Chapter 17
Chapter 17
Wang Mei felt extremely uncomfortable settling into this tiny space.
Unlike Han Rong, who was busy with company business, Wang Mei, who was a leisurely Mrs. Fu, had long ago seen news reports about more than fifty families having their babies switched at birth.
She gave birth to the child, and Wang Mei naturally remembered the hospital where she gave birth very clearly.
Han Jialan and Wang Mei got along well, but Wang Mei knew very well that the child's appearance was nothing like that of a family member.
She immediately began to suspect Han Jialan's background.
Taking a child who is not prepared for the test is easy. Wang Mei found out without any effort that Han Jialan was not her biological daughter. But looking at the child who was snuggling close to her, Wang Mei found that she did not want to give up her daughter who she had raised for more than ten years for a child she had never met.
But Wang Mei also really wanted to know where her biological daughter was now and how she was doing.
So she found Wang Mei's address through the news, drove out alone, and secretly began to spy on Liang Shuanglan and Jiang Mingyue's lives.
Wang Mei discovered that Jiang Mingyue was very independent. She didn't need Liang Shuanglan to pick her up from school in the morning or evening. After returning home, she would even help the neighborhood children with their homework. Even when Liang Shuanglan went out with new clues, Jiang Mingyue could still sit at her desk all day long on holidays.
Wang Mei's guilt about not being able to bring Jiang Mingyue home immediately faded.
Compared to Han Jialan, who is weak and introverted and cannot live well without the support of her family, Jiang Mingyue can live well without the protection of others.
Therefore, Wang Mei simply reduced her attention to Jiang Mingyue.
Until she discovered that Fu Qian's love interest was actually Jiang Mingyue.
Wang Mei immediately broke down. Without conducting any investigation, she believed Han Jialan's tearful account and hysterically concluded that Jiang Mingyue had gone astray because she grew up among "poor and lower-class people" and wanted to latch onto the wealthy Fu Qian.
Wang Mei kept a close eye on Jiang Mingyue's grades, hoping that they would be poor so that she could use them to confirm that Jiang Mingyue was a bad kid.
From beginning to end, she never considered that Jiang Mingyue had only just come of age this year. Before, no matter how strong or independent she was, she was still a child who needed her parents' protection. She also never imagined that Jiang Mingyue's actual living conditions were so dire.
"Could you move it a little further in? The door won't close." The cameraman suddenly spoke, interrupting Wang Mei's thoughts.
She hurriedly pulled Han Jialan back into the room, finally making room for the cameraman and managing to close the door.
Wang Mei turned around anxiously and saw the camera actively changing angles to film the rental room—this single room was even smaller than the Han family's toilet!
Will the reporters and cameramen they invited secretly laugh at their hypocrisy?
Wang Mei dared not face the camera anymore; she hurriedly turned her gaze away, her face flushed with embarrassment.
Last night, after returning from the banquet, Han Rong suggested to Wang Mei that they bring Jiang Mingyue and her daughter over and move two rooms to the first floor where the servants live.
Wang Mei thought this would disrupt her current life and cause her three children to vehemently oppose it because they couldn't adapt; but now, Wang Mei has completely changed her mind.
Rather than letting outsiders point fingers at her for being "unkind," she would rather give Jiang Mingyue and Liang Shuanglan two servant rooms on the first floor. At worst, she would go downstairs less often in the future, out of sight, out of mind!
Wang Mei anxiously grabbed Jiang Mingyue's hand: "Mingyue, come back with me. There will be plenty of room for you at home."
"Mom!" Han Jialan's eyes widened as she interrupted Wang Mei urgently, her face filled with shock and hurt.
Before she came, Wang Mei hadn't told her this—she had clearly promised that she wouldn't put her behind her just because she found her biological daughter.
We've only just met and haven't said anything yet, so why has Mom changed her tune?
Tears welled up in Han Jialan's eyes.
She was clearly feeling incredibly wronged, but she still turned her face away to wipe her tears and echoed in a tearful voice, "Yes, my mother and I both hope that you and your daughter can live with us."
Jiang Mingyue: ……
Are you two so self-centered that you assume my mom and I both really want to live in your house?
Jiang Mingyue neither agreed nor refused, but instead reached out and asked, "Ms. Wang, when we met yesterday, Mr. Han said that he had stolen my hair to do a paternity test to determine if I was related to him by blood. Now that Han Jialan is here, I think you should have also investigated whether she is related to my mother by blood, right? Where is the paternity test result? Let me see it."
