Amidst everyone’s shock, Ning Yichu turned to the servant by the door and said, “Also, please go to the side residence and invite Grandfather and Uncle over. Is Grandmother upstairs chatting with old friends? Please invite her down too.”
He Weian and Tang Qingshan had just walked over when they heard this.
He Weian frowned, her tone carrying a warning: “Xiao Chu, what are you doing?”
Ning Yichu looked at her innocently: “Grandmother’s biological son, your elder brother, was it really a case of failed rescue back then, or was it a death caused by deliberate delay? Wasn’t there a disagreement on this before? I said I had a witness, but Grandmother didn’t believe me. Grandfather even accused me of slandering him. I can’t stand being wronged now, so I brought the witness here. Since everyone in the circle is here, they can be witnesses too, so no one can say I’m talking nonsense later.”
The guests murmured among themselves upon hearing this.
He Weian’s gaze turned cold: “Xiao Chu, enough is enough. Don’t let today’s banquet go off track. Butler Li, please escort these two ‘distinguished guests’ to the guest room to rest. We’ll discuss this later.”
Butler Li was about to step forward when the elderly lady referred to as “Aunt Zhou” refused to comply.
She looked quite old, her figure slightly hunched, and her skin bore the marks of years of toil, but her voice was strong as she shouted, “No need for this pretense. I’m not going anywhere. I want to clear things up right here! Where’s that old scoundrel Qin Kai? He dared to deceive my mother, abandon his wife and daughter, and now he doesn’t dare to show up?”
Upon hearing this, some guests blurted out, “Oh my, does this mean the old master of the He family had more than one affair?”
“It doesn’t seem like that’s what it means. Didn’t they just say this is the biological aunt of He Dingbang’s children? So it seems she’s He Dingbang’s biological sister?”
“She looks about ten years older than He Dingbang. So, did the old master of the He family get married and have a daughter before marrying into the family?”
“Ah? When Old Master He was brought into the family, surely they would have checked this out…”
The gossip was too juicy to resist, and some guests couldn’t keep their voices down.
At this point, rather than letting the guests continue to enjoy the spectacle, He Weian signaled the butler and servants to “invite” the people away, even though the hospitality might not look good, and it would inevitably lead to gossip later. But it was better than letting them continue speaking in public.
Butler Li received the signal and led people forward: “Dear guests, you’ve traveled a long way. Please come with me to the lounge to rest…”
Gao Hui blocked Aunt Zhou: “My mom said we’re not going anywhere. We’re staying right here!”
Ning Yichu looked at He Weian: “Mom, why bother? You can’t make them leave. Instead of wasting time, why not be straightforward and let Grandfather come over for a confrontation? Clear things up, and it will prevent more damaging rumors about our He family from spreading.”
He Weian: “Ning Yichu!”
The Ning family members among the guests were also bewildered.
Although, in terms of emotion and reason, Ning Yichu came from their Ning family, and now that he’s causing trouble, they should step in and say something, make peace, or symbolically scold Ning Yichu for not respecting his elders. But… recalling Ning Yichu’s actions the last time he returned to the Ning family, and seeing how brazen he is now in front of everyone… the Ning family members tacitly chose to remain silent.
To avoid being caught up in the gossip, the Ning family quietly retreated to the edge of the crowd, gathering together as a family, making it harder for other guests to catch them and ask about Ning Yichu.
“Mom, it’s better to clarify things.” He Shixia spoke slowly.
He Weian now wanted to kick both He Shixia and Ning Yichu out together.
She was about to instruct Butler Li to forcibly remove Gao Hui and her mother from the hall.
But at this moment, He Grandmother, who had somehow already come downstairs, suddenly spoke: “Let them speak. Old Li, go call Qin Kai and He Dingbang over.”
The guests, who had been chattering, fell silent for a moment, then made way for the old lady to pass through the crowd and face Gao Hui and her mother.
He Grandmother looked at the mother and daughter for a few moments, then turned to Ning Yichu: “Are these the two witnesses you mentioned?”
Ning Yichu smiled: “The witnesses I mentioned are actually Aunt Zhou and her mother, who is also the biological mother of my uncle, the so-called first love girlfriend of Grandfather who supposedly committed suicide.”
Hearing that the first love girlfriend wasn’t dead and that the old man even dared to lie about this, He Grandmother swayed, supported by He Weian.
“But my mom is too old,” Aunt Zhou continued, “she gets carsick and can’t travel far, so my daughter came with me.”
He Dingbang’s children had already moved to the front of the crowd, standing opposite Gao Hui and her mother.
