Chapter 239: 231 Ying Tianlv: Zijin is actually my own younger sister 【1 more】

This sweet shop was opened by a couple, completely artisanal, with limited daily quantities, which is why it can only be found in the city next to Shanghai City.

But due to its superb taste, many people would queue every day.

Once, a family from Shanghai City even offered capital support to help the couple expand their shop, but they were rejected.

Ying Tianlv went there at noon and joined the three-hour queue before he could make his purchase.

These past few days, he had thought a lot.

The things he could have done, having been delayed for so many years, couldn’t really be rectified, he could only compensate in various ways.

He wasn’t a qualified big brother, but he would seriously try to become one.

Ying Yuexuan’s ears buzzed, her hand paused in midair, and she just perfectly brushed past Ying Tianlv.

The smile on her face slowly solidified and gradually turned pale.

It was both agonizing and awkward.

Ying Yuexuan stared blankly at Ying Tianlv, her eyes reddening.

Even if her reaction was slow, she realized that Ying Tianlv’s avoidance these past days wasn’t because he was too busy with work, but because he knew she wasn’t his biological younger sister.

It turned out that Ying Tianlv really did hear her that day outside the door.

But he just wouldn’t tell her, allowing her to harbor a sliver of false hope.

Zhong Manhua hadn’t expected Ying Tianlv to be visiting Ying Zijin, and had even given the dessert meant for Ying Yuexuan to Ying Zijin.

Her expression turned sour, her face ashen with fury, but she held back from scolding outright.

Ying Tianlv was her son after all, and she knew exactly what kind of person he was.

Stubborn, and upright.

If she started a conflict with him then and there, he would certainly confront her.

Perhaps, he might even let the guests at the banquet know that Ying Yuexuan is the actual foster daughter of the Ying family.

Even if she didn’t acknowledge it, the guests would still be suspicious, which wouldn’t be good for Ying Yuexuan’s reputation.

How could Zhong Manhua not understand what Ying Tianlv’s actions meant?

He was declaring that Ying Zijin was his genuine younger sister.

Zhong Manhua clutched her chest, almost breathless with anger.

Especially seeing Ying Yuexuan’s pale demeanor, she felt even more heartache, “Xiao Xuan, don’t be sad, Mom and Dad have always been on your side.”

“Your big brother is just like this for the moment, the one he cherishes the most is still you.”

“No, I’m not sad,” Ying Yuexuan quickly lowered her head, her voice shaky, but she forced a smile, “I should be happy, I was never my brother’s biological sister to begin with, and my sister has suffered a lot, how could my brother not love her.”

Although she said this, she couldn’t help it, and tears still streamed down her face.

She raised her hand to wipe them, but the more she wiped, the more they flowed.

Ying Yuexuan could accept the change in attitude from Old Master Zhong toward her.

After all, she knew she was his granddaughter and couldn’t compare with Zhong Zhiwan, who bore the Zhong surname.

Of course, there used to be no difference in how Old Master Zhong treated them.

But Ying Yuexuan had always prepared herself mentally for a buffer.

That way, even if Old Master Zhong favored Zhong Zhiwan in the future, she wouldn’t feel too let down.

But Ying Tianlv was different.

Ying Tianlv had only her for a sister, naturally doting on and indulging her alone.

There was no one else to share this affection.

And that’s why she was afraid.

Yet the very thing she feared the most still happened.

Ying Yuexuan took a few slow breaths and said in a low voice, “Mom, I need to go to the restroom.”

Zhong Manhua also knew how uncomfortable she must be feeling and put down her wine glass, “Mom will go with you.”

Fortunately, not many people had arrived at the banquet at that moment, just a few young masters and rich daughters witnessed this scene.

They found it rather strange, but none of them asked.

Ying Zijin looked at the bag handed to her by Ying Tianlv and fell silent for a moment.

She never knew how to refuse others’ sincere kindness.

Also, because of her physical disability, whoever treated her well, she would repay them hundredfold.

Just that with Ying Tianlv, she had no intention of accepting his efforts just yet.

Fu Yunshen leaned against the dining table, his long legs slightly bent, handsome and dashing with a dissipated air about him.

He reached out, took the bag of sweets, and with a smirk said, “It’s such a hassle for Young Master Ying to travel so far. The little girl is shy around strangers and isn’t familiar with you yet, let me take it for her.”

Ying Tianlv’s hand paused, his gaze growing deeper.

He was well aware that ever since Fu Yunshen returned from O continent, he had become quite close to Ying Zijin.

And yet, he hadn’t done anything inappropriate, instead, he had helped her greatly.

Even though everyone in Shanghai City claimed that Fu Yunshen was a prodigal son who only knew how to enjoy life and please women.

But Ying Tianlv never took that seriously.

If Fu Yunshen were truly a prodigal son, even with Old Master Fu protecting him, could he have survived this long in the turbulent waves of the Fu Family?

The most terrifying people are those you cannot see through.

Ying Tianlv also knew that it would take a long time for Zijin to accept him.

