The light in Madam Wei’s eyes slowly dimmed. She smiled awkwardly and tried to find a way out of the situation. “Come, come, come, let’s eat! The fish from this restaurant is delicious!”
After having lunch with Madam Wei, the two of them went back to school. The little villain hadn’t said much the entire time.
Having been with him for a few years, Shu Ning could clearly tell that he had a lot on his mind.
This was normal. Anyone would feel a little complicated if they were suddenly reunited with their biological parents. When Yin Mingzheng went to Wuxian Hospital to investigate the truth, he didn’t get any substantive evidence, but it was enough for him to pretty much confirm that he was the child of the Wei family.
He had already mentally prepared himself.
However, actually meeting Madam Wei was another matter entirely.
When the two of them got home that night, Shu Ning ran to Yin Mingzheng’s room with a blanket in his arms. Ever since they moved into the villa, they each stayed in their own bedroom.
“Mingzheng, let’s sleep together tonight.” Shu Ning threw his blanket on the soft bed. Without waiting for permission, he crawled onto his bed and laid down with a smile.
Yin Mingzheng’s room was bright and spacious. There was a large glass door leading to the balcony. The curtains were pulled aside, and the room was full of starlight. As Yin Mingzheng wished, he no longer had to worry about someone drying clothes in his room, and he no longer had to worry about people walking in and out at any time.
He hated being disturbed by others. He hated having people walk in and out of his private space as they pleased. Cai Qin knew. Shu Jun knew. The housekeeper knew. Even Shu Yang, who was only one year old, knew this. However, Shu Ning was an exception. He was the only one who could barge into his room carrying a blanket without so much as a knock. He was the only one who could stay in his bed.
When Yin Mingzheng saw him lying on his bed, he silently put his laptop away and laid down with him.
The lights were turned off. The room was dark.
“Mingzheng, what do you think?” Shu Ning asked.
Yin Mingzheng knew what he wanted to ask. After a moment of silence, he said, “Before meeting her, I didn’t really want to go back.”
Shu Ning heard the meaning in his words. “Then, do you want to go back now?”
Yin Mingzheng fell silent again. Then, he said, “She doesn’t really know anything, and she was really nice to me…”
Shu Ning listened to what he said and silently sighed to himself. Yin Mingzheng wasn’t someone who was easy to please. Back when he was trying to get close to him, the villain had been very cold. Madam Wei had only met him once, ate a meal with him, and spoke a few words with him, yet the villain actually said that she was “really nice” to him.
It only went to show that Yin Mingzheng was actually really eager to meet his biological parents. He really wanted family affection. Even if he had acted indifferent, it didn’t change how he felt.
…And, to be honest, who doesn’t long for that?
Especially after knowing that he was deliberately switched at birth and that his biological parents were completely innocent. He probably wanted to know what kind of people his biological parents were. After enduring Yin Qiang and Zhou Juan’s abuse, the villain would definitely think about what it would be like to grow up with his biological parents.
If his biological parents had abandoned him and thrown him away, Yin Mingzheng definitely wouldn’t give them a second look. However, the current situation was that his biological parents were also unaware of the situation.
It was hard to reject them.
Plus, why should he reject them?
Shu Ning said awkwardly, “I can tell that you’re hesitating. Since you want to go back, why hesitate?”
The little villain was such an outstanding person now. Madam Wei liked him a lot. Shu Ning believed that he would definitely be treated well if he returned to the Wei family.
In the darkness, Yin Mingzheng turned his head. Shu Ning could faintly make out his outline through the dim lighting.
“Shu Ning.” He called out his name.
Shu Ning waited for him to continue talking.
After a while, Yin Mingzheng said, “Would you like to come with me?”
Shu Ning: “…???”
What kind of strange development was this?
Yin Mingzheng said, “If I go back to Wei family, can you come with me? I don’t want to be separated from you.”
If he was honest, Shu Ning was really touched.
He hadn’t expected that Yin Mingzheng would still want to bring him along. However, how could he possibly go back to the Wei family with him!?
It would be super embarrassing.
“If you don’t come with me, I won’t go back.”
Before he could even get his thoughts together, Shu Ning heard the villain say this. He became even more embarrassed.
Damn. If he didn’t agree, the little villain wasn’t even going to go back to the Wei family. He instantly felt a strong sense of guilt.
He quickly said, “I don’t really care, but I’m worried that Cai Cai and Dad won’t agree…”
“They’ll agree,” Yin Mingzheng said.
Shu Ning suddenly remembered that Dad and Cai Cai both seem to listen to the little villain a lot lately. Yin Mingzheng might really be able to convince his parents…
So, was he really going to follow the villain to the Wei family? He was going to stay with the Wei family even though he had absolutely no relationship with them?
Whenever Shu Ning tried to imagine it, he felt embarrassed beyond belief.
It wasn’t that big of a deal to go with him. So long as he didn’t care, the only ones feeling awkward about it would be other people.
“Will Madam Wei agree?” Shu Ning asked.
The little villain wrapped his arms around him and squeezed. “She will.”
“Well, as long as Madam Wei agrees, I’ll go back with you,” Shu Ning said.
To be honest, he also felt a little nervous about sending the villain back by himself.
Shu Ning thought that the little villain would discuss it with her the very next day. However, to his surprise, the little villain didn’t bring it up at all. In fact, the little villain hadn’t even agreed to go back with her yet.
