Chapter 139: Facing Reality

Chapter 139: Chapter 139: Facing Reality

Shen Zhenwu’s brow twitched, but he didn’t respond.

Shen Rongjing had brought up Yi Haoran to gauge his father’s attitude.

If his father couldn’t even stand to hear the name, it meant he was still conflicted, which would make things difficult later.

Fortunately, his dad was being direct.

’Looks like this is still on the table,’ Shen Rongjing thought.

"Song Yao just told me that this morning, she saw Mom with a man. They were circling a storefront."

"The man looked a lot like Shuangshuang."

’Looking at a shop?’

Shen Zhenwu didn’t even lift an eyelid.

But when he heard the man looked like Shen Shuangshuang, he shot upright.

"He looks like Shuangshuang?"

"Your great-aunt brought Shuangshuang from the village. Her family gave her up because they couldn’t afford to raise her..."

His words trailed off, snagging on a thought.

He could sense something was wrong with this story.

"If you want to get to the bottom of this, asking Great-Aunt is the way to go."

"I called her this afternoon. I told her Shuangshuang has a blind date tomorrow and that Mom was worried she’d be nervous, so we wanted more family around to support her. I invited her to make a trip to Beijing. She agreed and said she’ll set out at dawn tomorrow."

"Dad, what if Shuangshuang’s biological parents have nothing to do with Great-Aunt..."

Shen Zhenwu didn’t finish the thought.

He didn’t dare.

If Shuangshuang’s adoption hadn’t been a random choice back then, but a calculated plot by someone who had targeted them...

Then whose father had he been for the past dozen-plus years?

The answer was likely known only to Yao Yuzhen.

Just as he was thinking this, Shen Songyao’s voice called from downstairs.

"Dad! Phone call!"

It was Yao Yuzhen, calling to tell him to get the divorce certificate tomorrow.

"Are you going to have someone handle it for you, or should we go together?"

Her tone was cold and hard.

Shen Zhenwu, his chest tight after hearing about all the family drama, only said,

"If it’s convenient for you, come to the house tomorrow around noon."

The reply from the other end was immediate and barbed.

"Of course. The great leader has spoken, how could I dare refuse? I’ll move heaven and earth to be there."

A lump of anger formed in Shen Zhenwu’s chest.

’When have I ever pulled rank on you?’

’For all these years, I’m the one who’s been yielding, compromising, and cleaning up the messes!’

But before he could say a word, the line went dead.

Shen Rongdan handed him a cup of hot tea.

"Dad, have some tea."

Shen Zhenwu waved it away and went into his room.

Shen Rongjing smoothly took the cup.

"I’m working overtime tonight."

Shen Rongdan rolled his eyes.

"Next time you want me to do something for you, just ask me directly. Stop using Dad as an excuse."

Shen Rongjing just smiled.

"Thanks."

Once the line was free, Shen Songyao was finally able to get through to Zhou Lin.

His first question was:

"I just tried calling several times, but the line was busy."

Song Yao hummed in acknowledgment.

Then she softened her voice and leaned closer to the mouthpiece.

"Let me tell you something... When I was a child, she might have been the one who abandoned me."

Zhou Lin paused for two seconds, his voice immediately dropping.

"Don’t overthink it. Don’t be sad."

Song Yao blinked and gave a small laugh.

"Why would I be sad? She didn’t want me, and I don’t care about her. Who owes who anything?"

After a three-second pause, a muffled voice came from the other side.

"I... I love you."

Shen Songyao: "Oh, what was that you just said? I didn’t quite catch that!"

Zhou Lin knew perfectly well that she had heard every single word.

"If you’re not comfortable over there, just call me anytime. I’ll fly over to see you as soon as I get a break."

Shen Songyao was so anxious she started pacing in circles, wanting to tug at her own ears in frustration.

"No, no! That’s not the one!"

"Alright, it’s pitch black out. Go get some rest."

He deliberately changed the subject back.

She stomped her foot in frustration.

"That’s not what you said at all!"

"Sigh..."

She peeked into the living room, where her grandmother was crunching on sunflower seeds.

The words she wanted to say got stuck in her throat, and she didn’t dare let them out.

