...
Wen Ya was rarely left speechless, but after a two-second pause, she broke into a smile. Isn't that it? So, whatever reaction you have toward someone important to you is completely normal. You'll understand when you grow up.
His expression remained flat, but a hint of realization appeared. I think I get it.
Glad you do. Wen Ya curled her finger and lightly flicked his forehead. Now, zip it, son.
She still needed a little more time to agonize over this.
But Shen Xun was already tired of watching her pace back and forth.
He simply reached out and knocked on the door.
Knock, knock.
Inside the room, Shen Yi put down her pen and ran quickly to open the door.
Mom!
She called out cheerfully.
Wen Ya, still holding the glass of milk, stiffened for a second before incredibly naturally stroking the girl's forehead and saying softly, Good evening.
I brought you a glass of... uh. She touched the now-cold milk and smiled. Cold milk.
Cold milk...
Shen Yi pondered this for a moment. She didn't quite get it, but chose to accept it anyway. Thank you, Mom.
Wen Ya successfully entered the room, carrying the milk, and placed it on her study desk.
Alright.
She took a deep breath.
What kind of opening line should she use to talk to her daughter next?
Wen Ya suppressed the urge to pace around. After racking her brains for a long time, she finally came up with what she thought was a great excuse. Sweetheart, earlier when your dad had nothing better to do and was looking up information on some wealthy people, he coincidentally found something about your...
...biological father.
After speaking gently, she carefully observed her daughter's expression. Seeing Shen Yi with her head down, looking dazed, Wen Ya gritted her teeth and added, His name is Song Guanyan.
He also has a son. After beating around the bush, Wen Ya finally revealed her true purpose. His name is Song Sijun.
The little girl kept her head lowered, but her fingers curled slightly.
You two are fraternal twins.
Shen Yi twitched the corners of her mouth.
She had planned to act out the shock and pleasant surprise of a normal child suddenly learning about her biological family.
But she really couldn't muster any feeling of pleasant surprise.
Nor could she act it out.
Even now, whenever Shen Yi recalled it, all her experiences in the Song family felt like a nightmare.
Mom. She tugged at a strand of hair in front of her, quietly gripping it tightly, as if trying to draw some courage from the action. I know.
Everything you just said, I already know.
Under Wen Ya's astonished gaze, Shen Yi slowly lowered her eyes.
She had always presented herself to Wen Ya as being no different from any normal child.
It was also the first time Wen Ya realized that when Shen Yi lowered her eyes and her expression faded, she looked exactly like that brat named Song Sijun.
You know? Wen Ya's voice was laced with disbelief.
Her first reaction was: How is that possible?
Shen Yi had always stayed by her side, going to and from school every day, almost never leaving her sight.
Where did she learn this? How did she find out? When did she...
But seeing that Shen Yi seemed to have more to say, Wen Ya tried her best to swallow those questions. She took a deep breath to make her tone as steady as possible.
Xiao Yi, I don't know what you've been through, nor do I know where you found out about your background.
Are you willing to tell Mom?
Intuition told her that what Shen Yi was about to say was very important.
Extremely important.
Shen Yi finally looked up, her throat feeling a bit tight.
Wen Ya gently pulled her into an embrace, silently stroking her back as the past repeatedly surfaced in her mind.
Shen Sixing had told her a long time ago.
Shen Yi would be trouble.
Although for them, it wouldn't be a huge trouble.
But she definitely had an unknown past.
Mom, about my secrets, the girl offered a smile, trying her best to keep her tone light, can I wait until Dad comes back to tell you both together?
Shen Yi didn't want to speak in riddles, but she just wanted to personally, directly, and all at once lay her past bare in front of everyone she was familiar with.
Whether she would be believed.
What consequences it would bring.
She had no way to predict.
But if she really had to say it, she only wanted to lay all her cards on the table at once.
In front of everyone she cared about.
Of course, that's not a problem. Wen Ya didn't want to push her. Sweetheart, whatever you say, Mom is willing to listen.
Shen Yi needed an outlet.
Wen Ya was willing to be her listener, and she could be a very good one.
Shen Sixing was a man with more schemes than holes in a hornet's nest, a bit eccentric, and always loved to give lengthy speeches about a bunch of conspiracies.
Wen Ya would always listen patiently and never say much.
After all, she couldn't understand them.
I don't want to go back to the Song family, nor do I want to look for any parents. My mother has already passed away. I only have one biological younger brother, named Song Sijun. The girl leaned obediently in her mother's embrace, clenching her fingers and lowering her head as she fell into her memories. I used to hate him so much...
Children who grew up in an orphanage definitely had nothing to do with truth, goodness, and beauty.
Even if the director treated them well, there was always a competitive relationship among the children.
Fighting over food and clothes in private was a common occurrence.
Shen Yi was wild enough, which meant she actually lived quite well in the orphanage.
The turning point of the story was the year she was brought back to the wealthy family.
She stepped into that massive house that felt like a maze.
The gorgeous crystal chandeliers shone blindingly bright, and everywhere were ornaments and decorations she couldn't name.
The pristine carpets beneath her feet made her tremble with fear at every step.
No matter how old a child was, their first reaction to such a scene would be an inferiority complex.
It was hard to imagine that while she was fighting and scrambling for food in the orphanage, someone else had everything from birth: a luxurious villa, beautiful clothes.
Attentive nannies.
Two children, a boy and a girl. The girl was innocent and bright, like a little princess.
The boy was equally dressed in noble attire, ignorant of the world's hardships.
Her most direct feeling was reduced to one thing:
Jealousy.
At the very beginning, she and Song Sijun were not some loving family.
Shen Yi could sense that he vaguely hated her.
Why did she suddenly crash into his world?
And why didn't she appear earlier?
Even though emotionally he understood that he couldn't blame her, that it wasn't her fault.
His mother had also told him over and over again that she was the most important person in his world, but a child's likes and dislikes are simply unreasonable.
Shen Yi loathed him just as much.
They were obviously biological siblings, yet their treatment was worlds apart.
She really wanted to ask why.
However, should it be said that blood is the strongest bond?
After spending some time living under the same roof, he found himself uncontrollably wanting to get close to her.
He would find her when she hid away by herself, and he would look at her cautiously with those amber eyes.
But to Shen Yi, this kind of closeness was even more annoying.
Just closeness?
She didn't want that at all.
She needed him to completely choose her.
Instead of hesitating back and forth between her and Song Yi.
Shen Yi also didn't want to drag things out waiting for his decision.
So, at a certain banquet, she forcefully dragged Song Sijun along to attend.
She knew what would happen.
She knew how those people would treat her.
She needed Song Sijun to see it with his own eyes.
Song Sijun had always been an incredibly clingy younger brother.
After she had disappeared for some time, he began to search for her everywhere.
And sure enough.
He found her.