Although Madam Wei was disappointed, she didn’t give up. She decided to stay in Chuzhou and booked a month’s stay in a nearby hotel. She was going to play the long game.
During her month’s stay, Madam Wei picked them up from school everyday to have lunch and chat. On weekends, she would take them to public parks and amusement parks to play. During this time, Madam Wei visited Cai Qin and Shu Jun several times. She brought gifts and expressed her gratitude, which made them feel really flattered.
In private, Shu Ning quietly asked him, “Mingzheng, how come you didn’t agree to go back with Madam Wei?”
Yin Mingzheng smiled. “One, I wanted to see how determined she was. Two, people don’t cherish things that are easily obtained.”
Shu Ning was taken aback.
Yin Mingzheng reminded him, “Don’t forget. She still has a son back at home, and their relationship with each other is really good.”
If Yin Mingzheng hadn’t mentioned it, Shu Ning was almost about to forget that there was still Wei Ximing.
Shu Ning thought about it for a while. Then, he comforted Yin Mingzheng, “She stuck it out for an entire month. If you look at her attitude, it doesn’t seem like she would favor one over the other.”
After all, not a lot of guys would be willing to chase after a girl for that long. Madam Wei had been treated like royalty all her life. For her to last a month was already pretty good.
Of course, it remained to be seen whether chasing after a girl and chasing after a son could even be compared.
Yin Mingzheng raised an eyebrow. Beneath his brows was a pair of dark eyes. “Really?”
Shu Ning couldn’t make any promises. He didn’t know what to tell him.
“If I was a useless good-for-nothing, do you think she would stick it out in Chuzhou for a month?” Yin Mingzheng smiled. His eyes were clear.
Shu Ning secretly sighed to himself. This was something he knew about from the very beginning. It was why he had hoped for the little villain to improve himself. That way, he’d be able to earn the Wei family’s approval.
However, he’d forgotten just how smart the little villain was. There were a lot of things that he could see through for himself.
Sometimes, it was easy to become disappointed if you knew too much.
Shu Ning didn’t want this. After thinking for a moment, he said, “Mingzheng, I don’t think we should criticize her just because you don’t think her feelings are genuine enough. It’s not worth holding a grudge over.”
“It’s natural for a person to like you because of your good points, and it’s also natural for a person to dislike you because of your bad points. You can’t demand people to look past your sloppy and rude outer self and see your kind and beautiful inner self.”
“I’ve always believed that it’s my responsibility to put my best self forward. Time is precious, and nobody has any obligation to spend that time digging for your inner beauty.”
“Let’s say a person is lazy, unhygienic, and unmotivated. Then, they turn around and say they’re actually a really kind and beautiful person on the inside. To be honest, that’s kind of unconvincing.”
“Of course, it’s not right to criticize others and slap labels on people just because they have a few bad habits.”
“What I really want to say is that it doesn’t necessarily make her disingenuous to wait for you. Just because she’s only seen your good points doesn’t mean she’s being hypocritical. You don’t need to think about the what ifs…”
“If you were really a good-for-nothing, a large majority of people wouldn’t be able to stick it out for a month either. Human nature is just like that. You can’t demand too much from her just because she’s your mother. She’s not a saint after all. As long as they don’t cross the line, we should try to forgive other people’s shortcomings. Nobody’s perfect…”
Yin Mingzheng was silent for a moment. Then, he nodded with a smile. “I understand.”
“What’s the point of thinking about that stuff anyway? It’s just going to make you unhappy.” Shu Ning spouted what sounded like a bunch of life lessons, but he was actually giving Yin Mingzheng a heads-up.
What if the Wei family liked Wei Ximing better? Would the little villain feel jealous and go down the wrong path?
Even if the Wei family was super biased, the little villain still needed to be independent. He didn’t need to rely on them. There was no need for jealousy and no need to think about those what-ifs and what-could-have-beens.
Shu Ning was just worried that the little villain wouldn’t be able to think things through.
“You’re right.” Yin Mingzheng patted his head. “I shouldn’t think about stuff like that.”
Shu Ning watched his expression for a bit. He felt a little bit more at ease.
It would be best if the Wei family could come to like the villain. Shu Ning also hoped that the villain would be able to remain calm regardless of what the Wei family thought of him.
A month later, Yin Mingzheng finally agreed to go home with Madam Wei.
Madam Wei almost cried with joy. “Really? That’s great! This is really great!”
Yin Mingzheng said calmly, “However, I have two conditions.”
Madam Wei wiped her tears and said, “Mingzheng, don’t worry. As long as it’s within my abilities, I’ll give it all to you!”
She thought that Yin Mingzheng wanted compensation for the past ten years. Mingzheng had suffered so much. He deserved to be compensated.
Shu Ning wondered if Yin Mingzheng was going to ask her to kick Wei Ximing out of the Wei family. It didn’t really matter if he brought it up, but it would be embarrassing if Madam Wei refused.
Shu Ning could understand if the villain hated him. If it was anyone else, their first demand would probably be for Wei Ximing to get lost. However, he could also understand Madam Wei’s hesitation.
Madam Wei hadn’t actually seen the suffering Yin Mingzheng endured. The things that he went through were just a couple of words to her, but Wei Ximing was the son that she had raised for more than ten years.
This was why the Wei family had been so conflicted in the original novel. In the end, they chose to stand on Wei Ximing’s side.
