Chapter 15

After finishing her work report and requesting leave in advance, Xu Zhiyi felt a sense of relief.

Jiang Sixun casually asked her an unrelated question, inquiring how she had been lately and whether the public revelation of her background had affected her. “Everything that needed to be taken down online has mostly been removed. If you come across anything you can’t handle, you can come to me, or reach out to your brother, Xu Heng.”

Xu Zhiyi expressed her thanks. She didn’t care at all about outside opinions or whether she could fit into that circle. Her biggest struggle came from within—she didn’t know how to adapt or integrate into her parents’ lives.

Without the emotional dependency that comes from being raised by them, it was difficult for her to act spoiled or affectionate toward He Yi’an. She felt embarrassed to do so.

While on the phone, that invisible barrier between her and her parents seemed impossible to break.

“The difficulties I’m facing can’t be helped by others. I missed out on the best years to build a relationship with my parents—the past ten-plus years can’t be made up.”

Jiang Sixun replied, “Don’t worry. It can be made up. I’ll help you, little by little.”

The words “thank you” were stuck in her throat for a long time before Xu Zhiyi, with a hoarse voice, finally managed to say them.

Jiang Sixun slightly raised his chin. “Get back to work.”

Xu Zhiyi closed her laptop and stood up. “Mr. Jiang, I’ll head out now.”

After she left, the office fell silent.

Jiang Sixun reached for the delicate envelope on the corner of the desk, pondering who to give the tickets to.

His phone vibrated. It was a call from Ning Yun.

Since his last business trip to London, there had been no contact between them. He had been busy with a project, while Ning Yun continued her lavish, carefree lifestyle, frequently switching between day and night, attending various elite parties without ever seeming to tire.

“I’m downstairs at the Yuanwei building. Surprised?” Ning Yun’s pleasant voice, filled with laughter, came through the receiver.

“Are you on a business trip to Manhattan?”

“Of course, I came to see you.”

“You don’t feel a little guilty saying that, do you?”

Ning Yun chuckled as she stepped into the elevator.

She had come to Manhattan to visit a friend and decided to drop by and see what Jiang Sixun’s office looked like. Despite having delivered coffee to him for over a year, she had never stepped into Yuanwei.

Soon, the office door was pushed open.

The woman wore a deep V-neck red dress, her black curly hair gleaming with softness. She moved with grace and poise.

Ning Yun sat down across from him, bringing with her a faint, delicate fragrance.

Jiang Sixun asked, “What would you like to drink?”

“Anything will do.” She propped her chin on her hand, watching Jiang Sixun as he moved to pour her coffee, her gaze following his tall, straight figure.

He stood sideways, his jawline sharp and his features smooth.

This man was exceptional in every way, and even with her high standards, she couldn’t find a single flaw in him.

But she felt no thrill of excitement.

Her grandfather used to say that she was being picky. He also said that once she got married and spent time with someone day in and day out, feelings would naturally develop.

Maybe.

“Hey.”

Jiang Sixun turned, signaling her to speak with a look.

Ning Yun’s eyes twinkled with gossip. “I heard that the richest man, Xu Xiangyi, had his daughter switched at birth. His real daughter is named Zhiyi, and the news has been all over the place recently. You must know about it, right?”

Jiang Sixun placed the porcelain teacup with camellia patterns in front of her, his gaze resting on her face. “You came here just for gossip?”

Ning Yun laughed, denying it. “You have such a bad memory. I said I came to see you.”

Jiang Sixun sat back at his computer and humored her curiosity. “It’s Xu Zhiyi.”

Ning Yun raised her eyebrows slightly. “I thought so.”

Being the wealthiest man in the country, Xu Xiangyi naturally had powerful connections, and there wasn’t a single photo of his biological daughter online. She had suspected it was Xu Zhiyi and had come here just to confirm it.

“Back then, you said Zhiyi was your sister, your half-sister, but something didn’t feel right. Even when she went out with Ning Yinqi, you had people closely follow her. No one is as overprotective as you.”

Now it all made sense, given that she was the daughter of the richest man.

If someone entrusted you with a responsibility, you naturally had to be extra careful and protect them well.

“Was she really switched at birth?”

“Yes.”

