Chapter 2: A Polite Yet Firm Refusal

Chapter 2: A Polite Yet Firm Refusal

Regarding the so-called old events, the stranger didn’t try to hide anything. Seeing that the Shi family was already prepared, he recounted every detail of what had been investigated.

In short, sixteen years ago, there was a serious car accident.

The accident was quite severe and involved both the Shi and Zhou families.

Although the children from both families were unharmed, Mr. Shi suffered a fractured arm and spent a long time in the hospital. Meanwhile, Mrs. Zhou suffered severe bleeding during the accident and stayed in intensive care for many days.

Since the adults were the ones injured and hospitalized, the children were left largely unaffected. Everyone was busy taking care of the injured adults. Due to the overwhelming number of patients at the hospital at that time, they were understaffed. As a result, by a twist of fate, the two children were accidentally swapped.

It wasn’t until recently, when Zhou Su, the child from the Zhou family, reached adulthood and underwent a full physical examination, that it was discovered he wasn’t actually a biological Zhou.

Once this was discovered, the Zhou family couldn’t just ignore it.

So, the Zhou family’s patriarch ordered an investigation that eventually traced back to the accident sixteen years ago, revealing the mistaken swap.

After explaining everything, the stranger finally introduced himself. “And I, am Zhou Taiming, the butler of the Zhou family from the capital. I’m here to bring the Zhou family’s rightful bloodline back.”

As he finished the introduction, Butler Zhou looked meaningfully at Shi Ling, who was sitting nearby, only to find him seemingly lost in thought.

He frowned. “Shi Ling, do you have any questions?”

Hearing his name, Shi Ling snapped out of his daze. “I just wanted to ask, what are you planning to do?”

Butler Zhou cleared his throat and laid out the plan they had prepared for Shi Ling. “To put it simply, although we are fairly certain that you are the Zhou family’s long-lost bloodline, we still need to conduct a DNA test to be absolutely sure. Therefore, we plan to return to the capital as soon as possible.”

Shi Ling frowned. “Return to the capital? Now?”

Butler Zhou nodded. “Yes, the Zhou family is quite prominent in the capital. This situation has caused quite a stir, and we can’t rule out the possibility of someone trying to interfere. It would be safer to go to the capital, where the Zhou family has its base and connections.”

“So, we need to prepare as soon as possible.”

As Butler Zhou finished his last sentence, a satisfied smile appeared on his face.

Even without mentioning the Zhou family, the allure of the capital was significant for the Shi family. Unlike the small town where the Shi family lived, the capital had far superior educational resources and opportunities. Anyone given the chance would want to make a name for themselves in the capital.

He was confident that Shi Ling would readily agree.

However, to his surprise, Shi Ling looked at him and said, “I understand your intentions very well, but I refuse.”

Hearing Shi Ling’s words, Butler Zhou’s smile froze. “What did you say?”

Not only Butler Zhou, but Shi Ling’s parents also looked over with incredulous expressions.

Shi Ling calmly repeated himself. “I said, I refuse.”

He shrugged. “After all, you said that we aren’t certain if I’m really your family’s child. If the DNA test confirms it, then fine, I won’t have to worry anymore. But what if it doesn’t? Am I supposed to waste my time running around with you for a DNA test, and travel all the way to the capital for it? Dream on.”

He pointed at himself. “Do you know who I am? I’m a senior high school student.”

“Do you know what time it is? This is the final sprint of my senior year. Do you expect me to waste my last bit of revision time running around with you for a DNA test? No way.”

Butler Zhou felt a little unsteady as he listened.

He had to admit, Shi Ling’s reasoning did have some merit.

But he quickly shook the thought away.

It didn’t matter if it made sense or not. Once Shi Ling returned to the Zhou family, he would regain his status as the Zhou family’s young master. Sending him abroad would be a simple matter for the Zhou family. For them, the college entrance exam was hardly a significant event.

Shaking his head, Butler Zhou thought that Shi Ling, having grown up in a small place, was too narrow-minded.

He sighed and continued speaking to Shi Ling. “Once you’re back with the Zhou family, these are all minor issues. If necessary, the Zhou family can even send you abroad. You don’t need to worry about the college entrance exam.”

Shi Ling rolled his eyes inwardly. “Butler Zhou, did you not understand what I said?”

“Your premise is that I am the Zhou family’s child. But what if I’m not? Do you really think a capitalist family from the city would care about an unrelated eighteen-year-old after the fact? You’d just send me back where I came from.”

By this point, Shi Ling had no desire to continue the discussion. He stood up. “At most, I’ll cooperate with a trip to a top-tier hospital for a blood test.”

Butler Zhou was left speechless.

In all his years as the Zhou family’s butler, he had never encountered someone so uncooperative.

He pondered, thinking Shi Ling simply didn’t understand the weight of the Zhou family’s influence.

Relieved, Butler Zhou thought, How could anyone understand the Zhou family’s power and still not care about ‘returning to the Zhou family’?

