"Xiao Su, what did your mom find out? You sound so certain."
Jiang Linyuan asked.
Although Xiao Su loved to joke around, she still understood what was important and what wasn't.
This was most likely true.
"Hmm, Jiang-classmate, your family has a formal adoption certificate, you know? Didn't you know?"
Su Muzhi covered her mouth and laughed.
Hehehe, this is much more interesting. I thought he was aware.
Jiang Linyuan was silent for a moment.
"Xiao Su, I'm going outside to contact my family. Don't run off."
"Haha, Jiang-classmate, *you* are the one who shouldn't run off."
Su Muzhi smiled elegantly.
Jiang Linyuan walked out of the milk tea shop. He actually wasn't that hung up on whether he was biologically related or not.
Father Jiang and Mother Jiang had raised him and Jiang Zhiyao from childhood. Regardless of whether he was biologically theirs, they were his parents.
What about the biological parents?
Haha, never met them, might as well consider them gone.
Giving birth but not raising, even if you had a thousand reasons, don't come bother me now.
But Father Jiang and Mother Jiang hiding this from him was another matter! I'm this old, and you still didn't give me the full picture?
Jiang Linyuan took out his phone and sent a message to Father Jiang.
"Dad, are you my dad?"
Father Jiang replied quickly.
"?"
"What stupid thing have you done this time that I need to clean up your mess?"
Who talks to their own child like that? You have zero trust in me!
Such a tragic Family Of Origin, sigh.
"Dad, someone said I'm not your son."
"Send me their contact info. I'll kill them."
The hot-tempered old man's temper was as explosive as ever. Looks like he wouldn't get any info that way.
Jiang Linyuan started contacting Mother Jiang.
"Mom, are you my mom?"
Mother Jiang also replied quickly:
"Who are you?"
Jiang Linyuan: ………
My mom and I seem a bit unfamiliar. Feels like we met when I was topping up her phone credit.
He typed a quick reply:
"Mom, I'm your son!"
Mother Jiang didn't respond immediately. After a good while, a message came through:
"Son, your father was in a car accident and needs surgery! The hospital urgently needs 1 million! Quick, wire the money to this card."
What kind of scammer script is this!?
Jiang Linyuan wanted to make a call, but the next moment he found himself blocked.
Haha, mom's hitting her rebellious teenage phase. Why is she acting out now?
Jiang Linyuan took a screenshot and sent the chat window to Father Jiang:
"Dad, mom says you're about to kick the bucket."
"...Your mom is right next to me. She just told me there was a scammer impersonating you, so she blocked them directly."
Father Jiang replied.
After a moment, he typed again:
"You're not really a scammer, are you?"
I'm crying.
A wave of desolation washed over Jiang Linyuan's heart.
First toast, to my tragic Family Of Origin.
To prove his identity, he made a video call.
The faces of Father Jiang and Mother Jiang appeared on the phone screen, staring at Jiang Linyuan.
"Could this be AI?"
Mother Jiang scrutinized Jiang Linyuan's face, still somewhat hesitant.
Damn, I've encountered the century's greatest puzzle: how to prove that I am me?
Jiang Linyuan couldn't hold back anymore and said:
"I'm not here to ask for living expenses."
Mother Jiang was relieved at that, her face breaking into a happy smile:
"Whether it's AI or not, you're my son now."
Such a suffocating family offers not a shred of warmth that money can't buy. What kind of image do I have in my mom's eyes!
My Family Of Origin is actually this tragic too!
A bird in a cage, when will you fly free!
I want these parents of mine to no longer be able to cover my eyes...!
"Alright, your mom's just teasing you. What did you mean by that message you sent?"
Father Jiang was a bit more steady, getting straight to the point.
As he spoke, his expression turned somewhat serious:
"Who the hell said I'm not your father? Some gossipy piece of trash, probably looks like a QR code—needs to be scanned to even know what they look like."
Hmm, somewhat steady, but not by much.
Feeling a bit sorry for the innocent Xiao Su for two seconds.
Jiang Linyuan's aggressiveness in this area was definitely influenced by Father Jiang's cultural upbringing.
This is what a scholarly family is like.
"Dad, the other party has evidence, says our family has an adoption certificate."
Jiang Linyuan said.
"Who's investigating our family background?"
Mother Jiang's eyebrows jumped as she looked at Jiang Linyuan:
"Did you mess with some young girl and piss off some powerful family?"