Ning Yun took a sip of coffee. No wonder Xu Xiangyi only announced it to his close circle of friends and quickly suppressed any news that spread online. Since the switch might have been deliberate, publicly revealing it could raise suspicions. But keeping it private would feel unfair to his daughter.

Xu Xiangyi chose the former.

She searched through her hazy memory. “You seem to have a good relationship with Xu Xiangyi?”

Jiang Sixun, while checking emails, responded, “He fulfilled his responsibilities as my guardian.”

That explained it.

Although Lu Jianbo was his biological father, he had been absent from Jiang Sixun’s life and hadn’t fulfilled his duties as a father.

Ning Yun decided not to dwell on these unpleasant topics. She casually glanced at the familiar-looking envelope on the desk and subtly changed the subject. “Are you going to the concert too?”

As she spoke, she put down the coffee cup and picked up the envelope.

She had gotten her cousin two tickets through a connection, and they had come in similar envelopes, so it seemed like this was the organizer’s standard packaging.

Jiang Sixun glanced at the envelope and truthfully said, “They’re for Zhiyi. She already has tickets, so she doesn’t need these.”

Ning Yun smiled smugly. “I helped Zhiyi get her tickets. It seems she and Ning Yinqi are getting along quite well.”

The concert tickets had sold out in an instant, and it was nearly impossible to get one. She only realized how difficult it was to get VIP tickets after going through the process herself.

After considering the envelope for a few seconds, Ning Yun said, “These are such great seats. It’d be a waste not to use them. How about the two of us go? I’ve never been to one of her live performances. Afterward, we can take those two kids out for dinner.”

Jiang Sixun thought for a moment. “Alright.”

Ning Yun, on a whim, added, “I’ll move my birthday party to this week, so you won’t have to make another trip to London.”

---

Xu Zhiyi returned to her desk and began condensing the content for her report tomorrow, aiming to keep it under five minutes.

By the time she finished, it was nearly six o’clock, and most of her colleagues had already left.

As she exited the building, the car waiting to pick her up was already there.

Before she even reached the car, the rear window slowly rolled down, and He Yi’an smiled at her gently. “Working late today?”

Xu Zhiyi couldn’t hide her surprise. “Mom, you’re not busy?” She quickly walked to the car.

He Yi’an opened the door for her from the inside and smiled. “There’s always work to do, but I decided to take a break.”

Xu Zhiyi sat close to her mother, the surprise too sudden for her to think of what to say.

Like a magician, He Yi’an handed her a box of candy. “I was walking around the area and found a hidden candy shop.”

Xu Zhiyi didn’t usually like very sweet things, but she happily accepted it.

He Yi’an said, “The owner said it’s very sour. Try it.”

It turned out her mother knew she liked sour things. Xu Zhiyi opened the box and tried a few pieces—much more sour than the green tangerines she liked.

“Mom, do you want to try some?”

He Yi’an quickly waved her hand, just watching her daughter eat made her feel the sourness. “You take after your dad with your love for sour things. I can’t handle it.”

Xu Zhiyi put the box away in her bag, saving it to eat later.

He Yi’an was only staying for two days this time and would leave tomorrow. She came to see her daughter and also to take some of her daughter’s valuable old belongings home.

There was only one box of precious items, a suitcase that had always leaned against Xu Zhiyi’s simple desk.

When they arrived at the rental apartment, He Yi’an told her daughter to pack everything in advance and bring it to the hotel before she left.

Xu Zhiyi pointed to the suitcase in the corner. “No need to pack. Everything important from my childhood is in there. It’s just heavy—there are about ten diaries in it.”

What was said casually left a deep impression on He Yi’an.

She didn’t ask any more questions and made an excuse to go to the kitchen for some water.

Yu Zijia was washing fruit in the kitchen and turned her head to greet her, “Auntie,” handing over a plate of freshly washed strawberries.

“Thank you.” He Yi’an took a few. “Zijia, I wanted to ask you something. That big silver suitcase in Zhiyi’s room, has it always been there?” Who carries all their precious childhood belongings around with them?

There’s only one reason—wherever the home is, that’s where the important things are.

Yu Zijia took a strawberry, still dripping with water, and popped it into her mouth. “She just brought it back from home last time.”

