Chapter 23

Chapter 23

As everyone looked on in shock, Ning Yichu turned to the servant by the door and added, "Also, please go to the side house and invite Grandfather and Uncle over. Is Grandmother upstairs chatting with old friends? Please invite her down as well."

He Weian and Tang Qingshan were just walking over when they heard this.

He Weian frowned, her tone carrying a warning edge. "Xiao Chu, what are you doing?"

Ning Yichu looked at her innocently. "Regarding Grandmother's biological son, your own elder brother, Mother—was his death truly due to failed resuscitation, or was it caused by deliberate neglect? There was disagreement on this point before. I said I had witnesses, but Grandmother didn't believe me. Grandfather even insisted I was slandering him. I really can't stand being wrongfully accused, so I invited the witnesses here. Since everyone in our circle is present, they can serve as witnesses too, so no one can later claim I was spouting nonsense."

Upon hearing this, a murmur ran through the guests.

He Weian's gaze turned cold. "Xiao Chu, know your limits. Don't let today's banquet get derailed. Butler Li, please escort these two 'distinguished guests' to the reception room to rest first. We can discuss matters later."

Just as Butler Li was about to step forward, the elderly woman referred to as "Auntie Zhou" balked.

She appeared quite old, her figure somewhat stooped, her skin weathered by a life of hard work. Yet, when she raised her voice now, it was surprisingly forceful. "No need for such hypocritical niceties! I'm not going anywhere! I want to settle this right here! Where is that old scoundrel Qin Kai! He dared to deceive my mother back then, dared to abandon his wife and daughter—does he not dare to show his face now?!"

Hearing this, some guests blurted out, "Oh my god, does this mean the He family patriarch had more than one affair?"

"That doesn't seem to be it. Earlier, it was said this was the biological aunt of He Dingbang's children, so it seems she might be He Dingbang's biological sister?"

"She looks about ten years older than He Dingbang. So, the He family patriarch... was he already married with a daughter before becoming a live-in son-in-law?!"

"Ah? When Old He, Madam He's father, was recruiting a son-in-law back then, surely he wouldn't have failed to investigate such a basic detail..."

The gossip was simply too juicy to ignore, and some guests couldn't help but raise their voices.

Given the situation, rather than letting the guests continue to enjoy the spectacle, He Weian still signaled the butler and servants to step forward and "escort" the two women away. Although this would be terrible hospitality and inevitably lead to gossip later, it was still preferable to letting them continue speaking publicly.

Butler Li, receiving the signal, stepped forward with his staff. "Distinguished guests, you must be tired from your long journey. Please come with me to the reception room first..."

Gao Hui stepped in front of Auntie Zhou. "My mother said we're not going anywhere! We're staying right here!"

Ning Yichu looked at He Weian. "Mother, why bother? You won't get them to leave. Instead of going through this pointless charade, wouldn't it be better to be forthright? Have Grandfather come for a confrontation. Once everything is clarified, it might prevent even more damaging rumors about our He family from spreading later."

He Weian snapped, "Ning Yichu!"

The Ning family members among the guests were also utterly confused.

Although, technically, Ning Yichu had come from their Ning family, and now that he was stirring up trouble, they felt they should say something—to smooth things over or symbolically reprimand him for disrespecting elders—but... recalling Ning Yichu's actions during his last visit to the Ning family, and seeing how brazen he was being in front of everyone now... the Ning family members tacitly chose to remain silent.

To avoid being swept up in the gossip by curious guests, the Ning family subtly retreated to the edge of the crowd. Gradually, they gathered together as a family, making it less likely for other guests to corner them and ask about Ning Yichu.

"Mother, it's better to clarify matters," He Shixia said in a measured tone.

He Weian now felt like throwing both He Shixia and Ning Yichu out.

She was about to instruct Butler Li to have Gao Hui and her mother forcibly removed from the main hall.

But at that moment, Grandmother He, who had come downstairs without anyone noticing, suddenly spoke up. "Let them speak. Old Li, go call Qin Kai and He Dingbang over."

The chattering guests fell silent for a moment, then made way for the elderly lady to pass through the crowd and come face-to-face with Gao Hui and her mother.

Grandmother He looked at the mother and daughter for a few moments, then turned to Ning Yichu beside her. "These are the two witnesses you mentioned?"

Ning Yichu smiled. "The witnesses I mentioned are actually Auntie Zhou and her mother—who is also Uncle's biological mother, the former girlfriend and first love whom Grandfather claimed had committed suicide."

Hearing that the first love was not dead at all, and that the old man had dared to lie even about this, Grandmother He swayed slightly and was steadied by He Weian.

"But my mother is too old now," Auntie Zhou jumped in. "She gets carsick and can't travel far, so my daughter accompanied me here."

