng Weiliang seemed hesitant to meet her father's gaze, pretending instead to listen intently to Dabao's words.

"Does your relative have any distinct identifying features?" Zeng Weiliang asked after Dabao finished speaking.

"Third Brother, stop questioning him. I know it's you. You recognize me, don't you? But why won't you acknowledge us? Is there some hidden difficulty?" Er Niu, who had been staring fixedly at Zeng Weiliang since entering, suddenly spoke these words.

"Sir, I believe you have mistaken me for someone else. I am not the 'Third Brother' you speak of. My surname is Zeng, and I have lived in Qinghe County my entire life; this is my home. I have no other siblings, I am an only child," Zeng Weiliang replied. He paused briefly after Er Niu's outburst before continuing.

"I wouldn't mistake you! You are our family’s Third Brother. Why are you refusing to recognize us? Is it because of the arrangement for you to marry into the wife's family that you won't return home? Father and Mother both believe you have your reasons and will not blame you. As long as you are here, everything else can be sorted out," Er Niu urged, his voice becoming somewhat anxious.

"I truly am not the person you seek. I haven't been here just one or two years; I've owned this shop for many years now. Anyone in this town who mentions Yin Ruo Xuan knows it's Zeng Weiliang. You must have mistaken me for someone else."

"Third Brother, we grew up together. I know every birthmark on you intimately. You have a mole behind your ear and a brown birthmark on your lower leg. These are things you were born with; you can’t simply rub them away."

"I said I am not, and that is final. If there is nothing else, please leave. I have business to attend to in my shop. Forgive my lack of further courtesy," Zeng Weiliang’s expression clearly shifted, and he began ushering them out.

"In the years you've been away, Father and Mother speak your name daily, and Third Sister-in-law weeps constantly. Life is incredibly hard for a woman raising children alone. Many from her family have tried to persuade her to remarry, but she refuses, saying she will live out her days with the two children. A few years ago, this very issue caused a permanent break with her relatives. Xiaoshan is already eleven now; because he lacks a father, he has had to shoulder family burdens early. If you still refuse to acknowledge them, we can do nothing more. We only pray you can live with a clear conscience," Er Niu said these words with great difficulty, locking eyes with Zeng Weiliang.

As Er Niu spoke, Lin He noticed that while Zeng Weiliang’s face remained composed, the emotion in his eyes still leaked out. Lin He suspected he had no inescapable hardship; rather, he simply didn't want to give up his current life of wealth and luxury. For a man like that, it was better for them to believe he was dead than to keep him alive in their hearts.

After Er Niu finished speaking, Zeng Weiliang opened the door and said, "Please."

"Boss Zeng, we apologize for the intrusion. It seems we were mistaken. Our Third Brother is truly dead," Er Niu said before walking out.

Dabao and Lin He followed closely behind. After they left, Zeng Weiliang sat heavily on the chair inside the room. Indeed, he was Lin Sanyang, the 'Third Brother' Er Niu spoke of. Years ago, he had gone hunting in the mountains and found that great bear. However, during the life-or-death struggle with the beast, his own strength was utterly spent. Just as he was about to be eaten, he was saved by the woman who was now his wife: Zeng Yunshuang.

Zeng Yunshuang was the eldest daughter of the Zeng family. They originally had a younger son, but he died young at age eight from illness. Thus, they were left with only this daughter. The Zeng family was quite wealthy in Qinghe County, and with only a daughter remaining, they naturally hoped to find a son-in-law willing to marry in and help manage the shops. However, the matchmakers brought only unsuitable candidates—either Zeng Yunshuang was unimpressed, or Old Master Zeng disapproved. This dragged on until Zeng Yunshuang was twenty-one, when she encountered Lin Sanyang.

Because Zeng Yunshuang's brother was born late to her aging parents, he had been sickly from birth and was perpetually reliant on medicine. Old Master Zeng knew his son might never inherit the family estate, so he began training Zeng Yunshuang to take over the business. Zeng Yunshuang was fiercely determined; she mastered martial arts and business management equally well, running the household as if she were a man. That year, it was Zeng Yunshuang who went out on a trade journey and met Lin Sanyang in the mountains, rescuing him and bringing him back to her family home.

When Lin Sanyang first arrived at the Zeng household, he had lost his memory; he didn't even know who he was. Seeing he had nowhere else to go, the Zengs let him work for them. It is unclear how Zeng Yunshuang came to fall for Lin Sanyang, and he, too, developed feelings for her. By the time Old Master Zeng discovered the situation, Zeng Yunshuang was already carrying Lin Sanyang's child. Old Master Zeng was utterly opposed at first, but later, Lin Sanyang offered to marry into the family, change his surname, and ensure any children they had would carry the Zeng name. Only then did Old Master Zeng reluctantly agree.

For the first two years after Lin Sanyang and Zeng Yunshuang married, Old Master Zeng still refused to hand over the family business for him to manage. Even after Zeng Yunshuang became pregnant, the Old Master kept a close watch on everything. It was only after Zeng Yunshuang gave birth to a son two years ago that Old Master Zeng was truly overjoyed.