Wen Zhile was startled: “Teacher, what’s wrong?”
Wen Shuren’s breathing was unsteady.
When they went to Daijia Village to pick up their daughter years ago, they had known the Dai family had gained a three-year-old daughter – born just days apart from their own daughter – named Erya, but they hadn’t seen her at the time.
They hadn’t paid much attention to this matter back then, checking the birthmark before taking their daughter away. But now things were different.
How could the Dai family’s child have eyes and brows resembling his, and be named Dai Zhi?
Their daughter’s original name was Wen Zhile, but after bringing her home, she herself asked to change it to Wen Nuan, and that’s what they had been calling her ever since.
This couldn’t possibly be a coincidence.
“Xiao Dai, when is your birthday?” Wen Shuren helped Shu Ying sit down while gently patting her back.
Wen Zhile had stopped eating. Sitting upright, she appeared somewhat embarrassed and sad upon hearing the question: “It’s in May, but I don’t remember the exact date. I… I don’t celebrate birthdays.”
Wen Shuren’s expression remained unchanged, but his mind was in turmoil.
Would anyone treat their biological daughter like this? Even with son preference, they shouldn’t go this far.
He recalled that Wen Nuan didn’t resemble them, only her nose looked like her grandmother’s.
Shu Ying remembered how their daughter never let her help with bathing since childhood, always keeping her out of the bathroom and obediently telling her to go rest.
She used to feel heartbroken that her daughter was so sensible at such a young age, and sad that her daughter wasn’t close to her. But now she couldn’t help wondering.
Was she preventing her from helping with baths because she was afraid she might see the birthmark?
If she was afraid… was there something wrong with the birthmark?
Shu Ying gritted her teeth and let out a heavy breath.
“Teacher, do you know my parents?”
Shu Ying looked at her.
Looking carefully, this child’s features were too beautiful to belong to the Dai family.
Both Dai couple were plain-looking – if they had a daughter, she would at most be pretty, just like… Nuan Nuan.
Before seeing the Dai family’s daughter, they had never doubted Nuan Nuan’s identity. But now…
Both understood that the Dai family’s daughter might resemble her grandmother or Shu Ying, but she would never look like Wen Shuren no matter what.
Shu Ying closed her eyes for a moment before opening them.
Wen Shuren had already avoided Wen Zhile’s question: “Xiao Dai, where are you living now?”
“I’m staying at Shuhai Inn across from the school.”
Shu Ying gathered her spirits: “Do you have enough money?”
Wen Zhile’s eyes dodged: “It’s enough.”
Wen Shuren frowned, instinctively interpreting Wen Zhile’s evasion as not having enough money.
Just as he was about to take out money, Shu Ying had already taken the girl’s hand and pressed two hundred yuan into it: “Don’t refuse. Consider this money as our loan to you. You can pay us back after you get into university and receive your scholarship.”
Wen Zhile’s palms were rough from being treated like a slave by the Dai family in this lifetime.
When Shu Ying’s hand touched the thick calluses, her heart ached as if being gnawed by thousands of ants.
Wen Zhile looked dejected: “I can’t go to university.”
“You can,” Shu Ying said. “Stay peacefully at the inn. Your uncle and I will personally go to Daijia Village and definitely persuade your parents.”
“Can you really persuade them?”
Wen Shuren: “Yes.”
Wen Zhile stood up excitedly: “Thank you, teachers.”
Shu Ying also stood up and gently hugged her: “Child, no need for thanks.”
Her voice was tight, slightly altered.
Wen Zhile felt uncomfortable hearing this and raised her arms to return the hug.
This was her first embrace with her mother in this lifetime.
That evening when she returned home, Shu Ying immediately called her eldest brother Shu Ye, asking him to send two sharp-witted soldiers to Daijia Village to investigate Dai Rong’s daughter.
“Find out everything about her from birth till now, but don’t let the Dai Family know someone’s looking into them.”
Holding the receiver, Shu Ye detected something unusual in her tone: “Alright, wait for my update.”
The Shu family were all good-looking, and fifty-year-old Shu Ye still retained the handsome vigor of his youth. After hanging up, he turned to his wife: “Has Cheng’an returned?”
Tang Heping was leaning on the sofa watching TV: “Still at his comrade’s place. What did Xiao Ying say?”
“Asked me to help investigate someone.” Shu Ye directly dialed the Southern Military District residential compound, connecting to Commander Zhou’s residence.
After taking the call, Shu Cheng’an immediately prepared to leave: “Grandma Ye, I should get going now. Tomorrow I’ll bring my grandmother to celebrate your birthday!”
Ye Qin smiled and nodded: “Jihuai, go see Xiao Shu out.”
Zhou Jihuai lifted his eyelids and tossed him the car keys: “Drive yourself back. Return it tomorrow.”
“Got it, Brother Huai!”
Shu Cheng’an’s family lived in the Northern Military District residential compound.
Several soldiers standing guard outside saluted and directly waved him through when they saw him driving over.
The jeep drove all the way in and stopped in front of a two-story building.
Shu Ye was standing at the doorway deep in thought, only snapping out of it when the headlights flashed over him: “You little rascal getting bold, daring to flash your headlights at your old man?”
Shu Cheng’an got out of the car grinning: “What’s the urgent summons about, old man?”
“Take Xiao Liu to Jianghe Village tomorrow to investigate someone.”
Before Shu Cheng’an left military service, his special forces unit had been stationed deep in the Back Mountain of Jianghe Village.
After hearing his father’s words, his expression gradually turned serious: “Who to investigate? And who ordered the investigation?”