Arc.
2.2
The Two-Faced Fake Young Master
Six years had passed, and the story in the novel was finally beginning.
The main Xie family was currently in turmoil, as Young Master Xie had been gravely injured in an accident.
While out with friends and waiting for his driver, a fight broke out between his friends and a group of strangers.
Caught in the crossfire, Young Master Xie was seriously hurt and was now in the emergency room.
Yet, the atmosphere outside the ICU, where three Xie family members waited, was even heavier than expected.
Just hours before, a mysterious message had been sent to Chairman Xia, claiming that his youngest son was not actually his biological child.
Naturally, Chairman Xie refused to believe it, but the messenger insisted they could prove it—and soon after, Young Master Xie Zhen sustained his serious injury.
The severity of his injuries meant he needed a large amount of blood.
The truth was uncovered: Xie Zhen had no genetic ties to the Xie family.
Chairman Xie was left in shock, reeling from the revelation.
Madame Xia, even more devastated, could hardly process that her cherished son was not, in fact, her own.
And now, she had no idea where her real son was.
Xie Jun, Chairman Xia’s elder son, was equally stunned, standing in silence as his mother sobbed uncontrollably and his father looked pale and hollow-eyed, staring at the blood test results in his hand.
Then, yet another mysterious message arrived, stating that this was the final gift left to Chairman Xie by the late Chairman An.
Nian Zhen regained consciousness two days later.
Fortunately, since he had successfully completed the first world’s mission, the system had unlocked a few minor perks, one of which was a pain-dulling pill.
Although he didn’t feel much pain, he knew he still had to keep up appearances.
He awoke with a fragile, innocent look, his large eyes rimmed with red and brimming with tears, his lips pale.
When Madame Xie looked up and saw her son awake, she quickly pressed the call button for the doctors and nurses, then rushed to Nian Zhen’s side.
“My Xiao Zhen, how are you, my dear?”
Madame Xie asked, holding Nian Zhen’s hand tightly, her own eyes red and shadowed from sleeplessness.
“Mom… it hurts.”
Nian Zhen whimpered, pressing her hand to his cheek with a frail expression, silently asking for comfort as he always did.
Tears began to fall from Madame Xia’s eyes as she managed a weak, strained smile.
“My Xiao Zhen, you’ll always be my son, no matter what,” she gently touched Nian Zhen’s face.
Nian Zhen was deeply moved; in the entire Xie family, it was Madame Xie who genuinely and unconditionally loved him.
The doctors and nurses arrived just then, with Xie Jun following close behind.
When he saw his younger brother was awake, a relieved smile appeared on his face.
“Xiao Zhen, my little brother.”
“Gege.”
Nian Zhen looked at his older brother, his expression pitiful and endearing.
Mother and elder son exchanged a heavy look, their hearts weighed down.
Seeing Xiao Zhen’s innocent, oblivious expression, they couldn’t bear to tell him the truth.
Madame Xia’s heart ached.
She hoped to find her real son soon, but she couldn’t bring herself to abandon the boy she had raised and cherished more than anyone.
She would never let him go back to his biological parents.
Mother and son agreed not to reveal the truth to Xiao Zhen.
However, Chairman Xie had different intentions.
One month later, Nian Zhen was finally discharged from the hospital.
A week prior, Chairman Xie had found their real youngest son.
Madame Xie learned of this as well, feeling relieved to hear that the couple who had raised her biological son had passed away in an accident.
With this, she felt even more justified in keeping Xiao Zhen in the Xie family should the truth ever come out.
While Madame Xie and Elder Young Master Xia were determined to keep the truth from him, Chairman Xie thought otherwise.
“Father!! I missed you so much.”
Nian Zhen, finally home from the hospital, joyfully rushed forward to embrace his father, while the mother and the son from Xie family stood behind him, pale with worry.
For the past month, Xie Chang hadn’t visited his youngest son in the hospital even once, while Madame Xie had told Xiao Zhen that the president was simply too busy tracking down the culprits who had hurt him.
So, having been kept in the dark, Xiao Zhen immediately ran to his father upon arriving at the mansion, his heart full of longing.
