Xia Wan’s eyes had blurred unconsciously as he watched his parents and grandfather bend down on the stage.
Xue Zhen founded the Xue family, and even during the most challenging times, he was never seen bowing down in front of anyone.
Xue Chong and Wen Yunzhi became leaders of the Xue family after they had already become strong. They were selected by many people.
However, for the sake of their child, Xue Chong and Wen Yunzhi, who were used to others showing respect, willingly bent down and lowered their heads at this moment.
Everyone in the audience was moved for a moment.
Some of the girls in the crowd looked really sad, and a few even had red eyes because they felt sorry for what happened. Everyone there got even more curious about the young master who was missing from the Xue family.
Xia Wan felt a light touch on the back of his hand, and soon after, a big, warm hand tightly wrapped around his palm.
As tears slid down Xia Wan’s cheeks and dripped onto his chin, he tilted his head. His eyes, filled with misty water, had a clear and translucent quality, resembling gems touched by rain. The beauty of his eyes held a hint of sadness as he looked at Huo Yu, creating a subtly pitiful expression.
The corners of Huo Yu’s lips involuntarily straightened. Leaning slightly towards Xia Wan, he carefully pressed the soft tissue paper to the corners of Xia Wan’s wet eyes and cheeks.
The snow-white tissue paper bore dark stains from tears, and as Huo Yu witnessed this, his heart felt as heavy as a sponge soaked with water.
Normally, he enjoys seeing Xia Wan cry as it excites him, but in this particular situation, it’s different.
“Stop crying,” Huo Yu said in a very low voice, his lips close to Xia Wan’s ear, and he gently squeezed his (XW) palm.
The soft squeeze carried a mix of comfort, understanding, kindness, and concern, all bundled together.
Xia Wan lowered his head and without thinking, he squeezed Huo Yu’s hand tightly in return.
Huo Yu’s body always felt warmer than Xia Wan’s, and this contrast became particularly noticeable when their palms touched.
The warmth spread from his palms, almost like it was crawling straight into his heart.
Because they were very close, Xia Wan could smell the nice scent of ebony roses on Huo Yu’s body, making his nose feel a bit ticklish.
The sweet aroma was warm, and combined with the gentle warmth in his palms, it wrapped around him like a hug from Huo Yu, making him feel comfy and calm as if all his worries were gently swept away.
Xia Wan pressed his lips together, holding back the tears in his eyes. In reality, the days when the family used to hold each other and cry were in the past, and he knew he shouldn’t bring up those sad memories again.
Today was meant to be the happiest day.
“Then I won’t cry anymore,” Xia Wan said, his voice carrying a bit of uncontrollable sadness.
Lowering his eyes, Huo Yu looked at him with a shallow smile playing on his lips.
“Yeah,” responded Huo Yu, his voice low and accompanied by a smile.
As Xue Wenxuan held Xia Wan’s hand to help him stand up, Huo Yu gently squeezed his palm once more.
Huo Yu’s smiling brows and eyes conveyed a warmth that reached Xia Wan’s heart. The depth of his eyes held not only encouragement but also an indescribable mix of pride and trust. This combination of emotions made Xia Wan’s heart unexpectedly warm and touched.
Pursing his lips, Xia Wan looked at Xue Wenxuan.
Xue Wenxuan’s eyelashes were slightly moist, but when he locked eyes with Xia Wan, he smiled with a great deal of affection.
The lights were dazzling, and on the podium stood his dearest people. At that moment, Xia Wan felt a powerful surge of happiness in his heart.
When they stood up, the venue suddenly hushed into almost audible silence. Fu Ling, like everyone else, was greatly surprised.
Fu Ling initially looked at Xia Wan and Xue Wenxuan holding hands in extreme shock, then nervously glanced at Huo Yu.
Huo Yu had a subtle smile in his eyes as he looked up at the two of them.
We’re sorry for MTLers or people who like using reading mode, but our translations keep getting stolen by aggregators so we’re going to bring back the copy protection. If you need to MTL please retype the gibberish parts.