Just recovering from shock and panic, the second eldest, He Rusong, feigned calmness and said, “Who knows if what you’re saying is true? You say who you are, and we’re supposed to believe you? Ning Yichu, where did you find these actors?”
“We brought evidence!” Gao Hui took out some scattered documents from her bag, “These are photos of my grandmother and Qin Kai when they were young. Your family should have photos of Qin Kai from back then, right? Even if you don’t, He Grandmother, you must know what Qin Kai looked like when he was young, right? You can take a look. We’re not afraid of you verifying it. After all, in front of so many people, you can’t just snatch the photos and say they don’t exist, right?”
He Ruzhu shouted, “Photos can be faked! It’s not hard to make a fake old photo nowadays! And even if your grandmother really knew my grandfather, it doesn’t mean they had anything back then…”
Gao Hui continued to show: “This is the birth certificate of the twins my grandmother gave birth to in the hospital back then. Although it’s handwritten by the doctor, it has the hospital’s red seal. My grandmother kept it carefully.”
“It has my grandmother and Qin Kai’s names in the parents’ section, and the children’s names are my mom and her twin brother. Qin Kai didn’t dare to acknowledge them back then, so the children took my grandmother’s surname Zhou. My mom is called Zhou Xuan, and her twin brother was registered as Zhou You… and then, a few days later, he became the young master of the He family, He Dingbang.”
Fifty-three-year-old, gray-haired Zhou Xuan said discontentedly, “How can you fake blood relations! I’m a living person right here! Isn’t it possible to test? Go ahead and test!”
The guests were shocked, as this Zhou Xuan looked quite old, at least ten years older than He Dingbang, so many guests speculated that even if there was a relationship, she was probably He Dingbang’s sister, a daughter born to Old Master He before marriage.
But unexpectedly… this Zhou Xuan was actually a twin sister to He Dingbang!
The guests whispered among themselves: “Oh my god, if this is true, then these twins have had such different lives. The brother became a wealthy young master, living in luxury for over fifty years, looking younger than most people his age, while the sister suffered hardships, looking older than her peers…”
“Earlier, this Sister Zhou said Qin Kai abandoned his wife and daughter. What’s going on? Did he swap the brother of the twins and leave the mother and daughter behind?”
“Not only that, didn’t Ning Yichu mention earlier that Qin Kai claimed the first love girlfriend committed suicide, but it seems she was alive and well.”
“Speaking of which, the genes of these elderly folks are quite good, living long lives.”
“Uh… so did Old Master He really watch his own son die and then bring back an illegitimate child to replace him? That’s too heartless…”
“I still don’t get it. Wasn’t this all brought up by Ning Yichu? Why is he causing such a scene…”
“I don’t get it either. Even if he’s afraid of He Dingbang and his children fighting for the He family in the future, he shouldn’t make a scene in public. If they knew privately, it would be enough. This public spectacle doesn’t do the He family’s reputation any good. Look at He Weian’s face, how upset she is. Isn’t Ning Yichu offending his ‘mother-in-law’?”
“Where’s the Ning family? Ning Yichu is causing such a scene in the He family, and they don’t come out to say something?”
“Ahem, could it be that the Ning family… ahem, instructed this?”
“They’re here, they’re here. The old master and He Dingbang have arrived. Everyone’s here now, this is getting lively.”
He Grandfather and He Dingbang, upon receiving the servant’s notification, sensed something was wrong but couldn’t avoid coming.
On the way, He Grandfather inquired with the servant who came to call them, and he was also shocked.
He didn’t expect Ning Yichu to actually have witnesses and to bring them over so quickly, and in the setting of a banquet. Now, even if he could sweet-talk He Grandmother into softening, for the sake of the He family’s face, He Grandmother would never keep them father and son…
He Dingbang, unaware of the details, became extremely uneasy upon seeing his father’s expression.
The father and son arrived at the main residence’s banquet hall, and as soon as they entered, Zhou Xuan fixed her gaze on them.
“They are the He family grandfather Qin Kai and uncle He Dingbang,” Ning Yichu said softly.
Zhou Xuan sneered, looking at He Grandfather: “Didn’t expect it, did you? My mom and I are still alive! We’ve come to find you now!”
With the undeniable witnesses present, He Grandfather looked around at the guests, seemingly giving up the struggle, and said to He Grandmother, “Ah Ying, whatever you decide, I’ll accept it.”
He Grandmother sneered: “Still pretending at this point? Can you not admit it? Will you confess yourself, or should we let Zhou Xuan help you confess?”
Zhou Xuan interjected: “I’ll say it! My mom and I have been harmed by this beast for a lifetime! This time I came, my mom repeatedly urged me to expose what this beast has done, so I’ll say it!”
