“For you to come to us, does that mean you’ve remembered who you are?”


  “Actually, the young madam of the Sheng family recently met you when you were lecturing at Sheng Ting University. She thought that we looked very similar, which was why they helped me look for my roots.” Jing Yun responded honestly.

  “I see.” Xu Yihong nodded. “Now that you’ve returned, you should spend a little more time with Mom and Dad. They’ve missed you for years, and since we are going to move to Jianchuan, you could come live with us.”


  Mama Xu looked at Jing Yun expectantly. “Will that be alright for you, Feng’er?”


  “I… I still need some time to get used to it.” Jing Yun responded honestly once again.

  “Feng’er just came back to us, it’s enough as long as he keeps in touch with us.” Papa Xu said cheerfully.

  “That’s true. As an eldest brother, I didn’t really play my part in watching over my youngest brother, and I’ll make up for it with twice the effort. By the way, is this lady your girlfriend?”


  After having a good look at Jing Yun, Xu Yihong turned his eyes to Sheng Minglan.

  “She is, and she’s also the Fourth Sister of the Sheng family,” Mama Xu quickly answered.

  Xu Yihong, however, seemed to see something else from that little tidbit.

  Naturally, Jing Yun was keeping his eyes on Xu Yihong as well.

  Both siblings held their different thoughts, and neither knew what the other was scheming inwardly.

  Nonetheless, halfway through the meal, Xu Yihong received a call that appeared to be urgent—he promptly rose to his feet and told his parents, “Mom, Dad. There’s been an explosion in the lab, I need to go.”


  “Hurry up and go, then.” Papa Xu quickly said.

  “Let’s meet alone next time then, Brother.”


  Jing Yun nodded and watched as Xu Yihong left.

  Nonetheless, he did not believe that his eldest brother had left over some incident, and the phone call was merely an excuse to leave.

  “Your brother is such a busy person.” Mama Xu smiled as she served Jing Yun more food.

  “Mo… mom.” Jing Yun called out unnaturally then, not knowing how emotional Mama Xu was at those words.

  “Oh, what is it?”


  “There’s something I need to tell you: My relationship with Minglan is not actually approved by her family. However, I didn’t come to you over this matter. It is just a great coincidence that I’ve found you at this moment, and I’m afraid you would misunderstand.” Jing Yun explained.

  “Silly child—there’s nothing to misunderstand. You are the third brother of our family and my treasured son. Everything our family has belongs to our children, and we would only feel guilty if you put things that way as your parents.”


  “That’s right, Feng’er. You are our son, but if you are to be chained over your love, how hurt do you think your father would feel?”


  “Thanks for your understanding.”


  “Oh, you. You are really too polite.”


  In truth, Jing Yun had put the matter out there to prevent Xu Yihong from using it against him. It was only natural that Xu Yihong had left the table not over some explosion, but because he had sent someone to investigate him and his life with the Sheng family.

  “Feng’er, you just have to handle things on your end,” Papa Xu said then. “You can tell me if you need anything, and we’ll announce your birthright when we come to Jianchuan and formally receive you into our family. We would repay the Sheng family as well, to thank them for helping you grow over the years.”


  And such was the most appropriate treatment parents should offer their children.

  Nonetheless, Jing Yun replied, “I could repay the Sheng family on my own.”


  He was now a thorn in Grandpa Sheng’s side, and there’s every chance that the old man would cut him into tiny pieces.

  Under such circumstances, would he still be brave enough to confront the old man?

  The answer was yes. For Sheng Minglan, he would definitely be brave enough to appear before the old man!

  ***

  Sheng Xiao was next door, but was absolutely not interested in the Xu family’s conversation.

  Still, he was now curious about the connection between Xu Yihong and his eldest uncle.

  That impostor had mentioned that those two had met privately.

  With that being the case, those two must have some extent of dealing.

  Meanwhile, Xu Yihong had assuredly gotten the perfect excuse to leave the hotel, because it upset him to look at Jing Yun for another second.

  Later, he had sent someone to dig up the dirty on Jing Yun and the Sheng family. The investigation was much simpler since the old man was targeting Jing Yun at the moment, which was why Xu Yihong easily received the information on why Jing Yun was in a hurry to return to the family.

  In the evening, the Xu couple returned home to find Xu Yihong waiting at the living room, and hence approached him. “Do you have something to tell us?”


  “Mom, Dad. There’s something I have to say, but I don’t know if I should say it.” Xu Yihong said, acting as if he was put on the spot.

  “Tell us. Is it about your brother?” Mama Xu asked—her womanly instincts ever on point.

  “I know that you’re very happy about finding Yifeng. I’m very excited too because I’m his brother after all… but to be safe, I ended up doing a background check on him, and found out that he was only the assistant of the Sheng family’s Crown Prince over the last few years. The family is looking for him at the moment too, because they are convinced that he was eloping with their daughter. So, for him to come looking for us with such timing… Mom, Dad, please don’t blame me for being too cautious, but I have the feeling that this is too much of a coincidence.”


  “What are you trying to say?” Papa Xu’s expression turned dark at once.

  “Isn’t he thinking about using our family to marry his girlfriend?”


  “Dad, I know that it is only right since he is family. But what if he only came back with that in mind? I find it unsettling. What do you think, Mom?”


  Mama Xu looked at Xu Yihong as if he was a stranger. “Yihong, could it be that you are hoping that he won’t come home?”


  “Mom, I’m just afraid you are being lied to again.”


  “The DNA report has made it clear that he is your brother. He looks no different from your father when he was younger, and he is a member of the Xu family by right of birth.” Mama Xu told Xu Yihong solemnly. “Your brother had suffered and toiled out there over the years, while as his eldest brother, the first thing you do when we found him again isn’t finding the culprit who abducted him, but to claim that he has ulterior motives?”


  “Mom… I…”


  “And if you’re really about that, be relieved to know that he had explained it to us already.” With those words, Mama Xu headed straight for her room. “I’m tired. I need rest.”


  Xu Yihong felt an inward chill. He did not expect Jing Yun to be so wary to tell their parents about his problems. It was only natural that his attempt to drive a wedge between them was dismissed unceremoniously by their mother.

  It seems that he really must not underestimate Jing Yun.

  Even so, Xu Yihong was not budging.

  That was only because he didn’t expect that Sheng Xiao was about to skin him from behind the scenes.

  Even though Xu Yihong had been acting cautious, conscientious, forming a strong bond with his parents as well as making everything in the family look perfect over the years, Sheng Xiao knew that he was definitely the culprit behind what had happened to Jing Yun.