Chapter 63: Publishing in the Newspaper

Chapter 63: Chapter 63: Publishing in the Newspaper

Song Yao immediately retorted, "An explanation? You left no room for one back then. You said it yourself—that even if it was discovered we were switched, you would only recognize Shen Shuangshuang as your daughter. No one else would count."

Shen Zhenwu’s expression darkened.

Yao Yuzhen’s heart sank into a full-blown panic.

She was usually an expert at managing Shen Zhenwu’s temper, but this time, he didn’t even spare her a glance before declaring, "Listen to our daughter. From now on, Song Yao calls the shots in this house. You go back and make things clear to Shen Shuangshuang. No funny business, and no scheming against Song Yao."

"She’s the rightful daughter of the Shen Family. She can do whatever she wants in her own home. Shen Shuangshuang has been freeloading here for over ten years. She wants to stay? Fine, she can work for her keep. Can’t handle it? The door is right there. She can show herself out."

Yao Yuzhen understood.

He had truly turned against her, and there was no room for negotiation.

’She had even considered threatening him with divorce.’

That trick had always worked like a charm on Shen Zhenwu.

But when she recalled the look on Sister Qin’s face when she’d visited that morning, she didn’t dare voice the harsh threat on the tip of her tongue.

’They weren’t pushovers. They wouldn’t let her act so recklessly forever.’

’If they really fell out and got divorced, where could she and Shuangshuang possibly go?’

’For now, all she could do was grit her teeth and endure it.’

’She had to behave, stay in the Shen Family, and pull Shen Zhenwu back to their side so they could proceed with the marriage alliance with the Sheng Family.’

’As long as Shuangshuang married into the Sheng Family and became the Young Madam of the Sheng Family, her own duty would be fulfilled.’

Once Shen Zhenwu made a decision, the matter was set in stone.

When Shen Shuangshuang woke up, she wailed and thrashed about, throwing things and screaming that she didn’t want to live anymore.

In the end, it took Yao Yuzhen’s patient coaxing to finally calm her down.

The next day, the news was in the papers: Shen Zhenwu had personally admitted that the children had been mixed up at birth and that he had now finally found his biological daughter, Song Yao.

And as for Shen Shuangshuang?

She was to take back the surname Song and would henceforth do chores in the Shen household, effectively becoming a maid.

To make matters worse, he had also scheduled a recognition banquet and invited all the city’s prominent figures to celebrate.

"A maid?"

Shen Shuangshuang’s hands trembled as she held the newspaper. Her vision went dark, and she nearly collapsed.

Yao Yuzhen, sitting beside her, was in no better state. "Shuangshuang, you must keep your composure, especially at a time like this!"

Shen Shuangshuang burst into tears. "Mom! How can I possibly stay calm? He called me a maid in front of all of Beijing!"

"Is a title really that important?"

Yao Yuzhen’s voice was low and steady. "Is your treatment in the Shen Family really his decision to make? Don’t you remember? Shen Zhenwu is away from home eight or nine days out of ten. Who really runs this house?"

Shen Shuangshuang froze, her crying slowly subsiding.

’That’s right... Dad is home so rarely.’

But the next second, panic seized her again. "But what will people on the outside think of me? Will Brother Hui... never want to see me again?"

Yao Yuzhen sneered and shook her head. "You’re looking at this all wrong! He’s holding this recognition banquet to prop Song Yao up, build her reputation, and find her a husband from a family of equal social standing."

"But what he doesn’t know is that Song Yao already has a reputation in Beijing, and it’s all bad. Forget the Sheng Family; any family with half a brain wouldn’t touch that hot potato."

As she spoke, she gently patted her daughter’s hand. "Shuangshuang, I raised you myself. If the Sheng Family passes on a girl like you and insists on choosing some shrew instead, then they must be blind."

Shen Shuangshuang let out a long sigh of relief, the weight on her heart finally lifting.

She threw herself into her mother’s arms, tears welling up again. "Mom... if it weren’t for you, I would’ve jumped out the window last night."

Yao Yuzhen held her tight. "Silly child, Mom promised to protect you, and I always keep my promises."

