Chapter 35: The Tide Has Turned Again

Chapter 35: Chapter 35: The Tide Has Turned Again

More importantly, Yao Yuzhen would truly go all out, even risk her life, to protect Shen Shuangshuang.

That was why Song Yao had to change her plan on the spot and take a step back for now.

Shen Shuangshuang saw Shen Zhenwu’s face turn livid under Yao Yuzhen’s pressure, and a hint of smugness flashed in her eyes.

’As expected. Mom is Shen Zhenwu’s natural-born nemesis.’

’Every time they meet, she doesn’t even have to say much. Her presence alone is enough to overwhelm him.’

"Mrs. Shen."

Song Yao suddenly spoke, her tone calm.

"Since you believe Mr. Shen has done something wrong, why not ask the unit to conduct a thorough investigation?"

As soon as she said this, all eyes in the room focused on her again.

Song Yao gave a faint smile.

"You can’t just make accusations. You say he’s having an affair—isn’t that falsely accusing a leader? Right, Mr. Shen?"

Shen Zhenwu nodded vigorously.

"Exactly!"

Yao Yuzhen’s eyes darkened as she stared daggers at Song Yao.

"I already said it, I don’t believe it!"

"Then that’s your problem."

Song Yao spread her hands.

"You only believe what you want to believe. Isn’t that just acting on feelings?"

At her words, the crowd’s gazes toward Yao Yuzhen began to change.

Some people started nodding, thinking Song Yao had a point.

Others began to whisper amongst themselves, discussing the importance of a unit investigation.

Deputy Jin stroked his chin and nodded.

"Ma’am, Comrade Song Yao is right. We have to rely on evidence. If you don’t trust the unit and just jump to conclusions on your own, it’s truly unfair to the leader."

"You can’t just rely on suspicion."

Xiao Li also chimed in quietly from the side, landing another blow.

Yao Yuzhen and Shen Shuangshuang instantly sensed that the tide was turning again.

The once one-sided support was starting to crack.

This kind of situation had never happened before!

Shen Shuangshuang couldn’t sit still and shifted uncomfortably in her chair.

She wanted to look up at her mother but didn’t dare.

Yao Yuzhen noticed, lifted her hand, and gently squeezed her daughter’s palm.

"But since this is a matter of reason, we must find someone we all trust to oversee justice."

Her tone was calm.

Song Yao grinned.

"That sounds a little self-serving. Why should it be about ’mutual trust’? Shouldn’t it be about what the masses accept? Right?"

Yao Yuzhen’s brow furrowed slightly, and a flicker of something passed through her eyes.

"The unit is the most reliable pillar of support for us common people. If you even doubt the unit’s conclusions, then that attitude of yours..."

Song Yao narrowed her eyes, her tone suddenly taking on an inquisitive edge.

"Mrs. Shen, don’t you think your own stance is a bit biased?"

Yao Yuzhen’s heart skipped a beat.

She hadn’t expected the other girl to suddenly elevate the conversation to this level.

A misstep with words like these could easily be used against her.

Shen Shuangshuang ducked her head abruptly, her fingers recoiling.

’Mom just secretly pinched me!’

’What’s going on?’

’Is even Mom intimidated by Song Yao?’

Yao Yuzhen took a deep breath, forcing herself to remain calm.

"Of course, I will always stand with the unit."

Song Yao nodded.

"Then that simplifies things. Mr. Shen, why don’t you voluntarily submit an application to your superiors to investigate your personal conduct? Once the investigation is complete, the unit can give Mrs. Shen an answer directly. How about it?"

Shen Zhenwu immediately agreed.

"Fine! I’ll write up the report right away and submit it today."

He looked toward Yao Yuzhen, a hint of pleading in his eyes.

Yao Yuzhen’s throat tightened.

"I... I still won’t acknowledge her as my biological daughter. I only have one child, and that’s Shuangshuang."

Song Yao chimed in with a grin.