Taken aback, Xie Chang looked down at his son’s adoring, affectionate face before slowly hugging him back, his own emotions in turmoil.
“Are you all better now, son? And did you have breakfast yet?”
Madame Xie breathed a sigh of relief at the sight, her eyes reddened.
She knew that her husband was still struggling to accept the truth—that Xiao Zhen was not truly his flesh and blood.
“No, I haven’t. I told Mom I’d wait to eat breakfast with you.” Smiling sweetly, Nian Zhen took his father’s hand and led him toward the dining room.
The atmosphere within the main Xie family had become strange.
Outwardly, they seemed loving and harmonious, but even Xiao Zhen, unaware of the details, could sense something was off.
“Father, Mother, Gege, is something going on?” Xie Zhen finally asked after breakfast.
“No, nothing at all,” Madame Xia.
“There is,” Chairman Xia.
They spoke at the same time.
Madame Xie shot her husband a warning glare, but Chairman Xia’s expression was resolute, as if he’d already made up his mind.
“Xie Zhen… no, Zhou Zhen.”
“?”
“You are not truly our son. You are not a member of the Xie family.”
“!!”
Xie Zhen was stunned, jumping to his feet as a devastated expression spread across his face. This chapter was copied from g.com without permission.
His eyes filled with tears, and he asked in a trembling voice.
“F…Father, please don’t joke with me.”
“This is the truth.”
Xie Chang took a document from his assistant and placed it in front of Nian Zhen.
Nian Zhen snatched it up, scanning the page to find it was a DNA test result.
His body trembled as tears began streaming down his cheeks, heartbroken to the core.
“No… this can’t be true.”
“Xiao Zhen!!”
Nian Zhen fainted on the spot.
[Host, that was incredible! Your acting was so good, even I was getting emotional!] The system chimed in when Nian Zhen was alone.
Of course.
Who am I?
I’m a superstar villain.
Xie Zhen here almost could’ve been the lead, if not for his white lotus personality.
A life this tragic practically belongs to the protagonist.
[Xie Chang is so cold-hearted, Host. The child he’s raised since infancy, yet as soon as he learns they’re not related, he discards him so ruthlessly without a thought for Xie Zhen’s feelings. He’s even preparing to bring the male lead home.]
So, what’s the current situation?
[Madame Xie is having a major argument with Xie Chang. She’s furious that he told Xie Zhen the truth without consulting her. She even declared that she will never send Xie Zhen away—he’ll remain her son. She told Xie Chang that if he doesn’t accept that, they’ll go their separate ways.]
Nian Zhen was stunned, never expecting Madame Xie would go this far for him.
Since her love was sincere, he vowed to carefully plan for her future, ensuring she wouldn’t face ruin alongside the Xie family when the male lead took his revenge.
The male lead… Xie Yanjing.
I miss you, brother.
Seeing Nian Zhen’s thoughts drifting back to the events of the first world, the system quickly administered a suppressant to ease his feelings.
Once the male lead arrived, this story would officially begin.
Due to Madame Xia’s resolute insistence, Xie Chang finally agreed to a compromise.
After some discussion, they reached a decision: Xie Zhen would remain the young master of the Xie family, while Xie Jinlong, who had been brought back to the family, would hold the status of Second Young Master, a son sent abroad for medical treatment due to health issues.
Now that he had recovered, he was returning home.
No one was happier about this arrangement than Madame Xia, who took it upon herself to speak to Xie Zhen, who was still holed up in his room, distraught.
Her words eventually comforted him, along with Xie Jun’s frequent visits to check on him.
Realizing he wouldn’t be sent away, Xie Zhen gradually tried to act as he always had, though now with a slightly more reserved attitude.
Seeing him accepting the situation, Madame Xie began sharing details about Xie Jinlong and explained that his adoptive parents had both passed away in an accident.
“Xiao Zhen, you are my son, and this is your home. I will never send you anywhere else. Xiao Zhen, I love you.”
Madame Xie hugged her youngest son tightly.
At last, Xie Zhen managed a small smile.
Tomorrow, the Xie family’s Second Young Master would return from abroad.