He Dingbang's children had also moved to the front of the crowd, standing opposite Gao Hui and her mother.

"We brought evidence!" Hearing this, Gao Hui took out a handful of papers from the bag she was carrying. "This is a photo of my grandmother and Qin Kai when they were young. Your family must have old photos of Qin Kai, right? Even if not, Madam He, you surely know what Qin Kai looked like when he was young, don't you? Take a look if you want. We're not afraid of you verifying it. After all, with so many people present, you can't just snatch the photo and claim it doesn't exist."

He Ruzhu shouted, "Photos can be digitally altered! It's easy to create fake old photos nowadays! And even if your grandmother really knew my grandfather, it doesn't mean they had a relationship when they were young..."

Gao Hui continued presenting items. "This is the handwritten birth certificate from the hospital when my grandmother gave birth to a pair of twins. It has the hospital's red seal. My grandmother held onto it all these years."

"The parents' line has my grandmother's and Qin Kai's names. The children are my mother and her twin brother. Qin Kai didn't dare acknowledge them back then, so the children took my grandmother's surname, Zhou. My mother is Zhou Xuan, and her twin brother was registered as Zhou You... Then, just a few days later, he became the young master of the He family, He Dingbang."

Fifty-three-year-old, gray-haired Zhou Xuan shot back, "You can't fake DNA! I'm a living person right here! Test it then! Go ahead!"

The guests were stunned. After all, this Zhou Xuan looked quite old, appearing at least ten years older than He Dingbang. So, many guests had speculated that if there was any relation, she was likely He Dingbang's elder sister—a daughter born to the He patriarch, Qin Kai, before his marriage.

But no one expected... this Zhou Xuan before them to be He Dingbang's twin sister!

Whispers spread among the guests. "Good heavens, if this is true, talk about two different paths in life! The brother became a wealthy young master, living the high life for over fifty years, looking younger than a normal man in his fifties. The sister suffered hardships, aged beyond her years..."

"Earlier, this Sister Zhou mentioned Qin Kai—the He patriarch—abandoning his wife and daughter. What's that about? He swapped the twin brother for the real heir, then just left the mother and daughter behind?"

"More than that. Didn't you hear what Ning Yichu said earlier? It seems Qin Kai even claimed she had committed suicide, but it turns out she's alive and well."

"Speaking of which, the elderly folks in this family have good genes; they sure live long."

"Um... So, the He patriarch really watched his and Madam He's biological son die, then brought his illegitimate son to swap places? That's downright evil..."

"I still don't get it. Ning Yichu is the one bringing this to light, right? What's the point of causing such a scene..."

"I don't get it either. Even if he's afraid He Dingbang and his children might try to seize the He Group in the future, he shouldn't have made it public like this. Couldn't the family have settled it privately? Making it public like this only damages the He family's reputation. Look at how awful President He's expression is. Isn't Ning Yichu offending his 'mother-in-law'?"

"Where are the Ning family members? Ning Yichu is causing such a scene in the He family, and they're not saying anything?"

"Ahem, could it be that the Ning family... ahem... instructed him to do this?"

"They're here, they're here. The old master and He Dingbang are both coming. Everyone's assembled. This is getting too lively."

Grandfather He and He Dingbang, having received the servant's summons, had a bad feeling but couldn't refuse to come.

On the way, Grandfather He questioned the servant who had come to fetch them and was also greatly shocked.

He hadn't expected Ning Yichu to actually have witnesses, and to have brought them so quickly, right in the middle of the banquet. Now, even if he could sweet-talk Grandmother He into softening, for the sake of the He family's reputation, she would absolutely never let him and his son stay...

He Dingbang didn't know the full story, but seeing his father's expression, he grew extremely anxious as well.

Thus, father and son arrived at the main hall where the banquet was being held. As soon as they entered, Zhou Xuan fixed her eyes on them.

"That's the He family patriarch, Qin Kai, and Uncle He Dingbang," Ning Yichu said softly.

Zhou Xuan sneered, looking at Grandfather He. "Didn't expect this, did you? My mother and I aren't dead yet! We've come for you now!"

With the ironclad witness standing right there, Grandfather He glanced at the surrounding guests and, as if giving up the struggle, said to Grandmother He, "A Ying, whatever punishment you decide, I'll accept it."

Grandmother He sneered. "Still putting on an act at this point? Can you refuse to accept it? Will you confess yourself, or shall we listen to this Zhou Xuan confess for you?"

Zhou Xuan interjected, "Let me speak! My mother and I were ruined by this beast our whole lives! This time, my mother repeatedly urged me to come and expose everything this beast has done publicly. Let me speak!"

The surrounding guests listened with rapt attention.