"That’s fine. I’m not in a hurry to be your biological daughter. I’m okay with Mr. Shen becoming my godfather for now."

The moment she finished speaking, Shen Zhenwu’s expression changed.

He turned to Yao Yuzhen, his voice rising an octave.

"Yu Zhen! What in the world do you want? Rejecting our perfectly good daughter to cause all this trouble!"

"You have the nerve to bring that up?"

Yao Yuzhen’s temper flared.

"If you want a daughter that badly, let’s get a divorce right now! Then I couldn’t care less who you acknowledge outside this family!"

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, don’t get excited. Everyone calm down."

Song Yao, on the contrary, stepped forward to mediate, playing the part of a peacemaker.

"Mr. Shen, let’s not talk about anything else for now."

She waved her hand and said slowly,

"In the future, when science is more advanced, there will be ways to prove everything. Please calm down for now."

Seeing Shen Zhenwu huff and fall silent, she turned to Yao Yuzhen.

"I just want to have your husband as my godfather. I’m not returning to the capital as a biological daughter. That’s not too much to ask, is it?"

"I disagree."

"I forbid it!"

The two voices rang out almost simultaneously.

Shen Zhenwu’s face was grim.

"I finally found our child after all this time, and you won’t even let her enter our home as a goddaughter?"

"I’ve been searching for her day and night for so many years. Now she’s standing right here, and you’re still going to stand in my way?"

Yao Yuzhen sneered.

"The children were switched? Is there any proof? You expect me to bring a stranger into my home based on empty words and let my Shuangshuang suffer? In your dreams!"

Her gaze swept over Shen Zhenwu, then flicked past the girl standing to the side, a trace of disdain on her lips.

’It’s the same old lines, over and over. I’m sick of hearing it.’

Song Yao watched the people before her tear at each other, yet not a single one of them saw the truth.

She took a deep breath, deciding she would no longer remain silent.

"I..."

Just as she began to speak, Shen Zhenwu’s voice suddenly rose.

"The morning after the child was born, I rushed to the hospital. You were still sleeping, so I went to hold the baby. I was a little clumsy and accidentally bruised her shoulder!"

"I remember it clearly. The bruise was on her left shoulder, near her neck. It was dark, and if you pressed it with a fingertip, it would leave a clear indentation."

"By the time I called a doctor and ran back to check, the bruise was gone!"

After saying this, he snapped his head up, his gaze stabbing coldly at Yao Yuzhen.

She glanced down at her daughter, and her resolve hardened once more.

She turned to stare at Song Yao, her expression complex.

"Shuangshuang is my biological daughter, and she always will be! You can enter this family, but you must be polite and proper toward her. Otherwise, don’t even think about it!"

Shen Zhenwu was so angry he started smacking the wall.

"Yu Zhen! Don’t go too far! If you keep carrying on like this, what will outsiders think of our family?"

"Oh, Mrs. Shen, whether you agree or not isn’t important."

Song Yao immediately cut in.

"I’m acknowledging Mr. Shen as my godfather, not begging for your approval. You can drop the matriarchal act. You’re not the only one who gets a say here."

Yao Yuzhen’s face changed in a flash. She scanned Song Yao from head to toe, her expression full of disgust.

"How rude."

After spitting out those two words, she sneered.

"Shen Zhenwu and I are a family. If I object, he can’t adopt anyone, period! Whether she’s the real one or a fake, he’ll have to get past a divorce first. Don’t think I don’t know what you’re all thinking. Coming here from the outside, under the guise of repaying a debt—aren’t you just after this family’s assets?"

She turned her head to the side and stared at Shen Zhenwu.

"Tell me, are you going to divorce me for an outsider? Is that it? If you dare to say that one word, ’yes,’ I’ll walk out of here right now, take Shuangshuang, leave this hospital, and never set foot in your family’s home again!"

Song Yao knew she couldn’t let him be put in an impossible position right now.

No matter what he said, if things blew up, it would be difficult to clean up the mess.