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Every gaze was focused on Xue Wenxuan and Xia Wan. Holding hands firmly, they moved into the spotlight step by step, approaching their parents and grandfather.
Xue Zhen took a step forward and bent down. He embraced Xia Wan tightly, expressing a mix of joy, relief, and love in that heartfelt hug.
Like he had the most precious pearl in the world.
“Tangtang.” Fu Ling was so shocked that his voice trembled as he reached for Su Tang’s hand, his nose feeling sore. In the blink of an eye, he saw Su Tang looking at the stage, with tears and laughter in his eyes.
Except for the insiders at the first table, the shock on the faces of everyone else in the hall had not yet dissipated, but soon the applause rang out like thunder, covering up the rapid clicks of the
reporters’ shutters.
The revelation was so abrupt and unforeseen that it took everyone by surprise, leaving them in a state of shock and astonishment.
[Ouch, ouch, ouch, my goodness!]
[Holy shit, Mom I’m shocked!]
[I still can’t believe it – is my younger brother really the lost young master of the Xue family? Can someone confirm if this is true? I’m so confused. Why did my brother suddenly become the young master of the Xue family?]
[This is so unexpected, okay? The moment Mr. Xue stood up holding my brother’s hand, I was shocked, okay? Even my heart trembled. God testifies that I had never felt this throbbing when I fell in love with my first love at first sight.]
[+1, I feel like my expressions perfectly mirrored those of the handsome guy at their table, and I almost screamed.]
[Since the day the Xue family announced that the young master had been found, I’ve been eagerly anticipating seeing his true face, but I didn’t expect the person to be someone we all knew.]
[People should break their usual way of thinking! Actually, when we saw all of them wearing the same designs, we should’ve figured it out, but no one did because everyone thought it was the first time the young master was showing up, so they expected a new face, which was really surprising.]
[Now that I think about it, the timing of the Xue family’s announcement was really clever. They did it exactly when the person who started the rumors was spreading them. There’s a lot of meaning behind it.]
[Woooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo, more… the family love is always deep and touching.]
[Who, who said Mr. Huo deliberately ordered the same outfit to annoy his love rival? Come on, stand up. Do you know that you’ve led people to think the wrong thing?]
[So, fate is truly destined, isn’t it? Looking at their current status, Mr. Huo and my younger brother are a perfect match.]
[Huo Yu’s judgment is really sharp; he can easily spot a well-matched person with just a few glances.]
[It’s not because of Mr. Huo; look at my brother’s appearance and demeanor. It’s on a level that ordinary people can’t even compare to.]
[Imagine, if nothing had happened to Mr. Huo’s parents and my younger brother hadn’t gotten lost, maybe the two families would have arranged a marriage for them.]
[Maybe they would have been childhood sweethearts.]
[Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh, fate is like that. A match made in heaven is just that—a match made in heaven. No matter how the outside world changes, they will still overcome the obstacles of fate and come together.]
[The statement above is truly amazing. By the way, what kind of fairy-tale love is this?]
[My younger brother must have saved the galaxy in his previous life. He has got all the talents and good looks. Not only did he marry into a wealthy family, but his own family was even wealthier than the wealthy family. I’m shedding tears of envy.]
[These things should have belonged to him, because he was lost, he also suffered for more than ten years for no reason. Now, do you still think he saved the galaxy in some way?]
[It only takes a few words to bring the dreamer back to reality. I was also deeply envious. By the way, someone mentioned last time that my younger brother’s adoptive father had disabled legs, and the father and son depended on each other for life. It would have been not easy for them. I feel sorry for him.]
[Yes, after his relationship with Huo Yu was revealed, people kept saying he wasn’t worthy. How about now? What was that loud sound? Oh, it was just a slap in the face.]
[It’s me; my face is swollen like a pig’s head.]
[Looking at each other like this, my brother and his mother really resemble each other.]
[…]
Amidst the heated discussions on the internet, the interview session has commenced on the stage.
“Excuse me, Mr. Xia, were you already aware of your identity when you were with Mr. Huo?”