This kind of chance to get front-row seats to someone else's family drama doesn't come along often.

Grandfather He—Qin Kai—had already given up on defending himself, but he still instinctively tried to protect his reputation: "Don't add fuel to the fire!"

Zhou Xuan snorted coldly: "My mother's Zhou Fenfang. She grew up in the same village as Qin Kai..."

According to Zhou Xuan, Qin Kai's parents died in an accident when he was very young. After his grandparents also passed away, the villagers took pity on him and often invited him to their homes for meals. He was raised by the whole village.

Zhou Fenfang's father was the village chief at the time. His family was relatively better off and provided Qin Kai with the most support. Qin Kai frequented the Zhou household often, and over time, they became childhood sweethearts.

The village chief and his wife were happy to see this. After all, Qin Kai was hardworking, had good grades, and was decent-looking. Moreover, he had no family, so if their daughter married him, he could live with them.

Therefore, even though Qin Kai and Zhou Fenfang weren't married yet—they weren't even adults at the time—the village chief and his wife already treated Qin Kai as their future son-in-law, making sure he was well-fed and clothed, and covering his tuition fees. Qin Kai vowed he would be good to Zhou Fenfang and would treat the village chief and his wife as his own parents.

Later, Qin Kai got into university. Zhou Fenfang's grades weren't good enough, so she didn't get in. The Zhou family was afraid Qin Kai would change his mind about marrying Zhou Fenfang after going to university, so they said they would only continue funding his education if he married her first. Qin Kai readily agreed, repeatedly promising he would never abandon her.

—Hearing this, some guests at the He family banquet remarked: "So it seems this old Mr. He has been mooching off his wife since he was a kid..."

Grandmother He herself gave a wry smile: "No wonder. Back then, when I first sounded you out, you immediately guessed I wanted you to marry into the family. Turns out you already had experience."

Qin Kai avoided eye contact.

Another guest exclaimed in surprise: "So that means Qin Kai was already married before marrying Mrs. He? Didn't Mrs. He's father investigate back then?"

Zhou Xuan replied: "In those days, in the villages, few people specifically went to get a marriage certificate. Besides, my mother and Qin Kai had just become adults and couldn't get a license anyway. They just held a banquet and made it known to friends and family."

After the banquet, when it was time for school to start, Zhou Fenfang and Qin Kai went to the city together. Qin Kai attended university. While Zhou Fenfang wasn't highly educated, it was enough for those times. She found a clerical job, rented a place near the university, and lived with Qin Kai. They lived peacefully for a time.

However, the year Qin Kai graduated, disaster struck Zhou Fenfang's family—her father, the village chief, was found out to be corrupt. Villagers surrounded their house demanding answers. Her father tried to escape by climbing over a wall but fell into a ditch and died. Her mother, terrified, took her own life by drinking pesticide.

Zhou Xuan recounted Zhou Fenfang's youth and experiences with Qin Kai, then continued: "But at that time, my mother still had the dowry money her parents had given her—a substantial sum. She hesitated about whether to return it to the village. Qin Kai egged her on, saying returning it wouldn't plug the hole anyway, and going back to the village might mean she wouldn't make it out alive like her parents. Besides, they needed money to live, and if she got pregnant someday, they'd have to consider the child's expenses... So, Qin Kai had my mother take the money and move with him from their hometown city to City A to start over..."

Qin Kai argued: "That's just Zhou Fenfang's side of the story! Back then, she was the one too scared to go back to the village. She didn't have much money either. When we came to City A, I was the one supporting us! Don't believe such baseless nonsense!"

Zhou Xuan was furious: "You're still slandering my mother! When you first arrived in City A, you didn't know a soul. Before you found a job, my mother supported you entirely. The suit you wore for interviews was bought by my mother!"

Qin Kai's aged face showed no trace of guilt: "Got proof? Did you see it yourself?"

How could there possibly be evidence for such trivial matters from so long ago? Besides, Zhou Fenfang hadn't suspected Qin Kai back then, so even if there were receipts, she wouldn't have kept them on purpose. Qin Kai was now just being shameless. Zhou Xuan was so angry she almost couldn't catch her breath. Gao Hui quickly patted her back.

Ning Yichu looked at Qin Kai and sneered: "In comparison, your word is even less reliable, Grandfather. After all, you've told quite a few blatant lies before."

"Didn't you say your first love had long passed away? Didn't you say you and your first love only had one son? You also said your first love later actively came to you to borrow money because a letter from home said an elder was sick and needed money for treatment? What, so there *were* still people back home? And you just left the elders behind and came to City A?"

"Don't try to twist this on me. What's this about the He family falling apart or people dying? The He family is doing just fine." Ning Yichu's tone was innocent.

