Chapter 16

“I hear you’re severing ties with Shen Hongxing,” Lu Jiaoyang said, sitting in the main chair of the room, flanked by his guard and driver.

Shen’s parents stood anxiously, unsure how to respond. Shen Jiaojiao wanted to smear Shen Hongxing in front of Lu Jiaoyang.

Feigning sadness, she said, “Uncle, don’t believe the rumors. Sister is our parents’ biological daughter.  They wouldn’t sever ties with her.”  She implied Shen Hongxing was unreasonable for wanting to cut ties.

“Oh, really?” Shen Hongxing entered, sarcastically looking at them. “Chief Lu is here. Why don’t you explain how you treated your daughter? Let him judge whether my request to sever ties is right or wrong.”

Shen’s mother tried to stop her. “Don’t air our dirty laundry!”

Shen Hongxing brushed her off. “It’s your shame, not mine!”

“You ungrateful girl!” Shen’s mother gritted her teeth. “Don’t forget Grandpa’s medical expenses…”

Here it comes again!  They were still trying to use Grandpa to threaten her. She wasn’t the weak Shen Hongxing anymore. She could protect Grandpa now. He was her responsibility.

She sneered. “Then cut off Grandpa’s medical expenses.”

“Chief Lu, it’s just a child’s tantrum,” Shen Jianguo added.

“Really?” Lu Jiaoyang’s face hardened. “Then tell me how you treat your daughter.”

“Since you won’t, I will,” Shen Hongxing pulled out the second half of her play script and threw it on the table. “A month ago, you used Grandpa’s medical care to force me to give my job to this fake daughter!”

“On my 20th birthday, Grandpa bought me a bicycle. Shen Jiaojiao wanted it, so you forced me to trade.  You then spread rumors that Jiaojiao gave me her bike out of kindness, and you bought her a new one to praise her good character!”

“You’re the best parents ever…”

Shen Jiaojiao started crying again, looking pitifully vulnerable.

“Sister, how can you slander Mom and Dad?

“They love you so much.  You’re hurting them by saying these things!” Shen Jiaojiao reasoned, knowing no one could prove her lies except her parents. She signaled to them, and her mother started crying.

“Oh, Hongxing, how can you say such things? We raised you and loved you.  You’re breaking our hearts!”

“Yes, Hongxing, you’re our daughter. How could we not love you?” Shen’s father, eyes teary, tried to coax her. “Just be good, and we’ll love you like before.” They were putting on a show for Lu Jiaoyang, afraid he’d learn they favored the fake daughter.

“Stop the pretense! I already gave Jiaojiao the second half of the script. Now, give me the disavowal document.”

“Hongxing, must you do this?” Shen’s mother’s eyes were red. Even if she gave it, she’d pretend she was forced.

“Don’t call me that. You don’t deserve to,” Shen Hongxing yelled.  She’d never seen such shameless parents, repeatedly hurting their biological daughter for the fake one. She grabbed the script from Shen Jiaojiao.

But she couldn’t overpower Shen Hongxing’s enhanced strength.  Watching Shen Hongxing about to tear up the script, Shen Jiaojiao pleaded with her mother.  “Mom…”

Her mother intervened. “Hongxing, your sister wrote it. If you want it, wait for her to write another one. The theater already bought the rights to this one. If you take it, I’ll be angry.”

Shen Hongxing was used to their lies.

“Fine.  I won’t take the script, but give me the disavowal document.”

Shen’s father reluctantly handed it to her.  After confirming it was correct, Shen Hongxing threw the script back to her father and went to Lu Jiaoyang.

She handed him the document. “Chief Lu, please witness this. From today, I, Shen Hongxing, sever all ties with Shen Jianguo and Han Xuemei.  I have no responsibility for their future well-being.”

Lu Jiaoyang nodded.  He told Shen’s father, “Where’s your seal? Stamp it!”

Shen’s father hesitated. “Chief Lu, is that necessary?”

“Of course! What if you try to back out?” Shen Hongxing knew them too well. In her past life, after Shen Jiaojiao drove them out, they’d tried to contact her.  Because she refused, they’d spread rumors, and Lu Ping’an and the neighbors called her heartless and selfish. This time, she was prepared.

Shen’s father reluctantly stamped the document.

Leaving the Shen house, Shen Hongxing didn’t keep the document but gave it to Lu Jiaoyang. He looked at her questioningly.

“I’ll need this later, and I’m afraid of losing it. Please keep it for me,” she explained.

Lu Jiaoyang nodded, carefully putting it in his pocket.

“Grrr…” Shen Hongxing’s stomach rumbled. It was past eight, and she hadn’t eaten dinner.

He smiled, a hint of fondness in his voice. “Hungry?”

Shen Hongxing shyly scratched her head.

“Let’s go eat.”

Seeing the familiar place, Shen Hongxing stopped. “Is this okay?” It was the Lu family home. She wasn’t marrying Lu Ping’an anymore. 

Eating there might make him think she couldn’t live without him or that she and Lu Jiaoyang were trying to get close to him.

“His family is at his maternal grandfather’s birthday celebration,” Lu Jiaoyang said, pulling her into the compound before she could react. Only Lu’s grandfather was home. 

Seeing Lu Jiaoyang return with Shen Hongxing, he was overjoyed, insisting she sit next to him.  She obediently sat beside him.