In the Years When I Was a Father

Chapter 116: Cuckold Dad (9)

On Saturday, with the father and sons out for the day, Zhong Jin, who had been stuck at home with her son all this time, finally felt free to go out without worry.

Ever since she recalled Kang Hongxing that day, she hadn’t stopped fantasizing about the Kang family. Over the past few days, she had secretly asked Zhang Yu to help her gather information about them. Yesterday, some news finally came in, but Zhang Yu insisted on sharing it in person. So today, as soon as the father and sons left, Zhong Jin quickly got ready and headed out.

At the Huayang Café, Zhang Yu had arrived early and was visibly a little annoyed when Zhong Jin showed up thirty minutes late.

“What have you been so busy with lately? I kept asking you to come out, and you kept giving excuses. Now that we finally get to meet, you’re even late! Don’t tell me your husband’s still trying to stop you from seeing me?” Zhang Yu rolled her eyes as she spoke. “I’m not some wild beast. All I did was take you to an entertainment club once. Does he really need to guard you from me like that? Country bumpkin!”

Zhong Jin simply smiled without saying much, but her expression tacitly admitted Zhang Yu’s guess.

“So, any inside news about the Kang family?” she asked eagerly after sitting down, not even bothering to order coffee.

Zhang Yu narrowed her eyes and looked at Zhong Jin suspiciously. She slowly took a sip of her coffee, then raised an eyebrow at Zhong Jin’s anxious face. “There is some insider information, but you have to tell me first—why the sudden interest in the Kang family?”

Zhong Jin smiled helplessly at the repeated questioning. “Didn’t I already tell you? I have a niece studying abroad in Country M. Recently, her family heard she’s dating a direct descendant of the Kang family. They’re getting worried, but the girl won’t say anything, so they asked me to find out more about the Kang family.”

Zhang Yu wasn’t buying it. She set down her coffee cup and smiled a little wickedly. “If you’re not going to be honest, then I’m not telling you anything either. It took me a lot of effort to dig up this information, and here you are, not even a thank you—and still keeping secrets from me! That’s it, we’re done for today. I’m leaving.”

“Sister Yu, don’t go!” Zhong Jin panicked as she saw her getting up. She quickly pulled her back, and seeing that Zhang Yu still looked determined to leave, she reluctantly said, “Fine, Sister Yu, don’t go. I’ll tell you, okay?” Zhang Yu smirked and triumphantly sat back down.

“Go on.”

Zhong Jin paused to organize her thoughts, then said with some resentment, “I had a relationship with Kang Hongxing when I was young. You know how different our family backgrounds were. In the end, his family not only tore us apart but mocked and humiliated me. I’ve held a grudge ever since. Lately, I heard some vague rumors that the Kang family ran into trouble, so of course I had to check it out.”

Zhang Yu raised an eyebrow in doubt. “Kang Hongxing? The third son of the Kang family?”

Zhong Jin nodded, feigning concern. “Yes, that’s him. Is he the one in trouble this time?”

Zhang Yu shook her head, still skeptical. “How did you two even meet?”

Zhong Jin continued weaving her story without missing a beat. “I used to live in Hong City for a while. At the time, he was a department manager at the family business there. We met when he was shopping alone one day.”

Back when she was with Kang Hongfei, Kang Hongxing had indeed worked in the family business in Hong City. Her story had enough truth in it to sound convincing, making Zhang Yu begin to believe it a little.

Zhang Yu chuckled and gave Zhong Jin a look, sneering inwardly. A love story? More like a gold digger trying to land a rich husband, only to get kicked to the curb as soon as she was seen through.

She secretly looked down on Zhong Jin. Sure, the woman had a pretty face, but her greed and scheming weren’t any less than the conniving women she’d seen before. Only someone as simple-minded as Qi Sheng would treat her like a treasure. Tch!

Still, Zhang Yu didn’t keep her hanging any longer. She took another sip of coffee, then smiled as she finally spoke under Zhong Jin’s eager gaze. “Well, this time, the trouble the Kang family is in might actually be enough to help you vent your anger.”

Zhong Jin was inwardly anxious but had to suppress her curiosity a bit as she pressed further, “What is it?”

“I asked a friend in Country M to look into it. She’s well-connected in high society there and told me that the Kang family’s heir was in a car accident and has been in a coma ever since. Rumor has it he’s likely become a vegetable.”

“The heir? Kang Hongxing’s son?” Upon hearing the news, a mix of shock and delight overwhelmed Zhong Jin. She forced herself to stay calm and asked for confirmation again.

