Chapter 150 - 150 Protecting Shen Xi's Identity
150 Protecting Shen Xi’s Identity
In the Zheng family’s villa in Beijing, Shen Qian was happily enjoying a bowl of fruit in the air-conditioned sitting room when she received a call from her beloved son.
Shen Qian brightened up. Her husband was on a business trip, and her child was not around. She had gone to her childhood friend’s place, but that was of little help in alleviating her boredom. She was so free that she had no choice but to watch those dreaded soap operas to pass the time at home.
“My dear son! Why have you called? Did you miss your mother? Mommy has missed you too! We mother and son share a special connection.” Shen Qian gushed, warbling lovingly into the phone.
Contrary to her expectations, Zheng Huai did not repeat the sentiment as he usually did. Instead, he exclaimed in excitement, “Mom! Uncle has a daughter! I have a cousin!”
Shen Qian paused, almost failing to comprehend her son’s words. His uncle? Little Huaihuai only had one uncle, her sweet younger brother, Ah Yan.
Ah Yan? My little brother? My little brother has a daughter!?
Shen Qian hopped to her feet, sending the fruit bowl resting on her knees, clattering to the ground. “Are you talking about your uncle, Shen Yan? My Ah Yan?”
Upon attaining Zheng Huai’s affirmative response, Shen Qian called her driver and instructed him to send her to the Shen family’s old residence.
Shen Hui had just turned on the evening news when his impetuous daughter turned it off.
Shen Hui regarded his daughter grumpily while she stood in front of the television. “What are you doing here? Are you here to bully your poor father since you’re husband and child are away? I haven’t even forced you to go to work recently!”
Shen Qian’s eyes misted over, turning red. She looked at her father with tears in her eyes. Her voice was sorrowful yet filled with delight. “Dad! My little brother has a daughter! Our Shen family has a future!”
Shen Hui was stunned for a moment. He thought that he had heard wrong. He used his little finger to dig his ear and asked again, “What did you say? Could you repeat yourself?”
Shen Qian’s voice suddenly became twice as loud, almost exasperated, “Ah Yan has a daughter. Her name is Shen Xi; our Shen family has an heir!”
Shen Hui burst into tears. “Sit, sit. What is this, I hear? Do you have a picture of the child? Of Shen Xi?”
Shen Qian sat beside her father and showed him a photo of Shen Xi that Zheng Huai had sent her. Shen Hui accepted the phone gingerly.
Shen Qian pointed at Shen Xi and said, “Dad, look. Doesn’t our Xixi’s eyes and nose resemble Ah Yan’s? Who else could she be if not a child of the Shen family?”
A wide smile formed over the wizened old man’s face. An unseen tension seeped out of his frame, and the ever-present clouds of worry dissipated, turning to joy.
“What do you mean? She does not take after that rascal; she takes after me!” Shen Hui chided good-naturedly, more humour than reproach.
“Yes, yes. She looks like you!” Shen Qian did not argue with her father.
Shen Xi’s appearance was Shen Qian’s biggest surprise. After her little brother broke off contact with his family more than ten years ago, her father stopped contacting him out of anger. However, Shen Qian could tell that her father missed her little brother dearly.
Due to his agreement with the Lu family and his stubborn character, Shen Hui did not contact his son in the ten years since he disappeared. He even disallowed anyone in the family from contacting him.
Furthermore, to maintain operations of the Shen Corporation, Shen Hui had no choice but to assign Shen Qian, the position of heir to the company. As an added security measure, Shen Qian even changed Zheng Huai’s surname, causing an upheaval in the family.
Now that the family had Shen Xi, Shen Qian would no longer be caught in the middle. Shen Qian wanted to kneel and thank the heavens and the earth for the gift of giving her such a precious niece.
“Does the Lu family know about this?” Shen Hui suddenly asked, his expression turning serious.
“I don’t think so. Ah Huai said that he found it by accident. I think the Lu family still doesn’t know about this matter,” Shen Qian replied.
Shen Hui’s eyes lit up, “We mustn’t alert the enemy. Don’t approach Shen Xi. I won’t go either. Let Zheng Huai go in our stead.”
The younger generation was not part of the agreement, so they did not have to abide by the rules. “Tell Zheng Huai to get closer to his cousin. Don’t let that old fart Lu De know about it, or else he’ll catch her and have her surname changed!”
Shen Qian’s expression grew solemn. The matter was related to her happiness, so she had to do her best to protect Shen Xi’s identity. “Dad, don’t worry. I’ll be careful. I won’t let the Lu family have Xixi or change her surname!”