“No.” Xia Wan glanced down with a smile, meeting Huo Yu’s smiling eyes.
As soon as he finished speaking, not only were the reporters amazed, but there was also a slight murmur of discussion in the audience.
Those individuals who had recently expressed concern over Xia Wan’s perceived lack of social standing compared to Huo Yu now wore even more perplexed expressions. It became increasingly difficult for observers to determine which of the two, Xia Wan or Huo Yu, was truly more fortunate in their circumstances.
Ultimately, even if Xia Wan had been raised in the prestigious Xue family, it would have been challenging to find a more suitable match than Huo Yu in Beijing. Moreover, with Huo Yu’s recent establishment and the substantial support from the influential Xue family, it could be said that the future of the Huo family was worry-free.
For a moment, some people envied Huo Yu’s foresight, while others envied the Xue family for securing such a promising son-in-law.
Compared to the broad focus of attention in the business world, reporters had a very direct focus.
Someone scanned the field and then pointed the microphone at Xia Wan, “Excuse me, Mr. Xia, today is a significant day for you as you reunite with your biological family. Is your adoptive father here? How does he feel about you acknowledging your birth parents? Is he not supportive of your decision?”
When this question was asked, the venue fell silent once more.
Many people were very curious about Xia Wan’s experiences over the years. This was because most adoptive parents found it difficult to accept that the children they had worked so hard to raise would eventually return to the arms of their biological parents.
But when asked, Xia Wan replied with unwavering resolve, firmly stating, “No.”
“My adoptive father is not in good health. He is unable to endure such a strenuous event, which is why he couldn’t make it today,” Xia Wan said solemnly to the camera before adding, “But he has always been incredibly supportive of me in this matter.”
“Then through what channels did he adopt you?” The reporter’s question immediately followed.
Then another reporter asked more bluntly: “Was it a deal or an adoption?”
The question was indeed very tricky, but it did address an issue that many people were concerned about.
“No, None of them” Xia Wan’s love for Xia Chengzhang has always been unwavering. So he couldn’t hear his reputation being harmed.
Xue Chong feared that Xia Wan might not be able to handle his emotions at such a young age, so he rushed to speak before him. He explained, “Ake was abducted by human traffickers and he was later rescued by his adoptive father.”
Upon hearing this, Xia Wan looked at Xue Chong, and unconsciously, a layer of gratitude was added to his affection.
The reporters wanted to ask again, but Xue Zhen coughed, interrupting them.
The elderly man made the final decision, stating, “Ake’s adoptive father is not a bad person; otherwise, Ake would not be the person he is today. Thank you all for your hard work today. My assistant will escort you to the table later, and please have a good rest.”
Zhou Qi had already prepared red envelopes and was waiting below, anticipating the moment when the old man would make this statement.
Hearing this, he hurriedly took a few steps forward. Most of the reporters cooperatively put down their cameras, but a few remained still.
“Excuse me, Grandpa Xue,” a young reporter called out very affectionately, but the question he asked was quite sharp, “When the young master returns, will the Xue family still have a place for him? How will the Xue family’s property be distributed?”
As soon as the words were spoken, the reporter who had just turned around in front immediately whipped back around, as if energized by the question. The others looked quietly at the stage.
The expressions of the people on the stage remained unchanged.
Xue Wenxuan and Xia Wan exchanged smiles upon hearing this, while Xue Chong and Wen Yunzhi maintained calm expressions with subtle smiles. They were accustomed to the tactics of reporters and knew when to respond seriously without entertaining unnecessary questions.
Only Xue Zhen’s expression retained a hint of seriousness.
“I’m still alive,” Xue Zhen pointed to himself, then nodded to Xue Chong, “Isn’t it a bit premature to inquire about property division before he even turns fifty?”
After he finished speaking, he added, “Are you paying more attention to this matter than my two grandsons?”
There was a burst of laughter from the audience, and the atmosphere was enlivened by the old man’s few words.
