Chapter 61: The Sky Has Collapsed

Chapter 61: Chapter 61: The Sky Has Collapsed

"Shen Shuangshuang, you’ve eaten and lived in our home for over a decade. Yu Zhen cared for you more than she would a biological daughter. Originally, I thought that even after we found our real daughter, we’d let you stay. We could have treated you as a goddaughter or an adopted daughter. You were innocent, and I acknowledge that. But I never, ever expected..."

The color instantly drained from her face, and her nails dug sharply into her palms.

Shen Zhenwu’s tone shifted, his voice becoming as cold as ice.

"There was a leak from Ling Qinghan’s end, which is how you managed to get to Shunping Village first. But you had wicked ideas and went after my own daughter. Don’t you dare say you had nothing to do with it?"

"I didn’t! It really wasn’t me!"

She scrambled forward in a panic. "Dad! You can’t just sentence me to death based on gossip! Even Ji Xianbei said I didn’t ask him to do it! This has absolutely nothing to do with me!"

Shen Zhenwu pulled back to avoid her, his gaze heavy as he stared at her. "Whether you did it or not, you know the truth."

Shen Shuangshuang’s body went limp. She lost her footing and fell to the floor, continuing to stare pleadingly at this "Dad" of hers.

Shen Zhenwu didn’t even blink. His voice remained cold. "There’s something I have to make crystal clear today. I have always been perfectly clear on this: you are Shen Shuangshuang, and Song Yao is my biological daughter. I never lied to you, nor did I ever let you get the wrong idea. It was you people who always took the truths I laid out and let them go in one ear and out the other."

Tears streamed down Shen Shuangshuang’s face, her lips trembling too much to form a complete sentence.

The female director from the committee who had come with them sighed at the sight and hurried forward to help her up.

The moment she extended her hand, Shen Shuangshuang shot back up!

The tears in her eyes were gone, replaced by a searing hatred that fixed itself on Song Yao, who stood quietly not far away.

She enunciated each word with venom: "Song—Yao—"

Her entire body trembled with hatred.

The next second, she charged forward, shouting as she ran, "Who the hell are you? What gives you the right to tear my family apart? What gives you the right to steal my mom and dad?!"

The female director cried out in alarm, "Shen Shuangshuang! Don’t be rash!"

"How can I not be rash?! The moment she showed up, my whole world came crashing down!"

She sobbed hysterically. "Song Yao, you’re a jinx! You shouldn’t even be alive!"

Song Yao had just opened her mouth to speak when Shen Zhenwu roared, "Shut your mouth!"

He strode between the two of them. "Shen Shuangshuang, a final piece of advice. The one who swapped the babies back then was your biological mother, Liu Yumin. She was the one who stole my daughter! Your entire family has no right to be hostile to my daughter!"

The director from the Women’s Federation also spoke up. "Comrade Shen Shuangshuang, it’s exactly as Mr. Shen said. Liu Yumin couldn’t handle the pressure and confessed everything about secretly swapping the babies nineteen years ago."

The moment her words fell, Shen Shuangshuang’s legs gave out. Her knees hit the ground, and as she tried to brace herself with her arms, they slipped, and her forehead scraped the floor.

The Women’s Federation director saw this and exclaimed in shock, "Quick, call a doctor!"

"Don’t! I’ve got this!"

Song Yao rushed over in a few quick strides and yanked Shen Shuangshuang up by the collar.

SLAP! SLAP! SLAP!

Three consecutive slaps.

"Shen Shuangshuang! Are you dumb with joy? Open your eyes!"

Shen Shuangshuang, who had only been pretending to be unconscious, was jolted awake by the stinging pain!

Furious and resentful, she scrambled up and yelled, "Happy about what? You just wanted to hit me!"

Song Yao blinked, a look of puzzlement on her face. "The truth is out. You, an impostor, got to live nineteen years of a good life for free. That’s some incredible luck. Shouldn’t you be happy?"

Once these words were out, everyone present was stunned.

The Women’s Federation director’s mouth hung half-open, while Shen Zhenwu raised a hand to press his temples.

This time, Shen Shuangshuang was so incensed that her eyes rolled back, and she collapsed on the spot, a trickle of blood even emerging from her mouth...

