Zhong Yong had asked an excellent question.
Why set the deadline at the end of 2019?
Because 2019 was the year Wen Ying was reborn.
Once 2019 passed, all her “prophetic foresight” would vanish. She would no longer be able to plan her life using memories from her previous existence, nor could she use that foresight to alter the fates of those around her. That was why, from the moment she opened her eyes again, Wen Ying had been making the most critical preparations: before 2020 arrived, accumulate as much wealth and reputation as possible. When she stood high enough, whether she possessed foresight or not would cease to matter.
To Wen Ying, 2019 was the most important turning point after her rebirth.
And 2019 was also the year Xie Qian had died in her previous life.
Her young man should have had a dazzling future, yet he withered in the summer of 2019.
Only if Xie Qian lived safely through 2019 would Wen Ying believe she had truly rewritten his tragic fate, that she had genuinely broken his “death curse”. Wen Ying had always despised feudal superstition. Before her rebirth she had scoffed at fatalism. She firmly believed destiny lay in one’s own hands, and she still did.
Except when it came to Xie Qian. When she thought of his premature death in the previous life, she was willing to abandon her principles.
Perhaps changing fate was not actually difficult.
Becoming a lawyer in one life and a writer in this one was a change.
Turning a delinquent girl into a manager was not hard either.
Life’s road was full of forks. Different choices led to different branches.
But all those changes shared one condition: whether it was Wang Shuang drowning or Yang Xi’s fire, they had been “accidents”.
Even if Wang Shuang’s fall into the water had been orchestrated by the Yu father and son, she was still an unlucky bystander caught in the crossfire.
So for Wang Shuang and Yang Xi, simply avoiding that single fatal accident meant the rest of their lives could be brilliant no matter how they lived them.
Xie Qian’s death curse was no accident.
The more Wen Ying learned, the more certain she became that Xie Qian’s death in the previous life had been murder.
Surviving once did not guarantee there would not be a second attempt.
She only knew the major node of 2019. She could not predict every single assassination attempt against him. This “sudden overseas trip” had caught her completely unprepared.
Fortunately she still had Xie Yuping’s contact details.
Fortunately Xie Yuping still trusted the intelligence she provided and had acted with lightning speed, forcing Zhuo Chen, Zhuo Yue, and Xie Jinghu to take DNA tests the same day.
Zhuo Chen was the biological child, Zhuo Yue was not. The scumbag Xie Jinghu was now shattered. For Zou Weijun, this was the perfect moment to demand divorce.
Divorce was good.
Once the property was divided, Xie Qian’s personal safety would actually become more secure.
But it was still not enough.
Wen Ying had to do more for Xie Qian. She had to add another layer of protection so that he could safely survive the great calamity of 2019. Right now, this was the only thing she could do for him.
She forced down the grief surging from her very core and deliberately answered in a light, almost playful tone. “There’s an old saying: ‘One stands firm at thirty.’ Xie Qian is so outstanding. He deserves an extra year, don’t you think? When he turns thirty-one, we’ll finally see how capable he really is, whether he can become the ‘helmsman’ everyone truly trusts.”
Zhong Yong replayed Wen Ying’s suggestion and explanation several times in his head. Thinking of Xie Qian’s current condition, he felt her proposal was nothing short of inspired.
Everyone was keeping the truth from Wen Ying, yet it felt as though she already knew everything.
From the rest room came ever-louder shouting. Zhong Yong knew he had other matters to attend to.
“I will relay your suggestion word for word,” he promised.
Wen Ying did not cling to the call. She hung up at once.
Zhong Yong hurried to Xie Yuping’s side and quietly passed on Wen Ying’s proposal.
Xie Yuping pondered for a moment. “When the lawyers arrive, explain it to them once. Ask how feasible it is in practice.”
By saying this, Xie Yuping had already decided to adopt Wen Ying’s plan.
Zhong Yong felt the practical difficulty would be low. Wen Ying’s terms affected Xie Jinghu only slightly. The majority concerned how to handle the assets Zou Weijun would receive in the divorce and those already in Xie Qian’s name.
Mother and son could do whatever they wished with their own money. It had nothing to do with how well Xie Jinghu got along with his mistress or how many illegitimate children he had.
The part that concerned Xie Jinghu only needed his agreement.
Zhong Yong’s eyes drifted toward the rest room: with the quarrel growing so fierce, President Xie would probably agree, wouldn’t he?
…
Inside the rest room.
A heated debate about blood and love was in full swing.
Xie Jinghu, one against three, was unleashing a torrent of words. He was unquestionably the MVP debater of the match.
Unfortunately even if he won the argument, no one would award him a trophy. Quite a pity. Of course, if given the choice, Xie Jinghu would gladly forgo the “best debater” title. He had just discovered he had raised another man’s daughter for over ten years. Even a solid-gold trophy would be painted thick with green lacquer.
Xie Jinghu’s towering rage was directed primarily at Zhuo Yue.
Young as she was, Zhuo Yue already possessed considerable cunning. She longed to be acknowledged by the Xie family and become a little princess blessed with both wealth and status.
Zhuo Chen had not wanted to come for the DNA test. Zhuo Yue had been eager.
Zhuo Chen felt the test was an insult. Zhuo Yue did not.
What was wrong with a DNA test?