“However, you call me grandpa, and since Ake has just come back, in order to avoid too much speculation from the outside world, I will respond briefly,” Xue Zhen said, “When I gave the equity to Xue Chong, I had left fifteen points. I had already agreed at that time that these were reserved for Ake. The procedures for the equity transfer will be completed next week. In addition, the collection in my hand belongs to Ake, and the other things, his shares are just as equal as his brother.”
This was already a substantial amount, and even Xia Wan was slightly surprised, glancing unconsciously at Xue Wenxuan.
But Xue Wenxuan simply looked at him with a smile and encouragement, devoid of any resentment.
“That’s all I have on hand. Anyway, I’ll keep my two good grandchildren close to me first,” Xue Zhen said with a smile. “As for my son, he has to rely on himself.”
As soon as these words were uttered, another round of laughter erupted from the audience.
One by one, the microphones left Xue Zhen and were raised in front of Xue Wenxuan and Xia Wan.
Xue Wenxuan was the first to stop laughing and said, “I respect my grandpa’s decision.”
Then Xia Wan spoke up, saying, “Being a part of the Xue family as a brother and a son is enough for me. Everyone knows that I have a job I really enjoy, and I’m lucky to pursue my passion as a career. Being here today with everyone makes me feel even luckier. I just want to keep this good luck going.”
This means that he won’t meddle in Xue’s family matters.
By this point in the interview, the reporters were already satisfied. Zhou Qi stepped forward again, and this time everyone cooperated without fail.
In the quiet bedroom, Xia Chengzhang leaned on the bedside and watched the press conference end.
He breathed a sigh of relief, feeling endless gratitude in his heart.
When the old man said “Ake’s adoptive father is not a bad person,” he nearly dropped his phone at that moment.
At the same time, there were other people watching the live broadcast.
The first ones were Huo Peixue and Huo Lin.
In the horribly dilapidated and deserted rental house, when Xue Wenxuan led Xia Wan on stage, Huo Lin was so shocked that he almost crushed the screen of his mobile phone. His hands were unsteady, it was not sure whether it was because of the cold or because he was too shocked.
“Look, look!” He shouted angrily at Huo Peixue, “If you hadn’t insisted on marrying into the Qiu family, it could have been us standing with the Xue family. We would have still had a chance to stand up. Maybe it won’t have been a problem to kick Huo Yu out again.”
He then took a few quick steps and stopped in front of Huo Peixue.
Huo Peixue had a bad cough. Ever since he returned from Huo’s that night, his cold hadn’t improved.
Their family now has nothing but debt.
When the incident happened, Huo Lin’s mother, Li Yun, went out of town and never came back. The father and son also attempted to escape secretly but were blocked by their creditors.
Listening to Huo Lin’s desperate hypothesis in their dire situation, he couldn’t help but feel regret, a sensation that made the blood in his chest surge uncomfortably. The intensity of the emotion almost caused him to cough out his lungs.
Seeing him like this, Huo Lin suddenly released a breath he didn’t realize he was holding. As the breath escaped, a wave of despair engulfed him once again. He raised his hands, held his head, and squatted down in pain.
At the same time, Xia Chenglin was walking on the road.
At the intersection, he stared at something on his phone, and the shock on his face looked odd under the car lights, creating a weird expression as if he couldn’t believe what he was seeing.
With a sharp braking sound, the phone with the screen still on fell to the ground. Xia Chenglin’s body flew up and hit the huge billboard sign on the roadside.
Before he lost consciousness, for some reason, he took a special look at the huge billboard sign.
It turned out that the light on the billboard brand could be so bright up close, and the jewelry shining brightly on it was the new product recently released by Yan Yu.
It’s been said that the sales were incredibly high.
Reading the title I thought something happened to our protagonists… So it’s Xia Chenglin… good riddance 🤭
Thanks for the chapter!
+1
Oh my D:
Thank You for the new chapter（*’∀’人）♥
I dont really know how to feel about the fam tiptoeing around when its comes to the step father, they cant even be mad about it because again his ill and the kid is so biased about it 😮💨
It’s still not fair to Xue family, original XW, and original Xue family, who’s child died in agony, but they didn’t have a chance to know.