Just as he was about to say something, Shi Ling continued, “But I don’t really care about the Zhou family or any other family. All I want is for no one to disturb me until after the college entrance exam.”

Shi Ling leaned against the table, looking somewhat condescending as he addressed Butler Zhou. “Unless the apocalypse happens and the exam can’t proceed, no one should interfere with my preparation for the exam.”

Butler Zhou: …

How could there be such an unmovable person?

Although they hadn’t reached an agreement, Butler Zhou had at least seen Shi Ling’s attitude.

He wasn’t entirely satisfied but didn’t push too hard. With a cold expression, he nodded at Shi Ling’s parents. “I’ll discuss this with the master and return tomorrow.”

After Butler Zhou and his entourage left, the Shi family was finally able to have their meal.

This meal was eaten absentmindedly by everyone.

The Shi family parents were suddenly informed that Shi Ling was not their son, and in fact, their biological son was living in another family, which left them in a state of turmoil. Shi Ling's thoughts, on the other hand, were far more complicated.

Initially, he thought he had simply traveled to this world through time, but just now, after Butler Zhou recounted the car accident that happened sixteen years ago, a strange sense of familiarity made him realize that this was more than just a simple time travel. His situation might actually be what is called "transmigration into a book."

In short, he had entered the world of a book he had read before. While he wasn’t intimately familiar with every detail of the plot, he had a general understanding of it.

The plot of the book was relatively simple, revolving around a beloved young master and his three suitors.

However, the center of this beloved storyline was a young master named Zhou Su, and it had nothing to do with "Shi Ling."

According to the plot Shi Ling knew, once the truth about Shi Ling and Zhou Su being switched at birth was revealed, the people around Zhou Su became even more protective of him. They viewed Shi Ling with suspicion and wariness, fearing that he might try to take away everything that belonged to Zhou Su.

In reality, after Shi Ling was brought back to the Zhou family, he just went about his studies, did what he could, and planned for his future.

He rarely even came face-to-face with Zhou Su.

Despite this, there were many who came to warn Shi Ling, and one of the suitors who eventually won the beauty's heart even used his influence to isolate Shi Ling by turning his classmates against him during his school days.

Shi Ling couldn’t remember many specific details, but even these broad strokes were enough to make him uncomfortable.

After all, the "Shi Ling" in the book had now become him. If this was truly a transmigration into a book, it meant that he would likely have to go through all of this himself.

Therefore, he needed to stay as far away from the Zhou family as possible.

Going back with the Zhou family was something he would never do.

As for what came next…

When the time came, he would find a way. There was always a solution.

After finishing the meal, Shi Ling helped clean up the dishes and was about to return to his room to study when, at the last moment, Mrs. Shi called out to him.

She looked somewhat awkward, and even her words to Shi Ling were cautious. "Xiao Ling, are you really not going to the capital?"

Shi Ling stopped in his tracks and looked at her. "Should I?"

Seeing his response, she brightened up immediately and wiped the water stains off her hands. "Then I'll go tell your father..."

However, her joy didn’t last long, as Shi Ling continued, "But I’m definitely not going at this time. Besides, if I go to the capital, I’ll go on my own. I’m not going with a bunch of strangers."

He shook the water off his hands. "How do I know if what they say is true? What if they're using this as an excuse to sell me off to some weird place? I’ve never heard of this so-called Zhou family from the capital before. Should I just believe everything they say?"

Mrs. Shi was momentarily speechless and patted Shi Ling's arm. "What kind of talk is that? Why would someone go through all this trouble just to deceive you?"

Shi Ling looked at her, shrugged. "Who knows? People like that aren’t unheard of."

He waved to Mrs. Shi. "I’m going back to my room to study."

Mrs. Shi sighed, still wanting to say something, but in the end, she didn’t. She just looked at Shi Ling with a complex expression and said, "Go on then!"

Shi Ling glanced back at Mrs. Shi, then turned around and returned to his room.

In the plot he knew, the appearances of Shi’s parents weren’t frequent. It was only through others that he learned this couple would eventually side with Zhou Su.

As an outsider, Shi Ling could understand the actions of Shi’s parents. After all, to them, Zhou Su was their real child. Although the original owner had lived with them for eighteen years, any feelings they had for him could be suppressed in favor of their biological son.

But for the original owner, it must have been devastating when it all unfolded, perhaps even earth-shattering.

In the end, both his biological and adoptive parents sided with Zhou Su, leaving him as if he had been abandoned by everyone.

Thinking about it, if an eighteen-year-old had to go through all of this, it would be incredibly difficult to maintain his composure.

After going through all of that, to still be able to hold himself together, attend school, and focus on his own affairs, the original owner had shown remarkable resilience.

Yet, despite this, those around Zhou Su still wouldn’t let him be.

Shi Ling returned to his room, turned on the light, and sat down at his desk.

He definitely didn’t want to experience the upcoming events in the plot, but in order to distance himself from the Zhou family, he first needed a foundation to stand on.

Shi Ling opened his schoolbag and placed stacks of exam papers on the desk.

His time was truly running out.