The surrounding guests listened intently.
Such a close-up opportunity to witness someone else’s scandal doesn’t come often.
He Grandfather—Qin Kai had already given up defending himself, but he still instinctively tried to save face: “Don’t exaggerate!”
Zhou Xuan snorted: “My mom is called Zhou Fenfang, and she grew up in the same village as Qin Kai…”
According to Zhou Xuan, Qin Kai’s parents died in an accident when he was very young. After his grandparents also passed away, the villagers pitied him and often invited him to their homes for meals. He grew up on the kindness of many families.
Zhou Fenfang’s father was the village head at the time, and their family was relatively well-off, providing the most support to Qin Kai. As Qin Kai frequently visited the Zhou family, he and Zhou Fenfang developed a childhood sweetheart relationship.
The village head and his wife were pleased with this, as Qin Kai was diligent, academically excellent, and good-looking. Moreover, he had no family left, so when their daughter got married, she could stay at home.
Therefore, even though Qin Kai and Zhou Fenfang hadn’t married yet, and they weren’t even adults at the time, the village head and his wife already treated Qin Kai as a son-in-law, providing him with food, clothing, and tuition. Qin Kai promised to treat Zhou Fenfang well and take care of the village head and his wife as his own parents in the future.
Later, Qin Kai was admitted to university, but Zhou Fenfang didn’t do well academically and didn’t get in. The Zhou family feared that once Qin Kai went to university, he would change his mind and not marry Zhou Fenfang, so they insisted that Qin Kai marry Zhou Fenfang before they would continue to support his education. Qin Kai readily agreed and repeatedly promised not to abandon her.
—Upon hearing this, some guests at the He family banquet sighed: “So the old master of the He family has been used to relying on his wife since he was young…”
He Grandmother herself also smirked: “No wonder, when I tested you back then, you could guess that I wanted to bring you into the family. You had experience.”
Qin Kai’s eyes flickered evasively.
Another guest exclaimed: “So, before marrying He Grandmother, Qin Kai had already been married? Didn’t He Grandmother’s father check this out back then?”
Zhou Xuan replied: “In those days, few people in the village bothered to get a marriage certificate, and at that time, my mom and Qin Kai were just coming of age, so they couldn’t get a certificate. They just held a banquet and informed friends and family.”
After the banquet, when it was time to start school, Zhou Fenfang went to the city with Qin Kai. Qin Kai attended university, and although Zhou Fenfang didn’t have a high education, it was enough for those times. She found a clerical job, rented a place near the university, and lived with Qin Kai, leading a relatively peaceful life.
However, the year Qin Kai graduated from university, Zhou Fenfang’s family had an accident—her father, the village head, was found guilty of embezzlement. Villagers surrounded her house demanding an explanation. Her father tried to escape over the wall but fell into a ditch and died. Her mother, in fear, followed suit by drinking pesticide.
Zhou Xuan recounted Zhou Fenfang’s experiences with Qin Kai and continued: “But at that time, my mom still had the dowry money given to her by my grandparents, a substantial amount. She hesitated about whether to return it to the village. Qin Kai urged her, saying that even if she returned it, it wouldn’t fill the gap, and going back to the village might mean she wouldn’t come out alive, just like her parents. Besides, they needed money to live, and if she got pregnant, they would have to consider the child’s expenses… Then, Qin Kai persuaded my mom to take the money and start anew with him in City A…”
Qin Kai argued: “That’s just Zhou Fenfang’s side of the story! Back then, she was too scared to return to the village, and she didn’t have much money. We relied on my work to survive in City A! Don’t believe such baseless nonsense!”
Zhou Xuan was furious: “You’re still slandering my mom! When you first arrived in City A, with no connections and no job, we relied entirely on my mom to support you. The suit you wore to interviews was bought by my mom!”
Qin Kai’s old face showed no sign of guilt: “Do you have evidence? Did you see it with your own eyes?”
Such trivial matters couldn’t possibly have left evidence, especially since Zhou Fenfang didn’t suspect Qin Kai at the time. Even if there were receipts, she wouldn’t have kept them. Qin Kai’s words were simply shameless, and Zhou Xuan was so angry she could hardly breathe. Gao Hui quickly patted her back.
Ning Yichu looked at Qin Kai and chuckled: “Compared to you, Grandfather, your words are even less credible. After all, you’ve told quite a few lies with your eyes wide open.”
“Didn’t you say your first love girlfriend had long passed away? Didn’t you say you only had one son with her? You also said your first love girlfriend later borrowed money from you because her family sent word that her parents were sick and needed money for treatment? How could there still be people in the old home? Didn’t you just leave them and come to City A?”