Just as his thoughts were running wild, Shu Ning suddenly heard Yin Mingzheng say, “First, Shu Ning’s also going back with me.”
Madam Wei was stunned for a moment. Then, she nodded. “No problem!”
Shu Ning perked up. He stared at the villain, waiting for his next words.
Yin Mingzheng started speaking again. “Second…”
Both Madam Wei and Shu Ning subconsciously straightened up.
Yin Mingzheng said, “I hope everyone can be respectful to both me and Shu Ning.”
That’s it?
Madam Wei and Shu Ning were stunned.
No compensation. No kicking Wei Ximing out. Just two simple requests?
Madam Wei regained her senses and nodded quickly. “There’s no problem! Absolutely no problem!”
Shu Ning was surprised. He kept looking at the villain’s face and found that he was as calm as usual. He didn’t seem to have any other wants or desires.
Could it be that he really didn’t care about Wei Ximing?
Shu Ning put himself in his shoes. If it was him, he really wouldn’t be able to be indifferent about Wei Ximing, but the little villain was actually able to keep his composure. As expected of an important supporting role.
After leaving the hotel, Shu Ning thought about it and said, “I thought… you would ask for Wei Ximing to leave.”
The little villain’s handsome face showed a hint of surprise. Then, he shook his head. “I don’t care about him.”
After a pause, he said, “Besides, I’m not going to ask for something that she can’t give me.”
Shu Ning was shocked. Had the little villain already confirmed that Madam Wei wouldn’t send Wei Ximing away?
He already figured Madam Wei out in just a month?
Madam Wei wanted to take Yin Mingzheng back to Beijing right away, but Yin Mingzheng refused once more. He said that he was still in his third year of middle school. He would go back with her after finishing his exams.
Madam Wei had already been completely taken in by him, so she could only agree. She decided to leave Chuzhou ahead of him.
Over the past month, Madam Wei had been hovering around Yin Mingzheng like a helicopter. A lot of people knew the truth by now, and they could hardly contain themselves.
“I knew it! With his looks, it was like a phoenix fell into a chicken coop! Yin Mingzheng didn’t look anything like Yin Qiang or Zhou Juan. It turns out he was the Wei family’s child!”
“You know what they say. The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree. I didn’t believe it before, but now I do.”
“Sure enough, some people’s genes are just different! I always used to think that Yin Mingzheng didn’t quite look like Zhou Juan and Yin Qiang’s child. As expected, I was right!”
It was all people would talk about. Those gossip-mongers made it so that everyone in the community knew.
Yin Mingzheng was good-looking, and the things Zhou Juan and Yin Qiang did was common knowledge. Everyone sympathized with him and admired him. Now, it was revealed that Yin Mingzheng had become the son of a wealthy family. Everyone was rushing to take part in this juicy piece of gossip.
There was nothing more bizarre or twisted than this. Yin Mingzheng was like a great carp. He leapt straight into the sky and became a dragon!
This was the Wei family! The famous Wei family!
That was a world they could only dream of reaching.
Who would have thought that the poor child whom everyone excluded would one day become the son of the wealthy Wei family?
The world truly worked in mysterious ways.
They could gossip about this for the rest of their lives.
There was a lot of discussion in the community, not to mention the students. Yin Mingzheng was already the most popular boy in school, but now he had reached an entirely new level. For them, the difference between the Yin Mingzheng from before and the Yin Mingzheng now was that the Yin Mingzheng from before could be seen and touched. However, the Yin Mingzheng now was about to fly away and never be seen again…
During this time, Yin Mingzheng received enough love letters to drown him. Some people wanted to take their chances and give it a go. However, a lot more people just wanted to quickly express their feelings before he left. This way, Yin Mingzheng would become an eternal memory of their youth.
Even Shu Ning received a lot of love letters. All of them were for Yin Mingzheng.
Shu Ning: “…”
Do you really think I’m Yin Mingzheng’s lackey?
Alright. I am.
They were in their third year of middle school, so they were busy reviewing for exams. As a result, not a lot of people tried to harass Yin Mingzheng. Everyone was preparing for high school entrance exams.
Time flew by. To no one’s surprise, Yin Mingzheng was ranked first when he graduated, and Shu Ning was ranked second. He felt that this middle school was very different from the middle school he attended before. If he didn’t work hard, he might not be able to get good grades.
As soon as exams ended, Madam Wei called to ask them when they would be coming back.
Yin Mingzheng wasn’t in a hurry to answer her. He still had to say goodbye to his classmates. Then, he took Shu Ning, Wang Shenshen, Long Qiao, and Song Nian on a graduation trip around China.
After the trip, he threw the others aside and took Shu Ning on a trip to Europe. Once summer vacation was almost over, he finally agreed to return to Beijing.
Madam Wei earnestly called him thousand of times throughout all of this. The little villain was unusually calm. He wasn’t anxious to return.
Shu Ning remembered how the novel had described him. In the novel, the little villain couldn’t wait to return to the Wei family. Madam Wei didn’t come to pick him up. Rather, she sent an assistant to pick him up. In order to set him up as a villain, the book described how impatient Yin Mingzheng was to return. The novel said that he couldn’t wait to abandon his kind adoptive parents. It said that he did not hesitate to throw himself into the arms of a wealthy family.
Now, the villain wasn’t in a hurry at all, but Madam Wei was. She had been begging for a month and made countless phone calls. After pleading with him over and over, the villain “reluctantly” agreed to go home with her.
