After My Love-Brain Woke Up

By the time my son was three, he still didn’t resemble me in the slightest.

I secretly had a parentage test done.

There was no blood relationship between mother and son. Father and son, however, were connected by blood.

1

“Shen Yi’s parents don’t know the whole story.”

The waiter closed the door to the private room of the teahouse from outside, and the private investigator spoke.

The Shen Yi he was talking about was my husband of five years.

I poured a cup of tea and pushed it toward him without speaking.

All the shock, anger, despair, and fierce emotion of recovering what I’d lost had already been vented. Whatever news I heard now, I could face it calmly.

Three days ago, the day after I received the parentage test results for An’an and me, I’d found my biological son through the private investigator.

The test results weren’t back yet, but judging by his age and appearance, there shouldn’t be any mistake.

He was being raised right beside my parents-in-law.

Only, in all three years, I had never seen him.

Shen Yi’s hometown was a thousand li away from the city where we lived.

We only got together for those few days at New Year.

And every time we went back to his hometown, the child’s grandparents sent him to stay with relatives for a few days, then brought him home after we left.

Thinking about it now, that was also one reason they refused to move to B City. It wasn’t simply that “it’s hard to leave one’s native soil.”

Fortunately, they were taking pretty good care of the child.

That also let me set my mind at ease and not rush to take him back.

“All they know is that he’s Shen Yi’s illegitimate child with another woman. As for who the woman is, the old couple doesn’t know either.”

The investigator finished, then looked at me. “I’ve left someone over there to investigate Shen Yi’s relationships and keep an eye on the child.”

I nodded. “What about the hospital?”

“Twelve babies were delivered at the hospital that day. We’ve investigated the other eleven mothers, but it’ll take time to establish which one we’re looking for.”

“Do you have photos of those mothers?”

“Yes.” The investigator took out a flash drive.

I plugged it into my laptop, opened the folder, and looked carefully through the photos one by one.

“Who’s this?”

The girl in the photo had a small face, big eyes, a slightly upturned nose, and thin lips with a little bead at the center of the upper lip. She was delicate-looking, with a touch of that pitiful charm that made anyone want to cherish her.

An’an’s nose and mouth looked very much like hers.

“Her name is Cheng Jing. She’s an actress, probably third-tier.

“She had a C-section back then, and her partner never appeared at the hospital.

“I occasionally follow the entertainment industry. If it weren’t for this investigation, I wouldn’t even know she had a child. She’s done a pretty good job keeping it secret.”

“Investigate her first.” I tapped the third-tier actress’s photo with my finger.

2

After the investigator left, I sat alone in the private room for a while, then messaged my older cousin: “We’re done talking.”

Soon she pushed the door open. “What’s the situation?”

“Shen Yi’s parents probably weren’t involved in switching the children.”

“Hmph! That doesn’t change the fact that they’re trash.”

“They don’t know who An’an’s mother is either.”

“That dog Shen Yi sure knows how to keep his mouth shut!”

“Jie, do you know Cheng Jing? She’s an actress.”

Translator’s note: Jie (姐) means older sister; here it’s how she addresses her older female cousin. Gege (哥哥), used later by fans, means older brother and is also an affectionate term for a male idol.

“Sure. These past two years she’s latched onto Song Ran, the boss of XX Entertainment, and filmed quite a few shows. But her ability is limited. Even with all those resources thrown at her, she hasn’t made a splash. She’s just managed to become a familiar face. Song…”

My cousin suddenly stopped and stared at me, eyes wide. “It’s her?”

“No conclusive proof, but I’d put the odds at at least eighty percent.” I showed her the photo.

“The nose and mouth do look a bit alike.” My cousin studied the photo and reached the same conclusion I had.

“I want to test her.”

“How?”

“I want to see how this Miss Cheng reacts when An’an and I appear in front of her together. Jie, help me.”

My cousin was a somewhat well-known producer in the entertainment industry, as well as a vice president at a video platform. She had plenty of opportunities to deal with artists.

“No problem!” She immediately picked up her phone and spoke while typing a message. “Cheng Jing’s filming one of our company’s dramas right now. I know the director. I’ll get a call sheet from the crew. Your jie will take you to visit the set.”

A reply came just a few minutes after she sent the message.

“Tomorrow and the day after, they’ll be filming at Jiajia Building. Cheng Jing has several scenes each day.”

“The day after, then. It’s the weekend, and Shen Yi will be away on business.”

3

On Saturday, I gave the nanny the day off and took An’an to meet my cousin. Then we went to Jiajia Building.

When we arrived, they happened to be filming Cheng Jing’s scene.

“Cheng Jing’s acting… The girl playing opposite her has quite a spark, though.” My cousin chatted with the director.

The female director, who was around forty, sounded regretful. “Too bad no one’s backing her. She’s still only getting tiny supporting roles with a handful of scenes. She’s already twenty-six or twenty-seven this year. Her chances of making it aren’t great.”

“You never know. Maybe tomorrow she’ll meet a benefactor, like Cheng Jing did,” my cousin said. “But I really don’t get why Song Ran is backing Cheng Jing. Even if she were her own younger sister, with returns on investment that low, she’d have switched to backing someone else by now.”