Piece by piece, Qin Kai couldn’t answer, only glaring angrily: “Ning Yichu! What did our family ever do to you that you want to ruin us?”
“Don’t accuse me wrongly. Where is the He family ruined? Where is anyone gone? Isn’t the He family doing just fine?” Ning Yichu’s tone was innocent.
He Shixia stood between Qin Kai and Ning Yichu, then said to Zhou Xuan: “Aunt Zhou, please continue.”
Qin Kai protested: “There’s nothing more to say! After arriving in City A, I joined the He family business, and Zhou Fenfang joined a small company as a secretary. Later, I was noticed by the He family, and I broke up with Zhou Fenfang—after all, we didn’t have a marriage certificate, so it wasn’t a marriage, let alone a divorce—Zhou Fenfang was ambiguous with her boss at the time, so when we broke up, she could pursue the position of the boss’s wife. She agreed readily…”
“You’re lying! You shameless old man, slandering my mom!” Zhou Xuan interrupted, “My mom said that back then, you wanted to break up but didn’t want to take the blame. You were afraid my mom would cause trouble for you with the He family, so you deliberately picked on her, saying she was unclear with her boss, trying to make her take the fall!”
Guests commented: “That’s so scheming…”
“Qin Kai, this old man, is thorough in his actions. No wonder he could deceive He Grandmother for so many years.”
“He’s still not admitting it now.”
Qin Kai wanted to argue, but Zhou Xuan shouted: “My poor mom, back then, she didn’t know the truth and thought it was her fault that made you misunderstand. After being abandoned by you, she blamed herself for a long time, always wanting to explain to you.”
Zhou Fenfang knew Qin Kai worked at the He family, but she was afraid that if she went to his workplace to find him, his boss would see and think he was unreliable. She didn’t want to cause him trouble, so she didn’t dare to approach the He family Group’s office. Instead, whenever she had time, she would wait nearby, hoping to explain to Qin Kai that she really had nothing with her boss.
But by then, Qin Kai was already set to become the He family’s son-in-law, with a car picking him up and dropping him off, so Zhou Fenfang never managed to catch him. She even suspected he might have changed jobs or even cities to start anew out of heartbreak.
It wasn’t until the second year after Qin Kai married He Ying that Zhou Fenfang accidentally saw him again and learned from others’ words that he was already the He family’s son-in-law.
Zhou Fenfang did a little digging into his marriage timeline and realized something was wrong. She confronted Qin Kai, asking if he had wanted to break up with her to become a wealthy son-in-law, so he deliberately smeared her, making her think she was at fault?
Qin Kai tried to sweet-talk and blame Zhou Fenfang, but the same excuse didn’t fool her anymore, so to avoid being exposed, Qin Kai changed his story.
Zhou Xuan sneered: “He told my mom that he actually loved her very much, but the He family’s daughter took a liking to him. Even knowing he had already held a wedding banquet with someone, she insisted on having him break up and marry into the He family. He said the He family was very powerful, and if he didn’t agree, they would harm my mom, possibly leading to her accidental death. He had no choice, and breaking up was to protect my mom.”
He Grandmother—He Ying herself also sneered: “Then you go back and tell your mom that Qin Kai’s story to me was that he had never even been in a relationship. My father sent people to his hometown to check his background. I don’t know if he had bribed the villagers in advance, but my father’s people didn’t find out about him and your mom Zhou Fenfang.”
Mainly because back then, neither father nor daughter suspected Qin Kai. The investigation was more for peace of mind, so when nothing was found, they didn’t delve further.
Qin Kai’s eyes flickered as he lowered his head.
Zhou Xuan looked at the old lady: “Qin Kai did indeed bribe people in advance. In fact, when my grandfather was the village head, the accusations of embezzlement and bribery were orchestrated by Qin Kai and others…”
Just a few years ago, the elderly Zhou Fenfang happened to meet someone from her old village, who told her about this. She learned that back then, Qin Kai, nearing university graduation, wanted to move to a bigger city for development. He needed the Zhou family’s money for support, but he predicted that the Zhou parents wouldn’t be willing to let Zhou Fenfang go with him alone. They would either refuse to let them leave or at least have one parent accompany Zhou Fenfang.
Qin Kai didn’t want to be tied down by the Zhou family, and at that time, someone else coveted the village head position. But Zhou, the village head, was highly respected, making it difficult to bring him down. Qin Kai seized this opportunity, collaborating with others to smear the village head. As the Zhou family’s son-in-law, Qin Kai was familiar with the Zhou family’s situation and the parents’ personalities, making him an effective insider. The smear campaign was very convincing.
