Rebirth: Splendid Marriage in the 80s Chapter 2504 - 2440: The Face from Back Then

This tale had been familiar to both him and Nian Chengcheng since their early years.

Yet, there was one more remark from his adoptive father: it was a shame they shared sibling ties and could never wed; if only they could, imagine the stunning beauty their offspring might possess.

Nian Chengcheng clung to the initial message, forever mindful that their bond as siblings barred any marriage.

He, however, held onto the latter words, forever dreaming of the joy if he wed Nian Chengcheng, certain their children would be the epitome of beauty and bliss.

When he discovered Nian Chengcheng's marriage, fury consumed him, driving him to sabotage their union.

Learning of Nian Chengcheng's child ignited his rage further; upon gazing at the young Meng Xinian, he sought out numerous attractive women, leveraging his striking appearance to entice them deliberately, tricking them into intimacy, and even wedding one in hopes of fathering a child surpassing Meng Xinian's allure.

During that period, reason had utterly deserted him.

Duan Qingqing suffered a similar fate.

She had been his original choice for a bride, but a more captivating woman surpassed her beauty and conceived his child immediately, prompting him to shift his plans and manipulate Duan Qingqing into tempting Meng Chaojun.

Mrs. Nian recoiled, drawing her neck inward.

She scarcely mustered the courage to meet the eyes of this transformed Nian Che.

Why had she despised Nian Che's mother so intensely in the past? That woman was excessively alluring, a true enchantress who ensnared her husband's heart completely.

Her husband had even declared his intent to welcome the woman and her son into their home, insisting that keeping several wives was a normal practice, and outsiders had no say in it.

How could she possibly endure such an insult?

Afterward, catching sight of Nian Che, she noted his strong resemblance to his biological mother; that visage spelled nothing but disaster.

But today, Nian Che appeared utterly altered from his former self; only a careful scrutiny revealed faint remnants, particularly in those eyes and that piercing stare.

Still, Nian Che's former stare, now set against this wholly alien countenance, sent shivers of unease through her, chilling her to the core.

What words could capture that sensation?

Indeed, it resembled a specter cloaked in an attractive facade.

Aware that hidden under this exterior lurked the features of another spirit.

She trembled uncontrollably.

"Mrs. Nian, why the silence? You must recall my previous appearance, don't you? Doesn't Tongtong look so much like me?"

Nian Che pressed on, his smile persisting, yet his voice carried an unsettling edge.

"Y-yes." Mrs. Nian stuttered in response.

"Why not take a good look at Tongtong?" Nian Che extended his hand, gently squeezing Nian Mutong's cheek to turn her face toward Mrs. Nian, "See my daughter, the child of Nian Che—isn't she lovely? How does she stack up against Chengcheng's boy? Such a shame, I first hoped for a boy, but got a girl instead; later I had a son, yet his mother met misfortune and lost him."

Those offhand words caused Chiang Xiao to knit her eyebrows in concern.

Intuition told her that Nian Che referred to Duan Qingqing in his words.

Did this man inflict harm on additional women during those times?

Given how Nian Mutong mirrored him so closely, he must have been remarkably handsome in his youth.

His overweening vanity in his own attractiveness likely explained why Nian Chengcheng rejected him, fueling his deeper resentment toward the outcome.

Nian Mutong remained dazed, unable to process the situation.

"But, but, uncle, I'm not really from the Nian Family..."

"I did offer a substantial incentive back then to convince that mother and son to grant you this status, but how could I allow you to remain with the Nian Family under the guidance of those fools? I made every effort to extract you from there." Nian Che let go of her face.