"Well... you get to bed early, okay?"

"You too."

His reply was low and soft.

Shen Songyao: ’This guy is a master at toying with your emotions, always striking the most tender spot in your heart.’

That night, some slept soundly, wrapped in their blankets and snoring, while others lay wide-eyed, staring at the ceiling and counting sheep.

They counted until the sky began to pale with the dawn.

The sun warmed the windowsill.

The first thing Shen Songyao did upon opening her eyes was grab her phone and call Director He.

"Has it arrived yet?"

Her tone was incredibly self-assured.

That day, the entire Shen family stayed home. Only Guo Shushu slipped out to go to work.

Shen Rongjing got on his bike early in the morning and headed straight for the train station to pick up Yao Yingying.

The whole family held their breath, waiting for Yao Yingying to say her first words.

So they could finally bring a secret buried for over a decade into the light.

Meanwhile, Yao Yuzhen was drawing her eyebrows in front of the mirror, plotting as she did.

’Once I have the divorce certificate, I’ll storm the Shen family’s gate.’

She wasn’t going there just to finalize the paperwork; she was going to make Shen Zhenwu face reality.

’No matter how capable you are, you’re not good enough for me.’

’Leader?’

Ha. She couldn’t even be bothered to give him a sideways glance.

’Actually live a life with him?’

She would rather squat by the entrance of a small courtyard with Ruan Yongxing, cooking plain noodles in a little pot, slurping them down with utter delight.

’How can I make him suffer the most?’

She had tossed and turned all night, thinking it through.

’Shen Zhenwu asking me to come back to get the certificate must mean he can’t bear to let me go!’

She hadn’t slept a wink, her mind racing with ways to hit him with a devastating line the moment she walked in, just to see him freeze on the spot.

This morning, she had deliberately chosen a dark red satin qipao and applied a new peach-pink lipstick.

Standing before the mirror, she was as radiant as a begonia blooming in the frost.

Back on the Shen family’s side, Shen Rongjing was waiting at the station exit a little after nine o’clock when he spotted Yao Yingying.

She immediately broke into a wide smile.

"Oh my, you came all this way yourself? You could have just sent one of the younger ones to pick me up!"

Before her words had even faded, she was already hurrying over.

Yao Yingying lived in a small town on the outskirts of Beijing. She and her husband were ordinary factory workers, struggling to raise four children. Life was tight.

But she was an honest person with a warm heart.

But the thought of Shen Shuangshuang...

The smile on her face didn’t fade, but her eyes darkened for a moment.

Shen Rongjing popped the trunk, took her things, and tossed them inside, the corner of his mouth lifting.

"Shuangshuang is meeting someone today. The family’s busy with preparations, so I’m going back to help out."

After saying this, he walked around to the driver’s side and pulled the door open.

Yao Yingying burst out laughing.

"Oh? Which family is she meeting?"

Before Shen Rongjing could answer, she waved her hand and cheerfully continued.

"It must be a family of equal standing. Your mother guards Shuangshuang more fiercely than her own life; would she ever pick someone who would let her suffer?"

"That child, she’s truly enviable."

Shen Rongjing didn’t respond, only curling his lips into a slight smile.

He had always been a man of few words, so Yao Yingying didn’t think much of it.

After getting in the car, she placed the bamboo basket on her lap and reached for the seatbelt buckle with her free hand.

Then she adjusted her posture, pulling her bundle closer.

It wasn’t until she stepped through the Shen family’s front door and saw Song Yao standing next to Yang Wanqing that it hit her.

The moment she saw Song Yao and then scanned the living room...

Yao Yuzhen wasn’t there. Neither was Shen Shuangshuang.

Yao Yingying’s heart dropped. She understood everything.

That awful thing she had done in secret all those years ago had, after all this time, finally been unearthed.

She froze in the entryway, her hands covering her face, her shoulders trembling uncontrollably.

No one even had to say a word to trick a confession out of her. She had already half-collapsed.

Tears streamed through her fingers as she mumbled over and over.

"I’m sorry... I’m so sorry... I’m really so sorry..."

It wasn’t just her who broke down; the entire Shen family was stunned into silence.