“The outcome was even better than they expected. My grandparents were gone, and my mom, holding a large sum of dowry money given by my grandparents, was at a loss and followed Qin Kai’s arrangements. The new village head successfully took office. Later, when Qin Kai wanted to become the He family’s son-in-law, he used the new village head to cover things up… But after that, the new village head inexplicably started feeling guilty. After more than ten years, on his deathbed, he confessed to this, saying he wronged the old village head, my grandparents. The villagers only learned the truth then. It wasn’t until a few years ago that someone recognized my mom and told her.”
Zhou Xuan’s face showed mockery: “Before learning about this, my mom always thought that her miserable life was her own fault, that her father was a corrupt village head. But it turned out the money my grandparents gave her wasn’t dirty money. It was the family heirlooms they sold to give her a dowry. But most of that money ended up being used on Qin Kai, who caused my grandparents’ deaths and ruined my mom’s life… Why should Qin Kai live so comfortably?”
Qin Kai gritted his teeth. After all, it was so many years ago, and the new village head had been dead for many years. What could they do if he denied it now?
“You people are just turning the tables on me, relying on the fact that so much time has passed and there’s no evidence now, so you’re smearing me!” Qin Kai countered, “You just said you and your mother were in a small county. How did you coincidentally meet someone from the old village? After decades, faces change, and you still recognized them? This is simply fabricated! I think Zhou Fenfang just doesn’t want to admit her father was a corrupt official!”
Zhou Xuan laughed in anger: “My mom and the people from your old village aren’t all dead yet! If you want to silence them, you’ll have to wipe out the village. Go ahead!”
Qin Kai shrank his neck.
Hearing this, a guest among the crowd hissed: “Oh my god, given Qin Kai’s track record, if it weren’t for the He family’s power and He Grandmother and her father’s strong personalities, which he couldn’t overcome, the He family might have been renamed Qin by now…”
He Ying naturally realized this possibility, so the previous speculation that “Qin Kai was just forced to behave” became more solid, and it struck a chord with the old lady, making her shiver with a cold sweat.
He Weian raised her hand, patting her mother’s back for comfort, while her gaze remained on Zhou Xuan.
Zhou Xuan continued: “But when my mom was young, she didn’t know Qin Kai’s true nature. Qin Kai said he was forced to marry into the He family to protect her, and my mom, with no one else to rely on and still having feelings for him, believed him.”
Back then, Zhou Fenfang asked Qin Kai what they should do. Qin Kai said that the He family wanted a son-in-law to inherit the He family business. Once He Ying’s father passed away, the He family business would be handed over to him, the son-in-law. Once he was firmly established and no longer feared He Ying harming her, he would divorce He Ying. As long as Zhou Fenfang was willing to be with him, he would never leave her.
So, Zhou Fenfang, who had never been officially married but had a de facto marriage, became Qin Kai’s secret lover. Not long after, she became pregnant.
After holding a wedding banquet with Qin Kai, Zhou Fenfang had always wanted to have his child but never managed to conceive. Unexpectedly, she became pregnant when Qin Kai was already someone else’s husband, leaving her both happy and troubled.
Qin Kai had initially intended to string Zhou Fenfang along to prevent her from causing trouble, and he did find a unique satisfaction in the affair. However, he didn’t want to have an illegitimate child before he was firmly established.
So, when he noticed Zhou Fenfang was also troubled by the pregnancy, Qin Kai took the opportunity to persuade her to have an abortion. Although he claimed it was because he didn’t want their child to be born in secrecy, Zhou Fenfang sensed something was amiss and began to suspect Qin Kai.
Zhou Fenfang didn’t want to let Qin Kai have his way, and she genuinely wanted to keep the child, so she delayed having an abortion.
At that time, Qin Kai had to accompany He Ying, who was also pregnant, and attend to his work at the He family, leaving him with little free time. He couldn’t keep an eye on Zhou Fenfang all the time, and even if he had the time, as the He family’s son-in-law, he didn’t dare accompany Zhou Fenfang to the hospital for an abortion.
So, the delay continued until Zhou Fenfang’s belly grew, and the hospital no longer dared to perform an abortion. The child was born—a pair of twins.
Zhou Xuan looked at He Dingbang, her twin brother, but their lives had been so different. One lived in luxury, while the other suffered hardships. She now looked at least ten years older than him. Who would believe they were twins born just minutes apart?
He Dingbang had realized that Zhou Xuan was his biological sister, but he neither wanted to acknowledge her nor dared to look at her, avoiding her gaze with disdain and guilt.
Zhou Xuan continued sarcastically: “The day after my mom gave birth to my twin brother and me, Qin Kai came and took my twin brother away.”
