Chapter 280: Return to the Xia Family
Hearing what the two of them were saying, Xia Zhiyun frowned unconsciously.
"Excuse me, could you stay a bit further away from me?"
The reek of their cheap perfume was so strong it nearly made him gag.
Embarrassed by his comment, the two girls reluctantly took a step back.
Xia Zhiyun ignored them and turned to the cashier. "Put their tab for tonight on this card."
He took a card from his wallet and handed it to the clerk.
"Okay, one moment."
Given that Xia Jiajiao’s card had failed at least three times, the clerk didn’t really have high hopes.
But as it turned out, Xia Zhiyun’s card worked just fine.
The words "Payment Successful" appeared on the register screen, and the smile on the clerk’s face became much more sincere.
"Sir, here is your card and receipt."
The clerk handed the bank card and receipt to Xia Zhiyun with both hands.
Xia Zhiyun casually took them and put them back in his wallet.
"The bill’s paid. You’re coming home with me."
Throughout the entire exchange, Xia Zhiyun never once looked directly at the two girls.
Xia Jiajiao was very satisfied with Xia Zhiyun’s behavior, so she didn’t make a fuss and followed him straight out of the bar.
On the way back, Xia Jiajiao sat in Xia Zhiyun’s passenger seat. "Brother, why are you in such a hurry to get me home? The butler just called me, too, telling me to come home."
If Xia Zhiyun hadn’t come to get her in person, Xia Jiajiao would probably still be fooling around with that crowd.
Seeing Xia Jiajiao act like this, Xia Zhiyun felt that he’d been seeing his sister through rose-colored glasses.
"Dad’s not happy today. You should watch yourself when we get back."
Xia Zhiyun couldn’t bring himself to tell her directly, ’You’re the child of Mom’s affair with another man.’ Although they were brother and sister, their relationship was now rather... delicate.
"Got it. I’ll be careful."
Xia Jiajiao just assumed Xia Zhengguang was in a bad mood because of company matters, never once thinking it had anything to do with her.
Seeing that Xia Jiajiao had at least taken his words to heart, Xia Zhiyun let out a small, inward sigh of relief.
He then stepped on the gas and drove back to the Xia Family villa as quickly as possible.
"Aren’t we going to the hospital to see Mom?"
Xia Jiajiao still had no idea that her mother was already in custody.
Xia Zhiyun pursed his lips at her question. "You’ll find out soon enough. Let’s get home first."
"Oh."
Xia Jiajiao gave a perfunctory response. As soon as Xia Zhiyun parked, she opened her door and got out herself.
The two of them walked into the villa’s living room. Xia Zhengguang was sitting on the sofa, his face grim.
"Dad."
Sensing the tense atmosphere in the house, Xia Jiajiao still forced herself to greet Xia Zhengguang.
"Don’t call me Dad. I’m not your dad!"
At the sight of Xia Jiajiao, Xia Zhengguang’s mood officially hit rock bottom for the day.
’Xia Jiajiao was completely bewildered by his words. It’s true she isn’t his biological daughter, but isn’t that because she and Yun Zijin were switched at birth?’
’Why didn’t he ever say he wasn’t her dad before? Isn’t it a little late to be making an issue of it now?’
"Dad, what’s wrong? Did I do something to make you unhappy?"
Xia Jiajiao frantically racked her brain, trying to remember what she could have done to make Xia Zhengguang want to disown her.
"Zhiyun, you tell her what happened."
’She doesn’t care about anything. So much happened at home today, and she’s completely oblivious!’
Suddenly put on the spot, Xia Zhiyun struggled for a moment to find the right words.
But the look he gave Xia Jiajiao was tinged with pity.
"You... you’re not Dad’s daughter. You’re... you’re Mom’s daughter."
’That should be clear enough, right?’
But Xia Jiajiao’s face was a mask of confusion. "Brother, what are you talking about? I know I’m not the true daughter of the Xia Family, but didn’t you all say that didn’t matter, and that being switched at birth wasn’t my fault?"
Realizing that something she was unaware of had happened, Xia Jiajiao immediately started playing the sympathy card.
"It’s true that this wasn’t your fault, but... you and Yun Zijin weren’t switched at birth."
’The mix-up was with their identities.’
"What does that mean? Brother, are you saying I’m the real Xia Family daughter after all?"
Her logic wasn’t wrong, if you assumed the only mistake was the "switched at birth" story.
However, the reality was completely different from what she understood.
"But you aren’t Dad’s daughter, either. You’re Mom’s child with... with someone else."
Steeling himself, Xia Zhiyun blurted out the whole story.
Xia Jiajiao froze, feeling as if she were hallucinating.
"Brother... you... you’re lying to me, right?"
’How is that possible!’
’If that’s true, doesn’t that make her an illegitimate daughter!’
’Wait, that’s not right. What about the paternity test between Yun Zijin and Dad?’
"If I’m Mom’s daughter, then what about Yun Zijin? She’s the one who had a paternity test with Dad!"
’It’s not like Mom could have gotten pregnant and given birth to a daughter without realizing it, right?’
That question from Xia Jiajiao stumped Xia Zhiyun.
"Stay out of it," Xia Zhengguang cut in. "Your mother and I are divorced. You’re not my daughter, so it’s inappropriate for you to stay in the Xia Family villa any longer."
"Move out. And don’t come back unless you have to. I’ve also canceled all of your credit cards. If you want money, you can go ask your mother for it at the J Bureau, or you can go find your real father. I don’t care which."
’But he would absolutely never give her his money again.’
Hearing Xia Zhengguang’s words, Xia Jiajiao opened her mouth to speak but found she had no words.
’Xia Zhengguang had every right to do this, but... telling her to find Mom at the J Bureau? What was that about?’
"What happened to Mom?"
At her question, both Xia Zhengguang and Xia Zhiyun fell silent. ’Are we supposed to just tell her, ’Your mother was prosecuted for intentionally kidnapping Yun Zijin and is now in jail’?’
Xia Jiajiao had only just accepted the fact that she was the result of Zhang Yiqin’s affair. Telling her that Zhang Yiqin was in jail on top of that would be too great a blow.
"Just say it. I can take it."
Xia Jiajiao had a few guesses, but she was afraid to confirm them.
"She hired someone to kidnap Yun Zijin, and was... was taken away."
Everyone present knew what Xia Zhiyun meant by "taken away."
"Mom... she did it for me... It’s all because of you!"
Xia Jiajiao glared at Xia Zhengguang with resentment. "If you hadn’t insisted on forcing me into an arranged marriage, why would Mom have done something so risky!"
’The plan was to bring Yun Zijin to the Xia house by force. Then, when the prospective groom arrived, they would be the ones in control of who he married.’
’Too bad the plan not only failed, but was exposed.’
"What nonsense are you spouting? She reaped what she sowed! Get out. I don’t want to see you."
’Every time he looked at her, it was just a reminder that he’d been cuckolded.’
"I’m not leaving! Mom owns half of this place, and I’m her daughter, so I have the right to live here!"
’Xia Jiajiao really didn’t want to leave. If her friends found out, she’d be mocked mercilessly.’
"Dad," Xia Zhiyun said, "the divorce papers you and Mom signed... I think this house was given to Mom."
Now, out of everyone present, the one who shouldn’t have been there was, ironically, Xia Zhengguang.