Chapter 218: 210 Announcement that Ying Zijin is the real young lady [1 more post]

In the bedroom, the conversation continued.

“Why is it that you always come up short compared to me?” Ying Yuexuan said. “My achievements in calligraphy and painting aren’t as high as my sister’s, I can’t even step into the Hua Country Calligraphers Association.”

Zhong Manhua did not feel comforted.

Her voice was almost resentful, “What else besides that? What else? Yes, there’s the piano, that concert was indeed great, playing Vera Hall’s pieces.”

“But these are all things socialites should know. She learned them and didn’t say anything to me, you told her to study, to do scientific research like you do, would she? Has she ever listened to me?”@@novelbin@@

Under normal circumstances, if Zijin knew these things, Manhua would have been thrilled, and she would have glowed with pride.

But before she could enjoy this glory, Zijin said she wanted to cut ties with them. Where does that leave her face?

At first, both Zhong Manhua and Ying Zhenting thought that Zijin was just throwing a tantrum and would eventually come back crying.

But two months had passed, and they hadn’t even seen a shadow of Zijin.

Zhong Manhua thought of asking Elder Zhong for help, but Elder Zhong bluntly turned her away.

The looks from the other Zhong siblings made her exceedingly uncomfortable.

Ying Yuexuan was stunned, “A concert?”

Anyone who had even the slightest contact with music would know the name Vera Hall.

If Zijin played Vera Hall’s piano pieces, the music world would have exploded, and videos would be viral online.

But being abroad, Yuexuan had heard nothing of this news.

Strange.

“Mom,” Yuexuan argued, not digging deeper, pressing down her last bit of patience, “everyone has their strengths. My sister is good at arts, you should be pleased. I forgot an assignment at school, I’ll go get it.”

Manhua cared more about her studies and stood up, “Then I’ll take you.”

“No need,” Yuexuan would rather avoid that, “Mom, you should rest more if you have a headache.”

She stood up and left, sighing in relief only after closing the door.

But upon looking up, she saw Ying Tianlv leaning against the wall.

When he saw her come out, he turned his head.

Yuexuan’s heart skipped a beat.

“Brother?”

Even though she knew such thoughts were wrong,

The first thing that popped into her head was whether Tianlv had heard her recent conversation with Manhua.

If he had heard…

Tianlv’s expression was unchanged,

As indifferent as ever,

He tipped his chin up, “Is Mom having one of her episodes again?”

Over sixteen years ago, after the baby was lost, Manhua suffered a severe mental shock.

She saw numerous psychologists over the years and took many medications, but she never fully recovered.

They said it was a deep trauma, untreated in time.

“A bit,” Yuexuan lowered her head, “Mom really is being irrational.”

At the same time, she breathed a sigh of relief.

It seemed Tianlv hadn’t heard; if he had, he wouldn’t be so calm.

“Hm,” Tianlv glanced at his watch, “I’m busy these next few days and won’t come home. If you can’t stand Mom, just stay at the school.”

Yuexuan hesitated for a moment, “Brother, can’t I stay at your place?”

Tianlv also had an apartment in the Central District.

She used to stay there, too.

“You’re a grown woman now; even though we’re siblings, we still need to avoid any impropriety,” Tianlv gave a faint smile, “I also have friends coming over. It wouldn’t be convenient.”

Yuexuan felt disappointed, but said nothing more, “Then brother, you go on with your business.”

Tianlv nodded and didn’t enter to greet Manhua.

He went downstairs, grabbed his car keys, and left.

However, he didn’t start the car.

He sat in the driver’s seat and lit a cigarette.

Upon closer inspection, his fingers were trembling.

More than sixteen years ago, he was only five years old, his memories faint.

He just remembered his sister was lost, and the house was in chaos.

After a dozen days, his sister was found again.

But now, it was clear she hadn’t been.

His own sister had been wandering outside for sixteen years.

Finally returning home, only to find herself replaced.

Her full name, nickname, birthday, identity—nothing remained.

And even worse, she had to serve as a living blood bank for her very aunt.

Tianlv couldn’t imagine how Zijin had endured that year.

Initially, he truly thought Manhua and Zhenting adopted Zijin because she looked similar and they felt a connection.

But this was his real sister, who ended up with neither kinship nor a proper family but was labeled as a “foster daughter.”

Today, after overhearing Yuexuan and Manhua, he suddenly realized—Yuexuan knew.

He had known at least earlier than her.

But she said nothing.

Even though Ying Tianlv knew that Ying Yuexuan hadn’t done anything wrong, she had been young back then; he couldn’t blame her.

Yet every time he thought about everything that should have belonged to Ying Zijin being occupied by Ying Yuexuan, he couldn’t accept it.

At the same age, Ying Zijin suffered in the countryside, unable to wear a single nice piece of clothing.