He Shixia stepped between Qin Kai and Ning Yichu, then said to Zhou Xuan: "Aunt Zhou, please continue."

Qin Kai grumbled: "There's nothing more to say! It's just that after arriving in City A, I started working at He Corp, and Zhou Fenfang got a job as a secretary at a small company. Later, the He family took a liking to me, so I told Zhou Fenfang we should break up—we never got a license anyway, so we weren't really husband and wife, let alone getting a divorce. Zhou Fenfang was getting cozy with her boss at the time. Breaking up worked out perfectly for her to chase after her boss. She agreed quite readily..."

"You're lying! You shameless old man, how dare you smear my mother like that!" Zhou Xuan interrupted. "My mother said back then, it was clearly you who wanted to break up, but you didn't want to take the blame. You were afraid my mother would cause trouble for you with the He family. So you deliberately picked fights with her, accused her of being improper with her boss. You wanted her to take the fall!"

A guest commented: "That's so scheming..."

"Old Mr. Qin Kai really thinks things through 'thoroughly,' no wonder he managed to deceive Mrs. He for so many years."

"He still won't admit it now."

Qin Kai wanted to argue further, but Zhou Xuan shouted: "Poor my mother. Back then, she didn't know the truth. She thought she had really done something wrong that made you misunderstand. After you abandoned her, she blamed herself for a long time and kept wanting to explain to you."

Zhou Fenfang knew Qin Kai worked at He Corp, but she was afraid that if she went to his workplace to find him, his boss might see and think he was unreliable. She didn't want to cause him trouble, so she didn't dare go near He Corp's offices. She just spent her free time waiting nearby, wanting to explain to Qin Kai that there was really nothing between her and her boss.

But Qin Kai was already set to become the He family's son-in-law. He was already being driven around by car. Zhou Fenfang never managed to catch him. She even wondered if he was so heartbroken he had changed jobs, or even moved to another city to start over.

It wasn't until the second year after Qin Kai married He Ying that, by pure chance, Zhou Fenfang saw Qin Kai again. From how others addressed him, she learned he was already the He family's son-in-law.

Zhou Fenfang inquired a little and found out when he got married. Only then did she realize something was wrong. She confronted Qin Kai: Was it that he wanted to break up with her back then to become the son-in-law of a wealthy family, so he deliberately smeared her to make her think the fault was hers?

Qin Kai tried to sweet-talk and blame Zhou Fenfang again, but the same story didn't fool her this time. To avoid exposure, Qin Kai changed his tune.

Zhou Xuan sneered: "He told my mother that he actually loved her very much, but the He family's daughter had taken a liking to him. Even knowing he had already held a wedding banquet with someone, she insisted he break up and marry into the He family. He said the He family was very powerful. If he didn't agree, they would harm my mother, maybe even cause her 'accidental' death. He had no choice. Breaking up heartlessly was to protect my mother."

Grandmother He—He Ying herself also sneered: "Then go back and tell your mother that Qin Kai's story to me back then was that he had never even been in a relationship. My father sent people to investigate his background in his hometown. I don't know if he bribed the villagers in advance, but my father's people actually didn't find out about him and your mother, Zhou Fenfang."

It was mainly because the father and daughter hadn't suspected Qin Kai back then. Sending people to investigate was more for peace of mind. Since no problems were found, they didn't dig deeper.

Qin Kai lowered his head, eyes darting.

Zhou Xuan looked at the old lady: "Qin Kai did bribe people in advance. In fact, even the accusations of corruption and bribery against my grandfather when he was village chief were framed by Qin Kai collaborating with others..."

Just a few years ago, the elderly Zhou Fenfang happened to run into someone from their old village. From that person, she learned about this—back then, as Qin Kai was about to graduate from university, he wanted to go to a bigger city to develop. He needed the Zhou family's money for support, but he predicted the Zhou parents wouldn't feel comfortable letting Zhou Fenfang travel far with him alone. They would either disagree with them leaving, or at least one parent would come along with Zhou Fenfang.

Qin Kai didn't want to be tied down by the Zhou family anymore. At that time, others in the village coveted the village chief position, but Chief Zhou was quite respected, making it hard to oust him. Qin Kai seized this opportunity and collaborated with those people to frame Chief Zhou. As the Zhou family's son-in-law, Qin Kai understood the Zhou family's situation and the parents' personalities well. With this insider's help, the framing was very thorough.

"The result was even better than they expected. My grandparents died. My mother, holding a large sum of dowry money her parents had given her, was at a loss and followed Qin Kai's arrangements. The new village chief successfully took over in the village. Later, when Qin Kai wanted to become the He family's son-in-law and was afraid the He family would investigate in the village, it was also the new village chief who helped cover it up... But after that, the new village chief, for some reason, started feeling guilty. After more than a decade, on his deathbed, he suddenly confessed, saying he was sorry to the old village chief—my grandparents. Only then did the villagers learn the truth. Many more years passed until, a few years ago, someone recognized my mother and told her."