There was almost no pause. “I don’t know much, but it seemed like after the DNA test results came out, Auntie Xiao urged Zhiyi to go back to her biological family. But since you hadn’t planned on taking her back at the time, Zhiyi thought maybe you weren’t sure about choosing her, that you might not even accept her. So, she decided to stay with her adoptive parents. But then Auntie Xiao, in a moment of carelessness, said she wasn’t her mother and told her not to call her ‘mom’ anymore. That’s when Zhiyi brought everything over.”

It felt like a dull knife slicing through He Yi’an’s heart, the pain lingering and intensifying until she finally found her voice. “Xiao Meihua treated Zhiyi…”

Yu Zijia replied objectively, “She certainly raised her as her own. Zhiyi has been attending an international school since kindergarten, and Auntie Xiao didn’t stop her from going to concerts or watching F1 races. Sometimes she even helped Zhiyi get tickets. But she just didn’t like Zhiyi that much. No matter how hard Zhiyi tried to please her, it didn’t make a difference. A lot of mothers are like Auntie Xiao, always favoring the child they raised themselves.” She was speaking honestly, without exaggeration, a testament to her character.

Hearing that her daughter had tried to please her adoptive mother, but still wasn’t liked, He Yi’an could no longer hold back. For the first time, she lost control in front of someone else and turned away to wipe her tears.

She never imagined it would be like this. Several teachers had given good reviews of Shang Tongxu and his wife. Apart from being too busy to spend time with their children, they supported all of Zhiyi’s activities and spared no expense. When Xiao Meihua found out that the child wasn’t biologically hers, she was anxious to find her real daughter, and He Yi’an had understood. After all, even she, who had such deep affection for her adopted daughter, was determined to return the children to their rightful families. Loving them and realizing the mistake made it understandable that they wanted their biological child back. No one wanted to raise someone else’s child forever.

Moreover, Qi Zhengchen’s father had said before they flew to Beijing for the DNA test that Zhiyi was very outstanding, and her grandparents adored her.

She had once thought that even after switching the children back, with the immense gratitude they felt for raising her, there would still be visits during holidays and celebrations.

Yu Zijia quickly found some tissues. “Auntie, I’m sorry for talking too much.”

“Don’t say that. I should be thanking you. Zhiyi never tells me about her troubles, only her joys.”

He Yi’an stayed in the kitchen for a long time, calming herself down. Zhiyi was still packing her clothes in her room. She sat in the living room, pretending to be dealing with work on her phone, but her vision blurred again as she stared at the screen.

She couldn’t hold it in anymore. “Zhiyi, I’m going to the car to make a work call.”

“Oh, okay.”

He Yi’an went downstairs and stood by the roadside for a long time.

She opened the family group chat with Ning Wei and tagged her: “From now on, treat your parents well, and don’t be rebellious.” No matter what, they were mother and daughter. She hoped Ning Wei would quickly adjust to her new family and live a smooth life. As her adoptive mother, she had done her part and could walk away with a clear conscience after twenty years of being a mother.

Ning Wei quickly replied: “I will, Mom.”

He Yi’an responded: “I’m dissolving this family group today.”

Ning Wei wanted to say more, but the group had already been deleted.

He Yi’an removed the chat window. Everything was reset to zero.

“Mom.” Xu Zhiyi came downstairs, her roommate having told her what had just happened.

“Let it go, don’t blame yourself,” Xu Zhiyi said.

He Yi’an squeezed her daughter’s hand, “I’m sorry, I wasn’t decisive enough at the time.”

“Anyone would have been hesitant. Even Grandma and Grandpa haven’t fully accepted that I’m no longer their child. They call me every few days. And they only raised me for a few years, as I didn’t live with them after starting school.”

Raising a child from infancy to adulthood over twenty years, with twenty years of love and care, isn’t something that can be reduced to a simple question of love or not.

He Yi’an continued, “I have to tell you one more thing. Before Ning Wei left, she said she wanted to treat us to a meal to thank us for raising her. Your father and I agreed. I don’t want to hold grudges against anyone. After this meal, we’ll part ways cleanly. I also dissolved the old family group.”

Xu Zhiyi hadn’t expected her mother to be so firm.

