[My darling son, my name is Zhang Yunyi, and I'm your mother. By the time you see this video, I will probably have left this world. Now, let me explain where you came from.
You're not a fatherless child. You have a father. His name is Yu Yang, and he's the head of the Yu Family in Shangjing. As for me, as you can see, I was once an outstanding scientific researcher. Our research project was a neural tissue necrosis inhibitor.
If this project succeeded, there would be fewer patients suffering from sensory impairments, paralysis, and similar conditions in this world. After more than twenty years of research, we finally succeeded.
But just as we were about to submit our findings, traitors emerged within the research team. They wanted to sell the neural necrosis inhibitor to foreigners. That was treason, and it was utterly unforgivable.
I fought with everything I had to get the research findings and the core drug out of the institute. I was severely injured as a result, and that was how I met your father.
Your father is a very good man. He looks cold on the surface, but he's actually an incredibly softhearted, patriotic, upstanding young man. Sometimes, he's truly adorable, just as adorable as you are when you act cute, baby. Hahaha...
He helped me report the research findings to the government, which took the matter very seriously. I was placed under protection, and he applied to become one of my protectors. As time passed, we developed feelings for each other and naturally fell in love.
But the good times didn't last. Just as we decided to get married, a very serious internal conflict broke out in his family. As the heir, he had no choice but to leave me to deal with his family's affairs.
I agreed. On the third day after he left, a traitor emerged among the people protecting me. He wanted to take me captive. How could I let him succeed? I seized an opportunity to jump off a cliff and fell into the sea.
To be honest, Mommy thought she was going to die. I never expected to survive, but a fisherman rescued me. That fisherman was your late Grandpa Lu.
Only after I was rescued did I discover I was pregnant with you. You really were strong from the very beginning. Even under those circumstances, I didn't lose you. Mommy was so happy. Hahaha...
To escape those hunting me down, give birth to you safely, and raise you, I lived in a small fishing village under the name Zhang Yun. I originally wanted to take you back with me.
But I heard that the situation in your father's family was extremely grave. If those people in the Yu Family learned of your existence, you would never survive to adulthood.
Mommy didn't want you to experience that darkness too early, so I selfishly made you endure so many years without a father. Mommy owes you an apology.
Now that you're an adult and know where you came from, whether you want to find your father is entirely up to you. Mommy will always watch over you from heaven.
If you acknowledge him as your father, remember to bring him home. I've prepared something for him in my room. My darling son, don't help him. Let him find it himself. Consider it a little punishment from Mommy.
My darling son, Mommy loves you.]
The text played alongside a vivid cartoon animation, which only ended when the image froze on a cartoon portrait of a family of three.
After that cartoon image ended, a photograph appeared. In it, Zhang Yunyi sat on a beach, smiling with carefree abandon, as though she had just pulled off a prank.
She made a peace sign, looking so free-spirited and beautiful. Between the fingers forming the peace sign, she also held two photographs: a baby picture of Yu Zeqi and a picture of Yu Yang as a young man.
What followed was a series of photographs like a photo album, showing moments from Yu Zeqi's life as he grew up.
There were all sorts of photographs of Yu Yang, all sorts of photographs of Zhang Yunyi, and photographs of Yu Yang and Zhang Yunyi together...
"Wah..."
Only when the video on the screen stopped did Yu Zeqi finally come back to his senses. He covered his mouth and nose to stifle his sobs, his heart already a turbulent sea.
Throughout his childhood, people had called him a fatherless child. He had felt wronged and hurt. He, too, had thought he was a child abandoned by his father, but only now did he learn...
He hadn't been abandoned. He had never been abandoned at any point growing up. His father simply didn't know he existed, and for some unknown reason, he hadn't found him and his mother...
All the countless words in Yu Zeqi's heart turned into a single realization: "So... that's how it was..." All his sorrow and hurt mingled together, leaving him unable to stop crying...
"Yu Zeqi, what's wrong? Are you feeling unwell?"
His roommate Zhao Zhiyu slept in the bed opposite his. He had been lying comfortably, trying to drift off, when the muffled sobs from beside him jolted him wide awake.
As soon as Zhao Zhiyu spoke, the other four, who hadn't fallen asleep either, pricked up their ears and realized Yu Zeqi was crying. None of them said anything, though.
After all, speaking up at a time like this would be rather awkward. With just Zhao Zhiyu knowing, Yu Zeqi was probably already terribly embarrassed.
"I'm fine... Sorry for disturbing you. I can't really sleep, so I'm going out for a walk. Go get some sleep."
Zhao Zhiyu's voice startled Yu Zeqi, but he quickly recovered. After apologizing, he carefully rolled over and sat up, ready to get out of bed and go for a walk.
Hearing how badly something was wrong in his choked voice, Zhao Zhiyu grew a little worried and sat up too.
"What a coincidence. I can't sleep either, and I want to go for a walk. This is the perfect time to stroll around eating ice cream. Take me along."
Yu Zeqi wiped his tears away, unsure how to turn him down. In the end, he agreed to let him come along. Only after Zhao Zhiyu and Yu Zeqi had gone far away did the remaining four get up.
"What happened? Did Yu Zeqi suddenly start crying because he thought of something sad?"
"No idea. From the look of him, it seemed pretty serious. But Zhao Zhiyu went with him, so he should be fine. He's got a knack for comforting people."
"Okay, we won't go over, then. We might embarrass him."
"Yeah, but we should still tell the director. His current status is rather special. We can't let anything happen to him."
Once the roommates finished discussing it, they handled things as agreed. During the time Yu Zeqi discovered his mother's video, Shang Shujue had also finished his phone call.
Yu Yang would take a private flight over at seven thirty in the morning. He wanted to acknowledge his son and bring him home as soon as possible. The entertainment industry was too messy; he couldn't let his son get involved. Of course, if his son truly loved acting... All right, he would support him too.
[Ding~ Yu Zeqi's life trajectory has undergone a major change. Host's merit points +1, points +100. Please keep up the good work. Additionally, because the host has changed the fates of two people in succession, the negative karmic effects have stacked. If they exceed your tolerance threshold, you will suffer intense physical pain. Please exercise extreme caution, host.]
In his sleep, Shang Shujue seemed to hear some kind of announcement. He rolled over, hugged his quilt, and slept sprawled out, paying it no mind at all. He was exhausted. Whatever it was could wait until he woke up.