“I actually asked her the other day. She said Cheng Jing taught her how to enjoy life.”

Question marks covered my cousin’s face. “What kind of enjoyment is worth tuition fees that high?”

“Taking her out for junk food. Stinky tofu, stir-fried cold noodles, fried chicken, things like that.” Even the director seemed speechless as she said it. “And occasionally giving her flowers, teaching her to play games, staying up late and sleeping in, going to nightclubs.”

“That’s it?” What a business: no investment, endless profit.

“That’s it.” Seeing our shocked expressions, the director nodded. “I honestly don’t know what to say about her. Other people get rebellious in their twenties. She’s getting rebellious in her forties. She used to be so disciplined, and she looked several years younger than her peers. This year, you can clearly see her condition slipping. A while ago she ate something dirty at a roadside stall and landed in the hospital with acute gastroenteritis. She even reflected on herself afterward and decided her stomach was too delicate.”

My cousin clicked her tongue. “Has she been brainwashed?”

“Ah, she won’t listen to any advice now. She says life is about quality, not length, and the most important thing is to be happy.” The director waved a hand, helpless.

As we were talking, the assistant director two or three meters away called, “Cut! Ten-minute break!” Cheng Jing and the girl who could actually act walked over to the monitor together to watch the playback.

As they approached, I picked up An’an, who’d been standing beside the assistant director staring curiously at his walkie-talkie, and brought him back.

We weren’t far from the monitor, and the director was with us, so the two actresses naturally glanced our way.

I caught Cheng Jing’s steps faltering when she saw An’an and me, along with that instant of surprise, although she quickly returned to normal.

It should be her, then.

I smiled mockingly at myself.

Something so easy to investigate, and I’d been kept in the dark for three years.

Then I comforted myself. Better than being deceived for a lifetime.

Just as I thought that was enough, a little surprise appeared.

After the playback, the assistant director explained the scene to the two actresses. Mainly to Cheng Jing.

An’an finished drinking from his own little water bottle, then suddenly called toward them, “Mommy.”

The explanation had just ended. His childish voice was loud enough for everyone nearby to hear.

“Silly baby, Mommy’s right here.” Smiling, I pressed my cheek against his and corrected him. “Those two are jiejies.”

Thanks to the bombardment of information over the past few days, nothing that happened could surprise me anymore.

The adults looked over with friendly smiles.

“Jiejie,” An’an called again, a little shy.

The trace of tension in Cheng Jing’s eyes vanished the moment she heard that.

“Aww, what a good baby.” The other girl answered brightly. “Your jiejies are going to film now. We’ll come play with you later.”

When filming resumed, Cheng Jing did a little better than before. But even by the time we left, I still hadn’t heard the director say, “That’s a take.” They’d already done another four or five takes by then.

Partway through, the director sighed. “All her thoughts are on things outside the scene.”

Indeed. If Cheng Jing put even a tenth of the thought she devoted to scheming against people into studying acting, her performance wouldn’t be this lousy.

My test was over.

While I was still planning my next step, Cheng Jing’s test arrived too.

4

A few days later, Shen Yi and I attended a banquet together.

Cheng Jing was there too.

I just hadn’t expected her to come over and greet me.

I’d taken a little cake from the buffet and found a quiet corner. I was eating while watching Shen Yi exchange pleasantries with people a short distance away.

He was always like a fish in water at occasions like this. Every time, he managed to expand his network effectively.

I used to think a man with ambition in his career was very attractive.

Now all I wanted to do was laugh at my own naivety.

His ambition was enormous. He not only wanted the Su family, he wanted this vast business empire to have nothing to do with anyone of Su blood.

My parents’ decades of hard work had nearly gone into making wedding clothes for an outsider.

After all, I was an only daughter, and my child was the sole heir.

And when it came to children, the whole family had agreed to have just one.

Back then, holding An’an, I’d declared that I absolutely would not have a second child. Shen Yi had looked at me with tender concern and said he respected my decision.

At that moment, he probably really did love me. After all, what I’d said was exactly what he wanted.

“Hello. You don’t mind if I sit here, do you?”

Holding a plate, Cheng Jing stood on the other side of the table and asked with a bright smile.

She wore a white evening dress, her long hair pinned up, with loose strands falling naturally on either side. Her whole appearance was fragile and harmless, filling people with the urge to protect her.

Thinking of what this little white flower had done, she really was the perfect illustration of the saying, “The cleverest hunters often appear in the guise of prey.”

I smiled. “Please, sit.”

“Do you remember me?” She thanked me, sat down, then asked.

“Yes. Miss Cheng Jing. We met on set a few days ago.”

“I thought you’d say you’d watched one of my shows.” She poked at the fruit on her plate with her fork, a trace of endearingly crestfallen disappointment in her smile.

“I don’t watch much TV. Since having a child, even when I want to watch something, I don’t have time.”

“I understand. Being a mother is so hard. My friends are the same. They stopped coming to our girls’ get-togethers as soon as they got pregnant. But watching your baby grow is a very happy thing too. Your little handsome guy looks super well-behaved. He must be easy to look after?”

I smiled like a happy mother. “Mm, he’s all right. Though sometimes he’s so mischievous he gives me a headache.”