Zhou Xuan's expression turned scornful: "Before knowing this, my mother always felt her miserable life was deserved—who made her father a corrupt village chief? But it turned out the money her parents gave her back then really wasn't ill-gotten gains. Her parents, afraid she would suffer, had sold family heirlooms passed down through generations and added all the money to her dowry. Yet later, that money was used almost entirely on Qin Kai—the man who caused her parents' deaths and ruined her whole life... Why should Qin Kai live such a comfortable life?"

Qin Kai gritted his teeth. After so many years, that new village chief had been dead for ages. What could they do if he simply denied it now?

"You're turning things upside down! Just because it's been so long and there's no evidence now, you're smearing me, right?" Qin Kai retorted. "You just said you and your mother were in a small county town. How is it so coincidental you met someone from the old village? After decades, faces change so much, you still recognized each other? This is pure fabrication! I think Zhou Fenfang just doesn't want to admit her father was a corrupt official!"

Zhou Xuan laughed in anger: "My mother and people from your old village aren't all dead yet! If you want to silence them, you'd have to massacre the whole village. Go ahead and try!"

Qin Kai shrank his neck.

Hearing this, someone among the guests hissed: "My god, judging by Qin Kai's past record, if the He family weren't so powerful, and if Mrs. He and her father weren't such strong personalities that he simply couldn't take advantage of them, the He family would probably have long been renamed Qin by now..."

He Ying naturally realized this possibility too. So the earlier speculation that "Qin Kai was just forced to behave" felt more solid, and it stabbed at the old lady's heart, making her shiver with a chill down her spine.

He Weian raised her hand and patted her mother's back as a small comfort, while her gaze remained fixed on Zhou Xuan.

Zhou Xuan continued: "But when she was young, my mother didn't know Qin Kai's true colors back then. Qin Kai said he was forced into the marriage by the He family, that he left her to protect her. My mother had no one else and still had feelings for him, so she believed him."

Back then, Zhou Fenfang asked Qin Kai what they should do. Qin Kai said the He family wanted a son-in-law to inherit the business. After He Ying's father passed away, He Corp would be handed over to him, the son-in-law. Once he was firmly established and not afraid of He Ying harming her anymore, he would divorce He Ying. As long as Zhou Fenfang was still willing to be with him, he would never leave her.

Thus, Zhou Fenfang, the original partner who had a de facto marriage without a license, became Qin Kai's secret mistress. And not long after, she became pregnant.

After holding the wedding banquet with Qin Kai, Zhou Fenfang had always wanted to have his child but never succeeded. Unexpectedly, she got pregnant when Qin Kai was already someone else's husband. Zhou Fenfang was both happy and troubled.

Qin Kai had been acting back then, wanting to stall Zhou Fenfang to prevent her from causing trouble. He did also get a perverse satisfaction from the affair. But regardless, he didn't want a child out of wedlock before he was firmly established.

So when he realized Zhou Fenfang was also troubled by the pregnancy, Qin Kai seized the chance to persuade her to abort. Although his reasoning was that he didn't want their child born in such an unsavory situation, Zhou Fenfang sensed something was off. She began to suspect Qin Kai.

Zhou Fenfang didn't want to give Qin Kai what he wanted. Moreover, she genuinely wanted to keep the child, so she kept delaying the abortion.

Qin Kai at that time had to accompany He Ying, who was also pregnant, and attend to his work at He Corp. His free time was already limited—he couldn't keep an eye on Zhou Fenfang constantly. Even if he had time, as the He family's son-in-law, he didn't dare accompany Zhou Fenfang to the hospital for an abortion.

So the delay continued until Zhou Fenfang's belly grew large, and the hospital no longer dared perform an abortion. The child was thus born—a pair of fraternal twins.

Zhou Xuan looked at He Dingbang—her twin brother. Yet their lives had been so different: one raised in luxury, the other enduring hardship. She now appeared at least ten years older than him. Who would believe they were twins born just minutes apart?

He Dingbang had already realized Zhou Xuan was his biological sister, sharing the same parents. But he neither wanted to acknowledge her nor dared to meet her gaze, avoiding eye contact with a mix of disdain and guilt.

“Qin Kai later told my mom that the He family’s daughter also gave birth to a son, but that child was born with congenital deficiencies and died just a few hours after birth…”

Qin Kai hurriedly interrupted, as if speaking next would absolve him of all the past transgressions just exposed: “He Ying, did you hear that? It was congenital deficiencies! I didn’t cause it!”

