In truth, Jing Yun had the habit of making backups—he would take a photo of anything handwritten.

  Would he have to take these minor characters seriously after being at Sheng Xiao’s side for so long? It was no more than scratching an itch, and his winning desire just wasn’t stirred.

  Nonetheless, he didn’t tell the staff member that he had backup, just so that the staff member would learn the consequences of crossing him.

  Meanwhile, the office was silent after the confrontation.

  Jing Yun was clearly a formidable character, and yet here someone was, provoking him without knowing what was good for themselves.

  In fact, there was scarier stuff waiting: once Jing Yun’s identity was announced in public, the people in this office would probably vanish on their own, afraid of payback.

  In the end, Jing Yun was Jing Yun—no matter how smart Xu Yihong would be, he would have to submit in the face of a person trained by Sheng Xiao.

  Of course, Jing Yun had also spurred his people to hasten their investigation of the connection between Xu Yihong and the Eldest Uncle Xu, well aware that his strength was not in working with the purchasing department.

  And Jing Yun got the call on that very night.

  That was why he brought Sheng Minglan with him to Jing Ting.

  “Why would you still run to me now that you’re the third young master of the Xu family?” Sheng Xiao frowned unhappily.

  Still, Sheng Minglan knew that he was not really upset, and retorted, “Am I no longer your fourth sister just because Jing Yun isn’t your assistant?”


  “Fine. What’s the story?”


  “My people had investigated the eldest uncle and stumbled upon an old matter.” Jing Yun told him.

  Even now, he still saw Sheng Xiao as his young master, and the way they talk was no different from the past.

  “Tell me.”


  Sheng Xiao leaned into the couch lazily while holding Mu Qiqi.

  “The eldest uncle once kept two lovers. His wife found out about one of them which led to some drama and the affair ended right there, but eldest uncle still kept the other one tightly under wraps, and we found out that they had a son.

  “So what’s the connection?”


  “The connection is that the lover’s child was born in the same hospital where my eldest brother was born, and between a gap of just a few days, with my brother coming later. No one in the Xu family knows this.”


  Sheng Xiao figured out the key right then. “What about that child?”


  “He died when he was two. Eldest Uncle paid off the woman and they cut all ties ever since, and the woman eventually left the country.”


  “To think that you actually uncovered all that.” Sheng Xiao said, pointing at Jing Yun—though it sounded like a mockery, ‘well done’ was what he had actually been saying.

  “It took some effort.” Jing Yun admitted.

  “Well, what’s there to discuss? Go get a DNA test between your brother and your parents.” Sheng Xiao answered, making things clear right then.

  As a matter of fact, Jing Yun had a hunch as well, which in turn meant that Xu Yihong had a motive driving him all those years before.

  “Even so, we wouldn’t get evidence of him abandoning me.”


  “Then, let’s set a trap.” Sheng Xiao narrowed his eyes, instructing Jing Yun as he always did. “Your brother isn’t making things easy for you, is he?”


  “It’s okay.”


  Jing Yun did not admit to it in front of Sheng Minglan, and Sheng Xiao naturally did not press him either. “Since that’s resolved, you two should be going? I still want to take a break with my little one.”


  Mu Qiqi flushed. “What are you saying, Xiao Xiao?”


  Sheng Minglan hid a grin behind her hand. “I didn’t know that you were that hungry.”


  “We’ll go then.” Jing Yun hence took Sheng Minglan by the hand and left Jing Ting with her.

  With a reply from Sheng Xiao, his hunch was affirmed.

  Since Papa Xu had been struggling for control over Xu Holdings with Jing Yun’s eldest uncle, the latter had every reason to switched the children.

  Even if Papa Xu won, the outcome remained the same—when control over Xu Holdings was handed off to Xu Yihong, it meant that the eldest uncle would end up on top.

  Moreover, no one else knew about his lover’s child at the time, not to mention that Jing Yun’s real eldest brother had died. That was no different from providing Xu Yihong a perfect cover.

  “To think that there are so many intrigues in the Xu family too.” Sheng Minglan sighed on the way home. “Still, Xu Yihong is unlucky to run into you and Eighth Brother—he would have led anyone else by the nose, running circles by now.”


  “Young Master’s wits are peerless.”


  “His wits are useful… but not everyone can be pushed around like a slave. Who else could stand him aside from Qiqi after all? Really, they are like two peas in a pod…”


  However, Sheng Minglan left the part ‘I pity the pod unsaid’ and giggled instead. “Anyway, leave the matter of gathering samples to me since we are going to do a DNA test. Everyone else would be at work, and I’m not constrained at home.”


  Jing Yun shook his head. “No.”


  “Why?”


  “He would definitely set precautions in his room.” Jing Yun replied—if he knew enough to keep his office surveillance, how would a person like Xu Yihong not know to put his guard up either?

  “Moreover, I had always been suspicious why he wouldn’t marry. It’s clear now: there’s a higher chance of exposing himself if he marries early, and his children and wife might be caught in the matter. He therefore simply decided to stay single and get a long-term partner, and it would only be perfect when he really takes control of Xu Holdings, and get his personal affairs settled afterward.”


  “Then what do you plan to do?”


  “He would only end up letting his guard down since we are living together.”


  And that depended on observation.

  “Okay, then.”


  Sheng Minglan hence rejected the thought of visiting Xu Yihong’s room.

  After all, Xu Yihong must be ready after Mama Xu had managed to gather the last impostor’s DNA before.

  ***

  Back at Jing Ting, Mu Qiqi, who remained nestled in Sheng Xiao’s arms even after the other couple left sighed. “I’m relieved. Jing Yun is no different than before.”


  “How did you think he would change?”


  “Greedy, calculative, power-crazy!” Mu Qiqi ticked off her fingers. “You have many friends but not many brothers. I hope you don’t lose one of them.”


  “You’ve thought too much.” Sheng Xiao couldn’t help chuckling. “Jing Yun would never change.”


  “Still, this matter is getting interesting, right?”


  At that, Sheng Xiao promptly scooped Mu Qiqi up from the sofa.

  But are the interesting things limited to just that alone?

  After spending some effort, he found out who the old man had met in those mysterious outings of his:

  The Gu family.

  And what else could they be up to?

  There was little surprise why the old man wasn’t bothering Qi’er—he was scheming something, and had found a replacement for her in no time at all.

  Naturally, Sheng Xiao could not be blamed for the old man’s guts in doing all that… as it was often said that the world was under the feet of the young people, what use was an old man and his old tricks?

  “I’m going to join the fun when Jing Yun gets his evidence and exposes Xu Yihong.”


  “You are going to someone else’s house?” Sheng Xiao exclaimed, giving her slap on the butt. “Well, I can’t stop you, although I could give you a pair of binoculars!”