“It’s good for children to be lively. Oh, I still don’t know what to call you.”

“My surname is Su.”

As we talked, a tall, thin woman hurried over and reached out to pull Cheng Jing up. “So this is where you are. Come on, I want to introduce you to someone.”

“Ran-jie, just a moment.” Cheng Jing stood and said that to her, then smiled at me. “Miss Su, it was lovely meeting you. Let’s chat again sometime.”

I nodded. “Of course. Go ahead.”

After they left, I continued enjoying my little cake. I looked up toward Shen Yi. He’d moved on to chatting with another group.

But I was certain he’d seen Cheng Jing come over to me.

5

On the way home, there was a faint thread of irritation in Shen Yi’s mood. Eventually, he steered the conversation to Cheng Jing.

“Who was that woman in the white dress sitting and talking with you? She looked quite close to President Huo’s wife.”

“An actress named Cheng Jing. We met once on set. Remember when An’an called those two girls Mommy? She was one of them.”

The day Shen Yi returned from his business trip, I’d told him about An’an’s embarrassing little episode on set.

“You’ve only met once? Never mind, then. I was thinking if you knew her well, we could get to know President Huo through her.” He sounded a little disappointed. “I hear President Huo has a big project starting up. If our company could get involved, we’d have nothing to worry about.”

When An’an was one, Shen Yi had resigned from my family’s company to start a business with friends.

That had raised my parents’ favorable impression of him.

After all, he was so much better than people who wished they could stuff every auntie and distant relative into the company.

Back then, how could we have imagined he was keeping such a vicious move in reserve?

“I’ll ask Dad whether he has any connections.”

“Thanks, honey. Just mention it casually. Don’t put Dad in a difficult position.” Shen Yi smiled, then asked with a touch of self-doubt, “Am I too impatient for success? The company has only just started doing better, and I’m already dreaming of working with the Huo Group.”

“Of course not. It’s good to be ambitious. Besides, I know you’re doing it for An’an and me, and to earn Mom and Dad’s approval.”

The understanding wife was very easy to play.

We happened to stop at a red light. He took my hand and kissed it. “I’m doing it to be worthy of you, to prove you didn’t choose the wrong person back then. I know you’ve suffered a lot these past few years because you married beneath you.”

My eyes reddened with emotion.

All right, I was faking it!

6

When we got home, the child and the nanny were already asleep.

I’d just changed out of my dress and rested for a bit when my cousin called. “Su Yun, where are you? Come get me at Pure Color. I’ve been drinking and can’t drive.”

Her voice was loud, and I could hear how noisy it was around her.

“I’ll go with you.” Shen Yi had been about to peel an apple beside me. Hearing that, he stood.

“No need.” I stopped him. “She just had a breakup. She’s definitely gone to a bar to drown her sorrows again. It won’t be a pretty sight. You don’t need to witness her dark history. I won’t be back tonight. I don’t feel comfortable leaving her home alone when she’s drunk. Keep an ear out for An’an tonight.”

“All right. Be careful. Call me if anything happens.”

“Mm. I’m off.”

I drove my own car.

Once I left the residential compound, I opened the listening app on my spare phone. I listened as I drove toward Pure Color.

The investigator had already installed listening devices in the living room and Shen Yi’s study.

I knew Shen Yi would definitely have something to say to Cheng Jing today. So I’d arranged things with my cousin while I was still at the banquet, then sent her another message before I walked through the door.

That was how the little scene just now had come about.

Though my cousin really was drinking at Pure Color, and the breakup was real too.

Shen Yi’s voice came through the phone. “Why did you go over to her today? If you give anything away, we’re in trouble! Wasn’t that incident on set risky enough?”

“Don’t get worked up. I was just testing her. Don’t you think it’s fun to tease her once in a while from an all-knowing perspective? Relax. She definitely hasn’t noticed a thing. People who’ve grown up in honey pots have no defenses. Song Ran’s forty and still hasn’t made any progress.”

“Don’t do it again.”

“What? Feeling sorry for her? I understand. After all, you spend every day together, and she’s so kind and innocent.

“Unlike me. I’m vicious. To help my boyfriend get ahead, I not only encouraged him to pursue a rich girl, I helped him plot it out from the sidelines.

“To give my child a good life, I not only tried to conceive at the same time as someone else, I switched their children and separated a mother from her son.

“But so what? Even Heaven helps me. Every step I’ve taken has turned out exactly as I wished.”

So it had been a trap right from the beginning.

But my first reaction wasn’t anger. I was actually a little impressed. Look how hard she’d worked.

“I’m not feeling sorry for her.”

“I could have been kind and innocent too. But what could I do? My mother died early, and I ended up with a father and stepmother like that. The day An’an gets the Su family’s fortune, I’ll burn the good news for those two beasts so they can see just how successful my child is! I…”

“Shut up.” Shen Yi lost his temper.

Cheng Jing’s voice stopped abruptly.

There was a stretch of silence on the other end.

“I’m sorry. I won’t bring it up again,” the woman apologized.

“Once the company grows, I’ll divorce Su Yun, and we can be together properly. Now isn’t the time. I need the Su family’s connections and resources.” Shen Yi sighed and spoke gently. “Besides, if… anything happens to the two of us, An’an will still have to rely on her. So we absolutely cannot make her suspicious.”