"Mom... you knew all along that Song Yao and I were switched. Why did you still dote on me? I’m so scared... scared that one day you won’t want me anymore."

Yao Yuzhen’s hand froze for a moment, her expression becoming unreadably dark.

She said softly, "I raised you myself. During all those times I thought I couldn’t go on, having you by my side was what got me through. The bond we’ve built over these past ten-plus years isn’t something that can be easily erased."

While the mother and daughter were sharing an intimate moment inside, Song Yao was already tiptoeing silently away from the door.

"Mom, there’s one more thing I need to ask of you..."

Shen Shuangshuang said, suddenly remembering something as she looked at Yao Yuzhen.

She never had to ask so formally before. All it used to take was a bit of pouting, and she would get whatever she wanted.

"Silly girl, why are you using a word like ’ask’ with your mom?"

Yao Yuzhen patted her lap, motioning for her to come closer.

"Mom, this might put you in a difficult position... but I just can’t let it go."

Shen Shuangshuang couldn’t finish her sentence before tears started to fall.

"Cheng Hai just told me that Liu Yumin and Song Shunqiang have been locked up, and it’s almost certain they’ll go to jail."

Yao Yuzhen sighed, her brow furrowing. "You’re worried about them?"

Wiping her tears, Shen Shuangshuang said, "No matter what, they’re the ones who gave birth to me. I’m not like Song Yao. She resents you for not being there for her all these years, so she constantly talks back and hurts your feelings. But you’re the one who raised me. How could I be so ungrateful?"

"Good girl. All these years I’ve spent raising you weren’t for nothing," Yao Yuzhen said with a sigh.

"If my birth mother hadn’t brought me into this world, how would I have ever had the fortune of being your daughter? Now that Song Yao is back, why must we keep holding on to the past?"

"I know it was hard for Song Yao growing up in the Song Family, but think about it. In a place like the countryside, the fact that they kept her alive is already a sign of a clear conscience. The little grievances she suffered are nothing out of the ordinary in a place like that."

Yao Yuzhen patted her on the back. "Alright, I’ll listen to you. Mom will handle it."

That night, Yao Yuzhen spoke to Shen Zhenwu, demanding that he have the couple released.

Shen Zhenwu’s face darkened on the spot. "No."

The couple immediately reached an impasse and stopped speaking to each other.

When Shen Zhenwu refused to back down, Yao Yuzhen’s temper flared, and she threw him out of the bedroom.

Left with no choice, Shen Zhenwu felt his way into an adjacent room to make do for the night.

Song Yao was already fast asleep, so her room was quiet, and she didn’t hear a thing.

But she knew with perfect clarity that Shen Shuangshuang wouldn’t stay quiet, and Yao Yuzhen certainly wouldn’t give up.

’The upcoming recognition banquet is guaranteed to be another chaotic battle.’

As Song Yao had demanded, Shen Shuangshuang forced herself to cook for two days.

As expected, her cooking skills were so poor that the food she made was nearly inedible.

Song Yao refused to subject herself to bad food, so she bought her own snacks from outside every day.

Shen Zhenwu, on the other hand, didn’t mind. He would just pick up his bowl and eat; as long as the meal was hot, he was content.

By the third day, Shen Shuangshuang finally reached her breaking point.

She was burned by oil splattering from the stove, and a blister immediately formed on her hand.

She fled to the living room, collapsed onto the sofa, and began to sob brokenly.

The moment Yao Yuzhen heard crying, she rushed into the living room.

Song Yao, munching on half an apple, ambled over to take a look. She raised an eyebrow. "It’s just a little scrape. Is it really worth crying like you’ve lost your soul?"

Yao Yuzhen’s face immediately hardened. "Song Yao, watch what you say!"

Shen Shuangshuang’s shoulders trembled as she instantly adopted the look of a frightened rabbit.

"Sister... I know I don’t deserve to stay in this home. But you promised me yourself that as long as I was willing to work for you, you wouldn’t make me leave."

"My hand hurts now, but once it feels a bit better, I’ll go make you a meal right away."

After speaking, she lowered her head to stare at her knees, her voice trailing off.

This abrupt change in attitude actually left Song Yao a little stunned.