The True Heiress Is The Real Bigshot

In the bedroom, the conversation continued.

"How am I inferior to you?" Ying Yuexuan said, "My achievements in painting and calligraphy are not as good as my sister's; I can't even set foot in the Hua Country Calligrapher Association."

Zhong Manhua didn't feel comforted at all.

Her voice was almost resentful, "Aside from that, what else do I have? Yes, there's the piano. The concert was indeed excellent, I played Vera Hall's compositions."

"But these are things that socialites should know. She learned them but didn't tell me. You let her study and engage in scientific research like you, would she do it? Has she ever listened to what I say?"

Under normal circumstances, Ying Zijin having these skills would have pleased her immensely, and she would have been proud.

But before she could enjoy this glory, Ying Zijin announced she wanted to sever ties with them, leaving her with no place to put her face.

At first, both Zhong Manhua and Ying Zhenting thought that Ying Zijin was merely throwing a tantrum and would eventually come back crying.

But two months had passed, and they hadn't even seen a shadow of Ying Zijin.

Zhong Manhua wanted to ask Old Master Zhong for help, but he decisively shut her out.

The looks she got from the other Zhong siblings were utterly embarrassing for her.

Ying Yuexuan was taken aback, "A concert?"

Anyone who had come into contact with music would know the name Vera Hall.

If Ying Zijin had played a piano piece by Vera Hall, the music world would have exploded, and videos would surely be viral online.

But she was abroad and hadn't heard any news about it.

Strange.

"Mom, everyone has different strengths," Ying Yuexuan tried to avoid the topic, barely holding onto her patience, "Sister is good at arts, you should be satisfied with that. I forgot an assignment at school, I need to go get it."

Zhong Manhua cared more about her studies and stood up, "Then I'll take you there."

"No need," Ying Yuexuan was eager to avoid more interaction, "Mom, if you have a headache, you should rest more."

She got up and left, only breathing a sigh of relief once she had closed the door behind her.

But as she looked up, she saw Ying Tianlv standing against the wall.

When he saw her come out, he turned his head away.

Ying Yuexuan's heart skipped a beat.

"Brother?"

Even though she knew such thoughts were wrong,

Her first thought was whether Ying Tianlv had overheard her conversation with Zhong Manhua.

If he had...

Ying Tianlv's expression didn't change.

It was as indifferent as always.

He tilted his chin upward, "Is Mom having another episode of instability?"

More than sixteen years ago, after the disappearance of the baby, Zhong Manhua's mental state was severely affected.

Over the years, she had seen many psychologists and taken lots of medication, but she had never completely recovered.

They said the trauma was too great and had not been treated in time.

"A bit," Ying Yuexuan looked down, "Mom is being quite unreasonable."

At the same time, she let out a sigh of relief.

It seemed Ying Tianlv hadn't heard; if he had, he wouldn't have been so calm.

"Hmm," Ying Tianlv glanced at his wristwatch, "I have things to take care of in the next few days, and won't return home. If you can't bear mom, you can just stay at school for a while."

Ying Yuexuan hesitated, "Brother, can't I stay at your place?"

Ying Tianlv also had an apartment in the Central District.

In the past, she had also stayed there.

"You're a grown girl, should still avoid suspicion; although we are siblings," Ying Tianlv said with a faint smile, "I'll have friends over at my place, it's not convenient."

Ying Yuexuan felt a bit disappointed, but said nothing, "Then go on with your work, brother."

Ying Tianlv nodded, not even going inside to greet Zhong Manhua.

He went downstairs, picked up his car keys, and went out.

However, he didn't start the car.

He sat at the driver's seat, lit a cigarette.

On closer inspection, his fingers were trembling.

More than sixteen years ago, he was only five, and his memories were not very clear.

All he remembered was that his sister had gone missing, and the house was in chaos.

About ten days later, his sister was found.

But now it seemed, obviously she had not been found.

His own sister had been lost outside for sixteen years.

She finally got back home only to find she had been replaced.

Her name, nickname, birthday, identity—nothing was left.

And to top it all, she had to be her aunt's living blood bank.

Ying Tianlv couldn't imagine how Ying Zijin had survived that year.

He had initially thought that Zhong Manhua and Ying Zhenting adopted Ying Zijin because she looked similar and they felt an affinity.

But she was his real sister, and yet she ended up getting none of the family love and being labeled a foster daughter.

He had overheard the conversation between Yuexuan and Manhua today and suddenly realized that Yuexuan knew.

At least she knew earlier than he did.

But she didn't say anything.

Even though Ying Tianlv knew that Ying Yuexuan wasn't to blame, given that she was young at the time, he couldn't fault her.

Yet every time he thought about everything that belonged to Ying Zijin being in Ying Yuexuan's possession, he couldn't accept it at all.

At the same age, Ying Zijin suffered in the countryside, unable to afford a single decent outfit.

