Chapter 017: What a Cliché!

Chapter 017: What a Cliché!

Zhao Jin met Ye Sui's girlfriend for the first time. Zhao Jin had heard about her from Ye Sui when they first became friends. Ye Sui always wore a ring to show he was taken, keeping his distance from other women. This self-discipline really shocked him—he was a seasoned playboy himself.

Everyone wants a love that lasts a lifetime, but he didn't think he'd ever have that, nor would he be so devoted to just one person. In his youth, he'd be a womanizer; when he got older, he'd go for a marriage of convenience—either mutual respect and focus on family, or each going their separate ways. That was his future; money could buy a kind of love.

When Zhao Jin found out how much Ye Sui loved his girlfriend, he didn't look down on him for being a man who listened to a woman—he didn't see that as weak. He just envied him—he was truly happy and lucky. Some people go their whole lives without meeting the one they love, not knowing what love is, and many people love someone but never get that love returned.

"Finally, you're here. I've ordered all the signature dishes. If you don't like them, we can order something else."

Zhao Jin ushered them into the private room. Seeing them holding hands, he wasn't even eating yet, but he was already full from the lovey-dovey stuff.

Still, his attention was more on Li Pushu. He stared a bit too long, lost in thought, not pulling his gaze away until Ye Sui coughed uncomfortably. Zhao Jin touched his nose, a bit embarrassed. "Sorry, sorry, I didn't mean anything else. It's just that Miss Li looks a lot like one of my uncles' wives; I almost thought she was her."

Li Pushu smiled and joked, "I've been hearing that a lot lately. Didn't expect my face to become so common—I keep running into look-alikes."

"Cough, no way. Miss Li's face must be one of Nüwa's finest creations; the rest of us are just random splatters of mud." Zhao Jin's appreciation was purely aesthetic. He had just been stunned by the resemblance, but her eyes were like his uncle's—affectionate even when looking at a dog, but Li Pushu's were a bit more alluring—like a combination of two people.

Ye Sui could tell Zhao Jin meant no harm, so he didn't throw a punch. "Your aunt-in-law, Mrs. An's half-sister?"

"Yeah, though they're half-sisters—same father, different mothers, they look a lot alike. Both take after the late Mrs. Su from the Su family. This world is such a small circle." Zhao Jin joked casually, "What if Miss Li turns out to be my aunt-in-law's daughter? That would be the cliché of all clichés."

His uncle's wife did have a daughter the same age. He didn't dare think about it. If it came true, his uncle and aunt would be furious—no ordinary person could handle that wrath.

"Don't jinx it." Ye Sui glanced at him sideways, helping Li Pushu eat. If not for the outsider, he would have held her in his arms and fed her, which he loved to do.

Li Pushu smiled instead. "Who knows? It might be possible. If Mrs. An and your aunt-in-law look alike, their daughters would probably resemble each other too. If both gave birth at the same time, even if they were swapped, it might not be discovered."

Since it was already so cliché, she might as well let her imagination go wild. She always felt that An Lanshu's attitude toward her was strange. If she were her biological mother, even if she didn't like her, she shouldn't have that "you shouldn't exist" look—at most, just awkwardness from not knowing how to interact.

Zhao Jin's heart raced, and he couldn't help opening his mind to the idea. He looked up again at Li Pushu—her smiling face, curved eyes—holy shit, for a second, he felt a sense of déjà vu—it was like seeing his eldest cousin, the smiling tiger, standing right in front of him!

He gulped... It couldn't be, right? Who would dare to switch a child from the Zhao family? But... if it were true, and he dismissed it because he couldn't believe it, if he missed the truth, it would be unfair to Li Pushu.

The meal left Zhao Jin distracted. Several times, he picked up grains of rice with his chopsticks but kept missing his mouth and dropping them on the table. It was the first time he had been so rude.

And the two who had given him this wild, cliché speculation were eating happily. Seeing that they were full and about to leave, Zhao Jin made a decision. He shook his phone. "Let's take a group photo. I love posting on my Moments for everything—any little thing has to go up. Tonight, I need to check in and post it, so my dad doesn't say I'm hanging out with shady people."

That was just an excuse. Ye Sui went along with whatever Li Pushu wanted, and she didn't mind either—just a photo. Since they were here, they might as well resolve things before returning to Jiangdong, to avoid the trouble of coming back.

So she nodded with a smile. "Sure, I haven't posted on Moments in a while. Today, I can show off that I came to Jiangbei."

Her thoughtfulness pleased Zhao Jin. He started fantasizing: if she were his cousin, that would be perfect!

Zhao Jin had the waiter take the photo, making sure to capture Li Pushu clearly from the best angle. After looking at it, he was satisfied—worthy of a tip.

He saw them off at the door, watching them walk away side by side, talking and laughing. Zhao Jin edited a caption and posted it on Moments. Soon, many likes and comments came in, asking who she was.

But what shocked him to sit up was that his eldest cousin sent a message, circling Li Pushu's avatar, asking who she was and where she was now. If it wasn't important, his cousin wouldn't bother with such trivial things from him, let alone take the initiative to ask.

"Dammit! Holy shit! It can't be true, can it?" Zhao Jin's hands trembled as he held his phone, cursing repeatedly.

Soon, his eldest cousin called, and he answered shakily.

When he rushed back to the Zhao residence in a panic, he went straight to his cousin Zhao Xi's study. Looking at the documents handed to him, Zhao Jin still couldn't believe it. "Brother, this... is this really true..."

Had his mouth been blessed without his knowledge?

"I was secretly investigating too. I only discovered this not long ago, and I haven't told anyone until I've checked it out." Zhao Xi, dressed in casual clothes, had a gentle, jade-like appearance, but his shrewd eyes always made Zhao Jin nervous.

"You saw her today. How is she?" He was definitely asking about Li Pushu.

Zhao Jin immediately reported everything in detail, adding, "Miss Li came to Jiangbei this time and already did a DNA test with President Su and Mrs. An. The results should be out by now. We can send someone to check and see."

Zhao Xi waved his hand. "No need. Come with me to the hospital now."

Since it was confirmed that the one at home wasn't his biological sister, Li Pushu's background was already obvious.

Zhao Jin followed behind Zhao Xi. His mind was still reeling from this twist. So the supposed relative turned out to be his real cousin.

*

In the hospital room, the atmosphere was tense. Sun Xuewen kept his head down, while Su Jun held the report, trembling with anger, as if he might pass out any second.

Su Jun clutched his chest, breathing heavily. He threw the report at An Lanshu, glaring at her in hatred. "An Lanshu! I, Su Jun, ask myself—in over twenty years, have I ever done you wrong? And this is how you repay me?!"

"I've raised a daughter for twenty-two years who isn't mine, and now this one isn't mine either!" Su Jun took a breath of oxygen, his voice weakening. "Tell me, where is my biological daughter? An Lanshu, don't say you don't know! This time, I want the whole truth!"

And An Lanshu, the woman who always acted noble and elegant, just moved her lips, unable to utter a single word. Beside her, Su Mingyue was secretly both delighted and worried—she hoped the real one would never show up!

Li Pushu and Ye Sui entered the hospital room. She stepped on a sheet of paper; Ye Sui bent down to pick it up. A few lines stood out clearly.

She was not biologically related to Su Jun, but she was blood-related to An Lanshu.