"You're my aunt?" Xiang Ri stared uncertainly at the young woman sitting elegantly on the sofa, sipping her drink. Beside her, Chu Chu and Shi Qing were cautiously engaging in conversation.
The woman appeared to be in her late twenties, and her features bore a resemblance to Xiang Ri's mother, who had left earlier—about five or six points alike—but the age difference was striking.
Xiang Mu, his mother, appeared a typical middle-aged woman, with crow's feet at the corners of her eyes. In contrast, the woman before him, claiming to be Xiang Ri's aunt, had smooth, youthful skin that still retained a delicate sheen. If not for the air of mature womanhood she exuded, Xiang Ri might have mistaken her for someone of Chu Chu's age.
The young woman did not speak but observed Xiang Ri carefully. After a long pause, she finally uttered two words: "So much alike."
"Auntie?" Xiang Ri raised an eyebrow. "Are you sure you have the right person?" If not for her slight resemblance to his mother, Xiang Ri would have dismissed her as a delusional intruder. Though Xiang Mu had only arrived two days ago, through his subtle probing, he had learned everything there was to know about his family—never once had he heard mention of such an aunt.
"Auntie?" The young woman's eyes widened in disbelief, and her face twisted in anger. "You dare call me 'auntie'?"
"Is that a problem?" Xiang Ri retorted arrogantly, clearly unimpressed.
Seeing that he showed no respect, the woman's face contorted with fury. "You brat, I am your aunt!"
Xiang Ri almost laughed. Ignoring the warning glances from Chu Chu and Shi Qing, he shook his head. "I've seen my fair share of frauds, but none as brazen as you." In truth, a part of him had begun to believe her, though doubts still lingered.
"What did you say?" The self-proclaimed aunt's temper flared even more. "Do you believe I won't beat you?"
Xiang Ri remained silent, casually pulling over a small stool to sit across from her. He propped his legs up on the coffee table and began shaking them rapidly, adopting a defiant, almost provoking expression.
Suddenly, the young woman stood up, her fists clenched tightly. However, for some reason, she hesitated, holding back from unleashing her wrath on Xiang Ri, who seemed to be waiting for just that. "If it weren't for... you little brat, you better be polite to me!"
"Proof!" Xiang Ri fixed her with an intense gaze. "I want proof."
The young woman knew exactly what he meant. She glanced meaningfully at the two girls beside her, then said, "Don't you think I look quite similar to someone's biological mother?"
"Resemblance doesn't mean there's a connection," Xiang Ri replied sharply, his irritation growing at her insinuating tone.
"What do you want, then?" The woman seemed oblivious to his displeasure. She sank back onto the sofa, her furious expression gradually calming.
"Explain what's going on. I've never heard anything about you being my aunt," Xiang Ri said, regarding her with skepticism.
The woman's eyes dimmed at his words, and her voice took on a somber tone. "This story starts twenty years ago..."
Realizing there was a story to be told, one that likely involved Xiang Ri's own past, Chu Chu and Shi Qing leaned in, eager to listen.
However, Xiang Ri, not one to easily succumb to sentimentality, had no intention of getting swept up in her sorrowful atmosphere. Interrupting before she could continue, he said, "If you're telling a story, just know that I won't be paying you for it."
"Brat!" The young woman, already irritable from revisiting painful memories, snapped. "Don't push your luck. If you keep provoking me, even if your mother shows up, I'll make sure she doesn't recognize you."
Even Chu Chu and Shi Qing, who had been watching, were now visibly upset with Xiang Ri for cutting her off. One shouted, "Xiang Kui!" and the other scolded, "Teacher!" Finally, Xiang Ri, prepared to "stand his ground," was forced to sit back down.
The young woman, casting a strange glance at the two girls, turned back to Xiang Ri. "What I'm about to tell you concerns the reputation of the Yi family. Whether you believe it or not, it is the truth. It all started twenty years ago..."
The young woman, claiming to be his "aunt," spoke slowly, but eventually laid out the full story.
After hearing the long-winded tale, Xiang Ri was already rolling his eyes in disdain.
Another overused trope: the wealthy young woman falls for the poor scholar, and the family disapproves. However, "his" father wasn't some penniless scholar; he was, in fact, a high school dropout and a former soldier—still not the best match, but certainly not as dismal as the story made it seem.
The story itself was simple: it began with a heroic rescue, and the beauty, moved by the man's courage, offers herself to him. Soon, they were madly in love.
But just as their love was blossoming, the villainous father of the wealthy young woman appeared. Upon learning that his daughter had fallen for a man with no job prospects, he was livid. He employed every means at his disposal—both legal and underhanded—but fortunately, the man wasn't defenseless. Having served in the military, he had some skills, and with the help of a few comrades, he remained unharmed.