Meanwhile, Ying Yuexuan grew up cherished by everyone, without a worry for food or clothing, and even able to pursue her own interests.

The contrast between the two made the shock all the more intense.

Ying Tianlv took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing the turbulent emotions rolling like stormy waves in his heart.

Then he turned the steering wheel and stepped on the accelerator.

**

Forty minutes later.

Zhong Family's old mansion.

Ying Tianlv got out of the car, coincidentally encountering someone coming out of the mansion.

He glanced over, somewhat surprised, "Uncle Haiyan?"

"Tianlv," Zhong Haiyan appeared quite astonished as well, "You're back too?"

"Yes, I just got back not long ago." Ying Tianlv nodded, "What about you?"

Zhong Haiyan has been working out of town and only comes back to the Zhong Family during the New Year.

"It's nothing." Zhong Haiyan waved the marriage certificate in his hand, "Just completing the divorce procedures."

"Divorce?" Ying Tianlv was startled, "You're divorcing Auntie?"

"She's no longer your aunt." Mentioning Lady Zhong, Zhong Haiyan's expression grew much colder, "It's a bit complex, I'll tell you about it later."

Ying Tianlv had pressing matters to attend to as well, so he didn't inquire further.

He went into the old mansion and immediately headed for Master Zhong's study.

"Grandfather," Ying Tianlv got straight to the point, "Did you know from the beginning that Zijin is actually my sister?"

Master Zhong, who was going through some documents, looked up calmly upon hearing this, "You know?"

Ying Tianlv, with a hand pressed to his head, laughed wryly, "I overheard it by accident. Grandfather, why didn't you tell me?"

"What would be the use of telling you?" Master Zhong's response was indifferent, "Zijin has already left the Ying Family. Whether she's your sister or not doesn't matter anymore."

"It matters a lot." Ying Tianlv's hands pressed down on the table, "She's my sister. How could she be treated as a foster daughter? Her identity must be announced to the public."

In the circles of the wealthy family, one's status is crucial.

Not to mention a foster daughter, even an illegitimate child can't be included in the family tree.

He really didn't understand why, even though Ying Zijin was indeed the true Miss of the Ying Family, Zhong Manhua and Ying Zhenting seemed to act as if they didn't see her at all, never mentioning her.

"Zijin said she doesn't need it." Master Zhong let out a sigh and shook his head, "I didn't plan to tell you, as I wasn't clear about your stance. If you were the same as those two, it'd be better not to say anything."

Ying Tianlv fell silent for a moment, "Grandfather, what's your stance on... Yuexuan?"

Whether it was the formal name Ying Yuexuan, or the nickname Wanwan, even the birthdate on Ying Yuexuan's ID card, they were actually all Ying Zijin's.

This was a true case of a cuckoo taking over the nest.

"I won't be close, nor will I distance myself." Master Zhong's mood was complex, "I watched her grow up, after all, and she hasn't done anything inappropriate."

Ying Tianlv exhaled slowly, "But why, knowing she isn't biologically related, didn't she tell me?"

"She knows?" Master Zhong's expression changed upon hearing this, "She actually knows?"

"Yes, she knows," Ying Tianlv said flatly, "I thought about it, and she must have found out when Zijin came back. That's why she went to O continent."

Master Zhong went silent as well.

Ying Yuexuan found out a year earlier but didn't tell him or Ying Tianlv.

And she hadn't really left the Ying Family.

She enjoyed someone else's life for 17 years, in luxury and ease.

If Ying Yuexuan had truly wanted to leave, Zhong Manhua and Ying Zhenting couldn't have stopped her.

Leaving didn't mean there was no longer any familial affection.

Master Zhong's emotions became even more complicated.

"That's just human nature, afraid of losing what one has," Ying Tianlv mused for a long time, with a soft sigh, "My attitude toward her will be the same as yours, Grandfather. As long as she does nothing, I will treat her as a normal friend."

"But what belongs to Zijin is hers, and cannot be taken by anyone."

"Grandfather, let's arrange a banquet when there's time, to announce her identity to the public."

**

Above the Pacific Ocean.

Ying Zijin hadn't left the island yet. In the middle, she'd also called Fu Yunshen to report her safety.

As she walked, her cell phone rang once again at this moment.

Ying Zijin glanced at the number.

It was still Elder Zhong's number, but she knew that the person calling must be Ying Tianlv.

She pressed the reject call button.

Even though the island couldn't be found on a map, and she was abroad,

Wasting money on international roaming to answer a call from someone unimportant wasn't her hobby.

As for Ying Tianlv, she had never met him and didn't want to.

Beyond the Central District and the Bounty District, the island had another area: the Hunter District.

Behind her, Di Wu Yue's eyes lost their mirth as she spoke, her voice growing more solemn, pointing upward, "Miss, look."