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Chapter 41: No Going Home Until the Truth Is Found
First Floor, Restaurant.
By the floor-to-ceiling window, two men sat across from each other.
One was Yu Mo Yuan, and the other was Song Qing Ya.
Song Qing Ya was the same age as Yu Mo Yuan, and they were about the same height, but their temperaments were vastly different.
Yu Mo Yuan exuded a natural aura of dominance and ruthlessness, a man who commanded respect, someone people wouldn’t dare to look at directly.
Song Qing Ya, on the other hand, was different. He wore a black-and-white checkered vest with a British-style elegance, paired with thick black-rimmed glasses. His demeanor was gentle, his face always adorned with a mild smile.
He gave off the impression of a cultured university professor, the kind who always carried a thermos and spoke in refined, old-school phrases.
Completely harmless. A man who wouldn’t raise anyone’s guard.
However, no one in power is truly harmless. If they appear to be, then it’s nothing more than a carefully crafted mask.
Yu Mo Yuan leaned back in his chair, arms crossed. “What brings you and your brother to OX?”
Song Qing Ya didn’t rush to answer.
He was brewing tea.
His fingers were long and slender, holding the teapot with his thumb, index, and middle finger in a “Three Dragons Guarding the Cauldron” position. His movements were slow, smooth, and precise, gently shaking the pot before pouring the first cup of hot tea.
The same tea leaves, in different hands, could yield completely different flavors.
A person’s temperament affected the brew, the impatient made bland tea, the hesitant, bitter tea, but only those with clarity of heart could bring out its true essence.
Pushing the tea toward Yu Mo Yuan, Song Qing Ya finally spoke. “Same reason as you, the auction.”
“Oh? What are you after?”
“A family heirloom passed down from our ancestors. The family insists it mustn’t fall into the hands of outsiders…”
Before he could finish his sentence, Song Qing Ya abruptly stopped speaking.
His eyes were fixed on something behind Yu Mo Yuan, his hand frozen mid-pour, unaware that the tea was overflowing from the cup.
Yu Mo Yuan frowned and followed his gaze, It was Tang Liyue.
Yu Mo Yuan’s brows furrowed deeper. He immediately shifted his body, blocking Song Qing Ya’s line of sight, and said coldly, “Young Master Song, have you taken a liking to my assistant?”
Blocked from view, Song Qing Ya finally snapped out of his daze.
He put down the teapot, but an unidentifiable emotion flickered in his eyes.
“Your assistant? What’s her last name? Where is she from? Does she have parents?”
Yu Mo Yuan had known Song Qing Ya for five or six years, yet had never seen him lose composure like this.
Even though Song Qing Ya tried his best to hide it, the way his hands clenched tightly around the tea cup betrayed his urgency.
The only things that could make Song Qing Ya anxious were:
At this moment, Tang Liyue arrived at Yu Mo Yuan’s side.
She curiously glanced at Song Qing Ya a couple of times before turning to Yu Mo Yuan, handing him his coat. “Second Uncle, your jacket.”
Yu Mo Yuan put on the coat and nudged his chin, signaling her to sit beside him.
The table was small, with only four seats, if she didn’t sit next to Yu Mo Yuan, she’d have to sit next to Song Qing Ya.
Though she disliked being so close to Yu Mo Yuan, sitting next to a complete stranger felt even weirder. So, Tang Liyue obediently took the seat beside him.
Yu Mo Yuan personally poured her a cup of tea before introducing Song Qing Ya. “This is my friend, Song Qing Ya.”
Tang Liyue politely nodded. “Nice to meet you, Mr. Song.”
Then, Yu Mo Yuan turned to Song Qing Ya. “This is my assistant, Tang Liyue.”
After the introductions, Yu Mo Yuan looked at Tang Liyue and said, “Mr. Song is curious about your background. If you don’t mind, you can tell him about your family.”
Tang Liyue was shocked.
Why was another person suddenly interested in her family?!
Tang Liyue looked at Song Qing Ya again. Now that she thought about it, he did bear some resemblance to Song Jun Ye.
Song Qing Ya? Song Jun Ye…
Ah! They must be brothers.
Tang Liyue understood now, Song Qing Ya must have also thought she looked like his mother, which explained his curiosity.
She quickly clarified, “Mr. Song, I’m not the person you’re looking for. I have parents.”
Even though she had always felt like an outsider in that house, she was indeed the daughter of Tang Hui and Liu Lian.
When she was younger, she had even suspected she was adopted. But after secretly checking the household registry and her birth certificate, she confirmed everything was real.
Upon hearing that Tang Liyue had parents, Song Qing Ya’s expression showed a hint of disappointment.
But he quickly masked it with a polite smile. “My apologies, that was inappropriate of me.”
Tang Liyue shook her head lightly. “It’s understandable.”
Yu Mo Yuan called for a waiter to order food.
While they were waiting, Song Jun Ye returned, now dressed in a fresh set of clothes. He sat down beside Song Qing Ya.
The two brothers, one refined, the other bold, were both striking in their own way.
Tang Liyue suddenly felt a bit envious of the sister they spoke of the one who had gone missing before birth.
If she were still alive… if they found her…
She would have two older brothers who adored and protected her.
She would probably be really happy, just like Qin Jiao Jiao.
Tang Liyue bit her lip, then couldn’t help but ask, “Mr. Song, may I see a photo of your mother?”
Song Qing Ya didn’t respond right away, but Song Jun Ye pulled out his phone and handed it to her, displaying an old photograph.
In the photo, a heavily pregnant woman stood between two young boys, each clinging to one of her arms.
The boys were obviously Song Qing Ya and Song Jun Ye.
And the pregnant woman…
She looked incredibly similar to Tang Liyue!
No… It was more accurate to say that Tang Liyue looked incredibly similar to her.
No wonder the Song brothers had been so shocked upon seeing her. If Tang Liyue didn’t already know her own background, even she might have doubted herself.
Tang Liyue returned the phone to Song Jun Ye, smiling softly. “She’s beautiful. I feel honored to resemble her.”
Sitting right beside Tang Liyue, Yu Mo Yuan also saw the photo.
Unlike her, however, his gaze darkened with a hint of calculated intrigue.
Song Jun Ye took back his phone and sighed. “If my sister had been born safely, she’d be about your age now.”
Song Qing Ya added, “How old are you? And when is your birthday?”
Tang Liyue replied, “I was born on July 15th. After this birthday, I’ll be 22.”
Song Jun Ye raised an eyebrow. “That’s the day after tomorrow.”
Tang Liyue nodded obediently.
At that moment, the waiter arrived with their food, temporarily ending the conversation.
During the meal, everyone remained silent, as if lost in their own thoughts.
Once they finished eating, Tang Liyue and Yu Mo Yuan returned to their room, Yu Mo Yuan had a video conference to attend, and as his assistant, she needed to take notes.
Now, only Song Qing Ya and Song Jun Ye remained in the restaurant.
Song Qing Ya finally spoke. “Once we get back, have someone investigate this. I refuse to believe two people with no blood relation could look so alike.”
Song Jun Ye hesitated. “But wasn’t she born in July? Mom’s due date was supposed to be in August.”
Song Qing Ya’s expression didn’t change. “What if she was born premature?”
Hearing this, Song Jun Ye’s gaze sharpened. “Understood. After the auction, I’ll settle in A City. I won’t go home until I uncover the truth.”