---

On the evening of August 14, two days before the concert, Xu Zhiyi boarded a flight to London. Her boss had given her an extra day off, so she didn’t have to work on Friday and changed her flight to Thursday.

She stayed at the same hotel as last time, but booked a standard room this time.

The scenic suite was too extravagant—she couldn’t bring herself to spend that much.

After adjusting to the time difference, she dressed in the clothes He Yi’an had bought her and applied delicate makeup before heading out. Ning Yin was interning at his family’s company over the summer and was busy with work, so she strolled leisurely along the Thames River on her own.

She bought an iced drink but hadn’t taken a sip when she got a call from Qi Zhengchen.

“Second Brother,” she answered.

“You sound like you’re in a good mood.”

“Yeah.” She told him she was walking by Tower Bridge, enjoying the comfortable weather—no rain, and a pleasant breeze.

Since learning the truth about her background, she hadn’t felt this relaxed.

“Are you in London?”

“Yes, I’m here for a concert.”

Qi Zhengchen asked, “Which hotel are you staying at? Don’t be too frugal.”

Xu Zhiyi mentioned the hotel name and made sure to emphasize, “I didn’t skimp on myself.”

She finished her iced drink, and the call lasted until then.

She wandered from 3 PM until it was almost dark. Searching for a good place to eat, she picked a French restaurant with good reviews. Lacking a good sense of direction and unfamiliar with the area, she had to check out each place one by one.

As she walked, looking at each store’s sign, she suddenly froze.

Inside a restaurant with floor-to-ceiling windows, she saw He Yi’an and Xu Xiangyi sitting side by side. The figure sitting across from them—she recognized immediately as Ning Wei.

For a few moments, Xu Zhiyi’s mind went blank, and she stood there in a daze. The night breeze, carrying a bit of moisture, hit her face, making her hair fly wildly. A few strands stuck to her lips and nose.

After several seconds, she regained her composure and slowly tucked the stray hair behind her ear.

She suddenly remembered—He Yi’an had mentioned having one last meal with Ning Wei.

Inside the restaurant, Xu Xiangyi asked his adopted daughter who she had come to London with.

“With my boyfriend,” Ning Wei confessed to her adoptive parents.

Xu Xiangyi was about to ask when she got a boyfriend when he caught a glimpse of someone outside the window. Before he could see clearly, the figure quickly walked away.

He would never mistake his daughter’s profile.

But why was Zhiyi in London?

Without thinking further, he put down his utensils and hurried out.

“Zhiyi.”

Xu Zhiyi turned around, feigning surprise. “Dad? What are you doing here?”

Nothing escaped Xu Xiangyi’s eyes. He was sure his daughter had seen them earlier.

He and He Yi’an had been on a business trip in Singapore, and coming to London wasn’t exactly convenient—it was Ning Wei who had invited them for dinner.

After they finished their work, they rushed over to fulfill the promise of that meal.

The restaurant was booked by Ning Wei, known for its good steaks.

But he hadn’t expected to run into Zhiyi here.

Xu Xiangyi explained as best he could, “We were going to let you know, but we were worried you’d overthink it.”

“I know you’re having dinner with Ning Wei.”

“You know?”

“Yes, Mom told me earlier.”

Xu Xiangyi sighed with relief and reassured her, “This is just to fulfill a past promise—there won’t be a next time. Your mom and I don’t drag things out or cling to the past. Don’t let today bother you.”

Zhiyi smiled and said frankly, “I’m only a little bothered, it’s fine.”

Xu Xiangyi was speechless.

Then he smiled, though it was tinged with an unspoken sadness.

His daughter was finally willing to reveal her true feelings in front of them.

“What do you want to eat? I’ll take you out for dinner later.”

Having one meal, then going for another—what a hassle. They would have plenty of chances to eat together as a family in the future.

Zhiyi declined, “I’ve been walking around all afternoon. I’m too full to eat anything now. My friend is waiting for me back at the hotel, and we planned to go see the night scenery together.”

At that moment, He Yi’an emerged from the restaurant and was startled to see her husband and daughter standing face to face.

“Mom,” Zhiyi greeted her first.

He Yi’an couldn’t bring herself to ask, “What are you doing in London?” Instead, she stepped forward and hugged her daughter. “I’m sorry, I’ve failed as a mother.”