“He later told my mom that the He family’s daughter had also given birth to a son, but that child was born prematurely and died a few hours after birth…”
Qin Kai quickly interrupted, as if saying the next words would somehow absolve him of the past revelations: “Ah Ying, you heard that, it was premature! It wasn’t my doing!”
Before He Ying could respond, Zhou Xuan added: “It wasn’t you who caused the premature birth, but you deliberately delayed treatment!”
Qin Kai: “Nonsense! You have no evidence, this is slander!”
Zhou Xuan sneered, looking at He Ying: “Old lady, this matter indeed lacks concrete evidence. Whether you believe it or not is up to you.”
He Ying closed her eyes in pain.
Zhou Xuan continued, according to what her mom Zhou Fenfang had told her, that back then, Qin Kai said it was all the He family’s fault for breaking them apart. So their son “Zhou You” became the He family’s son “He Dingbang,” and this was the He family’s retribution. The He family would raise their child, and in the future, the entire He family business would belong to their son.
It was at that moment that Zhou Fenfang finally accepted reality, realizing that Qin Kai’s marriage into the He family wasn’t out of necessity but because he coveted the He family’s wealth and luxury.
Qin Kai brought their son back to the He family to replace him, not because he loved her and, by extension, loved the child she bore him, wanting to give him the “good things” to inherit. It was simply because this child was Qin Kai’s illegitimate son, a “trophy” of his successful transgression under the pressure of the He family father and daughter.
But Zhou Fenfang had no way to leave Qin Kai. The dowry money her parents had given her was gone, and after giving birth, her health deteriorated. She still had a daughter to raise.
Just as Zhou Fenfang was resigned to living in confusion, another unexpected event occurred—
Qin Kai once talked in his sleep, saying: “Son, don’t blame me… blame your mom and her dad for bullying me too much… Dad didn’t mean to watch you suffocate… Dad did call the doctor in the end, but they came too late… Son, don’t blame Dad, Dad will burn paper money for you every year…”
Zhou Fenfang was chilled to the bone upon hearing those words.
Decades later, Zhou Xuan recounted this to He Ying in front of everyone: “My mom realized then that Qin Kai and the He family’s daughter, your biological son, might not have died from natural causes but because Qin Kai deliberately delayed calling the doctor and nurse…”
“That’s nonsense!” Qin Kai still refused to admit it, arguing, “You were brought here by Ning Yichu. Your mom already hates me, so you must have colluded to slander me! Ah Ying, a tiger doesn’t eat its cubs. How could I do such a thing! This person is clearly lying. When did I ever plan for Dingbang to inherit the He family business? Isn’t that right?”
He Ying’s already aged face looked even older: “You’ve said this many times before… Wasn’t it because you were incompetent, couldn’t surpass me, and Dingbang couldn’t be propped up, that you had to change your mind?”
Qin Kai trembled all over.
He Ying sighed deeply: “Back then, even if it was a hospital we He family members went to, it was still not advanced enough. The condition of newborns relied entirely on human observation. Whether you deliberately delayed or not, there’s no evidence. Whether what Zhou Xuan relayed from her mom is true or not, there’s no evidence… But compared to you, Qin Kai, I want to believe them… Qin Kai, how can you have the face to say a tiger doesn’t eat its cubs!”
Qin Kai gripped his cane tightly: “He Ying, we’ve been married for so many years, and now you want to join outsiders in giving me the reputation of a child-killer in my old age?”
“Then you shouldn’t have done it back then!” Zhou Xuan cursed, “A beast who dares to do but not admit!”
“My mom was terrified by this incident back then. The thought that you could watch your own son die made her fear that one day you might do the same to her or me, her daughter. So she left a suicide note saying she didn’t want to cause you and your son any more trouble, and she took me and fled into the mountains to die. Then she ran away with me without even packing anything!”
The guests listening to the gossip understood: “No wonder the old master dared to say the first love had already committed suicide. He really believed she would die for his phoenix man career!”
“Over the years, I’ve heard people praise the old master of the He family as a good son-in-law, saying He Ying and her father had good judgment in choosing a reliable and honest son-in-law, living peacefully for a lifetime, unlike other families with sons-in-law who always cause trouble… Who would have thought, indeed, you can’t conclude about someone until they’re dead.”
“Even when they’re dead, you can’t conclude. Look at the Chen family, the old master died a few years ago, and an illegitimate child popped up to fight for the inheritance.”
Amidst the surrounding discussions, He Dingbang was utterly devastated. Although he knew it was impossible to salvage, he still struggled desperately, suddenly shouting, regardless of how illogical his words were: “No! This is all a play you and Ning Yichu conspired to perform! It’s all fake! Such a hidden matter, even our family didn’t know, how could Ning Yichu know! How could he just find you!”
