Chapter 251 - 245: Delivering Themselves
After getting a clear look at the two of them, Jiang Li covered her mouth in shock. "You... who in the world are you?"
The two exchanged a glance. The woman’s eyes suddenly reddened as she stepped forward, looking as if she wanted to touch Jiang Li but didn’t dare.
After a few seconds, she couldn’t hold back any longer and stepped forward, taking Jiang Li’s hand. "We... we mean no harm. We just wanted to get a better look at you."
Jiang Li maintained a look of confusion as she looked at the couple. "But I don’t know you."
Just as Jiang Li was about to leave, the man suddenly stepped forward to block her path. He looked at her, his face full of shame. "We... we’re actually your birth parents."
Jiang Li gasped, covering her mouth. "How is that possible? I’m an orphan."
"No, that’s not true. You’re not an orphan. You’re our child. It’s just... there were some unavoidable circumstances back then.
We’ve been looking for you all these years. We only just saw news about you online a little while ago. We know that nothing we say or do can make up for the years of lost love.
But we missed you so much. We just wanted to see you, even if it was just from a distance."
The woman spoke to Jiang Li, her eyes red and brimming with tears. Her hands trembled as she clutched Jiang Li’s arm, the picture of heartfelt sincerity.
Jiang Li looked up at them, her own eyes glistening. "R-Really? Are you truly my birth parents?"
"Yes. I’m your mother, Zhu Yan, and he’s your father, Shao Zhenhua."
Hearing the name Shao Zhenhua, a flicker of displeasure crossed Jiang Li’s eyes. ’Whether Shao Zhenhua was her father or not, she didn’t want Kun Sha’s people impersonating such heroes.’
"Is that so?" Jiang Li looked up, studying their faces. ’Li Xiaoru calls her Aunt Jing,’ she thought. ’And this Shao Zhenhua’s face is different from the one on the official website, but I can see a resemblance.’
"But... isn’t Shao Zhenhua dead?"
"Child, I did almost die back then. But I was lucky enough to survive. I reunited with your mother after that, but we’d lost track of you. We’ve been looking for you ever since."
The man calling himself Shao Zhenhua stepped forward to look at her.
"This is the money we’ve saved over the years. It’s okay if you don’t want to accept us as your parents."
Jiang Li glanced at it and reached out to take it. "Thank you, Mom and Dad." ’It’s not the first time I’ve acknowledged thieves as my parents, anyway,’ she thought wryly.
Shao Zhenhua’s expression stiffened. ’Weren’t we told Jiang Li was reserved?’ he thought. ’I didn’t think she would actually take it.’
"So, Mom, Dad, shall we go home?"
"Huh?"
The pair were so taken aback by Jiang Li’s sudden shift in attitude that they didn’t know how to react.
"That’s right. Didn’t you come looking for me to take me home? Or do you not even have a place to live? Don’t tell me everything you just said was a lie?"
Jiang Li’s suspicious gaze swept over the two of them.
"N-No, of course not! How could we lie to you? Let’s go home. Go home. Our family can finally have a proper reunion."
In an instant, the two of them snapped back to their previous act.
Jiang Li followed behind them to go "home."
They entered an old, narrow alley. The area was cluttered, lined with street vendors on both sides, and the sound of arguments was everywhere.
Jiang Li observed her surroundings the whole way. The moment she entered the alley, neighbors were already warmly greeting Shao Zhenhua and his wife.
"Zhenhua, you’re back?" one of them asked, then their eyes fell on Jiang Li. "Oh my, Zhenhua, this can’t be the daughter you’ve been searching for all these years, can it? She’s the spitting image of Zhu Yan!"
"That’s right! She looks exactly like Zhu Yan did when she was young."
A faint smile played on Jiang Li’s lips as she listened to them talk.
"Auntie, Xiao Li just got back, so we’re going to take her home. We’ll catch up later."
Jiang Li followed Shao Zhenhua upstairs. When she entered the apartment, a quick glance revealed a fully furnished two-bedroom unit.
She walked to the window and looked out over the network of crisscrossing alleys and old buildings. She could even hear the sounds of arguments from the neighboring apartments.
’What a massive sham.’
"Xiao Li, dinner’s ready! I made your favorite taro and spare rib stew," Zhu Yan called out.
Jiang Li glanced back, surprised. ’The people who know you best are either your loved ones... or your enemies.’
’They even know my favorite food.’
She sat down, picked up her chopsticks, and took a couple of bites. ’It’s alright,’ she thought, ’but not as good as Xiao Nian’s cooking.’
After a few bites, Jiang Li put down her bowl and chopsticks. She went to the room that was supposedly hers and opened the door. Inside was a pile of dolls, a small French-style bed, and surprisingly nice decorations.
She sat on the edge of the bed and checked her phone. It was filled with messages from Miao Anji and Yu Huannian, asking where she was.
I’m fine. Everything’s okay.
After sending the reply, Jiang Li looked around the room. The decor was actually very much to her taste.
She looked up at Jiang Li.
Jiang Li crossed her arms and looked around, commenting with disdain, "It’s not pretty at all. So childish!"
Jiang Li smiled. "Of course. Little Li has the best taste."
’Shao Zhenhua, Zhu Yan, Aunt Jing.’
As a thought struck her, Jiang Li immediately took out her phone and sent a message to Lu Xingye: "Did you see her?"
Lu Xingye saw Jiang Li’s message and, in just two seconds, knew who she was talking about. "Yeah. Song Shujing. She’s in a psychiatric hospital."
Jiang Li stared thoughtfully at her phone. ’Song Shujing... Zhu Yan... So Song Shujing changed her name.’
"A couple impersonating Shao Zhenhua and Zhu Yan found me. They’re claiming to be my biological parents."
Lu Xingye was so shocked by the message that he shot to his feet. ’Shao Zhenhua?’
"Shao Zhenhua claims he was lucky to survive, but his face was disfigured."
Lu Xingye sank back into his chair, staring at the messages from Jiang Li. After a few moments, his eyes widened in horror. "They’re Kun Sha’s people, and they’re after you?"
’What the hell are these people planning?!’
"Yeah. I think I’ll be meeting Kun Sha very soon."
Lu Xingye read Jiang Li’s last message, and his heart clenched. "Jiang Li, you have us. We can help you."
Jiang Li read Lu Xingye’s message. ’I know,’ she thought. Her goal was the same as theirs. Only by rooting out the cancer that was Kun Sha would the people she cared about be safe.
KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK. "Xiao Li, I’ve warmed up some milk for you."
Jiang Li put down her phone and went to open the door. "Thank you."
Jiang Li went back into the room, set the glass of milk down, and stared at it.
"Xiao Li, just leave the glass. I’ll come get it later. Let me know if there’s anything else you need for the room."
"Okay, got it."
Jiang Li took out the Gu Worms from Miao Anji. In an instant, a dozen or so of them swarmed the glass and drank every last drop.
When Zhu Yan came back into the room, Jiang Li was already lying in bed, fast asleep.
Zhu Yan picked up the empty glass beside the bed, glanced at Jiang Li, and turned to leave.
"I really don’t know anything! Please, let me go! I’m just an intern, I don’t know anything about what goes on at the station. I’ve only met the Jiang Li you’re talking about a few times!"
Jiang Li opened her eyes to see Tan Qing crouched wretchedly on the floor, grabbing at the leg of her pants and begging for mercy.
She looked down at Tan Qing with a blank expression before kicking her away in disgust.
"Answer one question for me, and I’ll let you go."