This time, she held on for a long time without letting go.

Xu Zhiyi took responsibility: “It’s my fault for not telling you that I was coming to London this weekend.”

She knew her parents were in Singapore on a business trip for an important multinational project, so she hadn’t mentioned her own small matters over the phone, planning to share them in detail once they were finished with their work.

She hadn’t expected them to finish so soon.

“Go ahead and eat. I’ll catch up with you later,” she said.

He Yi’an glanced at her watch. “Your dad and I have a night flight to Hong Kong Island. The hospital needs us to come over, so we can’t stay with you for long.”

When Xu Zhiyi heard about the hospital, she realized it was related to the mistaken identity issue.

“You don’t need to stay with me. I’m meeting Ning Yinqi tomorrow.”

“Ning Yinqi?” He Yi’an found the name familiar.

Xu Zhiyi explained, “He’s Jiang Sixun’s cousin.”

“I thought the name sounded familiar. Have a good time with your friends. Let me know when you’re back at the hotel tonight. And remember to take the driver with you next time.” The driver He Yi’an had arranged for her was carefully selected to ensure her safety.

“Okay.” Xu Zhiyi wasn’t used to having someone with her all the time. She wanted to enjoy the concert freely, so she had given the driver a few days off.

“I’ll head back now.” She waved goodbye.

Xu Xiangyi offered, “I’ll have someone take you back to the hotel.”

“No need. It’s very close.” Xu Zhiyi pointed to a nearby building. “I’m staying there. It’s quicker to walk than drive.”

He Yi’an watched her daughter’s graceful figure walk away. The outfit she wore today—a navy blue, high-collared, sleeveless blouse—perfectly matched her elegant and refined demeanor.

Her daughter must really like this outfit to have brought it all the way to London.

It was a pity they met under these circumstances.

As Xu Zhiyi walked along the river, she received a message from He Yi’an: [Buy yourself something while shopping.]

She replied: [I will.]

A few seconds later, He Yi’an sent another message: [Enjoy your shopping. Mom loves you.]

Xu Zhiyi stared at the last four words for a long time before replying: [I love you and Dad too (hugs) (hugs).]

Under the night sky, the old city of London began its lively evening.

Looking at the London Eye, she walked back the way she came, passing through the bustling outdoor crowd. She walked a long distance, and the sounds of music, singing, and occasional laughter still echoed in the square behind her.

She bought a coffee and strolled back to the hotel at a leisurely pace.

“Zhiyi.”

As Xu Zhiyi was heading toward the elevator, a man in a dark blue striped business suit approached from the lobby lounge. Rarely, he wore a white French cuff shirt underneath, exuding an air of restrained elegance.

She paused for a moment—Jiang Sixun was here?

“Mr. Jiang…” she greeted awkwardly.

“Did you stay on the way?”

Xu Zhiyi’s response was quick: “Did my dad call you?”

“Yes. Uncle Xu asked if I was here on a business trip with you.” Jiang Sixun gestured toward the hotel entrance. “Let’s go. We’ll have dinner.”

Xu Zhiyi glanced at his attire again. The elegant white shirt’s cuffs covered half the watch’s face, exuding grace and composure.

She looked away and asked, “Are you here on business?”

Jiang Sixun replied, “Not really.” He was just meeting an important client, so he had dressed in formal wear.

If it wasn’t a business trip, then it was a personal arrangement. Xu Zhiyi didn’t press further.

Jiang Sixun hadn’t initially planned to tell her about the concert tickets but decided to after some consideration: “This trip to London has something to do with you.”

Xu Zhiyi looked at him in confusion. “Has something to do with me?”

“Yes. I had a friend get you two concert tickets. Unfortunately, you had already made plans with Ning Yinqi.”

Xu Zhiyi stared at him, momentarily speechless.

Jiang Sixun continued, “I wasn’t planning to attend the concert, but Uncle Xu and Aunt Xu often ask me to take care of you over the phone. I promised them I wouldn’t just say that and do nothing.”

Xu Zhiyi felt guilty. “You should have told me about the tickets earlier.”

He hadn’t mentioned it before to avoid making her feel guilty. Now, he wanted her to know that after being recognized, there were people who cared about her.

And her parents cared about her as well.