Gao Hui was speechless: “Except for a few details that Qin Kai refuses to admit, most of the events Qin Kai himself has acknowledged, and you’re still saying ‘it’s all fake.’ Can you act like a mature person in your fifties?”
She looked around and continued: “My mom and I came here specifically, not for anything else, not to recognize relatives, nor to seek benefits, but just to let the relevant people know the truth and expose Qin Kai’s ugly face. Only then can my grandmother let go of what’s been on her mind for a lifetime, that’s all.”
“If that’s the case, why didn’t you come before, and why now?” He Rulin suddenly spoke softly, “The He family old residence has always been here, and the He family Group building can be found with navigation. Why didn’t you come before, and how did you connect with Xiao Chu now?”
Zhou Xuan looked at him: “Because initially, my mom didn’t want to have any more entanglements with Qin Kai. She chose to leave Qin Kai with a suicide note and live incognito in another small city, just wanting to survive with me, no matter how hard or tiring it was, she didn’t want to have any more dealings with Qin Kai… But luck wasn’t on our side, and we were indeed always struggling. I didn’t give her a good life, and it wasn’t until my daughter grew up that our family’s situation improved a bit.”
“My mom never even told me about these things until the beginning of this year when she felt her health was deteriorating and didn’t want to take the secret to the grave, so she told me.”
Zhou Xuan was furious when she heard it, and Zhou Fenfang herself became more and more indignant as she spoke, so they decided to expose Qin Kai and reveal the truth.
But Zhou Fenfang was old, and now she got carsick even in a car, unable to travel far and couldn’t endure the hassle. Zhou Xuan had never left the place where she grew up, was completely unfamiliar with City A and the He family, and felt apprehensive, thinking that even if they brought evidence of their identity, they might not even get close to the He family, and before they could explain their intentions, they would be chased away as beggars…
Gao Hui was willing to accompany Zhou Xuan on this trip, to protect her mother’s safety and give her courage, but Gao Hui also had to work and couldn’t just take leave and run to City A without understanding the He family’s situation.
And most importantly, would the He family care?
So many years had passed, the people involved were old, and the “children” in the truth of the incident were already in their fifties. Maybe Qin Kai was already dead, and even if he wasn’t, he should be a respected elder in the He family. What if they went through all the trouble to expose the truth, but no one cared? Wouldn’t that be a joke…
Until a few days ago, Gao Hui received contact from Ning Yichu.
Although they were suspicious of the situation, they also felt that since the other party could find out about their existence and such a long-ago truth, there was probably nothing to gain from them. They didn’t care if the other party had other motives, as long as they could expose Qin Kai’s true face and feel at ease.
So Gao Hui accompanied Zhou Xuan here.
Ning Yichu smiled: “As for how I knew about their existence and how I contacted them so easily, that’s none of your business.”
—Of course, it was deduced from the original plot.
In the original plot, Zhou Xuan and Gao Hui would come to the He family four years later, with the idea that no matter what, they would expose the truth, at least to ease their own minds.
At that time, one of He Ying’s most beloved grandchildren, He Shixia, had just passed away, and her husband Qin Kai happened to be critically ill. He Ying was already full of sorrow.
Faced with the shocking truth and her husband’s dying defense, He Ying chose to reluctantly believe Qin Kai, dismissing Zhou Xuan and Gao Hui. Even after Qin Kai’s death, she didn’t pursue He Dingbang’s true parentage.
And after receiving reassurance, He Dingbang decided to retaliate against Zhou Fenfang, Zhou Xuan, and Gao Hui, even though Zhou Fenfang was his biological mother and Zhou Xuan was his twin sister.
Ning Yichu learned about Gao Hui’s work situation from this part of the plot, then directly called Gao Hui’s company, added her as a friend under the guise of work, and invited her to the banquet today.
At present, Ning Yichu looked at the despairing He Dingbang, recalling the events of his past life.
In his past life, he accidentally fell down the stairs while nine months pregnant because of He Dingbang.
At that time, He Dingbang had just been reprimanded by He Ying for his behavior outside and was full of anger when he came out.
Ning Yichu would go for a walk in the garden every day, and when he went downstairs, he happened to see He Dingbang being called in for a scolding. When he finished his walk and returned inside, He Dingbang was just coming out.
He Dingbang had always disliked him, and now he was even more embarrassed and angry. As he passed by, he deliberately raised his hand to push him aside: “How can you not know to respect your elders, standing here blocking the way?”
Ning Yichu had just finished walking down the stairs and was standing on the flat ground where it connected to the stairs. Caught off guard by He Dingbang’s push, he was already unsteady with his big belly and ended up falling down the stairs.