After a while, Cheng Jing spoke again. “Okay. I promise I won’t approach her on my own. You promise me too. Don’t feel sorry for Su Yun. Don’t… fall in love with her.”

“You’re the only one I love.”

“Actually, as long as we hide it well, she won’t get hurt. As for the divorce, we can find a way to make her fall for someone else first. Then everyone wins.”

“All right. We’ll do it your way when the time comes.”

?

Once again, they’d updated my understanding of just how low they could sink!

7

I picked my cousin up from the bar and went back to her place.

After washing up, we discussed the conversation I’d just overheard between Shen Yi and Cheng Jing.

“How vicious!” My cousin was amazed. “They really treat other people like toys, as if they can twist them around however they please.”

“Once I sort out this mess, I’ll tell Gugu the truth. She definitely won’t push you to get married after that.”

Translator’s note: Gugu (姑姑) is a paternal aunt; here, the cousin’s mother.

My cousin was free and easy by nature. Her policy was to date, but never marry.

Today’s breakup had happened because the man pressured her to marry him in public. She’d simply broken up with him.

“I’d rather be nagged to get married every day if it meant your marriage was happy. Just thinking about how those two have been viciously scheming against you all these years makes me feel awful.” Tears gathered in her eyes.

“It’s okay.” I hugged her. “Fortunately, I didn’t find out too late. There’s still time to fix the mistake.”

“Mm. How’s the investigator doing?”

“He’s got a DNA sample from Cheng Jing and sent it for testing along with An’an’s.”

I already had a good idea what the result would be, but having it tested would make me feel more certain.

“Has he filmed those two together?”

“Not yet. They haven’t met privately lately.”

While waiting in the car for my cousin, I’d already spoken with the investigator. Along with following them, he was sending people to investigate their entire history, from when they met to the present.

There seemed to be something hidden in their conversation.

“Divorce him as soon as you have the evidence. Living with someone like that is terrifying.”

“Mm. But this divorce has to wait until he asks for it.”

“What are you thinking?” My cousin felt my forehead. “No fever. Didn’t that piece of trash say he wouldn’t divorce you for the next few years? Or are you planning to throw money at him until he agrees?”

“He wishes.” I smiled and moved her hand aside, changing the subject. “With Cheng Jing’s level of fame, how much discussion would there be if she were exposed as a mistress?”

“Very little, definitely. She’s the type who attracts neither fans nor haters. To put it plainly, nobody cares. You could hang someone like her on the trending list, and no one would look.”

“I see. I’d been thinking of using her fame to make this a bigger story.”

“That’ll be difficult. She hasn’t had anything released lately. She can’t land commercial deals either. Her agent’s so desperate they’re thinking of manufacturing a scandal with a popular male idol.”

“How would they do that?”

“Buy trending topics with both their names. Have her wear matching outfits after he does. Have her go in and out of his residential compound. Things like that. There are plenty of tricks.

“But it’s a risky move. The upside is that discussion will definitely skyrocket. Once she has buzz, she can fight for resources. The downside is that his fans will dig up every last thing about her to prove she’s clinging to their gege for publicity, and they’ll spread her black material everywhere.

“But as long as the black material isn’t serious enough to get her blacklisted, it won’t matter. After all, black-red is still red.

“Also, if they don’t talk to his side beforehand, he might officially deny it and slap her in the face. If they’ve discussed it and he agrees, that’s fine.”

“It sounds like there’s nothing in it for the man. Would anyone actually agree?”

“A popular male idol still needs to stay in the public eye when he doesn’t have a new work coming out. A rumor that falls apart with the slightest digging just makes his fans feel sorrier for their gege.”

I looked at my cousin and smiled.

She touched her face. “What? Is my makeup smudged? No, wait. I already took it off.”

“I was just thinking, if she tries to stir up a scandal with a male idol who’s willing to play along, it would be a three-way win. Because that’s exactly the effect I want.”

My cousin understood. “Release the evidence that Cheng Jing’s a mistress while everyone’s in an uproar?”

I nodded.

“All right. You collect the evidence. I’ll make the publicity arrangement happen.”

8

Half a month later, the investigator finally captured video evidence of Cheng Jing and Shen Yi together.

Their meeting place was an upscale residential compound with extremely strict security, full of high-rise buildings.

There was an element of luck in getting the footage.

While the two embraced and kissed in the living room, they’d forgotten to close the curtains. They corrected that mistake a few minutes later, but it was already too late.

Their faces were clear and easily recognizable in the footage. That was enough.

I told my cousin the news.

She quickly pushed the scandal arrangement forward.

Since she’d already laid the groundwork, it went smoothly.

For a while, Weibo became very lively.

These “traffic stars” really did attract attention.

Their fans were formidable too. As soon as the rumor broke, they dug up quite a bit of Cheng Jing’s past.

For example, she’d bullied classmates in her first year of high school.

For example, she’d dropped out in her second year, leaving her with only a junior-high education.

For example, all those “geges” who’d given her resources.

Of course, those dear geges were already in the past. The dear jiejie she was currently honeymooning with was Song Ran.