In fact, he was prepared to spend a lifetime making amends.

He still left the dessert bag for Fu Yunshen, but before he left, he issued a warning, “She’s young, don’t bully her.”

“Little friend, your big brother here—” Fu Yunshen placed the dessert bag on the dining table, paused, his voice laced with a hint of laughter, lazy, “seems to have quite the hostility towards me.”

Zijin raised her eyebrows slightly, unruffled, “Then you probably haven’t noticed that my grandfather is also quite hostile towards you.”

At this, Fu Yunshen’s peach blossom eyes gently lifted, soul-stirring, “Because my grandfather stole his snacks?”

“No.” The girl poured a cup of juice, took a sip, then said, “Because you want to replace him, to be my grandfather.”

“…”

**

After Ying Tianlv delivered desserts to Ying Zijin, he didn’t go to find Zhong Manhua or Ying Yuexuan but instead met with Jiang Heng, a fellow young master he had a good relationship with.

The Jiang Family was also a major clan in Shanghai City, second only to the Four major noble families.

Jiang Heng was about the same age as him, and their friendship was deep.

The two men walked to the smoking area.

“Tianlv, what’s going on with you?” Jiang Heng finally managed to voice the confusion in his heart, “Why did you go looking for your family’s foster daughter?”

“I just saw it, Yuexuan was crying, aren’t you going to comfort her?”

Ying Tianlv took off his suit jacket and handed it to a waiter, his expression indifferent, “Zijin is my real sister.”

Jiang Heng abruptly froze, pupils constricting, “What?!”

“The baby that my aunt stole and abandoned, that’s Zijin too,” said Ying Tianlv, “Actually, my parents never found her. To avoid instability in Ying Corporation’s stocks and mockery from other wealthy families, they adopted Xiao Xuan.”

Jiang Heng drew a sharp breath, “Is that so?”

Dog-blood drama wasn’t uncommon among the wealthy families, but this was the first he had heard of something like this.

“I found out only after I came back; otherwise, I’d still be in the dark,” Tianlv lit a cigarette and chuckled self-deprecatingly, “I asked for Zijin’s identity to be made public, but my dad and mom wouldn’t allow it.”

Pausing, he continued, “You know I called my dad, saying if they don’t make Zijin’s identity public, it’s okay, I can help with the paternity test, but do you know what he said?”

Jiang Heng followed his cue, “What did he say?”

“He said even if I did it, it’d be useless. Even if others believed it, he wouldn’t change Yuexuan’s status as the Young Miss of the Ying Family,” Tianlv spoke indifferently, “As you know, compared to my parents, my foundation in Shanghai’s social circle is still shallow.”

“So the generations of my parents, my grandmother, they won’t believe it, but their acknowledgment is more important.”

An unrecognized identity is utterly useless.

Moreover, the Four major noble families have always been at surface-level relations only.

In reality, there’s a lot of underhanded scheming and rivalry.

If he were to come out and clarify things with Old Master Zhong, it might lead others to suspect that they were conspiring to seize the Ying Family’s assets.

In that case, some side branches and branch families of the Zhong Family and Ying Family would have a justification to cause trouble.

“Your parents…” Jiang Heng shook his head, taking quite a while before slowly exhaling a sentence, “But then again, it’s normal.”

Most wealthy families only care about benefits.

Incidents of siblings harming each other are not uncommon.

How outstanding Ying Yuexuan is, is known to all.

Although she’s not a beauty of unparalleled grace, she has a strong affinity, able to easily converse with strangers.

Jiang Heng quite enjoyed interacting with her.

He had also heard that Ying Yuexuan, during her year studying abroad at a public school in “O” continent, had joined a research team.

The leader of the research team was a well-known professor in academic circles.

At just 17 years old, her future was boundless.

Not to mention, Ying Yuexuan was brought up under the watchful eyes of Zhong Manhua and Ying Zhenting.

The affection built over sixteen years of raising her would certainly be deeper than that for a biological daughter who was found only a year ago.

In the past, Jiang Heng had seen Ying Zijin a few times.

Whether in terms of temperament or learning, she genuinely couldn’t compare with Ying Yuexuan.

However, upon seeing her this time, he was stunned for a long time.

“I have to think of a way,” said Ying Tianlv, tapping his cigarette ash into the tray, frowning, “to find someone of high enough status, to help Zijin clarify her identity, so my parents have no way to deny it.”

“That’s a bit impossible,” Jiang Heng shook his head upon hearing this, “Such a person doesn’t exist in Shanghai City, unless you’re referring to someone from the Imperial Capital’s Mu Family or the Nie Family, and even then, it would have to be someone from Mu Chenzhou’s grandfather’s generation.”

But how could that be possible?

Those major clans of the Imperial Capital, why would they bother with affairs of Shanghai’s Four major noble families?

While Jiang Heng was speaking, he glanced inadvertently at the entrance of the banquet hall and suddenly stopped, nudging Ying Tianlv’s shoulder and nodding his chin toward it, “Tianlv, look.”

“What is it?”

Ying Tianlv turned his head.