Chapter 69: A Good Show
Caught off guard by the sudden attack, Zhou Jiaxian and Old Lady Li had no idea where this group of people had come from. However, Li Sishi, who was secretly observing from the back, could see clearly that these women, who often made headlines for their glamorous and attention-grabbing antics, were none other than a few well-known and eccentric socialites. The reason they had gathered here today to be interviewed by reporters was probably because they needed publicity for a charity event at the end of the year.
However, this kind of conventional publicity is unlikely to get much coverage. It will probably just be mentioned casually in some corner or back alley, with a superficially harmonious group photo as an accompanying picture, and that will be it.
Compared to this kind of irrelevant publicity, coupled with the fact that these wealthy women are all gossipy and talkative, they suddenly saw a good show unfolding around them, and they got excited along with the reporters who were interviewing them. They seized the opportunity and rushed over: This kind of scoop is too explosive. We can do the usual interviews later!
Not to mention reporters wanting to grab the first-hand information for the front page, they also want to take advantage of their proximity to get the first-hand information as conversation starters at future gatherings—whether successful or not, this will inevitably be a super juicy gossip for some time to come!
Madam Li, who was unjustly misunderstood by a group of people, immediately frowned and said, "I was discussing the wedding with Miss Zhou. This is a family matter, so please don't meddle."
Upon hearing this, the group of gossipers, who were eager to hear Old Madam Li's scathing accusations against Zhou Jiaxian, were immediately stunned.
As for the one with the most bewildered expression, it was Zhou Jiaxian herself: back then, she was innocent and had no burdens. Apart from her family being poor, she believed that she was no less than others in every other aspect. However, Madam Li looked down on her, a poor girl. Now, she is not only divorced but also has a daughter who is almost an adult. As a result, Madam Li has accepted her generously.
This world is too surreal. Despite having read many books recently and broadened her horizons, Zhou Jiaxian, whose heart is still relatively traditional, really can't understand it...
After seeing how her repeated use of the word "matter" had created such a rift that it stunned the gossipy crowd, Old Madam Li felt somewhat relieved. She decided to ignore them and continued her earlier interrupted conversation: "This check is a gift from our Li family to you. Just fill in a number you like."
Upon hearing Madam Li's words, the gossips became excited once again: it turns out that it wasn't the wealthy matriarch challenging a second-hand Cinderella, but rather the wealthy matriarch sincerely hiring a second-hand Cinderella!
Although I can't understand why Madam Li and Li Jinhao, two super-rich families with excessively abundant wealth, are so enviable.
Why did he choose Zhou Jiaxian, a divorced woman with a child in her late twenties? But this is undoubtedly more sensational than news of an unequal match and elders intervening to break them up!
It's not uncommon for Miss Hong Kong contestants to marry into wealthy families, but it's rare to see a Miss Hong Kong's mother marry into one. Especially since a large portion of the readers of these gossip magazines are housewives, such a bombshell story could definitely make them dream!
The gossipers here perked up their ears, just waiting for Zhou Jiaxian to readily agree to accept the check—then they would have something to brag about.
Unexpectedly, upon hearing this, Zhou Jiaxian frowned, placed her hands properly on her knees, and shook her head, saying, "I'm sorry, Madam Li, I don't quite understand what you mean."
Even if there was a fleeting hope and joy in her heart, Zhou Jiaxian still harbored some wariness towards the old lady who had once strongly opposed her relationship with Li Jinhao.
With such a group of gossipy people around, Madam Li couldn't directly bring up the paternity test. So she just said some polite things, only that her family didn't care about prestigious families when choosing a wife, but only about virtuous women. Zhou Jiaxian met her requirements for a good daughter-in-law, so she wouldn't stop them from getting married but would support them. She would also treat Li Sishi like her own granddaughter, and so on.
After many years apart, Madam Li's unusual behavior made Zhou Jiaxian even more wary.
At this moment, Li Jinhao suddenly stepped forward from behind and took Zhou Jiaxian's hand: "Jiaxian, my mother already knows about us. This time she sincerely hopes that we can get married. Let's go home and talk about it."
As he spoke, he also gave a look to Madam Li, who was sitting opposite him. Madam Li nodded in understanding and stood up from her seat to leave.
"Madam Li, Attorney Li, could you say a few more words? It won't take up much of your time!" The reporter instinctively followed up, only to be deterred by Li Jinhao's cold glare.
Upon seeing Li Jinhao's response, the gossipy socialites and reporters immediately dared not pursue the matter any further: this was not a celebrity for gossip to enjoy, but a powerful and influential family with a vast network of connections and considerable influence.
If you really provoke a big shot like that, then both their family business and their jobs might be in trouble.
Seeing Zhou Jiaxian following the Li family mother and son out in a daze, Li Sishi and the four members of the Zhou family discussed it for a moment, and then got up from their seats and followed.
They followed them all the way to the Li family mansion. It seems Li Jinhao had already explained things to Old Madam Li in the car.
So when Li Sishi got out of the car, she immediately saw the people in the car behind her. The old lady Li, her eyes filled with barely concealed excitement, called out to her, "Sishi, come in and sit down!"