I flipped through the investigation files in my hands and marveled at the strength of fans in numbers.

While waiting for the right moment, my cousin had people fill in the gaps in what the fans uncovered, adding some solid evidence.

9

An unexpected bonus was that the idol’s fans also dug up Cheng Jing’s alternate Weibo account.

The account had been created half a year earlier. It had a few dozen posts, each only a sentence or two, like a tree hollow for her feelings.

Most of the content was complaining about people around her. She even mocked Song Ran for being naive, simple-minded, and easy to manipulate.

Of course, she didn’t use names, but the references were far too obvious. Before long, screenshots covered the comments under Song Ran’s Weibo.

[President Song, take a look at what your dear little sister thinks of you.]

[As the boss of an entertainment company, how does it feel to be stabbed in the back by the person you’ve been promoting so hard?]

[Boss Song, please grow a brain.]

…

Besides the complaints, there were a few lovey-dovey posts.

The latest post, from a week earlier, said she hoped a certain someone away on business in a certain city would bring back a surprise for her.

The male idol’s fans were delighted. The details were further proof that the romance rumor was false.

Reassured, they threw themselves into digging up who Cheng Jing was dating.

Just as everyone was carefully narrowing down the candidates, the video of Cheng Jing and Shen Yi’s secret rendezvous was released.

It was posted by a publicity account with a huge following.

The idol’s fans immediately swarmed in.

They carried the video across every platform to clear their gege’s name: Our gege is single. He isn’t dating anyone. Cheng Jing has a non-celebrity boyfriend and is still shamelessly attaching herself to him for publicity.

Then Shen Yi’s identity and married status were dug up.

Of course, that information was leaked by people my cousin arranged.

Another wave swept the internet.

This was probably the most famous Cheng Jing had ever been since entering the industry.

It began with a dating rumor and broke out of her little circle on black material.

That day, I canceled a few meetings, put on sunglasses, and walked out of my office. Under everyone’s sympathetic gazes, I left work an hour early.

10

When I got home, the nanny had already picked An’an up from kindergarten. The two were reading Tang poems.

The child ran over to show me the little red flower he’d earned that day.

“My baby’s wonderful.” I smiled and praised him.

Then I turned my face away and secretly wiped at my tears.

The nanny looked at me with concern.

I smiled at her. “Jie, look after An’an. I’m going to rest in my room. Don’t call me for dinner.”

In my room, I thought through every sad thing in my life, along with all the heartbreaking scenes from movies and TV shows, and silently cried.

When I heard Shen Yi talking to the nanny in the living room, I looked at myself in the mirror. My face was covered in tear tracks, and my eyes were red and swollen.

Not a bad effect.

I’d just flopped back onto the bed when Shen Yi knocked.

I didn’t answer.

Soon An’an was outside calling, “Mommy.”

I smoothed my hair, wiped my tears with a tissue, and went to open the door.

“Baby, what’s wrong?” I forced a smile.

“Daddy wants Mommy.” An’an looked up at Shen Yi behind him.

“Okay, Mommy knows. Go play with Ayi, all right?”

Translator’s note: Ayi (阿姨/姨姨) means auntie. Children also use it for unrelated adult women, here the nanny.

An’an obediently ran off.

11

Without looking at Shen Yi, I turned, sat on the edge of the bed, and lowered my head as tears fell.

Shen Yi closed the door and came over.

“Honey, I’m sorry.”

He knelt at my feet, apologized in a low voice, then slapped himself hard across the face.

Straight into the self-punishment ploy.

I waited until he’d slapped himself five or six times, then acted as though I’d only just recovered from the shock. Crying, I stopped him. “What are you doing?”

“I did something wrong and made you so upset. I deserve it.”

“If you like that Miss Cheng, we can…” I choked up, unable to finish.

He hastily took my hand. “I don’t like her. You’re the only one I love.

“That time was an accident.

“We happened to run into each other at a dinner. She hadn’t driven, and her place was on my way, so I drove her home afterward.

“When we reached her compound, she invited me up for a bit. We’d just started talking about President Huo. I wanted to find out more, so I agreed. Upstairs, we had a little more to drink…

“But it was just that once. We haven’t had anything to do with each other since. Everything I’m saying is true.”

He swore oaths with such utter sincerity that if I hadn’t had a pile of evidence in my hands, I’d have believed him.

When it came to acting, he was Film Emperor level.

In just a few sentences, an affair had become a single drunken indiscretion.

“So you didn’t do it on purpose?” I sneered inside, but outwardly softened a little, looking at him through tear-blurred eyes.

“No. So many people want a share of President Huo’s project. I was getting anxious, and there still hadn’t been any news from Dad…

“I wanted to make you proud, but it turned out like this. I really deserve to die.”

The causes of his mistake were wanting what was best for me, and my dad failing to deliver.

“I told you ages ago not to drink, but you wouldn’t listen.” My voice softened.

“From now on, I won’t touch a drop. Honey, will you keep an eye on me?”

“For An’an’s sake, forgive me this once.”

…

In the end, he even went out and carried the child in. “Daddy did something wrong. An’an, help me ask Mommy to forgive me.”

“Then you’re not allowed to drink again.” I held An’an and cried for a while, finally relenting.