The accident that happened at the hospital back then involved many families' children being mixed up. Even if Jiang Mingyue is Han's biological daughter, it doesn't mean that Han Jialan is Wang Mei's biological daughter.
For a moment, the expressions on Wang Mei and Han Jialan's faces went blank.
They...they really hadn't considered this possibility.
Han Jialan and Liang Shuanglan have never had a paternity test done, so it's impossible to determine whether they are mother and daughter or strangers!
The expressions on Wang Mei and Han Jialan's faces were so clear that Jiang Mingyue immediately understood what they meant.
She didn't let the opportunity pass and asked directly, "You stole my hair to find out if I'm your biological daughter, but you didn't care whether my mother would recognize a fake daughter?"
She emphasized, "Your behavior is so selfish. I feel that you are disrespecting my mother."
Wang Mei stood there, at a loss.
"I...I...it's not what you think..." Wang Mei hurriedly tried to explain, but couldn't think of a suitable reason for a moment. After stammering for a while, she suddenly said, "I came to find my daughter. I didn't exchange children with Liang Shuanglan."
Wang Mei was right, but Jiang Mingyue still insisted on asking, "Have you done a paternity test for Han Jialan and my mother? If not, when will you arrange it?"
Wang Mei glanced nervously, her voice dry as she admitted, "No, Ms. Liang should be going home soon. I'll have them go for the check-up together once she's feeling better. There's plenty of time; she's waited so many years, a day or two won't make a difference."
“Alright, since I’ve already answered your question about why you’re here, you can come back on the day of your checkup, so my mom won’t get excited for nothing.” Jiang Mingyue readily agreed, quickly got up, opened the door, and pointed outside, signaling them to leave, “I’m going to cook. The house is small, and there’s not much food, so I won’t entertain you.”
It is a well-known fact that Jiang Mingyue and Liang Shuanglan are very poor.
She had made it clear that she did not want Liang Shuanglan to be disappointed before Han Jialan and Liang Shuanglan's relationship was confirmed, and she also did not have the financial means to buy more food to entertain Wang Mei.
Wang Mei is rich, but she came empty-handed; now she should get out, and she can't keep saying things like, "I have money, I'll give you money, get up and buy some groceries and cook me a couple of dishes, I insist on eating at your house."
That means they are openly bullying Jiang Ren and treating Jiang Mingyue like a servant.
If Wang Mei really did that, her reputation would be ruined no matter how she tried to cover it up.
Even though she was unwilling, Wang Mei could only reluctantly pull Han Jialan away.
Before leaving, Han Jialan, who had been silent all along, suddenly turned around and looked at Jiang Mingyue.
The old t-shirt, loose at the collar but still white, was worn by Jiang Mingyue, outlining the girl's slender figure along with her trousers.
Jiang Mingyue's warm white skin, glowing with a healthy rosy hue, made her look like a blooming flower standing in the light.
Despite being dressed in such tattered clothes, Jiang Mingyue seemed unconcerned about the hardships of life and even radiated vitality.
Why can't Jiang Mingyue be a little fatter or uglier?
She must have been living such a difficult and miserable life! She should have looked distressed, with rough skin and cloudy eyes!
Jiang Mingyue didn't even take the Han family seriously.
Even so...
Han Jialan turned her head and saw that Wang Mei couldn't help but look at Jiang Mingyue again.
It's always the same here; the people she cares about are always drawn to Jiang Mingyue. Fu Qian is like that, and so is her mother.
All feelings begin with caring. Even if her mother is currently resistant to Jiang Mingyue, given enough time, she will eventually see the shining qualities in Jiang Mingyue.
She could no longer win Fu Qian's love and continue the engagement. If she lost her mother's protection, her father would definitely force her to find another marriage partner.
Thinking of those disgusting rich kids, Han Jialan clenched her fists.
The nail extensions dug into her flesh, leaving deep marks on her palm.
No, she must have irreplaceable value to ensure she doesn't lose everything she has now.
Han Jialan grabbed Jiang Mingyue's hand and suddenly knelt down: "Please, don't say these things to torment your mother. If you're angry, take it out on me. I know I'm the one taking up your life."
The camera quickly turned to Han Jialan and Jiang Mingyue.
Before the camera stopped rolling, Jiang Mingyue smoothly knelt down, raised her hands, and shouted, "Don't try to scam me!"
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