In ancient times noble families still used blood-drop recognition when reclaiming children lost among commoners.
Zhuo Yue had arrived full of expectation, only to be met not with Xie Jinghu’s warm embrace but with his explosive fury.
The cold paper report slammed into her face. The little princess was stunned senseless.
Xie Jinghu did not stop at throwing the report. He called Zhuo Yue a “little bastard”. Tears poured down her cheeks.
Zhuo Chen stepped forward and shielded his sister.
“If the Xie family won’t recognise us, fine, we’ll leave. But you cannot treat Yueyue like this!”
Xie Jinghu’s handsome features twisted into something monstrous, eyes bloodshot. “Hahaha, you think I’m treating her badly? You should ask your mother. Only she knows which bastard fathered Zhuo Yue! She wants the Xie family to accept her, wants the Xie surname? Does she deserve it?”
Xie Jinghu’s words were vicious beyond measure.
In the past those same vicious words had been aimed at Xie Qian.
Now Xie Jinghu turned the blade on Zhuo Yue. Raised in doting luxury, apart from the unpleasant label “illegitimate daughter”, Zhuo Yue had never suffered such humiliation.
In terms of material comfort alone, things Zhuo Yue had enjoyed were luxuries Xie Qian had never known.
Even compared to a genuine princess like Zhang Nan of the Zhang family, Zhuo Yue’s lifestyle far surpassed hers.
Zhuo Yue sobbed until her whole body shook.
She was not stupid.
Watching Xie Jinghu rage, hearing him repeatedly call her “little bastard”, she felt not only grievance but terror.
They had just finished the paternity test and Xie Jinghu was already this angry. The result must have defied his expectations.
The reports lay scattered on the floor, yet Zhuo Yue dared not look.
Zhuo Chen also sensed something wrong. He picked up one report and was stunned by the conclusion.
“Impossible! This is fake! Someone tampered with the results. How could Yueyue not be… No wonder the Xie family ignored us before but suddenly invited us for testing today. They did it on purpose!”
A fake report.
To make sure Daddy and Mummy could never reconcile!
Yes, that had to be it.
From Zhuo Chen’s perspective his logic held perfectly.
Being illegitimate was shameful. If he could have chosen his birth, Zhuo Chen would never have chosen to be a bastard either. But children have no say.
No one asks a baby whether it wants to be born.
It was true for him.
And true for his sister.
If you’re going to bring them into the world, parents have a duty to take responsibility.
Zhuo Chen said nothing about himself. His existence had indeed caused Xie Jinghu headaches. But Yueyue was different. She was born after their parents reunited. Mummy had to take responsibility for her choices then, and Daddy bore unshirkable duty too.
Zhuo Chen believed the Xie family had every right to make things difficult for him and his sister. They stood with Xie Qian and Zou Weijun.
The one at fault was Xie Jinghu.
As a father he should at least protect his children’s basic interests.
At this moment Zhuo Chen could not let his sister suffer alone. He was an adult now. He had to stand up and protect both his sister and his mother.
His stepping forward did make Xie Jinghu hesitate for a second.
Zhuo Yue was not his, but Zhuo Chen was.
Xie Jinghu’s gaze roamed over Zhuo Chen’s face, searching for more resemblance to himself.
Even though the DNA said Zhuo Chen was biological, Xie Jinghu still felt revulsion. Seeing Zhuo Yue trembling behind her brother like a drenched chick, he felt no pity, only nausea.
All that love.
All that companionship.
The properties he had secretly bought for Zhuo Yue even after Xie Yuping forbade contact.
Now every memory was a slap across his face, leaving him dizzy with rage.
Father and son stood locked in stalemate, neither yielding, when a hand plucked the report from Zhuo Chen’s grasp.
It was Sara Zhuo.
The woman had been flustered at first, but now she had regained her composure.
From the moment she learned Xie Yuping had ordered the paternity tests, she had been calculating her next move. Now she seemed to have a plan.
Zhuo Yue not being Xie Jinghu’s daughter only affected her relationship with Xie Jinghu.
But no matter who tested or how many times, Zhuo Chen was absolutely Xie Jinghu’s biological son.
With this son in hand, the Xie family could never wash their hands of them.
“Mummy…”
Zhuo Yue’s voice shook, tears streaming.
“The report is fake, right? Brother said someone tampered with it.”
Not only Zhuo Yue but Zhuo Chen, and even Xie Jinghu in his fury, secretly harboured a sliver of hope. Hope that Sara Zhuo would deny it, would demand a retest. If there was a chance to take off the green hat, Xie Jinghu had no reason to refuse.
Under three expectant gazes, Sara Zhuo was destined to disappoint them all. She calmly admitted:
“No one can tamper with results under Xie Yuping’s nose. The report is real. Yueyue, you are indeed not a child of the Xie family. I’m sorry. Mummy never told you all these years.”
Sara Zhuo personally confirmed that Zhuo Yue was not Xie Jinghu’s daughter.
Zhuo Yue felt her heart shatter.
Zhuo Chen was speechless with shock.
Xie Jinghu’s last thread of hope snapped. He lunged forward, seized Sara Zhuo by the throat, and roared until his liver and gall nearly burst:
“You knew! You’ve known all along! You filthy whore who sleeps with anyone… That little bastard isn’t my daughter. She’s yours with some other bastard. You will tell me who it is today!”