“Absolutely.” He agreed without hesitation, then asked a little nervously, “Honey, what about Mom and Dad?”

“We’ll keep it from them for now. If we really can’t hide it, whatever beating or scolding they give you, you’ll take it.” I glared at him.

“Then… if they tell us to divorce…”

“They won’t. They respect my wishes.”

Shen Yi didn’t doubt that at all.

After all, my parents had fiercely opposed our relationship back then, but finally gave in because I insisted.

After a battle between Cheng Jing’s team and the idol’s fans, almost every copy of that video was deleted the same day.

But I’d already achieved the effect I wanted.

Near noon the next day, my dad called and told Shen Yi and me to come over.

12

We made a point of picking An’an up to go with us.

As soon as we walked in, my mom took the child out to play in the yard.

Besides my dad, there were a dozen or so people in the living room.

Shen Yi and I knew them all.

There were shareholders who’d built the business alongside my dad, lawyers, and my older male cousin.

Shen Yi gripped my hand tightly. I patted the back of his hand soothingly with my other hand.

“Su Yun, do you know about Shen Yi’s affair with that actress?” My dad asked me directly, in front of all those people.

I looked a little embarrassed, but immediately explained, “It wasn’t an affair. Shen Yi only gave that lady a ride home because it was on his way. They had a little alcohol together, and an accident happened.”

My dad laughed in anger.

“An accident?

“Su Yun, since when did your bottom line sink this low? Something like this happens, and you’re still making excuses for him.

“I only found out when I got to the office this morning how much my son-in-law had done me proud yesterday. The entire internet was talking about him.”

“Dad, don’t be like that. Shen Yi knows he was wrong. He’ll change. He promised me he won’t touch a drop of alcohol again.”

“So as far as you’re concerned, this is already over?” My dad looked at me in disbelief.

“What else do you want?” I grew a little anxious. “Do you want us to divorce over this little thing?”

“This little thing?”

“He made a mistake because he drank, and it only happened once. Humiliating him in front of so many people today is going a bit too far.”

“Fine.” My dad nodded. “Su Yun, I’ll ask you just one thing. Will you divorce him or not?”

“No!” My attitude was resolute. I held Shen Yi’s hand tightly.

“Fine. Well done. Then I won’t force you.”

13

Shen Yi and I exchanged a glance, both letting out a breath of relief.

“Su Yun, when your mom and I opposed your relationship back then, you would’ve rather cut all ties with us than marry anyone but him.

“In the end, we were the ones who bowed our heads.

“Now he’s cheated, and you think it’s nothing. You brush it aside with one casual word: ‘accident.’

“I bring it up in front of these few people, and you think I’ve humiliated him.

“But have you considered whether his wrongdoing, and the uproar all over town, humiliates your mother and me? Whether it humiliates you?

“You certainly haven’t. Even as the victim, all you care about is whether he’s being wronged.”

“Dad, Shen Yi didn’t want it to turn out like this either. It’s all those paparazzi’s fault.” I stubbornly continued defending Shen Yi.

“Shut your mouth!” My dad slammed the table.

“Tomorrow, hand your work over to your cousin.”

My cousin and I were each in charge of a subsidiary under the Su Group.

“What are you doing?” I frowned.

“Didn’t you once want to cut all ties with us? Now I’ll grant your wish!

“Su Yun, from today on, you have nothing to do with me, your mother, or the Su Group.

“Everyone here is a witness. A statement will be published in the newspaper and on the company’s official website.

“You won’t need to care for us in our old age, and you won’t be able to hold us hostage as our only daughter anymore. I still have a younger sister, and my sister has children too. Su Yun, the heir to the Su Group doesn’t have to be you.”

14

“Dad, I’m the one who did wrong. Don’t be angry with Su Yun.” Just as I was about to speak, Shen Yi suddenly cut in.

“Then how do you intend to resolve it?” my dad asked darkly.

“Excuse me. Let me have a word with Su Yun first.” Shen Yi pulled me into our bedroom in the villa.

After closing the door, I comforted him. “Honey, Dad’s just saying that. Sooner or later, he’ll come to make peace with me. Don’t worry. No one can split up our family of three.

“Besides, even if we’re kicked out, you’re perfectly capable of supporting me and our son. It wouldn’t be hard for me to find another job either.

“He’s making a mountain out of a molehill. He’s completely unreasonable.”

Frowning, Shen Yi paced a few steps around the room, then took me by the shoulders. “Honey, let’s divorce.”

At those words, tears immediately welled up in my eyes.

He gently wiped them away. “Divorce is only a temporary measure, mainly to let Mom and Dad calm down first. Once they’ve softened in a little while, we can remarry, can’t we?

“Don’t let things get too strained with Dad because of me. I saw his hands shaking with anger just now.

“If Dad really lets your cousin take control of the Su Group in a fit of anger, it won’t be easy to take it back. There are too many examples of that happening.”

“What if you meet someone you like while we’re divorced? What if you want to marry someone else?” I asked worriedly. “Then I wouldn’t even have the right to object.”

He hugged me. “I won’t. I can write you a letter of guarantee. One every day, if you like.”

At last, persuaded, I agreed through my tears.