He Dingbang hadn’t expected this outcome and sat down in shock.
Ning Yichu lay on the ground, in sudden pain, hearing He Dingbang muttering in panic: “You’re not trying to scam me, are you? I just gave a light push, and it was to the side. How did you fall backward? It’s not my fault. How can you blame me for not standing steady…”
Then He Dingbang told the servants who rushed over in shock: “He fell on his own! It’s not my fault. You can’t blame me just because I happened to be here!”
Because of that fall, Ning Yichu had a premature birth, and due to emergency surgery and physical weakness, he developed acute complications and died before he was twenty-three.
But now, He Dingbang was just being laughed at for his parentage.
Not enough.
Take it slow.
“Grandmother, how do you plan to handle this situation? Make a decision quickly. I have another distinguished guest arriving, and I don’t want to keep them waiting.” Ning Yichu looked towards the hall entrance.
A car was approaching from the He family old residence’s main gate.
He Weian frowned, turning her head to ask Tang Qingshan beside her: “Didn’t I tell you to notify the main gate not to let anyone else in? How did someone else get in?”
Tang Qingshan apologized: “I was just about to notify them when Zhou Xuan and her mother arrived. I didn’t expect Xiao Chu to have invited someone else, so I thought not notifying the main gate wouldn’t matter, and I didn’t do it. I’m sorry.”
He Weian frowned and turned back. At this point, she directly asked Ning Yichu in front of everyone: “Who else did you invite? Isn’t this enough for your amusement?”
Hearing this, the guests had mixed expressions, thinking that aside from how embarrassing it was for the He family, for those attending the banquet tonight, this was quite entertaining. The new little Ning from the He family was really generous and open…
Ning Yichu smiled at her: “Mom, don’t worry, the third distinguished guest has nothing to do with the He family.”
Although she had a premonition that it wouldn’t be anything good, hearing Ning Yichu say this, He Weian did feel a bit relieved—she had previously believed the Ning family’s external claims about Ning Yichu, thinking he never spoke a word of truth… Even though, when they occasionally met, Ning Yichu behaved politely, and aside from being quiet and introverted, there was nothing much to criticize. But now, strangely, even though Ning Yichu never spoke a good word, she was willing to believe he wouldn’t lie.
He Weian thought, no matter who was coming next, as long as it had nothing to do with the He family, it was fine. She couldn’t take another public spectacle.
Ning Yichu’s gaze turned to the crowd: “I’m a sensitive person, afraid of being accused of favoritism, so I have to balance things out. I have to take care of both my new family and my old family to be fair. But tonight, I need to borrow the He family’s place for the Ning family. But the He family and the Ning family are family friends, so they won’t mind, right, Mom? Hey, why are my Ning family relatives all standing in the corner? Come forward a bit—oh, right, Fifth Aunt, I invited a friend of yours.”
Upon hearing this, the guests present, as well as the Ning family members themselves, all looked at the mentioned Ning family fifth aunt, Ning Anxia.
Ning Anxia was bewildered, unable to understand why the focus suddenly shifted to her.
The He family old residence covered a large area, and the distance from the main gate to the residential hall was quite far, even by car. The car that had just entered hadn’t arrived yet, so Ning Yichu thoughtfully gave a “hint” in advance.
“Fifth Aunt, have you forgotten? You pretended to be a lesbian to get close to a straight woman because of a bet, and after going to great lengths to turn her, you told her you were actually straight and already engaged, then blocked her and disappeared…”
As Ning Yichu spoke, Ning Anxia’s face changed dramatically, turning pale and then green.
Her fiancé was Gu Changke, the young master of the Gu family, who was also present at the banquet. However, their relationship was more of an arranged marriage without much affection, so even under the same roof, they hadn’t specifically stood together.
But lack of affection didn’t mean no reaction. Gu Changke was furious upon hearing this, feeling humiliated: “What? Ning Anxia, is what he said true?”
Ning Anxia replied impatiently: “Is this the time to ask that?”
Ning Yichu smiled gently, his voice warm: “I think it’s important to be honest. Hiding from someone isn’t a solution, so I helped Fifth Aunt invite that lady over. You’re welcome.”
Author’s Note: Although it might not be necessary, just a side note, the gossip in this story isn’t meant to align with real-world timelines. Otherwise, you’ll find that especially the experiences of the older generation don’t quite fit the real-world social context… It’s for the sake of the plot, so some common sense was selectively sacrificed (but then again, we have a setting where same-sex marriage is widely accepted, right [glasses]
Three updates~ The fourth update will be in ten minutes o3o