Page 48

"Of course someone without a daughter wouldn't understand the joy of having one!" Zhou Mei had provoked her over and over, and Zhao Huizhen was done holding back. "People who can't have grapes always say they're sour."

Zhao Yuan joined in. "Second Sister-in-law, you have a son, and sons are so wonderful. How come he hasn't come to show you any filial respect in over half a month?"

Shen Luoluo blinked. So she's Second Uncle's wife! The person at the center of the gossip was right beside me!

The sudden voice in her head startled Zhou Mei. What was that? No one had spoken, so why could she hear a voice? Was she hearing ghosts?

The eyes of everyone who had heard Shen Luoluo's thoughts before lit up, especially Shen Xiche's and Shen Jiayan's. They exchanged a look. Well, would you look at that—it was Second Uncle!

Shen Jiayan raised an eyebrow at Shen Xiche. He'd lost. He'd better remember to call him big brother!

Zhao Huizhen and Zhao Yuan were baffled. What did "the person at the center of the gossip" mean? They weren't sure, but after listening to Shen Luoluo for so long, they knew it couldn't be good news!

Shen Luoluo's voice continued, sounding a little excited.

She's the poor fool whose husband brings his illegitimate daughter home to join the family, only for that girl to steal her own son away too?

Almost everyone present heard it. They were stunned. What? An illegitimate daughter?

Zhao Huizhen and Zhao Yuan's mouths fell open. Their brother had an illegitimate daughter? Something like this was happening in their own family?

Nonsense! Zhou Mei's chest heaved with anger. What was that voice? Who was spreading lies about her husband? She understood now: someone was trying to drive a wedge between them. She couldn't believe that voice!

But a moment later, the truth appeared before her eyes, and she had no choice but to believe it!

It was time for the family dinner. The butler helped the old master out of his room and into his seat at the dining table. At the same time, someone hurried into the room.

Here they come!

He's brought his illegitimate daughter in!

The man who entered was Zhao Huizhen's second brother, Zhao Jin. Two people followed him: a young woman and a young man.

Zhao Huizhen knew the young man was her second brother's son, Zhao Yu. The young woman must be his illegitimate daughter.

Zhou Mei stared blankly at them. The voice in her head had been telling the truth. Zhao Jin really had brought a young woman home!

After standing frozen for a moment, she rushed forward, blocked Zhao Jin's path, and demanded, "Zhao Jin, what is going on?"

Zhao Jin glanced at her. "Zhou Mei, I'll explain this to you later. I have something more important to say right now."

"More important? So I'm not important? Don't think I don't know who that woman behind you is. She's your illegitimate daughter!"

Zhao Jin ignored her and walked around her toward the dining table without slowing down. Instead, Zhao Yu, who was following him, tried to calm her. "Mom, it's too much to explain right now. Dad will explain when we get home."

With that, he followed Zhao Jin, leaving Zhou Mei standing there in despair. The voice had said the illegitimate daughter had stolen her son away too. That was true as well!

Zhao Yu had known about the illegitimate daughter all along. He had kept it from her and lied to her together with Zhao Jin!

By then, Zhao Jin had led the others to the dining table and stopped before the old master.

"Dad, I have something to tell you today," Zhao Jin said bluntly. "Tingting is Shiwei's daughter, and she's mine too. I want to bring her into the Zhao Family!"

The brief announcement was explosive. Everyone stopped what they were doing, turned toward the dining table, and began murmuring.

"So she really is his illegitimate daughter!"

"Who would have thought Zhao Jin, who always seemed so honest and devoted to his family, had an illegitimate daughter out there?"

"That woman looks to be in her twenties, around Zhao Yu's age. He must have been seeing someone else for years!"

"Who's Shiwei?"

His former girlfriend—and his first love! If it weren't for that so-called marriage alliance between wealthy families, they'd have been together! Shen Luoluo answered silently.

Shen Jiayan frowned. Why was it always a first love?

As soon as Zhao Huizhen and Zhao Yuan heard the name "Shiwei," they understood why their second brother was being so forceful. Even on the old master's birthday, he had insisted on bringing his illegitimate daughter into the Zhao Family.

As Shen Luoluo had said, Tingting's mother, Shiwei, was their second brother's first love. The two had been together since university and had always had a good relationship, but their father had opposed them.

The reason was simple. Shiwei came from a poor family. Her parents were ordinary working people who ran a small convenience store. At the time, the Zhao Family's business was just getting started and needed a powerful ally to help it rise.

A marriage alliance between wealthy families was one way to secure that help. To make Zhao Jin marry Zhou Mei, the old master had forced him and Shiwei apart. What no one had expected was that Shiwei would give birth to Zhao Jin's child after they broke up!

They had thought the illegitimate daughter was the result of some careless affair, only to learn she was his child with his first love. Zhao Huizhen had good reason to suspect Zhao Jin had deliberately chosen the old master's birthday to do this!

But the old master had seen plenty and weathered countless storms. Unlike everyone else, he spoke calmly. "Have you had a DNA test?"

"What do you mean by that?" The question instantly set Zhao Jin off. He forced down his anger. "You think I wouldn't know my own daughter?"

"I don't mean anything by it. It's a standard procedure. If a DNA test confirms she's your daughter, I won't say another word." The old master's voice remained calm.

But the calmer he was, the angrier Zhao Jin became. How could anyone be so cold and heartless? Just because Tingting was Shiwei's daughter, he refused to acknowledge her as his granddaughter!

Half the blood in Tingting's veins came from the Zhao Family too, didn't it?

"Tingting has a keepsake Shiwei and I exchanged when we pledged our love. She knows about our past. Isn't that enough?"

Rankings

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Book transmigration

Wish-fulfillment fiction

Wealthy CEOs

Sweet romance

Time-travel and rebirth romance

Ice Cream or Not

Mind reading

Doted-on darling