15

“Dad, I did wrong. I’m willing to leave with nothing.” Back in the living room, Shen Yi announced his decision.

He not only needed to make sure An’an stayed with the Su family, he also needed to mend the pen after the sheep had escaped, and claw back a few points in people’s opinion of him.

After all, he hadn’t yet reached his own career goals. He still needed the support of the Su family’s resources and connections.

As long as my dad softened sooner rather than later, everything could be worked out.

“What about An’an?” My dad’s first question was about the child.

“He’s still little. He’s better off with his mother.”

“Su Yun, you’ve agreed?”

I nodded, no longer looking ready to fight the whole world for love.

“Fine. Then let’s get the paperwork done today.” My dad didn’t drag things out either.

Soon, the lawyer went to the study and printed out a divorce agreement.

Shen Yi and I signed it, then took our documents to the Civil Affairs Bureau to submit our divorce application.

With that, the first step of the divorce was complete. All that remained was to wait until the cooling-off period ended and collect the divorce certificates.

16

After we returned from the Civil Affairs Bureau, Shen Yi moved out.

But our family of three video-chatted every day. Other than no longer eating and sleeping under the same roof, nothing much changed.

Half a month later, I gave Shen Yi the contact information for President Huo’s special assistant. “President Huo has agreed to meet you. He says to arrange a time with his assistant.”

“Honey, you’re amazing! How did you do it?” Shen Yi was overjoyed.

“I begged Dad for days, and traded all the assets in my name before he’d agree to keep helping. Now I really have nothing. Even my cards have been frozen.

“Dad owes a lot of favors over this too.

“Honey, you have to work hard. You must seize this opportunity.”

17

While Shen Yi was waiting to meet President Huo, the one-month divorce cooling-off period ended, and we finally received our divorce certificates.

The small goal of getting divorced was complete.

Clutching the little red booklet, I reminded Shen Yi anxiously, “You have to write me a guarantee today.”

“Okay.” Smiling, he patted my head. “I’ll give it to you tonight.”

After parting with him, I headed straight to my parents’ villa to share the good news.

Yes, that so-called severing of family ties had been a performance for Shen Yi.

Amid the celebration, my dad told me, “President Huo will meet Shen Yi next Tuesday. We’ve already discussed it. We’ll give him a three-percent stake.”

A separate new company had been set up specifically to run President Huo’s project, and my family was its second-largest shareholder.

Of course, Shen Yi wouldn’t know that. We’d invested through a new company.

Shen Yi certainly couldn’t swallow a three-percent stake on his own.

But with meat right at his lips, how could he give it to someone else? He would definitely do everything he could. Besides, he believed I would provide a safety net.

My love-brain was a weakness. Sometimes, it could also be a weapon. Because nobody would doubt it, especially the object of that obsession.

18

According to the investigator, Cheng Jing and Shen Yi hadn’t met privately again since the video was exposed.

Apart from deleting posts, Cheng Jing’s team was playing dead.

A rift had developed between her and Song Ran too. It wasn’t only because of Cheng Jing’s mockery behind her back. The bullying incident had hit a sore spot for Song Ran.

Meanwhile, Shen Yi had thrown himself into raising funds.

“Honey, I can’t help right now. Find a way for the moment. Once I’ve coaxed Mom and Dad around, I’ll be able to help.”

“Don’t worry. It won’t take long. Their attitude has already softened quite a bit.”

I encouraged him while feeding him one reassurance after another.

He put in every last bit of money he and Cheng Jing had, borrowed from relatives and friends, and even took out high-interest loans.

He even traded his home for a smaller apartment.

19

He was so greedy that before long, he was on the verge of being unable to pay the enormous loan interest.

But I knew he hadn’t yet reached the end of the road. He still had a home to live in.

“Honey, I just used the money I had to buy Mom a birthday present. She’s very happy and promised to help persuade Dad to unfreeze my properties.”

…

“Honey, Dad still won’t budge on the properties. Try to think of another way.”

…

“Honey, why don’t you mortgage the place you’re living in for now, to get through the emergency? It’s not like we’re short of homes.”

…

Finally, he moved into a rental. I knew it was time to reclaim my biological son.

20

So one day, my cousin suddenly appeared at Shen Yi’s parents’ door.

Her reason was that I’d asked her to visit the two elders.

The child was discovered, and he and his grandparents were brought to B City.

He’d grown to look even more like me.

I wasted no words. The four of us underwent parentage testing again.

Then I threw the results in Shen Yi’s face.

He struggled. “This is just a reference. It might not be accurate. Let’s get tested somewhere else.”

By now, he was scruffy and unkempt, with none of the young, promising talent he’d once seemed to be.

I didn’t spare him a glance. I reached for my own flesh and blood. He tried to stop me, but a bodyguard restrained him.

“Fine, Su Yun. Pay off everything I owe, then give me ten million, and you can have the child.” He laid out his terms.

In his dreams.

I sneered, then called the police right in front of him.

At the police station, after giving my statement, I handed An’an to him.

He wouldn’t take him. “Su Yun, you’re too heartless. You know what situation I’m in, yet you’re still giving me the child. Isn’t that pushing him into a fire pit? After he’s been so close to you, too.”

Even now, he still dreamed of holding me hostage with morality.

