Chen Changqing spoke sincerely, and upon hearing this, Song Sanhe was moved: "Third brother, your second brother thanks you!" In Li Jumei's heart, Song Lan was her own daughter, and Song Sanhe knew this better than anyone else.
"Should I go and call Lanlan over now?"
Chen Changzheng consulted Chen Changqing for his opinion.
Before Chen Changqing could speak, Old Master Chen said, "If you're going, then hurry up and go! What are you dawdling for?!"
Upon hearing this, Chen Changzheng saluted the old man and said solemnly, "Understood, Commander, I'll go right away!"
About two or three minutes later, Song Lan followed Chen Changzheng to Old Master Chen's study.
"Grandpa, Dad, Third Uncle!"
After greeting Grandpa Chen, Song Sanhe, and Chen Changqing, Song Lan finally focused her gaze on Grandpa Chen: "Grandpa, my uncle asked me to come to your study. He said you have something to say to me."
"Sit down. Your third uncle has something he'd like to ask for your opinion on."
Before Old Master Chen could speak, Chen Changqing patted the spot next to him, gesturing for Song Lan to sit down.
Without much thought, Song Lan sat down next to him.
"Lanlan, you know what happened tonight, so I don't need to say more. What I want to say is that you are actually the child who was given away, but before you were given away, you were switched at birth by the medical staff at the hospital. Do you understand what I mean?"
Chen Changzheng stared intently at Song Lan, making sure he didn't miss a single change in her expression.
Song Lan paused briefly, then nodded: "You mean you are my biological father."
"Yes, that's right."
Chen Changqing nodded slightly and said, "After you were born, you were switched at birth by the medical staff, and then Zhang Hua casually gave you away, which led to what happened next. But there's something you probably don't know: your mother, your second aunt, also gave birth to a baby girl at the hospital, but that child stopped breathing shortly after birth. Just then, someone handed your second uncle a baby girl, and the person told him it was a girl. So your second uncle made a decision to pretend that the baby girl in his arms was his and your second aunt's child, so that your second aunt wouldn't be too shocked to learn that her child had died and might suffer some mishap."
When your second uncle first came to the compound for the Spring Festival, he recognized Zhang Hua as the woman who gave him his child years ago. So he talked to me privately, and later, after my investigation...
But for the sake of your second aunt's health, I didn't think of acknowledging you as my daughter the moment your second uncle mentioned your background. Now, I want to ask you, do you want to continue being your second uncle and aunt's daughter...?
Before he could finish speaking, Song Lan's voice escaped her lips: "Third Uncle, my parents are very good to me, and I want to maintain the status quo." She didn't hesitate at all, which made Chen Changqing feel a little sour.
Song Sanhe felt a surge of warmth in his heart, and he unconsciously wiped the corner of his eye.
"Besides, we are family. Whether I am my parents' daughter or your daughter, Uncle, you are all my elders. From now on, I will be as filial to you as I have been before!"
Song Lan's expression was unusually serious.
"Well said!"
Grandpa Chen praised Song Lan, then looked at Chen Changzheng, Song Sanhe, and Chen Changqing with disdain and said, "Our Lanlan is so sensible, and she never hesitates in her words and actions, unlike the three of you who are always looking back and forth. You're really getting more and more backward as you get older!"
"Dad, I know you love your granddaughter Lanlan, but could you please stop belittling the three of us in front of her?"
Chen Changzheng deliberately wore a bitter expression and said, "This not only makes us lose face, but we also don't know how to face Lanlan." He shifted his gaze from Old Master Chen to Song Sanhe and Chen Changqing: "Second brother, third brother, don't you think so?"
Song Sanhe and Chen Changqing nodded in unison.
Old Master Chen glanced at Chen Changzheng and the other two: "You've got guts!"
Including Song Lan, Chen Changzheng, Song Sanhe, and Chen Changqing all burst out laughing at the same time.
After a moment, Chen Changqing said, "Dad, Second Brother, I respect Lanlan's wishes. She is still your and Second Sister-in-law's daughter. However, she is also my daughter, but I will still call her Third Uncle."
He paused for a moment, then said, "Since Second Brother doesn't want Second Sister-in-law to know, then let's not tell her about this. What do you think?"
Grandpa Chen and Chen Changzheng had no objections.
"I also plan to keep it from your eldest sister-in-law, lest he accidentally let it slip while chatting with your second sister-in-law."
Chen Changzheng said this to Chen Changqing, and upon hearing it, Chen Changqing felt that this was indeed a safer approach.
"Dad, what about Mom...?"
Chen Changqing looked at Old Master Chen, then stopped midway through his sentence.
No one knows a son better than his father. Old Master Chen understood what Chen Changqing was trying to say. He pondered for a moment and then said, "Tonight you mentioned that Yueyue has a twin sister. If you don't explain Lanlan's background to your mother, she will definitely keep thinking about that child."
With a furrowed brow, Old Master Chen continued, "When a person carries worries in their heart for a long time, it's not good for their health."
Song Sanhe: "I should tell my mom, so she can feel more at ease!"
Grandpa Chen: "Don't worry, I'll tell your mother not to mention it at home, especially not in front of your daughter-in-law."
Song Lan sat next to Chen Changqing, listening quietly without saying a word, because she had no objection to the decisions made by her elders.
-
The moonlight outside the window was cold. Chen Dongze came out of Chen Changqing's study and returned to the guest room where he and Zheng Qiuwen were staying. He saw that the children were all asleep, while Zheng Qiuwen sat on the edge of the bed with a blank expression, looking out the window, as if she had not heard him come in from outside.
He opened his mouth, trying to speak several times, but his throat felt like it was blocked with cotton, and Chen Dongze couldn't utter a single sound.
He stood motionless in the middle of the room for an unknown amount of time until his legs started to go numb. Only then did he move and sit down in the chair in front of the desk.
"sorry!"
With a strained voice, Chen Dongze finally spoke.
Zheng Qiuwen did not respond.
Chen Dongze's lips twitched, and he stammered, "I've thought about telling my family about your background, but... I'm worried that Dad will kick my mom, me, and Xiaoshu out of the house..."
My biological father was an orphan who died on the battlefield, and my sister was born posthumously. Before she was born, I witnessed firsthand how hard my mother worked to raise me.
I originally thought my grandparents and uncles could help us, but all they care about is money…
What do you mean by telling me all this?
Zheng Qiuwen interrupted Chen Dongze, staring directly at him, and said, "Do you want my sympathy so that I can forgive your mother for letting your sister take my place? Forgive you for knowing that my identity and your sister's identity were switched by your mother, yet you kept it from my family, causing me to be taken out of the house and abandoned by your mother in the end?"
(End of this chapter)
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