novelraw Chapter 542 - 459: Is It Really Her? (Part 2)
Chapter 542 - 459: Is It Really Her? (Part 2)
Chapter 542: Chapter 459: Is It Really Her? (Part 2)
Zhuang Liqun returned to his parents’ house. The old couple was still relatively healthy. When they heard him talk about his origins, they flatly denied it.
The old lady, growing emotional, slapped him across the face and called him unfilial!
Yet the truth of the paternity test lay before them. Finally, the old man sighed in exasperation and began recounting the decades-old story.
Back then, when they were expecting a child, issues arose even before the wife gave birth. While others could work during pregnancy, they didn’t dare for fear of mishaps.
Their family line spanned generations with a single heir, so they attached utmost importance to the child. To ensure safety, they chose to go to the county hospital instead of relying on a local midwife at home.
Luckily, even though the birth was difficult, they narrowly escaped catastrophe. The child was successfully born, but after a few minutes, he no longer breathed.
The doctor informed them that the wife’s health was very poor and suggested careful recovery, with the chance of having another child later.
In their deep grief, unable to overcome their sorrow, a masked nurse brought them a baby boy. She said this child was born out of wedlock to a young woman who had fled after giving birth.
If they were willing, they could raise this child as their own.
The couple, drowning in heartbreak, started pondering how they could explain to their families.
The wife’s maternal instincts surged when she saw the child. She cried uncontrollably and lamented how wonderful it would’ve been if their own child had been healthy and alive.
The husband, overcome with pity, repeatedly asked for confirmation that the real mother would never come back looking for the child.
The nurse assured them firmly that it wouldn’t happen. "She’s already run away. Even if she wanted to come back, you’d be discharged by then — where would she find you?"
Thus, they decided to raise the child and simply claim he was their own.
They thought they could later conceive again after recovering their health.
To avoid complications, the couple wasted no time and took the baby home directly.
As for the Jade Pendant around his neck, the husband initially considered discarding it. But upon reflection, he thought that if they eventually had a second child, it might give this boy—a child from someone else—a chance to find his birth mother someday.
Decades passed, and no one ever came looking for him. Later, the wife became pregnant again, but the pregnancy ended in miscarriage before reaching four months.
The doctor advised them not to try again, as it would harm the wife’s health terribly and there was a risk of recurrent failure.
Humans are emotional beings, and the couple grew deeply attached to the boy. They treated him extraordinarily well, and no one in the family ever learned the original child had died at birth.
After so many years, the boy became like their own flesh and blood.
They could never have anticipated that, now almost at 70 years old, someone would come knocking!
That’s why the old lady became so agitated—wasn’t this a ploy to steal their "peach"?
They had nurtured this child so painstakingly, educated him, supported him through his wedding, and even helped raise their grandson, who was now 17 or 18. They had been the ones to coax him when he was a child.
They couldn’t help but assume the other side wasn’t well-off. After all, back then, having a child out of wedlock was a source of terrible shame.
Zhuang Liqun had already heard the Jin Family father and son recount the events of the past. When they told him he was a legitimate child and had been stolen by the nurse to be handed over to them, the old couple refused to believe it at first.
They kept accusing the Jin Family of lying, and the old lady even spun conspiracy theories, claiming the other side saw how successful Zhuang Liqun had become and wanted to recognize him so he could support them in their old age.
Zhuang Liqun explained that his biological mother had passed away years ago, and his biological father had since remarried.
Now, the ones seeking him were his uncle’s family.
The old lady adamantly refused to believe him!
It wasn’t until Jin Jiachao and Jin Yichen came over in person that the couple began to change their perception. Judging by the demeanor and attire of the Jin Family members, they could tell these people were far beyond ordinary wealth.
At that point, they realized they had been deceived all these years.
Could a nurse really have tricked them?
Thinking back, the masked nurse had always seemed suspicious!
After exchanging pleasantries, Jin Jiachao asked them to recall the nurse’s physical characteristics.
No matter the circumstances, they had raised this child. They wouldn’t allow anyone to take him away.
However, the truth of what happened years ago needed to be uncovered, as this incident had led to the death of his sister due to overwhelming grief.
Both the old woman and the old man were deeply moved, and putting themselves in the Jin Family’s shoes, they could empathize.
If their child had not died but had been stolen shortly after birth, they would’ve gone mad with anguish—perhaps even felt like dying themselves.
Yet with over 40 years having passed, many memories were hazy.
Tears streaming from her eyes, the old lady tried hard to remember but could barely recall anything. She only remembered the nurse being quite thin and likely not very tall.
Suddenly, the old man recollected a detail about her appearance. Although she had been masked, the nurse had a tear-shaped mole beneath her eye.
If not for the lasting impression of that incident, he wouldn’t have remembered so vividly.
Jin Jiachao and Jin Yichen exchanged stunned looks, their eyes widening. Could it really be her?
This person was none other than Chen Shimei’s later wife, the woman named Luo Juan!
Jin Jiachao was furious. Without further delay, he sought another individual, then brought Zhuang Liqun and his parents directly to the Chen Family for an in-person confrontation.
Initially, Jin Jiachao’s plan was to discreetly locate his sister’s child without informing Chen Shimei, leaving him to live his life regretting the void of never having a biological son to see him off in his old age.
But now he had changed his mind. He wanted Chen Shimei to witness firsthand the truth of what his wife had done.
Could Chen Shimei have had a hand in the child’s abduction all those years ago?
Currently, the Chen Family, bolstered by Luo Juan’s son Liu Gang (now renamed Chen Luosheng), had improved their standing. Luo Juan had found him a wife—a daughter of a local official working in the Bureau of Industry and Commerce named Zheng Huiwen.
As a result, the Chen Family had also prospered, operating a prominent building materials business in the area. They had one daughter named Chen Xiaoqiao, now 15 years old.
Timing proved fortuitous, as Jin Jiachao’s group arrived just in time for Chen Xiaoqiao’s birthday celebration. The villa was bustling with guests.
Even if Chen Shimei wanted to avoid Jin Jiachao, he couldn’t. Although the Chen Family projected an image of success, Chen Shimei fully understood that compared to the Jin Family, his standing was insignificant.
Provoking the Jin Family could lead to unpredictable consequences with Jin Jiachao’s temper.
Jin Jiachao stormed into the hall with fury, surveying the lively gathering. His face twisted into a cold sneer.
"I’ve come at just the right time, haven’t I? Chen Songxi! It’s been a while!"
"What are you here for?" Chen Songxi glanced behind Jin Jiachao at the unfamiliar group but felt perplexed. He recognized Jin Yichen, but he couldn’t place the other three people. Oddly, when he saw Zhuang Liqun, he felt an inexplicable sense of familiarity.
Beside him, Luo Juan’s face turned pale; this was unmistakably... (To be continued. If you enjoy this work, please visit Qidian (qidian.com) to vote for recommendations and monthly tickets. Your support is my greatest motivation. Mobile users, please visit m.qidian.com for reading.)