Before He Ying could respond, Zhou Xuan added, “You didn’t cause the congenital deficiencies, but you deliberately delayed getting help!”

Qin Kai: “Nonsense! You have no evidence at all. This is slander!”

Zhou Xuan sneered and turned to He Ying: “Old Madam, this matter indeed lacks proof. Whether you believe it or not is up to you.”

He Ying closed her eyes in pain.

Zhou Xuan continued, recounting what her mother Zhou Fenfang had told her: Back then, Qin Kai said it was all the He family’s fault for tearing them apart, so their son “Zhou You” became the He family’s son “He Dingbang.” This was the He family’s retribution—they would raise the child, and eventually the entire He Group would belong to their son.

It was around that time that Zhou Fenfang finally faced the facts and realized Qin Kai’s marriage into the He family likely wasn’t out of helplessness but his own greed for the He family’s wealth and status.

Qin Kai taking their son back to the He family as a replacement wasn’t out of love for her or their child, nor a desire to pass on “good things” to him. It was simply because this child was Qin Kai’s illegitimate son—a “trophy” of his successful transgression under the pressure of the He father and daughter.

But Zhou Fenfang couldn’t leave Qin Kai at the time. The dowry money from her parents was gone, her health had weakened after childbirth, and she had a daughter to raise.

Just as Zhou Fenfang was resigning herself to a muddled existence, another unexpected incident occurred—

Once, Qin Kai talked in his sleep: “Son, don’t blame me… blame… your mother and her father for bullying me too much… Dad didn’t mean to watch you suffocate… Dad did call the doctor in the end, but they came too late… Son, don’t blame Dad. Rest in peace. Dad will burn paper money for you every year…”

Hearing those words, Zhou Fenfang felt a chill run through her body.

Decades later, Zhou Xuan now recounted to He Ying in front of everyone: “My mom realized then that Qin Kai and the He family’s daughter—your biological son, Old Madam—likely didn’t die from congenital deficiencies or an accident. Qin Kai probably deliberately delayed calling for doctors and nurses…”

“Nonsense!” Qin Kai still refused to admit it, arguing, “You were brought here by Ning Yichu! Your mother has always hated me. You must have conspired with him to frame me! He Ying, even a vicious tiger doesn’t eat its own cubs. How could I possibly do such a thing! This person is clearly lying. When did I ever scheme for Dingbang to inherit the He Group? Tell me, isn’t that right?”

He Ying’s aged face looked even more haggard: “This has been said many times before… Wasn’t it because you lacked the ability to surpass me, and Dingbang couldn’t be propped up, that you had no choice but to change your plans?”

Qin Kai began to shake all over.

He Ying let out a long, weary sigh: “Back in those days, even at the hospitals the He family went to, medical care wasn’t advanced. Newborns’ conditions relied entirely on human observation. Whether you deliberately delayed or not, there’s no evidence. Whether what Zhou Xuan says her mother told her is true or not, again, there’s no evidence… But compared to you, Qin Kai, I’d rather believe them… Qin Kai, how dare you say ‘even a vicious tiger doesn’t eat its own cubs’!”

Qin Kai gripped his cane tighter: “He Ying, we’ve been husband and wife for so many years. Are you going to side with outsiders now and let me bear the reputation of killing my own son in my old age?!”

“Then you shouldn’t have done it back then!” Zhou Xuan scolded. “You cowardly bastard who dares to do it but not own up to it!”

“My mom was terrified by this incident back then. The thought that you could watch your own son die made her fear you might one day turn on her or me, her daughter. So while you were away, she left a suicide note saying she didn’t want to cause more trouble for you and your son, that she would take her daughter to the mountains to kill herself. Then she grabbed me, didn’t even dare pack anything, and fled overnight!”

A guest listening on the side commented knowingly: “No wonder the old man dared to say earlier that his first love had committed suicide. He really believed she would kill herself for the sake of his social-climbing ambitions!”

“Over the years, I’ve heard so many people praise the He family’s son-in-law, saying Old Madam He Ying and her father had good judgment, picking a steady and honest man who brought stability for a lifetime, unlike other families with live-in sons-in-law who always cause trouble… Who would have thought… Well, I guess you can’t draw conclusions about a person while they’re still alive.”

“You can’t draw conclusions even after they’re dead. Look at the Chen family—a few years after the old man died, an illegitimate son showed up to fight for the inheritance.”

Amidst the surrounding discussions, He Dingbang was utterly devastated. Though he knew it was hopeless, he still struggled desperately, suddenly shouting incoherently: “No! This is all a play orchestrated by you and Ning Yichu! It’s all fake! Such hidden matters, even our own family didn’t know. How could Ning Yichu possibly know! How could he possibly find you!”