Zhang Yu nodded. “Yeah. Who else but Kang Hongxing’s son would be called the Kang family’s crown prince? Looks like things are about to get messy in the Kang family. With his son in an accident, the competition for the heir position is bound to heat up! The Kang family is still trying to keep it under wraps, but they’ll have to go public eventually.”

“Well, now you can be happy. The Kang family’s misfortune should finally put your old grudge to rest.”

Zhong Jin barely managed to hold back her smile. Her lips twitched as a grin slowly spread across her face. Zhang Yu rolled her eyes at her reaction. “Are you really that happy? It’s been so many years.”

Zhong Jin pretended to act like someone avenging a long-standing grudge, smiling smugly. “Of course I’m happy. I’ve never been able to forget it after all these years!”

Zhang Yu shrugged, finished her coffee, and made no plans to stay longer. “Well, that’s all I found out. I’ve said what I came to say, so I’m heading out.”

This time, Zhong Jin didn’t try to stop her. She had just received the piece of news she’d been dying to hear, and her mind was now entirely occupied with one thought: heir. It had taken great effort to keep her composure while talking to Zhang Yu, and now she couldn’t wait for her to leave.

Once Zhang Yu had disappeared outside the café, Zhong Jin still couldn’t quite believe it. She took a sip of coffee to calm her nerves, but the joy and fantasies in her heart wouldn’t stop flooding in.

She sat there until noon before finally coming back to her senses, paid the bill, and practically floated home.

Back at the empty house, Zhong Jin was brimming with happiness. Soon, she, Zhong Jin, would become the biological mother of a wealthy family’s heir. Ha! Heaven truly had not treated her poorly!

Her joy continued into the next day when Qi Yuancheng came back. Zhong Jin couldn’t wait to share the news with her eldest son. She was so excited that she completely ignored Qi Sheng still being at home and dragged her son into the bedroom.

Qi Yuancheng had just returned in a good mood, but the moment his mother pulled him into the bedroom, even though his father had already gone into the study, his expression turned sour instantly.

He glared at Zhong Jin, signaling with his eyes for her to leave.

Unfortunately, Zhong Jin was too overwhelmed with joy to care about her son’s silent warnings.

“Xiao Chen, your opportunity has come. The Kang family—”

Before she could finish, Qi Yuancheng covered her mouth immediately. He was about to go crazy. He’d done everything he could to prevent his father from learning the truth, and now this woman dared to talk about his background with his father still in the house.

Qi Yuancheng was beyond furious. He kept his hand over Zhong Jin’s mouth, wishing he had never known this woman at all.

Zhong Jin was startled by her eldest son’s expression. Her previously excited nerves finally cooled down a bit.

She looked at her son with a pitiful face and didn’t speak again until he finally let her go.

“Xiao Chen, I—”

“Get out!”

Qi Yuancheng practically shouted it. If it weren’t for the fact that his father was still in the study, he might have completely exploded by now. He didn’t care whether this woman was his biological mother anymore. He shoved her out of the room, glanced toward the study, and then closed the door again.

Once the door was shut, Qi Yuancheng couldn’t hold back anymore. He leaned against it, staring blankly at the ceiling in front of him, forcing himself not to cry, but his heart only grew colder.

He had been as happy yesterday as he was miserable today. Why did he have a mother like this—greedy and selfish, always looking to rip open the deepest wound on his body?

He stood there for a long time before finally forcing himself to calm down. Thinking about Zhong Jin’s behavior just now, he gave a bitter laugh. Looks like his mother had learned about Kang Chengyi’s accident.

Qi Yuancheng had found out about this incident while investigating the Kang family. But emotionally, it didn’t stir anything in him. If he had his way, he’d prefer that nothing in the Kang family—no matter who or what—had anything to do with him.

But because he was worried that the person who had sent the paternity report might have other plans in motion, Qi Yuancheng had no choice but to keep watching every move the Kang family made. That was when something strange happened:

The shares in the Kang Group suddenly changed hands?!

Xu Ruhuan was beside herself with rage after learning that her son’s accident had been orchestrated. If she could, she would have personally killed the perpetrator. But even though the evidence was solid, she couldn’t personally send that person to prison.

“Kang Hongxian, Xiao Yi is your own son! Are you really going to stand by and let the one who hurt him go unpunished?!”

Kang Hongxian sighed. Looking at his furious wife, he could only say, “Father just called. Kang Chengzhi can’t be sent to prison by us—”

Before Kang Hongxian could finish, Xu Ruhuan screamed, “Xiao Yi is his biological grandson! How could Dad do this?!”