I'm shaking with anger and cold. Others hope their sons become dragons, but you see your own child as an earthworm.
The kind you use as bait when you're unhappy.
Jiang Linyuan sighed:
"So it seems I really am not your biological child."
At this moment, Father Jiang caught on and said:
"You only just found out?"
Ah, so I really am not?
Seeing Jiang Linyuan's confused face, Father Jiang asked, puzzled:
"Your sister didn't tell you?"
?
"Wait, Dad, what are you saying? Weren't you just cursing the person who said I'm not your son?"
The amount of information was a bit overwhelming. Jiang Linyuan couldn't process it.
Father Jiang looked as if it was the most natural thing in the world:
"You are my son ≠ You are my biological child. But no matter what, I am your father, and I won't allow anyone to slander that!"
"And what do you mean 'Jiang Zhiyao didn't tell me'!"
"After you two finished the college entrance exams, your mom told her. Told her to mention it to you during your summer vacation trip. She didn't say anything?"
Father Jiang asked, confused.
She said nothing at all!
Haji Yao, you've done every bad deed imaginable!
I'll interrogate you properly later!
Jiang Linyuan felt a bit drained and sighed:
"Maybe she did. Maybe I just forgot."
Whatever. If I'm not biologically related, then I'm not.
It didn't affect Jiang Linyuan much. After so many years of living together day in and day out, they were more than family even if not by blood.
It's not like this relationship would undergo some huge transformation because of this.
"Did you forget, or did she not say it? Be clear."
Mother Jiang interjected coldly at this moment, her expression somewhat stern.
"I forgot."
Jiang Linyuan said.
Feels like mom's a bit angry. Haji Yao, your brother just saved your sorry life. Remember you owe me.
It was unclear whether Mother Jiang believed him or not, but she steered the topic back:
"Who is investigating our family background?"
"A friend's parent."
"Where is the girl from?"
Mother Jiang asked directly.
Jiang Linyuan was speechless.
Why assume my friend's gender is female! What if it's an attack helicopter!
Mom is still too traditional!
"What if it's a boy?"
Jiang Linyuan couldn't help but retort.
Father Jiang gave a disdainful laugh:
"Do you even believe that yourself?"
Mother Jiang looked horrified:
"A boy? Boys are not okay! Son! You should go mess with little girls instead."
Father Jiang also snapped back to reality, glaring at Jiang Linyuan, gnashing his teeth:
"If you're dating a guy, I'll break your legs!"
This pair of crazy man and Crazy Woman!
"We're not dating."
Jiang Linyuan said irritably.
"Oh~, so it is a girl then. How far along are you two?"
Mother Jiang was very interested in this sort of thing, asking with animated excitement.
"I'm hanging up..."
Jiang Linyuan didn't want to continue being interrogated and was about to end the call, but a cheerful, smiling voice sounded in his ear:
"Jiang-classmate, taking a call for this long?"
Mother Jiang in the phone, hearing it was a girl's voice, hurriedly shouted:
"Don't hang up! Don't you dare..."
Jiang Linyuan ended the call and switched his phone to Do Not Disturb mode.
Goodbye, Mom, tonight I'm sailing far away, don't worry about me~.
………
On the other side.
"He! He! He dared to hang up on me! I'm so angry! Usually never contacts us, and today he hangs up on me first! He's rebelling!"
Mother Jiang looked at the disconnected phone, very annoyed.
"Call him back?"
Father Jiang asked.
"He definitely turned on Do Not Disturb."
Mother Jiang sighed.
Father Jiang remembered the girl's voice at the end of the call and nodded:
"He's out with a girl. That's understandable."
Mother Jiang pinched him:
"Don't you know your son's personality? If he really was out with a girl, why would he call us?"
"If you ask me, it's clearly the girl's family investigating our family. They were chatting, the topic came up, and he stepped out temporarily to make the call."
Father Jiang was silent for a moment, then said with satisfaction:
"That's a good thing. Young people, falling in love, it's normal."
"Normal my foot! What kind of dating starts with investigating family background! Sounds more like applying for a civil service job."
Mother Jiang said irritably:
"That girl, her family is probably not simple."
"Children and grandchildren will have their own fortune."
Father Jiang said.
"Ugh, that's not what I'm talking about. Ah, forget it, I can't make it clear to you."
Mother Jiang was somewhat speechless.
Why is there so much messy business in this family?
One after another, none of them let me rest easy.