The door to Yao Yuzhen’s hospital room was suddenly pushed open.

Yao Yuzhen, who was supposed to be lying in bed, was actually standing at the door on crutches, seeing someone out.

"Please, rest assured. I..."

She didn’t finish her sentence. Her gaze swept over and landed on Shen Shuangshuang, who was collapsed on the floor.

"Shuangshuang!!"

She rushed over, and as soon as she touched Shen Shuangshuang’s face, her fingers came away with something warm and sticky.

She looked down and saw it was all blood.

Yao Yuzhen swayed. "Blood... She’s coughing up blood?! What did you do to her?!"

She whipped her head around, first fixing her gaze on Shen Zhenwu, then glaring fiercely at Song Yao.

The female cadre who had just come out of the room frowned and asked, "What happened?"

The director from the Women’s Federation calmly and clearly recounted what had just happened.

"As you know, Yaoyao was nearly killed by Ji Xianbei. And Ji Xianbei only did it to protect Shen Shuangshuang. It’s understandable that Yaoyao is still holding a grudge."

Shen Zhenwu’s voice was completely devoid of emotion.

Yao Yuzhen immediately cut him off. "Shen Zhenwu, you shut your mouth! She’s been beaten this badly, and you’re still taking an outsider’s side?"

"This is your own family matter. Mr. Shen, Comrade Yao Yuzhen, you should close your doors and talk it out properly yourselves."

Sister Qin had made her point and had no intention of playing peacemaker. After speaking, she headed for the door.

Shen Zhenwu nodded. "Understood, Sister Qin."

Song Yao watched silently from the side, noticing that her dad was exceptionally respectful toward this Sister Qin, while Yao Yuzhen was clearly a bit intimidated by her.

’Just what is her background?’

As if sensing her gaze, Sister Qin suddenly turned her head and glanced in her direction.

Caught red-handed staring, Song Yao didn’t flinch or look away. Instead, she broke into a grin.

’A smile is the most useful tool!’

’Even if she’s a little unhappy about me slapping Shen Shuangshuang, after a smile like that, it wouldn’t be proper for her to chew me out.’

’Besides, Sister Qin probably had no intention of pursuing the matter anyway.’

’It’s most likely on account of my dad!’

Sister Qin paused for a moment, then gave her a slight smile as well.

Shen Zhenwu said his goodbyes, mentioning he had some urgent business to attend to, and turned to walk quickly down the hallway before his words even faded.

Not two minutes later, a doctor and a nurse rushed into the room.

They quickly surrounded Shen Shuangshuang’s bed and began a thorough examination.

Upon hearing that she had only fainted from being overly emotional, Yao Yuzhen immediately breathed a sigh of relief.

After composing herself, she began with an apology. "Yaoyao, dear, Sister Qin just told me everything. I’m only now finding out..."

She tried to act like she was crying tears of joy, but the few drops she managed to produce were less than the splash she’d made when she saw Shen Shuangshuang collapse.

Song Yao’s gaze swept over her face. "If you can’t actually cry, don’t force it. I can see your face is all scrunched up from the effort. It must be tiring."

Yao Yuzhen froze on the spot, her mouth open, unable to utter a single word in response.

Song Yao had no desire to hear her empty platitudes, and even less intention of playing along with this performance.

Shen Zhenwu returned after paying the bills and walked right into the two of them standing face to face, the atmosphere frozen solid.

He hurried to Song Yao’s side and lowered his voice. "Daughter, did your mom say something unpleasant again?"

Before Song Yao could speak, he quickly tried to smooth things over. "Your mother is very blunt. She often speaks without thinking, and doesn’t mean it. Don’t take it to heart."

"No."

Song Yao’s expression turned serious. "On the contrary, I find her previous dislike of me more reassuring."

Shen Zhenwu was taken aback for a moment, clearly not understanding what she meant by that.

Across the room, Yao Yuzhen was already waving him over, her eyes gesturing for him to hurry.

In his heart, he had always hoped that the three of them could live a lively, happy life as a family.

Yao Yuzhen had been right about one thing: a large part of the reason he was so determined to find Song Yao was, in fact, thanks to Yao Yuzhen.

Love me, love my dog, after all.