Seeing his wife’s hysteria, Kang Hongxian’s eyes dimmed. He understood his father’s reasoning, but he understood his wife’s pain even more. As a father, not only was he unable to avenge his son, he even had to personally let the culprit go. His heart ached no less. But their family owed the Kang Chengzhi family a massive debt. At least now, it was finally repaid.

“Dad said that all the shares under his name related to the Kang family will be transferred to Xiao Yi. Since Xiao Yi is still unconscious, he asked you to manage them on his behalf.”

Hearing this, Xu Ruhuan burst into tears and laughter. Her son was on the verge of death—what meaning did those shares still hold? Her anger had nowhere to go. Suddenly, she turned and glared at Kang Hongxian, eyes filled with hatred. “It’s all your fault, Kang Hongxian! All your fault! If you hadn’t fathered an illegitimate son back then, how could Xiao Yi have fallen into their trap?!”

Recalling the origin of everything, Xu Ruhuan immediately directed her fury at Kang Hongxian. Looking at her husband, she deeply regretted having indulged him in the past.

Thinking of her son still unconscious in the hospital, Xu Ruhuan immediately picked up her phone, ready to call her brother from her maiden family. But before she could dial, Kang Hongxian—who had been closely watching her—stopped her.

Xu Ruhuan sneered. “What, now you want to protect that bastard outside?”

Kang Hongxian felt a headache coming on. He quickly tried to calm her down. “This has nothing to do with him. There’s no need to cause trouble for him. Don’t worry. I can promise you—Kang Hongxian only has one son, and that’s Xiao Yi.”

Xu Ruhuan shook her head and stepped back. She wiped away her tears and glared at him with hatred. “You think I haven’t noticed your sneaky little moves these past two years? Kang Hongxian, I only didn’t deal with them because you prioritized Xiao Yi. Now that my Xiao Yi has had an accident, I won’t let anyone involved in this get away!”

Finishing her words, she ignored him and walked straight out of the room, driving away from the Kang family’s old residence.

Kang Hongxian didn’t chase after her. He sat back down on the sofa, and when he recalled what his wife just said, he couldn’t help but give a bitter smile.

Back then, during a chance business event in China, Kang Hongxian had been briefly invited to attend. He didn’t stay long, but by coincidence, he saw Zhong Jin with her family of three.

That event allowed employees to bring their families. Qi Sheng, as one of the company’s technical backbones at the time, attended with his glamorous wife and their eldest son, arriving proudly at the hotel.

Qi Yuancheng had been adorable even as a child. It wasn’t just Zhong Jin who drew attention—people were also crowding around Yuancheng.

That night, Qi Sheng wore a wide, self-satisfied smile, unaware that someone nearby had started having doubts after seeing his son.

Though Qi Yuancheng mostly resembled Zhong Jin, his nose bore a resemblance to Kang Hongxian’s. At that age, children’s features weren’t fully developed yet, but he did look somewhat like a young Kang Chengyi.

Kang Hongxian clearly remembered how Zhong Jin had once taken the initiative to climb into his bed. So after seeing Qi Yuancheng’s face, he couldn’t help but feel suspicious.

He quickly arranged for a paternity test in secret, and the result confirmed it—Qi Yuancheng really was his son.

At the time, Kang Hongxian was furious, wanting nothing more than to immediately eliminate Zhong Jin and the so-called illegitimate son. But when he calmed down and thought about the boy’s faint resemblance to his legitimate son, Kang Chengyi, he couldn’t bring himself to do it.

Kang Hongxian didn’t intend to acknowledge the child at the time, but because he’d momentarily softened toward Qi Yuancheng, he hadn’t dealt with Zhong Jin either.

Later, he returned to China and buried the entire matter. At the time, the only one he cared about was his legitimate, high-born son—Kang Chengyi. As for Qi Yuancheng, he was nothing more than a name in his mind.

This continued until two years ago, when fifteen-year-old Qi Yuancheng won the grand prize at an international computer competition. It was one of the top algorithm competitions in the world, with most participants being university students or graduate students from prestigious global institutions. For someone so young to win top honors, he naturally made headlines in international media for several days.

Only then did Kang Hongxian suddenly recall he had such a son.

No one dislikes excellent children—not even someone worth billions like Kang Hongxian. At that time, Kang Chengyi had just entered university and was doing well too, but compared to a boy who had already gained global recognition, there was still a gap. Inevitably, Kang Hongxian began to secretly monitor Qi Yuancheng.

Thinking of that child now, Kang Hongxian couldn’t help but glance toward the door his wife had just exited.

Perhaps… it was time to come clean.