Seeing Song Yao’s brow furrow slightly, he quickly added something else.
"Daughter, don’t you worry. Even if I have ten more children in the future, I can swear to you that I’ll always be most partial to you! You’re the one who saved my life! That will never change."
But Song Yao remained as impassive as ever.
"Let me think about it some more. I don’t like it when families play favorites. If you two can’t promise that you’ll only be good to me, then it’s better not to have any hope from the beginning."
Shen Zhenwu grew anxious and was about to try persuading her again, but Song Yao stopped him with a raised hand.
"Your wound hasn’t even scabbed over. You’ve done enough for today. You should go back and rest."
Hearing her concern for his health, Shen Zhenwu broke into a wide grin.
"Alright! In that case, Dad won’t disturb you anymore. You get a good night’s sleep!"
Song Yao nodded.
Shen Zhenwu turned and left cheerfully.
But he kept looking back every few steps.
"Aunt Zhang, thank you for coming all this way today. I’m getting a little sleepy. Please don’t let me keep you. You should head back to the camp and take care of your own matters."
Song Yao turned to Aunt Zhang and said softly.
Aunt Zhang acknowledged her and stood up.
"Alright, you get some rest then."
She straightened her collar and walked toward the door.
As she left, she gently pulled the door closed behind her.
The hospital wasn’t very busy today.
But Shen Zhenwu was an important man, so he had arranged a private room for her.
The room was spacious and bright, the bedsheets white and crisp.
Two soldiers were even posted at the door.
This whole arrangement showed that her standing in Shen Zhenwu’s heart had completely changed.
Song Yao lay on the hospital bed, her mind replaying the day’s events over and over.
She recalled Shen Zhenwu’s changing expressions, analyzing the emotions and attitudes behind his every response.
Only after confirming she had handled every detail perfectly did she allow herself to close her eyes.
The truth was, she had been on the verge of collapsing for a while.
But with things pushed to this point, she had no choice but to brace herself and confront Shen Zhenwu and Shen Shuangshuang.
She even had to pretend everything was fine while making small talk with Shen Zhenwu for so long.
The moment Shen Shuangshuang appeared, she couldn’t suppress the fire raging inside her.
The memories of her past life stabbed fiercely into her brain.
Images of the dim old house, the empty dining table, and herself curled in a corner eating cold leftovers.
She could no longer be that pitiful wretch, huddled in a corner, waiting for others to toss her scraps of affection.
’People are all the same. They never cherish what’s freely given or easily found.’
’Only what you fight for will be taken seriously.’
She understood this and planned to use it to her advantage.
This time, she would be the one treasured and doted on, the apple of their eye.
Her place in this family would be on her own terms.
’I’ve got this newfound father of mine handled for now, but there’s still a huge ticking time bomb waiting at the Shen Family.’
Song Yao frowned, the faces of the Shen family members churning in her mind.
Especially that woman’s face. She knew things weren’t that simple.
A family hiding the secret of two daughters... once that was revealed, it would undoubtedly unleash a tempest.
’And right now, I’ve only won half the battle.’
Yao Yuzhen. Her biological mother.
To her, that name had never felt like a mother’s, but more like a symbol.
Growing up, she had seen countless tender moments between mothers and daughters.
Even adoptive ones often developed genuine affection.
But when it came to her own mother, there was no warmth at all.
She had once tried to have a heart-to-heart with Yao Yuzhen, asking if she had known something all along.
But all she got in return was a hysterical scream.
"Stop talking about it! If you bring it up again, I’ll disown you!"
And yet, when Shen Shuangshuang later ran into some trouble, Yao Yuzhen was more anxious than anyone.
The memory made Song Yao tremble uncontrollably.
’Back then, I really wanted to rush over and ask her.’
’You gave birth to me. You knew how much I suffered. So why didn’t you let Shen Zhenwu get to the bottom of it?’
’Why did you just watch as the culprit got away scot-free?’
She wanted an answer, even if it was just an excuse.
But in the end, she couldn’t bring herself to ask.
Because she knew that even if she did, she wouldn’t get an answer.
’That woman would never admit she was wrong. She would only continue to protect her other daughter.’
If she was annoyed with Shen Shuangshuang, she was resentful of Liu Yumin.
Then as for Yao Yuzhen, what she felt was pure, unadulterated hatred!
’I have to live. I have to be the last one standing. And I have to personally shove the truth right in that woman’s face.’
’Yao Yuzhen, I’m going to live a good, long life—long enough to see the day DNA testing exists. And then I’m going to take our maternity test report and slap you in the face with it.’
’I’m going to show you how weak and pathetic you are. You couldn’t even protect your own child, letting her get swapped and abducted. And when she finally came back, you despised her, wishing she’d never shown up at all!’
’You love Shen Shuangshuang so much, don’t you? Fine. Then you can stay right by her side and suffer all the hardships, pain, and misery that I went through in my past life in my stead!’
...
"ACHOO!"
「In a government hall in Beijing.」
An elegant, poised woman’s nose suddenly tickled, and she let out a sneeze.
She lifted her gaze to the sunlight outside the hall, her eyes narrowing slightly.
"Mrs. Shen, are you catching a cold?"
The female clerk next to her glanced at her and asked casually.
Yao Yuzhen paid the minor interruption no mind.
She took a handkerchief from her bag and deliberately wiped her fingers.
"I’m taking a train out of Beijing tomorrow morning. The sooner this is handled, the better. It would be best to finish it right now."
The clerk quickly offered an apologetic smile.
"Of course. We’ll rush it for you. It’ll be all squared away in half an hour, guaranteed."
She quickly retrieved the remaining materials.
The printer hummed softly as it churned out the documents, page by page.
Another staff member took the documents and began to enter them into the final approval process.
Half an hour later, Yao Yuzhen walked out and slipped into a taxi by the roadside.
After giving the destination, she looked down at the few pieces of paper in her hand.
The deeds to several properties originally in her name had all been transferred to Shen Shuangshuang.
’Shuangshuang, don’t be afraid. Mommy’s here.’
She muttered in a low voice.
’Not a single relative is left, you’re the only one left in the world... Even if I have to risk my life, I can’t let anyone touch a single hair on your head. You must be safe and happy, that’s more important than anything...’
Her eyes grew moist before she could finish.
Her hand unconsciously drifted to the old pocket watch hanging around her neck.
"RING... RING... RING..."
That night, just as Shen Zhenwu reached the door, he heard the phone ringing urgently.
He frowned, strode over, and snatched up the receiver.
Just as he said "Hello," a chilly female voice came from the other end.
"Comrade, excuse me, has Shen Zhenwu returned yet?"
"This is he."
Shen Zhenwu replied.
He pulled out a chair and sat, propping his forehead up with his left hand.
A cold laugh followed.
"Hah! So, Shen Zhenwu, you finally couldn’t hold back any longer, could you?"
Shen Zhenwu’s face immediately fell.
He gripped the phone tightly, his voice trembling slightly.
"Yu Zhen, I was just about to look for you. I have some wonderful news to tell you..."
"Save it. I’m not worthy of hearing your good news."
Yao Yuzhen mercilessly cut him off.
Shen Zhenwu was struck speechless.
But Yao Yuzhen, completely disregarding his feelings, continued.
"Shen Zhenwu, Shuangshuang called me today. She said you’re abandoning her to adopt some stray from who-knows-where as your daughter..."