"Unsolicited kindness is either a sign of ulterior motives or theft." The four members of the Zhou family stood next to Li Sishi and whispered this to her. However, they couldn't go against Li Sishi's wishes and finally followed her inside.
Instead of foolishly spouting nonsense about not having backbone and looking down on the Li family mansion, they should just go in with them to prevent Li Sishi and her daughter from being bullied by the old lady inside.
Madam Li's heart was now set on her beloved granddaughter, and she had no objection to the four members of the Zhou family following her. After leading everyone into the house, she instructed the servants to prepare tea and pastries to entertain the guests, and even specified that she wanted the best batch.
"No need, we poor people can't afford such good things." Zhou Jiayun had personally witnessed Madam Li looking down on his sister because she came from a poor, low-class background in the neighborhood, so his tone was very harsh.
Hearing Zhou Jiayun's pointed response, Old Madam Li's expression became somewhat awkward.
He glanced subconsciously at Li Sishi sitting with the Zhou family before explaining in a low voice, "Back then, it was my fault for being so naive and not being able to see people with the right mindset, which caused them to separate for so many years..."
Unexpectedly, the once haughty Old Madam Li would show such a weak and pitiful look of regret in front of him. Zhou Jiayun, who was usually resistant to gentle persuasion, immediately lost his tough-guy persona and spoke again in a much gentler tone, "Although... you don't need to blame yourself like this..."
"I can't help but blame myself. If I hadn't been blind and unable to distinguish right from wrong and insisted on breaking them up, Si Shi wouldn't be in such a situation where she doesn't even know who her biological father is..." The thought of her only granddaughter treating Li Jinhuai, that good-for-nothing who was good at drinking, gambling and whoring, as her father for so many years still pained Madam Li's heart.
Fortunately, her granddaughter has a reliable biological mother by her side, and her genes are inherited from her son, her biological father. This is why she is able to remain untainted by the mud and has not been corrupted by that scoundrel Li Jinhuai.
"Wait, Madam Li, what do you mean by this?" Zhou Jiaxian was stunned again.
Although Li Sishi does look more like Li Jinhao, nothing actually happened between her and Li Jinhao back then. It was that scoundrel Li Jinhuai who got her drunk and took her virginity, which is why she had no choice but to submit to him and go to Annam with him.
It was precisely because both she and Li Jinhuai knew this that Li Sishi's temperament and demeanor resembled Li Jinhao's, and her appearance was similar to Li Jinhao's.
Li Jinhuai, who bore a resemblance to his cousin, never doubted that Li Sishi was not his biological daughter; at most, he would occasionally make sarcastic remarks.
Before Madam Li could speak again, Li Jinhao immediately interjected, "Ah Xian, my mother already knows that Si Shi is actually our daughter, which is why she's acting this way. You don't need to hide it anymore."
"What?!" Upon hearing this "truth," Zhou Jiayun was the first to lose his composure.
"I..." Zhou Jiaxian stared blankly, momentarily at a loss for words, "I...I'm not..."
Fearing that Zhou Jiaxian might say something wrong and cause the plan to fail, Li Sishi immediately put on a shocked expression and looked at Madam Li: "Madam Li, is what Uncle Lee said true?"
"It's true! Sishi, you are their biological daughter!" Old Madam Li was incredibly excited, her eyes even glistening with tears. "You shouldn't call him Uncle and me Old Madam, you should call them Daddy and Grandma..."
"I don't believe it!" Li Sishi shook her head vigorously.
“I’ve already done the paternity test, how could it be fake?” Mrs. Li hurriedly gestured for Sister He to bring over the paternity test report. “Look, I specially went to California to have it expedited. That time I deliberately gave you the hair accessory and took your hair, it was all for this test…”
"This...how is this possible?!" Li Sishi held the paternity test report, her face displaying a complex mix of emotions, a shock that was heartbreaking to watch.
"My elder sister?!" Zhou Jiayun, Liang Shao'e, and the Zhou family's twins also looked at Zhou Jiaxian in shock.
“At the time, Ah Xian was drunk, so she didn’t know at first that the person was actually me. I was also drunk and not very clear-headed. Later, after we met again and found out the truth, she was too embarrassed to tell you, so the truth has been kept a secret ever since.” Li Jinhao looked heartbroken.
"So it's all your fault!" Zhou Jiayun said, standing up as he thought of the suffering his sister had endured over the years, his fists clenched tightly.
"Brother!" Although Zhou Jiaxian felt there was something strange about this, she still subconsciously stood in front of Li Jinhao, but was pulled back behind him by Li Jinhao.
“I’m sorry to those two women…” Li Jinhao faced the furious Zhou Jiayun directly, “You should indeed teach me a lesson, but I should accept your anger.”
Noticing Zhou Jiayun hesitate for a moment, Li Sishi immediately seized the opportunity and rushed over to grab Zhou Jiayun's arm, as if she had subconsciously blurted out her true feelings in her anxiety: "Uncle, don't hit... don't hit my daddy!"
Upon hearing the word "Daddy," even though Li Jinhao knew the paternity test report had been tampered with, his eyes couldn't help but flicker.
Meanwhile, glancing out of the corner of her eye at Zhou Jiayun's utterly shocked expression, and then at Old Madam Li's tearful smile of joy, Li Sishi, with her head bowed, immediately knew: This is it!
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