Gao Hui said, exasperated: “Apart from a few details that Qin Kai refuses to admit, he himself has admitted to most of the events. And you’re still saying ‘it’s all fake.’ Can you act a bit more mature for someone in your fifties?”

She glanced around and continued: “My mom and I came here specifically, not for anything else. We don’t intend to claim kinship or seek benefits. We just want the relevant people to know the truth, to expose Qin Kai’s ugly true face. That way, what has been stuck in my grandmother’s heart all her life can finally be laid to rest. That’s all.”

“If that’s the case, why didn’t you come before? Why only now?” He Rulin suddenly murmured. “The He family old residence has always been here. The He Group building can be found with a simple navigation search. Why didn’t you come before? And how did you get in touch with Xiao Chu?”

Zhou Xuan looked at him: “Because initially, my mom didn’t want to have any further involvement with Qin Kai. She chose to leave him with a suicide note and live under a different name in another small city, just wanting to get by with me. No matter how hard or tiring, she didn’t want any contact with Qin Kai… Unfortunately, luck wasn’t on our side. Life remained hard and exhausting. I couldn’t give her a good life either. It was only after my daughter grew up that our family situation improved a bit.”

“My mom didn’t even tell me about these things before. It was only earlier this year, when she felt her health deteriorating further, that she didn’t want to take the secret to her grave and finally told me.”

After hearing it, Zhou Xuan was furious. Zhou Fenfang herself grew more indignant as she spoke, planting the seed of the idea to expose Qin Kai and reveal the truth.

But Zhou Fenfang was old now, even getting carsick, unable to travel far or withstand the ordeal. Zhou Xuan had never left the place she grew up in her entire life. She was completely unfamiliar with City A and the He family, feeling apprehensive. She feared that even with proof of identity, she might not even get close to the He family. Before she could state her purpose, she’d likely be chased away like a beggar…

Gao Hui was willing to accompany Zhou Xuan on this trip, to protect her mother and bolster her courage. But Gao Hui also had to work. She couldn’t just take leave and come to City A without understanding the He family’s situation.

And most importantly, would the He family even care?

So many years had passed. The people involved were old. The “child” in the truth of the matter was already in his fifties. Qin Kai might already be dead. Even if not, he was probably a respected elder in the He family. What if they went through all that trouble to expose the truth, only to find no one cared? Wouldn’t that be a joke…

Until a few days ago, when Gao Hui received contact from Ning Yichu.

Though they were suspicious it might be a scam, they also thought: since the other party could uncover their existence and such an old truth, there probably wasn’t much to gain from them. They didn’t care if the other party had other motives. Exposing Qin Kai’s true face and finding peace for themselves was enough.

So Gao Hui accompanied Zhou Xuan here.

Ning Yichu smiled: “As for how I knew of their existence and contacted them so easily, that’s none of your business.”

—Of course, it was deduced from the original novel’s plot.

In the original plot, Zhou Xuan and Gao Hui would come to the He family four years later, clinging to the idea that no matter what, exposing the truth would at least give them peace of mind.

Coincidentally, during that time, He Shixia, one of He Ying’s two most beloved grandchildren, had just passed away, and her husband Qin Kai was critically ill. He Ying was already filled with grief.

Faced with the shocking truth and her husband’s feeble excuses, He Ying chose to believe Qin Kai against her better judgment, asked Zhou Xuan and Gao Hui to leave, and after Qin Kai’s death, did not pursue the matter of He Dingbang’s parentage.

And He Dingbang, emboldened, decided to take revenge on Zhou Fenfang, Zhou Xuan, and Gao Hui—three generations—even though Zhou Fenfang was his biological mother and Zhou Xuan his twin sister.

It was from this part of the plot that Ning Yichu learned about Gao Hui’s work situation. He then directly called her company, added her as a friend under the pretext of work, and invited her to today’s banquet.

Now, Ning Yichu looked at He Dingbang, who had slumped to the ground in despair, and remembered the events of his previous life.

Back then, He Dingbang had just been scolded by He Ying for his escapades outside and was fuming as he came out, wanting to go out again.

Ning Yichu used to take daily walks in the garden. He happened to pass by when He Dingbang was being summoned for the scolding, and when he returned indoors after his walk, he just as he encountered He Dingbang leaving.

He Dingbang already disliked him and, feeling humiliated and angry, deliberately pushed him aside as he passed: “Don’t you know how to respect your elders? Standing here blocking the way.”

Ning Yichu had just stepped off the steps and was standing where the ground met the steps. Caught off guard by He Dingbang’s push, and already unsteady on his feet due to his pregnancy, he fell down the steps.

He Dingbang hadn’t expected this outcome either and collapsed in a heap on the ground.

