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

From their young days, he and Nian Chengcheng had listened to this story together.

Yet, his adoptive father had added another remark: it was a pity that he and Nian Chengcheng shared sibling ties and could never wed; if things were different, their offspring might turn out incredibly stunning.

Nian Chengcheng clung to the initial piece, forever reminding herself of their sibling bond that barred any marriage.

He, on the other hand, held onto the latter part, endlessly dreaming of the joy if he and Nian Chengcheng tied the knot, producing the loveliest children imaginable.

Discovering that Nian Chengcheng had wed filled him with fury, driving him to sabotage their union.

Learning of her child ignited his rage further, and upon spotting young Meng Xinian, he sought out several attractive girls, leveraging his striking appearance to lure them intentionally, tricking them into intimacy, even wedding one in hopes of fathering a child surpassing Meng Xinian's beauty.

During that period, reason had utterly escaped him.

Duan Qingqing faced the same turmoil.

He had originally planned to marry Duan Qingqing, yet another woman outshone her in looks and conceived his child right away, prompting him to switch plans and manipulate Duan Qingqing into tempting Meng Chaojun.

Mrs. Nian pulled her neck inward.

She could barely bring herself to gaze at Nian Che in this state.

Why had she despised Nian Che's mother so intensely in the past? That woman possessed overwhelming beauty, like an enchantress who stole her husband's heart completely.

The man had even declared his intent to welcome that woman and her son into their home, insisting that keeping multiple partners was normal and no one could object.

How could she possibly endure such a thing?

Later, upon seeing Nian Che, she noticed his strong resemblance to his biological mother; that visage spelled nothing but disaster.

But now, Nian Che had transformed entirely from his former self; only a careful look revealed faint remnants, particularly in those eyes and that stare.

Still, Nian Che's original stare, combined with this utterly alien face, only filled her with an unsettling chill.

How to put that sensation into words?

That's right, like a specter cloaked in alluring flesh.

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

She shuddered without control.

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

Nian Che pressed on, smile intact, though his voice carried an uneasy edge.

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

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

His offhand words caused Chiang Xiao to knit her brows.

She sensed right away that Nian Che referred to Duan Qingqing in his words.

Had this man wronged other women in those times too?

If Nian Mutong bore such a natural likeness to him, then he must have been remarkably handsome long ago.

Perhaps his overbearing self-assurance in his appearance, bordering on vanity, explained why Nian Chengcheng rejected him, fueling his deeper resentment.

Nian Mutong remained dazed, unable to process it all.

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

"Indeed, I offered a hefty incentive back then to convince that mother and son to grant you this status, but how could I leave you with the Nian Family to be raised by those fools? I made every effort to pull you away." Nian Che let go of her face.