How would Yin Mingzheng be treated this time around?
Shu Ning didn’t even need to think about it to know the answer to that.
The villain was young, but he was very shrewd.
Shu Ning didn’t think the villain would suffer over there, and he definitely wasn’t afraid. Still, he insisted on bringing Shu Ning along under the pretense of being “scared”. Shu Ning felt that he was being kind of fake.
By now, Madam Wei had been completely taken in by Yin Mingzheng. When she heard that he had finally agreed to return, she was incredibly moved. First, she had the butlers clean out two bright and spacious bedrooms near hers. Then, she cleaned out one of the nearby rooms and turned it into a study room. She arranged a bunch of books and laptops inside. She even specially equipped it with a game console!
Then, she gathered all of the servants and showed them photos of Yin Mingzheng and Shu Ning. She made sure they all recognized the real young master. They absolutely could not neglect him.
With such an uproar, Wei Ximing could no longer ignore it. Originally, he had wanted to pretend that he didn’t care, but now his expression was dark. He secretly clenched his fists.
Madam Wei had even paid Yin Mingzheng’s grandparents a visit. She said a lot of good things about Yin Mingzheng in front of Yin Mingzheng’s grandparents, Wei Shanhe and Li Yongna. Wei Shanhe and Li Yongna’s expressions were unenthusiastic. There were already a lot of grandchildren in the Wei family. It didn’t particularly matter to them if they had one more.
The distinguished second branch and third branch of the family each had three children. The number of illegitimate children they had was still unknown. Wei Shanhe and Li Yongna weren’t exactly lacking in grandchildren who had grown up outside.
Yin Mingzheng’s father, Wei Yuanning, had a son and a daughter with his deceased ex-wife. He also had two illegitimate children. When he discovered that his child had been switched, he was disgusted. Besides disgust, he only felt that it was a huge bother. As for his feelings about Yin Mingzheng, there really wasn’t any to speak of.
Madam Wei, or Su Muli, was the only one who was actually looking forward to her son’s return. Everyone else was indifferent to it.
Wei Ximing felt a lot better when he saw that the rest of the family didn’t care very much. He thought to himself, “Wealthy families aren’t as simple as you think they are. Keep dreaming.”
A few days later, Yin Mingzheng and Shu Ning brought their suitcases and boarded a plane with Madam Wei, who had personally come to pick them up. Then, they returned to the Wei family in the capital.
The Wei family all lived in one villa, but the main building belonged to Wei Shanhe and Li Yongna. The other three branches of the family lived in the other buildings. They usually didn’t eat together every day. They would only gather on the weekends, holidays, and whenever Wei Shanhe called for them. Otherwise, they would usually stay in their own villas.
Madam Wei reported to Wei Shanhe in advance. She specially prepared a welcoming banquet and invited the other two branches to the main building for dinner. She wanted them to meet Yin Mingzheng and get to know who the real young master was. She also wanted to show off a little bit.
Wei Shanhe had also agreed.
When Shu Ning and Yin Mingzheng arrived at the villa, the butler assigned a servant to the two of them. She was a middle-aged woman who had worked for the Wei family for several years. She and Su Muli were very distantly related, so she had a relatively high status among the servants.
“Hello, Young Master. My name is Hu Mei. I have been working here for several years. Since your flight was delayed, we’re a bit short on time, so I will plan both of your itineraries.” The servant said, “The two of you will rest in your rooms for half an hour. At four o’clock, I will take the two of you on a tour around the villa. I will tell you about the Wei family’s history and the members of the Wei family, as well as instruct you on some basic etiquette. At five o’clock, a stylist will come help the two of you get ready. It will take about an hour. After styling, please stay in your rooms and don’t go anywhere. This is to prevent any mishaps. At seven o’clock, I will guide the two of you to the main hall for the banquet…”
Shu Ning was completely dumbfounded.
Damn! He felt like he had just arrived at some super strict company!
Was this what wealthy families were like? Do you have to plan out where you go, what you eat, and what you do?
Yin Mingzheng frowned.
Shu Ning noticed that the villain wasn’t too happy. Shu Ning quickly raised his hand and asked, “Are we going to have a schedule like this everyday?”
If every day was like this, it would be too unbearable.
Such a life wouldn’t be worth living.
Hu Mei shook her head. “The two of you don’t need to be nervous. It’s usually not like this. Since you two just arrived, you will need to be formally introduced to everyone tonight. This is why Madam arranged things like this.”
Yin Mingzheng smiled. “Afraid we’ll embarrass ourselves?”
Hu Mei was stunned for a moment. Then, she gave a slight bow. “Young Master Mingzheng, of course not. Madam likes you a lot. She hopes that everyone else will like you as well.”
Shu Ning patted Yin Mingzheng’s shoulder. “When in Rome, do as the Romans do.”
Yin Mingzheng turned his head to look at Shu Ning for a moment. Then, he said to Hu Mei, “We’re going to rest for an hour.”
Hu Mei frowned. “But… I’m supposed to show you around at four o’clock…”
“No buts.” Yin Mingzheng stared at her, his eyes dark. “The dinner’s at seven o’clock. It’s only half past three. We still have plenty of time, right?”
Originally, Hu Mei wanted to force the two of them to follow her arrangements, but, when she met Yin Mingzheng’s penetrating gaze, her heart suddenly froze. For some reason, she didn’t dare to refute him.
