Chapter 61
After listening, Xie Zhiyu said calmly, "We are not so low as to exploit children."
You should ask yourself that question.
After saying that, Xie Zhiyu hung up the phone.
Duan Xing's muddled mind cleared up, and he believed what Xie Zhiyu said. After all, they had known each other for so many years, and he knew the other's character very well.
So... who exactly adopted Xiao Sheng? Which bastard did it?!
Duan Xing compared his competitors one by one, and apart from Xie Zhiyu and Xie Liuzheng, everyone else was a suspect.
While he pondered the lurking enemy, Duan Xing finally arrived at the Welfare Institute and learned the whole story of Duan Sheng's adoption.
The story begins when Duan Sheng developed a high fever. In the hospital ward where Duan Sheng was hospitalized, there happened to be the child of a Chinese couple's friend. After spending a few days together, the couple took a liking to Duan Sheng and felt affection for this sensible child.
In addition, Duan Sheng suffered from memory loss due to a high fever. When he woke up, he mistook the couple for his biological parents, which made the childless couple determined to adopt.
The Chinese couple made up their minds and immediately contacted the Welfare Institute, went through a special approval process, and quickly completed the adoption procedure.
Yesterday, the Chinese couple left China with Duan Sheng, who had changed his name.
Duan Xing had no legitimate reason to try and win Duan Sheng back.
In order to evade the Xie Group's investigation, he made Duan Sheng's background appear flawless.
To outsiders, Duan Sheng was a child abandoned by his parents after birth, and had no relation or connection whatsoever with Duan Xing.
Out of caution, Duan Xing never took a photo with Duan Sheng, nor did he keep any solo photos of Duan Sheng.
Duan Xing was deeply shocked. "So there's no other way? Xiao Sheng has become someone else's child?"
"But I am his biological father!" He gasped, his chest heaving, his heart aching.
Rather than caring about the children, what Duan Xing cared about most was having something that belonged to him forcibly taken away.
The child had no ability to resist and was completely under his control, but suddenly one day he flew away like a kite with a broken string and disappeared without a trace.
Now, Duan Sheng has become someone else's child, both physically and mentally; he will never remember his biological parents.
The Welfare Institute staff member he bribed silently rolled her eyes. Now she regretted it; she hadn't seen him show any concern when the child had a high fever.
He was even more anxious than the person involved. When he carried the boy to the hospital, he was terrified that the boy would die and all the money he had collected would be wasted.
The boy spent the entire night in the hospital undergoing emergency treatment. He made countless phone calls to his parents—at least ninety, if not a hundred—so many that his phone was almost out of credit and would be cut off. And then, when he finally got through, he just passed the child around like a ball to his mistress...
The Welfare Institute staff hadn't seen such hard-hearted parents in a long time. Later, when they learned the boy was an illegitimate child, they had a sudden realization.
When adults commit wrongdoings, children suffer the consequences.
The Chinese couple who were not related to the boy by blood cared for the child more than he, the biological father.
The Chinese couple cared for the boy for as long as he stayed in the hospital, barely closing their eyes. Their concern and love couldn't be faked.
Of course, he wouldn't be foolish enough to say it in front of Duan Xing, since Duan Xing hadn't paid the final payment yet.
"There's nothing you can do about it. They took the child abroad, and you can't bring them back." The Welfare Institute staff member didn't want to get involved any further. "Just remember to pay me the remaining balance."
Duan Xing grabbed his collar, angrily saying, "Why didn't you stop it? You clearly knew that I am Xiao Sheng's biological parent!"
The staff at the Welfare Institute stared wide-eyed, unable to believe that Duan Xing had turned the tables on them.
"Eldest Brother, I called you hundreds of times, and finally your mistress answered and said she would come and handle it."
"... She hasn't shown up yet."
The Welfare Institute staff member didn't back down at all, grabbing Duan Xing and shoving him aside.
"If even your own parents don't care, how can I, a mere laborer, stop it???"
"The adoptive parents agree, the adopted child agrees, and the director is satisfied... How can I object?"
"Should I tell them, 'Wait a minute, the boy is an illegitimate child, and his father wants his wife to adopt him, and he'll come to adopt him when he's done with his work???'"
"Please, this is Welfare Institute, not a daycare center! You're not afraid of going to jail, but I am!"
After the Welfare Institute staff unleashed a torrent of words like machine gun fire, they finally felt relieved.
"What you do next is none of my business. Just remember to pay me the balance."
He straightened his clothes, glanced coldly at Duan Xing disheveled and dejected Duan Xing, and walked towards the door. Then he was bumped into by Qiao Yun, who rushed over. The strong scent of perfume hit him and made him sneeze.
"Are you blind?" The Welfare Institute staff were speechless; the road was so wide, and he just had to bump into him.
"Where's my little Sheng?" Qiao Yun looked around as soon as she arrived, but couldn't find the child.
Normally, when the children see her, they will run over and hug her, calling her "Mommy" in a soft, sweet voice.
"Didn't you ask me to pick up Xiao Sheng and take him home?"
She couldn't quite define her feelings as disappointment or secret delight. She was happy that her child wouldn't have to recognize someone else as her mother, but disappointed that her child wouldn't have the chance to inherit Xie Liuzheng's fortune.
The Welfare Institute staff were utterly speechless when they saw Qiao Yun dressed up in such a flamboyant manner, still completely unaware of what was going on.
He witnessed how unreliable these parents were, and now he truly felt that the little boy was blessed.
It would have been better to be adopted than to stay with these selfish parents.
Not all parents in the world love their children.
Qiao Yun searched for a long time but couldn't find the child. She only saw Duan Xing looking Duan Xing, which added fuel to his anger, "Honey, where's Xiao Sheng?"
"Didn't you tell me to pick up Xiao Sheng and take him home?"