I lowered my head and said softly to An’an, “Baby, go to Daddy.”

The child called, “Daddy,” but wouldn’t go over. He clung to my hand.

My eyes grew a little hot. But the child’s innocence wasn’t a reason for me to keep being a fool for others to exploit.

I led him over to Shen Yi, coaxed him into letting go of my hand, then turned and left.

An’an cried behind me. I felt a little sad, but when I thought about what his biological parents had done, that heartache immediately vanished like smoke.

On the way home, I held my own child. I still felt a lingering fear. If I hadn’t found him, what kind of life would he have had?

21

Some time later, Shen Yi could no longer endure the loan sharks chasing him for repayment. With nowhere left to turn, he approached President Huo about withdrawing his investment, but his circumstances didn’t meet the conditions for an application.

The only way was to transfer his shares to another shareholder, or to someone outside the company.

As for the price, it depended not only on the company’s profits and losses, but also on negotiations with the buyer.

And in the initial stage of the project, the company would inevitably be losing money.

So after a round of maneuvering, the money Shen Yi got back was less than half of what he’d initially put in. It wasn’t even enough to fill the hole.

Now, other than debts and the prison sentence looming over him, he had nothing. All those beautiful wishes had come to nothing.

But fortunately, his family of three was finally reunited, even if they could only live in a rental.

22

While the baby-switching case was still under investigation, the private investigator brought back a man. To my surprise, it was Cheng Jing’s father.

After arriving in B City, Mr. Cheng went to the police station and turned himself in.

Because he had covered for his daughter and Shen Yi.

It turned out that Cheng Jing’s mother had died of illness when she was ten, and her father had remarried when she was fifteen.

She couldn’t accept her stepmother, and she resented her father too.

She even took her anger out on her classmates.

After being pressured to leave school, she had nothing to do at home. She frequently picked fights with her family over trivial things. Later, she simply ran away.

It was during that period that she met Shen Yi.

The year Cheng Jing turned twenty.

One day, Mr. Cheng came home to find his wife missing. He couldn’t get through to her phone either.

He checked the surveillance footage from the living room.

In the video, Cheng Jing had made a rare visit home, only to clash with her stepmother again.

During the argument, Cheng Jing shoved her stepmother hard, causing her head to strike the corner of a table. She bled without stopping.

Cheng Jing didn’t help her. She watched coldly until her stepmother stopped breathing, then called Shen Yi and said she’d killed someone through excessive self-defense.

Shen Yi arrived, and together they took the body away in a suitcase.

Although his wife’s death left Mr. Cheng in unbearable agony, in the end, he couldn’t bring himself to expose his daughter.

He saved the video, left a suicide note, and went away to live under an assumed identity in a remote little town.

That was probably why Cheng Jing thought her father was dead.

23

Now that the investigator had tracked him down, Mr. Cheng, who’d been carrying his guilt all along, finally decided to seek justice for his wife.

Learning the truth, I felt a chill spread through my entire body.

From the phone call I’d overheard, I’d sensed there might be something hidden about Cheng Jing’s father and stepmother. So I’d told the investigator to look into it thoroughly. I hadn’t imagined the truth would be so chilling.

“I really didn’t think they could be that ruthless. Especially Cheng Jing. She looks so frail a breeze could blow her over. Terrifying,” the investigator sighed. Then he expressed relief for me. “You really escaped a catastrophe.”

Yes. Fortunately, I’d found out early. A few years later, never mind finding my child or protecting the Su family, even whether I could keep my own life would have been in question.

With conclusive evidence, the two were soon arrested.

24

After going to prison, Shen Yi actually wanted to entrust his parents and An’an to me.

As it happened, I was in a good mood the day his lobbyist came knocking. I felt like watching a monkey show, so I let the man into the company.

I quickly regretted it. There was nothing new. He just kept selling Shen Yi’s misery.

“He only ended up like this because he fell for the wrong person. That Cheng Jing was truly vicious. She deserved the death sentence. It’s just the elderly couple and the child who are a bit pitiful. So he asked me to come find you. He said you’d definitely help look after them.”

I smiled a little and asked, “Sir, do you know what Shen Yi did to me?”

The man fell silent for a long while, then pushed up his glasses. “But the elderly and the child are innocent. They sold everything they had to repay the debts. Now they can only rent rooms in an ordinary residential house. You were together once, after all. Just help look after them. We’re not asking you to do it for a lifetime. Once Shen Yi gets out in a few years, he can take care of them himself.”

“I obey the law and work hard. I don’t do it to clean up after evil people. I have no responsibility or obligation toward his parents or his child. Our conversation ends here. Please leave.” I pointed toward the door.

“How can you be so heartless…” the man accused me in flustered anger.

Before he could continue, the security guard beside us came over, took him by the arms, and hauled him out.

“If this gentleman comes again, don’t let him set one foot inside the company,” I instructed the guard.

“Understood, President Su.”

25

Later, Shen Yi got into a fight in prison. Severely injured, he fell into a coma and ended up in a vegetative state.

When I heard the news, I was building Lego with my child.

“Mommy, what are you smiling at?” the child asked.

“Mommy just heard a story about evil getting its just deserts.”

[The End]