The light in Madam Wei’s eyes slowly dimmed. She smiled awkwardly and tried to find a way out of the situation. “Come, come, come, let’s eat! The fish from this restaurant is delicious!”
After having lunch with Madam Wei, the two of them went back to school. The little villain hadn’t said much the entire time.
Having been with him for a few years, Shu Ning could clearly tell that he had a lot on his mind.
This was normal. Anyone would feel a little complicated if they were suddenly reunited with their biological parents. When Yin Mingzheng went to Wuxian Hospital to investigate the truth, he didn’t get any substantive evidence, but it was enough for him to pretty much confirm that he was the child of the Wei family.
He had already mentally prepared himself.
However, actually meeting Madam Wei was another matter entirely.
When the two of them got home that night, Shu Ning ran to Yin Mingzheng’s room with a blanket in his arms. Ever since they moved into the villa, they each stayed in their own bedroom.
“Mingzheng, let’s sleep together tonight.” Shu Ning threw his blanket on the soft bed. Without waiting for permission, he crawled onto his bed and laid down with a smile.
Yin Mingzheng’s room was bright and spacious. There was a large glass door leading to the balcony. The curtains were pulled aside, and the room was full of starlight. As Yin Mingzheng wished, he no longer had to worry about someone drying clothes in his room, and he no longer had to worry about people walking in and out at any time.
He hated being disturbed by others. He hated having people walk in and out of his private space as they pleased. Cai Qin knew. Shu Jun knew. The housekeeper knew. Even Shu Yang, who was only one year old, knew this. However, Shu Ning was an exception. He was the only one who could barge into his room carrying a blanket without so much as a knock. He was the only one who could stay in his bed.
When Yin Mingzheng saw him lying on his bed, he silently put his laptop away and laid down with him.
The lights were turned off. The room was dark.
“Mingzheng, what do you think?” Shu Ning asked.
Yin Mingzheng knew what he wanted to ask. After a moment of silence, he said, “Before meeting her, I didn’t really want to go back.”
Shu Ning heard the meaning in his words. “Then, do you want to go back now?”
Yin Mingzheng fell silent again. Then, he said, “She doesn’t really know anything, and she was really nice to me…”
Shu Ning listened to what he said and silently sighed to himself. Yin Mingzheng wasn’t someone who was easy to please. Back when he was trying to get close to him, the villain had been very cold. Madam Wei had only met him once, ate a meal with him, and spoke a few words with him, yet the villain actually said that she was “really nice” to him.
It only went to show that Yin Mingzheng was actually really eager to meet his biological parents. He really wanted family affection. Even if he had acted indifferent, it didn’t change how he felt.
…And, to be honest, who doesn’t long for that?
Especially after knowing that he was deliberately switched at birth and that his biological parents were completely innocent. He probably wanted to know what kind of people his biological parents were. After enduring Yin Qiang and Zhou Juan’s abuse, the villain would definitely think about what it would be like to grow up with his biological parents.
If his biological parents had abandoned him and thrown him away, Yin Mingzheng definitely wouldn’t give them a second look. However, the current situation was that his biological parents were also unaware of the situation.
It was hard to reject them.
Plus, why should he reject them?
Shu Ning said awkwardly, “I can tell that you’re hesitating. Since you want to go back, why hesitate?”
The little villain was such an outstanding person now. Madam Wei liked him a lot. Shu Ning believed that he would definitely be treated well if he returned to the Wei family.
In the darkness, Yin Mingzheng turned his head. Shu Ning could faintly make out his outline through the dim lighting.
“Shu Ning.” He called out his name.
Shu Ning waited for him to continue talking.
After a while, Yin Mingzheng said, “Would you like to come with me?”
Shu Ning: “…???”
What kind of strange development was this?
Yin Mingzheng said, “If I go back to Wei family, can you come with me? I don’t want to be separated from you.”
If he was honest, Shu Ning was really touched.
He hadn’t expected that Yin Mingzheng would still want to bring him along. However, how could he possibly go back to the Wei family with him!?
It would be super embarrassing.
“If you don’t come with me, I won’t go back.”
Before he could even get his thoughts together, Shu Ning heard the villain say this. He became even more embarrassed.
Damn. If he didn’t agree, the little villain wasn’t even going to go back to the Wei family. He instantly felt a strong sense of guilt.
He quickly said, “I don’t really care, but I’m worried that Cai Cai and Dad won’t agree…”
“They’ll agree,” Yin Mingzheng said.
Shu Ning suddenly remembered that Dad and Cai Cai both seem to listen to the little villain a lot lately. Yin Mingzheng might really be able to convince his parents…
So, was he really going to follow the villain to the Wei family? He was going to stay with the Wei family even though he had absolutely no relationship with them?
Whenever Shu Ning tried to imagine it, he felt embarrassed beyond belief.
It wasn’t that big of a deal to go with him. So long as he didn’t care, the only ones feeling awkward about it would be other people.
“Will Madam Wei agree?” Shu Ning asked.
The little villain wrapped his arms around him and squeezed. “She will.”
“Well, as long as Madam Wei agrees, I’ll go back with you,” Shu Ning said.
To be honest, he also felt a little nervous about sending the villain back by himself.
Shu Ning thought that the little villain would discuss it with her the very next day. However, to his surprise, the little villain didn’t bring it up at all. In fact, the little villain hadn’t even agreed to go back with her yet.