Whereas Ying Yuexuan grew up loved by everyone, without a care for food or clothing, and even able to pursue her own interests.

The comparison made the impact even stronger.

Ying Tianlv took a deep breath, barely suppressing the tumultuous emotions rolling inside him.

Then he turned the steering wheel and stepped on the gas.

**

Forty minutes later.

At the Zhong Family old house.

Ying Tianlv got out of the car just as someone was coming out of the old house.

He was surprised, “Uncle Haiyan?”

“Hmm, Tianlv.” Zhong Haiyan was quite surprised too, “You’re back as well?”

“Yes, I just got back not long ago,” Ying Tianlv nodded, “What brings you here?”

Zhong Haiyan worked out of town and only returned to the Zhong Family for the New Year.

“Nothing much.” Zhong Haiyan shook the marriage certificate in his hand, “I was filing for a divorce.”

“Divorce?” Ying Tianlv was stunned, “You’re divorcing Aunt?”

“She’s not your aunt anymore.” Mentioning Lady Zhong, Zhong Haiyan’s expression grew colder, “It’s complicated. I’ll talk to you about it later.”

Tianlv also had urgent matters, so he didn’t ask any further.

He entered the old house and went straight to Elder Zhong’s study.

“Grandpa,” Ying Tianlv got straight to the point, “Did you know from early on that Zijin was actually my sister?”

Elder Zhong was reviewing some documents. Hearing this, he looked up, very calm; “You found out?”

Ying Tianlv held his head, laughing bitterly, “I overheard by accident. Grandpa, why didn’t you tell me?”

“What good would telling you do?” Master Zhong replied indifferently, “Zijin has already left the Ying Family. Whether she’s your sister or not isn’t important.”

“It is important.” Ying Tianlv placed his hands on the desk, “She is my sister. How can she be treated as a foster daughter? Her identity needs to be made public.”

Identity was crucial within the circle of wealthy families.

Not to mention a foster daughter, even an illegitimate daughter couldn’t be included in the family tree.

He really didn’t understand why, despite Ying Zijin being the true miss of the Ying Family, Zhong Manhua and Ying Zhenting acted as if they couldn’t even see her, never mentioning her.

“Zijin says she doesn’t need it,” sighed Elder Zhong, shaking his head, “I didn’t think of telling you because I wasn’t sure about your stance. If you were like those two, it would be better not to say anything.”

Ying Tianlv fell silent for a moment, “Grandpa, what’s your stance towards… Yuexuan?”

No matter if it was the name Ying Yuexuan or the nickname Wanwan, or even the birthday on Ying Yuexuan’s ID card, they were all actually Ying Zijin’s.

This was true usurpation.

“I’m not going to be close, but I won’t distance myself,” Elder Zhong replied with mixed feelings, “After all, I watched her grow up, and she hasn’t done anything outrageous.”

Ying Tianlv slowly exhaled, “But why did she know she wasn’t the biological daughter, yet not tell me?”

“She knew?” Elder Zhong’s expression changed upon hearing this, “She actually knew?”

“Yes, she knew,” said Ying Tianlv flatly, “I thought about it, and she must have known when Zijin came back. That’s why she went to the O continent.”

Elder Zhong fell silent as well.

Yuexuan had found out a year earlier but hadn’t told him, nor had she told Tianlv.

And she did not truly leave the Ying Family.

She had enjoyed another person’s life for 17 years, in luxury and comfort.

If Yuexuan insisted on leaving, Zhong Manhua and Ying Zhenting couldn’t stop her.

Leaving didn’t mean there were no familial feelings.

Elder Zhong’s emotions grew even more complicated.

“It’s human nature, afraid to lose what one has.” Ying Tianlv thought for a long time, softly sighing, “I have the same stance as you, grandpa. As long as she doesn’t do anything, I’ll treat her as an ordinary friend.”

“But what belongs to Zijin is hers and can’t be occupied by anyone else.”

“Grandpa, let’s organize a banquet when we have time, to publicly announce her identity.”

**

Above the Pacific Ocean.

Ying Zijin hadn’t yet left the island, and in the meantime, she had called Fu Yunshen to reassure him.

She was walking when her phone rang again.

Ying Zijin glanced at the number.

It was still Elder Zhong’s number, but she knew the caller was probably Ying Tianlv.

She pressed the decline button.

Although the island was unmarked on maps, and she was abroad,

Spending money on international roaming to answer a call from someone unimportant was not her cup of tea.

She had never interacted with Ying Tianlv and had no desire to.

Apart from the Central District and the Bounty District, there was one more area on the island, the Hunter District.

Behind her, the smile in Di Wu Yue’s eyes vanished, and her voice turned somber, pointing above, “Miss, look.”