Ning Yichu lay on the ground, hearing He Dingbang first panic and mutter to himself in the sudden agony: “You're faking! I just pushed lightly, and to the side. How did you fall backward? I'm not responsible! How can you blame me for not standing steady at your age…”

Then He Dingbang said to the house staff who came running over crying out in alarm: “He fell because he didn’t stand steady himself! It’s not my fault. You can’t blame me just because I happened to be here too!”

Because of that fall, he went into premature labor. The emergency surgery and his weakened body led to complications. He died before even turning twenty-three.

Yet now, He Dingbang was merely having his background laughed at a little.

Not enough.

Take it slow.

“Grandmother, how do you plan to handle this situation? Please decide quickly. I have another distinguished guest arriving, and it wouldn’t be good to keep them waiting.” Ning Yichu looked toward the entrance of the hall.

A car was approaching from the direction of the main gate of the He family estate.

He Weian frowned, tilting her head to ask Tang Qingshan beside her in a low voice, "Didn't I tell you to have them stop letting people in at the gate? Why did they let another car through?"

Tang Qingshan apologized, "I was just about to contact them when Zhou Xuan and her daughter arrived. I didn't expect Xiao Chu'd invited more people. I thought it wouldn't matter if I didn't notify the gate, so I didn't do it. My apologies."

He Weian frowned and turned back. At this point, she directly asked Ning Yichu in front of everyone, "Who else did you invite? Hasn't this gone far enough for your entertainment?"

Hearing this, the guests' expressions varied. Setting aside how embarrassing this was for the He family, for those attending tonight's banquet, this entertainment was quite interesting. The He Group's new young Mr. Ning was certainly putting on quite a show...

Ning Yichu smiled gently at her, "Mom, don't rush. The third distinguished guest has nothing to do with the He family."

Although she had a feeling it wouldn't be anything good, hearing Ning Yichu say this, He Weian actually felt relieved—she used to believe the Ning family's public statements and had a very poor impression of Ning Yichu, thinking he never told the truth... even though on the rare occasions they met, Ning Yichu always behaved politely, and aside from being quiet and introverted, there wasn't really any major issue. But now, strangely, even though Ning Yichu never said anything nice, she found herself believing he wouldn't lie.

He Weian thought to herself, no matter who came next, as long as it had nothing to do with the He family, it was fine. Another public scene like this, and she'd lose it.

Ning Yichu's gaze swept over the crowd, "I'm a very touchy person, afraid of being accused of favoritism, so I have to work hard to balance things. I have to consider both my new family and my old one to show fairness. It's just that tonight, I have to borrow the He family's place for the Ning family's use. But the He and Ning families are old friends, so I'm sure you won't mind, right, Mom? Oh, why are my Ning family relatives all standing in the corners? Come a bit closer—oh, Fifth Aunt, I invited a friend of yours."

Upon hearing this, the guests present, including the Ning family members themselves, all turned their attention to the named Ning family fifth daughter, Ning Anxia.

Ning Anxia looked completely bewildered, unable to understand why she was suddenly the target.

The He family's old mansion covered a large area. The distance from the main gate to the main hall was quite far, even by car. The car that had just entered hadn't arrived yet, so Ning Yichu thoughtfully gave a "heads-up" in advance.

"Fifth Aunt, have you forgotten? You made a bet with someone and pretended to be a lesbian to approach a straight woman. After going through great lengths to 'turn' her, you told her you were actually straight and had an already-engaged fiancé, then blocked her and cut off all contact..."

As Ning Yichu recounted, Ning Anxia's face changed dramatically, turning white and then flushed with a sickly hue.

Her fiancé was the Gu family young master, Gu Zhangke, who was also present at the banquet. However, their relationship was a loveless arranged marriage, so even though they were under the same roof, they didn't make a point to stand together.

But, no feelings didn't mean no reaction. Gu Zhangke was furious, his face burning with humiliation, "What? Ning Anxia, is what he said true?!"

Ning Anxia snapped back impatiently, "Is now really the time to ask about this?!"

Ning Yichu smiled gently, his voice very mild, "I think people should own up to their actions. Hiding from someone like this isn't right, so I helped Fifth Aunt invite that lady over. You're welcome."

-----------------------

Author's Note: Although it might not be necessary, just a side note—while reading the gossip in this story, it's not recommended to compare it with the real-world timeline. Otherwise, you'll find that especially the experiences of the older generation (the grandmothers and grandfathers) when they were young are particularly inconsistent with real societal conditions... For the sake of the plot, some common sense has been selectively sacrificed (but then again, we have a setting where same-sex marriage is legal and widely accepted, right? [glasses emoji]

Third update~ Fourth update in ten minutes o3o