Chapter 1642 Past Lives and Present Fate 78

“What’s going on? Speak slowly and make it clear!”

Lady Xu suppressed the panic in her heart and quickly asked.

Shih Wanxin spread the newspaper in her hand out in front of Lady Xu.

“Look at this!”

“This is a photo of Lady Xu’s daughter from when she was little, published in the newspaper!”

Look at this one too!

She held up her phone, enlarged a certain photo, and finally fixed the view on a picture in a corner.

“This photo is one I took back in that shabby apartment of Xia Ruqing’s.”

“I snapped it by accident at the time, so it’s not very clear!”

“But this one looks a lot like the one printed in the paper—might even be the same photo!”

“And this afternoon I happened to pass by Ah Yao’s side and overheard him and Uncle Xia talking about Lady Xu’s daughter!”

“No wonder Uncle Xia has been dodging work lately—turns out Lady Xu is his ex-wife!”

Shih Yueshu also knew a little about these things; the panic she’d just felt quickly subsided.

“You still haven’t confirmed it?”

She glanced at the two pictures and furrowed her brows tightly.

Shih Wanxin felt a little guilty, but quickly said,

“It’s not just this. Some of Xia Ruqing’s experiences are very similar to Lady Xu’s daughter’s. Even Uncle Xia has started to suspect!”

“He even asked Ah Yao to secretly take pictures of Xia Ruqing’s home!”

Word by word, she repeated everything she had overheard to Shih Yueshu, feeling anxious herself.

“What do we do?”

“If Xia Ruqing really is Lady Xu’s daughter, then wouldn’t there be no hope for me and Xu Jingyu?”

Back then she had truly managed to offend them badly; even if she tried to soften her tone and bow her head now, it was probably too late.

The heart that Shih Yueshu had just managed to calm instantly seized up again.

“Is this true?”

Shih Wanxin nodded.

“Absolutely true, I only overheard it by accident!”

She couldn’t be bothered to question why she had happened to overhear it, or why she had happened to pass by.

In any case, this piece of news was very important.

Shih Yueshu, face grave, called her son.

When the call connected, she was extremely anxious.

“Qi’er! Wanxin says… Xia Ruqing might be Old Xia’s daughter with his ex-wife Lady Xu!”

“You must look into this as quickly as possible!”

“Whether it’s true or not, it has to be false!”

If it turned out to be true, wouldn’t all their efforts this whole time have been for nothing?

The person on the other end of the line fell silent for a long time before hanging up.

Shih Yueshu added,

“Good child, when you have time, help ask around as well!”

“If this is true, it won’t do any of us any good, right?”

Shih Wanxin nodded.

“Yes!”

“You’re absolutely right!”

“Don’t worry, I’ll definitely handle this properly!”

Shih Yueshu also smiled.

“If this is resolved well, I’ll make sure everything goes smoothly for you with Lady Xu.”

Shih Wanxin was very excited.

“Really? Don’t worry, I’ll do my very best!”

Some resources within the circle of society madams were beyond her reach on her own.

Not just her—even her own parents couldn’t get them.

So at the moment, Shih Yueshu was the highest backing she could rely on.

Cozying up was a must; until the very last moment, this backing must not fall.

As she was leaving, Shih Yueshu pulled her back.

“Wanxin!”

“You’d better see if you can… get to know that Xia Ruqing!”

“You’re about the same age, and both girls!”

“I imagine communication shouldn’t be particularly difficult!”

Shih Wan thought for a moment, then turned and smiled.

“You’re right, I’ll definitely think of a way!”

…

It was snowing outside.

Shih Wanxin pulled her down jacket tighter around her and, in her high heels, slipped into the car.

Looking at the goose-feather snow outside, she suddenly felt everything was very cold, icy cold.

She wanted to go home, but when she thought of that home that had long since lost its warmth, she only felt colder.

Her dad had another woman, and her mom was often bullied.

Although they both doted on her, in the end she was still alone.

It gave her the illusion that no one loved her!

In the past, she’d thought that bitch Xia Ruqing was quite pitiful—no dad, no mom, not a single relative in this world.

Living like some old housemaid, having to constantly do drudge work just to scrape by.

But now—

If nothing unexpected happened, that woman was about to become the grand heiress of Xu Corporation.

And herself?

Behind her was still that not-too-big, not-too-small Shih Family business.

Watching someone she had always stepped on suddenly climb up and fling her far behind—

She felt a surge of fierce resentment and anger.

Why?

Why her?

Why is even that kind of woman happier than me?

No. Impossible.

Xia Ruqing, you bitch, don’t you dare think you can have all this!

Even if you are the Xu Family’s grand heiress, I have to marry in first.

By then, I’ll be the young madam and you’ll be the grand heiress.

Heh, as for the family fortune, of course it still has to go to the young master.

No matter how noble the grand heiress is, she’ll have to marry out in the end, won’t she?

Even if she has what it takes to marry Zhao Junyao—

With Xu Corporation behind me, I’d still be pressing down on her by a head.

Maybe I wouldn’t be winning by much, but at least I wouldn’t be losing!

Shih Wanxin gripped the steering wheel tightly, a coldness bursting from her eyes a hundred times icier than the snowy world outside, with a trace of malice faintly surfacing in their depths.

…

The car had been parked for half an hour.

Snapping back to herself, Shih Wanxin stepped on the gas and drove toward the Xu Family Villa.

The two families lived close by; in just a few minutes she arrived.

She parked the car by the roadside.

In her high heels, she got out of the car.

Seeing that a thin layer of snow had already gathered on the road, her eyes rolled, and she sharply twisted her own heel.

“Ah!”

A shrill scream.

There was a crisp crack, and she fell by the roadside.

She hurriedly straightened herself up, braced against a roadside tree to stand, then took out her phone and called Xu Jingyu.

“Hello!”

Her voice trembled, delicate and pitiful.

…

Xu Jingyu was at Xu Corporation helping his mother handle some investment matters.

Although he was a pure science-and-engineering guy with little interest in the family business,

this was, after all, his mother’s wish.

After struggling with it for a long time, he’d still decided to come help.

Right when he was busy, his phone suddenly rang.

When he answered and saw it was Shih Wanxin,

“Hello, what is it?”

Shih Wanxin spoke pitifully,

“I twisted my ankle, I’m on the roadside now. Can you come get me?”

Her voice quivered slightly, with a hint of sobbing in it.

No straight man could resist such a plea for help from a pretty girl.

Xu Jingyu was naturally no exception; his expression darkened.

“Where are you?”

Shih Wanxin: “I’m near your home!”

“Can you come? It’s so cold here, I’m all alone, I’m really scared!”

The suburban villa district naturally didn’t have many people.

Especially this complex built halfway up the hill—there were few people and narrow roads.

Towering trees lined both sides of the road.

In winter, the leaves were sparse, and one could vaguely see a few other villas a few hundred meters away.

If she genuinely wanted to ask for help, she could still find a security guard.

But…