Furious, the father arranged for his daughter to marry into another family of similar standing. Yet, in the end, the daughter defied her father's wishes, revealing that she and the man had already slept together and were expecting a child.
Realizing that the situation was irreversible and fearing a family scandal, the father severed ties with his daughter. In the end, the couple eloped and lived happily ever after.
Chu Chu and Shi Qing listened in silence, their eyes misting with tears. They lamented the fact that someone as kind as Xiang Mu could have such a painful past, and their gazes toward Xiang Ri turned filled with sympathy.
"What are you looking at me for? This has nothing to do with me," Xiang Ri couldn't bear the pitying looks from the two girls, who gazed at him as though he were a wounded animal. No matter what he said, the two women, overflowing with compassion, didn't change the way they looked at him.
"Now, aren't you going to call me 'Aunt'?" The young woman looked at him with satisfaction, savoring his discomfort.
"Don't you think 'Madam' is more fitting?" Before Xiang Ri could finish, the young woman hurled her empty drink bottle at him. "Damn it!"
Xiang Ri caught it effortlessly, his expression turning serious, though a trace of disdain lingered in his eyes. "Even if you are my relative, after twenty years without contact, do you really expect recognition now? Moreover, when that old man kicked my mother out, it was clear we had no ties left. In fact, aside from the blood we share, I don't believe I have any connection to your so-called Yi family."
The young woman's lips curled into a cold smile. "I suppose you would think that way. But have you ever considered your mother? Are you so sure she doesn't long to return home?"
Indeed, Xiang Ri realized that he had neglected to consider others' feelings. He was not truly Xiang Kui, and thus, his words came without any weight.
But what of the mother who had provided him with warmth and comfort? Would she think the same way? Just as he often reminisced about his days in the orphanage, perhaps she too longed for her home?
However, something about this situation seemed off. Xiang Ri turned to the cold-faced woman. "I find it odd. After twenty years of no contact, why now? Did that old man suddenly have a change of heart, realizing his mistake and seeking to repent?"
"Of course not!" The young woman immediately rejected this baseless assumption, then, to the astonishment of the two girls, she grabbed Xiang Ri by the arm and pulled him out of the room, shutting the door behind them.
"Surprised that I pulled you out here?" the young woman asked.
"A little," Xiang Ri responded nonchalantly, pretending to be unconcerned.
The young woman didn't directly answer his question but instead asked, "Earlier, you wondered why there's been no contact for twenty years and why now?"
"Yes," Xiang Ri mused, wondering if this conversation was meant for private ears.
"Well, let me tell you—it's about profit!" As she said those two words, a glint of light sparked in her eyes.
"Profit?" Xiang Ri was stunned. "It seems there's nothing for anyone to gain from me." Had his true identity been discovered?
"Whether you're feigning ignorance or are truly that naïve, it's clear you're now the son-in-law of the Tie family. That alone is enough to attract the attention of the old man. I've also noticed that he's struck gold this time—bringing back the son-in-law of the Tie family, along with Chu A's daughter and Shi Zhongzheng's daughter. I'm sure he's laughing in his sleep!"
"You'd better be prepared. If the old man finds out, he might even fly over from the capital to meet you," the young woman sighed inwardly. "The new leadership is about to take over, and he's eager to make his move."
"Now do you understand why I brought you out here?"
Xiang Ri broke out in a cold sweat, his mind racing with alarm. If she had revealed in front of Chu Chu that he was now the Tie family's son-in-law, the consequences would have been unpredictable.
He breathed a small sigh of relief, but the bigger feeling in his heart was wariness. How did this young woman know so much? Clearly, she had some powerful backing.
Moreover, from what he knew, the only person in the Tie family who could have such a relationship with him was Tie Wan. And considering the power of the Tie family, it made sense that some old, shady figure would try to align with them.
A flicker of realization passed through Xiang Ri's eyes. He hadn't expected Tie Wan to have such a powerful background. No wonder she had risen to the position of bureau chief at such a young age. The next time they met, he would certainly need to put her in her place for hiding so much from him about her true background.
What Xiang Ri didn't realize was that, since he hadn't asked, Tie Wan was never likely to volunteer such information. After all, boasting about one's powerful connections could be seen as bragging. The plan had been for his family to introduce him this morning, but the opportunity was missed when a certain "important figure" had to leave unexpectedly. Thus, Xiang Ri's suspicions about her had led him to wrongfully accuse her.
Deep in thought, Xiang Ri failed to notice the growing darkness in the young woman's expression.