Although Madam Wei was disappointed, she didn’t give up. She decided to stay in Chuzhou and booked a month’s stay in a nearby hotel. She was going to play the long game.
During her month’s stay, Madam Wei picked them up from school everyday to have lunch and chat. On weekends, she would take them to public parks and amusement parks to play. During this time, Madam Wei visited Cai Qin and Shu Jun several times. She brought gifts and expressed her gratitude, which made them feel really flattered.
In private, Shu Ning quietly asked him, “Mingzheng, how come you didn’t agree to go back with Madam Wei?”
Yin Mingzheng smiled. “One, I wanted to see how determined she was. Two, people don’t cherish things that are easily obtained.”
Shu Ning was taken aback.
Yin Mingzheng reminded him, “Don’t forget. She still has a son back at home, and their relationship with each other is really good.”
If Yin Mingzheng hadn’t mentioned it, Shu Ning was almost about to forget that there was still Wei Ximing.
Shu Ning thought about it for a while. Then, he comforted Yin Mingzheng, “She stuck it out for an entire month. If you look at her attitude, it doesn’t seem like she would favor one over the other.”
After all, not a lot of guys would be willing to chase after a girl for that long. Madam Wei had been treated like royalty all her life. For her to last a month was already pretty good.
Of course, it remained to be seen whether chasing after a girl and chasing after a son could even be compared.
Yin Mingzheng raised an eyebrow. Beneath his brows was a pair of dark eyes. “Really?”
Shu Ning couldn’t make any promises. He didn’t know what to tell him.
“If I was a useless good-for-nothing, do you think she would stick it out in Chuzhou for a month?” Yin Mingzheng smiled. His eyes were clear.
Shu Ning secretly sighed to himself. This was something he knew about from the very beginning. It was why he had hoped for the little villain to improve himself. That way, he’d be able to earn the Wei family’s approval.
However, he’d forgotten just how smart the little villain was. There were a lot of things that he could see through for himself.
Sometimes, it was easy to become disappointed if you knew too much.
Shu Ning didn’t want this. After thinking for a moment, he said, “Mingzheng, I don’t think we should criticize her just because you don’t think her feelings are genuine enough. It’s not worth holding a grudge over.”
“It’s natural for a person to like you because of your good points, and it’s also natural for a person to dislike you because of your bad points. You can’t demand people to look past your sloppy and rude outer self and see your kind and beautiful inner self.”
“I’ve always believed that it’s my responsibility to put my best self forward. Time is precious, and nobody has any obligation to spend that time digging for your inner beauty.”
“Let’s say a person is lazy, unhygienic, and unmotivated. Then, they turn around and say they’re actually a really kind and beautiful person on the inside. To be honest, that’s kind of unconvincing.”
“Of course, it’s not right to criticize others and slap labels on people just because they have a few bad habits.”
“What I really want to say is that it doesn’t necessarily make her disingenuous to wait for you. Just because she’s only seen your good points doesn’t mean she’s being hypocritical. You don’t need to think about the what ifs…”
“If you were really a good-for-nothing, a large majority of people wouldn’t be able to stick it out for a month either. Human nature is just like that. You can’t demand too much from her just because she’s your mother. She’s not a saint after all. As long as they don’t cross the line, we should try to forgive other people’s shortcomings. Nobody’s perfect…”
Yin Mingzheng was silent for a moment. Then, he nodded with a smile. “I understand.”
“What’s the point of thinking about that stuff anyway? It’s just going to make you unhappy.” Shu Ning spouted what sounded like a bunch of life lessons, but he was actually giving Yin Mingzheng a heads-up.
What if the Wei family liked Wei Ximing better? Would the little villain feel jealous and go down the wrong path?
Even if the Wei family was super biased, the little villain still needed to be independent. He didn’t need to rely on them. There was no need for jealousy and no need to think about those what-ifs and what-could-have-beens.
Shu Ning was just worried that the little villain wouldn’t be able to think things through.
“You’re right.” Yin Mingzheng patted his head. “I shouldn’t think about stuff like that.”
Shu Ning watched his expression for a bit. He felt a little bit more at ease.
It would be best if the Wei family could come to like the villain. Shu Ning also hoped that the villain would be able to remain calm regardless of what the Wei family thought of him.
A month later, Yin Mingzheng finally agreed to go home with Madam Wei.
Madam Wei almost cried with joy. “Really? That’s great! This is really great!”
Yin Mingzheng said calmly, “However, I have two conditions.”
Madam Wei wiped her tears and said, “Mingzheng, don’t worry. As long as it’s within my abilities, I’ll give it all to you!”
She thought that Yin Mingzheng wanted compensation for the past ten years. Mingzheng had suffered so much. He deserved to be compensated.
Shu Ning wondered if Yin Mingzheng was going to ask her to kick Wei Ximing out of the Wei family. It didn’t really matter if he brought it up, but it would be embarrassing if Madam Wei refused.
Shu Ning could understand if the villain hated him. If it was anyone else, their first demand would probably be for Wei Ximing to get lost. However, he could also understand Madam Wei’s hesitation.
Madam Wei hadn’t actually seen the suffering Yin Mingzheng endured. The things that he went through were just a couple of words to her, but Wei Ximing was the son that she had raised for more than ten years.
This was why the Wei family had been so conflicted in the original novel. In the end, they chose to stand on Wei Ximing’s side.
Just as his thoughts were running wild, Shu Ning suddenly heard Yin Mingzheng say, “First, Shu Ning’s also going back with me.”
Madam Wei was stunned for a moment. Then, she nodded. “No problem!”
Shu Ning perked up. He stared at the villain, waiting for his next words.
Yin Mingzheng started speaking again. “Second…”
Both Madam Wei and Shu Ning subconsciously straightened up.
Yin Mingzheng said, “I hope everyone can be respectful to both me and Shu Ning.”
That’s it?
Madam Wei and Shu Ning were stunned.
No compensation. No kicking Wei Ximing out. Just two simple requests?
Madam Wei regained her senses and nodded quickly. “There’s no problem! Absolutely no problem!”
Shu Ning was surprised. He kept looking at the villain’s face and found that he was as calm as usual. He didn’t seem to have any other wants or desires.
Could it be that he really didn’t care about Wei Ximing?
Shu Ning put himself in his shoes. If it was him, he really wouldn’t be able to be indifferent about Wei Ximing, but the little villain was actually able to keep his composure. As expected of an important supporting role.
After leaving the hotel, Shu Ning thought about it and said, “I thought… you would ask for Wei Ximing to leave.”
The little villain’s handsome face showed a hint of surprise. Then, he shook his head. “I don’t care about him.”
After a pause, he said, “Besides, I’m not going to ask for something that she can’t give me.”
Shu Ning was shocked. Had the little villain already confirmed that Madam Wei wouldn’t send Wei Ximing away?
He already figured Madam Wei out in just a month?
Madam Wei wanted to take Yin Mingzheng back to Beijing right away, but Yin Mingzheng refused once more. He said that he was still in his third year of middle school. He would go back with her after finishing his exams.
Madam Wei had already been completely taken in by him, so she could only agree. She decided to leave Chuzhou ahead of him.
Over the past month, Madam Wei had been hovering around Yin Mingzheng like a helicopter. A lot of people knew the truth by now, and they could hardly contain themselves.
“I knew it! With his looks, it was like a phoenix fell into a chicken coop! Yin Mingzheng didn’t look anything like Yin Qiang or Zhou Juan. It turns out he was the Wei family’s child!”
“You know what they say. The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree. I didn’t believe it before, but now I do.”
“Sure enough, some people’s genes are just different! I always used to think that Yin Mingzheng didn’t quite look like Zhou Juan and Yin Qiang’s child. As expected, I was right!”
It was all people would talk about. Those gossip-mongers made it so that everyone in the community knew.
Yin Mingzheng was good-looking, and the things Zhou Juan and Yin Qiang did was common knowledge. Everyone sympathized with him and admired him. Now, it was revealed that Yin Mingzheng had become the son of a wealthy family. Everyone was rushing to take part in this juicy piece of gossip.
There was nothing more bizarre or twisted than this. Yin Mingzheng was like a great carp. He leapt straight into the sky and became a dragon!
This was the Wei family! The famous Wei family!
That was a world they could only dream of reaching.
Who would have thought that the poor child whom everyone excluded would one day become the son of the wealthy Wei family?
The world truly worked in mysterious ways.
They could gossip about this for the rest of their lives.
There was a lot of discussion in the community, not to mention the students. Yin Mingzheng was already the most popular boy in school, but now he had reached an entirely new level. For them, the difference between the Yin Mingzheng from before and the Yin Mingzheng now was that the Yin Mingzheng from before could be seen and touched. However, the Yin Mingzheng now was about to fly away and never be seen again…
During this time, Yin Mingzheng received enough love letters to drown him. Some people wanted to take their chances and give it a go. However, a lot more people just wanted to quickly express their feelings before he left. This way, Yin Mingzheng would become an eternal memory of their youth.
Even Shu Ning received a lot of love letters. All of them were for Yin Mingzheng.
Shu Ning: “…”
Do you really think I’m Yin Mingzheng’s lackey?
Alright. I am.
They were in their third year of middle school, so they were busy reviewing for exams. As a result, not a lot of people tried to harass Yin Mingzheng. Everyone was preparing for high school entrance exams.
Time flew by. To no one’s surprise, Yin Mingzheng was ranked first when he graduated, and Shu Ning was ranked second. He felt that this middle school was very different from the middle school he attended before. If he didn’t work hard, he might not be able to get good grades.
As soon as exams ended, Madam Wei called to ask them when they would be coming back.
Yin Mingzheng wasn’t in a hurry to answer her. He still had to say goodbye to his classmates. Then, he took Shu Ning, Wang Shenshen, Long Qiao, and Song Nian on a graduation trip around China.
After the trip, he threw the others aside and took Shu Ning on a trip to Europe. Once summer vacation was almost over, he finally agreed to return to Beijing.
Madam Wei earnestly called him thousand of times throughout all of this. The little villain was unusually calm. He wasn’t anxious to return.
Shu Ning remembered how the novel had described him. In the novel, the little villain couldn’t wait to return to the Wei family. Madam Wei didn’t come to pick him up. Rather, she sent an assistant to pick him up. In order to set him up as a villain, the book described how impatient Yin Mingzheng was to return. The novel said that he couldn’t wait to abandon his kind adoptive parents. It said that he did not hesitate to throw himself into the arms of a wealthy family.
Now, the villain wasn’t in a hurry at all, but Madam Wei was. She had been begging for a month and made countless phone calls. After pleading with him over and over, the villain “reluctantly” agreed to go home with her.
How would Yin Mingzheng be treated this time around?
Shu Ning didn’t even need to think about it to know the answer to that.
The villain was young, but he was very shrewd.
Shu Ning didn’t think the villain would suffer over there, and he definitely wasn’t afraid. Still, he insisted on bringing Shu Ning along under the pretense of being “scared”. Shu Ning felt that he was being kind of fake.
By now, Madam Wei had been completely taken in by Yin Mingzheng. When she heard that he had finally agreed to return, she was incredibly moved. First, she had the butlers clean out two bright and spacious bedrooms near hers. Then, she cleaned out one of the nearby rooms and turned it into a study room. She arranged a bunch of books and laptops inside. She even specially equipped it with a game console!
Then, she gathered all of the servants and showed them photos of Yin Mingzheng and Shu Ning. She made sure they all recognized the real young master. They absolutely could not neglect him.
With such an uproar, Wei Ximing could no longer ignore it. Originally, he had wanted to pretend that he didn’t care, but now his expression was dark. He secretly clenched his fists.
Madam Wei had even paid Yin Mingzheng’s grandparents a visit. She said a lot of good things about Yin Mingzheng in front of Yin Mingzheng’s grandparents, Wei Shanhe and Li Yongna. Wei Shanhe and Li Yongna’s expressions were unenthusiastic. There were already a lot of grandchildren in the Wei family. It didn’t particularly matter to them if they had one more.
The distinguished second branch and third branch of the family each had three children. The number of illegitimate children they had was still unknown. Wei Shanhe and Li Yongna weren’t exactly lacking in grandchildren who had grown up outside.
Yin Mingzheng’s father, Wei Yuanning, had a son and a daughter with his deceased ex-wife. He also had two illegitimate children. When he discovered that his child had been switched, he was disgusted. Besides disgust, he only felt that it was a huge bother. As for his feelings about Yin Mingzheng, there really wasn’t any to speak of.
Madam Wei, or Su Muli, was the only one who was actually looking forward to her son’s return. Everyone else was indifferent to it.
Wei Ximing felt a lot better when he saw that the rest of the family didn’t care very much. He thought to himself, “Wealthy families aren’t as simple as you think they are. Keep dreaming.”
A few days later, Yin Mingzheng and Shu Ning brought their suitcases and boarded a plane with Madam Wei, who had personally come to pick them up. Then, they returned to the Wei family in the capital.
The Wei family all lived in one villa, but the main building belonged to Wei Shanhe and Li Yongna. The other three branches of the family lived in the other buildings. They usually didn’t eat together every day. They would only gather on the weekends, holidays, and whenever Wei Shanhe called for them. Otherwise, they would usually stay in their own villas.
Madam Wei reported to Wei Shanhe in advance. She specially prepared a welcoming banquet and invited the other two branches to the main building for dinner. She wanted them to meet Yin Mingzheng and get to know who the real young master was. She also wanted to show off a little bit.
Wei Shanhe had also agreed.
When Shu Ning and Yin Mingzheng arrived at the villa, the butler assigned a servant to the two of them. She was a middle-aged woman who had worked for the Wei family for several years. She and Su Muli were very distantly related, so she had a relatively high status among the servants.
“Hello, Young Master. My name is Hu Mei. I have been working here for several years. Since your flight was delayed, we’re a bit short on time, so I will plan both of your itineraries.” The servant said, “The two of you will rest in your rooms for half an hour. At four o’clock, I will take the two of you on a tour around the villa. I will tell you about the Wei family’s history and the members of the Wei family, as well as instruct you on some basic etiquette. At five o’clock, a stylist will come help the two of you get ready. It will take about an hour. After styling, please stay in your rooms and don’t go anywhere. This is to prevent any mishaps. At seven o’clock, I will guide the two of you to the main hall for the banquet…”
Shu Ning was completely dumbfounded.
Damn! He felt like he had just arrived at some super strict company!
Was this what wealthy families were like? Do you have to plan out where you go, what you eat, and what you do?
Yin Mingzheng frowned.
Shu Ning noticed that the villain wasn’t too happy. Shu Ning quickly raised his hand and asked, “Are we going to have a schedule like this everyday?”
If every day was like this, it would be too unbearable.
Such a life wouldn’t be worth living.
Hu Mei shook her head. “The two of you don’t need to be nervous. It’s usually not like this. Since you two just arrived, you will need to be formally introduced to everyone tonight. This is why Madam arranged things like this.”
Yin Mingzheng smiled. “Afraid we’ll embarrass ourselves?”
Hu Mei was stunned for a moment. Then, she gave a slight bow. “Young Master Mingzheng, of course not. Madam likes you a lot. She hopes that everyone else will like you as well.”
Shu Ning patted Yin Mingzheng’s shoulder. “When in Rome, do as the Romans do.”
Yin Mingzheng turned his head to look at Shu Ning for a moment. Then, he said to Hu Mei, “We’re going to rest for an hour.”
Hu Mei frowned. “But… I’m supposed to show you around at four o’clock…”
“No buts.” Yin Mingzheng stared at her, his eyes dark. “The dinner’s at seven o’clock. It’s only half past three. We still have plenty of time, right?”
Originally, Hu Mei wanted to force the two of them to follow her arrangements, but, when she met Yin Mingzheng’s penetrating gaze, her heart suddenly froze. For some reason, she didn’t dare to refute him.
